I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband - Chapter 72
“We are in the presence of His Highness the First Prince and His Highness the Second Prince.”
As I greeted the two princes who entered together despite their poor relationship, they showed contrasting reactions. Unlike the Second Prince, who approached us with a slight smile while observing Lorang’s attire, the First Prince remained rigid and motionless.
“……”
“……”
Lorang and the First Prince, who looked strikingly similar, gazed at each other with trembling eyes.
I had told Lorang not to be intimidated in front of the First Prince, but unexpectedly, he seemed to feel complex emotions rather than intimidation when facing his son in person.
Given how timid he was, I had worried he might treat his son solely as a prince.
“…What a low-class prank, Duke.”
The First Prince was the first to avert his gaze.
He looked at Cassion with anger, closing his eyes tightly before reopening them. He was referring to the attire.
In truth, he should have mentioned their identical faces first, but he probably couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“…Hah. I don’t feel you’re worth engaging with.”
Cassion shrugged off the shoulder that the Second Prince had patted in a gesture of success. The First Prince’s anger seemed to rise further at Cassion’s behavior, but that wasn’t our concern. The First Prince, seemingly trying not to look at Lorang again, turned his gaze to me.
“So we meet again like this. Didn’t I tell you that you’d regret marrying the Duke, Duchess?”
“What do you…”
This time, it was Cassion who flared up.
I understand he might be insecure since our relationship isn’t entirely clear, but he shouldn’t fall for such petty provocations.
I blocked Cassion’s path and looked coldly at the First Prince, erasing my characteristic smile.
“Is that so? My memory differs slightly, Your Highness.”
“I personally warned you, but it’s a pity if you’ve forgotten.”
“We discussed one’s proper place.”
Slowly, very slowly, I moved to the First Prince’s side and whispered.
“After this hour passes, it will be clear who has stepped out of their proper place and who is in the seat of downfall.”
“…!”
How could I forget? His words told me not to overstep my bounds and to marry an old man to serve him.
That look in his eyes, as if I were worthless.
If there’s one thing I regret at this moment, it’s that I can’t look down on those eyes that are now glaring at me with uncontrollable anger. Perhaps I should have worn heels.
“Ha… Do you want to lose your head? You know I could behead you right here for insulting the royal family, and you’d have no defense?”
“If it were to happen right now, my husband standing behind me would protect me, and as for later… I wonder if my actions would truly constitute an insult to the royal family.”
Even looking directly into a prince’s eyes is considered disrespectful, but if the facts I’ve presented and the Emperor’s trial give us the upper hand, he will no longer be a prince, and thus my current behavior won’t be considered disrespectful.
Grasping my implied meaning, the First Prince, no longer able to suppress his rage, extended his hand. As I retreated instinctively, Cassion moved forward to intervene.
“His Majesty the Emperor… and Her Majesty the Empress have arrived!”
But more important than that was the arrival of the most crucial figures in this trial.
Despite the tense situation, everyone froze and turned around, and even the doorkeeper who announced their arrival slightly stumbled over his words.
It’s understandable, as he must have been unsure whether to refer to her as the accused criminal or as Her Majesty the Empress. He seems to have chosen the safer option of addressing her as Her Majesty the Empress.
However, regardless of the title, her place was different.
“This is the first imperial trial since my ascension to the throne.”
“……”
“When I entered this courtroom, I expected you to be sitting in a different position than your current one. How regrettable.”
Everyone in the courtroom stood to greet the Emperor, who sat in the central seat and addressed the Empress with personal words.
The seat a few steps behind and to the side of the Emperor’s would have been where the Empress usually sat during imperial trials. However, she silently walked to the defendant’s seat below the platform.
“It’s only for today, Your Majesty. I’ll be moving to that seat soon, so don’t be too disappointed.”
Although dressed more modestly and darkly than usual, the Empress didn’t appear to be trembling or angry. While Lorang couldn’t take his eyes off the Empress from the moment she entered, she looked only at the Emperor, holding her head high with dignity.
However, the Emperor’s personal words to the Empress were limited to that initial remark.
He looked around the still somewhat disorderly courtroom, bringing order with his characteristic charisma.
“I’d like to settle this messy affair before the imperial authority diminishes further, but are the preparations not complete? The seating seems disorganized. Though this is my first judgment, I don’t recall the seats being arranged like this.”
“……”
“Klaus. Is that your position?”
“…I apologize! I’ll return to my seat.”
Unlike us, who quickly retreated to our seats as soon as the Emperor entered, the First Prince, who had been standing there with his hand outstretched towards me, bit his lip in surprise.
He seemed shocked anew by the sight of the Empress entering as a defendant and also appeared dumbfounded by how we quickly retreated from the situation.
But what could he do? The highest authority in this place is the Emperor, and pleasing him is the path to victory.
“Hmm. Very well.”
With even the nervous-looking scribe seated and pen in hand, the trial preparations were complete.
Before announcing the start of the trial, the Emperor stared intently at Lorang one last time.
From the corner of my eye, I saw the First Prince clenching his fist, perhaps fearing that his father might compare Lorang and himself. However, the Emperor kept his gaze fixed solely on Lorang until the end, and without averting his eyes, he rang the small bell signaling the start of the trial.
“Let the imperial trial begin.”
“……”
“Second Prince Shurdin Lobstein, who requested this trial. Come forward and speak.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The Second Prince, who had prepared everything perfectly, calmly stepped forward to the platform where the Emperor sat. He too looked only at the Emperor, not glancing at the First Prince or the Empress.
“I acknowledge Your Majesty’s concern that this trial might diminish the imperial authority, but I believe that ignoring the facts would be truly mocking the imperial family, which is why I’ve come forward.”
The audience fell silent as the moment arrived to confirm what they had heard through rumors.
As we anticipated that the Second Prince would point to us next, having rehearsed every single movement, Cassion and I maintained solemn expressions.
“As everyone knows, the Duke and Duchess recently had their honeymoon. While traveling through small territories away from the capital, they encountered a man with a very familiar appearance and heard a shocking story from him. The Duchess will relay the rest of the story.”
“I permit the Duchess to speak.”
Despite being the focus of numerous gazes, I didn’t feel nervous about speaking. Rather, it felt a bit unreal. Are we really having a trial? Am I really about to make a statement accusing the Empress?
While pretending to greet the Emperor lightly, I glanced towards her, and our eyes met, but we both looked away simultaneously. We hold no grudges against each other, but we are enemies.
“As His Highness the Prince mentioned, my husband and I were traveling through small territories away from the capital. Wanting to eternally preserve a sweet moment of our honeymoon, we hired a street artist, and from the man we met then…”
I paused for a beat and swallowed, as if revealing this fact was improper. Even my trembling eyelashes were calculated.
“If I may be so bold, we discovered the likeness of His Highness the First Prince.”
Although this indirectly revealed the intent of the trial, there was no particular stir. Anyone with eyes would have realized this the moment they entered, so it wasn’t surprising.
“We dismissed it as a mere coincidence at first, but as he was drawing our portrait, upon learning that we were from the capital, he began to speak about his own time in the capital during his youth. The story began 27 years ago, during the winter of his sixteenth year. The rest of the story will be told by Lorang, the portrait artist from Lirento territory.”
“I permit Lorang to speak.”
Finally, it’s Lorang’s turn. As he almost missed the timing for his greeting, I lightly kicked his foot. Lorang stumbled slightly, then hurriedly bowed and straightened up, dropping the bombshell in a trembling voice.
“His Highness the First Prince is my son.”
The courtroom was instantly thrown into chaos, with murmurs breaking out everywhere.
