TVTIW Chapter 55

Chapter 55

Dave’s tearful voice echoed loudly in the quiet courtroom. Everyone was waiting for his words.
“The, the Count Theodore…”

Even as he spoke, Dave trembled like a leaf in the wind.

Unable to hold back any longer, I left my seat at the plaintiff’s table and walked toward the witness stand where Dave was sitting. I locked eyes with him.

“Dave, is this because of Sylvia?”

Dave, who had once tried to kill me under Duke Tristan’s orders, had done so for his younger sister’s treatment. And yesterday, I had brought the two children to the physician’s clinic for their treatment. But now, out of nowhere, Dave was going to testify on behalf of Duke Tristan, who had tried to kill me?

It didn’t take much to figure out what was going on.

Duke Tristan must have something over Dave, something he was using to threaten him. And it was most likely related to Sylvia.

Dave silently lowered his head, tears streaming down his face. How much burden was a twelve-year-old child carrying?

I couldn’t bear to see him suffering like this, so I placed my hand on his shoulder. At the sudden touch, Dave flinched and looked up at me.

“Can you tell me what really happened? If you do, we can save Sylvia.”

Duke Tristan wouldn’t just let Sylvia go even if he won this trial. From his perspective, Dave was of no use alive, so after the trial, he would most likely kill both Dave and Sylvia.

He needed to realize this.

Dave kept his head down and remained silent. The only sound in the courtroom was the sound of a child sniffing.

“It’s okay, Dave,” I whispered softly to him. He looked up, and his eyes briefly met mine before shifting to Duke Tristan. The anger and resentment in his eyes were evident, showing exactly what he had been feeling.

Finally, Dave spoke up.

“Everything Duke Tristan said is a lie. I didn’t attack the lady by mistake while pickpocketing. I… I was paid by Duke Tristan to stab the lady with a knife.”

Dave spoke without hesitation.

“And it was also Duke Tristan who took me into an alley and beat me. I have nothing to do with Count Theodore.”

In the end, Duke Tristan was trapped in the sandcastle he had built.

The judge listened to Dave’s testimony and looked at Duke Tristan with a look of disdain.

He had already been at a disadvantage, and today he had hoped that Dave’s testimony would somehow turn things in his favor. But in the end, everything had backfired.

“I’m sorry. I was wrong,” Dave sobbed as he finished his testimony.

His pleading voice was so heart-wrenching it felt like my heart was breaking.

“Well, it seems there’s nothing more to discuss regarding your positions. Especially not the defendant’s story, which seems unworthy of further consideration.”

The judge spoke in a low voice, clearly exhausted after hearing so many lies. It was understandable—after several lies had been exposed, the judge seemed fed up.

Now that both sides had made their positions clear, the next step was to reach a mutual understanding that both Duke Tristan and we could accept. Whether or not that would happen, however, was still uncertain.

Then it happened.

“No! This can’t be!”

Duke Tristan, who had been exposed once again by Dave’s testimony, suddenly panicked and screamed. He then lunged toward Dave, like an angry bull, and grabbed him by the collar.

“You! Don’t you care if your sister dies?”

“Ah… ugh…”

At his shout, Dave let out a whimper, trembling.

“Please, please save Sylvia. It was my fault… I… I’ll make up for it… Sylvia…”

Dave clasped his trembling hands together and pleaded with Duke Tristan. I couldn’t stand seeing this small child being held by a grown man, crying like that.

“Stop it, Father! This is all your doing! Accept the consequences!”

As Duke Tristan shouted at Dave, he suddenly turned toward me. The moment I saw his face, I instinctively stepped back, my body recoiling.

His eyes were bloodshot, and his mouth was clenched so tightly that veins were standing out on his neck. His distorted expression made him look like a demon.

Thankfully or unfortunately, Duke Tristan understood my reaction, and with that, he released his grip on Dave’s collar.

I sighed in relief as I watched Dave fall to the floor. But then, suddenly, I began to feel like I couldn’t breathe.

It was because of Duke Tristan.

After releasing Dave, Duke Tristan immediately grabbed my neck with his hand and began to choke me with all his strength.

The sudden loss of breath caused a sharp pain in my lower abdomen, and my eyes felt like they were about to pop out from the intense pressure.

“Yes, if you’re gone, everything will be fine. If you had never existed, none of this would have happened!”

Duke Tristan was shouting, but all I could hear was a buzzing noise in my ears.

I reached up with my weakening hands to grab his wrist, trying to pry it away, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get his grip to loosen.

“Diarna!”

Just as my vision began to darken and my body felt like it was stiffening, someone’s voice suddenly broke through, and I could breathe again.

I bent my body to the side and gasped for air, my body shaking from the near-death experience. I couldn’t summon any strength into my hands, and I touched my neck, tears streaming down my face. I felt cold, too.

“Are you alright, Diarna?”

I heard Richard’s voice, full of urgency and concern. I turned my eyes to him and saw his blood-stained clothes first. His large hand was reaching out toward me. I instinctively flinched, refusing his hand, even though I knew he wasn’t trying to harm me like Duke Tristan had.

Richard paused for a moment, then bit his lower lip before taking off his coat and wrapping it around me.

“Put this on for now.”

He draped his coat around me and stood up to deal with the situation.

“My lady!”

The courtroom doors suddenly opened, and Olivier rushed in. She carefully helped me, still in shock, steadying me as I leaned on her.

Although my breathing had stabilized, my heart was still racing from the shock. I leaned on her to calm myself.

As I sat, relying on Olivier, I began to notice the surrounding scene. Dave was crying loudly next to me, and Duke Tristan was being dragged out by the court staff. From the state of his face, it seemed that the bloodstains on Richard’s clothes earlier were his.

Richard gave instructions to Knights Lorenz and Jason before walking back toward me.

I looked up at Richard nervously as he approached.

He knelt down to meet my eyes.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I just… I was too shocked earlier…”

My voice cracked involuntarily. Richard frowned for a moment, then lifted his hand to gently raise my chin. He checked my neck and let out a soft sigh.

“We need to go to the physician right away, so excuse me for a moment.”

“Huh? Eek!”

Before I could respond, Richard suddenly picked me up. I was startled by his unexpected action and instinctively hugged his neck tightly.

“The court session is paused for now, so we’re heading to the physician.”

“Yes.”

Richard stood up and began to leave the courtroom. I noticed Olivier taking care of Dave, who was still crying. I hesitated for a moment, my lips moving, then I looked up at Richard and spoke.

“Richard, Dave’s sister, Sylvia, is probably still being held by my father.”

“I know. That’s why I’ve already sent Lorenz and Jason to rescue her. You don’t need to worry.”

“I just hope she’s okay.”

Muttering in concern, Richard lowered his eyes and looked down at me. His expression seemed puzzled.

“You’re the one who nearly died here, Diarna. How can you still worry about someone else?”

“Well… I’m fine now, aren’t I? In the end.”

Although my physical condition wasn’t great, considering the outcome, I hadn’t been seriously injured.

I was more worried about Sylvia, who had been kidnapped by Duke Tristan while her health was still poor.

“Diarna, first, take care of yourself. Worrying about others can wait until later.”

He said it coldly, but I knew it was a sign of concern for me. Watching him, I could tell that although he was clumsy with expressing himself, he wasn’t emotionally indifferent toward others.

Considering how he always worried about me, listened to my troubles, and gave me advice when I needed it, I realized he was actually quite a considerate person.

“Alright.”

I smiled awkwardly and tightened my grip around his neck to make sure I wouldn’t fall.

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