Despite Dad’s terrible momentum, the Supreme Court’s judge pretended not to know and straightened his posture.
‘Didn’t Lark say I could be sentenced to one-year isolation at Wydrow at best or two-year at Hebanon at worst…?’
Dad, who had gritted his teeth enough to be heard by everyone around him, suddenly turned around and left the courtroom.
“D-Dad!” I panicked and shouted, but Dad had already disappeared like the wind. I swallowed as I looked at the tightly closed court door and closed my mouth.
‘What the hell is going on?!’
The trial lasted about two hours, and I slowly recalled the trial from the beginning.
***
Imperial Court.
The Supreme Court’s judgment was in the upper seat, and in the VIP seat on the left was Emperor Descarde XI.
In the calm and overwhelming atmosphere, Lark, my dad, and Viego were also seen sitting in the corner of the parliament.
And…
<Is it that difficult to see your face now?>
Wishit, who hadn’t shown up as though they were avoiding me since Lark visited me a few days ago and mentioned them, was also present.
<I’m busy.>
<Busy, my arse.>
<Why? Do you need anything? You could’ve summoned me, right? You didn’t call even once.>
<Nevermind. Forget it.>
Perhaps he was hiding because he feared I would persist in his secrets.
<Hey, but the three wishes…>
<It’s true that I can only listen to three things. I can’t control that part.>
<Oh, my. What do you think I will ask you? No need to be that cold.>
<Weren’t you going to ask if I could make unlimited wishes?>
<Mm. You liar.>
<The three restrictions are not false, I swear. That part is true.>
<Is that so? You make it sound like you lied in other parts, then. Am I right?>
<…>
Why are you hiding so much…? I muttered inwardly as I looked at Wishit, who was slightly avoiding my gaze.
“R-Rubette, I’m sorry…”
At that time.
Standing in the middle of the courtroom as if I had become a monkey behind bars, I turned around at the crying voice coming from beside me. Standing next to me, Lisbeth was crying.
“Why are you crying?”
“Because of me-”
As expected, Lisbeth, whom I hadn’t seen for a long time, looked guilty.
‘Hmm… Lisbeth, to be honest, I was very surprised.’
It was a bit late, but I’d reconsidered my thoughts on this immature girl with this incident. Lisbeth, who’d realized that the shaman had deceived her, was quite wise. During the interrogation, she did not say anything that would cause trouble.
‘If she had told the truth about what had happened, the situation would have been much more complicated than it is now.’
For example, having been caught by Lark the other day and having the poison she had brought in confiscated.
‘If it were known that Lark had already known that Lisbeth had brought in the poison and was still secretly looking for the shaman after hiding it… Ugh.’
I trembled and shook my head.
‘She knew that her brother would get into trouble if she told the truth.’
Anyway, by acting cleverly, she could only be responsible for herself.
‘And that isn’t all. When I said I’d help, she’d run wild and refused.’
I had secretly conveyed my plan to help her through Lark, who served as the head of the investigation, but… Lisbeth refused without thinking twice. She insisted that she couldn’t let me, who was innocent, be punished.
Lark had to spend quite a long time trying to convince her.
‘I didn’t expect anyone other than my older brother to care much about my situation.’
It was an unexpected reaction from the immature princess, whom I thought would readily nod if she were offered help.
‘Maybe I misunderstood Lisbeth a little…’ I stared at her and thought.
Lisbeth glanced at me, crying with wet eyes. “I- Hic. I’m sorry.”
“Ah!” She seemed to have misunderstood my persistent gaze. “No, no.” I held onto her hand, who was still crying from tension and whispered softly. “It was my choice. You don’t have to be sorry.”
“But-”
“Stop it. You’re being a complete crybaby.” I smiled and wiped Lisbeth’s eyes, and she approached me with more tears.
As the two of us looked scared, people around us looked at us with pity.
“From now on, this courtroom will begin the trial of the defendant, 5th Princess Elisabeth van Rashmagh Descarde, and the witness, Princess Rubetria Diollus.” Soon after, the Supreme Court’s judge announced the start of the trial.
The contents of the investigation of the case by the Imperial Investigation Team and the old agendas initiated by the aristocratic parliament were put up in a thick bundle of documents on the bench of the Supreme Court. Throughout the trial, a stern voice passed through my deaf ears.
‘Focus, focus.’
But…
It took an effort to listen to their voices.
<Congratulations in advance on your two-year sentence in Hebanon. It’s a mountain valley from the front and back, so the air is good.>
Because Wishit kept sending me sarcastic transmissions in my head.
<Could you please be quiet?>
This useless Spirit of Wish couldn’t scare me.
I swallowed a sigh as I stared secretly at them, who stood leaning beside me.
‘Still, as they said, we should always assume the worst. If I really had to rot for two years on the Hebanon estate…’
My heart ached for my two years…
While holding back my tears, the judge’s voice suddenly became clear, “… the following eight petitions, including the 2nd Prince Nathan van Rashmagh Descarde, Young Duke Viego Diollus, Duke Rosetta Ferdinand, are also finally taken into account…” and he declared at once, “I sentence the 5th Princess Elisabeth van Rashmagh Descarde to 18 months probation in the Tower of Silence.”
Bang, bang, bang—
The hammer rang three times, and Lisbeth’s eyes widened.
‘What? The sentence is much shorter than expected?’
She was sentenced to one and a half years of probation when our expectation was at least five years.
“R-Rubette…” Lisbeth, who couldn’t like it readily, looked at me with tearful eyes.
“Good for you,” I quietly whispered and secretly expected.
‘Please have mercy on me too.’
Holding Lisbeth’s hand tightly, I looked up at the high judge’s seat.
“Next, I will announce the verdict regarding the witness, Princess Rubetria Diollus.” Everyone held their breath and listened to his voice. “The witness testified that she had been in contact with the alleged ‘shaman’ and that she had introduced them to the 5th princess.”
“…”
“There is no basis for connection with the suspect, but we cannot help but hold her accountable for providing the cause to the 5th Princess and for trading at an illegal store,” the voice of the terrifying judge rang uneasy in the hall… “Until the Imperial Investigation Team uncovers the truth and catches the true culprit, the witness has a duty to cooperate faithfully with the investigation and within the investigation period…”
“…”
“I sentence you to 12 months isolation in ‘Lubon’ in the Diollus Territory.”
Bang, bang, bang—
The moment when an incomprehensible verdict was handed down.
Bang!
Dad stormed out of his seat.
“This concludes today’s trial.”
“Lubon… he said?” Wishit, who was guarding my side, must have also been surprised and opened their mouth blankly and muttered.
“D-Dad!” I panicked and shouted, but Dad had already disappeared like the wind.
‘Nonsense. Is this real?’
I swallowed as I looked at the tightly closed court door and closed my mouth.
‘Why Lubon? We didn’t even think of Lubon.’
Tears welled up in my eyes.
“To be isolated and investigated for a year even though she’s not guilty…”
“That’s too harsh.”
Many faces in the hall looked at me and murmured with sad eyes.
<Hey, are you crying?>
At that time, Wishit pushed his face before me and asked.
<Get out of the way.>
<Put down the hands that cover your mouth.>
<Ah, get out of the way!>
I couldn’t lower my hands because I couldn’t manage my expression right now.
Why, you ask? Because right now, the corners of my mouth were about to reach my ears.
Lubon was one of my dad’s many estates… If you compare the distance to the capital…
‘From Seoul to Incheon? Seoul to Gyeonggi Province?’
Actually, I was so excited about the judgment that was so light that I had tears in my eyes.
Kiiik—
Hearing the sound of a chair being pulled, I turned around and found it was Lark in the parliament seat. He smiled at me with his eyes and rushed out of court after my dad. He was probably trying to appease my agitated father.
Still pretending to be shocked, I dismissed the two of them and stared at the closed courtroom door.
‘This is so sweet.’
However.
‘What’s with Dad…’
I thought, still at the spot left by my dad.
***
“Duke Diollus, we need to talk!”
Already far from the courtroom, Lark quickly caught up to Leonard.
Leonard looked back at him with nonchalant eyes.
“I’m sorry that the verdict wasn’t to your liking, but it’s still not a bad result. I’m ashamed of myself for not putting in more effort.”
“…” Leonard’s eyes narrowed in suspicion as he gazed at Lark’s expression full of regret.
“I thought it was strange…” Leonard, who had been silent for a while, murmured. “Conscious or not, mu daughter has indeed caused a problem, and the 5th Princess was put on trial because of that. As we all know, the 5th Princess is the younger sister of His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“…”
“It seems appropriate for you to be angry at my daughter, but for some reason, throughout the noble meeting, you seemed more interested in reducing my daughter’s sentence than anyone else.”
Lark, who had been listening, froze.
“My dad thinks I’m really in trouble.”
That’s right. Leonard, who had no way of knowing what was going on inside, must have been puzzled by Lark’s eagerness to protect Rubette.
“From what I’ve heard, you’re a fair person. Someone good at distinguishing between public and private matters.”
“…”
“I heard from Viego that you went out to play with my daughter the other day…”
“Ah.”
“Are you in a relationship with my daughter?” Leonard’s eyes brightened, and he took one step closer, narrowing the distance. He added with a fierce look. “She’s still underage.” His eyes shined as if he would chew on anything.
This expression must be… someone who was very determined to slaughter whoever approached his young daughter.
“This.” Lark, who noticed, quickly showed his palm as if surrendering and smiled. “This is a misunderstanding, Duke.”