Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Judgment in the Audience Hall
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The imperial palace's audience hall was shrouded in a silence so oppressive during the morning assembly that it felt downright vicious.
This space, usually abuzz with nobles flaunting their finery or whispering secrets,
now had everyone holding their breath, eyes glued to the floor.
The horrors of last night's banquet were seared into their minds.
Gauss, captain of the Ashes Knights, beaten to a bloody pulp and tossed aside like trash.
The chilling smile on Emperor Darcor's face as he called him a well-trained dog and crushed the Empress Dowager beneath his heel.
'He's insane. The Emperor's completely lost it.'
'Who's next? Could it be me?'
Terror spread like a plague.
Especially among the nobles who'd sided with the Empress Dowager—their faces were ashen.
"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager arrives!"
With the head steward's announcement, Empress Dowager Elizabeth entered.
Despite her lavish dress, glittering jewels, and heavy makeup,
the hollow shadows under her eyes and her trembling fingertips couldn't be hidden.
It was a far cry from her usual majestic poise.
Still, she forced her head high and strode to the seat beside the throne.
But no one dared meet her gaze.
Locking eyes with her might make you the mad Emperor's next target.
Thud. Thud.
In the suffocating silence,
everyone's shoulders twitched.
A man sauntered in, yawning lazily with a drowsy expression.
The Emperor of the Empire, Darcor.
'Tired. Went to bed way too late last night.'
His eyes were dry from lack of sleep.
Forcing back another yawn,
Darcor flopped onto the throne.
"Everyone looks like they've seen a ghost."
He propped his chin crookedly,
scanning the trembling nobles.
His languid voice echoed through the hall.
"Couldn't sleep after last night's hunt, huh? Just like me."
Darcor's lips curled into a sly grin.
'Hunt? He's calling that bloody purge a good time.'
'Tyrant through and through. A monster who isn't satisfied without blood.'
Darcor pulled a ledger from his robes.
"Got a lot of cleaning to do, so no long preambles. I'm beat."
In the silence so thick you couldn't hear anyone swallow,
Darcor's lips parted.
"When I call your name, step forward."
They were all the Empress Dowager's right-hand men, heavyweights in their own right.
"Minister of Finance Alah, and Captain of the Royal Guard William."
Count Alah crawled forward, shaking violently.
"Y-Your Majesty..."
The Empress Dowager gripped her armrest so hard it creaked.
'How dare he... pull something like this?'
Trembling with rage, she couldn't step in.
Not yet. She had no justification.
Count Alah slammed his forehead against the floor repeatedly, protesting his innocence.
"Your Majesty, how can you treat a loyal servant like a criminal? All I've done is work tirelessly for the Empire day and night!"
"Loyal servant, huh."
Darcor snorted and tapped the ledger with a finger.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Checking character's information.] [Karmic chain secured.] [Character information check successful!] [Target: Count Alah.] [Information activated.] A system window appeared before Darcor's eyes.
"March 15th last year. Siphoned 30,000 gold from military funds to the assassin guild Ether."
"W-What?"
Alah's eyes shook like there was an earthquake.
It was top secret—known only to him and Ether's guild master, Carhedin.
And the date was spot on.
"Same year, May. Embezzled 20,000 gold from the southern aqueduct project budget for Her Majesty's summer villa reconstruction. Lined the fireplace with solid gold, right?"
"S-Slander!"
"And last month, colluded with Captain William to sell 500 state-of-the-art magic tools on the black market. Got paid in gems and stashed them in your mansion's secret vault."
Count Alah gaped like a fish out of water.
Speechless.
How?
How the hell did he know all this?
'The Emperor... how?'
Darcor turned to William, who stood dazed.
"You know what you did, right? The swords the Ashes Knights used yesterday. You snuck them out of the warehouse. It's all in the ledger."
"Y-Your Majesty..."
William dropped to his knees.
No room for excuses.
Too specific. Too accurate.
Darcor rubbed his chin nonchalantly.
"Damn... treason, embezzlement... you'd have to die ten times over. Go on, make your case. I'll listen."
"Th-This is slander!"
Count Alah's desperate last stand.
Veins bulging, he bellowed.
"Th-That ledger's obviously forged! Your Majesty made fake ones to purge loyalists, didn't you? Without solid proof, this is tyranny!"
The other nobles began to murmur.
Even an emperor couldn't execute based on a ledger alone.
Seizing the moment,
the Empress Dowager interjected with a stern voice.
"Your Majesty, Lord Alah has a point. Condemning a noble on an anonymous ledger is unjust."
She inwardly sighed in relief.
'Yeah, he can't kill them over this.'
All transactions were traceless.
But Darcor's lips curled as if he'd expected it.
'Knew you'd demand proof.'
He snapped his fingers sharply.
"Need more evidence? Bring 'em in."
Creeeak.
The audience hall doors swung open.
Dazzling white light poured in.
A woman in pristine priestess robes entered with a holy gait.
Click. Click.
Her golden hair neatly braided, hands clasped in prayer.
She radiated such sanctity that the nobles bowed unconsciously.
The Saintess, Chloe.
"S-Saintess?"
"What brings the Saintess here...?"
Chloe scanned the room with wistful eyes,
tears glistening on her lashes.
"I come to deliver God's will."
Her voice was clear and unwavering.
"Yesterday, while praying in the Twilight Forest, I witnessed a horrific scene. I saw with my own eyes Lord Alah and Captain William plotting against His Majesty's sacred person."
The hall erupted in chaos.
"Th-the Saintess saw it herself?"
"God's proxy wouldn't lie!"
Count Alah stared at Chloe, dumbfounded.
They'd never even been there.
How could she say it so boldly?
But Chloe's expression was grave and resolute.
"In God's name, their wicked greed blinded them to dethrone the Empire's sun. God will not forgive their sins."
She made the sign of the cross and bowed her head.
The nobles gasped and sighed in shock.
But no one noticed.
The smile playing on Chloe's lips as she bowed.
'Heh... 10,000 gold per testimony. Plus bonuses...'
She was mercenary at heart.
Before Darcor's gold,
God's name was just a convenient prop.
'Sorry, God... but the donation box has to be full for the temple to run, right? You get it.'
The Saintess's damning testimony.
The matter was settled.
Darcor looked down at the criminals with cold, dead eyes.
"Evidence and witness secured."
He waved dismissively.
"Drag them out."
"Your Majesty, we obey!"
Edel and the guards waiting outside stormed in.
"Th-This can't be! Your Majesty, Empress Dowager! Mercy!"
Count Alah wailed desperately.
"Wasn't it your orders, Your Majesty? We only followed! Please, just say the word!"
All eyes turned to the Empress Dowager.
If she spoke,
she'd be an accomplice.
But silence?
It meant cutting off her most loyal limbs herself.
The Empress Dowager's face flushed crimson.
"Mother? They say you ordered it."
Darcor asked, barely suppressing a laugh.
Die together, or survive alone?
The Empress Dowager bit her trembling lips.
She slowly turned away,
avoiding Alah's pleading gaze.
"I..."
Her voice cracked.
"K-Know nothing about it..."
"Y-Your Majesty!"
"How dare they plot against His Majesty. Punish these vile criminals severely."
She'd ordered her own allies' execution with her own mouth.
Her nails dug into her palms, drawing sticky blood.
Total defeat.
"As expected, Mother is ever just."
Darcor nodded in satisfaction.
"Take them away and behead them."
"Your Majesty! Your Majesssstyyy!"
The screaming Alah and William were dragged out.
Heavy silence blanketed the hall.
The remaining nobles barely breathed.
Absolute power that had even bent the Empress Dowager, a relic from the previous reign.
The Empire's master was unmistakably Darcor now.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Once the commotion died down, in the Emperor's office.
Darcor tapped away at a calculator, eyeing the stack of documents on his desk.
"Confiscating Count Alah's assets—100,000 gold in cash alone. Reclaiming William's territory."
Tap. Tap tap.
"These bastards really gorged themselves. Pockets stuffed."
One purge, and the treasury was flush.
Enough to fill the empty vaults.
"Your Majesty."
Chloe entered, having shed her priestess robes for a glamorous dress.
Her eyes sparkled brighter than ever.
"About what you mentioned..."
She bowed deeply, extending both hands politely.
"Here."
Darcor tossed a thick leather pouch from under the desk.
Thud.
She snatched it mid-air with practiced speed.
"Ohh... Your generosity humbles me."
Peeking inside, Chloe's mouth stretched ear to ear.
Far more gold than promised.
"Bonus. Your acting was top-notch this time. Even had me fooled for a second."
"Oh, you flatter me. Your Majesty's script was just that good."
Chloe bit a coin to test it, beaming.
The rats in the house were mostly caught.
Money was plentiful.
The Empress Dowager cornered.
"Ammo stocked, pests cleared..."
Darcor gazed out at the palace sprawl.
Red glow flickered in his eyes.
"Time to get this party started, huh?"