Chapter 60
Chapter 60
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 60
Chapter Title: Confinement in Lubon
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Despite Dad's menacing aura, the Chief Justice pretended not to notice and tidied up his papers.
'He definitely said Lark said if I was lucky, a year in Widro, and if not, two years in Hebanon...'
Dad ground his teeth loud enough for everyone around to hear, then abruptly turned and stormed out of the courtroom.
"Dad!"
I cried out in panic, but he had already vanished like the wind.
Staring at the courtroom doors that had swallowed him up and slammed shut, I clamped my hand over my mouth.
'What in the world is going on!'
The trial had lasted about two hours.
I slowly recalled it from the very beginning.
* * *
Imperial Palace Courtroom.
The Chief Justice sat in the high seat, with Emperor Decard 11th in the left VIP gallery.
In the heavy, overwhelming silence.
I spotted Lark, Dad, and Viego in the councilor seats.
And...
[Hard to see your face?]
Wishit, who hadn't shown up since Lark visited a few days ago and spilled his story—as if avoiding me.
[Busy.]
[Busy my ass.]
[Why, did you need me for something? You could've just summoned me. You didn't even call.]
[Fine, whatever.]
He was probably hiding because he was worried I'd hound him about his secrets.
[Hey, about those three wishes...]
[I can only grant three. I can't do anything about that part.]
[Oh really? How'd you know what I was gonna ask?]
[You were gonna ask if I could grant unlimited wishes.]
[Hmph, you liar.]
[The three-wish limit is sworn truth. That's real.]
[Is that so? Sounds like you're admitting you lied about everything else.]
<...>
So many secrets... I grumbled inwardly, watching Wishit avert his gaze.
"Ru, Rubette. I'm sorry..."
At that moment.
Standing in the center of the courtroom like a monkey behind bars, I turned at the trembling voice beside me.
Lizbet, standing next to me, was crying.
"Why are you crying?"
"Because of me..."
As expected, Lizbet looked overwhelmed with guilt after seeing her for the first time in ages.
'Hmm... Lizbet, honestly, this was totally unexpected.'
Belatedly, but thanks to this incident, I'd completely reevaluated my opinion of this immature girl.
Once she realized she'd been tricked by the sorcerer, Lizbet had acted surprisingly wisely.
During questioning, she hadn't said a single thing that could cause problems.
'If she'd just spilled everything truthfully, the situation would've been way more complicated.'
For instance, the poison she'd tried to smuggle in, which Lark had caught and confiscated.
'If it came out that Lark already knew Lizbet smuggled poison, covered it up, and was secretly hunting the sorcerer... Ugh.'
I shuddered and shook my head.
'She knew enough not to say that and get her own brother in trouble.'
Anyway, Lizbet had been pretty clever for her age.
Taking responsibility on herself alone.
'And not just that? Even when I offered to help, she threw a fit and refused?'
I'd secretly passed word through Lark, who was leading the investigation, that I wanted to help her...
But Lizbet refused without a second thought.
She stubbornly insisted she couldn't let an innocent person get punished.
Lark had to spend quite a while trying to persuade her.
'I figured she'd nod eagerly since her own brother was one thing, but a near-stranger like me? Unexpected.'
For the spoiled princess I'd pegged her as, this reaction was truly surprising.
'Maybe I've misunderstood Lizbet a little...'
I thought, staring at her intently.
Lizbet peeked at me with teary eyes, sniffling.
"S-sorry, sob, sorry."
"Oh!"
She must've misunderstood my intense gaze.
"No, no."
I grabbed the hand of the still-nervous, crying Lizbet and whispered softly.
"It was my choice. You don't need to apologize."
"But..."
"Stop it. You're such a crybaby."
I wiped her eyes with a smile, and she sobbed harder, throwing herself into my arms.
Our frightened pair drew pitying looks from around us.
"The trial of the defendant, 5th Princess Elizabeth van Rashumah Decard, and witness Rubettria Diorus Duchess, will now commence."
The Chief Justice announced the start of the trial.
Thick stacks of files from the Imperial Investigation Team and sentencing proposals from the Noble Council were placed before him.
Throughout the trial, his stern voice echoed through the heavy air into our ears.
'Focus, focus.'
But...
It was hard to listen to them.
[Pre-celebrating your two-year sentence in Hebanon. Nice valley air, front and back.]
Because Wishit kept relentlessly mocking me via telepathy in my head.
[Can you shut up?]
This useless Wish Spirit was desperate to scare me.
I shot a covert glare at him standing crookedly beside me and swallowed a sigh.
'Still, like Wishit said, I should prepare for the worst. If I really rot away two years in Hebanon Territory...'
My chest ached. My two years.
As I swallowed tears inwardly.
The Chief Justice's voice grew clear amid whatever he was saying.
"...Petitions from 2nd Prince Nathan van Rashumah Decard, Vice Duke Viego Diorus, Duchess Rosetta Ferdi, and seven others below, have been duly considered..."
He declared.
"5th Princess Elizabeth van Rashumah Decard is sentenced to 18 months house arrest in the Tower of Silence."
Thud, thud, thud—
The gavel struck three times, and Lizbet's eyes widened.
'What? The sentence is way lighter than expected?'
The house arrest I'd braced for at least five years was down to a year and a half.
"Ru, Rubette..."
But Lizbet, unable to simply rejoice, looked at me with teary eyes.
"It's good."
I whispered softly, secretly hopeful inside.
'Mercy for me too, please.'
Gripping Lizbet's hand tightly, I looked up at the Chief Justice's bench.
"Next, the verdict for witness Rubettria Diorus Duchess."
Everyone held their breath, listening intently.
"The witness has admitted contact with the suspected 'sorcerer' and introducing him to the 5th Princess."
"..."
"No evidence of collusion with the suspect, but providing the cause to the 5th Princess and transacting at an illegal shop cannot go unpunished."
The Chief Justice's intimidating voice filled the hall uneasily...
"Until the Imperial Investigation Team verifies the truth and apprehends the true culprit, the witness is obligated to cooperate fully, and during the investigation period..."
"..."
"...exile to 'Lubon' in Diorus Territory for 12 months."
Thud, thud, thud—
The moment the incomprehensible verdict was handed down.
Bang!
Dad shot up from his seat.
"This concludes today's trial."
"Lubon...?"
Even Wishit, guarding my side, muttered blankly in shock.
"D-Dad!"
I cried out in feigned panic, but Dad had already vanished like the wind.
'No way. Is this real?'
Staring at the courtroom doors that had swallowed him up and slammed shut, I clamped my hand over my mouth.
'Lubon? Lubon was the last thing I expected.'
Tears welled up automatically.
"Not even guilty, yet a year in isolation for questioning..."
"Too harsh."
Many faces in the hall buzzed with pity toward me.
[Hey, crying?]
Then Wishit shoved his face in and asked via telepathy.
[Back off.]
[Lower that hand over your mouth.]
[Argh, back off!]
I couldn't lower my hand now—couldn't manage my expression.
Why?
Because my mouth was grinning ear to ear.
Lubon.
One of Dad's many territories, so...
A forest-adjacent spot right next to the capital—like comparing distances.
'Seoul to Incheon? Or Seoul to Gyeonggi?'
Actually, tears of joy from the ridiculously light sentence.
Screech—
I turned at the sound of a chair scraping: Lark from the councilor seats.
He gave me a quick wink and smile before hurrying after Dad out of the courtroom.
Probably to calm the excited Dad.
I kept up the shocked act, staring at the firmly shut doors as they left.
'Jackpot.'
Inside.
'What an overreaction, Dad...'
Watching Dad barrel out with a crash.
* * *
"Diorus Duke, talk to me!"
Lark hurriedly stopped Leonard, already far from the courtroom.
Leonard turned indifferent eyes on him.
"I regret it wasn't to your liking, but it's not a bad outcome. I'm sorry I couldn't push harder."
"..."
Leonard narrowed his eyes suspiciously, peering at Lark's apologetic face.
"I thought it was odd..."
He muttered after a long silence.
"Whether my daughter knew or not, she caused trouble, leading the 5th Princess to trial. As you know, she's the Crown Prince's full sister."
"..."
"Rather than rage at my daughter, you seemed more desperate than anyone for her leniency throughout the Noble Council."
Lark froze mid-stride.
"Dad thinks I actually messed up."
Of course. Leonard had no way of knowing the full story, so Lark's frantic protectiveness toward Rubette must've seemed strange.
"I thought a fair man like you just separates public and private well."
"..."
"Viego mentioned you even took my daughter out to play recently..."
"Ah."
"Perhaps you're romancing my daughter?"
Leonard stepped closer, eyes gleaming.
He added sharply.
"She's still a minor."
His eyes burned like he'd devour anything.
That expression clearly...
Meant he'd slaughter any guy approaching his little girl, no matter who.
"Oh dear."
Lark, catching on, quickly showed his palms in surrender and grinned.
"A misunderstanding, Duke."