In the novel, the villain Grand Duke Richard was described as hyper vigilant and ruthless. It didn’t seem likely that such a man would be open to visits from just anyone. That’s why, after much thought, I used the ID badge of one of his subordinates, they were obviously close enough to him to stage a protest for him. I figured he’d readily agree to meet a maid sent by that man, especially if I claimed to have urgent news.
Finally, Grand Duke Benedict Richard appeared in the underground prison’s visitation room, eyeing me coldly.
“You’re Lieutenant Victor Genoa’s maid? What message does he have for me?”
“Marry me.”
The crimson eyes of the man sitting across from me trembled violently, as if he’d heard something absolutely insane. Makes sense. Today was our first meeting, after all.
“Didn’t you say you were Lieutenant Victor Genoa’s maid?”
“I’m not actually a maid. I lied to meet Your Grace.”
“What?”
He shot to his feet and glared down at me with a contemptuous look on his face. His stone cold expression, seemingly incapable of bleeding even if pricked, and his towering presence was quite imposing and formidable.
“I have no intention of speaking with someone who doesn’t even properly reveal their identity. Get out, now.”
“If I tell you who I am, will you sit back down?”
“Not interested.”
As he turned to leave, the chains around his wrist and ankles clanked. I figured he wouldn’t cooperate easily. So, I didn’t waste any time, and jumped straight to the point. I shouted at his back as he made to leave the visitation room.
“Even if I’m the one who can prove your innocence?”
He halted in place, seemingly surprised, but quickly regained his composure and sneered.
“Ha. Now I see you’re just insane.”
Tch, it’s not working.
Growing impatient, I hurriedly got up and blocked his path out of the room.
“Come on, just hear me out a little bit?”
“It doesn’t seem worth hearing. Especially not from a woman who proposed to a man she just met, one that’s about to be executed.”
I swallowed hard under his icy gaze. I prided myself on having dealt with plenty of villains in my past life, but the man was on a whole nother level. His overwhelming presence definitely fit his persona as the ‘Battlefield Butcher.’
But it wasn’t something I couldn’t handle.
“If you’re going to be executed anyway, you don’t lose anything by listening to me!”
I consciously straightened my shoulders, which had shrunk slightly without me realizing. The Grand Duke’s brow twitched slightly when our eyes met.
Alright, he’s starting to waver, one last push.
“If you still think it’s a waste of time after five minutes, I’ll leave here immediately.”
I spoke firmly and gestured to the chair he had been sitting in. A feeling flicked over his sharp eyes for a moment, before he walked over to the chair. Then, as if to say, ‘Let’s hear it then,’ he sat and leaned back.
“Three minutes.”
“Alright!”
As soon as I had his permission, I rushed back to the chair and leaned in toward him. Then I spoke clearly.
“With the charges against you, Your Grace, the upcoming trial will result in the confiscation of all your assets and the death sentence. If they’re merciful, maybe life imprisonment. But with public opinion as it stands, mercy is highly unlikely.”
Grand Duke Richard’s jaw visibly tensed. I quickly added more before he could walk out in a huff again.
“I’ve looked into the case a bit, and I’m confident I can get you acquitted, Your Grace.”
“……”
His eyes still looked doubtful, as if to say:
‘How could someone like you do that?’
As if hearing his silent question, I responded with lightning speed.
“Appoint me as your defense attorney in the upcoming trial.”
“Do you even have a license to practice law?”
His crimson eyes narrowed, scanning me from head to toe. It was a suspicious look, doubting how a woman who looked like she was struggling just to survive could hold such a license. I calmly laid out the facts.
“Well… here… I technically don’t? The exam doesn’t seem all that hard, but there’s no bar exam scheduled before Your Grace’s trial.”
“Ha, are you messing with me?”
The Grand Duke jumped up, as if he couldn’t listen anymore. Unable to hide his displeasure, he clearly thought I was mocking him.
I expected this reaction. Resting my chin on my clasped hands, I looked up at him and smiled brightly.
“That’s why I asked Your Grace to marry me.”
“What…?”
“Under Imperial law, the only people allowed to defend a defendant in court are the defendant themselves, a family member, or a licensed lawyer.”
Last night, after choosing my target, I ran to the bookstore. Then, I furiously flipped through the legal codes. I couldn’t afford to buy them, so I had no choice but to imprint them all in my memory. In the end, I was kicked out by the angry bookstore owner, but I got what I needed.
“Of those three, the only one I can be right now is ‘a family member.’”
“……”
He stared at me, dumbfounded. Then, as if entranced, slowly sank back down on his chair.
“I proposed marriage because it’s the fastest way to become family. If you really don’t want to get married…”
I trailed off and glanced at his sharp, handsome face, trying to guess his age. Mid-to-late 20s at most, probably still fine.
“You could adopt me instead.”
“What a crazy…”
Half a curse slipped from his tidy lips. He’d been looking at me like I was out of my mind for a while, and now his true feelings had come out.
“So, which will it be? Whatever works best for you, marriage or adoption…”
“Neither. I refuse your proposal.”
I gaped at his unexpected answer. Normally, clients would beg me, promising me anything just to get out of prison…
As I blinked in shock, Grand Duke Richard continued.
“I’m prepared for death every time I step onto the battlefield. I refuse to assert my innocence with a pathetic sham of a relationship.”
His voice was calm but firm. I stared at him, slightly stunned. The thin rays of light seeping into the dimly lit visitation room cast deep shadows on his sharply contoured face.
“Ah, so your precious pride matters more than your loyal subordinates.”
I widened my eyes and shot back. It was my last provocation, as he was an integral part of my plan to escape this hell.
Bang—!
The Grand Duke slammed his hand on the table, the loud noise echoing through the room. The guard outside the door peeked into the visitation room with a tense expression. I waved to signal everything was fine, and the guard turned away.
“Keep acting insolent, and you’ll regret it.”
His tightly clenched fists trembled, and the veins bulged on his pale hands. I continued in a reproachful tone.
“Your men are outside this prison protesting day and night for Your Grace’s release.”
I paused, then pulled out the stolen ID badge and slid it across the table.
“Victor Genoa is among them.”
“……”
A complex emotion crossed his face as he looked down at Victor’s ID badge.
“Let’s say you accept your fate and are executed. Just imagine the sense of loss your men will feel. They’d no longer be called the ‘Richard Unit,’ now would they?”
“……”
The ‘Richard Unit’ was the 107th Division of the Imperial Army that he commanded.
As the Emperor’s illegitimate child, he initially joined the military to gain recognition from his father by achieving merits. Eventually, the way he mercilessly wiped out their enemies earned him the nickname ‘Battlefield Butcher,’ this only caused his reputation in the Imperial Army to grow. So even though he was a villain who tormented the novel’s main characters, many soldiers followed him.
“Actually, that’s kind of beside the point. Because they’ll have to figure out how to keep themselves alive first.”
“……”
I could immediately read the Grand Duke’s expression, which had momentarily darkened. There’s no way he wouldn’t know. Should he die, those who stepped forward to save him, rather, those who had followed him, would be purged to prevent any future problems.
“If you refuse, knowing there’s a clear way to be acquitted, that’s practically betraying your men.”
Soon the strength slowly drained from his large, tightly clenched fists. Grand Duke Richard lowered his gaze, seemingly in distress, and then spoke with great difficulty.
“You claim to be able to prove my innocence, are you certain?”
Yes! I cheered internally, seeing that I had nearly convinced him. The Grand Duke let out a faint sigh.
“What do you want in return?”
“My conditions are simple.”
At long last, I pulled out the contract and pen from my pocket and laid them in front of the Grand Duke. He eyed the contract with suspicion.
“Ha.”
While he read through it, the Grand Duke suddenly let out a hollow laugh. As if he had found something seriously wrong in the document.
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