Whistleton looked around with a seemingly very troubled expression.

The nobles read the mental anguish in his appearance and expressed sympathy without exception.

‘There’s no other way, given what happened to his daughter.’

Only then did he recite his prepared words as if flowing water.

“My daughter is unwell and unable to attend, so I am attending as her proxy. I beg your understanding.”

When the Chief Justice nodded, he soon began his testimony.

“My daughter’s condition is not good, to the point of being bedridden from that day’s incident.”

He eventually wiped away tears as he continued speaking.

“Tikan, that man is a scoundrel. He pretends to be kind and gentle on the surface, while committing such deeds behind the scenes.”

“…”

“How could this happen to the daughter I raised…”

Tears soaked the courtroom thoroughly.

The voice full of appeal was enough to make Tikan appear a scoundrel.

“Honorable Chief Justice, I request swift punishment.”

Bloodshot eyes rose in Tikan’s gaze as he looked at Whistleton.

“I have never committed such an act!”

Each syllable of that voice was dripping with anger as he spoke.

The more he did so, the louder the murmuring grew and public opinion only worsened.

“He doesn’t even show a remorseful attitude in this situation.”

“Indeed. Is this really the Lord Tikan we knew?”

“His true nature has been revealed now.”

Though many arguments continued after that, the conclusion did not change much.

The atmosphere in the courtroom flowed just as everyone had expected.

Casius did not show even the slightest reaction while watching this scene.

The nobles judged his expression to be the emperor’s indifferent face watching his subordinate’s disgrace, and became even more zealous in hurling insults.

After some time like that.

Suddenly the door opened in the back and the captain of the Wolfdor knights quickly went to the emperor and conveyed something.

When the emperor nodded, soon the door opened and a new person appeared from there.

The newcomer was the central figure who had stirred up this trial today, Lady Ravioli.

According to Count Whistleton’s words, she should have been bedridden.

The Chief Justice spoke with his brows slightly furrowed.

“Count Whistleton. I heard the young lady would not attend this trial due to health issues, is that not so?”

Whistleton trailed off with a troubled expression.

“Well…”

Seeing Whistleton’s expression tinged with embarrassment, the nobles began to murmur.

Contrary to Count Whistleton’s claims, the two somehow boasted a bleak atmosphere.

The two seemed unable to even agree on coming to such an important trial.

Not only that, Lady Ravioli looked perfectly fine, unlike Count Whistleton’s words poured out while even shedding tears.

“What is going on?”

“Indeed.”

The nobles in the audience exchanged only unanswered questions while making eye contact with each other.

Meanwhile, Ravioli recalled what her father had said this morning while surveying the atmosphere around her.

“I’ll take care of Lord Tikan’s matter, so don’t do anything unnecessary and just stay in your room.”

On Granpeur’s day, her father promised to let her marry Lord Tikan if she just handled this matter properly.

Ravioli believed her father’s words and acted out the lie.

If not Lord Tikan, her marriage partner would be an old man 50 years her senior who had agreed to provide a massive dowry.

There was no choice.

In fact, above all, she had great admiration for Lord Tikan.

Did any young lady even exist who did not admire him?

Lord Tikan’s toned muscles and tall stature, a face that made one’s heart flutter just by looking, and the occasional smile that melted people’s hearts.

But after that day, she was confined to her room.

Though she had sensed something strange from then, Ravioli still trusted her father.

More precisely, rather than trust, she simply could not let go of that last hope.

At that moment, an arrow flew towards her.

The startled feeling was brief, as a note was attached to it.

You will only be used and discarded in the process.

Tomorrow at 10 AM. Wolfdor Hall.

The date and place of Lord Tikan’s trial.

It will be the last chance to save him from dying unjustly by your hand.]

As always, it was clear her father had not kept his promise.

No, in reality, he probably never had any intention of letting her marry Lord Tikan in the first place.

Indeed, it was strange that her father, who could not resist money, would suddenly push for marriage to Lord Tikan while throwing away that money.

Only then did she recall her father returning with a big smile after meeting someone recently.

‘So that was Duke Diarob.’

It was clear her father had received the duke’s instigation to corner Lord Tikan and try to kill him.

If this matter did not conclude with her marriage, there was only one sentence that would fall on Lord Tikan.

‘Execution on the guillotine.’

Lord Tikan, whom she had secretly loved without ever speaking to, would meet that fate, and she would have to go to a convent without ever entering the marriage market.

She would have to rot there for the rest of her life.

Ravioli, who had been tearing at her hair, uncharacteristically gathered her courage to jump out the window and came all the way here.

Ravioli carefully looked around at her surroundings.

Count Whistleton full of embarrassment, Lord Tikan sitting like a criminal yet dignified.

All the sights allowed her to fully discern the situation.

Though she did not know who had sent the note, they were clearly a benefactor.

If she had not received it, she would still be trapped in her room just sitting there helplessly.

Ravioli looked around and opened her mouth.

“The misunderstanding with Lord Tikan was to be resolved through his apology.”

In reality, Ravioli should have said here that no such thing happened, that she had spoken incorrectly.

However, she feared her own future headed for the convent more than Lord Tikan bearing false accusations.

Naturally, the courtroom began to stir.

Suddenly resolving a misunderstanding? Isn’t this completely different from what Count Whistleton said just earlier?

Once again, Ravioli’s voice was laid over that.

“Therefore, I wish to set aside that issue for now and conclude this matter with marriage to Lord Tikan.”

Turning her body towards the Chief Justice, she made a declaration like a bombshell.

“I request the honorable Chief Justice’s approval for marriage to Lord Tikan!”

The courtroom instantly became clamorous.

Amidst that, Casius looked at Lady Ravioli with his brow slightly furrowed.

That day, it was Casius who had sent the note to incite her.

Casius had prepared for both the worst and best cases.

Though he was certain Lady Ravioli would act, if she did not move, he planned to let Tikan go.

He simply could not bear to see Tikan executed.

Of course, he would take responsibility for the aftermath, but that did not matter at all.

In any case, since Lady Ravioli came to the trial, the worst had been avoided.

But the best situation did not occur either.

Lady Ravioli did not reveal Tikan’s innocence as he had expected.

She tried to settle the incident with marriage.

It was exactly as Casius had predicted.

In reality, for Tikan’s position, even resolving the situation to this extent was extremely fortunate.

Though a stigma would follow him, at least he would not die.

However, having to marry a woman who had falsely accused him was truly a bleak affair.

Moreover, the accusation of molestation would ultimately become truth and follow him for life like a label.

Tikan raised his eyes to gaze blankly into space.

Then, meeting his father’s unfocused gaze, he swallowed bitter water.

He could not even imagine how his father must feel.

Unable to bear watching that sight, Tikan once again lowered his head like a criminal.

His eyes were bloodshot. The same was true for Casius as he watched the scene.

While some were joyful, some perplexed, and some gloomy, the gavel sounded three times over the courtroom.

Soon, the Chief Justice’s voice was clearly laid over the quieted space.

“As an agreement has been reached between both sides, I hereby conclude the trial of Ravioli and Tikan.”

Casius stepped outside without smoothing his crumpled expression.

His steps, tinged with anger, were unbearably heavy.

Tikan was freed from being a criminal and his bound hands were untied, but he left the courtroom with a darker face than ever before.

His cold gaze had lost its light and only stared blankly into space.

Count Whistleton barely suppressed his anger as he roughly dragged Ravioli away and disappeared outside, while Count Siron, who had been silent as if lost in thought, slowly moved his feet.

Only after the steps filled with futility disappeared outside did murmuring resume in the courtroom.

The main content was about Lord Tikan’s disrespectful behavior and Lady Ravioli’s great generosity.

*

It was already afternoon when I woke up as if I had fainted while grasping the reinforcement stone.

Focusing all my mental energy on the thought that I must find strength before the verdict came out and the sentence was carried out, my physical strength quickly bottomed out.

My depleted strength could not be more regrettable now.

Through the window, I could see the sun sinking.

‘Tikan’s trial must be over by now.’

“What was the result of the trial?”

I asked, but without the slightest hope.

Surely the Chief Justice had sentenced him to death.

But Marianne’s words were completely unexpected.

“I heard it ended with Lady Ravioli and Lord Tikan getting married.”

“What?”

Only after asking several times about the unexpected conclusion did the situation in the courtroom fully sink in.

‘Casius must have acted.’

Though I didn’t know exactly how he moved, it was clear he had swayed Lady Ravioli.

Not a death sentence.

For now I could breathe a sigh of relief, but the problem was Tikan.

That boy will never accept this sentence willingly.

Though he is full of jokes and smiles in front of me, my flesh and blood has a stubborn personality befitting a knight.

Rather than living forever with the label of committing such a crime, he would choose death.

And with that personality, he probably… won’t try to die alone.

My mind went blank at the chilling assumption.