CHAPTER 146……………………………………………..
Bang, bang, bang!
Julia slammed the gavel she had brought from somewhere and shouted,
“Then, let’s begin the trial!”
Next to me, Isaac took his seat, and across from me, Edmund did the same. When had they changed? Both were now dressed in three-piece suits.
“First, the prosecution. You may speak.”
“Your Honor.”
Edmund opened his mouth smoothly.
Wait, Edmund is the prosecutor and Isaac is the lawyer?
Had he somehow gotten a law license without me knowing?
“Suspiciously natural genre-switching…!”
What is this? A professional?
“The defendant has repeatedly, despite family warnings, put herself in danger. We tried countless times to stop her, but all our efforts were in vain.”
“Hmm. I see.”
Julia nodded solemnly, stroking a fake beard. Where had she even gotten that?
The family’s dedication to this roleplay was becoming almost unbearable.
“Not only was she kidnapped by dark wizards and returned, but she also ignored every warning and went near her home, resulting in this disaster. Her crimes are truly severe and deep.”
“Oh dear.”
“Therefore, we request that the defendant be sentenced to three years of house arrest.”
Three years?!
Not thirty days, not three hundred days—three years? My eyes widened in shock, and Isaac placed a hand on my shoulder, winking at me.
“Trust me!”
Not trustworthy at all! If there were a contest for the world’s least reliable lawyer, Isaac would win without a doubt.
“Mmmph…”
But with my mouth taped shut, I had no choice. I had to watch a lawyer I didn’t even hire argue on my behalf.
“Attorney Isaac, begin your defense.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
Isaac’s eyes sparkled as he continued.
“I cannot agree with the prosecution’s claims!”
Whoa. Isaac actually sounds like a lawyer…
“Emil—no, the defendant—should be sentenced not to three years, but thirty years!”
That’s not a defense at all!
“A fine idea.”
Wait, is this right? There’s only a prosecutor in this trial?
Edmund and Isaac worked together, instantly raising the proposed sentence from three years to thirty. Even for a mock trial, this was ridiculously chaotic.
“Mmmph!”
I wish I could just defend myself!
As I squirmed in frustration, Isaac grabbed my shoulder urgently.
“You’ll hurt yourself if you keep struggling. Why are you doing this?”
“Mmmph!”
“Thirsty?”
He clearly didn’t understand a word I was saying.
“Very well. Since the defendant insists on speaking for herself, we will allow it.”
“…!”
Of course, Julia—the twins always understood every messy word.
When I looked up at Julia with shining eyes, a cold gaze fell on me.
Ugh. Is she angry?
“What? But…!”
“Release her. By order of the judge.”
Isaac made a sheepish face, then exhaled deeply. Carefully, he began peeling the tape off my mouth.
“It’s a specially made magical tool, so it won’t hurt.”
No wonder. It actually felt comfortable.
Finally being able to speak was a relief—the frustration that had built up instantly dissipated.
“Phew.”
“So, defendant, what is your defense?”
Her gaze seemed to say, “Go ahead if you can.” Despite that, I brightened my eyes instead of sulking.
“Your Honor, my crimes are certainly grave. A thirty-year house arrest would be appropriate. But… I am truly remorseful, so might you show me leniency just this once?”
I deliberately softened my eyebrows and gave a pitiful look; Julia flinched slightly.
Her expression didn’t change, but the gavel in her hand wavered ever so slightly.
“Thirty years confined at home would surely drive me insane. Is that truly what Your Honor desires?”
“Objection!”
Edmund cut in.
“The defendant is trying to sway the judge with irrelevant talk!”
“I acknowledge that.”
Julia said, lowering her eyes. Tch. If I had pushed a little more, she might have been persuaded.
“The defendant has always avoided family scrutiny this way. But this time, it will not be so easy.”
“Really, Ed-oppa?”
“There is no ‘Ed-oppa’ here. Only the defendant and the prosecution exist.”
Too much immersion, if you ask me.
But seeing his fierce expression, I swallowed the words I wanted to say. Sighing, I continued.
“…I know I was wrong.”
I meant it.
Lowering my head, memories of the lives lost before me flashed one by one.
“Sir Huil, Zeke… everyone got caught up because of me…”
If I had run away early, none of this would have happened. I should have been satisfied with seeing my family on the first day and immediately disappeared.
Then no innocent lives would have been lost.
I looked at my wrist, still bound by the broken bracelet.
“I was greedy.”
The cost had been unbearably cruel…
“What are you saying, Emily…”
Isaac, standing beside me, held me with trembling eyes. He hugged me tightly and patted my back.
“You’ve been thinking that all along? That it was your fault everyone suffered? Why…!”
He swallowed the rest of his words and tightened his grip on me.
“Don’t say that! How is it your fault? It’s all the fault of the dark wizards trying to force you away!”
Julia’s voice was firm, laced with icy anger.
I could almost feel her desire to tear Claude apart.
Then Edmund’s rough hand brushed over my head.
“I never blamed you, Emily.”
Edmund bent one knee to meet my eye level.
“Even if it were entirely your fault, it wouldn’t matter.”
“…!”
“What does that even matter?”
Edmund’s words made my mind go blank. That unconditional support felt like a dam breaking inside me.
I buried my face in Isaac’s sleeve, and he chuckled softly.
“What’s with the spoiled act? Huh? It’d be nice if you did this more often, instead of holding everything in alone…”
The affection in his tone was unmistakable.
“…Sorry.”
“Apologies are enough now. We didn’t even know you felt this way…”
Isaac looked heartbroken. Seeing the redness around my eyes, he brushed it gently with his fingertip.
“Phew. How could we ever win against you?”
Then he gave me a light bonk on the head.
Hehe, I was about to laugh and end the moment warmly…
Bang, bang, bang!
The gavel struck again, ringing clear. I looked up and saw Julia overlooking us in her judge’s robe.
“…Emily Walker. Guilty!”
Huh?
“Guilty anyway! Therefore, you shall take a break at home for now and stop having any negative thoughts. And the phrase ‘it’s my fault’ is strictly forbidden. Understand?”
A small laugh slipped out of me.
“What is that!”
“Oh my, dare you defy the judge? Answer quickly! You are hereby ordered to complete 40 hours of moral education!”
The way she waved the gavel was ridiculously cute. I ended up bursting into laughter and surrendered.
“Alright, alright, I get it!”
I stood in front of a small tombstone in the backyard. The name Siegfried was engraved in elegant script.
“…If Zeke saw this, he’d probably complain about the squiggly letters.”
His voice seemed to echo vividly in my mind.
Sir Huil’s remains had been returned to the family, and appropriate condolences were offered to the bereaved. Zeke, having no family of his own, was buried within the Walker estate.
By now, he might be meeting our mother and talking about me.
He always looked at the distance as if longing for the past.
I placed a white bouquet and knelt on one knee.
“Rest in peace. Shuil, I’ll protect you.”
“Hmph. Who said you would.”
I heard a reply above me.
Looking up, I saw Shuil napping on a branch casting shadow over the tombstone.
“Shuil?”
“I wondered who came to a lonely guy. Can you walk now?”
“Yeah. I’m fine now.”
I had just been exhausted from overusing magic. Shuil glanced at me with a sulky face.
“Pathetic. Who’s going to protect whom?”
“Still…”
“I’ll protect you.”
Shuil said it plainly.
Like saying, “The sky is blue, the sun rises in the east.” No big deal.
I didn’t understand at first, so I asked, “What?”
Shuil repeated clearly:
“I will continue Zeke’s will and protect you—with this dagger.”
Whirrr-.
The dagger Shuil drew was none other than Zeke’s dagger.
A faint holy light glimmered along its blade.
At the same time, I felt queasy.
“At first, you didn’t react properly. Now you seem to accept me as your master. Even this works?”
Whoosh!
Shuil swung the dagger, and its silver light sliced a branch from a tree across.
“This is enough to protect you, right?”
“……”
Could I really assign a dark wizard as my bodyguard? That question filled my mind completely.
