“Please save me, Your Highness.”

Julia bowed her head on the cold floor. Her fingertips, clutching the stone floor, were blunt.

I stood in a corner of the conference hall, watching her, then turned my gaze to the gathered vassals and their heirs.

On the faces of the elderly vassals, there was sympathy; on the young heirs, anger and a desire to look away.

She conspired with a spy from the South and helped the spy escape during the war with the monsters, resulting in the death of an innocent life.

Everyone gathered here had come to know of all the crimes she had committed.

I looked at the Duke.

‘What will you do, Your Highness?’

After a long silence, the Duke opened his eyes.

His gaze was solely on the vassals. He didn’t spare a glance for Arcadia or Julia.

“Today, we are gathered to ask for your opinion on behalf of all the people of the North. I ask you. What punishment do you think is fitting for Julia Nugent?”

“I am Benel, the head of the Armand family, Your Highness.”

In the silence, a blond young heir raised his hand.

“Speak.”

“The crime committed by Miss Nugent is treason, no doubt. As the North has dealt with traitors in the past, the same precedent should be applied to this criminal.”

“Are you suggesting the death penalty?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Sadly, I believe it to be fair.”

“Understood.”

‘Understood?’

“Any other opinions?”

At the Duke’s question, an old noble raised his hand. He was a small man with half-bald, white hair, giving a gentle impression.

“Speak, Antoine.”

‘Antoine! He is the Queen’s brother.’

“Your Highness. Though I am unworthy to speak as one stripped of title, I heard the criminal was under hypnosis when she helped the spy escape. Is that true?”

“It is so.”

The Duke spoke calmly.

“Out of respect for the loyalty of the past Nugents, might I suggest that stripping the Nugent family of their title be sufficient punishment?”

Antoine’s tone was very cautious.

He himself had lost his title for failing to prevent the death of the Crown Prince couple in his domain.

Despite his caution, he bravely spoke out.

The Duke spoke.

“Those who agree with stripping the Nugent family of their title as a sufficient punishment, raise your hands.”

A few hesitantly raised their hands. Barely a dozen.

The Duke asked again.

“Then, those who agree with executing Julia Nugent for treason, raise your hands.”

At that result, I closed my eyes.

Almost everyone, except for a dozen, raised their hands.

Arcadia bowed his head.

Bran’s face twisted in pain.

“Sir Arcadia Nugent, what do you think?”

The Duke’s calm final question was cruelly directed at Arcadia.

Then the low murmuring stopped completely. Everyone looked at Arcadia.

‘Arcadia.’

My heart ached.

His face was hidden by his long, nearly silver hair, but I could tell. He had already given up hope.

Slowly, I approached him.

Arcadia knelt on one knee and removed the epaulette from his shoulder.

Then he took off the silver brooch, shaped like a thorny vine, the symbol of his family, from his chest and placed it on the ground.

The crowd began to stir.

“Your Highness, the law must be fair to everyone. Sir Hans Edel died. This would not have happened if the spy from the South had not escaped. The crime of my sister is so heavy.”

“Brother?”

Julia’s face contorted. Arcadia spoke.

“Therefore, punish all the Nugents, including myself, along with my sister.”

“!”

Julia closed her mouth.

‘All the Nugents?’
“I will return the Nugent title as soon as my sister’s execution is carried out. Then, please send me to the northernmost border with Swathus, where I will repent for the treason committed by my blood until my death.”

“…Have you consulted with your family head about this?”

The Duke’s voice deepened.

“…Yes.”

Arcadia replied. Infidel Nugent also knelt below the dais.

“Brother! Why… Why are you throwing away your life because of me? You will die if you go to the northernmost border!”

Julia exclaimed, trembling, with a face of incomprehension.

Why would her younger brother, who didn’t even love her, give up his title and go to such a dangerous place because of her? Her face said she couldn’t understand.

“Why…”

Her voice trailed off.

“Why.”

Sorrow began to seep into the end of her voice.

In the heavy air, the Duke spoke.

“The red caterpillar who killed Sir Hans Edel and escaped is an assassin of the Southern Duke Rahert.”

“!”

The vassals stirred.

The Duke had officially revealed the mastermind behind the incident.

Naming the enemy officially identified who it was.

In his previous life, the Duke had suffered in secret but could not declare Rahert an enemy publicly, as he was officially part of an empire.

But now, he had spoken aloud the truth everyone guessed but dared not say.

“He, under the orders of the Southern Duke’s daughter Medea, approached the criminal under the pretense of bringing diamonds as a gift.”

For the first time, the Duke looked at Julia Nugent.