Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

You do not need to be nervous, everything will end up well!" Leo rubbed her sweaty palms with his as he tried to assure her but she only glared at him in exchange.

Last night, he did not let her go no matter how much she tried to run away after having one round. Not that her knees have left much strength.

He continued to have his way with her until dawn. She did not even remember how many times he had her and now he was behaving all gentlemen!

She had learnt a lesson. Never to truth the outer appearance of man and even a calibrate could be a beast once given a chance.

"He is right, you do not need to be so agitated. You are looking haggard! Did you not sleep last night due to nervousness?" Evan did not know how to reply to the concerned voice of Eli, so she just nodded while lowering her head.

If only she could tell, why was she awoke last night!

"Of course, I was only thinking after the noble trial, how much compensation could we demand from the royal family when they will lose?" she tapped her fingers on the window as she smiled with a sharp look in her eyes.

Only four of them were in the carriage, Leo and Evan sitting on the one side while Eli and Eve on the other.

Duke William had already left early with his aide  to handle the procedures and meet others.

Evan could see how much effort they were putting in cheering her up so she nodded but the uneasiness in her heart did not fade.

Though she knew that she had done nothing wrong, it felt like she was going to lose something important today.

Soon, the carriage stopped in front of a large palace.

"It is your first time visiting the royal palace, right?" Evan nodded and held Leo's hands as they walked out of the carriage.

She could see many nobles whispering at each other while staring at them. It did not help that she could see the mocking smile on their faces.

"Darling, I think there are many people jealous of us. The smell is so strong that I am feeling nauseated!" Instead of hiding her face, she waved her hands in front of her nose as if she was trying to get rid of the nasty smell around her while she held Leo's arm with her other hand and leaned her head on his shoulders.

"Oh! If you want, I can kill all of them in the name of treason against our family since they are disturbing you. Knights!" looking at his cold face that was filled with intent to kill, those who were standing nearby ran like they had seen ghosts in their way.

"Oh my! Look at their faces! I wanted to make a portrait of them but too bad they run too fast." Eve shook her head as if she was disappointed that she was not able to see anyone dying.

"It is alright, you will get to see plenty of them when they come to our palace begging for forgiveness." with a confident tone Eli joined them as her cold face looked down on everyone around her.

The aloof and elegant look on her face was so radiant that others could not help but look at her with a stunned look on their face.

They had to believe that if they were talking about royalty, Eli could win even against the empress and after marrying Andrew she would be the first lady of the empire.

Even if the duke would lose the trial, they did not want to get in the bad books of Eli. there were already rumors that princess Adele was losing to her.

Either she was the empress of the queen, or she was going to hold a lot of power in her hands.

Under the gazes of everyone all of them walked into the royal court meeting room of the palace.  Their father was already sitting on the first seat of the room.

There were four empty seats beside him and each of them took one.

Rest of the nobles were sitting at a distance. Though they were not whispering like before, their eyes were still on them but one gaze from Leo who raised his head, they all looked away, too afraid to be noticed by him.

"The sun of the empire, your Majesty is entering the room." all of them stood up when George entered the room and took the highest seat in the room.

He was sitting on a stage while all of them were sitting on the chairs on the ground looking up to him while he was looking down at them just like it should be.

"We all are collected here as we have received various complaints that the family of the duke , one of the oldest and founding families of the empire who had always held respect not only broke laws but even deceived the royal family and the citizens of the empire.

They are charged for leaving their own blood and bringing a commoner as their son in the family. Hiding the truth, they have lied and betrayed the royal family and went against the law.

Since we all are here under the eyes of our goddess, I will ask both parties to begin the proceedings." Both duke William and the man on the other side bowed his head while everyone else sat down. They both stayed standing.

"Your majesty, Leonardo Thawyne had been appointed as the head of first order of knights that is the highest rank when it comes to officials of empire.

He had the whole force in his hands and if he wanted, he could attack the whole empire and take it down forcefully.

He did not have power only but the name of Thawyne that gave him immense strength but if he is really a commoner then not only we are deceived but our future is in jeopardy!"