I will note that the Duchess planned it quite well – she could already see that the boy is infatuated with the girl, and if he wasn’t, she wouldn’t have gone ahead with the plan and instead used something different.
If he hadn’t shown up, she would have intervened to pressure the boy.
If he had shown up but chosen not to step forwards, it still benefits the ducal family but also would sear the regret and guilt in his head and made him rethink every time he chose to carelessly accuse without proof or to punish carelessly. But it would have been a lesson learned harshly, at the cost of an innocent girl’s life. (Again, she may have intervened afterwards, but it certainly would have been scarring)
Fortunately, she didn’t judge wrong, and Jace chose to give himself up when thrown a lifeline.
Despite having been manipulated into it, Jace still did the crime, and Mirinae still carried it out – if there is no punishment, how would people learn? Of course, Mirinae was under orders from a noble and had little choice.
It’s a harsh lesson that could have had even permanent consequences and will even with the best outcome still have permanent consequences. But at least there are more positive outcomes than negatives, such as Jace finally learning the responsibility of being a “noble” along with the power it commands.
Red225
And there we go.
It was not quite a perfect setup.
I will note that the Duchess planned it quite well – she could already see that the boy is infatuated with the girl, and if he wasn’t, she wouldn’t have gone ahead with the plan and instead used something different.
If he hadn’t shown up, she would have intervened to pressure the boy.
If he had shown up but chosen not to step forwards, it still benefits the ducal family but also would sear the regret and guilt in his head and made him rethink every time he chose to carelessly accuse without proof or to punish carelessly. But it would have been a lesson learned harshly, at the cost of an innocent girl’s life. (Again, she may have intervened afterwards, but it certainly would have been scarring)
Fortunately, she didn’t judge wrong, and Jace chose to give himself up when thrown a lifeline.
Despite having been manipulated into it, Jace still did the crime, and Mirinae still carried it out – if there is no punishment, how would people learn? Of course, Mirinae was under orders from a noble and had little choice.
It’s a harsh lesson that could have had even permanent consequences and will even with the best outcome still have permanent consequences. But at least there are more positive outcomes than negatives, such as Jace finally learning the responsibility of being a “noble” along with the power it commands.