Chapter 144: Public Apology Or Rather Trial.

Chapter 144

The pale, shivering light of the winter dawn brought no warmth to the capital, casting a stark and unforgiving glare through the towering stained-glass windows of the grand throne room. The chamber was already densely packed and bustling with a restless, murmuring sea of nobles, royal reporters, and news gazettes, all jostling for position to witness the Crown’s mandated public apology.

Elevated upon the dais at the far end of the hall sat King Reginald, Queen Evelyn, Crown Prince Ragnar, and Crown Princess Maria, their presence heavy and imposing. Down below, Duke and Duchess Beaufort stood near the front row of the spectators, casting undisguised glances of bitter disdain toward the center of the floor where Sigrid stood alone.

Sigrid swept her cool, crimson gaze across the sea of aristocratic faces, noting the thick mix of contempt, hostility, and unabashed curiosity directed her way. In her mind, she coldly calculated that this spectacle bore none of the hallmarks of a sincere royal apology; rather, it was structured entirely as a public trial designed to break her standing.

A quiet irritation flickered through her as she realized she had been forced to stand waiting for nearly twenty minutes while the lingering nobles trickled in to fill the room. Had she known the morning would devolve into such a tedious and orchestrated hassle, she would have flatly declined the summons, though a dark streak of morbid intrigue had compelled her to attend and observe what traps the royal family had laid. Turning her gaze upward toward the dais, she observed Queen Evelyn sitting with a mask of absolute, chilling expressionlessness. And then there was Maria—of course, the Crown Princess wore an expression of profound, theatrical pity. Anyone gazing upon Maria’s sorrowful, downcast eyes would instantly feel an overwhelming surge of sympathy, a sight that made Sigrid’s stomach churn with quiet disgust, though she kept her features carved from unyielding ice.

Abruptly, the sharp voice of the King’s chief aide rang out across the opulent hall, cutting through the dense chatter like a blade. "The public apology to Her Grace, Duchess Sigrid Aethermor, shall now commence!"

To the visible shock of the entire assembly, King Reginald suddenly stood up from his heavy golden throne. Leaving the safety of the dais, the King walked directly down the marble steps toward where Sigrid stood. For a fleeting, vulnerable second, his eyes locked onto hers with an expression of deep, profound sadness—a haunting look of genuine longing that instantly caused Queen Evelyn and Princess Maria to stiffen with alarm. Even Sigrid was momentarily struck still by the raw emotion flickering in the King’s eyes. I must remind the King of my late mother, Sigrid reflected privately within the sanctuary of her mind, recalling their long-standing friendship. That is the only reason such a ghost of the past haunts his gaze.

The King’s expression shifted swiftly into one of heavy, weighted remorse as he cleared his throat to address the silent assembly. "Duchess Sigrid Aethermor," the King began, his voice echoing through the vaulted hall, "on behalf of the royal family, and specifically concerning the grievous accusations leveled by Crown Princess Maria and Crown Prince Ragnar, I humbly—" He was abruptly cut off as an elegant, melodious voice chimed in from the side of the hall.

"Your Majesty, pray do not apologize!" Sigrid frowned, turning her head toward the source of the interruption. A murmur of admiration rippled through the young lords in the crowd as Countess Celestine Everhart glided gracefully across the polished floor toward them. Wearing a look of open contempt for the Duchess, Celestine halted a few paces away, offering a crisp, shallow curtsy to the throne. "Your Majesty, you must not continue with this false apology," Celestine declared boldly.

The King frowned, his brow furrowing in irritation. "What is the meaning of this interruption, Countess Everhart?"

Sigrid said the same in her thoughts, narrowing her crimson eyes at the newcomer. What sort of amateurish foolery is this? Before the King could press further, Queen Evelyn leaned forward from the dais, her voice cutting through the tension. "Speak, Countess. What evidence have you brought before this court?"

Celestine turned dramatically to face the sea of congregated nobles, projecting her voice with practiced theatricality. "You all know what manner of saint the Crown Princess is," Celestine proclaimed, gesturing grandly toward Maria. "She would never intentionally accuse her own sister of something so monstrous! Yet, duty to the realm forced her hand."

A wave of murmurs washed over the crowd as several gullible lords nodded in agreement, whispering about Maria’s supposed virtue. Maria looked down from the dais with a masterclass performance of triumphant relief, while Ragnar wrapped an arm tightly around her, glaring daggers at Sigrid.

Celestine pressed her advantage without missing a beat. "Through extensive private investigation, I have uncovered absolute proof that Lady Maria was the true victim—framed entirely by the Duchess!" Maria gasped softly, feigning shock with remarkable skill. "I discovered independent witnesses who saw Duchess Sigrid conspiring with Count Varenne at the grand ball, orchestrating how he would deliberately approach Lady Maria to set her up."

Sigrid let out a dry, silent scoff. Even if her fabricated narrative were true, the fundamental fact remains that Maria accused me of treason and sent the Crown Prince to arrest me. Aloud, she remained silent, waiting to see how deep the Countess’s delusions ran.

"And that is not all," Celestine continued, her voice rising in triumph. "We have secured a primary eyewitness—Viscount Henry Dumbledore—alongside physical correspondence proving the conspiracy beyond a doubt!"

So that is why Countess Celestine was at his home at my visit and why he looked so hollow yesterday.

Gasps of profound shock erupted across the throne room as Celestine produced two folded parchments from her sleeve, stepping forward to present them directly to the King. "This, Your Majesty, is a letter written by the Duchess to Count Varenne, detailing the precise blueprint to frame the Crown Princess. And this second document is a threatening missive sent by the Duchess to Viscount Dumbledore to ensure his silence!"

King Reginald took the papers with trembling hands, scanning the ink. His eyes widened in disbelief. Sigrid glanced at the documents from her vantage point; visually, they were flawless replicas, bearing her characteristic handwriting down to the last stroke.

Celestine turned back to the crowd, adding the finishing blow. "Viscount Dumbledore is prepared to testify right now that the Duchess personally confessed her malicious plot to him!"

Pandemonium broke loose in the throne room as shouts of outrage and disbelief echoed off the stone walls. Maria rose gracefully from her seat on the dais, dabbing a nonexistent tear from her eye with a delicate lace handkerchief. "Sigrid..." Maria sobbed, her voice trembling with manufactured heartbreak. "How could you? How could you orchestrate such a vile plot against me when I have done nothing to warrant your hatred?"

Beside her, Ragnar roared with righteous fury. "I told you all she was a treacherous vixen! She belongs in the dungeons!"

From the crowd, old Duke Vesper shouted upward to the throne, "Your Majesty, surely we cannot allow such a viper to run for the Supreme Ministry of State!"

Celestine turned her smug, vindictive gaze toward Sigrid, whispering loud enough for the front rows to catch, "I told you I would deal with you, Duchess."

Sigrid surveyed the scene, a slow, icy chuckle bubbling up in her throat. A cool smile graced her lips. I must credit their efforts; though wasted it was. Sigrid noted privately with grim amusement. The forgeries are executed down to the smallest detail; nothing is out of place.

Noticing her calm demeanor, Celestine’s triumphant expression faltered slightly. "Why do you smile, Duchess? Have you finally lost your mind in the face of your crimes?"

Sigrid stepped forward, ignoring the Countess as she addressed the King directly. "Your Majesty, do I have your permission to speak in my defense?"

The Queen immediately interjected, her voice sharp as glass. "Reginald, do not listen to her! She is stalling to concoct another lie; she must be stripped of her titles and imprisoned for high treason!"