8

"Duke Ezra. You don't look so good." The imperial judge of Cordenia muttered to a slightly pale Ezra.

His Lady in courting recently got arrested for the attempted murder of her father, there were little to no evidence that she was in fact responsible but the court remained adamant to pledge her innocent. "It's because of people like you that I'm so damn tired. I was out of Cordenia for a minute and the Imperial family slaps this to my face."

The Duke was surprised to hear Anthonette was under house arrest and the fact that that she killed her father.

The person living as Anthonette was a transmigrator so he knew she didn't murder him. Either way why did Lord Hivera show up out of nowhere, all of this point back to the Imperial family.

The Duke slightly clench his palms in irritation. Nothing was said to him so he proceeded to turn away.

"Are you perhaps siding with your fiance because she's of imperial blood ?" The Duke paused.

"Not really, I'm just doing my part to make sure she does not die."

The imperial judge sneered at Ezra.

"Oh my, has the black knight finally found the ability to love ?"

"Love has nothing to do with this." Ezra said rather aggressively. "Your tone says otherwise, you must have taken a liking to her." The imperial judge stroked his chin deep in thought. "Is she the transmigrator you keep talking about ? " Ezra only smiled, the Imperial judge already got his answer.

"An Imperial blood and a prophet. Lady Anthonette may be a bigger threat to the Imperial family than I thought. pledging her innocent will be hard for you.." The Imperial judge heaves deeply about to turn as well. "Well we will see in court Ezra, it was nice catching up."

"I hope we never meet." Ezra glared at the back of his back before uttering his name. "Soren."

••••

Anthonette glued her eyes to her window. The Imperial guards lined at the entrance of her house. She was only allowed to leave to bury Lord Hivera and that was all.

She has been trapped here for a eight days. She couldn't even write letters. The only person that came to see her was Violette.

My lady, this will all be over. The Duke is doing everything to make sure you are proven innocent.

Anthonette would just nod. The Duke, Violette spoke about barely came to see her. But what did she expect ? This was the same man that killed Anthonette in the book, as much as Anthonette wanted to sulk and give up she kept recalling Lord Hivera's words.

She chuckled thinking back to them now. "Live ? Be happy ?" Her palm opened revealing the letter Lord Hivera left behind.

Maybe if she had read the letter earlier, maybe she might have escape her predicament.

She opened the paper once more to read the content.

You will be framed for my murder, the moment I die leave Cordenia immediately.

Lord Hivera knew he was going to die but he still came not minding the risks. Anthonette didn't know how to deem his actions. Was it an act of love to finally see his daughter. Maybe it was idiocy on his part.

Or maybe he was tired as well and the only person that gave him a reason to live no longer exists.

"So why should I live and be happy because he told me so ?" Out of spite she tossed the paper to the other side of the room. "How hypocritical if you didn't live yourself." Her eyes turned away from her window but with a quick glance she saw the men of Duke Ezra conversing with the Imperial guards.

"She's in her room, my Lord." Anthonette back up a bit acknowledging the voice of Violette and the duke.

She looks around her room to check if it was messy. It wasn't that messy it was a little bit disorganized.

Why do I even care ?

The Duke walks in with Violette to see Anthonette standing in the middle of the room. She looked awkward. Was this how someone who's arrested supposed to be like ?

He was expecting to meet her drooping on the floor, wailing or begging for his help. But then he's not surprised this woman was welcoming death with open arms.

"I like to have a word with my lady in courting. Everyone but us should leave." The Imperial guards could not even do anything about his request and left them quietly.

"You seemed to have given up on me quicker than I imagined. I know you didn't kill Lord Hivera, if you can tell I'm extremely tired going back and forth to the court because of your case."

"The Imperial family really don't want to miss the chance to kill you right now." Anthonette nodded, she goes back to the window like she's been doing the entire house arrest.

"Figured." Anthonette mummur.

"Why are you even helping me ?"

The Duke could not help but be irritated. A normal person would go on their knees giving him thanks but this woman was different. "I swore my allegiance to you remember ? The way things are going you might die. I can't let that happen." Anthonette scoffed folding her arms.

"I'm going to die either way."

"I prefer you don't doubt my ability. I won't let you die, I don't need to repeat myself my lady." The Duke gave off the tense aura that blend with his words. "You don't have a very good reputation Duke Ezra, if anything I'm being reasonable. Even if you do get me out. Once I'm no longer important to you, you will just toss me to the side."

The Duke nods with irritation.

The only thing that could work now was negotiating.

"What can I grant you then ? Other than welcoming death with open arms what do you think I could grant you ? Is my loyalty child's play to you ?" Anthonette cast her gaze down at him.

She needed to live but she can't live with the situation at hand. Even if she was proven innocent now for the death of her murder.

The court would still bring up her past misdeeds involving the imperial family. She shamelessly needed Ezra for now and he needed her but there's no guarantee in the future if he'll rid of her in the future.

People change.

The men she deemed better than Ezra each had a hand in her death.

People change, but for the worse.

Ezra was already terrible, he was a villain and an enemy to the Imperial family. No matter how she looks at it, she needs him more than he needs her.

"You seem to have thought it over." Anthonette didn't dare look at his face. She didn't want to look vulnerable in his eyes. "Let's hear it." Anthonette felt as if air was constricted from her lungs, it felt hard to breathe in a moment.

"I... don't have a choice." She started. "We are both enemies to the imperial family so it's normal if we pair up. Mind you I want nothing to do with the Imperial family, I just want to live and if I can't do that I just want to die without regressing as Anthonette Hivera. Once you no longer have need for me, send me away quietly." The Duke nods acknowledging her wishes.

"Is that all ? Everything you just said is similar to our initial agreement."

Anthonette opened her mouth as the Duke stared at her in awe.

"If ever the Imperial family request I die for my sins. Die in my stead." They both stayed in the room in silence.

"I won't be proving my loyalty to you immediately."

"The Imperial family will find ways for me to be punished, this won't be my first time. Before that time comes you get to prove your loyalty to me then. I won't be this useless so even if you go back on your word I will still survive."

"So we have a deal ?" Anthonette nods confirming the contract between two parties.