Chapter 130
At that moment, Pavle smoothly stepped in.
“Let’s go, my lord. The Duchess is in the garden, and she asked to see you.”
Reluctantly, Dedrick nodded, and we arrived at the garden. Everyone started to wander around, exploring the place.
Suddenly, Delani’s loud, thunderous voice carried on the wind.
“I told you to get out of here right now! How dare you be in the same space as me?!”
Everyone murmured in surprise.
“What’s that noise over there…?”
“W-wait…!”
Gemma rushed out, but Milos quickly knocked her unconscious and threw her into the bushes.
No one saw who did it, and people moved like they were drawn toward the source of the voice.
Near the lake stood Axel, Delani, and Arnold. Everyone quietly stared at the three.
Axel seemed to notice Dedrick and, as if on purpose, raised his voice.
“Mother, please tell the truth. Is this man…”
Everyone swallowed hard, glued to the scene like watching a scandalous play.
“Is he really my father?”
Delani looked pale and immediately denied it.
“N-no! You’re the rightful son of Duke Blackwood!”
“Really? Then please support me as the heir, not Somerset. Isn’t he already disqualified?”
Delani snapped furiously.
“Axel! Haven’t we ended this conversation?!”
Axel raised his voice, frustrated.
“Why not me? Why must I spend my life in my brother’s shadow? You say I’m your son, but why are you so cruel only to me?”
Veins bulged in Axel’s neck, tears gathered in his eyes. Arnold beside him trembled slightly.
Arnold was once the White Hawk’s lieutenant, who had fallen in love with the proud Delani.
She had accepted him in the lonely time when the Duke was away at war.
That was how Axel was born.
To hide this, Arnold tried to kill the Duke.
At the same time, he desired to have his son take the Duke’s place.
So Arnold entrusted Axel to Delani.
And in case she betrayed him, he kept proof of her affair — secret letters and exchanged gifts.
Arnold used this to threaten Delani.
Maybe growing old made him want to see his only child.
I didn’t care about others affairs.
Arnold ground his teeth.
“Madam Duchess, isn’t this different from what you told me?”
“Shut up! Axel, this conversation is—”
Axel cut her off boldly.
“Did you think I didn’t know I was your illegitimate son?”
Everyone held their breath but didn’t make a sound.
Who would want to miss such a rare spectacle?
“No, you are Carlos Blackwood’s son!”
“Are you denying that I’m your son too?”
Arnold said nothing. Axel’s tears fell—not an act.
He seemed truly broken.
“…I am always denied wherever I go.”
Arnold gasped.
“No! I should have just taken you and raised you… I never thought you suffered so much under that woman… I’m sorry, Axel. I truly am sorry…”
Arnold finally admitted Axel was his son.
Delani panicked and shouted.
“Arnold! Do you know what you’re saying?!”
“The situation’s already this bad, and you still want to hide it? Axel knew everything! I joined the Black Hawks to support you!”
“How shameless! You wanted to make him heir even though he’s not the Duke’s blood? You should have killed the Duke if you really wanted that! Why dig up old wounds?!”
Ah… it was a disaster.
Delani couldn’t hold back and confessed everything.
They admitted Axel wasn’t Blackwood’s son, but theirs.
And that they tried to kill the Duke.
The noble crowd finally began whispering.
“The scandal is true!”
“How could they!”
“So they deceived the Duke all this time!”
“Arnold is a Black Hawk… even Lord Dedrick was fooled!”
“Did Dedrick really not know? The Black Hawks don’t accept just anyone.”
Everyone glanced sideways at Dedrick, expecting him to explain, but Pavle spoke instead.
“My lord, since Arnold has confessed, he will be expelled from the Black Hawks.”
Everyone nodded slowly.
“You knew all along, didn’t you?”
“The Duchess gave Lord Dedrick a hard time.”
“But he kept this secret from us.”
“And did you hear? He admitted attempting to assassinate the Duke!”
“We were trying to arrest him but lacked evidence.”
“We heard everything, so we became witnesses.”
As the crowd’s whispers grew, Delani and Arnold’s eyes turned toward us. Delani looked pale, almost blue.
Milos smiled coldly and ordered,
“Arrest Lord Arnold and the Duchess immediately!”
The knights stormed into the garden. Arnold gave up and was captured quietly.
Axel said to Arnold,
“If you care for me and consider me your son, please tell me everything about the Duke.”
“…Do you think that will comfort you?”
“Yes.”
Axel answered without hesitation. Arnold looked conflicted but nodded.
“Wait! Lord Arnold! Axel! Don’t just let this happen…!”
Milos cut Delani off sharply.
“Duchess, you are under arrest for attempted assassination of the Duke.”
“W-what is this?! I was just distracted, not trying to—!”
She tried to divert blame with talk of an affair.
“All of you heard her confession just now.”
“That was a slip of the tongue, it’s not proof!”
“We’ll discuss that in the interrogation room.”
Milos smiled and gestured. Knights bound Delani.
“Let me go! How dare you touch me!”
Delani screamed as she passed by me.
I watched carefully, missing nothing.
Delani was dragged away, and silence fell.
‘Only one final blow left.’
A woman’s voice suddenly broke the silence.
“If the affair is true, could Somerset also not be the real son?”
“Come to think of it, they only resemble the Duchess.”
The bait was set.
“No resemblance to the Duke at all.”
“She boldly had an affair and raised an illegitimate child pretending he was the Duke’s son. There’s no guarantee Somerset is real either.”
Everyone eagerly took the bait.
Now even Somerset’s legitimacy was in question.
Honestly, that didn’t concern us much. It was just meant to make Delani more miserable.
With the stage set, it was time for Dedrick to step up.
In the chaotic moment, Dedrick stepped forward and calmed the crowd.
“We apologize for the discomfort caused at this gathering. As an apology, I have prepared small gifts for everyone. Please accept them graciously.”
His sincere apology and gifts softened the mood.
Though not the host, Dedrick took it upon himself to make amends for the Duchess’s mistakes.
His upright demeanor shone brighter as he personally tried to make things right.
He thoughtfully prepared valuable jewelry in various styles as presents.
Rumors about Dedrick began to spread positively.
