Chapter 54. Calen Castle, Part XV

"But on the way, I heard that other visitors had arrived before us." Duke Kiellini mentioned the unexpected visit by Marquis Anais.

"Yes, sir. I hope you don't feel uncomfortable."

"I have nothing uncomfortable. I guess it's a little awkward, because we've rarely come and gone... Oh, I interrupted you. Keep your dinner."

"No, I'm done. It looks like Manol's fame is in your ears, too. I can't believe you're visiting on purpose like this."

"Yes. As soon as I arrived in Ricaren, I planned to stop here first."

As Duke Kiellini said goodbye to him with the words 'Let's meet in the castle later', and entered the inside under the guidance of a staff member who was waiting. Oswald politely saw off the man from behind, and called in the manager for his bill.

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When Oswald's fancy carriage arrived at the gate, the captain of the guard approached for an inspection and greeted him."Are you back?"

"You are doing a good job. Don't make a mistake, and be in attendance on him politely when Duke Kiellini arrives."

"Yes, sir."

The carriage entered the castle after being seen off by the captain of the guard, ran for a long time, and passed through the inner gate.

Oswald lifted the seat opposite him and assisted Duke Martin lying within. As the Duke swore and managed to pull himself out of the storage compartment under the velvet-covered seat, Oswald's servant took off his jacket, carefully put it on the chair and entered the place where Martin had been lying."Your Excellency, we're about to arrive. Thank you for your hard work."

"This is more than I thought. I don't know what this is all about all of a sudden. What kind of a man did this against His Highness?"

Oswald laughed as Duke Martin grumbled. "But I'm glad you were on your way to Bertino. Take off your jacket and change into this one. I think it'll be a little bit small, because it's my servant's clothes."

The Duke of Martin, who had just been given the gray uniform which the servant had taken off, took off his coat and switched them.

"When we get to the main castle, I'll get off and the driver will drop you off at the private entrance for the servants. Albert's servant will be waiting there, so follow him. Unfortunately, since you arrived earlier than your luggage, I thought I'd lend you my clothes."

Oswald burst into laughter as the Duke shook his head in fright at the final words.

"I can't help you since you were so hasty. It's crumpled, but you'll have to wear the same clothes you wore. I want you to come down to the hall as soon as the servant fixes the clothes."

The Duke nodded to Oswald, who spoke with such seriousness compared to when he had laughed. The carriage arrived in the main castle while the two men talked about what might be going on when they came down the hall.

"You don't have to get off. I'll get off by myself, so just drive your wagon to the back door."

Oswald got out of the carriage and deliberately ordered inside. When the Duke, who pretended to follow him like his servant, sat down again, the carriage started again, as instructed.

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Killian decided he couldn't take more time.

If Duke Martin did not arrive on time and failed to testify, he had to accept the false testimony of Lady Anais. It was clear how Lady Anais would act after taking today's opportunity, but he was able to bear it to save Julietta.

Before Lady Anais had proposed a false testimony, he had also been mindful of sneaking Julietta out of prison. The deal with Lady Anais was nothing compared to risking everything, no matter what would happen afterwards. But no matter how much he tried to reassure himself, he couldn't stand being angry at the situation.

Killian glared at the woman holding her bruised cheek in front of him.

'Whose plan is this? What's the benefit of this, harming my own maid?'

He kept thinking about the idea that had been constantly hovering over his head since yesterday: "I will not kill this criminal nicely." Even Lady Anais tried to take advantage of the opportunity, but he had no intention of forgiving her, either.

It was a moment when Killian, finally determined, tried to turn his eyes to Christine, who looked at him with an expectant look. The door of the hall opened after breaking the silence.

Oswald, wearing yellow and blue clothes, protested with a loud voice after he entered, "Oh no! Your Highness, you promised to wait until I get back."

Count Valerian stared at the Viscount and said disapprovingly, "It was forced to start quickly because Viscount Chaister visited His Highness without his permission."

"The Viscount, did you come in here without waiting for the judgment of His Highness to protest about what happened to your daughter?"

As Marquis Oswald abandoned his soft-spoken attitude so far and lashed out harshly, Viscount Chaister exploded in pent-up anger.

"It's too much, is it? My daughter was beaten severely by the maid of His Highness. This was even by a commoner! But how can I stay calm as a father? Is it so wrong that I came here to ask His Highness to kill the maid? I was afraid that he might forgive her, just because she was his maid."

"The Viscount, I think you're thinking something wrong. Do you think His Highness should take responsibility for this, or he would forgive her just because she's his maid? You are also a subject of His Highness. In the eyes of His Highness, all of them are all the same subjects under him. Then, do you think he would reward you for what his maid has done, or take responsibility for what she's done?"

Oswald shook his head as he were stunned. Killian raised his hand to stop him when the Viscount opened his mouth, as if he were protesting.

"No! I'll question you later on about your own saucy idea. Although the two's claims are so tense, I will proceed with the punishment of the maid as requested by the family of Chaister, determined to be more credible after Lady Chaister's claims, according to the reports from the knights that were there yesterday."

Sylvia's face lit up at Killian's sentence. As her anxiety gradually stabilized, she could raise her head proudly and look at Killian for the first time. She was thrilled to be able to serve this dazzling man closer now.

Meanwhile, Christine was embarrassed by Killian's answer. When he had called her here, she had thought he was definitely trying to go ahead with what she had said in the morning. As she tried to come forward, thinking she couldn't just pass this chance, the door to the hall opened once again.

"Your Highness, I've been lying down all day because I wasn't feeling well, so I've only heard that the verdict is being held in the hall about the case of what happened last night."

At the resonant deep voice, Killian looked at the door and shouted with pleasure, "Duke Martin, are you all right? I've been worried about you."

"I'm okay, thanks for your concern. I guess I was a little tired from the long trip. I've had a good rest, and now I'm good."

"It's a blessing, but you're not taking any more rest to get here on purpose. Do you have anything to say?"

Standing in front of Killian across the hall, Duke Martin bowed politely. "Yes, Your Highness. I came down to see you, but they said you were here because of the verdict about what happened yesterday. The sentence was so strange that I asked about it and I found that it was just what I had witnessed. I went to bed thinking it wouldn't be a problem for the knights to come running, but things went strange."

Duke Martin remarked about the story of yesterday's situation he had heard from Adam.

"What was strange?"

When Killian asked back, Duke Martin glanced back at Sylvia. "I saw the incident yesterday beside the second-floor window before I went to sleep. What I saw was a black-hooded person hit the thinner of the two people they encountered, and then run away."