Chapter 87

As the door opened, those who had been sitting down—Opal and the others—stood up.

Then, Alessandro sat on the throne on the dais and continued to bow his head until a signal was given.

"You may all relax."

A sigh of relief could be heard at his words.

The atmosphere in the room had been tense.

(The commotion from earlier seems like a lie.)

Alessandro, who usually exuded a sense of familiarity, now appeared distant and even intimidating.

This was the dignity of a king, and it was impossible not to feel a sense of awe.

"Then, we will begin the trial regarding the recent act of treason against His Majesty. Please be seated, all witnesses."

At the signal of Lord Balba, the chairman of the House of Nobles, Opal turned her gaze to Turri and the others.

Turri and the Duke of Bapote maintained their arrogant attitudes, seemingly unconcerned about the chaos they had caused and the fear it had instilled in people.

This made Opal frustrated.

When Opal and the others returned to the capital, the people, though continuing their usual lives, had dark and anxious expressions.

However, when they saw Claude's—Duke of Luselle's—carriage with the family crest, their faces lit up, and cheers erupted as they waved from the windows.

Claude had said he was just a figurehead despite being hailed as a hero in the recent civil unrest, but the people's reactions clearly showed otherwise.

(I don't know how far the rumors have spread among the townspeople, but I must ensure that everything is properly resolved here today and reassure them that everything is fine.)

Although the uprising of the rebels had failed, the people of the capital had seen many soldiers.

Rumors of Claude being killed by bandits must have also spread, causing them great anxiety.

That's why they were so overjoyed, and some even shed tears.

"---Please wait. I have heard about the actions of the rebels that Lord Balba has been describing. I, too, feel great anger towards those who, out of their grief for the late Duke of Bottselli—excuse me, the former Duke—turned their swords against His Majesty again. But why am I being restrained and humiliated in front of everyone? I would like an explanation first."

As Lord Balba was explaining the events, the Duke of Bapote suddenly interrupted.

Everyone was surprised by the Duke's impolite behavior, and murmurs spread.

"Your Grace, Bapote, that is disrespectful in the presence of His Majesty."

"It is precisely because of His Majesty's presence. This concerns the honor of my—our duchy. I will forgive the sudden raid by the guards on my estate this morning and the arrest of my son Turri and myself for something we know nothing about. After all, you will soon apologize for your misunderstanding. But I cannot tolerate being accused of unfounded crimes in front of everyone. I want to know why Turri and I are being charged with high treason."

"If you would wait, I would have explained it properly... Your Majesty, may I answer the Duke's question?"

"---I permit it."

"Thank you."

Lord Balba, though exasperated, obtained Alessandro's permission.

The hall fell silent as everyone, like the Duke, was eager to know the answer.

"The source of funding for the recent rebellion was the gold from the Lead Mine in the Bottselli Duchy. The mine was managed by Cole, who stands here. Konari, who stands next to him, served the former Duke of Bottselli and has been overseeing the management of the duchy. For the past four years, since the death of the former Duke, you, Duke of Bapote, have been giving them instructions, have you not?"

"I know nothing of it. I have never seen these people."

"Such a thing! Didn't you instruct us on how to smuggle the gold? That's unfair!"

"Who are you speaking to like that, you insolent boy?"

"Ah, n-no..."

Bapote glared coldly and sternly at Cole, who had spoken out.

Cole shrank back in fear.

Konari, who seemed to have no intention of fighting, remained silent.

"That's strange... You were close to the former Duke of Bottselli, were you not? And you visited the duchy many times, yet Konari has never seen you?"

"I don't remember every servant's face. Do you think I am involved in such a grave crime just because I was close to the former Duke? My son Turri has been loyal to His Majesty since the civil unrest and has fought alongside Luselle, who is here."

Lord Balba's casual tone infuriated the Duke of Bapote.

Turri, who was mentioned, did not look at Claude and remained silent.

Opal also quietly observed the proceedings.

"We have plenty of testimonies, Your Grace. Not only from them but also from the nobles you are with, who have testified that you were the mastermind behind this turmoil. Most of the rebels who rose up around the capital were your private army, and you were the one who funded their maintenance."

"Ridiculous. You are accusing me of being the mastermind based on such testimonies alone. Anyone can collude to pin the blame on someone!"

The Duke dramatically spread his arms and glared at the other nobles, who remained pale and avoided his gaze.

"Indeed, testimonies alone are not enough. We struggled to obtain physical evidence. You are very cautious. During the civil unrest, you opposed His Majesty behind the scenes but never showed your hand, even sending your son, Viscount Amadi, to His Majesty. To ensure things went well no matter which way it turned."

"Rude! I wanted to support His Majesty with my own will!"

"That is admirable. Then, why did you want to support His Majesty?"

"W-Why? Does such a thing need a reason?"

Lord Balba's words prompted Turri, who had been silent, to snap.

However, Lord Balba responded calmly.

Opal was impressed; it was no wonder the king had appointed him as chairman.

"Where does Viscount Amadi's will lie? To me, it seems like a young man with a lot of energy just wanted to defy his parents a little and go on an adventure. But even that was just being manipulated by his parents—"

"I will not allow you to mock my brother any further!"

Erik, visibly angry, interrupted Lord Balba's words and tried to approach him, but was restrained by the royal guards.

Despite this, Lord Balba remained unperturbed and continued questioning Turri.

"Then, Viscount Amadi. If you supported His Majesty, why did you have the Duke of Bottselli—let's call him Duke of Luselle here—why did you have Duke Luselle attacked by bandits and attempt to take his life?"