"I wonder what your face looks like when your well-thought plan gets ruined in an absolute way."
Duchess Valimos looks up to see Ares' face annoyed at what happened. She wants to laugh so hard at that face. He might have tried everything about that. And Medea gives him credit for that. However, she also has a plan to turn the table.
Flashback
First of all, why would the knights find her secret state so easily? Medea would never disclose that state without not being purpose on it. Moreover, even if it's under her name, she already paid enough and makes sure the name is disclosed from any side, including the Imperial Family.
So, how can the Imperial Knights suddenly barge into her secret state, feeling confident that the Duchess and the Crown Princess are in there?
It's simple; Hector is the one who lured them out to that location. When they discovered that the decree had been issued to apprehend Duchess Smith and Princess Isis had been severely injured, he was in disguise, spreading the rumour that he had heard Duchess Natalie was in the area.
People thought he was crazy for saying that, but some pretended to, just to be the ones who reported it. So, what exactly did they do? First, they snuck around the state, looking for someone with Natalie's features. Then, with greed slowly eating away at their hearts, they reported it to the Imperial Knights, who were dispatched to find her.
That's the beginning of it.
So, how is Princess Isis here? Alive and well? She's just pretending to be injured, drinking a potion to temporarily stop her breathing, and the side effects were fever and unconsciousness within 24 hours. Yes, it is dangerous, but they have no choice. They must appear as genuine as possible to fool the Palace's physician.
Isis wasn't seriously hurt in the first place. Perhaps she took more hits than she could handle, but she'll be fine with medication and rest. Duchess Natalie is unaware of this because Isis is immediately knocked out when they arrive at Medea's secret state. Yet, here she is, alive and well.
"Your Highness! What exactly are you doing here?" Count Harren asks deliberately.
"Isis!" Isis' mother stands up, shocked to see her daughter alive and healthy.
Princess Isis smiles sheepishly, thinking she will be dead at her mother's hands since she is more afraid of her mother's wrath than of the potion Medea instructed her to drink. So she simply waves at the concubine while mumbling "Mother" to her.
"I am the main victim of this case. Isn't that my right to be present?" she responds to Harren's question as her red eyes glow, snarling looking at the Count.
The Count feels a chill trickling in his back as he suppresses his shiver. Princess Isis appears to be frightening in this pose. He had no idea this sweet woman could have such a terrifying expression.
"My apologies for the late introduction. I am the Crown Princess of the Crassore Empire, Princess Isis," she said, causing the commoners who watch the trials to gasp about such a claim.
When they heard that claim, the judges massaged their heads, anticipating yet another twist in the trial. So what is going on right now?
"Since I am the main victim here, let me tell you the truth about what happened," Isis began to speak before the judge granted her permission.
She is not rude, but she simply wants to clarify things as much as possible. Unfortunately, Duchess Natalie is on the verge of passing out, and Isis wishes she would be released as soon as possible.
The story began similarly to the other four witnesses. First, they went to the waterfall and had a good time playing a game there. Then, they returned to their carriages as the sun began to set, as Duchess Smith suggested that the Imperial Palace would be concerned if she did not arrive.
"However, Duchess Smith realised that her servant Daphne was missing, compelling her to return to search for Daphne while recommending that I return to the Palace first. I object because I would never leave such a beautiful woman alone in the woods at night. Therefore, one of the servants informed us that Daphne had been missing for a while. We went there to locate her but instead found the assassins.
They used one of the male servants--" Princess Isis turns her wheelchair to see the faces of the witnesses.
Her red eyes locked onto their face as she tried to recall a feature of their face. It's evident because it's a man. Wouldn't it be Henry? She comes to a halt moment as the trial's eyes follow her every move.
"You! You were the one who was threatened that day," she points out.
People shift their gaze from Isis to Henry, sweating profusely under the scrutiny. His eyes tremble, looking up and down from it as he nearly pisses right there. What's more terrifying is that when he looks up, the ruby eyes of a certain blonde are more fearful than anything else.
"As a result, we had no choice but to surrender. Following that, we were blindfolded and forced into different carriages. I was with Daphne and Delphia, but we were separated because I was unconscious for two days due to magical spells. That is until the search party arrived and Duchess Medea, Marquess Hector, and Lord Apollo rescued us," she completes her explanation.
The audience is now whispering to one another.
"So, the Duchess isn't the bad guy?"
"Her story does not claim to prove the Duchess' innocence in this case!"
"Did the Duchess convince the Crown Prince to testify alongside her?"
"She is a wicked woman if she did that."
"And, of course, you were wondering how I could know that the Duchess here is also one of the victims. So that's why I'd like to bring in another person to clarify everything," she claims as she claps her hands to allow the guard to open the sacred court door.
Two of Crassore's knights accompany a battered man to the trial. Bruises cover his face, as does dried blood on his cracked lips, though some of it has already been wiped away per Isis' instructions.
"I apologise for such a hideous face, but it doesn't matter because he is the leader of the kidnapping and nearly killing us. He also separated my location from Duchess Smith's, so he could wait for the perfect moment when everyone would behead the Duchess, like today, and then release me.
His name is Devon. As much as I want to kill him, I can't if justice for the Duchess and everyone involved in this case can't be served. We were extremely fortunate that the search party sent by the Angelos Empire was so competent, thanks to His Highness Prince Ares' recommendation. I have no idea how much the Crassore owes you," Isis said, nodding to Ares.
"Owes you? You crazy lunatic, you almost killed me," Isis thought as she inwardly, seething and nods at the Crown Prince.
"Hence, I would prefer to deal with this individual and anyone else involved, Prince Ares. If anything goes well, I would like Duchess Smith to share her wisdom on how to deal with him," Isis makes a public request with Ares.
It isn't anything, but if a Crown Princess from another Empire asks for such a request personally in public at the heavenly court where she is a victim on such a big case, what would Ares do except agree to her request?
"Yes, you can do so, Princess Isis. It's my responsibility to advocate this situation delicately, especially for the Crassore Empire," he announces after quite a while.
"With this, Your Honour, I hope the allegations against Duchess Natalie are clear. Other than Daphne, the other claims are completely false and indicate that they are somehow connected to this case," Isis continues after thanking Ares.
Count Harren cannot believe how things have turned out. When he considers this, Princess Isis can only deny that Duchess Smith was not involved in the assassination attempt. Still, she cannot deny the memorandum between the Duchess and the Crassore Empire rebellions. So he stands up again, trying to keep the trial going. He needs to advance in the noble hierarchy. With Duchess Natalie gone, he could be one of the Empire's most powerful nobles! If everything goes as planned, the Crown Princess may marry his daughter for political reasons.
"She even made a deal with the rebels of the Crassore Empire, Your Highness! She has been manipulating everyone from day one!"
"Count Harren, can you defend your words against the accusations?" Isis inquires, forcing the raven-haired beauty to be breathless with fury.
"Yes, a memorandum exists between the Duchess and the rebellion of the Crassore Empire. Even more, the Duchess provides the raw materials for a weapon to wage war against the Crassore Empire!" Count Harren walks over to the judges, he asks permission to give it to the Crown Princess.
Harren then delivers the document to the Crown Princess. Princess Isis reads over it, her gaze fixed on the paper as if it could burn through it. She grips the side of the sheets, slightly wrinkling them. Harren smirks as he believes the Princess cannot accept that Natalie has been using her all along. While he's still basking in the glory of victory, Natalie, on the other side of the court, starts laughing, and everyone's attention is drawn to her. Princess Isis is about to look down when Natalie catches her eye.
"You, evil wench! Why would you laugh in the middle of the court!" Count Harren said, well, practically shouting.
The judges look at her, feeling weird at her sudden behaviour change.
"Silence!" the head judge warns Duchess Natalie.
"My apologies, Your Honour," she said while muffling her laugh.
Isis is taken aback by the sight of the ruby eyes. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, she joins Natalie in laughing, causing the others to scrunch up their brows in confusion. Duchess Smith later stated why they were laughing together.
"Since Princess Isis is here, I'll tell you what happens between that document. It's true that my late father, Duke Alexander, has good relations with the Crassore, including the rebellion. He and the Empress are good friends, and there's no way my father could betray both Empires.
By allying with them, he assisted the Empress in capturing the rebellion. He acted as a double agent for both sides. However, his untimely death prevents him from carrying out his mission, so as his successor and the head of the House of Smith, I fulfil his wish to assist them. I am also a double-spy for the Crassore Empire to help them," Natalie explained, as the audience's eyes filled with hatred as they learned that their Duchess was assisting another Empire.
"Oh no, did I say something wrong?" she inquires as she surveys the crowd.
"There's a saying, 'A wise man remembers his friends at all times; a fool, only when he needs them." Duchess Smith opens her palm, gesturing to the audience in the heavenly court that keeps getting drawn in her speech.
"And also, "What is a friend?"" the Duchess of Light continues to raise a question for people.
"It is a single soul dwelling in two bodies. It's natural to want to help close friends who feel like family. But don't we feel their pain when our close friends are hurt? Our friend's business failed, and they were left struggling to make ends meet. Don't we sympathise with them and feel their anguish in our hearts? So, of course, we would assist them in any way we could. The very least we could do is offer them mental support," Natalie lets out a situation to let people think, questioning their morality about the racism.
"Or is it we no longer have an ounce of human instinct to help others? Of course, many would have thought I was betraying my Empire by assisting the other Empire since it wasn't my intention, to begin with. Still, it is not in my blood or as the citizens of Angelos to overlook such things, especially when it involves someone dear to my late father's heart. In truth, I approached the Crown Princess of the Crassore Empire about the matter, and we agreed. It even discreet from Her Majesty, the Empress of the Crassore Empire," the Duchess of Light concludes her explanation of the document.
"Why didn't you mention it from the start?" Harren inquires, doubting over the act.
"Because the agreement is between the Crown Princess and me, and no one can verify it while Her Highness is unconscious. Would you believe me if I said it without Her Highness's presence?" Duchess Smith confronts Harren about it.
"And how about the seal?"
"The seal is authentic, as confirmed by the scholars. We make it more credible because the rebellion might suspect me of being a spy for the Crassore Empire. And now my covers have blown up," Natalie said while giving everyone in the room a fake smile.
Harren comes to a halt after bombarding Natalie with questions; there is no way out, and he refuses to believe it.
"Are we still doubting the Duchess?" Isis inquires, specifically at Count Harren.
She turns to face the witnesses, especially Delphia and Henry.
"That is disgraceful for what they are doing, especially in front of the Imperial Families of both Empires. They are citizens of both Empires, but they work together to destroy each other. Do you still doubt Duchess Natalie's willingness to assist the Crassore Empire while these two work to demolish it all? But, unfortunately, they deceive the court by making a false claim and framing the innocent Duchess!" Princess Isis goes on to say.
The court sits in silence because there are no gaps in the evidence that Duchess Natalie is the wrong one. The judges request a break because they need to make a verdict on that. It is not something to be taken lightly in the first place since involving two powers. They return after a while, having reached a verdict.
"From the authority vested in me in this sacred court, we have concluded that Duchess Natalie is innocent of all allegations. Meanwhile, the Crassore Empire, led by Princess Isis and Duchess Natalie, will handle the witnesses who misled this heavenly court," the judge spoke as the Knights arrived to free the Duchess from the rope.
"Checkmate," Medea hides her grin at the situation outcome.
Delphia and Henry beg for help, pleading for a second chance while refusing to admit their error. Then, finally, they rush up to Duchess Natalie and beg her forgiveness, shining their shameless face on her. Medea takes in the scene, her amethyst gaze drawn to the blonde's pale complexion. The Duchess of Light looks at both figures, too tired to consider any possible torture she could inflict on them.
"Ah, not again," she walks over to Princess Isis, but her legs give out as her vision fades.
Isis yelling for help was the last thing she heard.