TYND 57

Chapter 57

The Duke of Witten had leaked confidential information to the Empire.

It hadn’t even been that long since the suppression of Duke Kill’s rebellion, yet another massive incident had erupted. There was no way the lords could afford not to attend. Amid the gathered crowd with their stiff expressions, a gloomy murmur spread.

“Duke Witten being an imperial spy—does that even make sense? Everyone knows how long the Witten family has been loyal to the royal house…”

“Still, it’s not impossible. Didn’t he fly into a rage after hearing about the Grand Tutor last time? If you ask me…”

“If he hastily joined hands with them out of resentment toward His Majesty…”

“But a public trial? I don’t understand why His Majesty didn’t simply punish him and instead convened a trial…”

Speculation and conjecture passed from mouth to mouth, and eyes filled with anxiety and unease painted the empty air.

The whispers, swelling and ebbing like waves without end, quietly died down the moment Lucy entered the courtroom.

“Is everyone present?”

Wearing a black dress similar in design to judicial robes, Lucy exuded an unusually imposing and solemn air—perhaps due to the gravity of both the place and her attire.

Seated at the judge’s bench, Lucy scanned the room and gave a light cough.

“I have no excuse for repeatedly summoning you during such a busy time, when tending to your own territories is already burden enough. However, as this is a matter of grave importance, I could not allow it to pass without due process. I ask for your understanding.”

At her heavy declaration, the accusatory gazes softened somewhat. Lucy glanced briefly toward the witness stand before issuing a clear command.

“Bring him in.”

No sooner had she spoken than the doors swung open. Walter, clad in military uniform, entered the courtroom dragging someone along.

With both hands bound, Witten walked beside him, his head hanging low. At first, it was hard to recognize him—his face was crusted with dried white salt stains, and his hair was filthy and disheveled. But when he lifted his head, a murky groan rippled through the assembled lords.

Witten stopped, staring straight ahead with eyes blazing in fury.

From the moment he entered the courtroom until now, his gaze had been fixed unwaveringly on Lucy. Lucy met his stare head-on and smiled leisurely.

“It’s been a while, Bon Witten.”

“What the hell is this supposed to be?”

The sentence, stripped of all formality and courtesy, caused a small stir among the lords.

Lucy did not answer and merely regarded him indifferently. The lack of response only fueled Witten’s anger, and he raised his voice further.

“From start to finish, this is nothing but a farce. On what charge did you drag me here? You smash my ship without warning, then suddenly haul me into a military court—why? For what reason did you bring me all the way here!”

“Commander-in-Chief,” Lucy cut in calmly, turning her gaze toward Walter. “Explain.”

Walter shot Witten a threatening glare that clearly said don’t spout nonsense, then turned toward the lords and began to speak.

“A few days ago, I was granted rare leave and went fishing at Port Meyer with Count Bouvehol. We were fishing near the docks, but since we weren’t getting any bites, we decided to take a boat out to sea.”

At the commander-in-chief’s sudden digression into his personal life, several lords showed visible discomfort.

Lucy silenced them with a stern look and gestured for him to continue.

“Shamefully, I became so absorbed in fishing that I didn’t even realize we’d drifted beyond the designated waters. At the time, a double rainbow appeared near the horizon, and all the sailors were distracted by it.”

“So?” someone pressed.

“And while our attention was elsewhere, through a truly—exceptionally—unfortunate stroke of bad luck, we collided with an unidentified merchant vessel lingering nearby.”

Listening with a deeply displeased expression, Witten gaped in disbelief.

Walter continued in an emotionless tone, looking over the lords. “But purely by chance—”

“Quite astonishingly, Duke Witten himself was aboard the ship we collided with. I never imagined you would be traveling on such an ordinary merchant vessel. And even more surprising was the fact that another ship was stationed near the Duke’s vessel.”

“What kind of ship was it?” someone asked.

“It bore no name or insignia, so I cannot say for certain. However, judging by its construction, it appeared to be an imperial military vessel. And by a most remarkable coincidence, we encountered Alejandro, the Crown Prince Regent of the Empire, there.”

The moment the words Imperial Regent, Crown Prince Alejandro were spoken, the barely audible murmurs vanished at once.

At the same time, the traces of sympathy on the lords’ faces disappeared, replaced by growing suspicion and discomfort.

The war between Dauphin and Antevasilla.

Ever since Lucy had made it public, the fact that the Empire was behind it had become an established truth.

Fear had spread that the Empire might next use Dauphin as a spearhead to invade Parnassus, and at present, the Empire was the foremost object of vigilance among the lords.

And yet—Duke Witten had met the Crown Prince.

Near border waters, on an unidentified vessel.

To anyone watching, it could only look like he had been caught in the act of espionage.

After surveying the atmosphere with only his eyes, Walter continued calmly.

“The Crown Prince himself seemed quite startled. Fortunately, he was unharmed, but the surrounding imperial soldiers all drew their swords, shouting that this might be an attack disguised as a meeting.”

“And what became of the Crown Prince?” Lucy asked.

“After explaining the situation, we apologized and promised compensation. Perhaps they were uneasy, but they didn’t press the matter deeply.”

“A blessing in misfortune.”

“As it was a purely accidental incident and involved only civilians, we resolved the matter without any major misunderstanding.”

Lucy, who had listened with an impassive expression, turned toward the witness stand on her right.

“What an extraordinary coincidence. Is the commander’s account true, Count Bouvehol?”

Seated in the witness stand, Count Bouvehol licked his lips and darted his eyes about. Meeting Witten’s furious glare, he squeezed his eyes shut and answered.

“Yes. Everything he said is true.”

With those words from the eldest among them, what had sounded like a tasteless joke gained credibility and transformed into undeniable truth.

Even the faintest noises were swallowed up, and a chilling cold settled over the courtroom’s silence.

“That is the full account of the incident,” Lucy said.

She looked at the lords with a regretful expression.

“As you may have sensed, there are far too many suspicious elements: the use of a disguised vessel to leave Parnassian waters, the imperial ship lacking insignia, and the fact that—of all people—the meeting party was the Crown Prince during such a volatile time. In light of these circumstances, I have given the matter careful consideration and now wish to ask you whether this situation can be deemed appropriate.”

In other words: It looks like espionage to me—what do you think?

Only then did the nobles understand why this gathering had been convened in a court rather than the royal palace. The intention was for the lords themselves to act as a jury and decide whether Witten was guilty or not.

Lucy cast a glance toward Rutherford, seated in the foremost row. It was time for the prearranged instigator to play his part.

“So that’s why His Majesty prepared this place. I finally understand. Duke Witten truly was acting as a spy.”

Rutherford scoffed incredulously as he spoke first.

“I did think his outburst at the previous council was unsettling—but was he really plotting treason with the Empire?”

The sharp question instantly tipped the previously uncertain mood in one direction. As if on cue, the lords unleashed their reproaches in chorus.

“I had my doubts, but how could the head of a ducal house commit such an act…!”

“To play the loyal subject for so many years, only to turn your back on the kingdom now?”

“Knowing that the Empire is at the very heart of this war between nations—how could you even think of joining hands with them? Absolutely shameless…”

Traitor. Base. Treasonous.

Insults he had never imagined hearing in his lifetime crashed down upon Witten all at once.

At last, Witten—who had kept his mouth tightly shut—lifted his head, his face contorted with rage.