Chapter 132 Unwilling to Admit
"As for Candy." At the mention of her enemy, Manlis's eyes turned cold.
"I know she's from the Soth Empire and holds an official position, so I didn't want her to affect the relationship between our two countries. I'll send her back. But at the same time, when I'm not representing Zotfort, as just a mother, I cannot forgive what she did. That's why I hurt her, but I don't regret it. She got what she deserved."
"I'm willing to hand her over because I've sent all of Zotfort's situation and opinions in a letter through Prince Friedel back to your capital, to be delivered to your king. I've had my revenge. Now she should go face your punishment. After all, even if I killed Candy, it wouldn't fix the damage done or bring back the lives lost. My child... will never come back to me."
Anne lowered her eyes, her voice somewhat hoarse. "This is the most appropriate choice, isn't it?"
"We have to make choices based on our responsibilities and duties, so all we can do is remember this pain and pray it won't happen again. After all, our responsibilities tell us we must look to the future."
Manlis's eyes widened as tears kept rolling down her cheeks. She actually couldn't let go of her child's death, but had to admit that this unforgivable pain seemed so insignificant in the face of the bigger picture.
Frol's eyes reddened. Raised by Duke Clapton, he had watched both the Duke and Slave die. His heart burned with hatred, wanting war with the Soth Empire. But reason held him back, leaving him painfully helpless.
Now Anne's words made Frol suddenly recall that gentle and kind Duke Clapton. He too had once been a homeless orphan, taken in by the Duke who personally taught him, bringing him to where he is today. The last thing that lord said to him was: Frol, you must learn to let go of the past and create a future without war.
"...What are you all going on about?"
Holden's eyes turned red. Even though he was foolish, he understood what Anne and the others were implying.
But how could that be possible?
Candy was just an ordinary officer back then, leading a thousand soldiers. How could she make Zotfort hate her this much?
His face turned pale as he rushed toward Frol. "You're all in on this together, putting on an act, right?"
"Deliberately helping Friedel try to set me up, is that it? Damn it, you stupid, arrogant upper-class nobles, casually throwing blame on others. What gives you the right!"
Before Frol could react, Friedel stepped forward and punched Holden to the ground. "Shut up!"
Friedel glared at Holden. "Even now you're still making excuses for Candy, refusing to believe she's the one in the wrong?"
"Is admitting a mistake really that hard? Anne and the others are willing to put aside their hatred for the sake of relations between the two countries. What about you? Besides being busy making love in the military camp, busy slandering and smearing others with Candy, and being proud of your little tricks on the southern battlefield, what else can you do?"
Holden sat on the ground in despair, the fire in his heart slowly dying out. Still, he couldn't help muttering, "I don't believe what Candy did could have such a big impact. She just made a mistake."
"Right, just a mistake..."
Frol looked coldly at Holden. "You can say whatever you want, but the facts are right in front of us. We've written everything related to Candy in the letter. When your king reads it, let him judge whether it was just a mistake!"
With that, he helped Manlis walk back, not forgetting to remind them, "If you're looking for that woman, go to the highest peak. We've cleared out the wild beasts and venomous snakes along the way, but I can't guarantee there won't be new ones after we leave."
"If you go too late, I don't know if they'll still be alive."
Anne nodded silently. Holden suddenly scrambled to his feet, ignoring the injuries on his body and face, and immediately said to Friedel, "I need to go up the mountain. I need to find Candy!"
Holden didn't believe what they were saying. He stubbornly believed that Candy couldn't have committed such serious crimes.
Otherwise, not only Candy, but he and the Titan family would all be implicated. Not only that, Holden couldn't even be sure if he could keep his position as leader of the Dawn Knight Order.
He had to find Candy and take her to see the king, to accuse Anne and Friedel of conspiring with Zotfort to deliberately harm the Soth Empire's first female knight commander.
Friedel glanced at Anne, then turned to look at Holden. "Then you'd better be prepared."
He didn't ask about Candy's condition, but judging from Manlis's anger, she and the other survivors must be in terrible shape.
Especially Candy, after so many days on the mountain...
Although there was now a treaty against harming or killing prisoners, that was between two countries. Manlis had clearly stated this was revenge in her personal capacity, and with Candy having caused the death of Manlis's child, the Soth Empire had no way to make things difficult for Zotfort over this.
Not to mention Candy indirectly caused the massacre of the Virlet family. If this got out, the public might even organize marches and petitions demanding Candy be punished.
Holden thought of this too.
Especially when he realized that if Candy really had caused the Virlet family's massacre, she was indirectly the murderer of Anne's family.
And what had he done?
Abandoned Anne for Candy, causing Anne to lose her last family members, then triumphantly married Candy.
Now, just thinking about how he had repeatedly provoked and scolded Anne, and demanded that Anne still have feelings for him, Holden felt he was foolish to the point of being laughable.
He, Holden Titan, was the leader of the Dawn Knight Order. How could he make such a huge mistake? No, he didn't believe it. He couldn't believe it!
Holden gritted his teeth, trying to stay calm. The more critical the moment, the less he could panic. "Whatever happens, whatever I see, I'm ready to face it."
Anne took a few steps forward. Hearing Holden's words, she paused. She said coldly, "Even if Candy admits to all her crimes and accepts punishment from the king?"