Chapter 227

The emperor smiled as he rose and patted Lucius on the shoulder.

“It’s a headache to think of more relatives showing up, but if you’re among them, you’re very welcome. You know what I mean.”

Lucius chuckled.

As ill-timed as the occasion was, the fact that the emperor was sending him to Ponto made him laugh.

[Ponto, 87 Maeson Tenzar Street, 12th District]

Wasn’t that where Deatrice was?

It was an unforgettable address because he had been worried about how she was holding up in that rough place just a few days ago.

What a coincidence this was.

He had tried not to go to her, but in the end, he was sent there by orders.

That night, after delivering the emperor’s orders to the knights, Lucius moved the place where the princess’s son was staying. It was because he was worried that the emperor might take advantage of his absence to snatch the princess’s son.

After handling everything, Lucius called for Tom.

“You called?”

Tom, who had been awkwardly fidgeting since he ignorantly searched through his room, had seemingly regained his vibrant self as he prepared for the trial. He prepared for it noisily, as if hoping Lucius would soon be cleared of all accusations and the world would buzz with excitement again.

But when Lucius glanced briefly at Tom’s face as he entered, he said, “Postpone the trial.”

Those two simple words were the end of it.

Tom blinked, unable to even ask, “What?” It was such a sudden and incomprehensible command. Fortunately, Lucius, perhaps with a conscience, added an explanation.

“The emperor has issued an order. I am to go to Ponto and assist Marquis Boviki’s reconstruction.”

“Ponto?”

Of course, the area wasn’t familiar to Lucius alone. Wasn’t it where Deatrice was? Tom couldn’t quite accept the fact that Lucius was postponing the trial to go to Ponto.

“It’s the emperor’s order.”

“Okay.”

His begrudging response seemed genuine. Tom chuckled at the absurd coincidence. Lucius might have appeared indifferent now, as if he had no interest in Deatrice being there or not, but Tom was convinced that most of his thoughts were still tied to her.

Otherwise, why postpone a perfectly good trial?

“The evidence is sufficient,” Tom said, trying hard. “It’s a trial that could be handled even without the master’s presence. What’s important is to shed this humiliation as soon as possible. His Majesty is just rolling you around like this and that because he thinks your status is low.”

For over six years, Lucius had lived like that, and a few more months wouldn’t change anything.

“It’s about your worth changing. Isn’t that important to you? Or do you have a different idea?”

Lucius looked at Tom without a response, as if asking, ‘What are you thinking?’ Tom, swallowing his saliva, replied.

“I mean, bringing the lady, no, the countess back.”

“….”

“After the trial, revenge against the duke and the lady is inevitable. I understand that too. So the countess left. But in the midst of all this, why would you be told to postpone the trial and go to where the countess is, Ponto? Does the emperor know the countess is in Ponto?”

This was another brilliant speculation. When Lucius frowned, Tom, excitedly thinking he had hit the mark, exclaimed.

“Exactly, right? After the trial, your increasing power will be restrained, and they’re trying to make you give up the trial and revenge against the countess altogether. Otherwise, why would the emperor send you to where the countess is? We shouldn’t overlook this. You need to look ahead calmly.”

“Yeah, that makes more sense.”

Lucius chuckled.

This wild conjecture made more sense than the astonishing coincidence. After a moment of silence, Lucius, absentmindedly tapping his pen on the paper until the ink spread, asked.

“Do you think I’ll eventually go to find Deatrice?”

Tom frowned as if to ask why he would ask such a thing.

“You shouldn’t.”

“Well, I don’t think I won’t.”

Even if they didn’t talk face to face, he might just check on where she was and how she was doing. Maybe see her entering the house quietly near her home, or check her shadow lingering by the window.

After shedding tears from Deatrice’s rejection, Lucius closed the door to hide his crying, and after a week of collapse, he came out as if nothing happened. He wondered why.

There was a reason for every action.

He said he didn’t agree to annul the marriage to make himself a victim and gain sympathy from the nobles, but then he shouldn’t have hidden his crying. He thought he came out early because of the responsibility he had to take care of, but as Tom said, he’s telling himself to postpone the trial, which would elevate his position.

Lucius was gradually realizing that all those things were nothing but excuses. The principles behind all his actions pointed to one thing.

‘If she comes back, I’ll never resent her.’

The thought he casually entertained on the day he mistakenly believed Deatrice might return turned out to be correct.

Lucius had maintained their marriage in preparation for the day Deatrice might return on her own, making sure people didn’t find her absence suspicious.

So he hid his tears and quickly regained his daily routine, fearing that people might find something odd about him and suspect that something was wrong between them.

But even then, why didn’t he go to her address as soon as he found out…?

“But maybe if I go, Deatrice will reject me.”