Episode 157. Doana's Trial
A downpour was falling through the lush, deserted forest path.
Thick raindrops mercilessly soaked the ground.
The pitter-patter of raindrops formed thin puddles.
In the darkness of the night, through the torrential rain that obscured his vision, he could faintly see something.
Something with black fur was crouching.
It was too long to be a wild beast, too docile to be a monster.
He cautiously took each step, step by step, treading on the muddy ground.
The closer he got, the stranger it felt.
It wasn't a beast.
It was a person. A long, pale hand protruded from the black blanket.
The delicate, white hand was covered in mud.
He stood still and stared down at it.
Not a single finger moved.
It was clearly unconscious, or dead.
He bent down and gently lifted the blanket.
A woman had collapsed.
Judging by her condition, she must have been dead for several days.
Her expensive-looking black dress was strangely clean.
It was pristine, unspotted.
Her hair was tangled messily beside her slender face.
His heart pounded madly.
His hands trembled, and her breath hitched.
The woman lying there seemed incredibly familiar.
Her pastel pink hair was soaked with mud.
“Rose!”
Grand Duke Artaeum shouted Rose’s name and stood up.
His entire body was drenched in sweat.
Cold sweat trickled down his damp hair.
Grand Duke Artaeum breathed heavily and looked around.
“...Damn it.”
He had another dream.
A dream of Rose dying.
In fact, this wasn’t the first time.
Similar dreams had been recurring for several days.
And it wasn’t just a dream. Occasionally, he vividly pictured Rose dying before his eyes.
“...”
Grand Duke Artaeum chewed his lower lip.
He knew Rose was safe.
He'd heard enough good news that she was safe.
But why did these dreams choke him with anxiety?
Grand Duke Artaeum took a deep breath and lowered his head. He then slowly ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair.
Truthfully, something was bothering him.
'...The curse on Eric.'
Duke Artaeum recalled the curse he had placed on Eric.
This curse constantly showed the subject their greatest fear.
...As if he were now witnessing Rose's death. Could it be that he was inflicting the same curse on the magician?
Grand Duke Artaeum closed his eyes, his emotions complicated.
A few days after casting the curse, this strange phenomenon began.
'Is the curse on Eric having any effect?'
Damn it.
He didn't want to see Rose's death, not even in his dreams.
Grand Duke Artaeum slowly sat up.
The blanket covering his body slid limply down. The Grand Duke trudged toward the window. It was still early morning, barely a light day.
Staring blankly out the window, the Grand Duke muttered to himself,
"So, today is it."
Today was the day of Doana's trial.
She'd postponed it several times, citing health as an excuse. She wanted to avoid it, but it wasn't something she could avoid.
"Do your best, Rose."
The Grand Duke of Artaeum's voice drifted gently.
The Grand Duke sent a thin stream of mana on the wind.
The mana rode the wind toward the Artaeum mansion. Then, riding the gentle breeze, it reached Rose.
A sparkling mana seeped into Rose's sleeping cheek.
"Hmm..."
Perhaps feeling a chill, Rose stirred.
But that was fleeting, and Rose's face soon returned to peace.
This mana was a message of encouragement from the Grand Duke.
A small, warm encouragement that bolstered her courage.
Perhaps sensing the Grand Duke of Arteum's support, Rose spoke his name.
"...Thank you, Grand Duke."
Rose uttered a quiet word and smiled bashfully.
The morning of the trial finally dawned.
Rose had arrived at the courtroom early.
Five lawyers were with her.
Rose was in a particularly good mood this morning. The Grand Duke of Artaeum had appeared in her dream.
'The Grand Duke cheered me on.'
It couldn't have been a meaningless dream.
The Grand Duke's encouragement had definitely reached her.
'The Emperor... did he solve the problem?'
Suddenly, yesterday's events came to mind.
'If it were the Emperor, he would have rushed to Chicagor as soon as he found out the plant I gave him was a cyclamen.'
And there, he would only find a desolate prison.
Rose's lips curled up.
It was a real blow. With Cedric dead and no one watching, she had taken advantage of this to sneak out the prisoners and soldiers.
They were living proof of the human experiment.
While Rose was laughing quietly, people began to enter the courtroom one by one.
Quite a crowd had gathered.
People who had lost family members in the forced eviction, those injured, and those eager to see the spectacle crowded in.
The courtroom was packed to the brim, leaving no room to step.
Those who had lost family members because of Doana wore a grim expression.
They had prayed for days, desperately hoping Doana would be punished for today's events.
Rose, observing the crowd, suddenly frowned.
"...Eric is here too."
An unpleasant face appeared.
Eric, Tercia, and the Marquis of Dikar were also present.
She'd expected it.
Because Doana kept delaying the trial, Rose had combined the cases into a lawsuit: the attempted murder of Beliana and the forced eviction group.
Given the connection between Beliana's case and the other, Eric's presence was completely expected.
Rose had temporarily allied herself with the Marquis of Dikar's family to resolve the matter quickly.
Unlike Tercia, who was dying after Cedric's death, the Marquis of Dikar looked remarkably clean.
His own daughter might have died, yet his face was radiant.
To anyone who saw him, he looked incredibly relaxed, as if he knew his daughter's whereabouts.
Rose looked at the Marquis of Dikar with a mysterious expression.
'The missing Beliana is a fake... Isn't that too obvious?'
Rose felt a burning gaze on the back of her head as she watched the Marquis of Dikar.
Rose didn't bother to turn around.
She knew whose gaze it was without even looking.
'...This is going to burn a hole in my face.'
Eric was staring at her.
Rose tried to ignore Eric's gaze.
She wouldn't even look at him. She didn't want to give him any room for doubt.
From the moment he entered, Eric had been staring intently at Rose.
His purpose in coming to this trial today wasn't to see Doana, nor to hear the verdict regarding Beliana. He had come to the presiding judge solely to see her, Rose.
Eric stared at Rose, who didn't even spare him a glance.
Soon, the judge entered.
He wasn't the judge who had taken bribes from Cedric, but a judge from a remote rural area.
Rose had driven out the judges who had taken bribes from Cedric.
This was possible because Serun, under Rose's orders, had stolen Cedric's ledger.
He had pressured the corrupt judges using the vulnerabilities Cedric had noted, demanding their resignation. He had made it a condition that an honest judge be installed. He wasn't going to let the corrupt judges off the hook. Punishing them was the job of the Grand Duke after he ascended to the throne.
This case would be judged fairly.
The law must be equal before all.
Doana, who had committed the crime, must be punished.
The trial would begin soon.
However, Doana. She had not yet revealed herself.
The ticking clock had already reached the hour. The tightly shut door swung open.
It was Doana.
Nearly pregnant, Doana had ropes wrapped around her hands.
The courtroom erupted in commotion as Doana appeared.
"Murderer!"
"Witch!"
Shouts of discontent were heard from all sides.
"Give me back my husband!"
Some people, unable to hold back their tears, threw a tantrum.
In an instant, chaos erupted. The judge dismissed those who were particularly noisy.
“Quiet! Anyone causing a disturbance will be sent out immediately!”
As people were dragged out one by one, the complaints died down, as if by magic.
She wanted to vent her anger on Doana, but she didn’t want to be kicked out of the courtroom.
Doana avoided eye contact with Rose and headed to the defendant’s dock.
Her skin and bones were almost bare. It was clear that prison life had not been easy.
Contrary to Rose’s expectations, Doana had a rather gloomy expression.
“I thought you would proudly admit to no wrongdoing...”
Rose’s lawyers relentlessly pressed Doana.
Without a lawyer, Doana had to endure this battle alone.
“The defendant plundered merchants’ property and illegally demolished buildings. As a result, innocent people were injured and killed.”
“...”
Doana had a deeply sorrowful expression on her face.
It was different from the way she had expected her to scream, complaining of injustice.
Rose's lawyers, without giving her a moment to breathe, proceeded to point out Doana's wrongdoings one by one.
Rose felt something strange about Doana's sober demeanor.
She opened her eyes narrowly and looked at Doana.
Perhaps sensing Rose's gaze, Doana, who had kept her head down, raised her head slightly.
Rose and Doana's eyes met. It was a fleeting moment.
However, Rose could read Doana's sincerity in her gaze.
"... I was truly... truly wrong."
Doana sobbed, admitting her guilt.
Poorly shedding tears, Doana trembled pitifully. Her trembling voice echoed quietly in the courtroom.
Hearing Doana's apology, the judge froze.
“Really... there’s no excuse. While I was locked up, I wrote this letter of reflection with a sincere heart, begging for forgiveness every single day.”
Doana took out a thick piece of paper, tears streaming down her face. Without a lawyer, Doana personally delivered the letter of reflection to the judge.
“Your Honor, I am truly remorseful. I deeply regret the great mistake I made.”
Doana continued to sob.
“I admit my guilt and want to be a proud mother to my child. So... please... please be lenient. I was truly wrong. I was truly wrong.”
Rose was taken aback by Doana’s use of the phrase “Your Honor,” a phrase she’d heard so often in TV dramas.
“Ha...”
How could she act so well?
The moment their eyes met, Doana’s gaze was fierce.
It definitely wasn’t the gaze of someone who was repentant.
Just as Rose had thought, Doana was acting.
‘...They say if you pretend to repent, they’ll give you a reduced sentence.’
She received advice from a soldier who was sympathetic to her.
He said that it would be difficult to turn this case around, so she should show as much remorse as possible.
Doana followed his instructions exactly.
She wrote a letter of reflection and tearfully apologized. He said that if she shamelessly left, she would be charged with the crime of treason, so she should get down on the floor and beg.
'Even if I get punished... That guy said he'd get me out right away, so it's okay.'
The soldier had falsely promised Doana that she wouldn't have to serve long in prison.
He said that if she behaved exemplarily, he could use his abilities to get her paroled.
However, he said that he couldn't help her with the murder case.
'... He told me to deny anything to Beliana unconditionally.'
Doana, who had been tearfully hoping for leniency, slowly got to the point.
"Your Honor, it's true that I committed a crime. But...! It's truly unfair that I pushed the Countess!"
Doana spoke loudly.
“That incident has nothing to do with me. I was like a sister to the Countess...! How could I possibly have pushed her? I'm truly innocent. I admit to everything else, but this... this alone is completely unfair!”
A downpour was falling through the lush, deserted forest path.
Thick raindrops mercilessly soaked the ground.
The pitter-patter of raindrops formed thin puddles.
In the darkness of the night, through the torrential rain that obscured his vision, he could faintly see something.
Something with black fur was crouching.
It was too long to be a wild beast, too docile to be a monster.
He cautiously took each step, step by step, treading on the muddy ground.
The closer he got, the stranger it felt.
It wasn't a beast.
It was a person. A long, pale hand protruded from the black blanket.
The delicate, white hand was covered in mud.
He stood still and stared down at it.
Not a single finger moved.
It was clearly unconscious, or dead.
He bent down and gently lifted the blanket.
A woman had collapsed.
Judging by her condition, she must have been dead for several days.
Her expensive-looking black dress was strangely clean.
It was pristine, unspotted.
Her hair was tangled messily beside her slender face.
His heart pounded madly.
His hands trembled, and her breath hitched.
The woman lying there seemed incredibly familiar.
Her pastel pink hair was soaked with mud.
***
“Rose!”
Grand Duke Artaeum shouted Rose’s name and stood up.
His entire body was drenched in sweat.
Cold sweat trickled down his damp hair.
Grand Duke Artaeum breathed heavily and looked around.
“...Damn it.”
He had another dream.
A dream of Rose dying.
In fact, this wasn’t the first time.
Similar dreams had been recurring for several days.
And it wasn’t just a dream. Occasionally, he vividly pictured Rose dying before his eyes.
“...”
Grand Duke Artaeum chewed his lower lip.
He knew Rose was safe.
He'd heard enough good news that she was safe.
But why did these dreams choke him with anxiety?
Grand Duke Artaeum took a deep breath and lowered his head. He then slowly ran a hand through his sweat-soaked hair.
Truthfully, something was bothering him.
'...The curse on Eric.'
Duke Artaeum recalled the curse he had placed on Eric.
This curse constantly showed the subject their greatest fear.
...As if he were now witnessing Rose's death. Could it be that he was inflicting the same curse on the magician?
Grand Duke Artaeum closed his eyes, his emotions complicated.
A few days after casting the curse, this strange phenomenon began.
'Is the curse on Eric having any effect?'
Damn it.
He didn't want to see Rose's death, not even in his dreams.
Grand Duke Artaeum slowly sat up.
The blanket covering his body slid limply down. The Grand Duke trudged toward the window. It was still early morning, barely a light day.
Staring blankly out the window, the Grand Duke muttered to himself,
"So, today is it."
Today was the day of Doana's trial.
She'd postponed it several times, citing health as an excuse. She wanted to avoid it, but it wasn't something she could avoid.
"Do your best, Rose."
The Grand Duke of Artaeum's voice drifted gently.
The Grand Duke sent a thin stream of mana on the wind.
The mana rode the wind toward the Artaeum mansion. Then, riding the gentle breeze, it reached Rose.
A sparkling mana seeped into Rose's sleeping cheek.
"Hmm..."
Perhaps feeling a chill, Rose stirred.
But that was fleeting, and Rose's face soon returned to peace.
This mana was a message of encouragement from the Grand Duke.
A small, warm encouragement that bolstered her courage.
Perhaps sensing the Grand Duke of Arteum's support, Rose spoke his name.
"...Thank you, Grand Duke."
Rose uttered a quiet word and smiled bashfully.
***
The morning of the trial finally dawned.
Rose had arrived at the courtroom early.
Five lawyers were with her.
Rose was in a particularly good mood this morning. The Grand Duke of Artaeum had appeared in her dream.
'The Grand Duke cheered me on.'
It couldn't have been a meaningless dream.
The Grand Duke's encouragement had definitely reached her.
'The Emperor... did he solve the problem?'
Suddenly, yesterday's events came to mind.
'If it were the Emperor, he would have rushed to Chicagor as soon as he found out the plant I gave him was a cyclamen.'
And there, he would only find a desolate prison.
Rose's lips curled up.
It was a real blow. With Cedric dead and no one watching, she had taken advantage of this to sneak out the prisoners and soldiers.
They were living proof of the human experiment.
While Rose was laughing quietly, people began to enter the courtroom one by one.
Quite a crowd had gathered.
People who had lost family members in the forced eviction, those injured, and those eager to see the spectacle crowded in.
The courtroom was packed to the brim, leaving no room to step.
Those who had lost family members because of Doana wore a grim expression.
They had prayed for days, desperately hoping Doana would be punished for today's events.
Rose, observing the crowd, suddenly frowned.
"...Eric is here too."
An unpleasant face appeared.
Eric, Tercia, and the Marquis of Dikar were also present.
She'd expected it.
Because Doana kept delaying the trial, Rose had combined the cases into a lawsuit: the attempted murder of Beliana and the forced eviction group.
Given the connection between Beliana's case and the other, Eric's presence was completely expected.
Rose had temporarily allied herself with the Marquis of Dikar's family to resolve the matter quickly.
Unlike Tercia, who was dying after Cedric's death, the Marquis of Dikar looked remarkably clean.
His own daughter might have died, yet his face was radiant.
To anyone who saw him, he looked incredibly relaxed, as if he knew his daughter's whereabouts.
Rose looked at the Marquis of Dikar with a mysterious expression.
'The missing Beliana is a fake... Isn't that too obvious?'
Rose felt a burning gaze on the back of her head as she watched the Marquis of Dikar.
Rose didn't bother to turn around.
She knew whose gaze it was without even looking.
'...This is going to burn a hole in my face.'
Eric was staring at her.
Rose tried to ignore Eric's gaze.
She wouldn't even look at him. She didn't want to give him any room for doubt.
From the moment he entered, Eric had been staring intently at Rose.
His purpose in coming to this trial today wasn't to see Doana, nor to hear the verdict regarding Beliana. He had come to the presiding judge solely to see her, Rose.
Eric stared at Rose, who didn't even spare him a glance.
Soon, the judge entered.
He wasn't the judge who had taken bribes from Cedric, but a judge from a remote rural area.
Rose had driven out the judges who had taken bribes from Cedric.
This was possible because Serun, under Rose's orders, had stolen Cedric's ledger.
He had pressured the corrupt judges using the vulnerabilities Cedric had noted, demanding their resignation. He had made it a condition that an honest judge be installed. He wasn't going to let the corrupt judges off the hook. Punishing them was the job of the Grand Duke after he ascended to the throne.
This case would be judged fairly.
The law must be equal before all.
Doana, who had committed the crime, must be punished.
The trial would begin soon.
However, Doana. She had not yet revealed herself.
The ticking clock had already reached the hour. The tightly shut door swung open.
It was Doana.
Nearly pregnant, Doana had ropes wrapped around her hands.
The courtroom erupted in commotion as Doana appeared.
"Murderer!"
"Witch!"
Shouts of discontent were heard from all sides.
"Give me back my husband!"
Some people, unable to hold back their tears, threw a tantrum.
In an instant, chaos erupted. The judge dismissed those who were particularly noisy.
“Quiet! Anyone causing a disturbance will be sent out immediately!”
As people were dragged out one by one, the complaints died down, as if by magic.
She wanted to vent her anger on Doana, but she didn’t want to be kicked out of the courtroom.
Doana avoided eye contact with Rose and headed to the defendant’s dock.
Her skin and bones were almost bare. It was clear that prison life had not been easy.
Contrary to Rose’s expectations, Doana had a rather gloomy expression.
“I thought you would proudly admit to no wrongdoing...”
Rose’s lawyers relentlessly pressed Doana.
Without a lawyer, Doana had to endure this battle alone.
“The defendant plundered merchants’ property and illegally demolished buildings. As a result, innocent people were injured and killed.”
“...”
Doana had a deeply sorrowful expression on her face.
It was different from the way she had expected her to scream, complaining of injustice.
Rose's lawyers, without giving her a moment to breathe, proceeded to point out Doana's wrongdoings one by one.
Rose felt something strange about Doana's sober demeanor.
She opened her eyes narrowly and looked at Doana.
Perhaps sensing Rose's gaze, Doana, who had kept her head down, raised her head slightly.
Rose and Doana's eyes met. It was a fleeting moment.
However, Rose could read Doana's sincerity in her gaze.
"... I was truly... truly wrong."
Doana sobbed, admitting her guilt.
Poorly shedding tears, Doana trembled pitifully. Her trembling voice echoed quietly in the courtroom.
Hearing Doana's apology, the judge froze.
“Really... there’s no excuse. While I was locked up, I wrote this letter of reflection with a sincere heart, begging for forgiveness every single day.”
Doana took out a thick piece of paper, tears streaming down her face. Without a lawyer, Doana personally delivered the letter of reflection to the judge.
“Your Honor, I am truly remorseful. I deeply regret the great mistake I made.”
Doana continued to sob.
“I admit my guilt and want to be a proud mother to my child. So... please... please be lenient. I was truly wrong. I was truly wrong.”
Rose was taken aback by Doana’s use of the phrase “Your Honor,” a phrase she’d heard so often in TV dramas.
“Ha...”
How could she act so well?
The moment their eyes met, Doana’s gaze was fierce.
It definitely wasn’t the gaze of someone who was repentant.
Just as Rose had thought, Doana was acting.
‘...They say if you pretend to repent, they’ll give you a reduced sentence.’
She received advice from a soldier who was sympathetic to her.
He said that it would be difficult to turn this case around, so she should show as much remorse as possible.
Doana followed his instructions exactly.
She wrote a letter of reflection and tearfully apologized. He said that if she shamelessly left, she would be charged with the crime of treason, so she should get down on the floor and beg.
'Even if I get punished... That guy said he'd get me out right away, so it's okay.'
The soldier had falsely promised Doana that she wouldn't have to serve long in prison.
He said that if she behaved exemplarily, he could use his abilities to get her paroled.
However, he said that he couldn't help her with the murder case.
'... He told me to deny anything to Beliana unconditionally.'
Doana, who had been tearfully hoping for leniency, slowly got to the point.
"Your Honor, it's true that I committed a crime. But...! It's truly unfair that I pushed the Countess!"
Doana spoke loudly.
“That incident has nothing to do with me. I was like a sister to the Countess...! How could I possibly have pushed her? I'm truly innocent. I admit to everything else, but this... this alone is completely unfair!”
The judge closed his eyes as if he was struggling to comprehend Doana’s words, pouring out his anger.
Doana’s sobs echoed sorrowfully throughout the courtroom.
At that moment, the tightly shut door burst open.
“Who is barging into the middle of a trial...!”
The soldiers who had been trying to stop the person who had suddenly entered froze in their tracks.
For a moment, everyone’s eyes were fixed on her.
As if by some miracle of Moses, people cleared her path.
She walked with a step, her hair fluttering over her shoulders, as if she were reveling in the fact that she was the main character.
Doana's pupils dilated.
Hope spread across Doana's face, which had been in a state of death the entire time.
'Enough... Enough...!'
Doana exclaimed inwardly with joy.
Someone who would back up her claim had appeared.
The woman who came up to her nose spoke in a clear voice.
"I apologize for interrupting the trial."
The woman who entered with her red hair fluttering was Beliana, who had mysteriously disappeared.
The real Beliana had returned.
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