Chapter 134
At this, Kylus’s eyes widened slightly. He seemed not to have expected Alice to respond in kind.
Until now, Alice had been too busy being flustered by his brazenness and running away, so he would have thought as much.
But it had been almost a week since they had confirmed their true feelings for each other.
Alice, too, was gradually becoming immune to his brazenness.
Enough to respond like this, even though her body felt like it would twist with excitement.
“To my eyes, you’re the most beautiful as well.”
Kylus whispered.
If others had heard, they might have wondered what on earth they were doing in a courtroom, but fortunately, it wasn’t loud enough for others to hear.
Besides, the nobles’ attention was solely focused on the Third Prince right now.
Of course, they were also interested in Sienna, who was with the Third Prince.
After exchanging embarrassing words secretly with Kylus, Alice took her seat in the distinguished guests’ section with him.
And at that moment, the door to the courtroom on the first floor opened.
The person who entered was the Second Prince.
The gazes of the nobles, as well as Alice and Kylus who had been looking at each other, turned downward.
Alice looked at the Second Prince standing in the central defendant’s position with a puzzled expression.
Why is he alone?
The trials here were quite different from the trials she knew in her previous world.
But there were some similarities, such as these gallery seats where people could watch the trial, and the presence of someone to defend the accused.
That’s not to say that there was a completely professional occupation like a lawyer here.
Usually, a distinguished noble with close relations to the accused, or a high-ranking elder of their family, would defend them.
After all, the noble trials held here weren’t meant to judge capital crimes that would end with hanging or beheading.
Such treason was judged immediately by the Emperor without the process of a trial.
Naturally, there was no one to defend such crimes. Those guilty of treason would completely disappear from the Empire, along with their entire family.
So Sienna had told her that the Second Prince would come with someone to defend him today.
Alice had expected Hasis.
Though Hasis was the Empress’s closest confidant, he was officially the Captain of the Imperial Knights, making him the perfect person to defend the Second Prince at the Emperor’s command.
Not many people knew the truth that he was completely insane inside.
But why is he alone? Why?
As Alice was wondering, Kylus beside her spoke softly:
“Hmm, it seems the trial will proceed quite easily.”
Just as Alice was about to open her mouth to ask what he meant, a loud voice announcing the entrance of the Emperor and Empress resounded through the palace.
“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor and Her Imperial Majesty the Empress!”
All the nobles rose from their seats at once.
The Emperor and Empress took their places in the highest seats of the courtroom, and soon the Emperor’s voice resonated:
“Everyone may raise their heads.”
Alice looked up at the elevated seats.
Unlike his usual self, the Emperor was dressed in all gold, while in contrast, the Empress wore a deep blue dress.
Though it had some gold embroidery, it wasn’t at all flamboyant. The earrings and necklace she wore were also quite modest for an Empress’s ornaments.
She must have been mindful of her attire since it’s her own son’s trial.
The current Empress looked to everyone as if she was atoning for the sins her son had committed.
Even though inside she felt nothing of the sort.
Wasn’t it the Empress who had tried to kill Viscountess Rosetta and herself?
As Alice was inwardly trembling with disgust, the Empress lowered her gaze.
A look directed precisely at Alice. For a moment, the gazes of the Empress and Alice met in mid-air.
Despite the considerable distance, Alice could directly feel the Empress’s murderous intent.
Wow, that’s a truly vicious look.
Alice felt goosebumps rise on her arms from the Empress’s violet eyes gleaming toward her.
Befitting a madwoman who had tried to kill her twice, the Empress was speaking with an intense gaze.
Saying she would surely kill her.
In the past, Alice would have immediately avoided the Empress’s gaze, thinking it best to avoid a lunatic, but now things were different.
She already knew what cards the Empress held, and she had something reliable of her own.
Lord Helios.
Yes, I’m the one chosen by Helios—how could I be intimidated by a specter’s host?
Of course, Helios wasn’t entirely trustworthy, but nevertheless, he was the god who created this world.
Alice slightly raised her chin and looked at the Empress proudly.
At this, a cold smile settled on the Empress’s lips, and Alice felt a chill run down her spine.
It felt as if something cold and unpleasant was crawling up her spine.
Could it be… black magic?
It was certain. There was nothing else that could crawl up her spine like that.
To use black magic on me in such a crowded place.
As if her level of madness had increased, the Empress was showing increasingly appalling behavior day by day.
The Empress smiled with satisfaction as she saw Alice’s shocked face.
Alice thought as she watched:
Truly an all-time great psycho.
Unable to contain her indignation, Alice inwardly called to Helios.
Asking if there was a way to make the Empress’s spine crawl with goosebumps too.
But Helios did not respond to her call.
He had said that although it wasn’t easy outside the temple, he would answer if she called desperately.
Was that a lie?
She was very desperate right now.
Helios! Alice called once more, but again there was no answer.
As Alice’s insides boiled with frustration at not being able to return anything to the Empress, her vision was suddenly blocked.
“That’s quite an unpleasant gaze, so it’s best to ignore it, my lady.”
It was Kylus who had blocked the Empress’s gaze. Kylus continued with a faint smile:
“And that arrogant appearance will only be temporary anyway. Today, just enjoy watching the Empress’s honor fall to the ground. Though of course, it would have been better if we could behead her today.”
The last words were spoken so softly that they could barely be heard without concentration. But Alice understood them perfectly.
Beheading… It was a chilling expression, but rather than fear, Alice felt regret that she couldn’t be like Kylus.
A surprising change.
When she first witnessed Kylus’s act of killing, she had been so unbearable that she had vomited stomach acid.
But after surviving several near-death experiences, she had come to accept much of the reality of this world, which was very different from her past life.
Especially those aspects that regarded human life as trivial, and the cruelty where one must completely kill their enemy to survive.
Moreover, the Empress was a person who had tried to kill her twice.
Unless one were terminally afflicted with excessive kindness, they wouldn’t react with, “Oh my, beheading? Such talk is unacceptable!”
As Sienna often said, they should cut off her limbs piece by piece.
Alice smiled as if strongly agreeing with Kylus’s words.
“Let’s sit down, my lady.”
Kylus escorted her and seated her in the distinguished guests’ section. Then he greeted Alice.
“Then, I shall take my leave.”
“Farewell, Your Grace.”
Alice naturally responded to his greeting. It was because she already knew where he was going.
Kylus was leaving the second-floor gallery to go to the courtroom where the Second Prince was standing.
Today, he was the representative speaking on behalf of Viscountess Rosetta to accuse the Second Prince of his crimes.
So roughly like an opposing lawyer, similar to a prosecutor’s role.
As Kylus entered the first-floor courtroom, the sound of nobles holding their breath in tension could be heard.
That was because, though he was simply standing straight in the courtroom, an overwhelming aura emanated from him in his black formal attire.
The Second Prince wasn’t even visible because of Kylus.
At that moment, the Emperor, seated at the highest place in the palace, opened his mouth:
“We shall now begin the trial of Second Prince Axion Pentaum. Duke Dearrut, who has taken on the role of Viscountess Rosetta’s representative, state the crimes committed by the Second Prince.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I shall now, on behalf of Viscountess Rosetta, detail the atrocities committed by His Highness the Second Prince.”
Kylus smoothly responded and began his introduction.
“First, His Highness the Second Prince happened to meet Viscountess Rosetta at the opera theater on the 45th day of the 483rd Imperial year. And being captivated by her, he proposed that she become his mistress. However, the Viscountess refused his proposal.”
All the nobles in the gallery were attentively listening to his statement.
“According to imperial law, nobles and royals may freely take mistresses, but it is explicitly stated that, unless they are slaves, they can never be forced.”
Kylus took a short breath and continued:
“However, His Highness the Second Prince ignored this law and trampled on the Viscount’s household. Using his power, he blocked all funds to the Viscount’s family and forcibly took Viscountess Rosetta. Then, when the Viscountess became pregnant, he ruthlessly abandoned her.”
At Kylus’s voice resonating heavily through the courtroom, the nobles shook their heads and clicked their tongues. Occasional cursing of the Second Prince could also be heard.
“The Second Prince’s shameless behavior in arbitrarily trampling on a noblewoman—not a slave but a noble, and furthermore, a married lady—and driving the Viscount’s household into a corner was a despicable and cowardly act, too base to be considered worthy of a member of the imperial family.”
Kylus paused briefly amid the noisy court, then drove home his point in a loud voice:
“Therefore, Your Majesty, I implore you to impose a severe punishment on the Second Prince, who has mercilessly trampled on a noblewoman, so that the nobles of the Empire may maintain their loyalty to the imperial family.”
As soon as Kylus finished speaking, the nobles shouted in agreement, calling for the Second Prince to be punished.
Observing the clamorous scene, Kylus turned his gaze to the Second Prince.
The Second Prince was looking only at the ground, his gaze lowered.
Given the Second Prince’s character, like a horse with loosened reins, he should have interrupted Kylus’s speech with anger.
But he just remained quiet, as he had been when he entered the courtroom alone.
Kylus wasn’t particularly surprised by this. Since the Second Prince had stood alone in the courtroom, he had known that the Prince had decided not to show any resistance in this trial.
Of course, it wouldn’t have been his own decision. The Empress must have ordered it.
To not make the situation worse and to quietly accept the trial.
If he had acted up as usual here, it would truly be beyond recovery.
Indeed, as if it wasn’t his own will, the Second Prince’s tightly clenched fists were trembling.
At that moment, amid the noisy court, the Emperor irritably shouted:
“Silence! Be quiet. This is a solemn court of law!”
Gradually, the nobles closed their mouths.
And the Empress, who had been quietly sitting with a dark expression, spoke with a trembling voice:
