School has been postponed for today due to the uncertainty of the current political situation. It's not like there's a riot or anything serious, if anything, it's more like an air of uncertainty that lingers around as Amlethians eagerly, or more accurately, anxiously wait for the date of the trial. That, as well as some of the teachers or their families or both who were involved. For me it's not surprising, because I knew about it before, but for others it's a big shock.
I have nothing better to do than to help Sister Ophelia and the researcher who plan to connect Amleth to Emas via the magical orb of movement. Transporting the mana core and the magic stone, helping them improve it, it's a fulfilling day until I overhear the gossip in the department. The researchers, usually hyper-focused on their research, start gossiping about the fate of the nice tea-loving duchess... That's worrisome.
I know for a fact that she's not involved in any way, but I wonder how she's doing right now. I actually asked Kara and Mara to accompany me to visit her, which they agreed to do. They are also taking Marianne with them, as Marianne is someone closer to the Duchess than any of us.
She's currently under house arrest, so access to her and those who aren't guilty is not as strict, but it still required permission beforehand, permission that was easy enough to get since I went there with Kara and Mara. A perk of being friends with royalty, I suppose.
"Miss Eisheth and Miss Akela are here too?" [Kara]
"We didn't know that." [Mara]
"I wonder why they're here? Could it be..." [Marianne]
"Only one way to find out" [Diana]
And that is by simply asking them directly. The two of them, even if they have secrets, aren't bad people. They're someone our family and Aunt Amleth trust, so I don't think they meant any harm when they visited the Duchess.
In a spacious room where there are about twelve people, not including Miss Eisheth and Miss Akela, we greeted them all. The Duchess is the oldest of the twelve, while the others are mostly people ranging from babies to Jean's age. There are males who weren't involved, but they're under house arrest in another room.
I can see that they're all being treated well. Since they weren't really involved, I'm sure it's on Sir Arthur's orders. That and Aunt Amleth.
Nice clothes, freshly baked bread and warm milk. I think they're being treated well, but they're still worried. Who wouldn't be? When you suddenly find out that your family member is planning something so sinister behind your back, and now her fate is unknown, I'm sure that explains the panda eyes on her face.
"Your Highness Princess Kara and Mara, Young Lady Marianne and Diana, I apologize for my appearance." [Ex-Duchess]
"It's all right. We are only here to visit" [Kara].
"Are you all right? They haven't mistreated you, have they?" [Marianne]
"They didn't. Her Highness Queen Amleth herself assured me that there would be no mistreatment on our side..." [Ex-Duchess]
"Thank Goddess, I heard some bad gossip that they wanted to put you on trial as well... I was worried and asked them to come and visit you together" [Diana].
"That shouldn't be the case. There's no need to worry" [Akela]
"Thank you..." [Ex-Duchess]
There's obviously a hint of sadness in her tone. I don't know what else to say. I'm sure she's well aware that the Vars family is the one making the arrest, along with the other Special Knight of Amleth, so I couldn't help but avoid her sad gaze.
The others are the same. They're in the same school as us, even if I haven't really met them, I'm sure I've met them at least once or twice. Seeing them brings relief.
"By the way, what brings you two here?" [Diana]
"I think the four of you already know the answer." [Eisheth]
"I see, and may I know their answer?" [Mara]
"I'm not sure I follow, but following logic, does that mean..." [Diana]
"That's right, we are thinking of letting them all into our house once we get the title of Duchess" [Akela]
"That's... It's still hard for us to think. Besides, I wanted to see the process with my own eyes first. There should be a possibility that my husband is actually innocent" [Ex-Duchess].
"Miss Duchess... I'm sorry, I really want to say that it's not for your sake, but... Even I myself helped to find the evidence of their wrongdoing... The Vars family even gave them a chance to come clean and still..." [Diana]
"Is that so..." [Ex-Duchess]
"True... After all, they're committed to their plan to kill Aunt Amleth, so... You know the rest " [Diana]
I couldn't tell you about the part where we trapped their souls in Master Merlin's Marionettes, but I can tell her about what happened. I can see she's about to cry, and so is the other. Without saying much, all of us present are just with them. It's not much, but at least they should know they're not alone.