Chapter 94
Chapter 94
No, well, I’m not sure.
Those three phrases were what I said most frequently while sitting here.
[Just like a political hearing.]
I sat up as straight and dignified as possible, not blinking an eye, as if questioning why they would ask such obvious things.
“So, you’re denying your crimes, your acts of treason? We have evidence, evidence!”
“As I’ve been saying, ice cream has nothing to do with demonic beasts. Therefore, I’m not responsible.”
At first, I was just desperately trying to maintain my composure.
I tried my best to act as if nothing was wrong.
Then the System, taking pity on me, suddenly took some measures.
[SYSTEM | Switching to administrator mode.]
[SYSTEM | Adjusting ‘resolution’ from ’80’ to ’30’.]
This was a feature I’d never seen before.
Resolution?
At first, I didn’t understand and just went “Huh?”
But after closing the system window and looking up again, I understood what the System meant by resolution.
‘Resolution’ meant how realistically I perceived the world.
The world at resolution 30 was surprisingly unrealistic.
It felt exactly… exactly like… playing a game.
There was no sense of reality.
“Answer properly! If we were outside, you wouldn’t even dare to lift your head in my presence…! Seike? That family that went bankrupt because of debt.”
Our family went bankrupt because of debt.
I nodded and replied.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
At my response, Baron Belfoua, one of Marquis Cloi’s vassals, began to turn red as if his face might explode.
“Such vulgarity!”
“Haha, is that so?”
“This is why children who grow up without parents-!”
“Oh my, that comment seems completely unrelated to why I was called here. And for your information, my parents raised me very diligently.”
How should I put it?
Is it okay to answer like this?
Is this not a real situation?
The lack of realism makes random words keep spilling from my mouth.
‘Is this really okay?’
[Well, I’m not sure either.]
‘Well, Roen did emphasize that I should deny everything no matter what.’
I just need to keep denying everything.
What’s fascinating is that just by lowering the resolution, all the insulting remarks being hurled at me sounded like buzzing flies.
I just listened while thinking ‘Ooh, interesting’ and sharing my impressions.
Anyway, once some distance was created, even in what should have been an overwhelming situation, I started to feel at ease and notice my surroundings.
While some were fiercely criticizing me here, others maintained silence with sharp eyes, trying to assess the situation.
And surprisingly, the majority were just quietly observing without showing any emotion.
‘I thought everyone would just criticize me.’
[Isn’t that what you wanted?]
‘That’s right.’
But this isn’t bad either.
The most surprising reaction was from Duke Hellis.
Although he could have been at the forefront questioning me, he maintained his silence.
However, judging by his occasional sharp questions, he seemed to have some suspicions about me.
“Lady Seike. While I don’t want to doubt you, I hope you understand my position that forces me to be suspicious.”
“Please speak.”
Duke Hellis pressed me firmly but politely.
“The ‘demonic beast’ is a life form we’ve never seen before. To understand how such a thing suddenly appeared in the world, we need to examine what has changed recently.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve concluded that it’s the ‘ice cream.'”
Instead of answering, I stared directly at Hellis, indicating that he should continue speaking.
I tried my best to keep my expression as stern as possible.
‘How do I look? Do I appear angry enough?’
[Mmm. You’re radiating charisma. You even look a bit fierce.]
‘Perfect.’
“It’s a stretch. ‘Ice cream’ has been sold in the market for quite some time already. It’s been showcased at various parties, not just at Duke Hellis’s residence. It was even briefly featured at Count Gente’s mansion here present.”
When I pointed to Count Gente, he hastily shook his head and shouted at me.
“Don’t drag me into this! How dare you involve me in such an unsavory debate!”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“I think connecting ‘ice cream’ to ‘demonic beasts’ is based on extremely weak evidence. To bring such flimsy evidence to both the state council where His Majesty is present and even to a hearing…”
I turned my head to look at Marquis Cloi.
His face was bright red as if it might burst.
“I think it’s low-level and poor quality.”
Marquis Cloi stood up, slamming his desk.
He pointed at me as if he was about to gesture wildly.
“Evidence? Did you say evidence, Lady Seike!”
“Yes, I can confidently say that ‘ice cream’ is harmless and completely unrelated to the demonic beast incident at Duke Hellis’s residence.”
“Such impudence!”
I lifted my head even more impudently.
‘How do I look? Do I appear brazen?’
[Yeah… you were nervous earlier, but now you’re doing too well.]
‘Hahaha, lowering the resolution is really great!’
While chatting with the System internally, I responded sharply with my mouth.
“Bring proper evidence. Don’t malign me with such trivial speculation.”
“You think I don’t have evidence? You’ll pay for running your mouth in front of His Majesty the Emperor today.”
Yeah, yeah.
You must have that evidence.
They probably have evidence that ice cream amplifies the ‘demonic beast’s smoke’ when it comes in contact with it, even though they don’t properly understand what the smoke is.
The evidence submitted to Marquis Cloi from the Imperial Academy stated that ice cream acts as an amplifier for magical smoke, known as magi.
More precisely, it was false information leaked by Luwin’s side.
Anyway, since Marquis Cloi had apparently caused a commotion demanding the research institute fabricate content, our Luwin just did the fabrication for them.
“Your Majesty, we will reveal the evidence at the upcoming hearing.”
Marquis Cloi bowed deeply to the Emperor as if he were some apostle of justice.
Ah, how boring.
With low resolution, there’s no thrill in this either.
I glanced around and met eyes with Isiel.
He was usually always smiling like a carefree young noble.
However, seeing him now in formal attire with his hair completely swept back and an expressionless face, he looked quite fitting as the heir of a prestigious family.
He stared at me silently with an emotionless face.
I didn’t particularly avoid his gaze.
“Your Majesty, we must clearly establish where this person was in the party venue! We must arrest her immediately and investigate her in the underground prison!”
“That’s right!”
The noisy voices are barely audible.
I just focused on Isiel, who had caught my attention.
Isiel sighed slightly and closed his eyes first.
Then he raised his hand and stood up.
“I object. That day, Irina Seike was with me. When she wasn’t with me, she was with Seiren.”
This was the first time Isiel had stepped forward.
The moment he did, the flow of the entire space shifted slightly.
“…Young Lord Lemiere! But how can you be certain she didn’t do something behind the scenes? I heard it was Lady Irina Seike who brought in and arranged the ice cream at the party venue.”
Isiel turned towards me and asked.
“I was also at the scene. In fact, Seiren, Cassis Luwin, and Irina Seike and I are the greatest contributors who dealt with the demonic beast and saved lives at the time.”
“…But.”
“Regardless of the evidence that Marquis Cloi’s side can’t properly submit, it doesn’t change the fact that the Lady saved numerous people.”
Isiel dismissed it like that and asked me.
“Can you prove that the demonic beast and ice cream are unrelated?”
“… Proving something is unrelated is difficult.”
“Then what can you prove?”
“I will prove that Marquis Cloi’s evidence is false.”
“Whatever that evidence might be?”
“Yes.”
Cassis was right.
Even without any prior coordination with me, Isiel helped me in the most perfect and efficient way.
“Then that’s settled. We can discuss this again after the hearing.”
I wonder if it’s okay to wrap up the state council event so casually.
But most people agreed with Isiel’s opinion.
The observers agreed because they thought it was truly better that way, while those who doubted me meant it as “Let’s see if you can prove it.”
The Emperor clearly belonged to the latter group.
He nodded and struck his desk with his legal scepter.
“The hearing will be held next Sunday. It will take place at the Sehet Temple, so many can attend.”
I frowned at the mention of Sehet Temple.
Not only was the date so close…
[Why the Sehet Temple?]
‘Because the Sehet Temple has a hall that’s open to everyone.’
‘Everyone’ includes all imperial citizens regardless of status, and even foreigners.
‘And it can accommodate a large number of people.’
[So the hearing content will be public to everyone.]
‘It will be quickly made public to everyone, perfect for spreading rumors throughout the empire.’
The Emperor added:
“Irina Seike, I hear you have a divine beast.”
“…Yes, that’s correct.”
“I hear it’s also a divine beast of a form never seen before… There are internal opinions suggesting it might be a demonic beast.”
Pfft…?
Vroom-vroom, who was recuperating, cried sadly as if it had heard.
‘Don’t listen, Vroom-vroom.’
You shouldn’t hear such things.
Whether Vroom-vroom was sad or not, the Emperor threw an unexpected bombshell.
“On the same day, prove that this creature is a ‘divine beast’ and not a ‘demonic beast.'”
* * *
As soon as we arrived at the mansion, Cassis worried about me.
I slightly frowned at Cassis’s face, feeling strange.
“This is weird?”
“Irina?”
Unlike before, Cassis just… just had no emotion.
In other words, all the emotions I used to have for him – wanting him to succeed, the sympathy I felt for him – all seemed to have evaporated and disappeared.
And suddenly there was a distance, as if he were a character in a novel.
[That’s because, Irina, the resolution is still at 30.]
Ah, resolution.
[SYSTEM | ‘Resolution’ has been restored to 80.]
When the System announcement rang out, the air touching my skin suddenly felt completely different.
While everything had felt bland before, now… Everything was rich with sensation.
The returned Cassis was… exactly as I remembered him.
Kind and gentle.
Someone who made a corner of my heart ache yet feel warm just by looking at him.
“Irina, were there any problems?”
I was about to answer that I was fine, but then grinned instead.
“I was so scared! People were glaring at me and yelling at me.”
“…!”
Cassis was beside himself with guilt.
I deliberately whined a bit more about how difficult it was, but that too came to a quick end thanks to the person who arrived after me.
“No way, she was really amazing.”
“Isiel.”
“Cas, even I would have trembled a bit if I were in that position. But Irina didn’t tremble at all.”
“That’s not true, I was totally shaking.”
I objected.
But Isiel turned his head away with a “heng” and retorted.
“You weren’t nervous at all. You shot back at every sarcastic comment perfectly.”
“Really?”
Cassis asked in disbelief.
“Yeah, I even thought I might not need to help because she was doing so well.”
…Hmph.
It wasn’t quite that good.
