Natalie has been bedridden for about two days because Lord Apollo is more concerned than ever. Duchess Valimos and Marquess Hector have been on the lookout for signs that the Countess or the Duchess have awakened. Perhaps Hera's inability to recover quickly results from the shock she's experienced. Unfortunately, there is still no sign of consciousness for either woman, so the nobles are betting on who will control which factions.
If the House of Smith were to take the fall for the attempted murder of the Crown Princess, it would be their advantage. After all, the Duchess of Light's wealth and influence are not to be trifled with. But since the assassin blackmailed him a few nights ago, Count Harren is powerless even though he desperately wants to dominate the House of Smith. With that, his faction cannot do anything but hope the Duchess of Light to gain consciousness.
The Duchess of Valimos was seen sitting in her study, presumably doing Duchessly things. She occasionally waited for a knock on the door to be informed that Natalie or Hera had woken up. She doesn't know why she went to Harren's estate in an attempt to rescue Natalie. Duchess Valimos could have asked Hector or someone else to do it, but doing it herself is genuinely remarkable. Medea was startled out of her reverie by a knock on the door.
"Pardon me, my Lady. Both Duchess Natalie and Countess Hera have been awake. The Imperial Palace has requested that the Header of the House immediately arrive at the palace for the trial," Keira emerges from the door, informing the news of her beloved Duchess.
The Duchess thanked her and immediately dismissed Keira. Finally, the moment has arrived for her to save both women. She must do so at all costs.
Medea is among the first to arrive among the nobility. She does nothing but stands on the corner and observe the urgent trial. Meanwhile, the other nobles are engaged in a heated discussion. While some maintain that the Duchess of Light is entirely blameless, others disagree. With the influence of the Smith family, Natalie could have planned and executed everything, except that she was just caught in the act. The Marquess has also arrived and is spending some private time with Lady Medea. The usual Duchess Valimos doesn't like to ramble and only speaks when she absolutely must.
That being the case, the Marquess goes up to her to introduce himself. Duchess raises her head and listens intently to what Hector has to say. Of course, an average person would feel insignificant under such scrutiny, but Hector is used to it. The Marquess gives her a pleasant expression and then asks about the upcoming trial. However, they cannot continue the conversation because too many people are present. Therefore, they have returned to their previous state of silence.
"My Lady, can we--"
"Your patience and willingness to wait for the trial are greatly appreciated. The nobles are now permitted to sit tight for the impending arrival of His Majesty at the court," the Imperial Knight informed the others, and Hector was cut before he could finish his sentence.
The Duchess walks to the court, seemingly forgetting what the young Marquess is about to say. Her mind is still racing with the formula for devising a strategy. The young man lets out a loud sigh, possibly frustrated by what has happened. He was going to ask Medea if he could assist with the trial in any way. He wants to help out because it will make Lady Medea even happier. When she wins, the Duchess's radiant smile is exactly what he is looking for right now.
Nonetheless, he is powerless to act without Medea's initiative. Count Harren is sweating profusely on the other side of the court. His hands are trembling, and he tries to shake it off, but it doesn't work. Not long after that, the Crown Prince arrived, signalling the start of the trial.
"A few days ago, my fiance was on the verge of being assassinated at a hunting competition. Count Harren and I were passing through some area when we discovered the suspect, Duchess Natalie, with her. The Crown Princess was knocked unconscious by the poison in her wound, whereas Duchess Natalie was unharmed. She was then led to the Palace dungeon to confess her crime. However, the nobles held a meeting and decided it was best to wait for the Crown Princess to awaken and tell us the truth. As a result, the torture against Smith's head was halted. As the Crown Princess and the suspect have awakened, I will delegate the investigation to the Crown Princess," Ares then sits, waiting for Hera to make her opening statement.
"Thank you for allowing me to open this case, Your Highness, and for your patience. I don't want to drag this out any longer, but Duchess Natalie has done nothing wrong. When the assassins tried to kill me, I was alone. The Duchess was only coming to save me since the poison dagger had already wounded me. That's when my fiancé, the Crown Prince, and Count Harren appeared. I apologised to the Duchess of Light for causing the confusion," the Countess ended her speech because she, too, was burdened by guilt.
The Duchess had done nothing wrong; she had just saved her. She was, however, punished and was bedridden for two days as a result. The court was still sitting in silence. It makes sense, but not simultaneously. A few questions appear to be unrelated to the stories. Perhaps some unsolved puzzles hold the key to this case. The tension in the courtroom is palpable to both Duchesses. The nobles continue to have doubts about this situation. Natalie now has a responsibility to clear her name.
"There is one question that makes no sense at all. What would my Lady say about the horde of assassins on the ground? There are even two distinct groups," one of the nobles expressed their thoughts on the matter.
The Countess anticipates that this question will arise during the trial. Fortunately for her, she already has an answer. The Countess explains that one group surrounded her and attempted to attack her, trapping her at the time. The other group leapt from the trees out of nowhere as she was about to be killed. They didn't appear to be joining forces. To cut a long story short, they began to attack, lunging each other with swords. However, one group seems more skilled with swords than the other. As a result, the majority of the members of the groups were annihilated in seconds.
She was still too shocked by what had happened to act rationally. Additionally, the Countess would be unable to escape because she would be surrounded by guards. So finally, after exhausting all other options, she gave up and let God decide her fate.
"That's when my saviour appeared and fought all of the assassins. Unfortunately, I couldn't look at that person's face because they were fighting while wearing a cape and mask. However, I suspected the same person who assisted me at the Crown Prince's birthday banquet the last time. That person was stronger than everyone, but he couldn't save me as I was stabbed with the dagger. As that person approached me, the Duchess arrived, causing him to flee, and I am sure you know what happened after that," the Countess finishes her explanation, looking at each noble.
'The same person who saved her before? How does that person know about the plan? Even Natalie does not even know about it. That being said, there must be a mole in my servants. I am going to find that rat and skin him alive. My plans have been ruined ever since.'
The Crown Prince barely had time to gather his thoughts before the nobles resumed questioning his fiancee. The lack of progress in finding a saviour for the Crown Princess causes a commotion among the nobility. Moreover, the prior assassination attempt had not gone anywhere.
"Lady Hera's saviour must be either powerful or skilled to avoid capture. That person would come and save our Crown Princess after every assassination. Which leads that the person must know who the actual perpetrator is," the nobles say matter-of-factly.
Ares acknowledges this and has searched for Hera's saviour throughout the Empire. Nevertheless, Hera's description is insufficient for him to apprehend that person. This indirectly encourages the Crown Prince to devise a better plan and execute it successfully. Furthermore, he cannot risk losing his influence as the future Emperor of the Angelos Empire. The goal is too messed up and requires many hands to repair. He is confident, however, that Natalie will be with him as usual. That stupid woman would do anything to please Ares.
"As the suspect in the assassination attempt, how would you pledge your case, Duchess Smith?" asks the Crown Prince as the trial continues.
"In this case, I swear to be innocent. People misinterpreted my good deed with Countess Hera's claim that I only saved her and arrived just as the poison began to take effect. Furthermore, there is no evidence linking me to the assassins. I also lack the advanced swordsmanship required to defeat all of those assassins. This could only be done by the best of the best knights," the Duchess locked her ruby gaze on Ares.
The Duchess of Light also speculated that the saviour might only be in the capital. They will never be able to save Hera from afar. The mysterious person may also have a broad network that allows him to learn about the plan. It's also possible that the person has already suspected the mastermind of the assassination attempt and is gathering evidence before entering the spotlight.
"What is your opinion regarding this matter, Duchess Valimos?" one of the nobles turns to Medea, throwing a sudden question.
"There are numerous possibilities to consider. However, we should not rely solely on theory because it could be a side plan. Perhaps that saviour is also the mastermind behind our confusion. The perpetrator likely is one of the high-ranking nobles or well-known mercenaries," Medea is general with her statement so that she does not appear to openly support Natalie's opinion but instead provides another point of view.
The nobles are now in silence again. They are back to square one. Due to his rage, Prince Ares clenches his fist until his knuckles turn white. He blew his chance to seize Natalie's power and wield it. Not to mention Hera is still alive and well, possessing the most divinity power he craves. Duchess Valimos smirks at his neutral expression, anticipating his reaction. So far, the trial appears to be proceeding smoothly. Perhaps she could put more faith in her allies to properly coordinate the plan. The Marquess has taken notice of this and is overjoyed.
Before reaching a decision on the trial, the Crown Prince would ask any nobles additional questions.
"The court ruled that Duchess Natalie Wilson Smith is not guilty because there is no evidence linking her to the attempted assassination or the Crown Princess' statements. Therefore, the court is adjourned with the power vested in me as Crown Prince. Duchess Smith's authority will be returned as the Duchess of Light," Ares finishes the verdict.
"I am so glad Duchess Smith is safe now," Hera thought, taking a glimpse at the ruby eyes.
Count Harren smiled broadly at the corner of the court by the verdict, unaware that the Crown Prince was watching him from afar.
Meanwhile, the other four allies breathe a sigh of relief after winning the trial. At least for the time being. They'll have to deal with another unexpected event the next time. Most importantly, they need to improve their communication skills to coordinate effectively. As a result, nothing like this will happen again in the future.
As they prepare to leave, the Duchesses exchange glances and Duchess Smith gives a genuine smile to Duchess Valimos. She is well aware that she is the mastermind behind why this trial is being held in the first place. The Duchess of Light is eternally grateful to her. After all, it appears that Duchess Valimos is not as cold-hearted as some have claimed.