The day of the trial for Viscount Fiart and Marquis Lightstar had arrived.
I entered the castle with my grandfather and Lord Dardale. I wondered why the trial was being held in the castle, but it seemed that since Marquis Lightstar, a marquis even if in name only, was the defendant, the king would be observing the trial.
We entered the place known as the Grand Courtroom. It was quite spacious.
At the front were five seats for the judges, three seats for the prosecutors on the left, and five seats for the defendants and their lawyers on the right. In the center was the witness stand, with about one hundred seats for the audience.
Further behind the judges’ seats, there was a section for the king to observe, separated by lace curtains.
We sat in the front row of the audience seats.
After the prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judges entered, the defendants—Viscount Fiart and Marquis Lightstar—appeared. When Marquis Lightstar saw me, he glared at me with a look that could kill.
“Hmph. Foolish man,”
My grandfather muttered loudly enough for Marquis Lightstar to hear.
“!?”
Marquis Lightstar gritted his teeth hard enough to crack them and glared at my grandfather.
“His Majesty the King has arrived. All rise and bow deeply.”
We greeted the king with the deepest bow—placing the right hand on the chest and tilting the torso at a 45-degree angle. Then a voice called out, “Be at ease.” Behind the lace curtain, there were several shadows, likely including guards.
“The court will now convene to address the matter of the poison found in the King’s Wine.”
With this declaration from the presiding judge, one of the prosecutors stepped forward.
The prosecutor began by calmly detailing the facts of the poisoning and the damage caused. Next, the defense attorney pointed out flaws in the evidence, but all of these were dismissed by the judges.
The dismissals were inevitable. All the evidence presented was physical, and the objections were nothing but groundless accusations. It seemed trials in this world were conducted more pragmatically than those in my past life.
The laws of this country were orthodox. A crime was punished as a crime, regardless of whether the criminal could be rehabilitated. If someone killed a person, they were sentenced to either forced labor for life or the death penalty—it didn’t matter if they intended to kill or not. However, killing in self-defense resulted in an acquittal.
“Viscount Fiart imprisoned craftsmen and took their families hostage to force them to produce the King’s Wine. The imprisoned craftsmen and their families have already been rescued, and their testimony has been secured under the supervision of judges.”
“Objection!”
“Overruled. Prosecutor, please continue.”
The reason the testimony had been confirmed elsewhere was that commoners could not be summoned to a royal trial—one held before the king. This served two purposes: to preserve the authority of the king’s presence and to prevent commoners from being intimidated by the gazes of numerous nobles, rendering them unable to testify. Since the defense attorney was also present during the craftsmen’s interrogation, any objections had to be raised at that time. It was only natural that objections in this courtroom would not be accepted.
“Furthermore, a large sum of money flowed from Viscount Fiart to Marquis Lightstar. This occurred after the sale of the King’s Wine had begun, clearly indicating that Marquis Lightstar was involved in the matter.”
“Objection! That was merely repayment of a loan. Marquis Lightstar never intended for the loaned money to be used for the production of the King’s Wine.”
“Prosecution, please present evidence rather than relying on speculation.”
This objection was sustained.
Even if there was a monetary connection, it wasn’t easy to definitively tie it to the King’s Wine.
“Understood. The prosecution will now present Evidence 104.”
Evidence 104 turned out to be a letter from Marquis Lightstar to Viscount Fiart .
“The letter states that once the sale of the King’s Wine becomes successful, three percent of the profits are to be delivered as agreed. Furthermore, at the end, there is an instruction to dispose of the letter. This, Your Honors, is irrefutable proof of Marquis Lightstar’s involvement in the King’s Wine.”
This was what they called indisputable evidence.
Marquis Lightstar was clearly flustered, as he had never imagined the letter he had instructed to be destroyed would still exist. Even I was surprised that such evidence existed.
But why had Viscount Fiart kept this letter?
Perhaps he had kept it as insurance to plea for help from Marquis Lightstar if something happened. Or maybe he had suspected from the very start that Marquis Lightstar would abandon him. Not trusting that marquis father and son, he might have decided to hold on to such evidence.
“That evidence was secured by our covert forces.”
Grandfather stifled a laugh, clearly in a very good mood.
The trial progressed, and it was my turn to testify.
“My name is Toma Ashud Rocksfall.”
The judge asked for my name. Officially, my full registered name is Toma Ashud Rocksfall. I normally don’t use “Ashud,” but in formal settings, it must be included.
“Toma , why did you suspect that the King’s Wine was poisoned?”
The prosecutor asked, and I answered.
“Lord Dardale from the temple asked me to examine patients because a strange illness was spreading. After observing them, I determined it was poison.”
“Why did you think it was poison?”
“Because I have a skill for that.”
“Specifically, what kind of skill is it?”
“It’s a skill called ‘Discern’.”
“Using that skill, how many patients did you examine?”
“Forty people.”
“Did all forty people show signs of poisoning?”
“Yes.”
“Then, how did you determine that the poison came from the King’s Wine?”
“I investigated what the forty patients were regularly consuming. There were a few common items among them, and one of them was the King’s Wine. Afterward, the temple examined those items for me.”
Next, the defense attorney began the cross-examination.
“What is the witness’s age?”
“Ten years old.”
“Why did Lord Dardale request that you examine the patients?”
“I was planning to visit the temple headquarters. I agreed because it wouldn’t take much effort to examine them while I was there.”
“When did the witness first learn about this strange illness?”
“Officially, when Lord Dardale asked me to examine the patients.”
“Objection! The defense’s question lacks clear intent.”
“Objection sustained. Defense, clarify the purpose of your question.”
“Then, everyone! Can you truly believe the words of this child witness!?”
Ah, I see—they’re trying to undermine my credibility by pointing out my age.
“Objection! The defense is diverting from the main point.”
“Objection sustained. Defense, refrain from making statements that belittle the witness.”
“My apologies… Then, how did you know the patients were poisoned?”
“Through my skill.”
“What exactly can that skill determine?”
“Well… for example, I could determine the defense attorney’s name in an instant.”
“That’s something anyone could claim if they researched beforehand.”
“Then, what about your illness?”
“…What?”
“The defense attorney suffers from lower back pain, athlete’s foot, and numbness in their left hand and foot, correct?”
“Th-That could also be researched…”
“You should take care of it. That numbness in your limbs will eventually rot your brain.”
“Wh-What!?”
The defense attorney is on the verge of a stroke. Before long, a blood vessel will clog, and their brain will necrotize. If left untreated, they will collapse within a year.
“This will prove itself true within a year. You’ll collapse suddenly, and even if you survive, you’ll lose movement in your left hand and foot.”
“Eek!”
“That’s ridiculous!”
The defense attorney let out a pathetic cry, but Marquis Lightstar shouted.
“Marquis Lightstar, don’t you sometimes feel pain in your chest? That’s a heart disease. You don’t have long if you leave it untreated.”
Thanks to his unhealthy lifestyle, he’s on the brink of a heart attack. If untreated, he has about two or three years left to live. Well, if he’s found guilty, he might not even last that long.
That said, both the defense attorney’s stroke and Lightstar’s heart condition are difficult to treat with temple magic. This world’s healing magic has limits because it lacks an understanding of human anatomy.
“You damned reaper!”
“How rude. I’m telling you about your illnesses for your own good.”
“Shut up! Be silent!”
“Order in the court! The defendant will remain silent, and refrain from insulting the witness!”
After the judge’s warning, Marquis Lightstar rudely muttered “shut up” even at the judge.
“One more outburst, and I will have you removed from this courtroom!”
Marquis Lightstar scowled in dissatisfaction and slumped heavily into his chair.
