CHAPTER 46
The trial began as my expression grew more serious.
“I have never attempted to assassinate a member of the royal family.”
“Young Lady, while you served as a companion to Her Highness the Princess, you failed in your duty to protect the royal family. Is that correct?”
“…Yes.”
And that’s what led to this disaster. It all began when my younger self recklessly tried to save Roelin.
‘Still, I don’t regret saving Roelin. She’s someone I absolutely need.’
[“Wow. So you weren’t saving the royals out of pity after all?”]
‘Of course not. Why would I pity the royal family? There are so many people on the streets worse off than they are.’
[“You really are a strange human. I don’t get you at all.”]
‘Says the oddball spirit who doesn’t even help when their contractor’s life is on the line.’
As I spoke inwardly with the spirit, my gaze landed on the judge’s face.
His green hair looked vaguely familiar, and my brow furrowed slightly. An unsettling feeling crept in.
[“A royal might come to defend you.”]
‘Which one? You always call all the royals “herons.”’
Rekanon was bedridden, so he couldn’t come to help.
And it was highly unlikely that Repeinon, who had wanted me to stay quietly in my room, would suddenly swoop in to rescue me…
[“I can’t tell just by the voice… hmm.”]
The spirit trailed off, making further conversation impossible.
Unlike him, I couldn’t hear other people’s voices magically, so frustration only piled up.
‘Is it even possible to hear what’s unseen? But if I think about South Korea, maybe. It’d be kind of like a bugging device, I guess.’
[“South Korea? Bugging? What are you even talking about?”]
‘Just normal human imagination, I suppose.’
The spirit glowed with a fluorescent light, seemingly displeased with my vague answer.
At that moment, I heard Repeinon’s voice crystal clear in my ears.
—Your Majesty, I would like to testify in defense of Lady Inferna.
—Nonsense! There’s nothing good to come from being the talk of the nobles. Have you forgotten that you’re the Crown Prince? You must not be swayed by either the Emperor’s faction or the noble faction. You must not take sides.
—It’s true that she is the daughter of Count Inferna, the noble faction’s leader. But she has not sided with either the imperial or noble factions. You know this better than anyone, Father.
‘What is all this?’
[“Exactly what it sounds like. The herons have been arguing for a while now.”]
‘How is this even possible? Can spirits really hear everything in the world?’
I was so shocked, I couldn’t even hear the judge’s words properly.
[“It’s about time you recognized my great powers. I am a spirit of the forest. Wherever there are plants, I can see, hear, and feel everything.”]
The spirit said he could travel and observe anywhere that had plant life.
It was an ability also available to the contractor, and he scolded me for not knowing that by now.
But this hadn’t been my own contract to begin with, so of course I hadn’t known.
‘Now that I think about it… this is a huge advantage, isn’t it?’
[“Is this really the time to be happy about that?”]
‘Ahem. But why didn’t you tell me earlier? I could’ve used it instead of risking myself to look at that wild vine.’
[“I figured you already knew—since you’re the contractor.”]
I was dumbfounded by Lismas’s snake-like excuse. If I’d known sooner, I wouldn’t have had to endanger myself earlier.
No words could express how annoyed I was. Still, seeing that the situation was beginning to turn in my favor gave me courage.
‘If even one person in the royal family supports me, I might be able to win this trial.’
When I thought Repeinon had forced this trial just to frame me, I’d believed it was a losing battle.
But now that I’d confirmed he was at odds with the Emperor, everything had changed. I could survive this inferno.
‘They say even if you enter a tiger’s den, you’ll survive if you keep your wits.’
While I had been silently conversing with Lismas, I raised my hand calmly. It was time to counterattack.
“Elrupe Inferna, please speak.”
“Honorable Judge, do you have any definitive proof that I attempted to assassinate a royal?”
Murmurs erupted in the courtroom. I was the daughter of Count Inferna, the leader of the noble faction.
Because of that, the nobles would not accept this baseless accusation easily.
My words immediately sparked a noisy clash between the imperial and noble factions.
“I had already thought it strange. There’s no evidence that Count Inferna’s daughter tried to assassinate His Highness.”
“But surely the judge wouldn’t be so firm without reason? This happened in the Imperial Palace! Do you think they’d name a count’s daughter as the culprit for no reason?”
“You’ve missed the point. A trial shouldn’t even be held until evidence of the crime has been found.”
Though they were likely trying to buy time, I couldn’t allow the trial to be delayed. I needed it to end here and now—anything else would bring dishonor upon me.
This trial would determine how I’d be treated for the rest of my life. A noble with a tarnished name is treated with disdain anywhere they go.
‘I have to be careful now.’
The judge tapped his desk as if to quiet the crowd. Everyone stopped talking and focused on his thick lips.
“Unfortunately, we have found no physical evidence of the crime. But there is also no proof that the Young Lady is innocent.”
“So I’m standing here without a shred of evidence against me?”
“However, traces of dark magic were discovered in the hallway outside your bedroom. So you must pay the price for your involvement.”
“Isn’t that even more suspicious?”
With a childlike expression of innocence, I looked around and continued.
“I did not harm His Highness the Prince. There’s no evidence that I did, is there? So why are you so convinced I’m the culprit?”
I smiled casually, but my heart was pounding wildly.
“Because you are the culprit.”
The judge clearly looked down on me—probably because I looked so young. His condescending gaze irritated me, but I kept my expression innocent.
“Since it seems the Honorable Judge doesn’t understand, let me be direct: what were you doing that day?”
I wasn’t here to play word games.
“Do you even know what you’re asking, Young Lady?”
“I’m asking out of rational suspicion. What were the rest of you doing that day?”
If they accused me without evidence, I’d return the favor in kind.
“Young Lady Inferna, this is nonsense.”
“Is it not nonsense to accuse me without evidence? The judge can suspect anyone he pleases, but I can’t even suspect the judge?”
When I smiled sweetly, the courtroom erupted again. This was who I really was.
Someone who had to give back twice what I received, or I wouldn’t feel satisfied. People could call me twisted if they wanted.
[“If anyone’s spouting nonsense, it’s them. Elrupe is completely right!”]
The spirit was cheering for me, but unfortunately, only I could hear it. Life really was a solo journey.
“I was with His Highness the Prince that day. He saved my life. The proof lies in the bed I slept in.”
It was a bold move.
“What could a bed possibly prove?”
“It proves that I was the assassin’s target. At first, I thought the evidence was gone because someone had replaced the slashed sheets. But apparently, they didn’t manage to change out the whole bed.”
I noticed a flicker of discomfort on the judge’s face—and again, I got that chill down my spine.
His hair looked so familiar. It was the exact same color as Lady Piman’s, who always followed Bianca around. Even their eyes, nose, and mouth resembled each other.
No wonder Piman had been so arrogant. Her father was the judge?
‘So, everyone involved in this trial is tied to Marquis Slrunt… Sigh.’
“They’re probably trying to destroy the evidence I mentioned right now.”
Determined to make my allies act quickly, I began to cry—well, pretend to—with a handkerchief I had brought along.
Just then, someone suddenly jumped up and shouted:
“Immediately! Bring in the bed used by Count Inferna’s daughter—at once!”
