Watching Hedmilton hand over the documents, Liselotte continued speaking.
“When Kairi’s blood was examined, it showed characteristics different from those of an ordinary person. Page 22, would you please confirm?”
Ollas and the Commander of the Conrad knights reviewed the additional evidence they had received, while Emperor Perida simply smiled leisurely and looked at Liselotte.
It wasn’t an unpleasant smile.
If anything, it felt closer to pride and satisfaction. Was it strange to think that?
Clearing her throat softly, Liselotte continued.
“According to the results of the magic tool appraisal, it has been confirmed that a very small amount of nomadic blood is mixed in Kairi’s blood.”
It was a fact that no other House could ever have verified.
This method was possible only because the Head of House Keilos carried the bloodline of the nomads.
A firm truth that couldn’t be dismissed as deception, since he used Word of Command and possessed golden eyes.
She knew that Eren didn’t wish to outwardly reveal that he was of nomadic descent.
That was why she had hesitated about exposing it here.
Even if he said he was fine with it, Liselotte herself didn’t feel at ease.
Miro, who likely had never received such information in advance from House Gloria, shouted in flustered protest.
“I object. When verifying blood with a magic tool, the reliability is around eighty percent, leaving a wide margin of error.”
“Nomadic blood is, in itself, clearly distinguishable from that of ordinary people.”
No one could be more accurate about information regarding the nomads than House Keilos.
‘In this House, even the distortion of mana caused by Word of Command was resolved internally rather than by a physician.’
Conversely, that meant House Gloria couldn’t possibly know more about nomadic bloodlines than House Keilos.
“We will accept the additional evidence.”
Now it was one step.
One step toward bringing down the East.
‘If the East collapses, the ones who were targeting Eren will be dragged out with it.’
Once she pulled at their hair and exposed who they were, the rest would resolve itself without her needing to intervene.
At the very least, Ail and Ferento wouldn’t remain still.
That much would mean Liselotte had done her part sufficiently.
Seeing her bright expression, Kairi smiled as well.
“Did Kairi do well?”
Since they were in a courtroom, Liselotte nodded and smiled instead of patting his head.
Encouraged, Kairi began chattering.
“Is it okay if not friend?”
At the repeated mention of friend, Liselotte nodded again.
Then Kairi pointed precisely at Diana once more and said, almost as if tattling,
“Not friend. Different from us.”
“Witness, when you say different, do you mean by status, or for another reason?”
“For another reason!”
“Did that friend also live in the poorhouse the same way you did?”
No sooner had Liselotte finished her question than Miro sprang to his feet, realizing the gravity of it.
“I object. The plaintiff is leading the witness toward a predetermined answer!”
“I will sustain the objection. Counsel for the plaintiff, please allow the witness to answer freely.”
The Commander of the Conrad knights accepted it immediately.
It seemed to be a decision made because Kairi felt more at ease with her and wasn’t skilled in conversation.
Even so, Kairi wasn’t foolish. Surely he could distinguish the one friend he had guarded his entire life.
“Witness, could you tell us what the other reason is?”
“When friends got injections, they could not get up. But Charlotte got up.”
“Witness, who is this Charlotte you are talking about?”
“Over there.”
Kairi pointed at Diana without the slightest deviation.
All eyes in the courtroom turned toward the very back.
She stood there trembling, both fists clenched tightly.
Her face had gone so pale that it wouldn’t have been strange if she collapsed at any moment.
“It is a lie.”
Contrary to her expression, the voice that left Diana’s lips was infinitely thin.
So frail it seemed as though a gust of wind might topple her, the voice carried so little strength it could easily be swallowed by the noise.
Liselotte stared at her intently and asked Kairi,
“Why is she not your friend?”
“She left alone, leaving the friends who were still lying down. People in long clothes took her away. Only Charlotte.”
He likely meant those wearing robes.
The courtroom fell silent.
The stillness lasted only a moment. Then, as if bursting all at once, the gallery descended into chaos.
“Is he saying Lady Diana was not merely adopted…?”
“Then does that mean her divine authority is fake?”
“So all these nobles have been deceived by an orphan with fake divine authority?”
Anger and betrayal mingled as voices grew louder and louder.
Some even pointed fingers directly at Diana.
“If you have a mouth, speak! With what face did you crawl in here?!”
“Where is Duke Gloria? Where is the Head of the House who should be taking responsibility? And what is this lowly—!”
As the courtroom descended into pandemonium, Ollas pressed a hand to his forehead.
Normally, he would have restored order, but the one holding the gavel now was Emperor Perida.
Yet he merely observed the chaotic courtroom with leisure.
It was impossible to tell what he was thinking, but at least Liselotte judged that he wasn’t an enemy.
Having endured the insults, Diana suddenly screamed.
“I am from House Gloria!!”
Of all the voices she had raised until now, this was undoubtedly the loudest.
Perhaps she had strained herself by shouting, because she began coughing violently.
Cough, cough. When she covered her mouth with a handkerchief, bright red blood stained her lips.
Frowning, Diana cried out faintly,
“No matter how you try to insult me, I am formally a member of House Gloria. Show proper respect.”
“Then how was your authority created, my Lady?!”
“I always thought it strange. How could a mere young lady possess a divine authority an Imperial Princess did not have?!”
‘Why am I being dragged into this now?’
When Liselotte cast an uneasy glance toward the uproar at the back of the courtroom, Valen, unable to bear it any longer, rose with a deep frown.
“How dare you speak so carelessly of the Imperial Family—”
Before he could finish.
Diana let out a faint, crooked smile.
“That blood test or whatever it is. I will take it.”
Her unexpectedly firm response caused the shouting nobles to falter and step back.
With her handkerchief still pressed to her lips, Diana lifted her chin.
“I will undergo the blood test. If the results are nothing remarkable, how will you compensate for this damage?”
She wasn’t addressing the nobles.
Diana was staring directly at Liselotte.
‘She must be confident.’
Kairi had said the others never got up.
Which meant most who were injected with nomadic blood had died.
Kairi, who had survived by chance, had lost his clarity of mind; even if some survived, they may have been killed for lacking reason.
For Diana to have survived in such a place…
‘It must mean the experiment succeeded.’
In that case, there was no guarantee that her blood test results would match Kairi’s.
It could simply be a bluff.
When Liselotte continued to stare without answering, Diana spoke again, more clearly this time.
“Miro. Is it possible to request an additional witness right now?”
Miro, who had been standing there in a daze, flinched and nodded.
“Ah, um. Your Honor, may I ask whether it is possible to request an additional witness?”
Emperor Perida smiled faintly.
So bright and lucid was his expression, utterly mismatched with the situation, that for a fleeting moment it felt as though this were a holy sanctuary rather than a courtroom.
“I will permit it. We were searching for one as well, were we not?”
“Pardon…?”
“Someone from Gelloa Village.”
Emperor Perida tapped the documents on the desk lightly.
They were the adoption-related evidence Liselotte had submitted.
According to Kairi’s testimony and the evidence, Diana was from Gelloa Village. The very person Miro had insisted couldn’t be found had now presented herself before them.
Miro signaled to Diana with his eyes, urging refusal.
It was a sign to change her stance even now, as it could turn unfavorable— but Emperor Perida was faster.
“The additional witness requested by the defendant may step forward. Clerk, prepare a seat for the additional witness.”
