Chapter 113 – The assassin stands trial
Chapter 113 - The assassin stands trial
Translator: VALIANT
After a few days of travel, I arrived at the royal capital.
The two watchdogs I brainwashed had become my gofers through and through, and I fed them the sort of information that was convenient for me.
[There was nothing unusual about me, I was depressed and didn’t put up any kind of resistance. And you confiscated my belongings.] (Lugh)
That was the sort of stuff I made them register.
I used it for brainwashing this time, but this drug was really handy. In this world, there were plants whose medicinal effects could be enhanced by feeding them mana, and they could be made much more potent than what I could find before my reincarnation.
Thus, there was no problem with using them yourself, but you had to keep in mind that there was still a risk of having them used against you.
There were some aristocrats who made their fortunes with medicines.
I possessed the knowledge and skills from my previous life, and as a member of a famous medical household, I had accumulated all the knowledge about Tuatha Dé’s medicines, but I still couldn’t compete with noblemen who specialized in all drugs and chemicals.
I wouldn’t be surprised if they could make something worse than the one I had on me.
[…Well, I figured I’d get the same kind of ill treatment in the royal capital too.] (Lugh)
I was confined in an underground dungeon in the royal capital, which might’ve been the reason I was talking to myself a lot.
This was too much for a mere suspect, and this special treatment was all because Marquis Kalonarai had a hand in it.
His plan was to completely prevent me from seeing and hearing anything about this, frame me without my knowledge, and quickly get rid of me through this trial.
This kind of shrewdness was worthy of praise.
As a matter of course, I wasn’t offered any food, so I ate the rest of the bread Tarte had given me.
As per prior information, the trial would be held the following day.
Well, it’s almost time for my gofers to be on guard duty. When that time comes, I’ll be free to get out of here, and no one will make a fuss about my cell being empty.
And I think I’ll do just that for a bit.
So that I’ll have one last weapon in my arsenal for tomorrow’s trial.
The next day, my trial began at a courtroom in the royal capital.
The trial was open to the public, and noblemen, or maybe those eligible for residency in the royal capital, could observe it from the audience.
Originally, trials were private, but due to false accusations becoming too frequent, they were introduced to the public to deter the audience from making those.
A trial that was overdone would cause all kinds of problems, so neither the presiding judge nor the plaintiff could be reckless about it.
As the Holy Knight who had already defeated two demons, the audience had their full attention focused on my trial.
…And of course, though I wasn’t sure how she caught wind of this, Nevan was there, smiling and looking at me.
[Doesn’t look like she’s worried about me. Is it because she trusts me to find my way out of this mess somehow? Normally, anyone would be doomed the moment they’re made to stand here.] (Lugh)
The trials in this country were pretty much rigged.
To be precise, the trial itself wouldn’t be held unless the court determined that there was enough evidence to declare the suspect guilty.
In other words, the moment this trial was held, it was concluded that I had committed the crime.
What they usually did then was read out the evidence brought by the side who insisted on holding the trial, confront the suspect with it, and tell him to plead guilty.
If he admitted his guilt, he was branded a sinner. And even if he didn’t, he’d be considered guilty if the presiding judge deemed the evidence to be valid.
Marquis Kalonarai himself stood on the stage as the plaintiff and read out the facts and evidence he made up without stopping.
With his fat body, face full of greed, and disdainful mannerisms, he was so much like the stereotype of the vicious nobleman it made me want to laugh.
I waited for him to finish his speech without interrupting.
[From the above, it is clear that Lugh Tuatha Dé abused the privileges granted to him as the Holy Knight and intentionally murdered Count Marlentot, who had a feud with the Tuatha Dé household. It is outrageous that he would use the privileges given to him to protect the peace of this country for his own personal interests. Please, let the punishment be severe!] (Marquis Kalonarai)
His claims were generally as I already anticipated them to be.
There was nothing new there.
[Defendant, what are your arguments?] (Judge)
[I do not recall ever murdering Count Marlentot, and there was no such thing as a feud between him and the Tuatha Dé household. This is all a hoax. Surely an examination will expose the evidence he has provided as such.] (Lugh)
[What a disgraceful sight, Lugh Tuatha Dé. I have a witness. Count Flantrude, who just so happened to be at Jombull, saw everything. I’m calling him in. Your Honor, allow him to testify.] (Marquis Kalonarai)
[Very well. I allow the witness to speak.] (Judge)
When the judge gave his permission, Count Flantrude appeared on the stage.
He was the guy I went to the trouble of bringing to my side by cross-dressing.
[On the day Jombull was raided by a demon, I was there. And I happened to see the battle of the Holy Knight Lugh Tuatha Dé. The way he chased down the demon without worrying about the powerful monsters accompanying him looked so divine, I was fascinated. He was like a legendary knight from the fairy tales, and even though my life was in danger, my feet were glued on the spot.] (Count Flantrude)
Oh-ho, what a surprise.
There isn’t a single lie in what he just said. Looks like everything up to the point where he watched the fight is true.
[Then, in the middle of the battle, he suddenly noticed something that shifted his attention from the demon. It was Count Marlentot. He was on the ground due to a leg injury caused by the battle. The moment he saw him in that state, Lugh Tuatha Dé grinned and sent a piece of rubble flying with a kick. That rubble pierced Count Marlentot in the head and killed him. It was undoubtedly an intentional act.] (Count Flantrude)
Hearing his statement, the audience, who had come to observe the event, began to murmur.
[No way…!]
[I can’t believe the Holy Knight would do that…!]
[But even if he’s the Holy Knight, in the end he’s still from a barony.]
The room was bustling with such comments and so on.
[Silence!] (Judge)
The presiding judge’s gavel echoed across the room, which turned silent again.
[Count Flantrude, are you certain of your claims?] (Judge)
[Yes, there is no doubt about it.] (Count Flantrude)
As he finished his sentence, Marquis Kalonarai showed a faint smirk.
He probably thought that the die was now cast.
But that’s what made him so half-baked.
He was so intent on setting me up, he didn’t consider the risk that he could be set up himself.
Count Flantrude proceeded with his declaration.
[There is no doubt that Marquis Kalonarai threatened me into coming here to make that previous statement. He exploited my weakness to make me come here and incriminate Sir Holy Knight. And considering that he intended to have me lie about it, the evidence he has prepared besides my testimony must be but a deceit. Your Honor, I did not come here to incriminate Sir Holy Knight, but to accuse Marquis Kalonarai, who threatened me and tried to make me provide a phony testimony!] (Count Flantrude)
Marquis Kalonarai, who had been grinning faintly since earlier, turned pale.
The murmur of the audience turned even louder than before.
It seemed that Marquis Kalonarai never imagined that Count Flantrude would betray him at all.
He was too short-sighted. In fact, I had a plan in place in case Count Flantrude chose to betray me here and now.
There were many cases where assassinations didn’t go as planned. Having a Plan B or C ready for such instances was a sign of professionalism.
But being convinced that everything would go your way was the mindset of amateurs.
[You bastard…! Have you lost your mind!?] (Marquis Kalonarai)
[Are you in any position to ask!? I can’t believe that you are trying to bring down Sir Holy Knight, who is fighting with his life to protect this country— Nay, this world, just because of your own ugly jealousy. This is something I will never do! I will give you back the money you forced on me. If you want to threaten me, be my guest. I have decided to follow my own justice and end this ridiculous travesty for the sake of the country!] (Count Flantrude)
I applauded in my mind.
It was a realistic performance.
He had completely won the audience over. I was the one who wrote his script, but his acting was so on point that it moved them even more.
I should give him an extra reward.
[Your Honor, the witness appears to be confused. Please disqualify him.] (Marquis Kalonarai)
[No, it doesn’t seem to me like he’s lying. If what he said is true, Marquis Karonarai, then you stand here not as a plaintiff, but as a defendant.] (Judge)
[Impossible! I swear by the gods of heaven and earth that I have done no such thing!] (Marquis Kalonarai)
Nicely said.
But all your struggle will be for naught.
The tide was turning in my favor. It was time for me to finish him off.
[Your Honor, I would like to make my counterargument. I have prepared some documents on this matter. They contain all the evidence that Marquis Kalonarai has attempted to unjustly sabotage me. Please read the summary first.] (Lugh)
The amount of evidence I had gathered was so large that it would take hours to go through it all.
So I made a short summary, then I made a separate document containing the complementary specifics.
At the judge’s instructions, his assistant took the papers from me and brought them to him.
I could tell from Marquis Kalonarai’s facial expression that he was in disbelief.
After all, he had ordered the seizure of all my personal belongings, and he intended for such documents to be disposed of, should they be found.
To begin with, he thought I should’ve been brought without knowing anything, and that I shouldn’t have had the time to devise any countermeasure.
[Count Marlentot was murdered not in Jombull, but here, in the royal capital, and Marquis Kalonarai arranged for the body to be displaced. Not only that, but the feud between Tuatha Dé and Count Marlentot is nothing but a fabrication. In fact, the one who antagonized Count Marlentot was Marquis Kalonarai himself. Very interesting, don’t you think?] (Lugh)
[This is all a sham!] (Marquis Kalonarai)
[It might be. However, these materials are several times more convincing than what you have prepared. Moreover, with this data, I can only back up his arguments. At the very least, there is no way I can condemn Lugh Tuatha Dé here. After all, the witness you provided was the only one who could have seen the murder. And since he rescinded his testimony, then no one saw the murder of Count Marlentot in Jombull.] (Judge)
[That’s… But… I have circumstantial evidence!] (Marquis Kalonarai)
[The circumstantial evidence here suggests that you are much more dubious than Lugh Tuatha Dé. Marquis Kalonarai, you do realize what will happen in the unlikely event that the data he provided proves to be correct, don’t you?] (Judge)
Perjury in a trial was an extremely serious offense.
The crime alone was punishable by the demolition of the offender’s house, and he would also be forced to perform inhumane services that only a nobleman could provide in the national interest. It was harsh.
Not to mention, he tried to sabotage the Holy Knight, who was on a mission to save the country, over a personal grudge, making his crime even more serious.
Add to that the crime of murdering an aristocrat. This could only mean the downfall of Marquis Kalonarai.
[I’m innocent! Are you saying you’d rather believe him, a snotty brat from a measly barony, than me, the head of the highly esteemed Kalonarai household!?] (Marquis Kalonarai)
What a shallow argument.
That single exclamation betrayed his hostility toward me and his personal feelings.
It would threaten his credibility and turn the audience against him. …It was more than enough to convince them that he had most likely framed me.
The judge felt the same way and narrowed his eyes.
[Yes. If I had to believe either one of you, it would be him. He risked his life to fend off the demons twice. In terms of achievements alone, he surpasses even the Hero as the hope of this country. …I will now render my judgement. Lugh Tuatha Dé is pronounced not guilty. We will now investigate Marquis Kalonarai based on the information he has provided us, and depending on the circumstances, a trial will be held to prosecute him. In addition, since there is a high risk that Marquis Kalonarai will try to save himself by destroying all evidence or fleeing, then by my authority as the presiding judge, I order that he be held in custody until the investigation is completed.] (Judge)
The door behind the judge was opened, and several knights showed up to restrain the marquis.
[Screw you all! I…! I’m a marquis! I’m Kalonarai!! Why!? Why won’t you do as I say!? I…!! I…!!!] (Marquis Kalonarai)
When they took him away, he went right past me.
At that moment, I used a wind spell.
It was a spell that carried all sound via the wind. With this, I could send my voice to whoever I wanted only.
[Don’t even think that was the end of it. I took the liberty of breaking into your place while you were gone. You’ve really been up to some crazy sh*t, haven’t you? I’ll bring it all into the open, and choke the life out of you. And not just you, but your accomplices as well. You’ll rot in jail for the rest of your lives for what you did to me.] (Lugh)
I used the wind to convey not only my voice, but also my killing intent.
I had a knack for putting my emotions into my voice.
A stain appeared on the trousers of Marquis Kalonarai.
Someone in the audience noticed it, spread the word in whispers, and finally pointed at it, causing the whole room to burst out laughing.
Marquis Kalonarai’s face turned red, and he trembled in shame.
For an arrogant guy like him, there was no greater humiliation.
He, who intended to harm the cocky son of a baron just for his own satisfaction, had no way to escape his own ruination.
[Lugh Tuatha Dé, I give you my deepest apologies for all this. Once again, as soon as we have everything needed to back up your claims, we will confiscate Marquis Kalonarai’s private property, and pay you due compensation in accordance with the rules and regulations.] (Judge)
[It’s all right, you have my thanks for believing my side of the story.] (Lugh)
I was glad the judge was such a calm fellow.
My biggest worry was if the judge himself had been bought off.
If that had been the case, it would’ve been a tough fight.
But I realized the chances of that happening were slim to none. After all, simply approaching the judge was already a felony.
It would’ve been too risky a move.
…But if I wanted to incriminate someone like Marquis Kalonarai did, I would’ve done just that.
It would’ve been difficult, but still feasible by employing every possible means of persuasion.
In the end, the reason for his defeat was that all his actions didn’t go beyond the realm of small-time villains.
He wasn’t ready to pick a fight with me.
[Well then, now that I got some souvenirs, I guess I’ll go have some fun.] (Lugh)
The day before, I escaped from my cell in order to break into his house, find a weakness that would bring about his ruin, and use it as insurance.
Even if I had been on the verge of losing the case, I got my hands on a bargaining chip I could’ve used to delay the verdict and threaten him into withdrawing from the trial itself.
At the same time, I also helped myself to a bit of reward.
I knew that he was a connoisseur and that he had collected valuable items through devious means, just as he had swindled Count Flantrude out of his art collection. So I rummaged through his mansion in the hope of finding something interesting.
And my insight proved to be correct. What I found there was a divine treasure not even my information network had caught wind of.
With this, I now had two divine treasures in my possession.
I could now unravel the mechanisms of divine treasures, which I couldn’t fully grasp from the Leather Crane Bag alone, and I couldn’t wait to find out the ability of the second treasure itself.
Considering the haul I got from all that, it was well worth the time and effort I had to put in over the past few days.
And so, with an open mind, I chose to forgive the guy.
I wouldn’t get involved with him anymore.
But then again, the law would bring him to justice without me having to do anything about it.
Let’s pray that he atone for his sins and start over. …Although, he’ll probably die or commit suicide before that happens, but that’ll be none of my concerns.