The Trial of Unia
She pointed at the waste bucket tucked in the corner. “I’ll be waiting in the hallway. People are already gathered in the courtroom, so you’d best hurry.”
“It’s not like taking a piss takes forever.”
Eidan rushed out into the corridor. Once Unia had finished relieving herself, she left the cell with the visibly embarrassed Eidan and made her way out of the underground prison.
Lord Cain had summoned dozens of people into a wide, circular hall for the trial. Bound with ropes and dragged into the courtroom, Unia found herself surrounded by vassals, knights, and representatives from every notable house in Cluiston. Seated at the head of the hall, Lord Cain had Ludmila in her black robes on his left and Barkrang—Ronda’s elder brother—standing rigidly on his right, his face set like stone beneath a reddish-brown cloak. Barkrang looked ready to tear Unia’s very soul apart to uncover the truth about his sister’s death. The fierce glare he fixed on Unia in the center of the hall made that intent unmistakable.
“Let the trial begin.”
At Lord Cain’s words, the murmuring crowd fell silent. Barkrang strode to the center and slowly circled the motionless Unia, studying her with cold intensity.
“Before we begin the questioning, confess your crimes honestly. If you speak the truth, I may show leniency.”
“I am innocent. I have nothing to say. I did not kill Lady Ronda.”
“Stop lying, you filthy bitch!”
Someone among the spectators hurled the insult at her.
“Even if you all curse me, I still have nothing to say. I am innocent—a mere witness.”
Unia’s defiant tone flushed Barkrang’s face with rage, yet he forced his voice down and asked again with forced calm.
“If you are a witness, then tell us exactly what you saw with your own eyes.”
“It was a monster with a tadpole-like body, a human face, and two arms. That creature killed Lady Ronda and the maids.”
Eidan stepped forward into the center. He looked at Barkrang and supported Unia’s account.
“At the time, she carried no weapon capable of murder. She had already been disarmed by the guards upon entering Harmel Castle as an envoy.”
Lord Cain snorted and cut in.
“Assassins trained in that art hide needles even inside their cunts! Let’s strip the bitch right here and check!”
The crowd burst into laughter.
“If her gate isn’t dark but pink, let’s declare her innocent on the spot! Hahaha!”
“Soldiers, open the gates and go in to confirm!”
“I’m curious about the size of that gate! Let’s see if it could fit a million-man army!”
Most of the men chimed in with crude jokes, urging that her undergarments be removed for inspection. Unia swallowed hard. The barrage of sexual harassment was bad enough, but the real fear was Sohee being discovered. Determined to shift the mood, she shouted at Lord Cain.
“You shameless fools of the Cluiston family who know neither honor nor shame! You’re pinning false charges on an innocent woman and enjoying it!”
She raised her voice to the surrounding crowd.
“You all know it! This territory is ruled by a madman! How can any of you believe a man who can’t even protect himself when he calls me a criminal? Think carefully…!”
At that moment, a knight lunged forward and struck the back of Unia’s knees with a whip. Crack!
“Kuh!”
Unia collapsed to the floor, squeezing her eyes shut in pain. The knight raised the whip again, but Eidan quickly intervened. Lord Cain’s face twisted with displeasure.
“That wench insulted me and my house. I will impose an additional sentence separate from this case. Life imprisonment.”
After striking the gavel three times, Eidan hurried forward.
“You must not let emotion cloud your judgment. Please withdraw the sentence.”
Lord Cain regarded Eidan with contempt.
“This is not the time to defend that bitch. If you are a member of the Cluiston family, act like one.”
He then turned to Barkrang, still standing in the center.
“Sir Barkrang, the crime of that woman who murdered my beloved wife—your sister—is clear. We are both drowning in grief, and there is only one way to ease this injustice. I intend to raise an army and strike Lord Richard, her master. To settle our shared grudge, I strongly request that you provide war funds and a large quantity of timber.”
Lord Cain swept his gaze across the hall and made the same demand of the representatives from each house. Nearly a hundred people gathered there began to stir uneasily. War had come as an unexpected shock. Everyone hesitated.
Seizing the moment, Eidan raised his voice.
“War must be the last resort! The fate of the territory and countless lives hang in the balance. It is not a matter to be raised as casually as going for a drink!”
Lord Cain bellowed at him.
“You would have me stay silent even after Ronda was murdered?”
“We still have not clearly identified the killer!”
The trial was adjourned indefinitely. The various houses under Cluiston hesitated to support war, and many backed Eidan’s opposition. Even Barkrang, whom Lord Cain had counted on, adopted a cautious stance and declared he would withhold judgment on war until the truth was uncovered.
The vassals, knights, and representatives from the villages filed out of the courtroom. Unia was taken away by servants of the Triud family rather than returned to the underground prison, while Eidan remained alone with Lord Cain in the now-empty hall, their argument continuing.
“You’re nothing but a cowardly girl afraid of war!”
Lord Cain could not contain his fury.
“You’re destroying the family!”
“The one destroying the family is you, brother.”
“You’re a traitor! Anyone who blocks the lord’s will is a traitor!”
“I’m a traitor?”
Eidan’s temper flared at the word.
“The traitor isn’t me—it’s the woman standing right there!”
He jabbed a finger at Ludmila beside Lord Cain, the words pouring out in a torrent.
“Who do you think doesn’t know that she killed sister-in-law? I know you’re her accomplice! How could you murder sister-in-law? You’ve committed madness!”
Lord Cain gave his brother a twisted, mocking smile.
“Then why didn’t you say so in the courtroom? Why not proudly shout before everyone, ‘My brother Cain Cluiston is the murderer who killed his own sister-in-law!’?”
Ludmila chuckled softly. The sound made Eidan’s stomach turn.
“I stayed silent in the courtroom to protect the honor and dignity of the family. In the end, I am still a member of the Cluiston house. We share the same fate—if you fall, I fall with you. I am not so foolish as to ignore that.”
“Aha, ahahaha! Indeed, the only people you can trust are family. Mother should have given birth to more sons.”
Eidan clenched his fists.
“Protecting the family does not mean protecting you. I oppose this war. I will free Unia no matter what.”
“It’s already too late for that.”
Lord Cain narrowed his eyes and smiled wickedly.
“I have already sent a letter to Lord Richard. In exchange for taking Ronda’s life, I demanded he come to me and swear loyalty—and that he fill the empty seat of my wife with his own lady.”
“Good heavens!”
A chill ran down Eidan’s spine. He stared blankly at his brother for a moment before irritation surged at the idiot’s actions.
“Damn it! Lord Richard is a mercenary by origin! He is surely a war-loving, aggressive man! Thanks to you and that witch, our family and our people now face a grave crisis!”
Lanchester Castle. Kelly and Olmati were already waiting in the conference room. I entered late and placed the heavy sack I had been carrying onto the round table.
“What is that?”
Kelly asked, eyes wide. I answered lightly.
“War funds. We need to prepare for war, and the treasury is empty, so I’m using my own money.”
The sack contained the eighty-eight gold coins Phelton had left me.
“With this money, I’ll buy food and weapons and rescue Unia without fail.”
“Hah! Y-you intend to go to war?”
Olmati’s face went pale with shock.
“You’ve only just been appointed, and suddenly war? Every house in the territory will oppose it. At the very least, you should send someone to assess the exact situation first…”
I shook my head firmly.
“The disgusting letter Lord Cain sent is more than enough to understand the situation. I won’t force anyone. Only the houses that wish to follow need come. However, tell the houses that refuse to participate that, as long as Lanchester Castle’s lord remains unchanged, they will never be given any important positions again—not for hundreds or thousands of years. Also inform them that several vacant official posts will be filled by those who distinguish themselves in the war.”
“I will convey your words exactly as spoken.”