The Viscount's Regret
Even during the day, the underground prison in Artem was filled with damp chill. A foul smell hung in the air, and a few bugs scurried about. Beyond the iron bars, Viscount Gondor didn't wear the servile expression he'd had in the treasure vault yesterday. Shackled at both arms and legs, he sat leisurely in his chair with his legs crossed, as if he were a distinguished guest there for a rest. The sight of him acting like a big shot was downright ridiculous.
Clang—the prison door swung open as I stepped toward him.
"Let's make this easy. Who's your backer?"
"……."
"Didn't get that? Who's the one who put you up to this?"
Viscount Gondor let out a low chuckle at my indifferent question.
"Backer? Put up to it? Tanas, was it? You really don't know how this kingdom works, do you?"
Watching this clown, I couldn't help but sigh. I know it better than you do. I'm the guy busting my ass to stop the end of the world.
"The question itself is ridiculous from the start. Put up to it? You think I, of all people, am some puppet dancing to someone else's strings?"
Frisia, standing beside me with her arms crossed, scowled and shouted.
"Viscount! You still don't grasp the situation, you know? You were caught red-handed, you know!"
"Red-handed? Oh! Lady Frisia, that depends on who's looking. Do you know how many connections I've planted in the kingdom's central politics?"
The viscount glared at Frisia with eyes full of conviction—the arrogant certainty unique to those clinging to their privileges, convinced that money and power networks would protect him.
"This whole thing will end as just a 'minor misunderstanding due to excessive loyalty.' Just watch—I'll be cleared and walk free!"
He spat as he ranted on. This isn't getting anywhere with words.
Smack!
A sharp slap echoed through the quiet underground prison. Viscount Gondor's head snapped to the side.
"……?"
The viscount, stunned, touched his cheek and looked up at me.
"D-Did you just… hit me? Hit me, a viscount?"
"You were spitting."
I wiped my palm roughly on my clothes and continued.
"If you don't wanna talk, fine. Your loss. See you in court."
"Y-You ignorant commoner scum dare…!"
I raised one hand slightly, and
"……."
The viscount swallowed his boiling rage and shut up. I patted Frisia's shoulder and headed out.
"Knight-nim, is this really okay, you know? If the viscount is that confident, he's probably plotting something…."
"Don't worry."
I soothed Frisia a bit and sent her back. Milen appeared right on cue from behind, hooded as always.
"Got the goods?"
"Found 'em."
Not bad skills at all.
"But what the hell do you plan to do with this crap?"
"You'll see."
"……?"
This'll finish the viscount.
The next day, the makeshift courtroom set up in the Artem Adventurer's Guild was packed with local residents and spectators from nearby territories.
"Viscount Gondor?"
"Typical noble scum…."
On the judge's bench, the inspector from the capital and priests from the Aselia Church conversed with solemn expressions.
"……."
Viscount Gondor strode into the courtroom triumphantly in dazzlingly ornate robes, as if washing away yesterday's humiliation. Whispers erupted among the spectators at his confident gait.
"What's that about? For a guilty man…."
"If he's that bold, maybe it's all a misunderstanding?"
"Viscount Gondor is famous for being cautious."
"Now that you mention it, something feels off."
Feeling public opinion subtly shifting, Frisia clutched my sleeve tightly. Her hand trembled faintly.
"Knight-nim… is this really okay, you know? The viscount looks way too confident, you know."
"Don't worry."
As I spoke, Frisia pressed even closer, layering her hand over mine. I slipped mine free, and she smacked her lips in disappointment.
"…Anyway, Viscount Gondor won't be getting off innocent."
"I'm just trusting you, Knight-nim, you know."
She straightened up, cheeks flushing. Her ample chest bounced noticeably. Good that she's pumped up… but that look in her eyes is still a bit much.
"Quiet! Quiet! Court is now in session."
With the inspector's declaration, the real arguments began.
Frisia's representative listed the charges point by point: Viscount Gondor had plotted to wipe out the Springfield family, incited mercenaries to riot, and attempted to steal the family heirloom.
"Do you admit to these?"
But Viscount Gondor began his defense with a leisurely smile. He glanced around and declared loudly.
"Honored judge! And citizens of Artem, I am deeply grieved and heartbroken right now."
The viscount wiped at his eyes and continued.
"Lately, with the demon king's army threatening, many nobles have abandoned their territories and fled. Who filled that void? Me, Viscount Gondor! Out of infinite loyalty to the kingdom, I've poured my own funds into managing those forsaken lands. All to serve as a shield if the eastern front collapses!"
Circumstantial evidence was presented that neighboring nobles had sold their lands due to the viscount's pressure, but he repackaged it as 'good intentions.'
"Loyalty appeal, huh? Not bad."
I watched his performance with arms crossed.
The viscount's defense continued.
"Then why did you lead armed forces into the treasure vault? To steal the heirloom Earth's Orb and monopolize the nearby magic stones, right?"
"Treasure? Hahaha! I had no idea the Earth's Orb held such power or its value. I rushed here upon hearing my dear friend, the Springfield patriarch, was gravely ill. When I heard of the mercenary riot, I brought troops out of worry for his family—especially young Lady Frisia."
"The mercenaries testified they were acting on your orders. Your thoughts?"
"What? Judge, do you believe a ragtag band of wandering mercenaries without clear affiliation? They're slandering a loyal servant of the kingdom—me, Viscount Gondor—to lighten their own sentences! Heaven and earth know my innocence!"
Thick-skinned bastard.
The audience's reaction shifted at his shameless speech.
"Can't really trust mercenaries, huh?"
"Yeah."
Such murmurs spread.
Then Frisia stood and asked coldly.
"Then what about the spy you planted in our family, Sir Basinem? What was that for, you know?"
The courtroom fell silent in an instant as citizens fixed sharp gazes on Viscount Gondor. He seemed flustered for a moment, then hung his head with a sigh.
"Ugh… That was a mistake, yes."
The crowd buzzed. An admission?
Soon, he lifted his head with a resolute expression.
"But! I never planted the spy for nefarious reasons! With the patriarch dying and the lady so young, I did it to protect my friend's family from within if danger arose. I never imagined my excessive worry would lead to such suspicion…."
Yeah, right.
"……!"
Frisia gaped in shock. How could he be so brazen? His skill at framing his crimes as mere overprotectiveness was masterful.
Not stopping there, he stood, hand on chest, to drive the final nail.
"I, Viscount Gondor, swear upon the Goddess and the light of Aselia! Every word I've spoken is the absolute truth!"
The crowd buzzed louder. In this world where the church's authority was absolute, swearing on the goddess was as good as staking one's life. The audience was now mostly buying his story.
"K-Knight-nim…."
I stood and faced Viscount Gondor.
"Kukuku!"
The viscount smirked, certain of victory, sneering at me. Fun show, but time to drop the curtain.
I approached and whispered in his ear.
"You're gonna confess with your own mouth."
"Hah! Ridiculous. What nonsense…."
I tapped the front table twice and raised my hand. All eyes turned to me—no, to what I held.
Viscount Gondor's glass orb searches, 1-3 AM recent nights.
"Judge, citizens of Artem—take a look at this."
"What is it?"
"These are Viscount Gondor's Magic Tower glass orb search records from the past few nights, between 1 and 3 AM."
"W-What?"
Viscount Gondor's face drained of color.
"Magic Tower searches? Did he look up the Earth's Orb?"
"Means everything he said was a lie."
"But with that alone…."
"See it?"
A flood of records.
"Cat?"
"Goat?"
"What the…?"
The murmurs were far louder than during the viscount's speech.
"Why search that…? Animal genitals, why…."
"Dressing animals in swimsuits for what?"
"Ah, my mistake. Wrong one…."
I slowly scrolled down. More incomprehensible—no, things I didn't want to comprehend.
The buzz grew.
"No idea. What was the viscount even thinking…."
The crowd averted their eyes, denying it.
"Quiet, hold on. Almost there."
I kept scrolling.
"……!!!!"
"Is this it? Ah…."
"Wait, wait, WAIT!!!!"
"Viscount Gondor, what's wrong?"
"Y-You! What grudge do you have against me to do this!!"
"Next record: inserting into a horse…."
"……I'll do it."
"Huh?"
"I'll confess!!"
Murmurs everywhere.
"The one after: getting directly inserted by a horse…."
"I confess!! I'll testify!! Let me testify!!"
"Testify to what? Big ones left! Everyone sit!"
"I… I did it, yeah? I ordered it all. The mercenaries targeting Springfield too!"
"……."
He collapsed to the floor, begging with clasped hands.
"T-Tanas-nim, please… I was wrong. I'm begging you. No more, please…."
Plenty of records left. Shame.
"Demon bastards after all."
Obvious backers.
Viscount Gondor confessed everything and pledged full cooperation going forward. In noble society, honor matters—a social death avoided…? Whatever, good's good.
The reason he still had no wife or kids.
"Don't misunderstand. I just couldn't love humans…."
"……."
"I just love animals…. Call me an animal lover?"
Lady Frisia stared at the viscount like he was trash.