The Queen Who Shares Love
Chapter 19 Research

The temple's chariots came to the palace. The white horse carriage symbolizes purity and cleanliness. No one knew they were keeping a dark secret.

The Pope and the clergy greeted Emperor Braun and the Emperor's family. Charlotte was holding Louis in her hand. 

The Pope sprinkled holy water to bless Prince Louis who was the prime candidate for Crown Prince of the Empire. Leticia clasped the hand of Judith standing beside her. When Judith was Louis, there was never a blessing. Just because Louis was the son and son of Charlotte Braun's loved ones, a blessing was instituted. Whereas inside Judith also flowed the blood of the Imperial family. 

Leticia realized what Braun was planning. Braun wanted to show his affection for the First Empress was gone. His attention was only paid to the Second Empress and her son. All that so that Leticia no longer has power in the palace.

Unlike Leticia, Judith's eyes sparkled to see her sister's blessing. This blessing was done in the hope that Louis could live a long and healthy life. Another purpose of the blessing was to show that the Empire and the Temple had a harmonious relationship. He does not know the truth behind this blessing. Judith is not considered an Imperial family.

Leticia watched the entire people who came from the temple. The temple party that performed forbidden magic was likely masterminded by one of the temple's higher-ups. The man had such high authority that all the members of the temple had to obey his orders. 

Leticia's eyes were fixed on one person, the Pope. 

How to bring down the Pope. The fall of the temple's top brass can cause chaos. The citizens of the Empire would no longer believe in the temple if they knew the leader who committed the forbidden act. This could make Braun's government falter. The temple's relationship with the powerful Empire, can make residents doubt whether the Empire has anything to do with the magic rituals performed by the Temple. When Grand Duke Faust uncovers this dark secret, the citizens of the empire will believe him. If possible Leticia will make public opinion asking Gerald to be Emperor in Braun's place. The support of the nobility and the recovered reputation would make it easier for Gerald to become Emperor. The government he will run can be peaceful. Residents will trust heroes who reveal the rottenness of temples and nobles.

The blessing is over. The temple has returned from the palace. There was no important information Leticia got from Louis' blessing. However, he was convinced that the Pope was the mastermind of the forbidden magic ritual. Leticia was going secretly to the capital to look for information. 

***

Leticia looked in the mirror to see her appearance. Her hair was brown because she was wearing fake hair. The dress she used to wear was replaced by the clothes commonly worn by commoners. He had also prepared the hut to be unrecognizable.

"Where are you going, Empress?" ask Leticia's private lady.

"I'm going to the capital. Please keep this a secret from everyone, Emilia," Leticia assured her personal handmaid. 

Emilia is one of the ladies Leticia believes in. He always sided with Leticia.

"What if it's discovered, Empress?" anxious Emilia.

"Don't worry, I won't be long" Leticia reassured her personal handmaid.

Emilia eventually relented, following her employer's request. Leticia was grateful that there were still people who were worried about her besides her friends.

Dale's teleportation magic stone was already in his hands. Although Leticia originally intended to use the stone to teleport from the palace to the Faust residence, she could use the magic stone she was in her grasp to teleport elsewhere. He just thought about the place he was going to teleport to that place. Leticia activated the magic stone. 

Now he is in one of the alleys in the capital. Leticia rushed towards a bar. He showed a paper bearing flowers to a servant. The servant nodded, then left his place. He led Leticia into a room. 

The waiter immediately returned to work. Now only Leticia and the man who was old enough marked gray hair and wrinkles on his forehead. 

"So what information do you want?"

"I heard the temple holds a dark secret."

"What secret do you mean?"

"The forbidden magic ritual."

"I can't give you that information."

"No matter what I pay."

"It's not a matter of payment. There is very little information about it and it could be wrong. I don't want to give you false information."

"Just give me that information. I'll pay for it."

"Alright, if you force."

The man cleared his throat, returning his hoarse voice. He continued, "As you have heard the temple performs a forbidden magic ritual. The details are we don't know what forbidden magic they do. We also heard some nobles donating in the temple in large numbers."

"Who are those nobles?"

"Count Blaire, Marquis Lodrey, and Viscount Gremaroft."

Those were the names of the nobles who were on the list of people that Grand Duke Faust needed to get rid of. The nobles covered up the dark deeds they did well. Donating to the temple can lower public suspicion for their illegal deeds. Leticia felt closer to her goal. The road to restoring Grand Duke Faust's reputation was increasingly wide open.

"Is there any other information?" ask Leticia.

The man scrunched his forehead. He thought for a moment. Then he said, "That's all we heard."

"thank you. The excess of this money just think of it as money to keep my mouth shut for my arrival today." Leticia took out a bag of gold coins. The old man took it with pleasure.

Leticia immediately walked out of the room. It's not good he was outside for a long time. His passing will be secretly discovered soon. 

Leticia returns to where she meets the waiter who escorts her. He observed the situation around him. It was still sunny but there were people drinking. Some just order food.

Leticia stepped foot casually so that no one would be suspicious.

"My niece is gone" said the brunette man with a cut on his forehead 

"really? When did it happen?" ask the man in front of her. 

"I got the news yesterday. She went missing about a week ago. His parents looked for him everywhere, but did not see him. A six-year-old boy can't do anything out there."

"Why did he get lost?"

"He often played late into the night. A week ago he did not return home. My brother lives in the countryside close to the temple. The area is still very quiet."

"Hopefully he'll see you soon. I am grateful to live in the city. It's safer here."

"You're right."

The conversation between the two men was loud enough to sound into Leticia's ears. Leticia got important information. He will investigate where the boy went missing. There may be a connection with the temple or the ruler of the village area. The village was in the territory of Viscount Gremaroft. Leticia was confident this information would lead one of them towards destruction.