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TL: What do you think of today's chapter? I also wonder what will happen to Jonok seriously, hmm. Comment down below what you think!
I looked at Derol, who was glaring at Jonok as if he wanted to pierce him with his eyes. People were largely viewing Jonok as a liar and a shameless fraud.
He brought it upon himself.
If he had just been more careful from the start, he wouldn’t have caused this much of a reaction. Furthermore, he had been throwing around words without a shred of evidence.
I suddenly understood why Ardion had chosen to present the evidence I had gathered at the very end. It seemed better to first assess the situation and then put together the crucial pieces towards the conclusion.
If we revealed everything now, we wouldn’t even know how Rowell’s side would react.
I shifted my gaze to Rowell, who was sitting cross-legged while staring at Jonok. Jonok, on the other hand, was flushed, looking as if he were about to collapse. His frustration was palpable. He evidently couldn’t accept that his views were being dismissed.
Then Rowell’s side began presenting an unrelenting stream of evidence. The testimonies from the survivors of the Duke Orchid arson incident painted Jonok as a violent man who saw his subordinates as less than animals.
Jonok yelled that it was all lies, but no one bought it. Those seated around me clicked their tongues or shook their heads. It seemed they had already concluded that Jonok was a lost cause.
I couldn’t help but smile inwardly. It seemed people were finally starting to figure out what kind of person Jonok truly was. But still, something felt lacking. Rowell, sitting so relaxed from the very beginning, was starting to irritate me.
I narrowed my eyes at him. After all, Rowell was behind Serina’s schemes. No, nearly every bad thing had his fingerprints on it.
Suddenly, Jonok screamed, “No! I am a witness. What I saw doesn’t count as evidence?! I saw it!”
A few knights grabbed Jonok.
“Who would believe the words of someone who has committed such vile deeds? Please stop insulting His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“I’m telling you! That bastard… He did that to my father…”
Rowell’s lips, which had been faintly smiling, froze. He motioned to someone beside him, who nodded and then addressed the judges.
“Your Honors, there’s no need to continue with this case. Please bring it to a close and deliver a judgment according to the weight of the law.”
Several of the judges exchanged looks. Jonok, still held by the knights, glared at Rowell. It seemed the case had more or less been decided. The nobles seated at the top of the room regarded Jonok as little more than trash.
However, the commoners seated below appeared deeply disappointed, their faces hardening. I felt a pang of concern. This was the result of the commoners’ efforts to push for a retrial. Ardion had used this fact to his advantage.
But if the case ended just like this, all their hard work would vanish like a fading smoke.
At that moment, one of the judges called out. “Is there anyone else from Jonok’s side who wishes to testify? If not, we shall conclude this case here.”
The case was about to be concluded.
The disappointed faces of the commoners from earlier lingered in my mind. They had fought hard, even gathering the necessary signatures for the retrial.
The trial had been made possible only by the commoners’ efforts. Without them, it would have been buried without a second thought. I rose from my seat. Derol stared at me, shocked.
“I will testify.”
When I spoke, Delzion, seated next to me, gasped in surprise. “Lady Laila!”
Delzion desperately tried to stop me, but I shook my head.
“At the very least, I should speak about what I know. After all, I am a victim too.”
“But His Highness will surely not remain silent. And I heard he has already prepared for this outcome in advance…”
“There are the commoners, aren’t there? Without them, we wouldn’t even have this trial.”
“But at this point, it’s almost certain that Rowell will win. Jonok will end up in prison anyway.”
Just then, one of the judges spoke. “Will no one testify?”
“I will.” I swiftly descended the stairs.
At that moment, Derol, eyes wide, asked me, “Master, what are you planning to do?”
“I can’t let Rowell get away with this, and I don’t want to disappoint the commoners either.”
It was bad enough that the incident with Duke Orchid had ended without resolution. This time, I truly wanted to see Rowell face proper judgment.
As I reached the lower level, a knight, perhaps waiting for me, guided me towards the center. The scene before me was much more unfamiliar than it had appeared from above.
The judges, sitting high above, seemed almost like figures in the sky, and both Jonok’s and Rowell’s gazes converged on me. This was my first time receiving such intense attention from so many people. A strange sense of tension rose in me. Although I had studied acting in the past, I hadn’t performed in front of such a large crowd before.
Due to my limited range, I had always played minor roles, never the lead. But now, I was the protagonist. Above all, everyone’s eyes were on me. This was my chance to truly perform, even though everything I was about to say was rooted in real experience.
“Please begin your testimony.” A judge gestured for me to continue.
I suppressed my nervousness just enough to open my mouth. “I am Laila, who worked at Duke Orchid’s mansion.”
A few people whispered among themselves.
I looked around and then continued, “In fact, Jonok was not regarded well in the duke’s household. As the crown prince’s testimony stated, he treated animals and people alike with cruelty.”
Jonok’s gaze turned sharp. Upon seeing me, his expression twisted even further.
But I simply smiled. Despite the fear in my heart, I forced myself to appear composed and calm. It seemed my acting was making an impression, as Rowell let out a small chuckle.
I scanned him briefly. He was wearing an unusual necklace that seemed oddly familiar. Still, I didn’t let go of my smile and continued confidently, “However, the crown prince’s account is not without flaws.”
The expressions of Rowell’s side, which had been faintly smiling, froze in an instant.
I directed my gaze towards him. “Jonok has provided evidence of his character, but there is no actual proof of what happened during the arson incident. After all, this trial was meant to determine who was truly behind the fire.”
“That’s right! The real culprit behind the fire is Rowell!” Jonok shouted vehemently. His face had transformed back into a fierce expression.
One of the judges frowned and rapped his gavel. “Please remain silent until the witness has finished speaking.”
The presiding judge gestured for me to continue.
I nodded. “Above all, I knew that Duke Orchid’s actions were wrong, and I recorded his misdeeds. I even collected evidence.”
Jonok tilted his head, his face serious. It seemed this was news to him. Of course, since I had done it all in secret, how could he have known?
“And then the crown prince arrived, and Duke Orchid ordered me to drain all of the prince’s mana. This, too, was at Rowell’s command.”
The room started to murmur again. I glanced at Rowell. His expression had grown even more rigid.
I felt a sense of satisfaction bubbling up inside me as I continued, “And instead of draining the prince’s mana, I gave him experiences he had never had before. After all, Rowell had been discriminating against him, and he had never received proper training.”
The room grew louder. The truths that had been accepted before now seemed far more tangible as people exchanged serious glances.
I met Rowell’s gaze. As soon as our eyes locked, he glared at me sharply.
Yet I smiled, unaffected.
It gave me a strange sense of confidence, knowing that my performance, once confined to private spaces like before Duke Orchid or Jonok, was now being witnessed by many.
Perhaps that was why my voice sounded calmer than usual.
“And the crown prince also threatened my life and forced the prince to be sent to the frontier.”
As I spoke, whispers spread through the crowd.
“So, the rumors were true…”
“I heard the crown prince was jealous of the prince… It looks like it’s true after all.”
Rowell’s long fingers clenched into a fist as he glared at me. I looked at him and turned my head.
Now, I really had to say what I wanted to say. "And I actually heard Rowell say, after he burned down the Duke Orchid mansion, that what happened in this mansion should not be allowed to go outside."
The commoners sitting below stood up. They shouted at Rowell, questioning him. When the judges, unable to watch any longer, banged their gavels, everyone shut their mouths, but their expressions were still fierce.
The person next to Rowell stood up. "Your Honors, a statement without evidence is just a falsehood. This case is over with this—"
"Wasn't the evidence Rowell presented earlier someone else's testimony? And the circumstances of how Jonok lived all this time have nothing to do with the arson case."
The man on Rowell's side looked at me with a hardened face, his mouth closed.
I looked straight at him. “At least I think everything I’ve said so far is sufficient evidence, given that there are two testimonies rather than one.”
“That’s not for you to decide, but for Their Honors—!
”
“Be quiet. I’ve told you to be quiet several times now,” one of the judges said, unable to stand it any longer. The man on Rowell’s side sat down with a grimace.
The judges huddled together, whispering among themselves. The courtroom was quite chaotic. I, however, enjoyed the attention of everyone’s gaze.