Chapter 29: Chapter 29

* * *

the next day, lawyer royer filed a complaint under the baron’s name.

since it was an incident that occurred among the nobility, a quick investigation took place.

when the investigator came to confirm the incident, luna and the baron did their best to explain what had happened that day. on the other hand, the duke’s lawyer, polkan, denied everything that happened that day and charged luna with assault.

meanwhile, luna, who had completed a letter to tempt fersen, handed it over to royer along with a cheque.

“let me know if it’s not enough. i’ll give everything i have, even if i have to sell all my assets.”

it was a substantial sum that would allow a commoner to live a life of luxury for a lifetime. luna was determined to deceive fersen.

“it’s more than enough. i will deliver it right away.”

royer, who exchanged the check for gold coins, met with a contact he had planted in the duke’s house.

“it’s been a while.”

royer’s contact worked as a maid in the mansion. she had been the courier who updated him whenever antes hit fersen. she enjoyed a rather comfortable life from the money she received in return, and she regretted antes’ homecoming.

but why did he call her again? she organized her head, saying that she would have to shake off all the information because she wanted to, perhaps because of this incident.

“it’s been a long time. i’ve called you because i have a request.”

“is it about this incident? ask me anything, i’ll answer everything.”

“it’s indeed about this incident, but i didn’t call for information. i called because i wanted to deliver something.”

royer placed a bag of gold coins on the table. upon checking its contents, her eyes widened in shock.

“what… what is this?”

“it’s a reward.”

she’d never received such a sum before. fearing it might be a dangerous task, she hesitated.

“no, i won’t do it. i value my life more than money.”

“there’s no danger to your life. you just have to secretly deliver a letter.”

“do you know how dangerous a letter can be? what if it contains something that endangers my life?”

“knowing you might say that, i prepared something extra. and don’t worry about the content. the recipient will appreciate the letter. however, make sure you’re not caught.”

royer then placed another bag of gold coins on the table. it was an enormous amount when combined.

“if the job is done, this is yours. take it and flee as far as possible.”

despite the danger, the allure of such a life-changing amount was undeniable. she hesitated for a while, but eventually cautiously agreed.

“what if i get caught before i can deliver it?”

“after you deliver the letter, i’ll provide a safe place for you. i think the carman hotel would be good. i’ll reserve a royal room under my name there. if you wish, i can also provide a bodyguard.”

the generous offer was too tempting to resist. she picked up the letter and the money bag and got up.

“what will happen if i run away without delivering the letter?”

“nothing bad will happen. my client isn’t that kind of person. but i believe you won’t do that.”

fully trusting her, royer smiled gently.

although ten years had passed, she was still the same as before. she blushed, hesitated for a moment, and then headed back to the duke’s mansion without any regrets.

* * *

a few days later, after gathering her thoughts, sien, holding the letter, went to fersen’s room with cleaning supplies. she had been in charge of fersen’s room for a long time to gather information, so no one suspected her.

‘fersen is… sleeping as usual today.’

lately, fersen was always sleeping, rarely awake. probably because he was confined by the duke’s orders, but it also felt like he was escaping reality through sleep.

this made her task seem easier.

‘can i just leave it secretly?’

while she pretended to clean, she glanced at fersen, took out the letter she’d been hiding, and carefully placed it on the bedside table where he could easily see it when he woke up.

the job, coupled with the promise of a fortune, was easy. all she had to do now was grab her cleaning supplies, leave the room, and flee at dawn.

“what’s this?”

suddenly, fersen’s voice came from behind her.

“hey, what are you leaving behind?”

it was a clear voice, not one of someone who had just woken up. sien, frozen stiff, slowly turned around. fersen, holding the letter she had left, frowned deeply.

‘what… what do i do? what should i do!?’

just when she felt she might faint, fersen recognized luna’s handwriting on the back of the letter.

“…what’s this, a letter sent by luna?”

at the surprised voice, sien unknowingly nodded.

“is it really from luna!?”

startled, fersen hastily opened the letter. then, luna’s elegant handwriting filled his view.

[to beloved fersen.

it’s been a long time since we got to know each other. i’m pained to think that an unpleasant event might cause any shame. i hope to clear any misunderstanding.]

moved by the loving content that seemed to request reconciliation, fersen looked up at the ceiling, trying to control his emotions, before asking sien again.

“when did you get it?”

“well, to be honest, i didn’t receive it directly. a stranger gave it to me to pass on…! so, i don’t really know the specifics…!”

it seems that luna couldn’t deliver it personally and sent it through someone else. as usual, fersen convinced himself of this.

“well then, can i go now…? i also have to clean other rooms…”

despite the question, fersen didn’t respond, engrossed in luna’s letter. his eyes were filled with an indescribable joy.

taking this as his cue, sien quickly bowed and rushed out, heading for the carman hotel that royer had arranged.

* * *

due to the tense claims from both sides, a trial was held. although limited in attendees, it was a public hearing.

hearing whispers about the case, several nobles arrived at the courtroom. they were the types who loved gossip.

luna, who had to receive a letter, arrived a little early and anxiously waited for fersen while observing the gradually filling gallery.

“don’t worry too much. even without the letter, we can win the case. just relax.”

royer wasn’t just giving empty encouragement; he had collected enough evidence using his many connections.

it was meant to counter polkan’s claim that it was not confinement, but merely an overnight stay.

“trust me. i’ve managed all sorts of impossible negotiations before. we won’t lose this trial. i have it under control.”

royer was so confident that luna smiled lightly. the baron also seemed reassured by royer’s confidence.

soon after, fersen appeared. it was right before the trial began.

upon entering the courtroom and spotting luna, fersen’s eyes lit up like a dog seeing its owner. the result of luna’s letter.

realizing the success of luna’s strategy, royer sighed.

“all my evidence is now useless. though, if it means ending the case in one go, it’s a good thing. what on earth did you write to make him have such a puppy-like expression?”

without knowing the letter’s content, royer directly asked, to which luna replied with a smile to fersen.

“it’s nothing big. just that i don’t want to lose him over a simple misunderstanding. our relationship is deep, special, and precious, isn’t it?”

there was more she had written to persuade fersen, but she decided not to go into the specifics.

royer quietly responded with a slightly shocked expression:

“i don’t believe you were sincere, but i’ll keep it a secret from the young master antes.”

although she wasn’t sincere, there was no need to be so blunt. if antes ever found out, he might just laugh it off.

“now, all that’s left is to get the letter. i’m going to hurry up and come back.”

as royer was about to get up, luna grabbed his arm.

“wait. can i really put you through such a humiliation?”

she wasn’t an electric creature after all. and if he did try to use force, he could be sued for assault.

“how do you plan to receive it then?”

“just in a normal way.”

just as luna replied, fersen, who was headed to the defendant’s seat, suddenly changed direction, heading straight for luna.

“ah!?”

with lawyers and knights rushing to stop him, he quickly approached and handed luna a letter.

“please judge objectively and clear up any misunderstanding.”

“i will.”

luna smiled warmly at fersen, who had just handed over his confession. it was the first bright smile he’d ever seen from her.

a blushing fersen nodded to the baron before returning to his group.

it all happened so fast that no one could intervene.

“it’s not like we’re trading something strange, right? we just exchanged it in the courtroom, where it would be impossible to take by force.”

luna waved the letter she received. across the room, polkan seemed to ask fersen about the exchange.

just how did they dare to exchange evidence so openly, right in front of everyone?

royer momentarily froze before giving luna a thumbs up.

“he really seems to like you a lot. i can’t even imagine his reaction when the evidence is presented during the trial.”

fersen just left a comment to the lawyer that it was nothing and remained seated.

he might have hoped that luna, who might have read the letter, would clear up the misunderstanding and be friendly to him again.

“that’s what i’m aiming for. trying to hit not from the back, but from the front. i can’t talk nonsense anymore.”

maybe he can go crazy or it might turn into anger. it was better than an inexplicable obsession.

the reason is clear.

“if, after all this, he’ll keep saying ‘no, it’s all a misunderstanding. break up with antes. he’s deceiving you.’ i intend to just kill them.”

if not, luna casually mentioned that he might die. at that moment, the baron, who had been quietly watching the situation, intervened.

“it was all because you didn’t like the words telling you to break up with antes. i understand now.”

“ah! is that so?”

“no! you misunderstood! that’s not it!”

why does everyone keep bringing up antes? everyone was doing well, but sometimes they became fersen. they have to break up sooner or later.

“ugh. stop talking nonsense like fersen and just read the letter. we have to make sure if it’s enough to hit the head, right?”

depending on the content, the response to the trial might change, so they had to check the letter quickly.

as soon as they began discussing, the judges entered the courtroom. luna hurriedly opened the letter.