Chapter 100

“The Emperor and Empress are entering!”

At the usher’s shout, everyone in the courtroom rose to their feet. This was the largest gathering of nobles since the Emperor and Empress’s wedding, as the subject of the case was none other than the Empress herself. Edelis and Lehan sat in the central seats of the courtroom. Nobles sat on both sides. The pro-emperor faction was on the left, and the noble faction was on the right, with neutral parties scattered in between. The Imperial Knights were also stationed inside to prepare for any potential incidents, as the Emperor and Empress were present. Frache, in his capacity as the Captain of the Imperial Knights, commanded them, not as the young duke.

“I assume you were all surprised by the sudden letter yesterday. Some of you may already know, but the Empress, Edelis Cronad, was abducted and threatened with murder in the process.”

“No, such a heinous act!”

“The one who abducted and attempted to murder the Empress at the time was immediately captured.”

“Your Majesty! It has been quite some time since that incident! But why was the trial for the murderer not held?”

“That’s… because when I was abducted, I heard that there was someone else behind the kidnapper.”

“That’s right. That’s why the trial was postponed until we could find the mastermind.”

As Lehan’s words fell, the people of the pro-emperor faction, especially Marquis Brill, Edelis’s father, glared at the people of the noble faction as if to kill them. The nobles subtly exchanged glances to find out who had committed such a treasonous act, but since no one from their faction was absent, they couldn’t guess who it was.

“So… who committed such a heinous act?”

“Bring in the culprit.”

At Lehan’s command, the knights moved with precision. The clanking sound of the knights’ heavy armor colliding instilled fear in the nobles. It had been quite quiet since the Emperor’s marriage, but before that, this was the sound they heard every time numerous traitors were executed. The memory of a family disappearing overnight, and the families involved disappearing the next night, was vivid in their minds. When the knights opened the back door of the courtroom, the person who was dragged in by the knights was none other than the Saintess. The nobles, who had only come after hearing that an emergency trial on the Empress’s attempted murder and abduction was being held, widened their eyes and stared at the Saintess.

“Your Majesty! Isn’t that the Saintess!”

“Yes, she is indeed Elaine Ryned, the Saintess, who is called the Divine Messenger in the Holy Empire.”

The nobles looked on in disbelief, recalling the Saintess who had blessed the Emperor’s wedding and the one who had provided medicine and healed them when the epidemic spread. Even Duke Frache, the leader of the pro-emperor faction, spoke in a trembling voice.

“Your Majesty… are you sure that the Saintess is the mastermind?”

“Yes.”

The courtroom grew more agitated at Lehan’s confident voice. In the meantime, the Saintess, led by the knights, walked through the stinging gazes of the divided nobles to the center of the courtroom.

“Elaine Ryned. Is that right?”

“…Yes.”

“Do you admit that you instructed Berman Pasis to abduct and murder the Empress?”

“No.”

When the Saintess firmly denied it, the murmuring among the nobles grew louder. They said things like, ‘The Saintess would never do that,’ and ‘How are we going to deal with the condemnation from the neighboring countries?’

“Berman Pasis has come to the temple as a follower, but that’s all.”

“…I knew you were a good liar, but I didn’t know it was this bad.”

“Empress, you were always wary of me being close to His Majesty. Is that why you fabricated this?”

“That’s absurd!”

Edelis shouted, but the nobles whispered, ‘Maybe she did.’ A deep smile formed on the Saintess’s face.

“So, you didn’t plot this with Sir Berman Pasis, Your Majesty’s guard… did you?”

At the major scandal the Saintess had created, the nobles’ mouths didn’t stop moving. It was so intense that it felt like everyone in the empire would know about it by this evening. As the courtroom became noisy, the servants who were waiting inside asked the nobles to be quiet, but they paid no attention. And as if this commotion was a signal, the priests opened the door and filled the already crowded courtroom. The nobles’ expressions grew even darker at the sight of them. As expected, they began to protest, just as the nobles had feared.

“Stop this. Is this how you repay us for healing the people of the Empire from the epidemic?!”

“I did not permit the entry of priests.”

“But we cannot stand by and watch the Saintess being treated like this.”

At the appearance of Lorenz, the Saintess’s right-hand man, the Saintess smiled with her face covered by her hair, listening to his voice. His appearance meant that his subordinates were ready.

“Don’t you want to prove the Saintess’s innocence regarding the charge of attempted murder?”

“It is simply unimaginable that the Saintess would be accused of such a thing. Do you not fear God!”

Lehan scoffed at Lorenz, who spoke with a serious face and mentioned God.

“Berman Pasis.”

When Edelis called his name, Berman, who had been waiting quietly in a separate room, opened the door and came out. With the priests and the Saintess, the unexpected appearance of Berman Pasis stunned the nobles, who couldn’t close their mouths. Berman Pasis had been identified as the culprit in the attempted murder of the Empress, and although he had not received a trial, it was widely believed that he had already been killed by the Emperor after a long time had passed since his disappearance. But for him to appear like this. And at the call of the very Empress he had tried to kill, no less!

“Your Majesty, it seems I have appeared sooner than expected.”

“I was surprised by an unexpected story.”

“…Berman Pasis.”

The Saintess’s face was filled with confusion at Berman Pasis’s appearance. The noble faction was not the only one who had been tracing his whereabouts. The person who had been searching for him most desperately was the Saintess herself. It was only natural to get rid of someone who might hold her back after he had served his purpose. But she had searched high and low and couldn’t find him anywhere. That’s why she had assumed that Keirhan, who was distracted by the Empress at the time, must have killed him. She had never imagined that she would see the person she thought was in a pile of corpses here again.

“Let’s begin the first question for the witness, Berman Pasis. Did you participate in Edelis’s self-made drama?”

“No.”

“Wait a minute, isn’t it possible that this was also pre-arranged with the Empress?”

“What kind of crazy person would do that, knowing they were going to die?”

“…”

“Unless there was something to be gained, even at the cost of one’s life.”

“Then, the second question.”

“Your Majesty, may I be excused for a moment?”

“What is it?”

“Didn’t Berman Pasis just say that he would take the charge of the Empress’s murder if there was something to be gained from it?”

“Yes.”

“Doesn’t that mean that the Empress may have actually promised him something?”

“That’s not even worth answering.”

“The Empress cannot give me what I want.”

The noble who had spoken up shrank back and sat down awkwardly at the cold stares of Lehan and Berman. Then Edelis raised her hand and got permission to speak from Lehan.

“Berman Pasis. What is it that you want?”

“…I wanted to meet a dead person again.”

“Do you know someone who can do that?”

It was a story she had already heard from Berman. But everyone in the courtroom needed to know. When Berman Pasis looked at the Saintess without saying a word, the priests jumped up.

“Divine power cannot be used for the dead! It’s a lie!”

“Saintess, why don’t you answer that yourself?”

The Saintess was flustered. When she was dragged to the courtroom, she was only thinking of looking for an opportunity to achieve her goal and overwrite the memories of everyone here. But Berman Pasis. Of all people, Berman Pasis. With the priests listening, she couldn’t lie. Why didn’t Keirhan just kill Berman Pasis and stop messing everything up!

“…It is impossible.”

In the end, the Saintess chose to tell the truth. There was no need to say that the priests of the Holy Empire were more important than someone like Berman Pasis. And as soon as Berman Pasis heard her words, he drew his sword and charged at the Saintess.

“Aaaaaah! You, how dare you!”

Berman Pasis’s attempt was thwarted by the Imperial Knights who were guarding the area. His eyes were bloodshot with rage, and his hand holding the sword was white and trembling. While Berman Pasis was shaking with anger, the Saintess continued to say what she wanted to say.

“That has nothing to do with me. What about you, Empress?”

“What do you mean? I can’t give him what he wants either.”

“How can you prove that this is not a self-made drama?”

“Baron.”

At the Saintess’s provocation, Lehan immediately called the baron, the sole warden of the special prison. The baron jumped up from his seat. When Berman Pasis saw his face, he convulsed and collapsed, recalling what had happened to him. And some of the nobles who knew the baron’s true nature immediately knew. This was no self-made drama.

“As you can see from Berman Pasis’s reaction… this is not the Empress’s doing.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“What a pity… I can’t tell you to come to my space.”

The baron’s creepy words sent a shiver down their spines, but the noble from the opposing faction who had raised the question didn’t understand why.

“The person who investigated who was behind him… I can only say that it was me.”

Only then did the pieces of the puzzle fall into place for the people. The person who investigated, and Berman Pasis who convulsed at the sight of him. They were sure that the investigation was not conducted in a soft and gentle atmosphere.

“Then, I believe you all understand that there was an incident of the Empress’s abduction and attempted murder.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Then, Berman Pasis. Are you calmed down?”

Berman, who had been gasping for air for a long time at Edelis’s question, took a deep breath and nodded.

“Yes…”

“When I was abducted, you told me that there was a separate ‘client,’ didn’t you?”

Just as Berman was about to answer yes, the priests took out swords from their wide sleeves. The waiting Imperial Knights frantically stopped them, but some had already rushed toward the Empress. Lehan blocked Edelis and fought off the attackers. When he sliced a priest across the chest, a light armor was revealed underneath.

“They’re not priests.”

The assassins disguised as priests clicked their tongues and attacked again with all their might. Just then, someone opened the courtroom door, and Holy Knights from outside rushed in without even trying to hide their identities. And they began to fight the Imperial Knights, helping the ones dressed in priest robes.

“Save the Saintess!”

The nobles, afraid of getting entangled, couldn’t go through the main door and rushed toward the door Berman Pasis had come out of. But it was impossible for all the nobles to go there. Due to the nobles trying to get through at the same time, the inside was a pandemonium, with fighting knights. Taking advantage of the chaotic situation, the Saintess pulled a dagger from the waist of a fallen assassin. She saw Keirhan fighting three assassins and Edelis struggling against one. And after confirming Edelis’s predicament, the Saintess put more strength into her hand holding the dagger, a bizarre smile on her face.