Chapter 276 - Final Verdict

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Zenzen, are you awake? Big Brother and I will go to Luna Inn. Would you like to tag along?" Zekiah knocked heavily on the door.

Vaughn was annoyed by the sudden interruption, but he was glad that they stopped before it got much hotter and only to be interrupted by an annoying brat in the end. Zenia covered her entire body with the blanket, and Vaughn chuckled slightly. He knew what to do next.

He picked up his clothes and threw them in the laundry bin. He went to his changing area and put on a fresh suit. He walked to the door and opened it.

"Zenzen is tired and still sleeping. I don't think she wants to go with you to Luna Inn, but I will gladly go with you."

Vaughn smiled at Zekiah, who felt like he saw a devil sneering at him.

"Oh, I didn't know that you're inside brother-in-law. I saw you earlier going to your study and thought that you are still there. I hope I did not disturb you."

It was the first time that he saw and heard Zekiah being apologetic. It was something foreign to him. Ever since he met Zekiah in his grown-up figure, the brat did not put him in his eyes. He did not care whether Vaughn was the Crown Prince or his sister's other half. But, at that moment he recognized him as Zenia's rightful husband.

'What happened to this brat?'

"No, you did not disturb us at all. But, if we continue talking here, she might wake up and yell at us."

"Let us leave before she wakes up."

Vaughn gently closed the door and ordered the servants not to disturb Zenia. They should wait for her to call for them. He also reminded them to prepare a carriage for Zenia. He would meet her at the Main Palace. Zenia could hear everything from her spot. When the coast was clear, she lifted the blanket from her face and sat up.

She looked at her nightdress, which Vaughn untied earlier. It was wrapped around her, but the ribbons were undone. She remembered what transpired earlier, and her cheeks felt hot.

She took a deep breath and patted her cheeks. She stood up and tied up her nightdress once more. She felt that something felt a little itchy on her neck. It was a bit painful as if a bug bit her.

She went to her dresser and looked at her neck in the mirror. She inspected the mark. It was purplish-red. She tried to recall where she read about such markings before. She turned crimson and steam almost came out of her ears.

"That Vaughn!"

Sure enough, it was a mark called love-bite in the book that she secretly took a peek before. The book even stated how to give it to the one you love and what it meant.

She did not call for any maids. What happened earlier between her and Vaughn could still be considered as nothing. She did not want the whole palace to have a misconception about it. She did not want Queen Mina to receive a false report.

She fumbled for something that could help her conceal the mark. Luckily, she did not throw away the make-up that she thought she would no longer need.

She went through her wardrobe and looked for something that could help her conceal the love-bite on her neck. She did not find any turtle-neck dress to help her hide the love-bite, but she found a long scarf. 

It was summer, and it would look awkward if she went out with a scarf. But, she had nothing else to use. She should be at the Main Palace to hear the verdict on the Left Minister's case. Vaughn and her brothers should have teleported to Luna Inn already.

'Poor Jorick and Duke Gordon.'

She knew that Vaughn would use his authority to order the two around and Zander would make it worse. As for Zekiah…he was just a mere spectator and adventurer. She knew that Zekiah enjoyed teleporting from one place to the other. He had no business to be there at Luna Inn, but he still tagged along.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Your Highness, are you up?" It was Rosalie.

"Yes," Zenia unlocked the door hurriedly and let the maids in.

Rosalie already knew that Zenia wanted to wake her up early on the day of the announcement of the verdict. Even though Vaughn told the servants not to disturb Zenia, they knew who their real master was. That master had already told them to wake her up at the right time.

She did not waste anymore time and got dressed. She wrapped a scarf around her neck and pretended that she had a sore throat. Keeping her throat warm using a scarf could alleviate the pain.

When she reached the Main Palace, there were a lot of people already. She asked the coachman to park somewhere inconspicuous. After what happened at the banquet, she was certain that there would be many people who would curry favor from her.

She wore a hooded cloak to partly cover her face with the hood. It was not a good idea to wear a veil because people would only get curious and suspicious. Besides, she was wearing a veil before. Wouldn't that give her away if she wore a veil at that moment?

Wearing the hooded cloak and scarf was indeed the right decision. Somewhere in the crowd, a black-clothed man with dignified aura followed Zenia with his eyes. He wanted to grab her hand, but he knew that she would sense his aura right away. He wanted to keep a low profile and just wanted to witness the fate of the Left Minister. He did not expect to feel her presence and actually see her got off her carriage.

The black-clothed man had an overbearing presence. The crowd moved away from him for fear of offending someone with high rank. The man did not have a friendly presence. He looked aloof and unapproachable. 

'Soon, we will meet again, Zenia.'

The black-clothed man turned around and trod the direction of the Main Hall. Zenia went to the side door where Queen Mina's maid was waiting for her. The maid led her to where Vaughn and her brothers were standing.

Zander saw Zenia immediately and was about to grab her hand when Vaughn beat him to it. He could only glare at Vaughn and did not do anything else. He was already a married man after all. He was missing his wife and wanted to go back quickly to Ishelon. He decided that he would bribe Jorick and the Young Duke to teleport them back to Ishelon. 

"Why did you come only now?" Vaughn whispered in her ear while holding her hand.

Zenia glared at him and thought to herself, 'It took a long time for me to find something to hide your love-bite and here you are acting innocent.'

She dropped it quickly. She knew that he would only tease her more. Her husband was becoming more and more thick-skinned.

"There are a lot of people, and I don't want them to notice me. We took a longer route and parked the carriage outside the gate."

"Okay, let's leave after this."

"Did you go to Luna Inn already?"

"Yes, we brought Damien here." 

A short while later, a huge soldier hit the colossal gong to signal the start of presenting the prisoners. The Left Minister was leading the pack. He looked much older than a few days ago, and his head was covered with grey hair. He lost his usual arrogance and dignified stance. He was no better than a beggar.

His concubines were also presented there as well as his servants and remaining soldiers. His properties were seized. His loyal supporters and their families were shouting for mercy and pointed their fingers at the Left Minister. They said that they were threatened and coerced.

The young children were taken away from their convicted families. The Left Minister's women without a strong family who could support them were allowed to return to their maternal families, the others were not spared. As for the wives and concubines of the noble families, they were also not spared. All of them had strong family backing.

"Left Minister, Horatius Pernell, the evidence of treason is strong. You have intentions to harm the people of Tissuria. What do you say in your defense?"

The Left Minister said nothing. The explanation of Wolstan was enough. He had an unscrupulous father, and he knew it. He told him that he should get revenge because he was his precious son. He said all of it to Horatius, his son before he breathed his last. 

The Left Minister believed his father's dying words, and he used him to exact his revenge. Wolstan had no reason to lie, and he knew in his heart that his grandfather, the former King of Tissuria, was telling the truth. If he would be given another chance to live again, he wanted to be born to an ordinary family with loving parents and adorable siblings.

The Left Minister's supporters began to throw accusations and gave their confessions to save their own skin. They put the blame on the Left Minister, and then they begged for the King's mercy.

"SILENCE!!" The Head Steward of the Main Palace shouted, and everyone stopped talking.

"Horatius Pernell, you are hereby sentenced to death by decapitation. The execution will take place at noon. As for the heads of the families that have direct participation in the acts of treason, you are hereby sentenced to death by hanging. The execution will take place tomorrow morning. For the rest of the clan members, you are thereby banished from the Kingdom of Tissuria and never to return. Once caught, you will be slain on the spot."