Chapter 31

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“It’s true that I wasn’t quite faithful to my family. As a man, I’ve been busy with my social life.” 

People were concentrating on Ryan’s words as if they were possessed. 

Ines thought sarcastically. ‘Hya, you’re a person who’s good at talking like flowing water.’

Ines herself was fooled by Ryan’s sweet words and even married him. Ryan continued in a rather exaggerated voice. 

“I understand that Ines was lonely. Women are usually lonely, and I was often absent, so she must have been. But….”

Ryan looked back at Ines, as if he couldn’t understand her action.

His eyes were blazing. 

“How can you commit such perjury?”

Perjury.

The word began to stir the audience.

“Is it true that Count Brierton just said perjury?” 

“Perjury, then the Countess brought her husband to court for false reasons?” 

Ryan declared with a raised of his neck, encouraged by the murmur.

“I and Ines have been painting together for a long time. Of course, we can influence each other.”

Ryan clenched his fists and asked back. 

“That means that couples can have similar styles of painting, right?” 

The attitude and voice were so firm that the audience began to discuss. 

“Is that so?

“That’s possible.” 

Listening to the whisper, Ryan felt a thrill in his spine with a sense of victory. 

‘This easy thing, that incompetent lawyer couldn’t even handle this much!’ 

Confident, Ryan turned his head toward Ines.

‘At this point, Ines should have come to her senses, so if you beg now, I’ll forgive you.’

At the same time, Ryan hardened his flinch shoulders.

‘What is it?’ 

Ines’ expression was just calm even though he constantly pushed Ines into a corner. Her dark green eyes stare straight at Ryan.

And.

“….”

Ines smiled brightly.

Ryan felt a chill down his spine for a moment.

‘What, why are you smiling like that?’

Meanwhile, Ines was contemplating her conversation with Enoch.

The day Inez made a deal with Enoch, and Enoch agreed to help her.

“Because you two are a married couple, it can be argued that the style of painting is similar.”

“It probably won’t happen.”

She remembered laughing without realizing it because it was such an absurd sound.

“How are you so confident?”

“Because it is an insult to me to compare Ryan’s crude painting to mine.”

She was serious.

Ryan had no background in drawing.

No, it would be more correct to say that he wasn’t even interested in the first place. Therefore, Ines could answer confidently.

“Ryan’s drawings don’t even match my heels. So don’t worry about that.”

And that thought still hadn’t changed.

Ryan stuttered a bit and called Ines.

“Hey, Ines.”

Instead of answering, Ines looked at Ryan softly.

Ryan made a desperate look on his face and tried to persuade Ines.

“I will do better in the future.”

“….”

“I really want to get along well with you again.”

“…..”

“I won’t let you down any more, huh?” 

Toward the silent Ines, Ryan continued babbling.

However, Ines did not raise an eyebrow.

After a while.

Ines opened her mouth.

“I request to speak, My King.”

However, those words were not directed to Ryan, but to King Edward.

Edward looked at Ines with interest.

“Allow.”

“Thank you. Your Majesty.”

Ines got up from her seat and made a courtesy greeting to the king.

After that, she spoke in a clear voice. 

“Count Brierton claimed it was simply a style resemblance, and the paintings he submitted were his own.”

“Yes, he did.”

“Then there is a simple way to verify it.”

“How?”

Edward’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.

Nodding her head, Ines looked straight at the King and Enoch.

“In front of the King, and the Duke of Sussex, and everyone present here… .”

A bright smile appeared on her lips.

It was a smile full of confidence.

“I and Count Brierton will paint at the same time.”

For a moment, the audience’s eyes widened.

“Are they going to paint?”

“In this courtroom?”

The audience seemed a bit reluctant.

“Well, if that’s the case, I’m pretty sure……”

“But will His Majesty allow it? Painting in a courtroom is unprecedented, isn’t it?”

“Actually, from my point of view, isn’t it very rare for a wife to file for divorce?”

Meanwhile, Ryan snorted inwardly.

‘Ines, do you think your request will be accepted? You’re so naive.’

It wasn’t that Ryan didn’t even think of this request from Ines in the first place.

However, the Kingdom of Lancaster was basically a conservative country, and emphasized family harmony.

Of course, His Majesty could reprimand him for neglecting his family. However, in Lancaster’s home-oriented culture, that was not enough to break up a marriage.  

Above all, the King was very close to the Queen.

And he even asked his younger brother, the Duke of Sussex, to marry many times. 

It was a famous story in the kingdom.

He emphasized the harmonious family that much.

‘So if you want to paint a picture to openly reveal your intention to break the family, I’m sure His Majesty….’

Around the time Ryan was imagining a rosy future.

A light reply broke Ryan’s thoughts.

“Okay, I’ll allow it.”

‘What?’

Astonished, Ryan looked at Edward.

But Edward had already made a decision.

“Countess Brierton has made a wise proposal. I like it very much.”

“Ha, Your Majesty!”

Ryan hurriedly called out to Edward.

Edward narrowed his eyes and looked at Ryan.

“Anything to say, Count?”

“…”

‘No, to say that I cannot paint here is to admit that Ines’ words are true.’

When Ryan didn’t say anything, Edward shrugged his shoulders and gave the order.

“Prepare the tools.”

Then Enoch turned his head toward Edward and spoke.

“Your Majesty, I have prepared the tools in advance.”

“Oh, the Duke of Sussex?”

Edward, who looked at Enoch in surprise, immediately bent his eyes slyly.

“Yes, of course. My brother is also very wise.”

“….”

Enoch looked at Edward as if he was going to die of shame, but he did not refute, considering the gaze of those around him.

Enoch added his words instead.

“I have also hired experts who know about painting well, so if necessary, we will bring them in.”

“That’s great. If it wasn’t for the Duke of Sussex, wouldn’t there have been major difficulties in the trial?” (Edward)

“….”

‘Do you really have to make fun of me like this, here?’ (Enoch)

Enoch summoned the experts with a grumpy face.

After a while, Ryan faced the easel and the painting tools in front of him with a bewildered expression. 

‘No, do I really have to paint?’

The subject was still life.

A basket full of fruits was placed on a table lined with a checkered tablecloth. Contemplating, Ryan hurriedly looked at Edward.

“Ah, Your Majesty!”

“What is it?”

“I mean, painting is … !”

Ryan only looked up at Edward with a desperate gaze, but couldn’t dare to speak to the end.

Edward looked down at Ryan with his lips twitching with a curious gaze.

“Why don’t you keep talking? You’ve been calling me for a while now, haven’t you?”

Edward’s voice was mixed with faint irritation.

Ryan swallowed a gulp and tried to convince Edward.

“Oh, Your Majesty. How could this be in the sacred court….?

“Well, why does the Count think this can’t be allowed in the sacred court?”

Edward asked back.

Ryan couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

“Yes?”

“Being able to distinguish between those who are wrong and those who are not, and to judge justly before God, isn’t it sacred?”

Looking at Ryan, who didn’t know what to do, Edward smiled leisurely.

“If it’s not illegal, why can’t it be done for a fair judgment?” 

“Your Majesty!”

“Sit down for now.”

Edward pointed to the easel with his chin.

“Isn’t the Countess waiting for the Count?”

“….”

With those words, Ryan reflexively looked back.

Ines was already sitting in front of her easel. 

Her dark green eyes looking back at him were still, unshaken.