“Evienrose...!”
Brigitte gave Eve, who had come alone without any attendants or escorts, a warm welcome. Of course, Eve had a calm expression on her face, without any agitation.
Brigitte gave Eve, who had come alone without any attendants or escorts, a warm welcome. Of course, Eve had a calm expression on her face, without any agitation.
“I came to say goodbye because I think this will be the last time I see you.”
“Don’t be so disgusting! You must have come to make fun of me!”
“Well, that was also my intention.”
Eve admitted it plainly and immediately lowered her voice. Brigitte couldn't control her anger and her face turned red and blue.
“You know, Brigitte.”
Eve took a step closer. Eve and Brigitte were now face to face, with the iron bars between them.
At this, Brigitte almost took a step back. Contrary to her gentle face, this younger sister, who was not at all easygoing, was instinctively making her feel intimidated.
“What, what is it?”
It was when Brigitte tried to act as if nothing had happened that Eve began to reveal her secret story.
“It was really hard to save the country from ruin because of you.”
"What?"
“No matter how much I think about it, I feel like the title of hero of the nation should be earned not by subduing the demon dragon, but by putting you in prison. To be honest, it was a little harder to catch you than to catch the demon dragon.”
“What on earth are you talking about?”
“That’s just how it is. I don’t know if there will be a next life, but if there is, I hope you don’t try to do anything, and just live a good and quiet life. Otherwise...
Eve whispered softly.
“Because I will drag you down again in that life.”
Eve looked relieved as if she had said everything she wanted to say. Of course, Brigitte, who didn't understand the context, got the hang of it and just kept going wild.
“What nonsense are you talking about! Do you think you’ve already won everything?!”
“Yeah. No?”
“No way! It’s not over yet. Don’t forget that the trial that opens tomorrow will be held in front of all the nobles and that the Emperor himself will be present!”
“So?”
“How peaceful! Do you think you’ll be safe if I reveal that you’re joining hands with Michaelis Agnito and inciting the homunculus?!”
“Hmm.”
“The Imperial Guard is the Emperor’s own legion protected by the Imperial Law. How dare you, a mere Princess, try to control it for your own personal gain! If Father finds out about the truth, he will punish you for treason!”
Eve nodded.
“It is a fatal accusation.”
“I know..."
“But that would only be if Father believed you, right?”
Brigitte flinched. Judging by the violent twitching of her eyes, it seemed that she wasn't completely incapable of being objective about the credit she had built up.
“Looking at your expression, it seems like you lack confidence too.”
“That, that can’t be! Do you think you can ignore the official statement made by the Third Princess of the Empire?!”
"Well."
“What I am trying to reveal is the truth! The truth will always triumph!”
“Yeah, okay.”
Eve turned around one last time, responding without any enthusiasm.
“I think I’ve said enough hello, so I’ll go. See you tomorrow, Sister.”
Bridgette, who was left alone in the dungeon that was like a sewer, became anxious. She waved her hand outside the iron bars.
“W-Wait! I haven’t finished what I said yet! How dare you turn your back on the Princess and leave first! Come back! Come back quickly!”
The evil cries that no one heard echoed in the dungeon where he was alone.
It was midnight when Eve came out to the ground alone. The silhouettes of the gardeners shone in the pouring moonlight. Between them, the one who had been waiting for her took a step forward and appeared.
“Eve.”
“Michael.”
The lovers, holding hands naturally, crossed the garden.
“Have you relieved your stress sufficiently?”
“Yeah. I just scratched the surface a bit.”
“In moderation? You are so generous.”
Michael gently kissed Eve's hand, which was entangled with his fingers, and pretended to vent his anger.
“In your past life, wasn’t she your half-sister who, if you had bothered her, would have sold you to an old King in a faraway land? I would have scratched you until your clothes were about to burst.”
“Michael.”
The lovers, holding hands naturally, crossed the garden.
“Have you relieved your stress sufficiently?”
“Yeah. I just scratched the surface a bit.”
“In moderation? You are so generous.”
Michael gently kissed Eve's hand, which was entangled with his fingers, and pretended to vent his anger.
“In your past life, wasn’t she your half-sister who, if you had bothered her, would have sold you to an old King in a faraway land? I would have scratched you until your clothes were about to burst.”
“Oh, now that I think about it, that kind of thing happened too.”
“That’s something. It was quite an important matter to just brush off like that.”
“I know. That’s why Michael rushed to rebel in my past life.”
Michael's eyes widened slightly at Eve's words, then closed gently.
“Seeing through even that.”
“I’ve become more perceptive. I’m not me of my past life.”
The two of them laughed heartily, their foreheads touching.
What Eve promised with serious eyes was this:
“Don’t worry about Brigette. Tomorrow, I won’t just scratch it; I’ll dig it up.”
The next day, at the crack of dawn, all the high-ranking nobles of the empire entered the palace without exception.
The courthouse located in the southern palace was as large as a circular stadium.
Faced with an unprecedented situation, there were no empty seats and people had to stand to watch.
The nobles' mouths were restless in the face of the chaotic situation. Their lowered whispers created a tumultuous commotion.
'She's the Third Princess who could even make a bird drop, and she's being tried in public...'
'Have you seen the charges? They are endless.'
'They say there are also sins that haven't been revealed yet. What on earth are they...?'
Meanwhile, some were quietly keeping their seats. In the special seats, Eve calmly waited for the trial to begin. Alben and Michael were also in the seats next to her.
“His Majesty the Emperor enter!”
Desmond II, in his formal attire, sat on the lofty bench of the judge.
On the walls to the left and right of the judgment seat were huge reliefs of the scales of justice and the sword of judgment, respectively.
The figure of Desmond II, holding scales and a sword on his left and right was truly a living law. The Emperor, the supreme ruler of the empire, was originally such a being. The small details of the trial were handled by the chief justice and the chancellor.
“Sinner, Brigitte Agnes Hadelaamid, stand down!”
“Ugh!”
Brigitte, who had been dragged in, was forcibly lifted up by the knights on both sides. A little further away, Viscount Fritz and Marquis Lamekal were also called in as witnesses.
Unlike Brigitte, who had nothing to do but scream in prison, Viscount Fritz and Marquis Lamekal looked exhausted from the long interrogation.
The justice began reading the first page of the thick document.
“The charges against the sinner, Brigitte Agnes Hadelamid, are as follows: desertion from military duty, mutiny and false accusation, instigation of murder of a member of the Imperial Family, attempted murder of a commoner and special larceny, breach of Imperial secrets and abuse of power in political and economic crimes, violation of the Black Alchemy Act about the illegal manufacture and distribution of potions, violation of the duty to maintain dignity according to the Imperial Family Code of Ethics..."
Heavy charges flowed out endlessly. The nobles gasped everywhere.
“I will indict you on all 81 charges!”
The Chief Justice glanced at Brigitte. She was staring into space with her eyes wide open.
“Ahem! Then I will start with the violation of the Military Criminal Act, Your Highness the Third Princess.”
The evidence prepared over three days was perfect, without a single flaw. This trial was more of an exhibition of Brigitte's crimes than a legal battle.
When the Supreme Court judge announced the charges, the process of bringing evidence or calling witnesses to give statements was repeated.
For the first charge, knights including Elijah and Snorret of Brigitte appeared as witnesses. Elijah's testimony, in particular, was certainly credible due to his status as a direct knight.
At this point, Elijah joined forces with Snorret to bring the truth behind Derek's death back to the surface. The nobles in attendance were shocked.
“Ah, no! How could you drive your own family to death...!”
“What more so when they were on your side! Even villains have a duty to their subjects!”
“If it’s for a purpose, you can’t even see anything else!”
The justice barely managed to calm the crowd before moving on to the next charge.
This time it was for attempted murder and aggravated larceny.
Three men and women, who appeared to be commoners, stood timidly in the witness box. They were survivors of the first village that Brigette had plundered.
“A shabby woman threatened us, claiming to be the Third Princess, demanding food and bathing water. When we refused, she used attack magic to seriously injure eleven villagers.”
“Wow, I ran away in fear, and when I came back I found that all the food left in the village had disappeared. It was the last food that the 57 villagers had to save... Ahhhhhh!”
“Thank goodness Her Highness the 7th Princess showed up a few days later, otherwise we would all have starved to death!”
The sullen prime minister pointed to Brigette and asked the witnesses.
“Was that woman by any chance that person?”
“Ah...! That arrogant face! I remember it!”
“That’s right! That woman, oh, no, that’s her!”
The audience seats were in chaos again.
“How can the royal family, who are supposed to look after and protect the people, do this!”
“Ah, as a noble who practices noblesse oblige, I lament! I lament!”
Next was the charge of leaking royal secrets and abuse of power against political and economic criminals, that is, involvement in the corruption committed by Lamekal.
A large-scale investigation by the royal court revealed that Brigitte had been using her position as the third princess to leak information about the royal family to Chansley and Lamekal.
In addition, the results of the investigation by the Treasury showed that Lamekal was buying and selling the selection of the royal-commissioned business.
It was discovered that a significant portion of the bribes received went to Brigitte through Empress Remieux.
The nobles of the capital exploded with indignation.
“It is impossible for the royal family, who are supposed to be setting an example, to do this!”
“That’s right! Is it really necessary to pollute the politics of the Imperial City like this by putting Lamekal, who is no different from the devil’s servant, at the forefront?!”
“Ha! The wounds Chansley caused have not even healed yet!”
It was at that moment that someone brought up the case of the Marquis Chansley, another of Brigitte's henchmen.
The chief justice recited the final list of charges with a somber face.
“Next, I will question you on the charges of violating the laws related to black alchemy... that is, the charges of involvement in a human trafficking cartel.”
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