103. Follow the rules
"Isn't this something I can't even say about a divorce? I'm so embarrassed I can't even show my face!"
A young maid who had been out on an errand downtown came running into the servants' lounge, her face weeping. Those who knew the reason, even without hearing it, let out complicated sighs, which resonated like a round around the spacious table.
"You have no idea how much everyone is laughing and teasing me. Now I can't even tell anyone I work at the Grand Duke's Office."
The maid, who had been breathing heavily, finally burst into tears, unable to control her anger. These days, wherever you go, you hear stories of the Grand Duchess and that royal conman. It's no exaggeration to say that.
"That's right. These days, I'm scared to meet friends from other families. Even when the Prince's reputation was at its worst, it wasn't as shameful as it is now."
"Still, I'm really lucky. How could news of her pregnancy spread across the country on the same day that news of her fraud accusation spread across the country?"
"If you think about it from the Prince's perspective, it's unfortunate. He can't abandon his wife, who has a child with him. He's doomed to end up rolling around in the mud with her."
"You don't have to think that way, do you? He even broke up with Princess Gladys, who gave birth to his son. What does that troublesome Grand Duchess have to say?"
As each barbed remark was added, the atmosphere quickly heated up. Those who secretly felt pity for the Grand Duchess couldn't bring themselves to add a word; instead simply averted their gaze. The more they tried to defend her, the more the slander grew, so remaining silent was the best course of action for the Grand Duchess.
Just as the most sarcastic remarks and sympathetic laughter flowed out, the bell from the Grand Duchess's bedroom began to ring.
“Look at how diligently she eats.”
The crowd erupted in laughter, agreeing with the remarks hurled with derision. It was midday, the sun beating down on them with a blazing intensity. It was time for lunch.
“You need to eat more.”
Mrs. Fitz, examining the bowl that was not even half empty, suggested in a worried voice.
"First and foremost, you should focus on taking care of your health. Didn't Dr. Erickson say that you need to eat well and get plenty of rest for the sake of the baby in your womb?"
She knew it was a ridiculous request, but it was all Mrs. Fitz could say.
Erna, who had been staring blankly at her, nodded in agreement and picked up her spoon again. Slowly, with difficulty, she chewed and swallowed the remaining food.
“Well done, Your Highness.”
As the dishes emptied, Mrs. Fitz finally looked relieved. It was a recurring pattern at every meal these days.
As Lisa and Mrs. Fitz left, carrying their empty dishes, a deep silence fell over the bedroom.
Erna lay leaning against a pile of pillows, gazing out the window at the scenery. Perhaps it was the midsummer heat that made everything feel unreal. The pregnancy. Her father's fraud scandal had rocked the nation. Even her own name is mentioned. Everything.
The news was relayed to Erna through her servants the day after she learned of her pregnancy.
It wasn't difficult to grasp the full story of how her father was suddenly branded a conman. Not only was he constantly causing financial trouble, but now he was selling his daughter's name to collect bribes. To deceive, he wrote letters purporting to be from his daughter, and even forged the Grand Duchess's seal. It wasn't surprising that the victim mistakenly believed the deceiver was the Grand Duchess.
Erna took a deep breath, rubbing her hands, which were still cold even on this hot day. The police were supposed to visit this afternoon to investigate the incident.
Last night, Bjorn delivered the news in a voice thick with fatigue. Erna, knowing full well how busy he was dealing with this matter, couldn't bear to meet his eyes and simply nodded. Bjorn stayed by her bedside for a while before leaving without saying anything more. The sound of the bedroom door closing lingered in Erna's ears for a long time.
'I heard you're pregnant.'
On the day he heard the news of the baby's arrival, Bjorn visited Erna's bedroom late at night and spoke only one word. It was as if he were inquiring about the well-being of an indifferent stranger.
Erna nodded, feeling dazed. It was a completely unexpected reaction, and she couldn't quite think of a response.
'Rest, Erna.'
Bjorn, who had been staring blankly at Erna, turned around, leaving only the greeting he had given with a conscious smile.
Was it because he didn't appreciate his wife's child, whom he considered a trophy? Or was it because he was still feeling down from his fight with Pavel?
Erna waited, anxious and nervous, staring at the closed door, but Bjorn didn't return. It was a night when their promise to share a bed was broken. That day, she felt resentful and angry, but when she later learned the reason, she felt ashamed of herself for being so upset.
Her father's foolish greed ruined more than just the Grand Duchess's reputation. It was an incident that turned Bjorn, no, the entire royal family, into a laughingstock overnight. As if to prove this, the criticism and ridicule directed at the royal family escalated by the day.
Erna raised her thin hand and covered her bloodless face.
An investigation would clear her of the charges against her father, but even that wouldn't bring closure to this horrific case. A royal relative turned criminal, a conman at that. Who could possibly tolerate such a thing? Even Erna found it difficult to accept.
She was embarrassed.
She felt ashamed and unbearable, like a naive girl who had longed for Bjorn's love and dreamed of happiness without knowing anything about it. This was reality. How shameless.
Erna's fingertips trembled as she pressed hard against her hot eyes. After finally controlling her emotions, she raised her face and heard a heavy knock on the door. It was Lisa, her expression gloomy.
“Your Highness, you must prepare to welcome the guests...”
Lisa couldn't finish her sentence before she started sobbing.
Erna checked the time, nodded, and climbed out of bed. The time the officer was scheduled to visit was fast approaching.
The crazy one is strong.
This was the conclusion reached by lawyer Byle, who entered the entrance hall of the Grand Duke's residence.
Prince Bjorn led the way, followed by the defense team and investigators. It was an almost embarrassingly excessive scene, considering they had come to take statements from a defendant in a mere fraud case.
It was Prince Bjorn who personally selected the best royal lawyers to assemble a legal team. Legal advice suggesting the Grand Duchess could have been cleared of the charges without this was completely ignored.
Well, that wasn't all the Prince ignored.
The enraged public demanded that the Grand Duchess, who had caused this shameful scandal, appear in person at the police station. Even the Republicans, riding the wave of the times, joined in the daily barrage of attacks, claiming she was unworthy of royal treatment. Their aim was to humiliate the Grand Duchess and pressure the royal family. Even the staunch royalist police commissioner faltered in the face of the fury, which was too intense to ignore, but Prince Bjorn remained unmoved.
His wife is in the early stages of pregnancy and is so weak that the doctor has advised her to remain completely rested. He was dragging her to the police station, wondering what he would do if something happened to his child. If he's confident in taking responsibility, why not demand her presence?
No matter what anyone said, the Prince simply repeated his unwavering claim. Criticism poured in, asking if he, who had been so ruthless toward Princess Gladys's son, was somehow cherishing the child born to the con artist Grand Duchess as if it were a treasure. But the Prince stubbornly pushed ahead, seemingly ignoring the criticism.
So in the end, the madman won.
No matter how miserable the Grand Duchess's fate, the child she carried was the Grand Duchess's child and the King's grandson. Thanks to this, no one dared to touch that child.
"Isn't this something I can't even say about a divorce? I'm so embarrassed I can't even show my face!"
A young maid who had been out on an errand downtown came running into the servants' lounge, her face weeping. Those who knew the reason, even without hearing it, let out complicated sighs, which resonated like a round around the spacious table.
"You have no idea how much everyone is laughing and teasing me. Now I can't even tell anyone I work at the Grand Duke's Office."
The maid, who had been breathing heavily, finally burst into tears, unable to control her anger. These days, wherever you go, you hear stories of the Grand Duchess and that royal conman. It's no exaggeration to say that.
"That's right. These days, I'm scared to meet friends from other families. Even when the Prince's reputation was at its worst, it wasn't as shameful as it is now."
"Still, I'm really lucky. How could news of her pregnancy spread across the country on the same day that news of her fraud accusation spread across the country?"
"If you think about it from the Prince's perspective, it's unfortunate. He can't abandon his wife, who has a child with him. He's doomed to end up rolling around in the mud with her."
"You don't have to think that way, do you? He even broke up with Princess Gladys, who gave birth to his son. What does that troublesome Grand Duchess have to say?"
As each barbed remark was added, the atmosphere quickly heated up. Those who secretly felt pity for the Grand Duchess couldn't bring themselves to add a word; instead simply averted their gaze. The more they tried to defend her, the more the slander grew, so remaining silent was the best course of action for the Grand Duchess.
"The Prince is busy day and night with that matter, yet she herself lies around using her pregnancy as an excuse, eating well and sleeping soundly. How carefree she must feel. Should I say it's fortunate she has no shame?"
“Look at how diligently she eats.”
The crowd erupted in laughter, agreeing with the remarks hurled with derision. It was midday, the sun beating down on them with a blazing intensity. It was time for lunch.
***
“You need to eat more.”
Mrs. Fitz, examining the bowl that was not even half empty, suggested in a worried voice.
"First and foremost, you should focus on taking care of your health. Didn't Dr. Erickson say that you need to eat well and get plenty of rest for the sake of the baby in your womb?"
She knew it was a ridiculous request, but it was all Mrs. Fitz could say.
Erna, who had been staring blankly at her, nodded in agreement and picked up her spoon again. Slowly, with difficulty, she chewed and swallowed the remaining food.
“Well done, Your Highness.”
As the dishes emptied, Mrs. Fitz finally looked relieved. It was a recurring pattern at every meal these days.
As Lisa and Mrs. Fitz left, carrying their empty dishes, a deep silence fell over the bedroom.
Erna lay leaning against a pile of pillows, gazing out the window at the scenery. Perhaps it was the midsummer heat that made everything feel unreal. The pregnancy. Her father's fraud scandal had rocked the nation. Even her own name is mentioned. Everything.
The news was relayed to Erna through her servants the day after she learned of her pregnancy.
It wasn't difficult to grasp the full story of how her father was suddenly branded a conman. Not only was he constantly causing financial trouble, but now he was selling his daughter's name to collect bribes. To deceive, he wrote letters purporting to be from his daughter, and even forged the Grand Duchess's seal. It wasn't surprising that the victim mistakenly believed the deceiver was the Grand Duchess.
Erna took a deep breath, rubbing her hands, which were still cold even on this hot day. The police were supposed to visit this afternoon to investigate the incident.
Last night, Bjorn delivered the news in a voice thick with fatigue. Erna, knowing full well how busy he was dealing with this matter, couldn't bear to meet his eyes and simply nodded. Bjorn stayed by her bedside for a while before leaving without saying anything more. The sound of the bedroom door closing lingered in Erna's ears for a long time.
'I heard you're pregnant.'
On the day he heard the news of the baby's arrival, Bjorn visited Erna's bedroom late at night and spoke only one word. It was as if he were inquiring about the well-being of an indifferent stranger.
Erna nodded, feeling dazed. It was a completely unexpected reaction, and she couldn't quite think of a response.
'Rest, Erna.'
Bjorn, who had been staring blankly at Erna, turned around, leaving only the greeting he had given with a conscious smile.
Was it because he didn't appreciate his wife's child, whom he considered a trophy? Or was it because he was still feeling down from his fight with Pavel?
Erna waited, anxious and nervous, staring at the closed door, but Bjorn didn't return. It was a night when their promise to share a bed was broken. That day, she felt resentful and angry, but when she later learned the reason, she felt ashamed of herself for being so upset.
Her father's foolish greed ruined more than just the Grand Duchess's reputation. It was an incident that turned Bjorn, no, the entire royal family, into a laughingstock overnight. As if to prove this, the criticism and ridicule directed at the royal family escalated by the day.
Erna raised her thin hand and covered her bloodless face.
An investigation would clear her of the charges against her father, but even that wouldn't bring closure to this horrific case. A royal relative turned criminal, a conman at that. Who could possibly tolerate such a thing? Even Erna found it difficult to accept.
She was embarrassed.
She felt ashamed and unbearable, like a naive girl who had longed for Bjorn's love and dreamed of happiness without knowing anything about it. This was reality. How shameless.
Erna's fingertips trembled as she pressed hard against her hot eyes. After finally controlling her emotions, she raised her face and heard a heavy knock on the door. It was Lisa, her expression gloomy.
“Your Highness, you must prepare to welcome the guests...”
Lisa couldn't finish her sentence before she started sobbing.
Erna checked the time, nodded, and climbed out of bed. The time the officer was scheduled to visit was fast approaching.
***
The crazy one is strong.
This was the conclusion reached by lawyer Byle, who entered the entrance hall of the Grand Duke's residence.
Prince Bjorn led the way, followed by the defense team and investigators. It was an almost embarrassingly excessive scene, considering they had come to take statements from a defendant in a mere fraud case.
It was Prince Bjorn who personally selected the best royal lawyers to assemble a legal team. Legal advice suggesting the Grand Duchess could have been cleared of the charges without this was completely ignored.
Well, that wasn't all the Prince ignored.
The enraged public demanded that the Grand Duchess, who had caused this shameful scandal, appear in person at the police station. Even the Republicans, riding the wave of the times, joined in the daily barrage of attacks, claiming she was unworthy of royal treatment. Their aim was to humiliate the Grand Duchess and pressure the royal family. Even the staunch royalist police commissioner faltered in the face of the fury, which was too intense to ignore, but Prince Bjorn remained unmoved.
His wife is in the early stages of pregnancy and is so weak that the doctor has advised her to remain completely rested. He was dragging her to the police station, wondering what he would do if something happened to his child. If he's confident in taking responsibility, why not demand her presence?
No matter what anyone said, the Prince simply repeated his unwavering claim. Criticism poured in, asking if he, who had been so ruthless toward Princess Gladys's son, was somehow cherishing the child born to the con artist Grand Duchess as if it were a treasure. But the Prince stubbornly pushed ahead, seemingly ignoring the criticism.
So in the end, the madman won.
No matter how miserable the Grand Duchess's fate, the child she carried was the Grand Duchess's child and the King's grandson. Thanks to this, no one dared to touch that child.
Prince Bjorn's stubbornness in pushing through his will, despite the criticism and anger of his subjects, royal relatives, and even his ministers, bordered on madness.
Make sure the Grand Duchess does not go beyond the walls of Schwerin Palace.
The Prince's demand was one, and the only one, and that's why it was such a chilling command. It was essentially a request to resolve everything in one fell swoop, without further interrogation or confrontation.
As he approached the reception room where the Grand Duchess was waiting, Byle let out a quiet, unconscious sigh.
Defending the Grand Duchess wouldn't be difficult. A handwriting comparison would reveal that the Grand Duchess wasn't the one who sent the letters that had deceived the victims, and the same could be said for the Grand Duchess's family seal forged by Walter Hardy.
The only tricky issue was that the moment the Grand Duchess's name was cleared, her father would inevitably become a criminal. And the crime was so clear and heinous that even the most skilled lawyer could not undo it. Fraud, insult to the crown, and the moral condemnation of having sold his daughter would be added to the mix, and in the worst-case scenario, the King's in-law could be imprisoned.
‘Follow the rules.’
'Walter Hardy is not a subject of consideration.'
'So, everyone, just think about defending my wife. That's all there is to it.'
The Prince smiled as he announced his intention to send his father-in-law to prison. His sleep-deprived eyes, flushed with red, and his disheveled tie accentuated his calm smile. While the flustered lawyers stirred, Bjorn remained silent, his cigar still in his mouth, his eyes focused solely on the papers cluttering the table.
Seeing him acting as if he was determined to clear his wife's name, it seemed he wasn't planning on divorce. But how should she accept his decision to mercilessly abandon her family? Despite repeated contemplation, Byle ultimately found no answer.
The royal family and the people couldn't possibly allow the daughter of a conman who had been imprisoned to become the Grand Duchess. But since the Prince was a man of few words, he might have his own calculations, so it was best to just accept it and move on.
As Byle, clearing his mind of distractions, took a deep breath, the door to the reception room opened. Looking at the unfortunate Grand Duchess they were supposed to protect, he once again reflected on the core of his defense.
The only person eligible for relief is Erna Dneister.
Walter Hardy is not taken into account.
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