Chapter 93

Startled, I turned toward the source of the scream. I couldn’t see anything because of the cloth though.

“It’s all my fault! So please stop!”

Aldor’s desperate screams did not stop. The judging hadn’t even started yet, so why was he like that?

“Lord Aldor Hutton, do you admit that it is all your fault?”

Priest Clima asked solemnly. 

“Yes! I admit it! I, I did it! I was drunk, and I lied because I didn’t know how to fix it!”

Aldor’s confession continued.

Someone then released the cloth that was covering my eyes. And then I saw Aldor sitting on the floor, crying like a child.

The chair he was sitting on was wet as if water had spilled on it. 

His pants too.

Aldor couldn’t stand properly. He crawled on his knees and came to me.

“I’m ashamed of myself. I’m so sorry, Sir Thebesa!”

What on earth… happened?

Is Aldor’s sacred trial over in the meantime?

That can’t be. Didn’t Priest Clima say that we would receive it together?

I couldn’t figure out what on earth was going on, so I just stared at Aldor blankly.

Aldor begged me with dirty tears and a runny nose.

“Please forgive me just once!”

I didn’t know what happened, but I was sure it ended in a good way for me. 

“Do you admit that I’m innocent?”

I asked him again to confirm. 

Then Aldor nodded his head bigly and answered loudly.

“Yes, YES!”

Ha. Why did he deny like that when he can admit this easily?

Even though it was ridiculous, I was glad that he confessed now. Of course, I didn’t think Aldor sincerely repented of his fault and apologized. It was evident that he was plainly terrified, pretended to repent his fault, and apologized to me.

Even so, I have nothing to say.

I couldn’t tell him to not act like that when he didn’t sincerely repent for his fault. But the important thing was that Aldor admitted his fault and apologized to me. In front of so many people.

“Could you please call Sir Hiltine and Marquis Hutton?” 

I called them in to be more certain.

As soon as the tightly closed door opened, Marquis Hutton sprang in. After him, Sir Hiltine followed.

Marquis Hutton frowned to see Aldor sitting on the floor and weeping. On the other hand, when he saw me standing normally, his face crumpled even more. 

“My son is like that, so how come Lady Thebesa is fine?”

Marquis Hutton fiercely asked Priest Clima.

“Don’t tell me, my son was the only one who underwent the sacred trial?”

“That’s impossible.”

Despite the fierce gaze, Priest Clima replied with a smile.

“The sacred trial hasn’t even started yet.”

As I expected. The sacred trial hadn’t begun.

I just thought maybe I wasn’t feeling it because I was dull, but it turned out it wasn’t. Then why was Aldor doing that?

I was puzzled, but before I could ask, Priest Clima replied.

“The moment Lord Hutton was put on the laurel wreath for the sacred trial, he suddenly changed and started confessing like that.”

So, he was afraid and confessed to all his faults, huh?

It was embarrassing yet funny.

“Pfftt.” 

As I let out the unbearable laugh, Marquis Hutton’s fierce gaze was fixed on me. It wasn’t scary at all, though.

“Lord Hutton.”

I spoke to Aldor while looking at Marquis Hutton.

“Did the Lord plan this on his own?”

“That’s…”

“Stop!”

Before Aldor could even finish his words, Marquis Hutton roared.

“How long will the Lady intend to harass my son?”

“I have never harassed him. I was just trying to ascertain the truth.”

“Aldor is so shocked right now that he can’t speak properly!”

I thought I had heard it somewhere, but it turned out to be what Diane said while covering for me earlier.

It was hilarious to hear that again from Marquis Hutton. The current situation was also.

“Then, does the Marquis also admit it? That this was not caused by mutual misunderstanding, but Lord Hutton’s fault.”

“…”

“You don’t seem to admit it.”

When Marquis Hutton didn’t answer, I immediately told Priest Clima.

“We will continue the sacred trial to ensure this matter is over.”

“NO!”

Aldor screamed and jumped to his feet.

“This was not planned by me alone! All…!”

“ALDOR!”

Marquis Hutton’s shout resounded through the room. 

Aldor sat down with his eyes wide open.

Marquis Hutton exhaled while shrugging his shoulders. His face twisted uglily.

“I admit it!”

Marquis Hutton shouted with a great lament.

“I admit it’s all my son’s fault! So please stop here!”

“Okay, I will.”

There was nothing good about making things bigger than it was when even Marquis Hutton admitted it.

I nodded obediently, and it was the end of the matter.

As soon as the matter was ended, Marquis Hutton disappeared as if running away with Aldor.

It’s over… huh? 

As the tension was relieved, the strength in my legs was also released.

Sir Hiltine supported me when I sat down on the floor. 

“Thank you.”

Then he stood me up straight without a word.

Priest Clima approached and asked worriedly.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m okay.”

It’s not empty words, I was really okay.

Other than losing strength in my body, my feelings were better than ever. Because I cleared myself up and got an apology from Aldor.

I was very pleased with the result, which was different from what happened with Andante.

“More than that, there is something I want to ask you.” 

“Yes. Go ahead.” 

“What did you do to Lord Hutton?”

I was very curious about what on earth happened to Aldor that he got so scared and confessed before the sacred trial began in earnest.

At my question, Priest Clima smiled a little and brought his index finger to his lips.

“It’s a secret.”

It was clear that he had done something.

I was curious, but there was no way for me to know because he didn’t want to tell me. 

“Instead, let me tell you one thing.”

Priest Clima’s gaze reached Sir Hiltine. He smiled brightly and continued.

“Sir Thebesa has a very good escort knight.”

*****

In the carriage on the way back from the temple to the Marquis of Hutton. Unlike when went to the temple, Sir Hiltine rode in the same carriage with me.

From Priest Clima’s last words, I could tell that Sir Hiltine was involved in Aldor’s abnormal change. 

There must be a good reason for him not saying it, so it’s best not to ask, but I was still very curious.

“Are you willing to explain what happened, Sir Hiltine?”

I tried my luck, but as expected, he was still silent as if he had no intention of saying anything. 

He didn’t say anything else though, so there’s only an awkward silence inside the carriage.

Soon the carriage arrived at the Marquis, and I got off the carriage while being escorted by Sir Hiltine who got off first.

“Sir Thebesa.”  

I was going straight to the annex, but Marquis Hutton approached me.

Sir Hiltine came forward as if trying to protect me.

“What’s the matter?”

“I have something to say to Sir Thebesa.”

Something to say to me? Was he trying to talk about what happened earlier?

“Go ahead.”

“Ehem.”

Marquis Hutton said after coughing loudly. 

“I apologize once again for what my son has committed. He’s not that kind of guy originally. I will teach him a lesson.”

“Please do so.”

“So, by the way, can you please overlook this matter? If something like this is known, the face of the Marquis of Hutton will be…”

Indeed, if it was known that his one and only heir did this, Marquis Hutton would no longer be able to carry his face around. 

“Okay.”

When I said okay obediently, he looked at me in surprise.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

It would be nice if Aldor’s ugly deeds were known everywhere, but if that happened, I would be in trouble as well, despite being a victim. And I would be tired in many ways too, so I decided to bury this matter here.

Since Aldor had already given me enough apologies, I was content to bury it here.

“Then you won’t report it to His Majesty, right?”

Marquis Hutton looked at Sir Hiltine and not me.

Come to think of it, I’ll have to ask Sir Hiltine as well.

“Sir Hiltine, I beg you.”

I earnestly asked Sir Hiltine.

“Please do not report this to His Majesty.”

Sir Hiltine looked at me silently and nodded.

It was positive. Even Marquis Hutton breathed out quietly, feeling relieved at last.

“Then I’ll get going because I’m tired.”

“Yes! Go ahead and get some rest!”

I left Marquis Hutton behind and quickly headed to the annex.

Sir Hiltine followed me.

There were things I wanted to say to him and some things I wanted to ask him, but I held back for now because there were many eyes here.

By the time we reached the annex, I stopped and looked back at Sir Hiltine.

There’s hardly anyone here, so it’ll be fine, right? 

“Thank you.”

I said thank you first.

“You’ve been protecting me, right? Thank you very much. Thanks to you, I was able to stay safe until now.”

“…I didn’t do anything.”

Sir Hiltine replied in a low, heavy voice.

“Rather, I couldn’t protect you when I had to.”

He suddenly fell to one knee and bowed his head politely.

“I apologize.”

I couldn’t believe that the sincere apology came from the person who had nothing to do with that, not from the person who did that and needed to sincerely apologize for that. 

“N, no! Sir Hiltine did nothing wrong. It was all Lord Hutton’s fault.”

I panicked and shook my hand.

“So please get up.”

“…”

“Come on.”

Sir Hiltine stood up as I pulled his arm.

“…His Majesty.”

Then he looked at me with subtle eyes and said.

“I was told to kill anyone who touches your body without your permission.”