Adrian de Lorraine, the youngest duke in the empire, had been branded with shame before all of high society.
The Empire Morning Post splashed the shocking scandal across its front page in bold print: the venerable duke had maintained a forbidden relationship for half a year with a lowly female slave who was already married. Public opinion erupted, his political rivals rejoiced, and even the queen personally took up the case of this "stain on the empire's glory," demanding a fair trial.
At the hearing, the handsome duke sat pale and said nothing.
Only when the prosecution was about to read the verdict was a silent, hulking man brought in. He was the female slave's husband, and one of the most important witnesses in the case: Tolan, a slave of the Yigu tribe.
The entire courtroom expected to hear the tearful accusations of a lowly husband. All around them, people waited eagerly for the spectacle.
"I, Tolan, a slave," said the focus of everyone's attention, the most pitiful victim in history. He pulled a crumpled piece of parchment from his pocket and read aloud, "...voluntarily submit a plea of innocence on behalf of Duke Adrian de Lorraine."
He raised his dark eyes. His gaze was like chains tipped with hooks, clinging fast to the noble blond duke in the defendant's seat. He spoke each word distinctly:
"My master never 'laid a hand' on my wife."
The courtroom fell into a deathly silence shrouded in suspicion.
Then Tolan grinned, revealing an almost cruel smile. What followed was the sentence that would send more than eighty percent of the empire's women of marriageable age into a frenzy:
"I was the one who laid a hand on the esteemed Duke Adrian, bringing the empire's star crashing down into a filthy stable."
"Poor Duke Adrian was nothing but an innocent victim. From beginning to end, he was merely... a despicable slave's rude indulgence, enjoying his beautiful master. Your Honor, I insist that you publicly try me for my unforgivable crimes."
*
Note: No non-consensual sex plot.
Theme: You cannot see the true face of Mount Lu because you are standing within it
