Chapter 4.27

The guards escorted Archibald out.  

Handcuffed, Archibald smirked as he passed by Valentine, who was seated.  

“Don’t underestimate me, Valentine.”  

Valentine pretended not to hear Archibald’s whisper.  

But inside, he was boiling with rage.  

At this rate, Archibald would only be convicted of minor charges and receive a light sentence.  

After Archibald disappeared, Valentine ground his teeth.  

At that moment, a gentle hand touched his shoulder.  

It was Liz, who had stepped down from the witness stand.  

“You’ve worked hard, Valentine.”  

Valentine’s hardened expression immediately softened.  

He held Liz’s hand with his left hand.  

“You’ve worked hard too. How are you feeling?”  

“A little sleepy, but… I’m fine.”  

Liz was now visibly pregnant.  

Valentine looked tenderly at Liz’s clearly swollen belly before standing up.  

“It would be good to rest your eyes in the carriage. Let’s go.”  

“Yes. Mother must be waiting.”  

The two planned to visit the sanatorium after the trial.  

Valentine murmured with a regretful expression.  

“I wish I could have brought good news….”  

“It will happen. Don’t worry too much.”  

The two walked out of the courtroom side by side.  

Despite delaying their exit, journalists were still waiting outside.  

Valentine maintained a neutral expression—his “Duke of Winchester” face—as he wrapped an arm around Liz’s shoulders.  

“What do you think of the trial’s outcome?”  

“Will the next session bring a conclusion?”  

“Unfortunately, everything will be revealed in two weeks. I have no further comments for now.”  

Valentine gently brushed off the journalists’ questions as he moved forward.  

Liz also gave polite responses to maintain goodwill.  

“Sorry, we’ll be passing through. See you in two weeks.”  

“It’s said you’re marrying Miss Garrett—remarrying, that is. Is this true?”  

One journalist asked an irrelevant question.  

Liz brushed it off lightly as well.  

“I’m sorry, but we can’t—”  

“Yes.”  

Did I hear wrong? 

Liz’s eyes widened slightly.  

Valentine paused for a moment, then wrapped his arm around Liz’s shoulder again.  

“That, I can confirm.”  

He smiled faintly at the journalists and said,  

“Yes. We’re getting married.”  

The journalists gasped in surprise.  

Liz, too, hadn’t expected him to say it so openly to the press.

Liz was startled but tried her best to maintain composure, raising the corners of her lips in a calm smile.  

The journalists’ hands became busy.  

“Does Myra know about this as well?”  

“Is the heir you mentioned earlier Liz’s child?”  

“When is the timing…?”  

Faced with the barrage of questions, Valentine showed a slightly fatigued expression.  

“Shouldn’t we wait until my arm heals before holding the wedding? After all, I need to hold the bride’s hand.”  

He lightly lifted his right arm, which was in a splint, and spoke playfully.  

“That should suffice as an answer. Now, we will truly be on our way.”  

With that, Valentine ended the conversation and boarded the carriage with Liz.  

Liz let out a sigh of relief and said,  

“Is it really okay to say that? They’re likely to write a ton of articles.”  

“Well, let them write.”  

He leaned against the carriage indifferently and murmured,  

“It will be the most widely distributed wedding invitation in the world. Though we’ll decline visitors from now on.”  

Liz chuckled at his crooked joke.  

Valentine continued with a serious expression.  

“Anyway, I want to finish the trial quickly. Leaving the bustling capital would be better for both you and the child. Let’s rest enough at the villa and plan the wedding afterward. If you agree, we’ll keep the guest list as minimal as possible… hmm?”  

While planning, Valentine felt his left shoulder grow heavy.  

Before he knew it, Liz had leaned against him, dozing off.  

Valentine watched her with a smile.  

After a while, Liz slightly opened her eyes.  

“Ah… sorry. What were you saying?”  

He chuckled softly and whispered,  

“I love you.”  

Liz’s face turned red.  

She averted her gaze and muttered,  

“You’re lying….”  

“It’s true.”  

He lightly rested his head on top of hers.  

Liz might not fully realize it yet, but this was how Valentine Winchester expressed his love.  

***

“I’m so relieved….”  

Warm light filled the eyes of the Dowager Duchess, who was leaning against the bed.  

She nodded with a happy face as she listened to the story of the two’s journey.  

“You’ve been through the most, my dear.”  

“No, not at all.”  

The Dowager Duchess patted Liz’s hand with a look of admiration.  

Her mental state was now almost fully restored.  

There were no more seizures, and her speech posed no significant issues.  

As a result, she was on the verge of being discharged.  

Valentine smiled and continued,  

“We plan to finalize the lawsuit and hold another wedding. This time, Mother, please officially attend our wedding.”  

“Lawsuit?”  

The Dowager Duchess tilted her head in puzzlement.  

To ensure her stability, they hadn’t explained the details to her.  

Liz looked at Valentine as if asking if it was okay.  

Valentine understood her concern just from her gaze and nodded.  

Liz then gently continued,  

“We haven’t mentioned it before. It’s about Archibald….”  

Liz stopped mid-sentence.  

The Dowager Duchess’s face had turned pale upon hearing the name Archibald.  

“Are you alright?”  

Liz asked in surprise.  

Valentine and the medical staff immediately rushed to the Dowager Duchess.  

The Dowager Duchess clutched her chest and struggled to catch her breath.  

“No, no, I’m fine….”  

The Dowager Duchess murmured, trembling.  

Liz, Valentine, and the medical staff all wore expressions of shock.  

The Dowager Duchess had been clearly stable recently.  

“Madame, exhale. One, two….”  

The medical staff massaged her shoulders, trying to ease her tension.  

Though trembling, the Dowager Duchess calmly shook her head.  

“I’m fine. This isn’t a seizure….”  

Valentine signaled to the medical staff with his eyes.  

They stepped back.  

Valentine held the Dowager Duchess’s hand with his left hand and whispered,  

“Mother, it’s alright. We are suing him for leaking state secrets. We’ll bring you good news soon.”  

“State secrets… I see.”  

The Dowager Duchess murmured meaningfully.  

Valentine nodded and continued,  

“Yes. So please don’t worry.”  

But the Dowager Duchess absentmindedly shook her head.  

“He… his crime is….”  

“Pardon?”  

Valentine looked at the Dowager Duchess.  

She quietly fiddled with her necklace and spoke softly.  

“Let’s leave it here for today. Can you tell me the rest next time?”  

Though it seemed a bit early, the Dowager Duchess’s determination appeared firm.  

Valentine nodded.  

“Of course. We’ll visit again soon.”  

Liz and Valentine concluded their visit with a light hug and left the Dowager Duchess’s room.  

When they exited the sanatorium, the crimson sunset spread before their feet.  

The two walked toward the carriage, stepping into the evening glow.  

“Why do you think Mother was so startled?”  

“Well, it’s natural, isn’t it? There’s no reason for her to have good feelings toward Archibald.”  

Valentine’s reasoning made sense.  

But Liz couldn’t shake a lingering sense of unease.  

“Perhaps… that’s true.”  

As Valentine helped Liz into the carriage, he furrowed his brows.  

“Do you think otherwise?”  

Seated in the carriage, Liz hesitated before nodding cautiously.  

“Yes. It felt like there was something more to it.”  

The carriage began to move.  

Valentine stroked his chin and asked,  

“Something more, you say…. Well, if you think so, perhaps there is.”  

Liz possessed remarkable intuition.  

Knowing this, Valentine readily agreed.  

“No, maybe I’m wrong.”  

Liz waved her hands, embarrassed.  

Valentine replied earnestly,  

“Your instincts are never wrong. I know that better than anyone.”  

“Well… let’s ask carefully during our next visit.”  

Liz scratched her cheek.  

Before long, the carriage carrying the two arrived at the estate.  

Unexpectedly, a guest was waiting at Winchester Manor.  

“A guest?”  

“We weren’t expecting anyone today. Could it be a journalist?”  

The two spoke in cautious tones, having recently dealt with persistent reporters.  

“Well… it’s not a journalist.”  

Gerald’s deputy hesitated for a long moment before continuing,  

“It’s Lady Isabel Myra.”  

Liz and Valentine’s expressions hardened.  

The deputy quickly added,  

“Of course, we politely suggested she leave. But she insisted she had something important to say….”  

Valentine spoke curtly.  

“I have no intention of welcoming Myra as a guest. Tell her to leave.”  

“B-but she said she came to see Miss Liz, not you, Your Grace.”  

“That makes it even more inappropriate. I have nothing more to say.”  

Valentine spoke coldly and wrapped an arm around Liz’s shoulders.  

As he was about to pass the deputy, Liz stopped.  

“Wait a moment.”  

Both Valentine and the deputy turned to her.  

Liz mustered her courage and said,  

“May I… may I meet with Lady Isabel?”  

“You?”  

Valentine raised an eyebrow.  

But Liz nodded.  

“Yes. She said she’s my guest, didn’t she?”  

Valentine let out a low sigh.  

Then, he spoke seriously to Liz.  

“Liz. You don’t have to meet her. You’re now in a position where you can do what you want and meet only those you wish to meet.”  

“Thank you, Valentine. But….”  

Liz smiled softly and continued,  

“I know. Winchester is also a position where you have to meet people you don’t want to meet. That’s only true while I’m still your lover.”  

“That’s….”  

Valentine hesitated, at a loss for words.  

Liz smiled again.  

“I’m not forcing myself. I just thought it might be worth talking to her once.”  

Valentine looked quietly at Liz.  

Her gentle smile carried a firm sincerity.  

He knew well that when Liz wore such an expression, he could never win against her.  

Valentine sighed and addressed the deputy.  

“…Prepare refreshments in the guest room. But first, thoroughly check for any potential weapons. Also, ensure two guards are present in the room, and have Liz’s maid Kate accompany her. Reject Lady Isabel Myra’s escorts. If she refuses, send her away immediately. And.”  

Valentine quietly spoke to Liz.  

“You no longer need to call Isabel ‘Lady.’ Do you understand?”  

Liz took a deep breath.  

Though they had yet to hold the ceremony, it was clear to all in Holt that Liz belonged to Winchester.  

One might say she was practically engaged.  

“Are you sure this is alright?”  

“Of course.”  

Valentine nodded firmly.  

Legally, there were no restrictions on marriages between commoners and nobles in Holt.  

It was simply that no high-ranking noble had ever attempted such a union.  

In any case, it seemed there would be no legal hurdles.  

Moreover, public sentiment had shifted positively due to Liz’s brave actions.  

Ultimately, the core issue lay in Liz’s heart.  

Liz quietly closed her eyes, then opened them.  

“Then, I’ll be back.”