Chapter 17 The King’s Birthday Feast…
Chapter 17
17.1
When Duke Karagaran said, "Someone else is causing trouble at the banquet," Euridsi raised his eyebrows slightly.
She looked at Duke Hugh Carragher with interest:
Even when kneeling on one knee on the ground, the Grand Duke's demeanor was still very elegant and calm; unlike young knights like Osborne, Duke Hugh Carragaran was no longer young. There were a few strands of white hair on his temples and some fine lines at the corners of his eyes.
However, the Grand Duke, who held real power and had ruled the territory for many years, possessed not only the majesty of a ruler but also a calm, time-honored charm and grace. Therefore, when he began to speak, the banquet hall fell silent for a moment.
"Your Highness," said the Duke, "I am convinced that the incident with the 'earrings' was caused by someone else at the banquet."
As he spoke, he casually glanced at the black stone earrings on Osborne Karagaran.
Duke Karagaran smiled and said, "Every piece of Karagaran family jewelry is strictly recorded in the family archives and is engraved with the Karagaran family crest, the 'Rose Scepter'. However, this pair of 'Black Opal Stone' earrings has never appeared in the Karagaran family before; I believe that they will not have the family crest on them."
The Duke's voice was not loud, but it was clear enough for everyone present to hear clearly.
He spoke slowly, "Moreover, members of the Karagarang family have pure black hair and tend to wear light-colored silver ornaments. Earrings made of 'Black Opal Stone' will not be able to stand out against long black hair. No one in the Karagarang family usually wears black ornaments, especially headdresses."
The Duke said this with a calm expression. The other guests in the banquet hall nodded subconsciously: "Ah, so it is true... The Karagalan family all have pure black hair, and indeed they rarely wear black headdresses."
Even Euridsi praised Duke Hugh Caragaran's wisdom in his heart.
"Someone is trying to sow discord between the friendly relations between the Karagalang family and the royal family," said the Duke.
When Duke Karagaran said this, Prince Rokolan narrowed his eyes, neither agreeing nor refuting.
The Duke smiled and said, "Your Highness is wise and intelligent. He will definitely not be provoked by evil people to harm the friendship between the royal family and the Karagalan family."
As he spoke, the old duke lowered his head in a humble manner. "However, Osborne was unaware of the evildoer's scheme and kept the earrings with him. He was truly a fool. Your Highness's unhappiness is entirely his fault. Therefore, Your Highness, please be sure to severely punish Osborne."
“…”
He is indeed the shrewd Grand Duke, thought Euridsi.
He reacted very quickly and quickly grasped the key points and loopholes of the matter, winning the approval of most people present.
Originally, Osborne Karagarang's behavior demonstrated the ambition of the nobility, and the royal family could punish the entire Karagarang family for this.
However, Duke Karagaran changed the situation with just a few words:
The "temptations and ambitions of the Caragaran family" have been transformed into "Osborne Caragaran's personal fault for not being aware of the conspiracy."
The atmosphere in the banquet hall has changed. In this situation, if Prince Rokolan insists on punishing the entire Karagarang family, then this will become a form of oppression of the Karagarang family by the royal family.
As things developed to this point, Prince Rokolan also understood that he could not punish the entire Karagaran family, and could only punish Osborne Karagaran alone.
Prince Rokolan sneered condescendingly: "Well, in that case, I will severely punish Osborne Karagaran--"
Following Prince Rokolan's voice, a mermaid's scream suddenly sounded!
The crystal chandelier in the banquet hall jingled violently, and some guests showed shocked expressions.
The empire has been at peace for too long, and many citizens who grew up in a peaceful era have never heard the aggressive "singing" of the Morman mermaids.
The voices of the Mormans possess immense power, capable of healing or destroying a living being. Their sounds are melodic, unlike those of ordinary humans. While not piercing enough to sting the eardrums, they send a chill down one's spine.
Osborne Karagaran was stunned, and suddenly let out a muffled groan—
He suddenly grabbed his right wrist and cold sweat broke out.
There was no wound on the outside of his wrist, but a sharp pain came from the inside of his wrist and extended to the crook of his forearm.
The young knight's face was pale, he half-knelt on the ground, the fingers of his right hand curled up and began to twitch unconsciously -
He couldn't clench his fingers.
Osborne Karagalan seemed to suddenly realize something, and suddenly raised his head with a pale face.
Prince Rokolan's chanting has stopped and his expression has returned to calm.
"Osborne Karagarang."
“…Your Highness.”
"You don't have to hold the sword anymore."
Osborne looked miserable. The prince said condescendingly, "I don't want to see you spreading your feathers before His Majesty like a peacock, nor do I want to see you brandishing your sword in a show of force. This is your punishment."
After Prince Rochlan finished speaking, he calmly withdrew his gaze, as if he had thrown away a pile of insignificant garbage; while Osborne knelt on one knee on the ground, tightly grasping his wrist, his face as pale as a dead man.
He can no longer use the knight sword.
The king of the Morman mermaids, Prince Rokolan, personally cut off his wrists.
No doctor from the Moman mermaid tribe would be willing to treat such an injury.
However, Osborn heard someone beside him sigh in relief and whisper, "I thought he was going to lose his life. Fortunately, Prince Rochlan was merciful and only punished him slightly."
Osborn's eyes were completely red.
He did not lose his life, but for a good knight, losing the ability to hold a sword was no different from a death sentence.
Osborn gritted his teeth and pronounced the name fiercely—
"Eurydsey Arquitas!"
Cecilia Karagaran glanced at him and said calmly, "What are you barking about?"
Osborn's eyes were red as he clenched his fist in hatred—only his left fist. He couldn't clench his right hand at all.
"Eurydsey Arquitas," Osborne gritted his teeth, causing the veins on his forehead to jump. "She framed me! She's the one who ruined me!"
"It's obvious," Cecilia replied. "The earrings belonged to her, so of course she framed you. This is a fact that can be deduced from basic reasoning."
“…”
Osborn's chest heaved with anger. Cecillia looked at him expressionlessly, "However, Osborn, she didn't force you to use your blunt sword to knock the earrings off her own ears. You chose to do this yourself."
Osborne paused, his expression becoming somewhat embarrassed and annoyed.
"I am your blood brother!" he said. "What do you stand for, Cecillia?"
Cecilia looked at him calmly: "Bark louder and you can call your father."
When the Duke of Karagaran was mentioned, Osborne was like a fire extinguished by cold water, and suddenly became silent.
This is the territory of the Karagaran family, the city of Ravenmont.
Duke Hugh Caragaran went to the council chamber to hold a meeting, leaving only the two youngest children of the Caragaran family - Osborne and Cecillia - in the study.
Cecillia was not yet an adult and could not attend the meeting. Osborne was supposed to attend the meeting. However, when the Caragalan family returned to Ravenmont from the Queen's banquet, Duke Hugh Caragalan immediately announced:
Osborne Karagaran was expelled from the Knights of Ravenmount.
Osborne slumped weakly into a chair, his fingers supporting his forehead as he murmured, "It's all because of Aunt Beatrice...it was because of her letter that I went to teach Euridice Arquitas a lesson."
The light in the study at Ravenmount Castle was dim.
The candlelight flickered, illuminating the study in a flickering manner. A few crows flew past the glass window, their throats hoarse as they uttered a few hoarse "ah-ah-ah" cries.
Osborne slumped down in a high-backed chair beside his desk, no longer wearing his knight's formal attire, but a dark grey velvet cloak. The hem of his cloak was disheveled, and he looked like a puppet whose soul had been taken away.
However, Cecilia Caragaran seemed unable to understand her brother's misery, and replied seriously: "It's not because of Aunt Beatrice, it's because of you, Osborne."
Osborne's fingers twitched slightly, and Cecilia said seriously, "Aunt Beatrice wrote to everyone—Father, Bertha, Alex, you, and me. Everyone was at Her Majesty's banquet, and yet you were the only one who actually bothered Euridice Arquitas."
As Cecilia said this, Osborne suddenly burst into tears.
He held his cheeks and sobbed, "Yes, it's all because of my stupidity."
Cecilia paused, tears streaming down Osborn's fingers. "Since I was little, I haven't been the smartest among my siblings... I know Alex says I'm 'muscular but simple-minded'. However, that's all I know. I can only practice knight swordsmanship desperately and become the best knight so that my father will see me."
Cecillia fell silent, and Osborn closed his eyes: "I don't know what to do now that I've lost the Knight Sword, Xi."
Cecilia also closed her eyes slightly.
After a while, she whispered, "Father didn't teach Euridice Aquitas a lesson at the banquet because we couldn't just kill him at the king's banquet. But I know he didn't ignore it. He's already written back to Aunt Beatrice."
Osborne was startled, and Cecilia said slowly: "Father must have given Aunt Beatrice some ideas... I believe,
When Euridice Arquitas returns to Oplenci, she will immediately pay for her actions."
17.2
When Euridsi's Pegasus returned to the city of Oplunsi, she immediately noticed something was wrong:
Pegasus landed at the dock of Oprunsi, but when the workers working at the dock saw her, they immediately lowered their heads.
They took her Pegasus, then walked away, heads bowed, out of her sight, without even the customary "Good day, Countess" to greet her.
They glanced at her out of the corner of their eyes, as if a little frightened.
Olidisi did not ask them "why".
Because she had already seen the parchment notice posted on the wall of Oplunsi City -
"Wanted Poster".
Below the dark ink title, there was a striking name written:
Euridice Arquitas.
Below the name, in the center of the scroll, was her portrait; the portrait was drawn a little sloppily and did not look very much like the original, but most people in the city of Oprunci knew the name "Eurydice Aquitas".
Olidisi suddenly laughed.
"Ah," she said lightly, "So, I'm a suspected criminal."
When she said this, the workers at the dock shuddered and quickly looked away; several Oplun tin merchants who were about to leave the dock even pulled their horses and quickly changed direction.
And Ouli Desi was admiring the "wanted poster" by himself.
"Well, let me see," she stroked her chin, "what is the crime you're wanted for?"
The edge of the parchment scroll swayed slightly in the wind, as if waving to her. Euridsi walked closer and read the small words on the parchment scroll clearly:
Euridice Arquitas, the suspected crime is—
Murder of the waitress Anne.
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