I’ve Become the Villainess’s Daughter – Chapter 77

Thea and I locked eyes.

Tears clung to my eyelashes, and one by one, they fell, unable to bear their own weight, landing softly on my cheeks.

As if that were a signal, Thea stepped closer and embraced me.

He carried the scent of moonlight.

His embrace was so warm and solid that I couldn’t help but feel the tears welling up again.

“Lala…”

“Th-Thea…”

“….”

He held me tightly, leaving not even an inch between us.

Thea.

Thearoha.

My one and only other half.

Someone who would never turn his back on me, no matter what happened—a steadfast ally entirely devoted to me.

We were bound together by a connection stronger than blood, tied by the unbreakable thread of fate.

Thea soothed me relentlessly.

“It’s alright, Lala. It’s alright.”

“Sniff… sob…”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be defending you from the other side… You mustn’t break down here.”

I tried to hold back my tears, but they wouldn’t stop. Thea gently patted me for a long time, as if he understood every bit of my heart.

How I had hoped this day would never come.

The news that the First Prince had been injured, making it impossible for him to participate in the campaign, and that I was the one responsible for the incident—these had already spread throughout the entire social circle long ago. And now, the fact that I was to face trial today as well.

Time passed relentlessly, and despite my wishes, the day of the trial had inevitably arrived.

The weather was unusually cold that day. Even layered clothing seemed unable to keep the chill from seeping into my bones.

“Lala, be careful.”

“…Okay.”

Brother Eet reached out carefully as I stepped down from the carriage. Guided by him, I slowly surveyed my surroundings.

The large building before me was used as the Royal Ministry of Justice. Trials for the crimes of nobles, especially those involving the royal family, were usually held here. Although I had entered the royal palace many times, I had never imagined that I would one day come here as a plaintiff.

Walking down a corridor polished from grey marble and passing through a large, dark-colored door, I saw the vast courtroom laid out before me.

“….”

In the plaintiff’s section sat my father and Brother Eddy, who had arrived earlier. They greeted Eet and me with calm composure.

In the row behind them, at the defendants’ table…

“…It’s a pleasure.”

Thearoha was seated there.

“…Pleasure… indeed.”

I forced my trembling legs to stand steady and returned his greeting. But that was all I could manage. After seeing his face, my head spun, and I could barely recognize who I had greeted or who else was in the courtroom. My family quickly guided me to my seat.

As I barely settled into my seat, the judge entered. He would be the one to pass judgment on my case today.

On the prince’s side, the First Prince’s personal physician and the court mage were present as witnesses, and the chief steward appeared as a representative.

The only relief for me was that Prince Alteo had not attended, citing his poor health. Had I faced him directly, maintaining even a facade of composure would have been impossible.

The judge surveyed both the plaintiff and defendant sides before striking the gavel to command attention.

“Let today’s trial begin. The plaintiff is Laila Rosahill. The charge: attempted assassination of the prince.”

I swallowed hard.

The judge adjusted his glasses and recited the detailed timeline of events and the circumstances under which the defendant filed the complaint. The atmosphere in the courtroom sharpened with every word.

Once the judge finished, it was the defendant’s turn to speak. The chief steward stood and began.

“Honorable Judge, I am Pete, representing Prince Alteo. I serve as the chief steward for Prince Alteo.”

He then recounted the incident as he had seen it: my arrival at the prince’s palace, Alteo drinking the potion I had made, and the sudden vomiting of blood followed by his collapse.

To support his account, the physician and the court mage were called as witnesses.

The physician, holding a thick file, detailed Alteo’s symptoms.

“Prince Alteo vomited blood and suffered high fever for three consecutive days and nights. From the vomiting, clear signs of internal injury were detected. Fortunately, there was no life-threatening damage, though temporary aftereffects remain. Currently, he has no strength in his limbs and is unable to move freely.”

The court mage then added:

“This is a classic case of mana overflow.”

He explained the phenomenon of mana overflow to those present.

“There are various types of mana overflow, but in this case, it was caused by drinking a potion that caused the external mana to react violently with the internal mana, resulting in an internal explosion. Prince Alteo suffered injuries comparable to having ingested a deadly poison.”

I remained silent. When the physician and court mage finished, the chief steward continued.

“Although no permanent aftereffects remain, it is clear that the prince suffered greatly. This is a direct challenge to the royal family and a grave insult to Prince Alteo’s authority. I, on behalf of Prince Alteo, respectfully request, Honorable Judge…”

The steward glanced at me.

“I demand the plaintiff’s permanent exile from the empire, permanent expulsion from the magical community, and the revocation of the Rosahill dukedom.”

The courtroom murmured at his statement. The judge stroked his beard thoughtfully.

“Very well. We shall hear the defense from the plaintiff’s side.”

“I object.”

I looked at Thea. His expression was calm, but having known him for so long, I could tell he was barely restraining his anger.

Thea stepped forward and addressed the court mage.

“You said that Prince Alteo’s injuries were equivalent to ingesting a deadly poison.”

“…Yes, Your Highness Thearoha.”

“What is your definition of a deadly poison?”

The court mage shifted his eyes nervously.

“I… am not a physician…”

“Answer.”

“…Any poison capable of threatening a life can be considered deadly.”

Thea fixed him with a cold gaze.

“Indeed, poison is meant to take life. However, according to the physician, Prince Alteo experienced only temporary aftereffects, and his life was never in danger. Am I wrong?”

“B-But it could simply be that Prince Alteo was fortunate, and that’s why his life wasn’t at risk.”

At that, Thea suddenly turned to the physician and asked:

“You examined Prince Alteo personally?”

“Yes… yes.”

“And you focused particularly on his internal injuries in your report?”

“Yes.”

“And how long did you indicate the treatment would take?”

“…About two months if treated concurrently with sacred water.”

“Exactly. Prince Alteo sustained internal injuries requiring roughly two months of treatment.”

Thea continued slowly.

“There are no permanent aftereffects, no life-threatening conditions, and the injuries are treatable.”

“….”

“Physician, tell me: if a poison leaves no permanent effects, poses no threat to life, and is treatable, would you define it as a deadly poison?”

The physician was silent.

“Physician?”

After Thea called him once more, the physician hesitated, then replied:

“…No. I would not define it as such.”

I stared blankly at Thea.

“Franz Alma, royal court mage.”

“Yes, yes.”

That was the court mage’s name. He flinched when it was spoken. Thea’s golden eyes, cold and precise, fixed on him as he said:

“The physician who examined Prince Alteo has testified that the potion cannot be called ‘deadly poison.’ Do you still maintain your statement?”

“….”

The courtroom was silent. The court mage lowered his head.

“…I withdraw my claim that it was deadly poison.”

Thea did not stop there.

“Honorable Judge.”

“I’m listening.”

“As the head of the Royal Court Mages, I would like to provide additional testimony regarding the phenomenon of mana overflow.”

“Please proceed.”

Thea stepped forward and, like the court mage before him, addressed everyone in the room.

“A mana overflow caused by drinking a potion cannot, under any circumstances, be fatal.”

He explained the principle of mana overflow caused by potions: when a potion is ingested, it acts as a catalyst, causing the person’s internal mana to react with the potion’s mana. If successful, the reaction produces the intended effect, but occasionally, the two manas repel each other.

This repulsion is what causes the mana overflow. However, it cannot be fatal because external and internal mana react in a one-to-one ratio. Even if the potion contains an enormous amount of mana, if the person’s internal mana is insufficient, the excess mana is expelled or rendered ineffective. While this can result in internal injuries or temporary paralysis, it cannot cause death.

Having finished, Thea turned to the court mage.

“This is a very basic principle.”

“….”

“Yet you ignored it, claiming that ‘Prince Alteo survived only because he was lucky.’”

“…Th-That is…”

“I do not believe that you, sworn in this sacred courtroom in the name of God, would give a biased statement in favor of one side.”

“Y-Yes.”

The court mage nodded, bewildered. He seemed puzzled that Thea, whom he had expected to be neutral, was defending me. But as Thea continued, the court mage’s face hardened.