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~Chapter 47~
Count Fox was shocked at being thrown down, but when he saw Blake, he glared fiercely and got up.
“So we finally meet! You dirty criminal. Isn’t it enough to commit crimes—now you use violence against me?”
Blake smirked. Without his robe, he looked as rough as ever.
“You broke the rules too. Want to file a complaint?”
Count Fox had no good options. He couldn’t win with force, and if he complained to the officials, it could turn against him.
So he yelled at Lily instead.
“What’s your problem, Lily? Everything’s about to work out, but you just keep ruining things! Are you even thinking? You’re so foolish!”
“I can make good decisions on my own.”
“It’s exhausting to even talk to you. Maybe there’s something wrong with your head. Do you like making trouble for others?”
Finally, Blake spoke to the count.
“Shut up and get lost.”
Count Fox flinched at the sudden pressure.
“I can leave by myself. Don’t touch me.”
He hurried off, but called back,
“I look forward to seeing your smug faces ruined when you lose! You can’t win this trial—I’ll prove it soon!”
The officials looked desperate for Blake to leave too.
“Aren’t you supposed to keep the witness safe?”
“Uh, well…”
“Can I just have five minutes?”
“Yes, five minutes—no more, or we’ll get in trouble.”
Five minutes was enough.
Lily watched Count Fox leave, worried.
“Why is my husband so confident? He must have something planned. I’m not at ease.”
“Don’t worry. We’re perfectly prepared. No matter what, you won’t be sent back to the duke’s lands.”
Even though they’d only been apart an hour, it felt much longer.
They chatted quietly until the big gold bell above the courthouse rang.
The trial was about to begin.
“Damn it, damn it, damn it…”
Count Fox stomped down the hall, upset about being stopped from seeing his wife.
Lily will be mine again soon… just like when I first married her thanks to my cousin…
Suddenly, a loud, silly voice called out.
“Oops!!”
A Winter Castle maid purposely dropped her cake.
“Oh no! I used my prizefight winnings to buy this three-layer chocolate cake—and now it’s ruined!”
The cake landed squarely on Count Fox’s head.
“What the…!”
“Gianna, what are you doing? You can’t just throw cake at a fancy capital gentleman!”
Count Fox shouted,
“How could you bring food in here anyway?!”
“Since Gianna lost her cake, I’ll just have to eat the cheese I brought—with wine… Wait, oh no!”
Another maid threw cheese at the count—right at his face.
“Aaaagh!”
“We’re so sorry, sir! We’ll go get something to clean you up!”
When Count Fox looked up again, all the noisy people had vanished. They were experts at hiding, just like when they spied on Lily in the snow.
“What just happened…?”
He felt like he’d seen a ghost. Only the cold, sticky cake on his head proved it was real.
“Is anyone there?!”
As he hobbled down the hall, he tripped—someone had set a hidden trap wire that was quickly removed, leaving no trace.
So you want to take my carriage seat with a slap to the back of my head? I’m the master of traps—I can set one that even a bear would fall for in five minutes.
It might not have been a bear trap, but it worked perfectly.
The maids quietly celebrated and hid again.
Count Fox screamed in rage.
“Aaaaargh!”
The trial began.
The courtroom had four sets of stairs on each side, rising up three floors, filled with people who never stopped whispering.
“Order, order!” the judge tried to calm them, but the noise echoed. He finally gave up.
“Ladies and gentlemen, today we are here to reveal an important truth.”
Blake stood on the left, Count Fox on the right. The count’s hair was still a bit wet from washing off the mess.
The judge began with formal words about how kidnapping is a terrible crime and confirmed everyone’s social status.
Then it was Count Fox’s turn. He slammed his hand on the podium, full of anger.
“Duke Blake of Uffus kidnapped my wife and kept her locked up!”
His lawyer joined in.
“We demand Lady Fox be returned immediately and 200,000 Yubles paid in damages!”
Blake’s lawyer objected.
“That’s a ridiculous amount. Isn’t this lawsuit just about money, Your Honor?”
“The plaintiff couldn’t even sleep after losing his wife for months. He wandered like a beggar searching for her. 200,000 Yubles is a small price for such pain!”
Count Fox nodded, looking sad.
“I don’t even need the money. I just want him punished! Let him go to jail!”
Blake’s lawyer took out some papers.
“Here is evidence for our side.”
They were letters Count Fox had sent.
“As you can see, the count knew where his wife was all along. Duke Uffus simply didn’t answer his requests. The claim that he searched for months is false!”
The crowd buzzed with new excitement.
“So the count knew where she was?”
“But he still went to banquets and events?”
Public opinion was turning. Count Fox protested.
“I only tried to make peace for Lily’s safety. If the duke got upset, who knows what he’d do to her?”
“He’s got a point… Barbarians eat people, right?”
Blake didn’t care. Lily knew the truth, and everyone from Winter Castle knew they were rough but kind.
Blake’s lawyer spoke up.
“Most importantly, Lily Hedwig came to the duke’s lands by her own will. The duke simply helped and protected her. We ask that she be called as a witness!”
Everyone knew this was coming. It was on the front page of today’s papers that Lily was in the capital.
Lily stepped out from behind the curtain.
She wore the dress and jewelry the maids had made overnight. It felt like everyone was with her.
She was their secret weapon.
But her parents would know too—what would they try through Count Fox?
Nervous, Lily took the witness stand.
“Yes, Your Honor. I stayed in the duke’s castle under his protection for the last few months. That’s all. I was never harmed, and nothing shameful happened. No one did anything wrong.”
A question came from the other side.
“Then can you describe in detail how you lived during those months?”
Count Fox glanced at his “allies” in the crowd.
