Chapter 270. Punishment, Part X
Translator: Khan
Editor: Aelryinth
"The humble thing that you turned into Count Valerian's cousin did that! Guard, guard! I need to see His Majesty right now. I know the real culprit. I know!" Christine suddenly passed Julietta and shouted out.
"Christine, no one's coming. The guards are out there with my escort knights now."
"I can talk to my father when he comes. I'll make sure to bring charges against that bitch and you."
Count Valerian stood in her way as Christine lunged at Julietta.
Julietta looked at Christine with her fingers reaching like claws, safely behind the Count. "The Marquis will remain at home under probation until suspicion is cleared that he is behind your actions. Of course, he can't come see you before you're executed."
At Julietta's final words, Christine's ferocious struggle stopped.
"I'm going to say it once, Christine. Whether you accept my offer or not, I have nothing more to say."
Although Christine did not answer, Julietta continued to speak, "You were caught on the scene as the assassin of Prince Francis, just as you were about to be tried for kidnapping and poisoning me. You may be immediately executed without trial as a murderer of the royal family. You'll be executed as early as tomorrow, or no later than two or three days."
A formal trial was scheduled to take place, even if she was a murderer of the royal family's. But Julietta didn't have to tell Christine that. Even if it was a formal trial, it would be difficult for Phoebe to be exposed there.
"What are you going to suggest to me when I'm about to die like this?"
"The whereabouts of your maid are unknown. The gatekeeper at Harrods' mansion said that he ran into the room after hearing the death of Prince Francis from a black-haired maid. She testified that after you had killed Prince Francis, she had seen you unconscious, and she ran to him."
Christine's head was lifted like a flash at Julietta's words. "Are you trying to get me out of here by having my maid do it?"
"Not perfectly. If I tell them you are not guilty, you could bring up Phoebe's case. So, I would say that it's like that the maid killed the Prince and put it on you, and it's going to give you some room that you might not have otherwise. That's enough to get you out of summary execution. What do you think? You'll be stripped of your noble status and exiled, but it will be better than dying."
At Julietta's words, Christine gnashed her teeth in anger. She wanted to scream that she didn't need her offer, but there was no one to save her.
The Duke of Dudley, his maternal grandfather, was awaiting trial on charges of harming the Kiellini family and poisoning the people, and her mother had committed suicide. Her father was under probation, suspected as the man behind the assassination of the Prince. The First Queen must think she had killed her son, and wouldn't save her.
Revenge could still happen if her life was spared. Christine vowed to destroy that clean face even as she said, "I can't say no to you when you say you are going to save me. But don't expect me to step back like this. I'll make you cry, saying it's better to die someday."
Julietta laughed at Christine's vow. "I don't know how much you can do that, but I'll try to stay nervous. Remember, as soon as you bring up Phoebe's case, you'll definitely be the one who killed Prince Francis. I'm going to call back the missing maid and testify."
In other words, these guys knew the whereabouts of the maid the gatekeeper had described. 'Who the hell is that? She has black hair, but it could not be my close aide, Penny.' It was evident that she was the perpetrator for those people.
But now it didn't matter much. Christine looked at the dim light in the underground prison corridor and promised, "My revenge won't take long. I promise."
"My revenge is ongoing," Julietta answered, facing her. Christine was staring at her as if she would never forgive her. Julietta turned around and left the dark prison.
"How can such a finely grown-up lady be so venomous?"
Maribel felt that she had been venomous because of her hard life, so she thought that Christine was pathetic and stupid. How foolish of her to waste her life while having a better environment and a better quality of life than others. If Lady Anais had only her greed and jealousy away in order, she could have lived her life as the daughter of the Marquis of Anais.
"There are people who are not satisfied with what they have."
"Phoebe left for Tilia. She went back, because her debut wouldn't be for at least a year at the sad news of the royal family."
Julietta nodded. Originally, she had to go back to Bertino as a lady of the Pauran family, but there was no one to receive Phoebe. Even if there were, Julietta couldn't send Phoebe there. She wanted to make her feel comfortable all her life, after saying that she was considering Julietta's safety, staying in Tilia since she was her maid.
"What happened when there was no Dian in her underground cell?"
Dian had been arrested in the Vicern Temple, and taken to the Imperial Prison of Austern. Since there had been no word yet that a trial had been held, she would not have been executed, but Julietta did not find her in the underground prison and wondered at her fate.
"We don't know what she would say in court, and I couldn't let it go. We put her down as dead and sent her back to her original place, the brothel."
Lebatum! It was the place Phoebe hated so much. Julietta's heart was chilled at the news that Dian had been sent back there.
Julietta wanted to say that it might have been a mercy to kill Dian, but she couldn't say anything. She felt sorry for Dian's situation, but she didn't come forward for it. She would have done something if she'd known beforehand.
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When she came back to the Asta Palace, Killian was waiting.
"How is the atmosphere of the main castle? How's His Majesty?" Julietta thought His Majesty must have been hurt by his son's death.
Killian kissed Julietta's lips lightly and answered, "I'm sure His Majesty is in a different position than I am, but he did not grieve much because Francis had made treasonous moves. Of course, I don't know what he is thinking. Did you meet Christine?"
He led Julietta to the couch and ordered his servant to bring tea.
"Yes, she said she would accept my offer."
"I suppose she did so because there was no other way. His Majesty does not want the Empire to be restless for long. He wants to get rid of her quickly by holding a trial this afternoon."
"I won't be able to enter the court, so I'll wait outside."
Nobles without title could not enter the court where the trial would be held unless they were a witness or defendant, or of the victim's family.
"Will it be all right to just banish Christine?" Killian asked again, because he didn't like Julietta's decision.
Julietta slowly lifted up her teacup. She was silent for a moment, letting her concerns out with the smell of the tea.
"I can't help it. It's too dangerous if Phoebe is exposed. It could get Count Valerian, me, and even you involved in this matter."
"And yet, without Francis, you will never meet Christine as a Queen at the Imperial Castle."
That was why Julietta was able to end up exiling Christine. Christine had mentioned revenge, but there would be no chance to see her again. She wouldn't ever return to the country in the first place, and she couldn't reach the place where Julietta would be.
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As Killian and Julietta took a rest for a while, with only one last deed left, Manny went through an open window to the terrace. The Palace of Asta was so big that Manny and Lilly's houses were scattered about.
Manny went up to a small sofa in one corner of the terrace, its second favorite resting place. It was a small bed-shaped sofa with a miniature bed and canopy spread between its four pillars, sending the midday sunlight through. Manny lay face down on the small bed and looked idly at the white curtain swaying in the cool breeze that suited the autumn weather.
It was when Manny heard the voice of the Lord God. [I will grant your wish that you wailed for day and night.]
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