Chapter 36: Preparation for Judgment│Read translated stories and daily updates at: Awebstories.com
Serge borrows the fastest horse in the stable and sets off on a long journey.
It was late in the afternoon.
Angelique flew owl-letters to deliver messages along the way so that Serge could quickly change horses wherever he stopped in towns.
As long as Serge isn’t tired, it’ll be two days at most, but since that’s the speed of a courier, he’ll be in Bourg by the evening of the day after tomorrow or at noon on the day after tomorrow.
He can take a ride with Lasse from there and be back in the capital in half a day.
“I’m sure I’m putting too much pressure on him.”
That’s equivalent to asking him to work three consecutive days without rest.
But, Angelique thinks it’s safe to ask him, knowing Serge and how he cared for the injured young dragon for days without rest.
‘I’m confident he’ll be fine. He has a lot of stamina after all’’
She blushed as she remembered the night she spent with him.
After seeing Serge off, she wrote the first letter to the king requesting an audience.
Normally, she would have had to apply a month in advance to meet the busy King, but she was able to get an audience thanks to the Duke’s household prestige and Francine who is the third prince’s fiance.
She might have been able to meet him under the name “Angelique” in the past, but now that her engagement with Ernest has been broken, it would be a negative factor.
‘I’m not sure I’ll be able to meet the King, but if I write about my father, I’m sure he won’t ignore it.’
She asked both Francine and Marlene to sign the letter, and the three of them signed it together.
Angelique then hired a carriage to take her to see her friends.
She went to see the ladies who had written to her, confessing their sins and apologizing to Angelique.
They are ladies who put nails in the victim’s shoes, and ladies who spilled ink on the victim’s dresses.
However, the majority of them are now married.
She gave up on the wives who lived far away, or if their position made it difficult for them to testify; in any case, she did not force any of them to testify. Nonetheless, many of the ladies, now wives, were eager to assist her.
“I can’t forgive Charlotte for what she did.”
“I, too, cannot forgive myself for what I did.”
“I will testify if it is for Angelique’s sake!”
It takes bravery to speak out in front of the king about past mistakes.
Angelique thanked her friends for their bravery and said goodbye to the past.
Finally, Frederick went with her to the Krim. It is the roughest neighborhood (slum) in the city.
She went to see the family of the man she met in Aguillon prison and inquired about him.
Edgar Barthes is the man’s name, and he used to be a soldier stationed at the city gates.
While many of the soldiers were commoners, Barthes’ superior was the third son of a lesser nobleman who made unreasonable demands on him. He frequently requested money.
When Barthes refused, he was accused of being the perpetrator of a theft in the barracks.
Because his superior was also a lesser nobleman, Barthes was blamed without any investigation. Barthes was fired from his job, and as an ex-convict, he struggled to find work and ended up working as a bouncer in the Krim.
“Please this girl is…”
The wife of Roland Barthes embraces her daughter.
‘She’s ill…’
“It’s alright…”
Angelique interrupted Mrs. Barthes, saying she understood most of what she was saying.
She squatted down a bit and brought the child in her mother’s arms to eye level.
“What’s your name?”
“Marie…”
“Marie, where does it hurt?”
“My chest… It’s difficult to breathe…”
She looked Marie in the eyes, nodded, and rose to her feet.
“Frederick, have someone take Marie and Mrs. Barthes to the nearest estate later.”
“Is Morell all right? A doctor who specializes in pediatric medicine came last month.”
Angelique turned to thank the capable butler.
“Thank you. As one would expect from the Duke of Montan’s butler.”
“It is an honor.”
When she was about to leave the Krim neighborhood, she felt someone watching her as she reached the carriage parked on the main street and looked around. But she didn’t recognize anyone.
“Ojo-sama, this is a very dangerous place.”
Frederick suspected that another robber was after them and ordered his men to bring them out from the Krim neighborhood immediately.
Back at the castle, Marlene announced, “His Majesty has written back,” and handed Angelique the letter.
The audience was permitted, and the date two days later was written on it.
“It came sooner than I anticipated.”
Serge has been gone for two days since he left the castle at noon today. He’ll most likely return tomorrow afternoon or evening.
She expected the letter to arrive later, depending on the schedule, but everything appears to be in order.
‘All I need to do now is call Charlotte, but should I keep an eye on her just in case? But we’ve done everything in such a rush that I doubt she will notice.’
While she was thinking this, she was walking toward the detached palace in the setting sun.
She didn’t have a lady-in-waiting with her because she needed some alone time.
As she walked through the courtyard, she heard quick footsteps coming from behind her.
Angelique’s eyes widened as she turned around.
It happened so quickly.
“Charlotte!”
Charlotte held a dagger in her hand, fast approaching.
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