TGDHC Chapter 123

Chapter 123 – The Revelation (Part 2)

Marzella’s death meant the witness was gone.

In other words, there was no longer any proof of Meisel’s crimes.

“You don’t look very sad,” the Grand Duchess remarked, raising an eyebrow.

“Honesty is one of your better traits, Lady Meisel—but in moments like this, you should at least pretend to have manners.”

“Y-Your Grace, that’s too harsh,” Meisel protested.

The Grand Duchess smiled coldly and called in a calm tone, “Whitley.”

Soon, maids entered carrying trays of tea and small folded paper packets that looked like sugar pouches.

Amid the tense atmosphere, the Grand Duchess spoke softly,

“I’ve prepared a medicinal tea for everyone today. It might be a bit bitter, so add some sugar if you like.”

The young ladies stared, open-mouthed.

‘She wants us to drink tea now? In this situation?’

Her tone was gentle, but no one mistook it for a suggestion—it was clearly a command.

“Lady Meisel, please, drink comfortably too.”

The Grand Duchess gestured casually toward her.

Meisel bit her lip.

‘Does she think I’ll be afraid to drink it?’

Accepting the challenge, she took a big sip of the tea and quickly set the cup down.

It was horribly bitter.

She hurried to find some sugar, spotting the little paper packet the maid had set beside her.

‘Is this sugar?’

She opened the folded paper and began to pour the white powder into her cup—then froze.

There was writing inside the paper.

‘Why… why is this here?!’

Her face stiffened instantly.

“Lady Meisel,” the Grand Duchess said, her tone unpleasantly kind.

“What’s written on that paper?”

“It—it’s nothing,” Meisel stammered.

Cecilia, who had been silent until now, snatched the paper from Meisel’s hand.

“Nothing? Then let’s see.”

Her voice trembled slightly with anger as she began to read aloud.

“If you take this medicine, you’ll show symptoms and be sent to the treatment center. I’ll find a way to get you out from there. To avoid suspicion, take the medicine two days later. Eat the letter too, so there’s no trace. Remember—never say my name.”

Meisel’s lips trembled.

“I-I never wrote that!”

“Really? You don’t even remember your own handwriting?”

The Grand Duchess looked around the room and said clearly,

“This is a note Lady Meisel secretly sent to the head maid.”

Several young ladies gasped as the truth began to sink in.

“And the head maid was found dead in her cell last night,” the Grand Duchess continued, her voice cutting like ice.

“Most likely because she trusted someone’s words and took the medicine.”

“Oh my goodness!”

The young ladies covered their mouths in shock.

The one sitting next to Meisel—Karina—let out a strangled noise and pulled her chair away.

Meisel’s shoulders trembled with fury.

She had done nothing wrong.

‘I didn’t lie!’

The sorcerer had clearly said the potion wouldn’t kill.

‘I only hid the part about “extreme pain” so Marzella wouldn’t get scared.’

It wasn’t her fault that the maid had died.

And anyway—Marzella’s death solved the problem, didn’t it?

‘Someone paid the price, so why drag me into it too?’

Grinding her teeth, she forced out, “I don’t know anything about this.”

“But that’s clearly your handwriting, Lady Meisel,” Cecilia said sharply.

She held up an earlier letter—the one Meisel had sent to the Grand Duchess as an invitation reply.

The handwriting matched perfectly.

The situation was now completely against her.

“Your Grace!” Meisel shouted, turning away from Cecilia. “Are you really trying to ruin my reputation over a dead servant?”

“Enough.”

The Grand Duchess’s smile disappeared.

“Over a dead servant?” she repeated, her voice cold.

Her clenched hand trembled slightly on the table.

It was the first time anyone had seen her so icy.

The young ladies lowered their heads instinctively.

“You said earlier there was no evidence?” the Grand Duchess said quietly.

She drew in a breath, her tone steady but dangerous.

“Fine. For the first two accusations, I’ll declare you innocent myself.”

Cecilia handed her the note, which the Grand Duchess held up.

“But for this new crime, you’ll face punishment. After all, there’s undeniable proof.”

Then she gave a small signal to her maid.

Cecilia immediately stood, opened the tea room door, and several knights entered.

“Sir Johas. Confine Lady Meisel to one of the annex rooms.”

“Yes, Your Grace,” Johas said, bowing.

The knights stepped forward and restrained Meisel by both arms.

“Wait! Why am I being treated like this?!” Meisel screamed.

“Oh? You called it making a fuss over a mere servant, didn’t you?” the Grand Duchess said coolly.

“If that bothers you, then let’s change the charge—to deceiving the Grand Duke and me by committing murder inside the Grand Duke’s castle.”

At those words, Johas looked at Meisel with pure disgust.

His contempt made her blood boil.

The magic stone in her necklace heated up, glowing faintly.

Finally, unable to hold back, Meisel exploded.

“Don’t be ridiculous! I didn’t do anything wrong—it’s all your fault!”

“Watch your words!” Johas snapped.

But Meisel ignored him and screamed,

“That position was supposed to be mine! I should’ve been the Grand Duchess of Blenheim!”

“How dare she—!” gasped the noble ladies, speechless with shock.

Meisel’s face twisted in rage.

“If you hadn’t seduced His Grace—!”

“Enough!” one knight shouted, silencing her by pressing a handkerchief over her mouth.

“Mmph! Mmph—!”

Meisel struggled wildly.

She couldn’t be dragged out like a criminal.

These young ladies were the heart of Blenheim’s social world.

If even one of them repeated what they saw today, her reputation would be destroyed forever.

She kicked and fought, refusing to leave, until the knights finally lifted her bodily from the chair.

“Mmff! Let me go! Mmmph!”

As she was dragged out, her feet leaving the ground, Meisel’s eyes met the Grand Duchess’s.

‘Goodbye.’

The Grand Duchess’s lips formed the words silently.

And so, Lady Meisel was taken away from the tea room in the most humiliating way possible.

“Lady Meisel Avoir is to be exiled to the Galid Monastery for three years,” the Grand Duke said firmly.

“You can’t do that,” Count Avoir protested in a strained voice.

It had been hours since one of his daughter’s maids had returned to their mansion in tears, saying the young lady had been arrested.

When the Count had rushed to the castle, he’d been left waiting for over an hour before the Grand Duke agreed to see him.

For a proud man like him, it was an unbearable humiliation—but with his daughter imprisoned, he couldn’t afford to be defiant.

And the first thing the Grand Duke said after finally receiving him was that Meisel would be exiled.

The Galid Monastery lay on the far western edge of Blenheim’s lands, a barren, desolate plain.

Though called a monastery, it was really more of a prison—a place of exile.

“My daughter is not even married yet,” Count Avoir pleaded. “You’ll destroy her future!”

He raised his voice, saying that the Avoir family had served Blenheim loyally for generations.

The Grand Duke’s cold eyes glinted.

“Is that so? Then, for the honor of House Avoir, I should hold a proper public trial for your daughter.”

“T-Trial?”

“Yes. Let’s make it public—what crimes the young lady committed, and what punishment she deserves.”

The Count bit his lip hard.

If there was a trial, every bit of his family’s reputation would be ruined.

His daughter would never show her face in society again.

“There’s no solid proof,” he said weakly.

“Perel,” the Grand Duke said without looking away, “did you show him the evidence?”

“I did, Your Grace,” Perel replied.

If he meant that cursed letter, then yes—he had seen it earlier while waiting in the reception room.

He’d seen for himself how foolishly his daughter had acted.

“That can’t be considered real evidence,” he said quickly.

He could still argue that Meisel hadn’t written it—though he knew it was clearly her handwriting.

And even if she had gotten that medicine somehow, there was no guarantee the head maid had died from it.

“Let’s be honest,” the Grand Duke said, resting his chin on his hand lazily.

“Do I look like the kind of man who can’t create convincing evidence when I need it?”

“B-but it was only a servant’s death,” the Count said desperately.

“She wasn’t a noble—punishing my daughter like this is too harsh.”

“And that servant died inside my castle.”

The Grand Duke’s voice grew sharp.

“She dared commit such an act where I live—and you think she should go unpunished?”

“Then… please, at least let her stay in our territory,” the Count begged.

“She won’t leave the estate for three years. I promise she’ll reflect on her mistakes.”

“Do I have to lock down your whole territory to make you understand?”

“….”

“Don’t test my patience,” the Grand Duke warned.

A vein bulged on his forehead—he was clearly restraining himself.

The Count finally realized just how furious the Grand Duke was.

‘So it’s true—he’s completely devoted to the Grand Duchess.’

He hadn’t wanted to say it, but at this point, he had no choice.

With a desperate expression, Count Avoir whispered,

“My daughter… she was in love with His Grace.”