Ivan was taken aback with a horrified expression.
“Did she really say that? That this is just a game?”
“Yes, she did.”
“I’ve never heard anyone say Lady Lydia is crazy…”
That’s what I’m saying. If she were truly this mad, rumors would have surely spread.
It was said that ever since Lydia Dorothea returned from abroad, she hasn’t been engaging much in social activities. Perhaps she was trying to hide that temperament of hers.
“If you think she’s out of her mind, that means it’s seriously bad.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re usually quite generous towards anyone who has some gold in their pocket.”
“Ugh…”
Natasha groaned, unable to deny it.
Yet, her hands didn’t stop rummaging through the letters.
“Still, just by looking at the letters, she seems normal…”
[I received the gift you sent. It was a beautifully scented candle. You remembered that I have trouble sleeping? I’m touched.]
Looking through the letters exchanged between Aiden Winchester and Lydia, it was enough to make one think they resembled a princess and a knight from a fairy tale.
Innocent, vulnerable heroine and her protective knight.
‘Heroine, huh…’
Natasha must have paid too much attention to Estelle’s nonsensical talk.
‘Now that I think about it, the heroine Estelle spoke of was also named Lydia.’
But then again, Lydia isn’t such a unique name. People with the same name can be found anywhere, can’t they?
Yes, of course.
Natasha forced herself to think that way.
“There’s nothing too unusual in the letters. It would be easy to feign ignorance.”
“Right? We can probably resolve this along with the Denis matter.”
At this point, she was certain that there wouldn’t be any major issues.
As Ivan shifted the stack of letters back onto the desk, he subtly changed the subject.
“Isn’t that guy’s brother Carlos Winchester?”
“Yeah. He’s supposed to visit the office later, so prepare some refreshments in advance.”
“Hmm. You called a busy lawyer in person to take care of this case?”
Ivan grumbled in an irritated tone. He never liked that Carlos Winchester guy from the beginning.
“Hey, thanks to him, I got to enjoy an expensive meal. When I saw the price tag on the way out, my eyes almost popped out.”
If she had known the price beforehand, she wouldn’t have been able to digest it properly. The money wasted on a single meal was enough to bring tears to her eyes.
“You sure he doesn’t have ulterior motives towards you, sister?”
It was rare for Ivan to refer to her as “sister.” He only used that tone when he wanted something.
“Ulterior motives? He’s a duke. Even though he’s divorced, women of noble birth would line up to take the second duchess position at the Winchester estate, circling this city twice.”
Natasha scolded him, telling him not to spout nonsense.
“Calling him a divorcee doesn’t even do justice. The entire empire knows his circumstances. It was a huge scandal back then.”
When she shook her head and defended Carlos, Ivan squinted at her suspiciously.
“So, are you lining up for that spot too?”
“Are you crazy?”
Natasha grimaced in disgust.
“Would you say such nonsense to a client? I still remember vividly how we earned a hefty sum handling that case for him.”
The northern clients are generous. Every time they make a request, they spare no expense, and for that, Natasha was deeply grateful.
Cheers to big-spending clients!
As Natasha’s eyes gleamed with the thought of money, Ivan shrugged behind her.
Seriously. She can never resist the lure of money.
***
The man resembled Carlos almost exactly. Except his hair was shorter, and his gaze was softer. Aside from that, they were so alike that it was hard to tell them apart.
As with most northerners, he looked like a well-trained knight, and even in casual clothes, his well-built physique was undeniable.
Despite his intimidating body, his face was marred by anxiety and nervousness.
“So…”
Natasha started.
“Your goal is to join the Imperial Knights, and you want to avoid leaving a trial record?”
“Yes. Is that possible?”
“Once a trial starts, leaving a record is inevitable. This is not something I, as a lawyer, can control. According to imperial law, all trials are documented and kept as records.”
As Natasha calmly explained, Aiden’s face fell, looking even more downcast.
It was hard to believe that this upright knight was the same man accused of being involved with a woman who already had a fiancé.
‘He probably didn’t know.’
Whether he knew or not, it didn’t change the fact that he was in a compromising position.
“Legally, trial records can only be accessed by those directly involved, but… for the Imperial Knights, there will likely be an exception.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
The imperial knights, chosen to serve the crown, would undoubtedly have their criminal records checked. Even if he were acquitted by proving he was unaware of the engagement, just having a trial record wouldn’t work in his favor.
“…There is a way, though.”
At those words, Aiden’s anxious expression softened a little.
“You could ask His Highness the Crown Prince to drop the charges. If the trial doesn’t happen, no record will be left.”
“His Highness the Crown Prince…”
Aiden murmured, looking dazed.
“Why not ask the Duke for help? If your family offers a deal, it might not be impossible.”
“I cannot burden my brother with my personal problems.”
His career as a knight was at stake, and yet he was worried about burdening his family. What a ridiculously noble man.
“…I’ll accept it as my fate.”
“But you said you didn’t know she was engaged.”
“Of course. How could I, as a knight, knowingly desire a woman who is engaged?”
He responded firmly.
“In fact, even now… I feel like something must be wrong. Engaged? How could Lydia have a fiancé…”
It seemed he was still in shock over the fact that his beloved had a fiancé.
Judging by the letters, he and Lydia had shared a youthful, innocent romance, so his disbelief was understandable.
“Hmm… Or you could meet with His Highness in person and ask him directly. That wouldn’t cause any trouble for your brother, right?”
“The Winchesters have never been close to the central government. I’m worried that requesting a formal audience might be misinterpreted as political maneuvering by the Winchesters.”
He was quite loyal to his family, prioritizing their reputation over his own future. Admirable, perhaps?
“…But meeting him privately would be okay, right?”
“Excuse me? Well, if that were possible, it would be ideal, but as I said, the Winchesters don’t have strong ties to the central government, so there’s no one who could arrange such a meeting.”
But who was he dealing with? Natasha, the all-capable lawyer who could make the impossible possible.
“I’ll arrange the meeting for you.”
“…You, lawyer?”
“Yes. That’s just part of a lawyer’s basic skills.”
Where exactly was she going?
Aiden wanted to ask that, but he barely swallowed the words.
What kind of lawyer could arrange a private meeting with the Crown Prince? Moreover, from what Aiden knew, she was a commoner without any title.
However, Natasha reassured him not to worry.
“Nothing is impossible for a lawyer.”
He didn’t know when lawyers became such miracle workers, but since she seemed so confident, Aiden just nodded silently.
***
Naturally, Natasha didn’t have any magical ability to summon the Crown Prince.
But she did have something to rely on.
“You’re quite resourceful in using debts.”
Although Olga’s words sounded reproachful, the underlying meaning was close to praise.
“It’s a debt owed to Madam, after all. It must be used wisely.”
Natasha’s brazen response made Olga chuckle unknowingly. After Mikhail’s incident, Olga had felt too guilty to visit Natasha first.
Yet, Natasha’s nonchalant demeanor, acting as if nothing had happened, was something she was deeply grateful for.
“It’s not too difficult. As you know, Her Majesty the Empress is a relative of mine.”
Olga Dorothea. She too was from the Dorothea Duchy, the ruling family of the East.
Even if she wasn’t a direct relative, she had some connection to the Empress.
“I’ll ask Her Majesty to arrange a secret private audience for you. But all I can provide is the opportunity itself.”
“I understand. That’s more than enough.”
Without Olga’s help, how else could she meet the Crown Prince?
“My sons always seem to put you through so much trouble.”
Her tone hinted that she was aware of Dennis’s situation. Natasha took a sip of her tea and continued.
“Are you sure it’s alright to leave it as it is?”
Aiden Winchester wasn’t the only one who could ask the Crown Prince to drop the charges.
If Olga wished, she could also easily make Dennis’s trial disappear.
Though it would come at a small price.
“…One must take responsibility for their own mistakes.”
It was a clear indication that she wouldn’t interfere. Natasha nodded in understanding.
“Oh, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“Do you know anything about Lydia Dorothea?”
Natasha thought Olga might know something since Lydia was also a Dorothea. Besides, Olga had much more experience in the social circles.
“I don’t know much myself. It’s been a long time since I left that world, and the young ones these days don’t even know who I am.”
Olga was too old to know much about someone Lydia’s age, though she might have information on someone closer to the Empress’s age.
“But I have heard some things about her.”
Although it was a topic most avoided, there were still rumors that couldn’t be completely hidden.
“They say she’s been cursed.”
“…Cursed?”
What a bizarre story. In this day and age, a curse?
“Yes, a curse. It sounds like something out of an old book.”
“And is there a way to break the curse?”
“They’ve searched high and low, but I heard they haven’t had much luck.”
What an odd story. In this era, all magic users were either part of the Tower or the state.
A “curse” was the embodiment of a sorcerer’s will, a manifestation of intense malice and great harm.
And when people talked about curses, they typically referred to things like spreading a plague in a specific area or causing massive earthquakes or tsunamis.
“A curse like that… attached to a single person?”
How could one person bear such an enormous evil?
Was that why Lydia Dorothea had gone completely mad?
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
