“What do you think it means that I came here in person, calling it a private meeting?”
The royal family can never marry a commoner. This was an unwritten rule that had never been broken in the long history of the Keynes Empire, and a written law that no one could break.
“So endure. Endure it no matter how hard it is.”
Ines couldn’t help but nod at the strong tone of voice. Carson hugged her tightly at that action.
“I’m sorry.”
It was an unbelievable word that came out of nowhere. Why was he apologizing to her? Ines shook her head violently from side to side, unable to overcome the emotion that weighed on her heart.
He looked at the Supreme Court Justice again, holding Ines in his arms.
“Ines Swenden will work as a temple maid for three years. And after that, she will be restored to noble status again.”
“Understood.”
“Make sure to write up a proper judgment and send it to me tomorrow.”
After that, Ines couldn’t remember how she got out of that house. All she could feel was Carson’s breath in her arms.
A cold wind blew as she stepped outside. Only after being hit by the cold wind did Ines’ mind clear up a bit. She looked at Carson, who had appeared to personally forgive her sins, with new eyes.
And she recalled a passage from the Bible that felt like fate.
‘I hope that your present suffering will not be compared to his future glory. If he forgives your sins, no one will hold you guilty anymore...’
In the pitch-black night, only the light from his knights illuminated the entire world.
He let no one follow him and put Ines in the carriage. If he sent her back to the temporary facility like this, there would be no time for them to be alone before she left for the temple.
Carson sat down next to her.
“Come here.”
As soon as the door closed, he called her. As Ines approached him without saying anything, he held her tightly in his arms.
“Were you really scared?”
“...”
“Did you hate him that much?”
“That, that is...”
Since the royal family did not raise their heads, he had no choice but to continue speaking in that posture.
“I came here to ask you something separately?”
The chief justice could not say anything. In Landhill and Lesonia, there was only one court that oversaw the two territories. That meant that he, a citizen of Lesonia, was now a vassal of the lord in front of him.
“The royal family does not ask favors of anyone. If it were an order, wouldn’t it be?”
“I’m sorry.”
“No. I can’t blame you for your ignorance. Please sit down.”
As he sat down, the maid who had been hesitating nearby brought them tea. The maid’s hands were trembling as she put down the teacup.
“I just came here because I had a question. The Chief Justice said that if I want to resolve my curiosity, this woman must be with me... I heard it so well, so it is understandable for you to misunderstand.”
Carson turned his head slightly and looked at his aide. Then Noah approached them holding a thick document.
Carson, who arrived at the estate from the palace, first went to her house. His instincts were sharpened by the sense of discomfort he felt when he arrived at Ines’ mansion.
When the recess was declared, Carson met the Chief Justice in person. And he heard the upcoming verdict in advance.
Noah could never forget the face of his master that he saw then. After leaving the Chief Justice’s office, he took out a piece of paper that he had carefully kept deep in his heart. And he completely crumpled it in his hand.
The document was a marriage certificate with the Emperor’s seal. He closed his eyes tightly, chewed his lower lip, and rubbed his face with his dry hand.
And he did not return to the courtroom.
So Noah thought that Carson had given up on Ines. He thought it was right. Even just hearing about it, the woman’s actions were so terrible.
Carson, who had gotten into the carriage, buried his face in his hands and couldn’t raise his head.
It wasn’t the kind of weight of emotion that a man who just felt a little affection and great curiosity would feel.
Carson took a deep breath and moved the hand that had been covering his face to sweep it up to his hair.
And the eyes he met had a completely different color. He immediately returned to his mansion and quickly packed up his men and sent them to the temple library closest to the estate.
“This is the precedent of those who received immunity in return for saving the royal family.”
It was natural that Noah was among them. It wasn’t easy to find such precedents. There weren’t many people who wanted immunity in return for saving the royal family.
However, it wasn’t that there weren’t any. And most of them had committed crimes similar to treason.
The chief justice quickly began to look through the precedents. Since there wasn’t much content, it didn’t take long.
“What about the chief justice? I felt really bad when I saw it...”
The justice shook his pupils while examining the dry saliva, but said nothing.
“I wonder if the position of the royal family in the Keynes Empire has fallen this much in the past few decades.”
“I, I did not mean it that way.”
“Yes, I guess so. But I am just saying that I was very upset because of your decision that did not mean it that way.”
“...”
“The traitor and his son survived, and you treat the crime of attempted murder like this!”
The justice bowed his head again at Carson’s shout. But he did not back down completely.
“Of course, you may think so. But the crime committed by Ines Swenden was too serious. She planned it in advance and...”
“It was not because it was a crime committed by a woman against a man?”
“Yes?”
“The traitor also planned it in advance. He did not give up killing people but took hundreds of lives. Is this woman’s crime worse than that of such a man?”
“...”
“She did not try to usurp the throne for her own desires, and she simply could not help the emotional wounds of being betrayed by her lover. But can we still say that this woman’s crime is worse?”
The Chief Justice bit his lips.
The realm had been abuzz with interest in this woman lately. He wanted to take this opportunity to show people the stern status of the judiciary.
Could it be that in his heart, there was no desire to further reprimand a woman for daring to kill a man?
As a judge, he knew better than anyone else in the world that the laws of the Keynesian Empire were much harsher on women than on men.
“That is not true.”
He was hit hard, and like a man who was guided by the law, he immediately admitted his mistake.
“I heard that you cannot be tried again with the Emperor’s immunity.”
Once the immunity was exercised, an appeal was not allowed. The value of the privilege exceeded the scope of the law.
“Yes.”
“Is it really excessive for me to think that you have ignored the royal family of the Keynes Empire and brought about this result?”
“Absolutely not.”
Carson stood up. Ines followed suit and stood behind him.
“This is my order as the royal family of the Keynes Empire and the lord of your territory.”
The chief justice stood up at the royal family’s order and knelt on one knee.
“Since you dared to treat the immunity granted directly by the royal family as such a trivial weight, I will immediately correct your decision.”
“I will obey your order, Your Highness.”
“Speak.”
“Not all crimes can be forgiven. This is not unrelated to the order of the Keynes Empire. If the court collapses, the people of the empire will be anxious. The prestige of the royal family will not be established either.”
The words of the chief justice were true. Carson also knew that he could not completely forgive her crimes as he prepared for his work.
It was not possible to say that the court was completely independent of power, but it was important for the people of the empire to believe that the law was above all powers. It was also in this context that complete forgiveness of crimes could not be obtained through immunity.
“Three years as a temple maid, or the loss of noble status, one of the two. That is the best I can correct.”
Carson was silent for a moment. Then he slowly turned to her. When their eyes met, he took a deep breath.
“Ines.”
He called her name. Ines’ heart sank, as she had never thought she would be called so affectionately by him again.
“Three years in the temple... Can you endure it?”
Ines could not follow the meaning of his words. As her eyes shook like a ship in a storm, he came closer and grabbed her shoulder.
“Do you know how I feel right now? Does it feel like I’m floating on a paper boat with all my wealth on it in the rough sea? That’s what it means to me to send you there as a maid.”
“Your Highness...”
“But even then, no nobility. That's something you have to keep, okay?”
Since the royal family did not raise their heads, he had no choice but to continue speaking in that posture.
“I came here to ask you something separately?”
The chief justice could not say anything. In Landhill and Lesonia, there was only one court that oversaw the two territories. That meant that he, a citizen of Lesonia, was now a vassal of the lord in front of him.
“The royal family does not ask favors of anyone. If it were an order, wouldn’t it be?”
“I’m sorry.”
“No. I can’t blame you for your ignorance. Please sit down.”
As he sat down, the maid who had been hesitating nearby brought them tea. The maid’s hands were trembling as she put down the teacup.
“I just came here because I had a question. The Chief Justice said that if I want to resolve my curiosity, this woman must be with me... I heard it so well, so it is understandable for you to misunderstand.”
Carson turned his head slightly and looked at his aide. Then Noah approached them holding a thick document.
Carson, who arrived at the estate from the palace, first went to her house. His instincts were sharpened by the sense of discomfort he felt when he arrived at Ines’ mansion.
When the recess was declared, Carson met the Chief Justice in person. And he heard the upcoming verdict in advance.
Noah could never forget the face of his master that he saw then. After leaving the Chief Justice’s office, he took out a piece of paper that he had carefully kept deep in his heart. And he completely crumpled it in his hand.
The document was a marriage certificate with the Emperor’s seal. He closed his eyes tightly, chewed his lower lip, and rubbed his face with his dry hand.
And he did not return to the courtroom.
So Noah thought that Carson had given up on Ines. He thought it was right. Even just hearing about it, the woman’s actions were so terrible.
Carson, who had gotten into the carriage, buried his face in his hands and couldn’t raise his head.
It wasn’t the kind of weight of emotion that a man who just felt a little affection and great curiosity would feel.
Carson took a deep breath and moved the hand that had been covering his face to sweep it up to his hair.
And the eyes he met had a completely different color. He immediately returned to his mansion and quickly packed up his men and sent them to the temple library closest to the estate.
“This is the precedent of those who received immunity in return for saving the royal family.”
It was natural that Noah was among them. It wasn’t easy to find such precedents. There weren’t many people who wanted immunity in return for saving the royal family.
However, it wasn’t that there weren’t any. And most of them had committed crimes similar to treason.
The chief justice quickly began to look through the precedents. Since there wasn’t much content, it didn’t take long.
“What about the chief justice? I felt really bad when I saw it...”
The justice shook his pupils while examining the dry saliva, but said nothing.
“I wonder if the position of the royal family in the Keynes Empire has fallen this much in the past few decades.”
“I, I did not mean it that way.”
“Yes, I guess so. But I am just saying that I was very upset because of your decision that did not mean it that way.”
“...”
“The traitor and his son survived, and you treat the crime of attempted murder like this!”
The justice bowed his head again at Carson’s shout. But he did not back down completely.
“Of course, you may think so. But the crime committed by Ines Swenden was too serious. She planned it in advance and...”
“It was not because it was a crime committed by a woman against a man?”
“Yes?”
“The traitor also planned it in advance. He did not give up killing people but took hundreds of lives. Is this woman’s crime worse than that of such a man?”
“...”
“She did not try to usurp the throne for her own desires, and she simply could not help the emotional wounds of being betrayed by her lover. But can we still say that this woman’s crime is worse?”
The Chief Justice bit his lips.
The realm had been abuzz with interest in this woman lately. He wanted to take this opportunity to show people the stern status of the judiciary.
Could it be that in his heart, there was no desire to further reprimand a woman for daring to kill a man?
As a judge, he knew better than anyone else in the world that the laws of the Keynesian Empire were much harsher on women than on men.
“That is not true.”
He was hit hard, and like a man who was guided by the law, he immediately admitted his mistake.
“I heard that you cannot be tried again with the Emperor’s immunity.”
Once the immunity was exercised, an appeal was not allowed. The value of the privilege exceeded the scope of the law.
“Yes.”
“Is it really excessive for me to think that you have ignored the royal family of the Keynes Empire and brought about this result?”
“Absolutely not.”
Carson stood up. Ines followed suit and stood behind him.
“This is my order as the royal family of the Keynes Empire and the lord of your territory.”
The chief justice stood up at the royal family’s order and knelt on one knee.
“Since you dared to treat the immunity granted directly by the royal family as such a trivial weight, I will immediately correct your decision.”
“I will obey your order, Your Highness.”
“Speak.”
“Not all crimes can be forgiven. This is not unrelated to the order of the Keynes Empire. If the court collapses, the people of the empire will be anxious. The prestige of the royal family will not be established either.”
The words of the chief justice were true. Carson also knew that he could not completely forgive her crimes as he prepared for his work.
It was not possible to say that the court was completely independent of power, but it was important for the people of the empire to believe that the law was above all powers. It was also in this context that complete forgiveness of crimes could not be obtained through immunity.
“Three years as a temple maid, or the loss of noble status, one of the two. That is the best I can correct.”
Carson was silent for a moment. Then he slowly turned to her. When their eyes met, he took a deep breath.
“Ines.”
He called her name. Ines’ heart sank, as she had never thought she would be called so affectionately by him again.
“Three years in the temple... Can you endure it?”
Ines could not follow the meaning of his words. As her eyes shook like a ship in a storm, he came closer and grabbed her shoulder.
“Do you know how I feel right now? Does it feel like I’m floating on a paper boat with all my wealth on it in the rough sea? That’s what it means to me to send you there as a maid.”
“Your Highness...”
“But even then, no nobility. That's something you have to keep, okay?”
The royal family can never marry a commoner. This was an unwritten rule that had never been broken in the long history of the Keynes Empire, and a written law that no one could break.
“So endure. Endure it no matter how hard it is.”
Ines couldn’t help but nod at the strong tone of voice. Carson hugged her tightly at that action.
“I’m sorry.”
It was an unbelievable word that came out of nowhere. Why was he apologizing to her? Ines shook her head violently from side to side, unable to overcome the emotion that weighed on her heart.
He looked at the Supreme Court Justice again, holding Ines in his arms.
“Ines Swenden will work as a temple maid for three years. And after that, she will be restored to noble status again.”
“Understood.”
“Make sure to write up a proper judgment and send it to me tomorrow.”
After that, Ines couldn’t remember how she got out of that house. All she could feel was Carson’s breath in her arms.
A cold wind blew as she stepped outside. Only after being hit by the cold wind did Ines’ mind clear up a bit. She looked at Carson, who had appeared to personally forgive her sins, with new eyes.
And she recalled a passage from the Bible that felt like fate.
‘I hope that your present suffering will not be compared to his future glory. If he forgives your sins, no one will hold you guilty anymore...’
In the pitch-black night, only the light from his knights illuminated the entire world.
He let no one follow him and put Ines in the carriage. If he sent her back to the temporary facility like this, there would be no time for them to be alone before she left for the temple.
Carson sat down next to her.
“Come here.”
As soon as the door closed, he called her. As Ines approached him without saying anything, he held her tightly in his arms.
“Were you really scared?”
“...”
“Did you hate him that much?”
Who was he talking about? While Ines was unable to find the answer she needed to give, he continued.
“But don’t tell me. If you had, I would have taken care of it myself...”
Only then did Ines realize that the person he was talking about was Joseph?
“Did you really want to do it with your own hands?”
In the end, Ines burst into tears. He had understood even her feelings.
“I was wrong...”
“Don’t say that. I told you not to apologize anymore.”
“Only to the lord, only to the lord.”
“Carson.”
“Yes?”
“Call me Carson. I won’t be able to call you that for a while.”
But the name wouldn’t come out as if someone had choked her throat. When Ines blinked in embarrassment, Carson snickered.
“Yes, then do it later. Later... I’ll wait.”
“Will you meet me again?”
“I thought you might meet me somewhere.”
Ines bowed her head at those words. He hugged her again.
“At least you didn’t kill him. Otherwise, I would have been in real trouble.”
“You told me not to cause trouble...”
“That’s why you held it in?”
“Yes...”
Carson ended up laughing out loud.
“Good job.”
It didn’t matter how horrible a crime she had planned and carried out. He just thought that he could sit in the moonlit carriage and talk again. As long as she was safe, that was all that mattered.
“But don’t tell me. If you had, I would have taken care of it myself...”
Only then did Ines realize that the person he was talking about was Joseph?
“Did you really want to do it with your own hands?”
In the end, Ines burst into tears. He had understood even her feelings.
“I was wrong...”
“Don’t say that. I told you not to apologize anymore.”
“Only to the lord, only to the lord.”
“Carson.”
“Yes?”
“Call me Carson. I won’t be able to call you that for a while.”
But the name wouldn’t come out as if someone had choked her throat. When Ines blinked in embarrassment, Carson snickered.
“Yes, then do it later. Later... I’ll wait.”
“Will you meet me again?”
“I thought you might meet me somewhere.”
Ines bowed her head at those words. He hugged her again.
“At least you didn’t kill him. Otherwise, I would have been in real trouble.”
“You told me not to cause trouble...”
“That’s why you held it in?”
“Yes...”
Carson ended up laughing out loud.
“Good job.”
It didn’t matter how horrible a crime she had planned and carried out. He just thought that he could sit in the moonlit carriage and talk again. As long as she was safe, that was all that mattered.
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