News arrived that this body's biological father, Admiral Winston Claire, had committed suicide. In truth, coming all the way here to reveal everything was tantamount to suicide. I knew all along that he had lost Celine to his own greed and had lost his will to live, leading him to seek his own death.
Of course, beyond the fact that he was my biological father, there was no bond of blood or affection. My only feelings of loss were those of the ordinary life I would lose with his confession. It was closer to resentment, mixed with irritation. Even though he had atoned for the Queen and Celine with his death, to me, he was nothing more than a villain who would continue to screw me over. He was nothing more or less than the mastermind.
“You left me alone for no reason. When Noah said he would kill you, I should have killed you a long time ago...”
I was wandering around my room alone, frantically, startled by a terrifying thought, and I froze in place, covering my mouth. A ripple of emotion coursed through my mind. How could my character have become so broken? Sometimes, I secretly wish to kill, to kill myself, but the words I'd just spoken were undeniably sincere. Why did I come to regard death so lightly? I, too, feel like I'm becoming a monster, disregarding life.
But if I didn't, I'd faced the reality of death countless times. I was confused, even I, about how I should live. This was a world where generosity and mercy were the privileges of only the powerful. Mercy for the weak was like giving them a beating. It was a system where the powerful ruled and exploited the weak under the guise of protection. This also happened between nations. Could this be why Noah insisted on staying in Medea, the highest-ranking nation? Could it be that he was trying to make me the heir to the throne, too?
Knock knock.
Noah peeked his head through the crack in the open door with a knock that shook my thoughts away.
“Are you ready?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Let’s go. The trial is at 3 o’clock.”
Today is the day of Erita's final verdict. The discontent that had been building among the court ladies and noble maids who had served the foul-tempered Princess exploded into a torrent of unfiltered accusations and revelations as soon as her ugly truth was revealed, like a dam bursting open. Medea's press, in addition to the revealed crimes, reported every little detail about her misdeeds, whether true or not.
People, focused on the fact that she was a "fake," loathed and hated Erita for tarnishing the honor of their beloved Queen. No one blamed the government and royal family for their cover-up. It was absolutely unacceptable that a woman from a poor family, who didn't even know her parents, would cooperate with Frogen and pretend to be a noble Princess.
"A lowly devil who pretends to be a Princess will fall into hell."
"Frogen's dog, a witch from a filthy slum brothel. She deserves to be burned alive as a medieval punishment."
On my way to the courthouse, I turned away, overwhelmed by the sight of Erita's photos and posters plastered with insults and accusations on every wall. It sent a chill down my spine. I feared how they would react if my flaws were revealed after I became a Princess. They might attack and slander Noah, a former Frogen, simply because he was my husband.
Actually, I wasn't particularly bothered by the negative attention directed at me, but I felt Noah would rather hear it than me. After arriving at the Supreme Court, filling out the attendance list, and entering the lobby, I felt a cold stare. I turned my head and saw Esmeralda, arms crossed, facing me. Her gaze was fixed squarely on me, and her lips moved silently.
"Killer."
I stood there, facing Esmeralda, trying to ask her what she meant, but she quickly turned away and walked away. Led by Noah's hand, I entered the courtroom.
Erita's death sentence was practically certain. No one actively sought her innocence or a reduced sentence, and having received only the help and care of others throughout her life, she lacked the power to overturn the verdict on her own. As the sentence was to be pronounced, Queen Grace II was present in the courtroom. There was a whisper of regal virtue, suggesting she might grant her a special pardon and absolve her from the death penalty. The solemn judge turned to the defendant, Erita, and asked.
“Defendant, do you have any final words before the verdict?”
Her collarbone was exposed, her cheeks sunken, like a sick person dragged from a hospital bed, but her large eyes, consumed by rage, gleamed with a fierce intensity. Her sharp, sharp blue eyes glanced at the Queen, then turned and faced me. Her index finger, half-fingernailless and covered in scratches, was no different.
"Yes. Noah Rotsilt, a former Frogen officer, and Admiral Belford's daughter Diana, are also involved in this incident."
The judge's stern gaze, beneath his narrowed eyebrows, followed the finger pointing at us while wearing a rope.
“Defendant, please continue.”
Erita, who had been furiously wrinkling her nose, had a strangely relieved expression. Like a cornered rat biting a cat, she was determined to somehow draw us in with her final, desperate struggle before dying.
"Frogen is now declared a war criminal nation, including for its past genocide and this invasion. How can we trust a high-ranking officer from there? Furthermore, this country, which even accepted asylum from Belford's Medea, is not in its right mind."
The judge, who seemed to dismiss the remark as nonsense because it was far off topic, opened his mouth in annoyance.
"Please refrain from making comments unrelated to the trial. And, please refrain from defaming or insulting others with baseless statements..."
"What use are insults and defamation when I'm going to be executed anyway? I'm telling you because I know Noah Rotsilt has been secretly conspiring with Emperor Frogen's illegitimate son, Mastiff Argentino! What's the evidence? Why did the Frogen woman who was supposed to be Diana's nanny suddenly disappear? Why did Admiral Claire, who approached me offering to help, change his tune and confess everything?"
The Queen stared at Erita in silence. Her words poured out incessantly through her dry, chapped lips.
"Diana, that devilish woman followed her husband to the Frogen faction and betrayed her own father! The circumstances speak for themselves! This is all a false accusation, designed to sow chaos in the country and destabilize the royal family. I am the true Princess. I am Her Majesty's daughter. I have lived my entire life as Princess Elita Spencer Grace!"
The judge didn't stop her from screaming at the top of her lungs, her throat bulging. The shouting eventually died down, but Erita's face grew even more evil as she gritted her teeth.
Her public defender showed very little will.
"It seems necessary to review the issues and investigate the individuals mentioned in the defendant's claims. Wouldn't it be better to postpone the verdict and resume the trial after the investigation?"
Beginning with someone's sigh, the audience in the gallery began to murmur, creating a commotion that filled the courtroom. The judge's furrowed brow deepened.
"Everyone, please remain quiet. I have determined that the defendant's claims require further investigation. Therefore, I will postpone the verdict and return in four days."
The judge, who had declared a recess, rose from his seat, and the murmurs of those in the gallery suddenly grew louder. Even though they were hearing the same words, each person's judgment and perspective were different, and contrasting opinions were flying around. Some looked in surprise, eyes wide, others clucked their tongues, as if it were a delusion, and others eloquently argued with their opponents, claiming they had a point. The Queen sat solemnly, betraying no emotion.
As Erita, who was being held by the guards and walking away, suddenly stopped and turned around, the once-crowded courtroom suddenly fell silent. The judge, who had been getting up to gather his documents, stopped moving and stared at her. Erita's upturned eyes were fixed on the judge.
"As a judge, you can't even make a judgment on something like that here? What if I'm proven innocent?"
The judge, who had been standing awkwardly, took a step back and furrowed his brow, his pride apparently hurt. He adjusted his wig and gestured to the guards to quickly take Erita out.
“Wait! I’m telling you to arrest that vicious woman and proceed with the investigation!”
Erita, gripped by the guard's cruel grip, screamed and writhed as she was dragged away, glaring at me incessantly. From beginning to end, I was the object of her hatred and resentment. Even leading up to her dethronement and execution, and clinging to Noah to the very end, trying to drag him down, was all about wishing for him and me to be separated. It was like a desperate struggle, a desperate attempt to crush our cracked bodies together before they crumble apart.
It's not that I completely understand the desperate state of mind facing death, but I can't empathize. I furrowed my brow nervously. If she wasn't kind, at least she was smart. If she had, she would have lived a smooth, unchanging life as a Princess, enjoying wealth and honor. Noah and I wouldn't have had to go down the ship of our smooth daily lives.
“Your Honor, the defendant has a point.”
A voice came from the back of the gallery. People turned their heads to see Esmeralda standing there with one hand raised, her expression solemn.
"It's right to arrest Countess Rotsilt on the spot and conduct an investigation. By the way, the detective is over there."
"Esmeralda Harrison. Why do you insist on excluding Sir Noah Rotsilt, a Frogen?"
"Yes, Your Honor. As a member of the Harrison family, I have investigated to find the true Princess. Count Rotsilt is innocent. He has assisted her, including by handing over evidence to Aunt Maria Reuben, who previously represented Esat in international defense. It's highly likely that the Frogen side deliberately brought Diana Claire close to him to monitor or eliminate him, a betrayer of his country."
At this point, it's a hellish trial. No, it's a mess. It's so ridiculous that such nonsense is even tolerated. In a courtroom where a murderer's punishment is being discussed, an audience member suddenly barges in and accuses someone else of the crime. They don't stop her, and instead cheer her on. Perhaps it's because she comes from a high-ranking family and is the daughter of someone important. I don't understand why they're suddenly putting me on trial.
“Esmeralda, don’t come out.”
Esmeralda was completely unwavering in her attitude despite the dissuasion of her aunt, Countess Ruben.
“Decisively.”
Esmeralda spoke forcefully, raising one hand high as if to determine the judgment of all circumstances and public opinion. In that hand was a rectangular envelope.
"This is proof that Diana Claire is a Frogen associate. I've had my suspicions for some time, so I sent someone to investigate her activities. She appears to have close ties to Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Groenendaal of Belford. As you know, Admiral Claire was pro-Frogen, and the Lieutenant Colonel is his son-in-law."
You've been attached to me? Since when? My mouth fell open slightly in embarrassment. Esmeralda, with an arrogant smile, adjusted her glasses and turned to me, asking pointedly.
"Mrs. Rotsilt, you met Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Groenendaal, who recently entered the country illegally in Belford?"
Of course, beyond the fact that he was my biological father, there was no bond of blood or affection. My only feelings of loss were those of the ordinary life I would lose with his confession. It was closer to resentment, mixed with irritation. Even though he had atoned for the Queen and Celine with his death, to me, he was nothing more than a villain who would continue to screw me over. He was nothing more or less than the mastermind.
“You left me alone for no reason. When Noah said he would kill you, I should have killed you a long time ago...”
I was wandering around my room alone, frantically, startled by a terrifying thought, and I froze in place, covering my mouth. A ripple of emotion coursed through my mind. How could my character have become so broken? Sometimes, I secretly wish to kill, to kill myself, but the words I'd just spoken were undeniably sincere. Why did I come to regard death so lightly? I, too, feel like I'm becoming a monster, disregarding life.
But if I didn't, I'd faced the reality of death countless times. I was confused, even I, about how I should live. This was a world where generosity and mercy were the privileges of only the powerful. Mercy for the weak was like giving them a beating. It was a system where the powerful ruled and exploited the weak under the guise of protection. This also happened between nations. Could this be why Noah insisted on staying in Medea, the highest-ranking nation? Could it be that he was trying to make me the heir to the throne, too?
Knock knock.
Noah peeked his head through the crack in the open door with a knock that shook my thoughts away.
“Are you ready?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Let’s go. The trial is at 3 o’clock.”
***
Today is the day of Erita's final verdict. The discontent that had been building among the court ladies and noble maids who had served the foul-tempered Princess exploded into a torrent of unfiltered accusations and revelations as soon as her ugly truth was revealed, like a dam bursting open. Medea's press, in addition to the revealed crimes, reported every little detail about her misdeeds, whether true or not.
People, focused on the fact that she was a "fake," loathed and hated Erita for tarnishing the honor of their beloved Queen. No one blamed the government and royal family for their cover-up. It was absolutely unacceptable that a woman from a poor family, who didn't even know her parents, would cooperate with Frogen and pretend to be a noble Princess.
"A lowly devil who pretends to be a Princess will fall into hell."
"Frogen's dog, a witch from a filthy slum brothel. She deserves to be burned alive as a medieval punishment."
On my way to the courthouse, I turned away, overwhelmed by the sight of Erita's photos and posters plastered with insults and accusations on every wall. It sent a chill down my spine. I feared how they would react if my flaws were revealed after I became a Princess. They might attack and slander Noah, a former Frogen, simply because he was my husband.
Actually, I wasn't particularly bothered by the negative attention directed at me, but I felt Noah would rather hear it than me. After arriving at the Supreme Court, filling out the attendance list, and entering the lobby, I felt a cold stare. I turned my head and saw Esmeralda, arms crossed, facing me. Her gaze was fixed squarely on me, and her lips moved silently.
"Killer."
I stood there, facing Esmeralda, trying to ask her what she meant, but she quickly turned away and walked away. Led by Noah's hand, I entered the courtroom.
Erita's death sentence was practically certain. No one actively sought her innocence or a reduced sentence, and having received only the help and care of others throughout her life, she lacked the power to overturn the verdict on her own. As the sentence was to be pronounced, Queen Grace II was present in the courtroom. There was a whisper of regal virtue, suggesting she might grant her a special pardon and absolve her from the death penalty. The solemn judge turned to the defendant, Erita, and asked.
“Defendant, do you have any final words before the verdict?”
Her collarbone was exposed, her cheeks sunken, like a sick person dragged from a hospital bed, but her large eyes, consumed by rage, gleamed with a fierce intensity. Her sharp, sharp blue eyes glanced at the Queen, then turned and faced me. Her index finger, half-fingernailless and covered in scratches, was no different.
"Yes. Noah Rotsilt, a former Frogen officer, and Admiral Belford's daughter Diana, are also involved in this incident."
The judge's stern gaze, beneath his narrowed eyebrows, followed the finger pointing at us while wearing a rope.
“Defendant, please continue.”
Erita, who had been furiously wrinkling her nose, had a strangely relieved expression. Like a cornered rat biting a cat, she was determined to somehow draw us in with her final, desperate struggle before dying.
"Frogen is now declared a war criminal nation, including for its past genocide and this invasion. How can we trust a high-ranking officer from there? Furthermore, this country, which even accepted asylum from Belford's Medea, is not in its right mind."
The judge, who seemed to dismiss the remark as nonsense because it was far off topic, opened his mouth in annoyance.
"Please refrain from making comments unrelated to the trial. And, please refrain from defaming or insulting others with baseless statements..."
"What use are insults and defamation when I'm going to be executed anyway? I'm telling you because I know Noah Rotsilt has been secretly conspiring with Emperor Frogen's illegitimate son, Mastiff Argentino! What's the evidence? Why did the Frogen woman who was supposed to be Diana's nanny suddenly disappear? Why did Admiral Claire, who approached me offering to help, change his tune and confess everything?"
The Queen stared at Erita in silence. Her words poured out incessantly through her dry, chapped lips.
"Diana, that devilish woman followed her husband to the Frogen faction and betrayed her own father! The circumstances speak for themselves! This is all a false accusation, designed to sow chaos in the country and destabilize the royal family. I am the true Princess. I am Her Majesty's daughter. I have lived my entire life as Princess Elita Spencer Grace!"
The judge didn't stop her from screaming at the top of her lungs, her throat bulging. The shouting eventually died down, but Erita's face grew even more evil as she gritted her teeth.
Her public defender showed very little will.
"It seems necessary to review the issues and investigate the individuals mentioned in the defendant's claims. Wouldn't it be better to postpone the verdict and resume the trial after the investigation?"
Beginning with someone's sigh, the audience in the gallery began to murmur, creating a commotion that filled the courtroom. The judge's furrowed brow deepened.
"Everyone, please remain quiet. I have determined that the defendant's claims require further investigation. Therefore, I will postpone the verdict and return in four days."
The judge, who had declared a recess, rose from his seat, and the murmurs of those in the gallery suddenly grew louder. Even though they were hearing the same words, each person's judgment and perspective were different, and contrasting opinions were flying around. Some looked in surprise, eyes wide, others clucked their tongues, as if it were a delusion, and others eloquently argued with their opponents, claiming they had a point. The Queen sat solemnly, betraying no emotion.
As Erita, who was being held by the guards and walking away, suddenly stopped and turned around, the once-crowded courtroom suddenly fell silent. The judge, who had been getting up to gather his documents, stopped moving and stared at her. Erita's upturned eyes were fixed on the judge.
"As a judge, you can't even make a judgment on something like that here? What if I'm proven innocent?"
The judge, who had been standing awkwardly, took a step back and furrowed his brow, his pride apparently hurt. He adjusted his wig and gestured to the guards to quickly take Erita out.
“Wait! I’m telling you to arrest that vicious woman and proceed with the investigation!”
Erita, gripped by the guard's cruel grip, screamed and writhed as she was dragged away, glaring at me incessantly. From beginning to end, I was the object of her hatred and resentment. Even leading up to her dethronement and execution, and clinging to Noah to the very end, trying to drag him down, was all about wishing for him and me to be separated. It was like a desperate struggle, a desperate attempt to crush our cracked bodies together before they crumble apart.
It's not that I completely understand the desperate state of mind facing death, but I can't empathize. I furrowed my brow nervously. If she wasn't kind, at least she was smart. If she had, she would have lived a smooth, unchanging life as a Princess, enjoying wealth and honor. Noah and I wouldn't have had to go down the ship of our smooth daily lives.
“Your Honor, the defendant has a point.”
A voice came from the back of the gallery. People turned their heads to see Esmeralda standing there with one hand raised, her expression solemn.
"It's right to arrest Countess Rotsilt on the spot and conduct an investigation. By the way, the detective is over there."
"Esmeralda Harrison. Why do you insist on excluding Sir Noah Rotsilt, a Frogen?"
"Yes, Your Honor. As a member of the Harrison family, I have investigated to find the true Princess. Count Rotsilt is innocent. He has assisted her, including by handing over evidence to Aunt Maria Reuben, who previously represented Esat in international defense. It's highly likely that the Frogen side deliberately brought Diana Claire close to him to monitor or eliminate him, a betrayer of his country."
At this point, it's a hellish trial. No, it's a mess. It's so ridiculous that such nonsense is even tolerated. In a courtroom where a murderer's punishment is being discussed, an audience member suddenly barges in and accuses someone else of the crime. They don't stop her, and instead cheer her on. Perhaps it's because she comes from a high-ranking family and is the daughter of someone important. I don't understand why they're suddenly putting me on trial.
“Esmeralda, don’t come out.”
Esmeralda was completely unwavering in her attitude despite the dissuasion of her aunt, Countess Ruben.
“Decisively.”
Esmeralda spoke forcefully, raising one hand high as if to determine the judgment of all circumstances and public opinion. In that hand was a rectangular envelope.
"This is proof that Diana Claire is a Frogen associate. I've had my suspicions for some time, so I sent someone to investigate her activities. She appears to have close ties to Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Groenendaal of Belford. As you know, Admiral Claire was pro-Frogen, and the Lieutenant Colonel is his son-in-law."
You've been attached to me? Since when? My mouth fell open slightly in embarrassment. Esmeralda, with an arrogant smile, adjusted her glasses and turned to me, asking pointedly.
"Mrs. Rotsilt, you met Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Groenendaal, who recently entered the country illegally in Belford?"
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