Circumstances of a Fallen Lord

Chapter 121

Outside the queen's chambers:

People were still waiting for Luisen to exit. Contrary to their expectations that the young lord would be quick, it took quite some time. They started to get worried as the wait grew longer.

"Excuse me, Sir Duke? Are you still there?"

"Could you wait a little longer? The Duke is still quite emotional."

Someone answered from within. Those words reminded the audience gathered outside of Luisen's sorrowful appearance just before the young lord had entered the room–that recollection made the people's hearts generous once more.

Just then, Count Doubless arrived in front of the queen's chambers. His knights, clad in red armor, followed behind.

When the royal servants and knights noticed their presence, they held their breaths. As Count Doubless had gained power, he had been using his knights to willfully and wildly enforce his will; everyone was bound to be nervous in his presence.

"What business do you have here?" someone asked.

"Is Duke Anies in there?"

"Yes, he is."

"The entire time?"

"Yes. His Grace has been there ever since he met with his Highness."

Count Doubless looked at the ornate, flashy door. Then he smiled–a somewhat discomfiting smile. "Open the door."

"Now?"

"Now. Immediately."

The servants wanted to wait for Luisen longer, but they could not resist the influential Count Doubless's command. They opened the locked door with a key they had on hand. At the same time, the Count's knights rushed inside, kicking the door open.

When the door opened, Luisen was in a corner of the room. His arms rested atop a prayer table, and he was on his knees. The sunlight pouring through the window settled on Luisen's white silhouette. The bright, blond hair seemed to glimmer; a halo of light surrounded the young lord, making him appear almost ethereal. Even those who knew Luisen and considered him a worthless scoundrel couldn't help but be momentarily awestruck by this beautiful sight.

Luisen pretended to be absorbed in prayer as he calmed his shortness of breath. ‘This is the last step. If I can hide Carlton and safely smuggle him out of the castle, then it'll all be finished.'

In a way, this was the most difficult step, but Luisen's plan had gone smoothly so far. He just needed a little more time and perserverence.

Luisen slowly raised his head. Looking straight at Count Doubless, the young lord greeted the other warmly, "It's been a long while, Count Doubless."

"It has been quite some time, my Duke."

Their polite greetings followed proper etiquette. Luisen felt sick at the count's polite demeanor.

The count's appearance, complete with a faint smile, was exactly as Luisen had remembered. There was nothing particularly special about it–the man wasn't memorable. His appearance was consistent with his identity as a nobleman from a neighboring fiefdom.

The man he had seen in the royal library a while ago looked remarkably different, and this contrast only made the situation eerier. The young lord wondered if they were even the same man. Luisen didn't want to face the count, but avoiding the other noble here would be no different from proclaiming he was suspect, so Luisen held his composure.

The count stayed still, as if he was waiting for Luisen to speak first. Since he barged in, dragging the knights in, through the door, Luisen must have much to say. However, he couldn't understand why the young lord was acting this way.

"What is going on?" Luisen asked casually.

"To be frank, we've just been tipped off about something."

"A tip-off?"

"Yes–it was about the Duke harboring a runaway fugitive."

It was obvious that this whole business about the tip was merely an excuse. Count Doubless already knew that Luisen had entered the castle to save Carlton. Hence, this bold display of power: his attempt to pressure Luisen was clearly evident.

For now, Luisen feigned ignorance of all these underworkings. "I don't know who or what you're talking about? What do you mean by ‘a fugitive?'"

"The criminal's name is Carlton. He has tried to assassinate the first prince but failed and is on the run. I'm sure the Duke knows his name well. I've been told that you're particularly fond of him."

"So? Are you suggesting I helped the fugitive escape? This is beyond ridiculous. Do you really think I would stoop to such levels? I am Duke Anies, after all; my family has long served and been devoted to the kingdom and the royal family! But now, you doubt me?!" Luisen's face twisted in anger.

"Then, why has the Duke been alone in the queen's bedroom all this while? What have you hidden here?"

"…I came to mourn her. She was a mother to me."

"After inciting the Great Lords to invade the royal palace, you merely want to mourn someone?"

"……"

"Your grief is simply an excuse; isn't there something else in the queen's bedroom? For example… a runaway criminal?"

"Count!"

"…At least, that's what the first prince said. Since he's doubting you, I have no choice but to follow." Count Doubless bowed deeply as if to ask for mercy.

The gathered crowd roared loudly. The majority was of the opinion that the Count's point was reasonable.

"I ask for your understanding. Everyone needs to cooperate with this search."

Upon the count's order, his knights searched the room.

The count's knights searched the queen's bedroom, roughly overturning the entire place, with conviction that Carlton was hiding there. They opened the closet, took out all the clothes inside, and kicked over cabinets large that were enough to house a person. The banging and tumultuous scene–the quickly littered floor–seemed deliberately exaggerated, as if to pressure Luisen. Sometimes, the young lord felt that Count Doubless was looking his way, observing the young lord's expression.

Luisen stood there, arms crossed, but couldn't hide his nervousness. Soon, some of the count's knights approached Luisen, searched his body, before approaching the Paladins.

"Please take off your knight's pitch."

"…Wait!" Luisen was astounded and blocked the way between the Count's knights and the Paladin. "Do you mean to search a Paladin?"

"Yes. We can't confirm his identity because he's wearing a helmet."

"Excessive caution can be poison as well. Even if I did hide a criminal, would I hide him in a Paladin's armor?"

"Isn't the Duke under surveillance because he impersonated a pilgrim?"

"Still, this would challenge the Church's authority! I vehemently object!"

Removing a knight's helmet was a delicate matter. If the Church were to find out, they would cry foul and wouldn't sit still. However, the count and his knights were even more convinced when they saw Luisen's desperate opposition.

Carlton must be there.

From the beginning, it was unlikely that Carlton would be hidden in the room. If Luisen had found Carlton, it was more likely that the young lord would disguise his lover as a Paladin, switching him with someone with a similar physique. That way, the man could cover his whole body with armor.

"If you're so upright, why don't you directly take off his pitch and show everyone his face?"

"That's…"

Count Doubless gestured with his eyes. The Count's knights pushed Luisen out of the way and stood before the Paladin.

"Are you not afraid of the Church's wrath?" Luisen asked.

Count Doubless sneered and smirked as if he found Luisen's threats ridiculous. The count's knights were already all on the count's side, completely cut off from the Church's influence.

The count's knights surrounding the Paladins. Some held shields and swords, wary of any possible resistance.

"I said, stop!" Luisen became more aggressive in his efforts to stop the knights.

One of the Paladins, who had been silent all this while, said, "That's enough, my Duke. It'll all be easily settled if we take off our helmets. I have never done anything so shameful such that I cannot show my face to my God."

Then, he took his helmet off. One after another, the other Paladins followed.

One by one, the Paladin's bare faces were revealed.

"…I don't recognize any of these faces."

Carlton was not there.

At the same time, the knights had finished searching the room.

"There is no one in the room. There are no signs of anyone hiding here."

"That can't be! Search more thoroughly!" Count Doubless was now as agitated as he had been confident.

"Look at that: suspecting people without reason. Others might not know, but the Count shouldn't be like that. How well has our family treated yours throughout the generations?" Luisen looked at ease, as if he had never been nervous.

Count Doubless clenched his teeth when he saw that, "Carlton was never here… from the very beginning."

"Isn't that what I said? What did you hear when I said ‘no?'" Luisen smiled pleasantly.

This distraction, this war of attrition, was planned from the very start. They would act suspiciously, drawing attention towards Luisen, and Morrison, disguised as a Paladin, would step in at the right time and clean up the situation.

Carlton wasn't here from the start.

Luisen looked at the window; just in time, the Eastern Great Lord's procession exiting the palace caught his eye. Of the numerous knights accompanying the Great Lord, Luisen's eyes focused on one.

Clad in helmet and armor, a stranger would not be able to distinguish this one knight from all others. However, Luisen could recognize the person by his riding form.

That knight was Carlton.

The mercenary and the young lord split in the secret passageway. Luisen returned to the queen's bedroom, and Carlton followed the path Luisen had told him to follow and joined the Eastern Great Lord's party disguised as one of the older noble's knights.

Luisen knew that the first prince and Count Doubless would have noticed that he came to rescue Carlton. From the moment they arrived at the castle, Luisen, his carriage, and his entourage suffered through intense surveillance. Being stuck in the queen's bedroom would have made him seem suspicious.

Therefore, no matter how hard he wracked his brain, Luisen couldn't think of a way to smuggle his lover out.

The answer came from the Eastern Great Lord. He was the one who first suggested that they should cooperate together to save Carlton. While Luisen felt uneasy about the Eastern Grand Duke's offer, knowing that he wasn't one to offer help without a reason, the young lord at least trusted the older noble's unwavering faith. He requested the Eastern Grand Duke's assistance in this rescue operation.

‘I had thought about disguising Carlton as a Paladin, but…'

That strategy was thrown out the door as Luisen thought his opponents might search the Paladins’ faces. Although, Luisen did not think they would actually go this far–when the Count said he wanted to check the Paladins’ faces, Luisen was able to act realistically since he was truly surprised at the man's audacity.

‘I think we've bought enough time.'

Carlton could be seen leaving the castle far in the distance.

The third phase of the Carlton-rescue-plan was successful.

‘Should I slowly return as well?'

Once Luisen left the capital, the plan would be successfully completed. Carlton would be waiting at home. The anticipation made his heart race excitedly.

TL: I'm dying from work ya'll T_T I already told the server, but I'll probably take a break in a bit–maybe at the beginning of October.