Chapter 17
Chapter 17
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Bennetsa Merchant 7
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, the fateful time had arrived.
The courtroom was packed with a huge crowd, most of them priests and Holy Knights affiliated with the Church, along with merchants.
In other words, people who were highly likely to harbor all sorts of grudges against Shylock, a Jewish merchant.
One could say the reason this trial, meant to uncover the truth, was filled with exactly these kinds of people was because the defendant was a merchant and a heretic. But if you dug deeper, it was because the so-called "victim" side, the prosecutor who had taken on the case, and the Holy Empire behind them had deliberately gathered only this sort of crowd. I could easily understand that much.
And amid such people, her...
Watching Kazeros Sophia step forward as Shylock's defense attorney in this trial, I felt an anxiety like a father sending his daughter off to the battlefield. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her, my heart pounding restlessly.
'It has to go well... Please, no mistakes...'
Though I'd handed her my own formula for victory, arguing it out and steering the situation here fell entirely on her shoulders alone.
Someone like me, who had been excommunicated, couldn't so much as open my mouth in this place. So even if she got into trouble, I had no way to help her.
Feeling my heart in knots, I waited for the trial to begin...
And then, before my eyes appeared the judge I'd been waiting for, the prosecutor, the defendant Shylock, and that "victim" named Anton.
'So that's Anton... He looks exactly like some third-rate villain from a storybook.'
Of course, you shouldn't judge people by their looks, but in a situation like now, where I already knew the truth about the man, it was a different story.
In fact, Shylock was going through this ordeal precisely because he hadn't judged people by their appearances.
With that in mind, I once again thought that sometimes it was necessary to judge by looks, and I casually scanned the other people in the courtroom.
'The judge... He looks completely unmotivated. Safe to assume he's been paid off to some extent. Well... better than someone openly showing hostility.'
The judge, yawning as if bored even in this situation.
Of course, it'd be nice if the judge were more upright, but this type was far preferable to a fanatic spewing indiscriminate aggression.
People like him were more likely to get swept up in the mood of the room.
And then my gaze turned to the one who had truly orchestrated this trial and formally indicted Shylock.
The woman bishop named Potion, who was serving as prosecutor in this trial.
'Her name's Potion, but she looks less like a healing draught and more like a viper. Doesn't seem like an easy opponent at all.'
She gave off the impression of someone who could suck the liver out of a flea.
But at the same time, I could tell that Potion was deeply displeased with the current situation.
'Well, can hardly blame her. She must've thought no one would defend a Jew like Shylock, only for someone to stab her in the back like this. And a Holy Knight, no less.'
Even if she was just a Junior Holy Knight, Holy Knights were directly under the Papal See rather than bishops, so they held a certain degree of power.
For a bishop, having such a person step up to defend Shylock was like an insurmountable enemy popping up out of nowhere in what she'd thought was an easy win.
Regardless of the trial's merits, I savored a faint sense of satisfaction at having landed a blow on the schemers from the start, and settled in to watch calmly.
"We shall now commence the trial of the defendant Shylock."
With those words, the judge lightly banged his gavel.
At the same moment... Kazeros, who had been reviewing her final preparations, slowly set down her paper. She assumed a cold expression and stepped into her role.
For a fleeting instant... she exuded an inexplicable, chilling aura.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ From the moment the trial began, Potion and Anton were in foul moods.
The scenario they'd envisioned was Shylock, utterly isolated without a defender, flailing helplessly as they leisurely crushed him. In fact, up until just a day before the trial, there had been zero doubt that it would play out exactly that way.
No matter how formidable Shylock might be, in this situation, whatever he said would only provoke backlash from the numerous observers, with zero chance of defending against their onslaught.
For them, expecting an easy victory, the Holy Knight who appeared as defense counsel the day before the trial was as shocking and irritating as a reef appearing before a smoothly sailing ship.
'A Holy Knight defending that wicked heretic? Doesn't she know what'll happen to her?'
'Did Shylock pay her an insane amount? That's the only possibility... We can make an issue of that later, but for now, priority is crushing this fearless bitch.'
We couldn't know the exact details. But from Anton and Potion's perspective, they had to defeat the opponent before them to get what they wanted.
However... even if they felt annoyed and a bit disconcerted, they...
Especially Potion, the one leading this affair, didn't entertain the slightest thought of losing.
'The evidence might be flimsy, but this is our world, our stage, prepared by us. The clergy here, the merchants, even the ordinary observers... They're all church followers to varying degrees. No one will side with the heretic Shylock.'
Feeling thick confidence from the fact that everyone around her was essentially on her side.
Potion began reading her prepared indictment in order.
The contents were roughly as follows.
Shylock had exploited the desperate circumstances of the honest, upright merchant Anton to try to take his life, forcing Anton to sign a ruthless contract. When things went wrong and Anton couldn't repay the debt, he trembled in fear and had no choice but to report it, leading to this trial.
"Even if Anton bears some guilt for failing to repay his debt, Shylock's crime as a heretic attempting to harm a church follower blessed by God's grace far surpasses it. Accordingly, the prosecution demands the total confiscation of this wicked heretic Shylock's assets and his eternal banishment from Bennetsa."
"That's right!"
"How dare a filthy heretic try to harm an innocent church follower!"
"Punish that evil bastard right now!"
The prosecutor's statement was built on lies from the start, given that Anton was the one who had brought the contract.
But the observers' reactions were feverish, almost fanatical, and Shylock simply bowed his head in silence.
Though he'd barely secured a defender with Santana's help due to their personal ties, overturning this blatantly biased trial atmosphere and flow wouldn't be easy.
This trial had been convened from the outset on raw hatred for a Jew, lacking any logic. That much was obvious.
It was at that moment, when Shylock had essentially given up on everything...
-Bang bang bang!-
"Quiet down, everyone. No matter how grave the sin, the law has its procedures. Defense, if the defendant has anything to say, speak now."
The judge spoke with a hint of irritation, as if urging them to wrap it up quickly.
In response, Kazeros walked calmly to the center of the courtroom without the slightest hesitation.
And...