Three Truths of the Frame-Up
To the people, Maria was already a bitch worth killing. An orphan with nowhere to go, whom they'd taken in, fed, and sheltered—yet she'd tried to kill their son and run? It was understandable that their eyes would roll back in rage as they charged at her.
But Ian knew the truth: Maria hadn't murdered Eric. It had only been staged to look that way.
I have no idea why they went to such lengths, though.
That was the conclusion he'd reached after investigating the village. Maria was merely a suspect. The real culprit was someone else.
He couldn't yet figure out why the true killer had framed her. He hadn't spoken to the bastard yet.
But at the very least, right here and now, he could assert her innocence.
Maria = murderer. The first step was shattering that frame.
"Three truths?"
The young lord tilted his head. He'd come to the village to "have fun." Not joking—he'd literally come for leisure.
He'd heard rumors lately of necromancers prowling around the territory. But dealing with that sort of thing was for the knights, right? Not his problem!
He was already showing signs of the spoiled hereditary noble mindset—a promising little elitist.
If necromancers were about, the lord should be the busiest one handling it. But the real lord was a senile old fool... So the young lord just waited shamelessly to inherit the title, without a single useful skill to his name.
That's why he could head out so carefree. He was far more interested in Sir Rshah, who'd come to smash necromancers, than the necromancers themselves!
Whatever Maria had done in the village, he didn't care. He planned to slam down the death sentence, then grab drinks with Sir Rshah.
But then...
This mage suddenly declared he'd reveal three truths.
The young lord decided to watch what the mage did. Mages were unpredictable sorts, and with Sir Rshah staying silent, he didn't want to overstep. (He had zero self-awareness as the judge.)
"Fine! Speak!"
The young lord naturally assumed Ian was about to prove Maria's guilt. He couldn't imagine anything else.
The villagers felt the same.
But Ian began with something entirely contrary to their expectations.
"First, allow me to introduce myself. I am Ian, disciple of Eredis, mage. At Sir Rshah's request, I've been investigating the necromancer Maria."
Ian strode boldly through the courtroom like he owned the place. He was seasoned at shrugging off stares.
His natural confidence, combined with the mage's inherent mystique, lent him an air of authority.
As proof, everyone held their breath, hanging on his every word.
"I heard Maria murdered a young man named Eric, so I looked into it closely... but something didn't add up."
"...Didn't add up? What do you mean?"
When Ian made a remark that derailed the trial, the young lord asked in genuine shock.
Was he... not arguing for her guilt?
"First. Maria killed Robert's son, Eric. But... why?"
Silence fell.
Only the villagers could answer that. But with the lord, knight, and mage speaking up, no one dared step forward readily—unless they'd utterly lost their minds.
"I'll answer that one."
The pale-faced gravedigger stepped forward. Joseph, the gravedigger. He was a commoner who'd utterly lost his mind.
"Why did Maria kill Eric? Simple."
Joseph spoke in a sinister tone.
"My cousin was forced by the village head to take Maria in like an unwanted burden. My ill-tempered cousin and his wife bullied and abused her."
"N-No! Joseph! What are you...!"
The silent Robert couple freaked out beside him.
Everyone knew they'd tormented Maria. But to blurt it out in front of the young lord?! Whose side are you on?!
"Heh heh... Robert. Don't try to weasel out with half-assed excuses. This isn't some backwater where cheap lies fly."
"B-But still...!"
"Evidence of you bullying Maria is everywhere. Want me to ask the kids?"
"..."
As Joseph turned, the villagers flinched and averted their eyes.
He spoke the truth. Maria had long suffered the couple's abuse. Those in the know knew, but no one stopped it.
Tormenting a parentless orphan for kicks caused no real trouble...
Joseph eyed Ian.
"Plenty of grudge there. Tormented by the couple's discrimination and abuse, Maria harbored resentment and decided to kill their eldest son... heh heh."
No one stirred. It was the motive everyone half-suspected.
Even the young lord, hearing it fresh, nodded.
But Ian slowly shook his head.
"That doesn't make sense."
"Heh heh... Why do you think that?"
Ian drew a dagger from his robes. Only Robert's daughter recognized it.
"Th-That's...!"
"Perfect. You explain."
Ian called Eric's little sister forward.
Dragged to the center, she trembled as she approached him.
"Can you describe what this is?"
Shivering, she did as told.
"It's... something Maria gave my brother... Sh-She must've given it to seduce him! Or maybe to curse him!"
"Enough. That's all."
Ian sent her back and explained.
"As you heard, this is a dagger Maria gifted Eric. An ordinary one, with no curse."
"Ordinary? How do you know?"
When the young lord asked, Ian snapped his fingers lightly.
Jet-black darkness swirled around him before vanishing.
Faint-hearted villagers collapsed on the spot. Even the young lord gaped at the magic.
In the darkening dusk, Ian effortlessly demonstrated Umbrakinesis.
"I stake my magic on it."
"...Continue."
Ian pressed on.
"She didn't give it to 'seduce' him. It was a gift from Maria, born of gratitude toward Eric."
"Gratitude?"
"As Joseph said, the couple hated Maria. But one person in that house liked her."
The young lord nodded eagerly.
"Eric!"
"Correct. Eric and Maria had been flirting for quite a while."
Ian beckoned the neighborhood kids forward.
The children repeated their earlier testimony.
"Maria sis was close with Eric bro and Pael bro!"
"We saw it with our own eyes!"
Ian calmly scanned the room and declared.
"Maria treasured Eric enough to gift him this. Yet she killed him just to spite the couple? Doesn't that strike you as off?"
"Well..."
The young lord tilted his head. Now that he thought about it, yeah.
A necromancer who commanded ghouls could've just offed the couple directly—way easier.
"Heh heh... Amusing speculation."
Joseph chuckled darkly.
"But mage, how can we comprehend Maria's mindset?"
Joseph knew her head was a mess.
"I know about those who wield death's power. And Maria reeks of it."
The young lord shifted uneasily. Sir Rshah's brow twitched.
Her motive was murky, fine. But she could use necromancy? Only she could've killed with a ghoul—what now?
"I agree she wields some death mystery."
"Then there's no need to—"
"But."
Ian cut the young lord off. Yet he clamped his mouth shut, awaiting Ian's words.
"At the time of the incident, Maria was unconscious. She couldn't have committed murder."
Joseph shouted as if waiting.
"The 'unconsciousness' was the result! She passed out from using necromancy!"
"No. She didn't use necromancy. Some external factor knocked her out."
"..."
"..."
A deathly silence blanketed the makeshift courtroom.
The young lord, Sir Rshah, the Robert couple, Joseph—all stared at Ian, speechless.
Without hesitation, Ian continued boldly.
"If Maria had used necromancy, Eric wouldn't be dead."
"Wh-What...!"
"Mage! What nonsense is this?!"
The villagers recoiled in collective shock.
To them, Maria was that bitch. They thought this was a straight execution hearing...
Not a sudden innocence plea! The trial veered sharply from their desires.
Someone yelled from hiding.
"Black hair! He's on the witch's side!"
People glanced between Ian and Maria. Both had black hair, black eyes... Rare in the empire.
Swayed by the mob, the young lord tremblingly asked Ian.
"C-Could it be... you're actually in league with the necromancer...?"
"Sigh. Young lord."
Ian sighed, making him flinch.
Sure enough, Ian scolded him publicly.
"Does that mean Sir Rshah has shit taste in agents?"
"Wh-What?!"
"That he's some moron knight dragging a necromancer buddy around... is that what you're saying?"
"N-No! Absolutely not!"
The young lord shut up again, getting nothing in return.
Doubting Ian was impossible. Sir Rshah had vouched for him.
Which meant... Ian had grounds for claiming innocence.
"Good. Now, let's hear from a witness."
Snap! Ian snapped his fingers.
"Shepherd Pael, step forward."
The whole village was in court. Pael had to be there, Ian figured.
As expected, he was.
"Ah... Y-Yes!"
The honest-faced youth stepped up, awkwardly glancing around.
Ian approached.
"Shepherd Pael. You witnessed Maria's necromancy, right?"
"Yessir! Saw it with my own two eyes!"
"Explain the situation."
Pael spoke without pause.
"I was out walking and spotted Maria and Eric by chance. They seemed to be sharing secrets in the woods."
"Then suddenly Maria collapsed... and a ghoul burst from somewhere, ripping Eric apart."
"I realized it was that necromancy stuff from stories and ran to fetch people."
"The rest, you know, mage."
The villagers stirred again at his testimony.
No matter how many times... Maria was the only culprit.
Joseph and Ian had already acknowledged her necromantic power.
But Ian calmly eyed Joseph.
"Joseph. Your thoughts?"
"...I'm no necromancer. But I know they can possess undead."
Joseph muttered lowly.
"Maria possessed the ghoul and killed Eric. But her novice skills kept her from returning to her body in time. So she blacked out."
"Even without intent... still think she's the killer?"
"Intent or not, murder is murder. Even if she got caught in the ghost's frenzy by accident... the dead don't come back."
The dead don't come back.
That line stabbed Maria's heart with cruel precision.
Aaah...
She wanted to bolt into the courtroom, scream that she killed him. Apologize for her sin.
But.
Ian had told her: You didn't kill Eric.
It might be a shallow lie.
But Maria resolved to believe him.
She wanted to believe she hadn't killed Eric...
"So you think she used possession magic?"
For a moment, Joseph didn't grasp Ian's question.
Wasn't it the same as before?
"Yes. I do."
Same question, same answer.
Then Ian followed up.
"Joseph. Do you know what kind of death mystery Maria wields?"
"...Pardon?"
No answer this time.
Joseph was just a gravedigger, not a mage.
"Sorry, mage. No idea."
Ian nodded.
Fair enough. He hadn't expected otherwise.
He turned to Pael.
"What about you? You saw it firsthand, so maybe you know. What death mystery do you think Maria uses?"
"Uh..."
"Anything at all. Just say what comes to mind."
Pael scratched his head.
"Dunno, mage. Nothing rings a bell."
"Really? Nothing?"
"Yeah. Well... summoning some kind of ghost, I guess?"
"Some kind?"
"Y'know... a dead ghost..."
At that, Ian let out a scoff.
A blatant sneer.
"Once more. Kids, forward."
Ian summoned the child witnesses(?).
The kids stared at him with wide eyes.
"What kind of ghost do you think Maria summons?"
"..."
"..."
The children eyed each other.
Why ask kids that...?
Do they even know?
The villagers didn't get it. They figured the kids would draw blanks.
But surprisingly, one spoke up.
"Um, I..."
The kid thought:
"I think Maria sis summons... 'ghosts starved to death'."
"...?"
The villagers blinked.
Ghosts starved to death...?