The Grand Duke's Soulmate
Chapter 310: A Guilt of The Past (II)

Chapter 310: A Guilt of The Past (II)

"Mr Norman’s mother was gravely ill during the expedition when the incident occurred. He didn’t join it since he was taking care of her, knowing there was not much time left. After being arrested, he pleaded with the guards to allow him to see her one last time, but his requests were denied. She passed away while we were imprisoned, and he never had the chance to say goodbye or pay his final respects during her funeral. It took over a year for him to speak to me again, and even if he did, it was only for work-related matters, nothing more."

Clara’s heart swelled with sadness, realising the depth of pain and loss that Ayden had endured.

"I had no idea... He never mentioned it to me."

"I believe it hurt him so deeply that he couldn’t bring himself to speak of it to you."

"It must have been incredibly difficult for him. Now, I can’t help but feel that His Majesty was unjust in his actions towards you. Even though you were declared innocent in Dracor, he still punished you and the entire knighthood, including Mr Amares and Ayden."

"No, he wasn’t. His actions were in accordance with Cassian customs and regulations," Noah clarified. "In this society, the value placed on women’s lives and safety is higher than in other kingdoms. Any attempt to harm women is considered a grave offence. Even those who abuse women and children, regardless of their position as husbands or heads of households, face severe punishment, such as having their limbs severed."

Clara gasped as she was unfamiliar with Cassian laws and regulations.

"Oh, my! I had no idea!"

"The crime I was accused of was far from being insignificant. According to the severity of the offence, I was supposed to face death if it happened in Cassian. However, His Highness believed in my innocence and fought to defend me until the end. He succeeded, as there was no concrete evidence, and the presented witnesses could not prove they saw me do it."

Understanding dawned on the knightess’s face.

"I see now. His Majesty intended to set an example for others, to ensure that people wouldn’t take such matters lightly."

"Yes, exactly," Noah affirmed. "Although it might have seemed harsh, it was crucial for His Majesty to demonstrate that even those with family ties to him or high status are not exempt from the law. His Majesty only agreed to release me upon His Highness’s agreement that I receive the punishment of a hundred floggings."

"I don’t know what to say. Your situation seems even worse than mine. At least I had the opportunity to run away and start a new life, even though I carried deep guilt with me."

"I have also yearned to escape at times," Noah admitted. "But His Highness wanted me to stay. I lost to him in a duel when I was a mercenary, and I swore an oath to serve him. Moreover, I owe him my life for saving me, so I couldn’t simply abandon him. He trusted me out of all the people, which gave me hope, and then, when I became Lady Raychard’s first escort, she, too, believed in my innocence."

Clara’s surprise was evident as she asked, "Lady Raychard knew?"

"Yes," Noah confirmed with a nod.

"She discovered the truth during her time at the camp before I left for Ardel to investigate her and eventually met you," Noah explained. "Sir Navin and I got into a fight due to our differences, and she intervened and stopped us."

"So, Sir Navin’s animosity towards you stemmed from that incident, right?" the knightess guessed.

"Yes, not only him but the other knights, too," Noah replied. "Even to this day, our relationship remains strained. He held a contempt against me, as he was one of the witnesses who saw me carrying the lifeless slavewoman. He believed that I was responsible for tarnishing the reputation of the knighthood. In some ways, he wasn’t entirely wrong. When I first joined the knighthood, he always advised and nagged me to change, but I foolishly looked down on him and ignored his words."

"Changing one’s perception is not an easy task. But, how did you manage to gain Lady Raychard’s trust?" asked Clara.

"I didn’t do anything specific," Noah replied. "She learned about me from Sir Navin, and I expected her to share the same bad perception towards me as others. However, to my surprise, she stood up for me and even asked Sir Navin to apologise for initiating the brawl. She even acknowledged me as her person and even tended to my wounds. Her sincerity touched me deeply."

A warm smile formed on Clara’s face, reflecting her admiration for Anna’s actions.

"She truly is a gentle and compassionate person. I remember you mentioning this when we first met and fought in Huntbel Forest. I must admit, I felt overwhelmed by jealousy at that time," Clara confessed.

Noah let out a wistful smile.

"You might hear more about my past misdeeds from time to time, and I won’t deny them except for the crime accusation. While it may seem like others are speaking ill of me, His Highness’s people merely share matters based on what they know and have experienced. I don’t hold it against them as I have caused them trouble numerous times, so it’s only fair for me to bear the consequences."

"It’s not fair, Sir Brooks! You deserve a chance to prove that you have changed," Clara protested.

"To be honest, I have sensed a shift in the atmosphere since Lady Raychard’s arrival," the knight admitted. "I’ve noticed that Sir Skyler has become more open towards me, and although the others still maintain reservations, they no longer bother me and treat me well because of her presence. Even Sir Navin has ceased his mocking out of respect for her."

Clara’s face lit up with happiness.

"Our lady certainly has a great influence on all of you."

"She does," Noah affirmed. "She is an honourable lady, the most astute woman I have ever served. No one can replace her and take her place at His Highness’s side. They make a remarkable couple," said Noah with respect.

"They truly do. I can see how deeply she loves His Highness, the Grand Duke. I hope the situation with His Highness Prince Kiev is resolved soon," Clara expressed her wish.

"I share the same," Noah replied.

"Sir Brooks... I hope you don’t take Ayden’s revelation of information about you to heart. Please don’t quarrel with him," Clara requested.

"I won’t, and I don’t blame him," Noah assured her. "I expected this news would eventually reach your knowledge, even if it weren’t through Ayden. As for Emily, I will talk to her and let her be aware of it if she hasn’t known. If yes, I will explain accordingly, just as I did to you. It’s all right if she doesn’t reciprocate my feelings. I am fully aware that it’s a slim chance for a virtuous lady to accept a man like me," Noah responded with conviction.

"Thank you, Sir Brooks, for easing my worries. I genuinely hope that you find happiness, whether it’s with Emily or someone else. While I support you wholeheartedly in pursuing a relationship with her, I understand that it ultimately depends on her decision, and I won’t pressure her."

"That is more than enough, Dame Verns. Your support and trust mean a great deal to me. Opening up to you like this has relieved me," said Noah.

"I would understand more about your situation than others, given our similarities," Clara responded kindly.

"Indeed. I hope you will be able to overcome your dilemma, too."

"Pardon?" Clara was surprised by Noah’s statement.

"After our conversation, I think Mr Norman is the reason you were moody," the knight guessed.

"How come? What led you to believe that?" questioned Clara.

"He detested me for what I was accused of, and our circumstances are almost similar. Considering the idea, I think you are worried he wouldn’t accept you."

"Sir Brooks!" Clara exclaimed, feeling embarrassed by his astute observation.

"You like him, don’t you?"

Clara turned away, averting his eyes. She wanted to deny it, but she knew it would be futile. Noah’s perceptiveness was remarkable, and denying her feelings would only make her look foolish, just as she did when she lied to him that she found out about his past from Ayden.

Noah smiled knowingly.

"He’s a good man, Dame Verns. Despite his nagging and occasional annoyance, he treats those around him with compassion and care. I wouldn’t object if you were interested in him."

"He wouldn’t want someone like me... a murderer..." Clara looked down in disappointment.

"Give it a try. Talk to him openly. You were forced into the situation and made a mistake due to the deception of others. It wasn’t intentional. See how he responds. Whether he accepts or not that’s a different matter. At least then, you will have your answer and won’t need to worry anymore," advised Noah.

"You’re right. I should be honest with him and tell him directly. Thank you for your advice," said Clara gratefully.

"You’re welcome."

"Also, once I regain my strength and can function as a knightess again, let’s join forces to uncover the culprit who framed you. Together, we may be able to find a clue," Clara suggested with determination.

Noah pressed his lips together, his gaze shifting to the knightess’ legs hidden beneath the checkered blanket. It was apparent that she remained unaware of her loss of ability, as Rafe, the healer responsible for delivering the news, had been absent from the mansion since the day of the duel.

"We’ll see how," Noah responded, carefully selecting his words.

The knight had decided to remain discreet about her condition, not yet revealing the truth for her own sake.

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