The Duke of Crestfall is Speechless
The Duke of Crestfall's heir, who'd just been yanked up by the collar by a guard, stared blankly for a few seconds before he finally found his voice. "Let me go!" he snapped. "On what grounds are you arresting me? I was just about to see who won."
You could have heard a pin drop.
A father who loved cockfighting, a son who loved fighting rats. Like father, like son. The thought hung unspoken in the air.
Seeing his son's pathetic display, the Duke of Crestfall felt a flush of shame. But it was quickly replaced by a knot of dread in his stomach as he remembered that this idiot had somehow gotten himself tangled up in the Marquis of Stonehaven's treason case.
As a fellow noble, Cassidy Sterling knew exactly how to handle a spoiled brat like this. "Cut the crap," she said. "I need the servants you took to the Dowager Marchioness's birthday banquet at the Stonehaven estate. Bring them to me. Now."
"Why should I?" the heir shouted, his face reddening. "This is my home! You're trespassing, and I haven't even called the guards on you yet!" Being held by the collar was the final humiliation. As the heir to a ducal estate, he'd never been treated with such disrespect.
Seeing his son was still trying to argue, the Duke of Crestfall cuffed him on the back of the head.
"You idiot!" he roared. "Do you have any idea what's going on? Are you still acting like a child? When the princess tells you to bring the servants who went with you to Stonehaven, you do it! Say one more word and I swear I'll break your legs!"
His head still ringing from the blow, the heir finally noticed Prince Ashworth standing nearby.
A prince was here, too? Just what kind of trouble was he in?
The fog in his mind cleared instantly. "Dad, that was so long ago. How am I supposed to remember?" Besides, he had dozens of servants. He didn't have time to get to know them all.
The prince snorted. "It's fine if you don't remember. We can always take you down to the Ministry of Justice for a chat. I'm sure that will jog your memory." Already in hot water himself, Prince Ashworth was desperate to prove that the Crestfall family had framed the Marquis of Stonehaven.
The words "Ministry of Justice" made a cold sweat break out on the heir's skin. He grabbed a nearby servant by the arm, his voice trembling. "Quick! Get every single servant from my courtyard over here!"
With all eyes on him, the servant didn't dare hesitate and sprinted toward the back of the house.
A few minutes later, the servants from the heir's courtyard were lined up under the covered walkway, heads bowed, hardly daring to breathe. The heir paced in front of them, scowling, before kicking a nearby pillar in frustration.
"Dad, that was months ago. I really can't remember which ones came with me." He was beyond annoyed. If his memory were that good, he wouldn't have been such a terrible student, would he? "What do you want with my servants, anyway?"
Prince Ashworth stepped forward, his gaze like ice as he stared the heir down.
"What for? During the Dowager Marchioness's banquet, someone saw your servant lurking around the marquis's study. A few days later, letters proving collusion and treason were 'found' in that same study. Are you still going to pretend the Crestfall family has nothing to do with this?
I suggest you confess everything. It'll be a lot less painful for you if you do."
Hearing this, the heir's face went white. His knees went weak, and he nearly collapsed. For nobles like them, being connected to treason was the absolute worst-case scenario.
"Dad, what's going on?" he pleaded. "What study? What treason? I just went with Mom to the Stonehaven estate to apologize."
The Duke of Crestfall paced back and forth, fuming, his hands clasped behind his back. His son certainly didn't have the guts for treason, but it was entirely possible one of the idiot's servants had been bribed.
"All of you, heads up!" the duke roared. The servants flinched. "At the Dowager Marchioness's birthday banquet at the Stonehaven estate, who here went with the heir? Step forward!"
The servants glanced at each other. After a long moment, five of them hesitantly stepped out of line, heads bowed, not daring to look at the duke.
His grim gaze swept over them. "Which one of you left in the middle of the banquet?"
Four of them shook their heads. The fifth glanced nervously at the heir before taking another hesitant step. "Sir," he said, his voice shaky, "it was Leo."
"He went to the latrine partway through and was gone for a long time. When I asked him where he'd been, he said he took a wrong turn and got held up."
"Leo?" The duke's brow furrowed. "Where is Leo? Get him out here!"
The servants just looked at each other. No one answered.
Just then, the estate's butler hurried out from the crowd and bowed.
"Sir, a few months ago, Leo said his mother was gravely ill and he needed to return home to care for her. He requested leave from the estate. I granted it and even gave him some silver for his travels. But it's been three months, and he hasn't returned.
I sent someone to his hometown just a few days ago, and they said no one had seen him. It's like he just vanished into thin air."
Before the duke could say a word, Prince Ashworth couldn't hold back. "Well played, Duke of Crestfall! You actually killed him to shut him up!"
Already furious that a servant had run off, the duke was blindsided by the prince's accusation. His face darkened. "When did I kill anyone? Didn't you hear the butler? The servant vanished!"
Having found a weakness to exploit, Prince Ashworth wasn't about to let him off the hook.
He fiddled with the worry stones in his hand as his mind raced.
"Do you take me for a fool? Who would believe that nonsense about 'vanishing into thin air'? It's obvious you were worried about being exposed, so you had him killed to keep him quiet."
The Duke of Crestfall gritted his teeth. "I have a perfectly good life. Why would I commit treason? What would I possibly gain from it?" It wasn't like he was bored.
"What would you gain? An excellent question!"
Prince Ashworth adopted a knowing look and snorted.
"You held a grudge because the Marquis of Stonehaven called you out in the Imperial Court. So, you used an apology as a cover to forge treasonous letters, had a servant plant them in the marquis's study, and framed him!"
The duke thought the prince was talking absolute nonsense.
"Slander! Your Highness is using your position to settle a personal score. I have my honor. I won't let you drag my name through the mud like this! The Marquis of Stonehaven also called *you* out in the Imperial Court many times.
Doesn't that mean Your Highness also has a grudge and could just as easily be the one who framed him?"
"Ha! Do you think I'm as petty as you are?"
Prince Ashworth looked disgusted. "The marquis came after me many times, but I can rise above that. I don't care about my reputation, my only concern is serving the emperor. I can put aside our differences to find justice for the marquis. Don't assume I'm as corrupt as you."