Chapter 20
The sight of the Duchess vomiting blood shocked everyone at the banquet.
The incident spread like wildfire, and even those who hadn’t witnessed it firsthand knew exactly how she had collapsed and how much blood she had lost.
Naturally, the story grew exaggerated as it passed from one person to another.
“She looked like she was about to die,” “She even had a nosebleed”—these were mild compared to the rumors that circulated.
Whispers of attempted poisoning, claims that she was in critical condition, or even that she had already died ran rampant.
Talk about the Duke was also unavoidable. Most commented on how unfamiliar his behavior seemed.
The Duke, known for his indifference toward his wife, had taken care of her that day. Rumors even claimed he had awkwardly seated himself after dancing to directly apply a compress to the Duchess’s ankle. This sparked new gossip about the couple.
Some young noblewomen envied the Duchess, while those who had subtly looked down on her—seeing her as “of lower birth and abandoned by her husband”—felt a secret fire ignite inside them.
Yet among all those spreading the gossip, hardly anyone knew the actual reason the Duchess had fallen ill. Most were merely guessing.
Amid the chaos, someone brought a new piece of news to the banquet hall.
“L-Lady Stover!”
A quick-witted noble delivered fresh information about who was responsible for the incident.
“They say it was Lady Stover!”
“What? You mean Lucy Stover?”
“Yes! The Duke himself is searching for her like a cat chasing a mouse!”
Rumors about Lucy Stover spread far faster than the exaggerated tales about the Duke and Duchess.
The gossip was uncontrollable, racing through the hall like a horse at full speed, gaining momentum instead of slowing down.
Within moments, everyone at the banquet was talking about Lady Stover.
“See, I knew she’d do something like this someday. Her gaze was sharp from the start.”
“She’s been like that since childhood—persistent and arrogant.”
“What kind of upbringing did the Marquess give his daughter? Honestly…”
Everyone busied themselves criticizing Lady Stover, forgetting how much they had once ignored the Duchess.
“She dared do such a cruel thing. I know she admired the Duke for a long time, but apparently, she couldn’t control her jealousy.”
“She must have thought she was someone special. Foolish, really.”
“Since she tried to poison the Duchess, she should get a severe punishment, right?”
No one actually knew exactly what Lucy Stover had attempted; everyone believed she had tried to poison the Duchess.
Only hours ago, she had been a noble lady of the Marquess household. Now she had become a criminal too disgraceful to even speak about.
Once someone was marked in society, the stigma followed them for life. Her past would shadow her wherever she went.
Lucy Stover had now earned an indelible label:
“The woman consumed by jealousy who tried to kill the Duchess.”
Chiron’s subordinates were competent.
Only minutes after apprehending the servant, they captured Lady Stover herself.
“We found her in the forest beside the banquet hall.”
“Trying to escape, I see.”
Chiron’s tone dripped with sarcasm.
“Bring them both here.”
“Yes, sir.”
The evidence was clear, and since she had dared give substances to the Duchess, she could not go unpunished.
Both were brought in, bound, and forced to kneel before Chiron.
The servant pleaded with her eyes, silently begging for mercy. In contrast, Lady Stover looked defiant, her expression as fierce as a rebellious teenager, seemingly unaware of her wrongdoing.
“You both understand why you’ve been brought here, yes?”
“I don’t, sir.”
Of course, it was Lady Stover who spoke so brazenly.
“Since you’ve brought me here, it must be because the Duchess staged something to frame me. I did nothing at all.”
Nothing? Even after drugging the Duchess, she had the audacity to say that? She was far from seeing reason.
“Staged something?”
“Yes. The Duchess, who disliked me, must have meticulously planned this. You shouldn’t be fooled by her words, sir.”
Her speech continued: she claimed she was innocent and that it was all the Duchess’s scheme.
“I was on the terrace during the banquet, getting some fresh air. When I returned, the Duchess was vomiting blood. That’s all I know.”
Someone who had fled into the forest, presumably guilty, had little right to make such claims.
“Sir, the Duchess has disliked me for a long time.”
Why was I hearing this from her?
“Really?”
“Perhaps because there were talks of me as a potential match for Your Grace, she always made her dislike obvious. I merely assumed she saw me as a rival. Even so, I was grateful, considering it a form of acknowledgment.”
Her words flowed smoothly, like a well-practiced speech. I couldn’t help but click my tongue.
“Was it my wife who said this?”
Chiron asked.
Was he really listening to her seriously? He remained expressionless, making it impossible to read his thoughts.
One should abandon any hope of a husband taking their side quickly.
Feeling that Chiron might be listening, Lady Stover became even more animated.
“Yes. I still don’t know why the Duchess hated me so. Perhaps she was anxious, never satisfied with your attention, sir, and felt it wasn’t enough.”
Even with me right beside her, she spoke such nonsense.
“There was also an incident in the waiting room. The Duchess insulted me. Many must have witnessed it, so you can call them to confirm.”
“The lady spoke first, though.”
I protested, but Lady Stover completely ignored me, continuing as if I didn’t exist.
“She said things I had never heard before. And yet, I had tried to extend my hand to her first, trying to be friendly.”
“I see.”
“You must understand how cunning the Duchess is, sir! I never tried to poison her. If you doubt me, you may use a lie detector—I have no fear of being tested.”
Technically, she wasn’t entirely wrong. She didn’t try to poison me—she only drugged me into delirium.
Chiron, who had listened quietly, nodded slightly.
He gestured to his subordinates, who quickly stood beside Lady Stover.
“Alright, I understand your claim.”
“You must believe me, sir! Do not trust that cruel woman’s words—”
“If you keep saying the same thing in the underground prison, then we’ll see whether I believe you.”
Chiron cut her off abruptly.
“S-Sir?”
Lady Stover, who had believed he was listening, was stunned.
“Take them both away.”
Following his orders, the subordinates grabbed both of their arms. Lady Stover was dragged off, struggling violently.
“Sir! How can you do this to me?!”
Chiron shook a notebook in front of her.
“Everything you said with the servant is written here. Don’t feel too wronged.”
“Y-Yes…?”
“Oh, and one more thing.”
He added a comment, as if remembering, causing the subordinates to pause briefly.
“Just so you don’t misunderstand, Lady Stover and I never had marriage talks. She was merely flattering me to gain favor for her family.”
With a nod from Chiron, they dragged her out even more forcefully. She could not resist.
The more she struggled, the more her carefully styled hair became disheveled, and the hem of her dress was trampled. Her final image in my eyes was pitiful.
Even after Lady Stover was gone, the room remained chaotic.
People eager to know what had happened and spectators who wanted to see her dragged out collided with each other.
“It’s noisy when it should be quiet,” Chiron muttered irritably. He instructed the remaining subordinates.
“Clear out all the noisy people. Or lock them up with that woman from earlier.”
“Yes, sir.”
But another voice cut through, stopping all actions.
“Then I can’t enter either, Duke?”
It was a voice with the weight of age. I immediately recognized the owner.
“Am I also going to be locked in the Duke’s underground prison this time? Heh heh.”
The Emperor…?
