Chapter 29 The Princess’s Wedding Ceremony…
Chapter 29
29.1
It was the first lunar month of the hot season in the 638th year of the Void Era. The weather hadn't quite warmed up yet, but the city of Ravenmont—and indeed the entire Void Continent—was completely ablaze with excitement over a stunning wedding ceremony.
Whether in the tavern of the royal city or in the market of Ravenmont; whether around the silver plates of the nobles' lunch or beside the stables of the knights, everyone was talking about what happened at the banquet.
Of course, everyone's version is different.
"Have you heard?" the baker in Ravenmount whispered to his apprentice as he laid out fresh bread. "Alex actually already has a lover! It's probably that woman... the spice seller from the south. They even have an illegitimate child!"
"Oh, really?"
"Really? Otherwise, why would he suddenly go crazy on the day of the banquet? I heard that Princess Matilda exposed him in public, and he was so ashamed and angry that he drew his sword on the princess."
In the aristocratic afternoon tea, this version of the story is much more elegant and romantic:
"Princess Matilda is truly decisive," a certain baron said with a smile, holding a teacup. "She broke off her engagement with Alex Karagaran right at the banquet. However, the new Duke Lorenz Ebrard is indeed a handsome and brave knight... If I were Princess Matilda, I wouldn't choose Alex either, I'd choose Lorenz."
"Yes," another viscount echoed, a hint of ambiguity in his eyes. "I heard that after the banquet, Lorenz injured his finger with a long sword. The princess personally visited Duke Lorenz Ebrard and presented him with a bouquet of flowers."
"Oh, is another grand marriage ceremony coming to the Eblad family?"
"Who knows? It's very possible."
In the Knights of Oplunsi City, those knights who drank inferior wine talked more bluntly:
"Hey, Lorenz is really amazing! I heard that as soon as the princess turned around, he stood in front of her and kicked the madman's dagger away with his bare hands! The nobles of Karagaran are really useless!"
"Of course, that's our Lorenz. No one braver than our Lorenz has ever been born on this ethereal continent."
"If you ask me, it would be great if Princess Matilda could become the new Duchess of Ebrard. It would be an honor for us too."
"Yes, yes, I saw that Countess before, Euridice Arquitas, she was crazy in the Forum Judgment, she was also a lunatic."
Further afield, the story even spread to the taverns of various cities and became a ballad sung by bards:
"Alex has a guilty conscience.
The princess is smart enough to tell the truth from the false.
The Duke draws his sword bravely,
Happy ending to everyone!"
This incident has been clearly summarized in the rumors that people talk about, and has become a reasonable "truth" that people are willing to believe:
Alex, who had been unfaithful and violent in his marriage, was punished by being imprisoned in a dungeon after the ceremony, and his engagement with Princess Matilda was broken off. Duke Lorenz Ebrard, with his sincerity and courage, rescued the princess and fell in love with her. They were about to enter into a truly joyful marriage and live happily together.
Bad guys are punished and good guys are rewarded. This is a story that people are happy to see, and no one thinks about what the real "truth" behind this story is.
Of course, except for some people who really know the protagonists of these stories——
"I absolutely do not believe it!" Osborne Karagaran clenched his fists. "I absolutely do not believe that Alex has any 'illegitimate child'."
He stood up and said loudly, "Don't you all know Alex? Father, Mother, Cecilia, you know that Alex has very high standards in marriage. He would never mess around with other women! He must have been wronged!"
In the meeting hall of Ravenmont City, Duke Hugh Carragalan stood by the window with a gloomy face.
It was almost dusk, and the slanting sunlight came in through the glass windows, shining on Duke Karagaran, stretching his shadow very long.
In the fireplace of the meeting room, there was a fire burning with a pine-scented firewood that could calm people, but the aroma of pine wood did not dispel the dullness in the meeting room:
Duchess Agnes and her youngest daughter, Cecilia Carragalan, sat by the fireplace with their eyes lowered, not saying a word.
A gloomy and heavy atmosphere quietly pressed down on the meeting hall. Only Osborne Karagaran, the impulsive and reckless young knight, was still crying out for his brother with red eyes.
"What illegitimate child? That's nonsense!" Osborn said angrily. "This is clearly a conspiracy by Lorenz Abrad!"
Osborne's angry voice echoed in the council chamber, but no one responded to him; Lady Agnes did not raise her eyes, and Cecilia remained silent.
Duke Hugh Carragher did not speak either.
He simply closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. The light slanted down on his face, making the grooves between the Duke's brows even deeper.
Seeing that no one was talking, Osborn stared at his father in disbelief. "Why are you all silent? Father, Mother, are we just going to let Alex rot in the dungeon and not do anything about it?"
Osborne pursued him relentlessly. Duke Karagaran opened his eyes and suddenly shouted, "Enough!"
Osborne was stunned. Duke Karagaran turned around and stared at Osborne coldly: "The story of the 'illegitimate child' was told by your brother himself at the banquet."
Osborn opened his mouth, but the Duke's expression was icy. "He attacked the princess himself, and we have the sacrificial smoke as evidence. He also told the story of the 'illegitimate child' himself, and he admitted it himself. Tell me, Osborn, how can we save him in this situation?"
Osborn's lips moved, his eyes widened, he stammered for a moment, then his shoulders slumped.
"Father," he said, his expression forlorn, "something must be wrong here...really. Alex has been seriously injured and is being taken to the royal city for trial. They might very well kill him during the trial. We must at least hear what Alex has to say."
Osborne said this, and Cecilia, who had been silent all this time, finally whispered, "Father."
Duke Karagaran looked at her gravely, and Cecilia said softly, "I think there is indeed something else behind this matter."
She raised her head calmly as she spoke. "In my opinion, Alex used the excuse of 'illegitimate child' at the banquet to cover up a certain truth—a truth that he couldn't reveal to everyone at the banquet. That must be the real reason why he attacked Princess Matilda."
The Duke was silent. Cecilia pursed her lips and said, "Truth is power, Father. I think we should at least find out this part of the truth and take the initiative into our own hands."
Duke Karagaran was silent for a long time before he said calmly, "Knight Commander."
The Duke's Knight Commander entered the council chamber and said, "Bring Alex from the dungeon to the council chamber without alerting anyone."
29.2
It was already late at night when Alex Karagaran was quietly brought into the council hall by two knights.
It was a moonless Sunday night, and the outside was pitch black. Candlelight flickered faintly on the walls of the meeting room, casting a few swaying shadows on the surface.
The knight whispered, "My Lord, we have two weeks. In two weeks, Prince Richard's knights will come to the dungeon to guard Sir Alex."
Duke Karagaran nodded slightly. "Okay, two weeks will be enough. Thank you."
Osborn, with red eyes, supported his brother.
Alex's body swayed, and he was already very weak: although the wound on his abdomen had been healed by the Morman mermaid, the double blow of physical and mental damage seemed to have half-broken him; his lips were very pale, his shoulders were slightly drooped, and his expression was dull.
Alex is no longer the high-spirited young aristocrat, but a poor man who has made a big mistake and is teetering on the edge of life.
Osborn supported Alex, and Alex saluted the Duke and Duchess of Karagaran in a low voice: "Father. Mother."
Neither the Duke nor the Duchess responded to him.
Only Cecilia stood up and asked softly, "How is your injury?"
Alex managed a forced smile.
"The mermaid doctor's chanting was very helpful," he said casually. "My life was saved."
"Indeed," the Duchess said calmly, "your life is saved. However, your marriage, your reputation, your life, are all lost."
Alex shuddered, but he didn't contradict his mother.
Duke Karagaran finally spoke in a low voice: "Why did you do it?"
He didn't offer any greetings, care, or preparation, he just looked at the child directly and coldly.
"Why did you draw your sword on Princess Matilda?" said the Duke.
Alex didn't answer right away.
He broke free from Osborne's support, looked around cautiously, and said softly, "Father, is there no one else in this meeting room who can hear us?"
Duke Karagaran raised his eyelids and glanced at him.
Alex looked at the family tapestry hanging in the meeting room. It was decorated with a rose and sceptre pattern intricately outlined in gold thread and hung above the fireplace. Although the tapestry was carefully cared for by the servants, its color had faded slightly.
"What I'm going to say," Alex whispered, "concerns the survival of the entire Karagaran family."
Duke Karagaran did not question him.
The Duke said softly, "Knight Commander."
The Knight Commander who was waiting outside the meeting room came in, and the Duke winked at him.
"Understood, Your Excellency." The Knight Commander nodded slightly. "I will guard outside the meeting room. No one will hear the noise coming from inside."
The Knight Commander closed the door to the meeting room from the outside, leaving only the core members of the Karagaran family inside. The air was completely silent, with only the gentle crackling of the burning fireplace filling the room.
The Duke said calmly, "Go ahead."
Alex bit his lip and finally spoke slowly.
"I attacked Princess Matilda," he said. "This was all because she was going to burn a sacrificial incense stick at our wedding ceremony as evidence, exposing Prince Constance and the Caragaran family's ambitions to rebel and overthrow Queen Lucinda."
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