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Chapter 396 – Unfavorable Trial
As it was a trial by the nobility for the nobility, the Prime Minister himself presided over it.
「Count Zepetta. You are accused of sexually assaulting the only daughter of Viscount Deck, Lady Katrina.」
The Prime Minister went into great detail about the events that happened on the Count’s arrest—the date, time, place, and the circumstances, all of which worked clearly against the Count.
「Count Zepetta, the facts suggest you engaged in sexual relations with an unmarried woman—」
「Objection.」Nino raised his hand.
「What is it, Counsel?」
「It is impossible for my father to have laid a finger on an unmarried woman.」
「How can you be so certain?」
「Because our father imparted the Zepetta family with an important lesson.」
「What I may ask what that is?」
「Of course, Sir. My father taught us not to lay a hand on a virgin. He drilled it into us. He himself has never laid a hand on anyone but married women and courtesans. I don’t think he would have assaulted someone unmarried.」
The Prime Minister’s jaw dropped. He didn’t expect the family teachings to be so sexually explicit.
「Is what he said true, Count Zepetta?」
「Hmm… Yes.」
「I see…」
The Prime Minister stroked his chin. He hadn’t considered this kind of objection.
「This is ridiculous!」the former Minister of the Right yelled.「That teaching is absolutely pointless!」The other nobles agreed.
「Silence, observers.」
Holding up a hand to silence the audience, the man cleared his throat.
「Counsel, do you think it would be a valid defense for a murderer if he said, “My family taught me not to kill people?”」
「That is a good point, Sir.」Crestfallen at the rebuttal, Nino went quiet.
「Count Zepetta. Did you know that adultery is a crime by laws of the Empire?」
「No idea.」
「What arrogance.」an observer said.
「Hmph. I waz framed and drugged. Laws, my foot.」Zepetta said.
「I heard you were struck on the head in a struggle during your arrest, and that resulted in your speech impairment.」
「Surely you jezt, Your Excellency. I am known to be hardheaded. They zerved me awful food in prizon. It must’ve been poizoned.」
「We will look into that.」
「I just hope the prison guards aren’t killed first.」
「Father, is what you said true?」
「Nino, you’re too honezt. The world is full of injuztice. If they wanted to frame me, they would go all out.」
「It can’t be…」
「Count Zepetta. Please refrain from talking about speculations as though they were the truth.」The Prime Minister let out a sigh.「Unfortunately, the circumstances are against you. The victim already testified, and you were found in a bedroom in Viscount Deck’s residence. You said you were summoned to a meeting with Count Ron, and passed out after drinking tea.」
「A meeting with Count Zepetta?!」Count Ron was surprised at the sudden mention of his own name.
「Silence. Count Zepetta, is there anything else you remember?」
「None.」
「Not even something little? Otherwise, you will be judged as guilty.」
「Executed for assaulting an innocent young woman? Good one. How a glorious empire can allow such absurdity is beyond me.」
「That is an insult to this trial!」said one of the hecklers.
「Y-Your Excellency.」Nino frantically interrupted after hearing the word “executed.” 「As you can see, my father is not in his right mind at the moment. Can we hold the hearing another day?」
「Unthinkable.」Comments from the nobles came from the gallery.「He’s planning to escape from his crimes by postponing the trial!」
「You’re asking for too much, Nino.」
「But, Father…」
「I became a nobleman fully prepared for this kind of scheming. I will not quit. Not now.」
「Count Zepetta. So you admit to committing the crime, then?」
The hook-nosed man puffed his chest out to the Prime Minister.「I might have illicit affairs, but I have never bedded a virgin. I swear that on my coin.」
It sounded just like what Count Zepetta would say—a man who started out as a peddler and worked his way up using nothing but his wits.
Nino thought his father was willing to die. A merchant swearing on coin meant there was no going back now. If he broke his vow, he would never be a merchant ever again.
Fraught with emotions, Nino watched his father, his eyes blurry.
「Bullshit!」
「Swearing on coin?! Does he not have any pride as a noble?!」
「Men who buy their status with money are truly despicable!」
Tension was growing in the courtroom. The Prime Minister put his hand to his forehead and looked up.
「If Count Zepetta is guilty of adultery, then so is another man who is currently present.」a resounding voice echoed.
The observers went silent, turning their eyes to the man who just spoke.
「Am I wrong, Minister of the Right?」said Margrave Korn.
Thinking the case had been settled, the former Minister of the Right suddenly panicked upon hearing his name. He realized that he was being accused of the crime of sleeping with the Margrave’s wife.
「I don’t know what you’re talking about.」
But he feigned ignorance. Although he had been in secret contact with Margrave Korn’s wife, they didn’t meet publicly. Of course, they were all over each other in public, resulting in their relationship being an open secret.
He was removed from his position as Minister of the Right, but there was no clear evidence of adultery. The facts didn’t matter. He said he wished to step away from public service temporarily so as not to tarnish the glory of the Empire, which just meant he was running away until the heat died down.
「Can you say that even in the presence of this glorious Empire’s symbol of authority?」Korn asked.
「Whoa. I didn’t know you were the type to confess your sins to a flag.」the former Minister of the Right said, eliciting laughter from his followers.
This place was a courthouse where nobles suspected of crimes are tried. The national flag was just that, a symbol, and although the Prime Minister stood above the aristocrats, he didn’t represent the Empire. There was only one person who embodied the Empire itself—the Emperor.
「I don’t want to see any more squabbling between nobles. Isn’t this enough, Your Majesty?」
Margrave Korn was looking at the Prime Minister—no, at the chair behind him.
「It seems that the commotion in the palace has not reached the Margrave yet, which is understandable, considering you live in the countryside. His Majesty is not in great condition—」
「He’s been up since three days ago.」
「—and is still in a coma… Huh?」
No one could believe their own eyes. A small figure was sitting on the chair—a chair reserved only for the Emperor—that should have been empty at the start of the trial.
「I apologize for worrying everyone. Have you been well?」
Kaglai G. Quinbland raised his hand.