When The Moon Tilts West - Chapter 10 – Part 4

“How can I order the servants of the Duchy of Deork…! This is a trap, it seems that your father’s lowly and filthy blood runs through you, too!”

Upon hearing this, Kevin made a distorted expression in anger.

It was because he was exposed to the shame he was most ashamed of.

A long time ago, the Capital was turned over once when Princess Deork, the younger sister of the previous Duke, fled at night after being enchanted by some kind of good-for-nothing, and… Kevin was their son.

“My father is the Duke of Deork! Do not insult me!”

“Did you say that even after killing your father? You said you wanted to be the Duke. Didn’t you feed Edgar the poison with your hands!”

“If you have evidence, show it. If you have a witness, present it! Who watched me feed him that! Don’t even think of putting servants as eyewitnesses. How can you believe them when they’re all yours!”

People watched the scene with a smile.

Losing their reason, they were engaged in a war of revelations and shoveling each other into the mud. As Kevin said, Duke Grande didn’t seem to be able to prove that Kevin had poisoned him.

It was then.

“No, Kevin Deork must have given him that poison.”

A beautiful woman’s voice could be heard in the midst of the crowd. In the place where dirty old voices came and went, an excessively soft voice had a clear presence.

People’s eyes turned to where the voice was heard. Kevin also kept his mouth shut and made a firm expression. But, what was even more surprising was that for the first time, Duke Deork, who had not changed his expression even when accusing of his father’s suspicious death, was looking at it with her eyes wide open.

At the end of the road, a woman in a dress was standing. Everyone in the know would know.

It was Olivia Claudel.

Everyone held their breath and looked at her.

Unlike other noble women, she wore a plain dress. Nevertheless, the reason she didn’t look shabby was her red hair, which was curly down to her waist. With every step she took, the red hair fluttered like a wave of roses.

Everyone looked at the woman, holding their breath.

She was a woman with a strange charm. Her appearance looked fragile as if it were torn apart, though there was a sense of firmness in her moist eyes that looked like tears welling up. Eric, too, seemed bewildered by her appearance, and said with a firm expression on his face.

“Tell me your name.”

“Olivia Claudel. I am the daughter of the Claudel family of the former Roheim Kingdom, and is staying here with the grace of the Duchy of Deork.”

Her voice rang out loudly. Kevin looked at her and stuttered her words.

“Ol, Olivia. How could you…”

Without looking at Kevin, she raised her finger and pointed at him and opened her mouth again.

“That person poisoned the previous Duke himself.”

“…Olivia!”

“Every time I visit him. It was because I saw him taking the medicine.”

“….”

“Miss Claudel, but how did you know it was poison? If you don’t know that, that can’t be a convincing testimony.”

At that, she answered Eric’s words.

“Brother Kevin showed me the medicine and said that it was a medicine that made you feel comfortable. At the time, I thought it was a medicine that would cure the Duke’s illness, although now that I think about it, it is not.”

“…You’re not saying that’s the basis, are you?”

At Eric’s question, she shook her head.

“They said it was a poison that turns the bones black, so I remembered. His Excellency’s teeth were always black when he took the medicine that Kevin gave him. I thought it was weird. But I did not express it.”

“….”

“Olivia!”

Even though Kevin screamed and tried to get up, the soldiers forced him to kneel.

“I remember the shape of that vial. If we do some research later, I think it will definitely help.”

“You, you! How could you…!”

Kevin screamed in anger. The blood-stained eyes were unbelievably hideous.

Leon stood in front of her and blocked her from Kevin’s view.

“The, the woman, is telling lies. No, that’s not true! That woman will blame me! Your Majesty, listen to me!”

At Kevin’s words, Eric raised the corner of his mouth and asked.

“What do you mean? Why does Miss Olivia Claudel want to blame you for being her brother?”

“That…”

Kevin bit his mouth while trying to lie as he had habitually slandered Olivia.

It was because this was not the Duchy of Deork which he had reigned in, so Olivia and his words have equal weight. That was, even if he framed her, no one would believe him unless he presented reasonable evidence.

That didn’t mean Kevin was scared of her, though.

Rather, he believed that if Olivia accused him of his sins, the irreparable would happen to her.

In prison, Kevin saw Leon’s true face. He was a cold and cruel person. Although he tortured and killed the grande’s employees every day. The maids and the old butler begged for mercy.

But, Leon did not blink an eye and gave them the most brutal and painful death.

Hearing the deafening screams every day, Kevin realized clearly. It wasn’t because Leon was stupid.

He was looking at Kevin.

If Leon found out that Kevin assaulted Olivia, would he stay still…? It was absolutely not. Leon could have entered an honorary duel and had Kevin beheaded, or if he failed, he could have given him a life less than death, as he had done to some of his servants. So, it would be crazy to open his mouth.

Then, Leon opened his mouth.

“This is the testimony of Miss Claudel, but some of the servants in the mansion also reported similar facts. Miss Claudel does not have to testify here.”

“As Duke Deork said, Miss Claudel needs no further testimony.”

At Eric’s words, Olivia leaned her back slightly and stepped back.

As if Leon was possessed, his gaze followed her back. Eventually, he woke up to Eric’s cough and opened his mouth to look at Eric.

“Duke Grande’s family tried to take control of my family by killing the previous duke and then killing me as well. Also, it is clear that the reason Henrietta Grande was brought into this house as my fiancée, and had me under investigation was to bring me down and put Kevin Deork as the scarecrow head. This is why Henrietta Grande was detained. If this reason is not good, I will take immediate action.”

The Emperor nodded his head and asked, looking down at Duke Grande.

“Do you have anything to say, Duke?”

“It’s a lie…!”

“You claim it’s a lie.”

At that moment, Leon knelt down on his knees and sat down in front of Eric.

“So, Your Majesty. I think this should be decided as a reasonable and fair trial. I have all the evidence to substantiate the charges against the Duke of Grande.”

“You, yo—you…!”

“If the charges against Duke Grande are proven, I want a proper punishment according to the Imperial Nobility Act.”

“What will happen to Kevin Deork?”

“He is from our family, so we will punish him separately within the family.”

Punished within the family. Leon’s words sounded compassionate, though none of those who heard Leon’s voice thought that Kevin Deork’s life would be spared. People were thrilled by Leon’s eyes, as though they had only waited for this day.

Kevin trembled and started to scream. Meanwhile, Eric said with a solemn expression.

“I’ll allow the trial.”

At that, Duke Grande knelt down on his knees with a bewildered expression.

When the trial was held, the charges would be revealed. Duke Grande looked at the last lifeline, the Emperor. If that Emperor saved him this time, he would have been willing to become the Emperor’s ally.

The current Emperor ascended to the throne through rebellion, and he needed someone like him, as he would not have a support base in the Capital because he was stuck on the battlefield.

“Your Majesty…!”

“Arrest the suspects immediately and take them away.”

Nonetheless, the Emperor spoke so without hesitation. When the eyes of the Emperor and Duke Grande met, the corners of the Emperor’s mouth were slightly raised.

At that moment, Duke Grande realized that the Emperor was also an accomplice in this.

Duke Grande secretly supported the First Prince in the past. He thought that the reason he didn’t kill himself after the emperor took the throne by rebellion was that it wasn’t discovered. However, the Emperor conspired with Leon and was aiming for him, too.

Emperor Eric, who was then the Third Prince, was abandoned long ago on the same battlefield as Leon. Since Leon did not participate in the rebellion, Duke Grande felt that their relationship was not very close.

But, it was a big mistake…

Eric needed checks and warnings against the aristocrats who didn’t support him, and Leon had to get revenge on the one who made fun of him by killing his own father and changing his fiance at will.

Thus, their interests were aligned.

He was at a loss for words at what had been carefully calculated.

Now, he had nowhere to get out.

“Aahh…”

Duke Grande coveted everything of Duke Deork. Along with his high honor, Edgar Deork’s laid-back personality, even the wealth he possessed. He believed he would be able to take control of the family by killing Edgar, his bloodline Leon, and marrying stupid Kevin to Henrietta.

However, Edgar’s son, whom he thought was a blue-eyed greenhorn was a wild beast cub. He had already made every preparation to bite him, and he was aiming for the right time.

Every stage was perfectly prepared.

And so, Duke Grande was dragged along with Kevin, who called out to Leon, but it didn’t seem to be heard by him.

“I think we have to end up here today. I thought it was a strange case of imprisoning the fiancée, but there must have been some great secret lurking there…”

People nodded in agreement with Eric’s words.

When the door to the audience opened, the nobles greeted Eric and hurried out to discuss this topic separately.