Chapter 197 - 197 "Trial Ground"

197 “Trial Ground”

Eleanora’s POV~

After a few days, finally the day of Duke Raven’s trial came.

I felt my heart heavy and body trembling with each step i took towards the trial ground.

I just wanted to turn back and run away, every part of my body wanted that.

But father kept holding my hands tightly as he lead me towards the trial ground, with no emotions on his face.

Both of us was wearing the same head and heir outfits today, because of his insisting.

A pair of same white trousers and white shirt, with a blue knight suit, which represented the official outfit of our Dalton Duchy.

Long blue cape with our family emblem embroidered on it, was drapped over our shoulders and swayed in air as we walked.

What is father planning by doing this?

.....

I couldn’t understand.

But then i paused on steps, which made him stop on his steps too and look back at me.

“...I can’t,”

I replied.

I can’t see my bestfriend; Cedrick standing there and executed, even if i don’t like Jena but she was once my friend too as Lennie.

I can’t see them in the same place i was once standing, helplessly.

When i stood there, i desperately hoped for someone to take my side.

But, no one did.

I don’t want them to look at me like that, because except the emperor, no one can help them.

For the past few days, he avoided me like plague.

Everytime i tried to talk to him, he would escape.

I don’t know if Sir Brayden was able to convince him or not, sent my words to him.

Am afraid... Really afraid.

Then i heard a sigh coming out from my father’s mouth as he bent down to meet my eyes.

Am i really that short and small?

Or they are just ridiculously tall and big?

I looked into his eyes with nervousness, which was identical to mine.

He rubbed my head lightly as he spoke with a smile.

“Trust him,”

I was stunned because of my father’s words.

Trust him?

Who?

The emperor?

My cheeks slightly blushed a little as i recalled how everyone takes his side now.

Even my father, like him... No- he doesn’t dislike the emperor that much anymore?

I decided to be courageous as i stepped inside of the trial ground, where the emperor was already sitting on his throne.

He was wearing the official knight suit of the imperial family.

Black trouser and a red coloured luxurious knight suit, with a long red cape; which had the imperial emblem embroidered on it with gold, drapped over his shoulders.

The gold crown on his head with red gemstone was shining brightly, as he discussed with the officials about the trial procedures.

Like he had sensed my presence, his gaze meet mine as soon as I entered the trial grounds.

I felt the time stopping around us and recall the past.

Me, wearing a shabby white dress and handcuffs at my hands; standing in-front of him as a criminal.

He stood at the same place, high and mighty.

It’s just that his eyes was more brighter and no longer looked at me with hatred.

I averted my gaze as I proceeded to seat at the reserved place for my family in the audience area.

He looked away too.

Every high ranking nobles had their own reserved place and almost everyone was wearing their official knight suits.

On my left was Duke Richardo, wearing a black knight suit with a white cape, which had a crescent moon and a red fiery wolf with its mouth wide opened embroidered on it.

Where Duke Hertz and Marquise Roselia, Arlo and many others from the imperial faction sat on our behind.

His gaze glanced over the whole meeting room just like the past, before he coughed to get everyone’s attention on him.

“Seems like everyone is here now,”

The same words as the past.

“Today we are gathered here today to bear witness to the trial of Evan De Raven, The Duke of Raven.”

~Today we are gathered here today to bear witness to the trial of Eleanora La Dalton, former empress of the Valentino Empire~

His words from my past life echoed on my ears as he spoke and observed everyone’s reaction, before he ggestured something to Sir Brayden.

“Bring him in,”

The heavy metal door of the trial grounds was pushed open by two knight guards and Duke Raven was guided in.

His hands was cuffed in silver handcuffs, his health looked worse then my father, who was also once locked up in the prison.

He walked towards the podium barefooted, as everyone started to curse at him for being a traitor.

“TRAITOR!!”

“GO TO HELL!!!”

~Murderer!~

~Just die!!!~

I clenched my hands with nervousness and father caught my grip firmly to help me calm down.

I felt a little relief after i saw the reassurance in his blue eyes and smiled faintly at him.

And then, the trial finally began.

“Evan De Raven, Do you swear on god that today you will speak truth about everything, that will be asked?”

The emperor began.

“I do,”

Duke Raven faintly replied. No nervousness was detected on his green eyes.

Why is he still so confident?

“And how do you plead?”

“Not guilty,”

Duke Raven spoke and i recalled my own reply at that time. Yes, i had replied the same but i was trapped by them.

“Let’s began,”

The emperor gestured on a nearby knight to start the trial process.

The first person to give the testimony was Marquise Roselia, our prime minister and the person in charge of the treasury.

“I am Derrick Arden Roselia, The Marquise of house Roselia and the person in charge of treasury.”

“As everyone knows, the last few years our empire had faced some financial crisis and we had to open our treasury to help the people. At that time, it was also Duke Raven, at the charge of treasury along with me.”

“But, after calculating the previous records... The budget Duke Raven presented to us and the amount used for the border inception is completely different.”

Everyone started to whispering as it doesn’t need to explain where those extra money went.

The empire was facing crisis and here, he was filling his pockets from the imperial treasury.

.....

“Not only that, there were even more mistakes in the budget he used to present and all of those records were found in the Duke’s hidden locker.”

Marquise Roselia spoke and gestured the knights to present the evidence to the emperor, who was sitting on the throne.

“Thank you, Marquise Roselia. You may step down now.”

Marquise Roselia paid respect to the emperor before he got down from the podium.

“Now, we will hear our next testimony from Duke Hertz. Please come forward.”

The emperor spoke and Duke Hertz stood up to walk on the podium as he began to speak.

“I am Keiran Rupert Hertz, The Duke of Hertz Duchy; and the Captain of the second imperial army squadron. I was in charge of investigation, about how our imperial troops information was leaked out to the Rua Kingdom.”

Duke Hertz spoke as his eyes looked at Duke Raven with disgust.

“During the investigation, we found the initial connection between the Duke of Raven and the previous king of Rua, Mendel De Melendez.”

“Duke Raven helped them to steal our soldier information and urged us to start the war against Rua Kingdom.”

“Not only that, he even helped the enemy during the war with Republic and messed up with the war budget to slow us down.”

He explained as the knights again passed some papers to the emperor and the board of members, which was the evidence of Duke Raven’s wrong doings.

The whole room went uproars as they started to throw hateful comments at Duke Raven.

I was surprise by his calmness, how can someone still stay calm at this moment?

“Thank you, Duke Hertz. You may take your seat now.”

“Next, we will hear from my aid; Marquise Brayden Hill...”

Sir Brayden nodded as he stood up to stand in the podium and cleared his throat before he started to speak.

“I am, Marquise Brayden Hill; His Majesty the emperor’s aid and the closest person who stays beside him most of the time.”

“As we will know, his majesty is known as an upright and calm person. But, a few years ago; i started to notice some changes in him.”

I blinked my eyes as i didn’t quite understand his words. Is he talking about the slow poison which duke Raven gave his majesty to harm his health?

“If i remember correctly, this started ten- eight years ago, when his majesty was the crown prince.”

“He would get irritated and angry easily, some times act and speak completely illogical words. His health would suddenly detour and he would sometimes cough blood.”

“Because he was being not only poisoned, but also controlled with dark magic.”

Dark Magic?!

But Jennifer is the only one who have dark powers in our empire currently...

Dark powers are long lost from our continent and according to the records, Jennifer’s mother should be the last descendant of the dark powers.

The royal family of the dark lands had given up their royalty as it become unstable, to the Republican Army and become Republic Kingdom.

Which lost to us four years ago and none of them are alive, included their Princess; Jennifer’s mother who died while giving birth to Jennifer.

Jennifer was found by the duke when she was 16, but his majesty was getting poisoned even before this...

I couldn’t understand a single thing, what’s happening?

“Fortunately His Majesty is safe now because the poison got detected in his body earlier on. now i would like to get permission from his Majesty to bring someone in.”

“Permission granted.”

The emperor coldly spoke as his red eyes got dark.

Sir Brayden talked to a knight as he told them whom to bring and the knights left after nodding.

I felt my heart beating fast as i waited for the next person, who could it be?

But then, my eyes widened as my heart clenched with an unknowm fear, after i saw her.

The person who betrayed me, the worst betrayal which took away every hope from me to prove my innocence in the past.

My attendant maid, Rena...