“The defendant Helena Strand will need time to submit her evidence, so let’s conclude here for today and resume the trial tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Take the defendant to the dungeon immediately!”
At the judge’s command on behalf of the Emperor, the Royal Guard knights grabbed Helena by both arms and dragged her out of the courtroom.
As Duke Rodian and the other nobles left the courtroom, he whispered in a voice barely audible to the Marquis of Cadogan, who had approached him, “His Majesty bought us some time.”
“Yes, Uncle.”
“No matter what, we must destroy the evidence that woman has by tomorrow. That’s the only way you and I can survive.”
“I know.”
The Marquis of Cadogan nodded with a firm expression.
Ashid and Daniella watched them from a distance. Daniella covered her mouth and whispered to Ashid.
“What do you think those two are talking about?”
Ashid leaned his head toward her for her convenience and let out a short, hollow laugh.
“It’s obvious. They’re planning how to destroy the evidence.”
“I thought so. They’re definitely going to try to get rid of that letter.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t let that happen.”
“You better not. Oh, I have a great idea. Do you want to hear it?”
“What is it?”
As Ashid tilted his head, Daniella smiled and whispered in his ear again. A knowing smile spread across Ashid’s face as he listened.
On the night of Lady Helena Strand’s trial, another misfortune befell the Marquis Strand’s family. A great fire broke out in the separate building where the Marquis’s daughter resided.
Fortunately, the servants and maids of the annex were safe, but the building and all the furniture and items inside were completely burned and disappeared.
Duke Rodian and the Marquis of Cadogan smiled triumphantly when they heard the report of the fire. According to a spy’s report, Helena had hidden the letters she had exchanged with the Marquis of Cadogan under her bed in the annex. So, all that evidence must have been destroyed in the fire.
Confident in this, they attended the trial the next day.
The only people in the courtroom were the Emperor, the three noble elders serving as judges, Duke Rodian, the Marquis of Cadogan, the parties involved—Ashid and Daniella Alveric—and a few key witnesses.
This was an order from the Emperor to prevent the news of Duke Rodian and the Marquis of Cadogan’s crimes from spreading too quickly if they were to be revealed in this trial.
The trial resumed, and a pale-faced Helena was brought out.
Duke Rodian and the Marquis of Cadogan looked calm. They were certain they would get away with it.
The Emperor, with a hardened expression, commanded Helena.
“You admitted to your crimes yesterday and said you had evidence to prove who incited you. Bring that evidence now.”
Helena silently nodded and whispered to the knight beside her. A moment later, a maid with a haggard face entered the courtroom. On the tray she held were three or four letters.
‘That, that’s it!’
The color drained from the faces of Duke Rodian and Marquis Cadogan, who had been so relaxed.
Daniella tapped Ashid on the shoulder with her finger, and when he leaned his head toward her, she whispered in his ear.
“I told you my idea was a good one, didn’t I? About telling the head maid to secretly take the letters Helena had hidden and hide them in her corset.”
“Yes. Your advice was apt; they wouldn’t directly attack the servants or search them in this situation.”
Ashid smiled silently and watched the head maid.
“…Hah.”
In the meantime, the Emperor read the letters handed to him by Helena’s maid and let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.
It was impossible to determine from the letters that Duke Rodian and the Marquis of Cadogan had orchestrated and incited the entire plan.
However, the passages where the Marquis of Cadogan encouraged her crime were clearly written.
The Emperor’s hand, holding the letter, trembled slightly.
If this plot had succeeded, many of the knights and soldiers from the North, who could have recovered and returned, would have lost their lives. The North would have soon been divided into factions following the Grand Duke and those following the fallen knights. Especially since the culprit of this poisoning incident was known to be the Grand Duchess.
The division would have led to a weakening of their military power, and those who were always looking for an opportunity to invade the Empire would have used it to start a war.
He had almost become the ruler of a ruined nation.
The Emperor, whose heart had gone cold, struck the dais in front of him with a distorted face and roared.
“Marquis Cadogan! How could you do this! I trusted you with all my heart! You encouraged and incited your lover’s crime instead of stopping it?”
“N-no! That, that letter is… a fabrication! The Marquis’s daughter is trying to drag me down with her!”
The Marquis of Cadogan sweated profusely and made desperate excuses, but the Emperor, consumed by rage, would not listen.
“I don’t want to hear it! Marquis Cadogan, you will leave the capital immediately and go to your estate. And do not even dream of returning to the capital until I have cooled down! Your additional punishment will be decided at a later noble meeting!”
“Your Majesty!”
“I sentence the defendant Helena Strand to death. Her execution will be carried out tomorrow night at the Nobles’ Tower. And all those who were involved in this matter will be brought to trial and receive their just punishment without exception!”
With that command, the Emperor rose from his seat and left the courtroom. Duke Rodian looked between the Emperor and the Marquis of Cadogan for a moment, not knowing what to do, then quickly followed the Emperor.
“Your Majesty! Please wait a moment, Your Majesty!”
The Marquis of Cadogan was grabbed by the Royal Guard knights and dragged outside. His face was blank, as if his soul had left his body.
A short while later, Daniella and Ashid also got up and left the courtroom. Daniella approached their carriage with a pouting face and jutted out her lower lip.
“Just house arrest? Isn’t that punishment too light?”
“It’s not. Not being allowed to come to the capital until His Majesty approves is practically being expelled from society. He won’t be able to gather political power or make plans in the capital, so it’s like a death sentence for the Marquis of Cadogan, who dreamed of regency beside Adrian.”
“…”
“And he said he would discuss additional punishment. He probably won’t kill him because of Adrian, but he’ll demand a large part of his fortune instead. From the Marquis’s perspective, he’s losing both money and power.”
Ashid said this as he helped Daniella get into the carriage safely. When he got in, Daniella said to him.
“That’s not enough for me. …After all, you went through something like this when you were five years old. And you were innocent.”
“…!”
“The more I think about it, the more furious I get. How could His Majesty do this? He didn’t hesitate to punish you with a false accusation, but he’s so desperately trying to protect the Marquis of Cadogan even though his guilt has been clearly exposed!”
“…”
“Shouldn’t the Marquis of Cadogan receive a similar punishment to Lady Helena? …It’s so annoying.”
Daniella’s voice grew louder. The more she thought about it, the more angry and frustrated she became. This was especially true because she fully empathized with Ashid’s feelings after reading the letter left by Duke Enchantto and experiencing the recent series of events.
“…Hah.”
“How can you laugh right now? Aren’t you angry, Your Highness?”
A faint smile spread across Ashid’s face as he looked at her. Normally, he would have been furious at the Emperor’s attitude of trying to save the Marquis of Cadogan, but now, he was simply happy that she was getting angry on his behalf.
So, he slightly rose and moved from his seat opposite her to the seat next to her. He then leaned his head on her shoulder and said,
“You’re getting angry for me like this. So instead of feeling angry, I just feel happy.”
“…!”
At his words, Daniella gasped and turned her head toward him, who was leaning on her shoulder. Ashid met her eyes and smiled sweetly. Then, he said a little playfully,
“But this is unexpected. I thought you would be more concerned about Lady Strand’s punishment. You two were close friends at one point, weren’t you? Doesn’t it bother you?”
“Not at all. She deserves to be executed.”
“I’m glad you think so. I was secretly worried you would feel sorry for her and be anxious.”
Ashid said this and closed his eyes, crossing his arms, as if he was about to fall asleep.
