Chapter 175: The Trial
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 175: The Trial
Whether it was a concession to public opinion or a reaction to some external pressure, the Polder Court accepted Olivia’s appeal with unusual speed. Perhaps it was a bit of both.
The bereaved families of the Sunrise had set up camp in front of the courthouse, demanding day after day that the truth be revealed.
However, the court attached a condition to the appeal: Olivia had to prove that she was, in fact, “Oliver.”
The trial to settle the matter was convened just as swiftly.
Seated in the gallery, Noah glared at Ansen Wilhelm with ferocious eyes before turning his gaze to Olivia, who sat on the opposing side.
With her hair swept neatly into an updo, Olivia once again exuded the aura of a sleek lioness. Her upright posture and composed demeanor were elegant, but her eyes were as sharp as ever.
Olivia would do well.
She had asked for his trust, and so he had given it. Before he knew it, that trust had become genuine.
In the end, it all came down to one’s perspective.
Just then, Ansen Wilhelm’s legal counsel, having finished a tedious introduction, finally reached the main point.
“Therefore, our company cannot recognize the documents submitted by the Princess Consort of Herod as evidence.”
Ansen was refusing to acknowledge the document proving Olivia’s patent had been registered under the name ‘Oliver.’
Rick Winfred immediately fired back.
“Are you saying you won’t recognize a document that clearly bears Ansen Wilhelm’s signature? The seal, stamped across two overlapping pages to prevent forgery, undoubtedly belongs to the Wilhelm Company.”
“We must also consider the possibility that the seal itself was forged. There are absolutely no such documents within the Wilhelm Company’s internal records.”
The judge, who had been observing the exchange, turned to Ansen.
“Mr. Ansen Wilhelm, do you refuse to recognize the document submitted by Her Highness?”
Ansen answered, pointedly avoiding Olivia’s gaze.
“I do not recognize it.”
Ignoring his response, Rick Winfred addressed the judge.
“The results of the handwriting analysis confirm the signature is undoubtedly Ansen Wilhelm’s. As for the suspicion of a forged seal, I believe that accusation is not even worth a response, Your Honor. Furthermore, please look at the Princess Consort’s notes, submitted alongside the patent. They contain detailed records of the process through which the Magic Dome was created.”
At his words, the judge leafed through the notebook he had already examined.
As he turned the pages one by one, he looked up at Olivia. She sat perfectly upright, meeting his gaze with calm, steady eyes.
The judge lowered his gaze, his fingertips brushing against the old, worn-out notebook before he closed it. It was impossible not to recognize the years of labor and hardship poured into those pages.
“However, since the Wilhelm Company refuses to acknowledge these facts, I would like to call Princess Marguerite Astrid to the stand as a witness.”
The Wilhelm Company’s lawyer immediately protested.
“You must call a witness who can provide notarized testimony!”
“I believe you can verify that Her Highness the Princess was aware of this series of events through the diaries we have submitted.”
The judge looked down at two high-quality leather journals. He hadn't expected Princess Marguerite to offer up her personal diaries for the witness selection.
“Diaries can be fabricated at any time! They have no legal validity as evidence!”
“I use my diaries as a ledger,” Margo retorted, her voice sharp. “I record everything that happens each day—both my private affairs and public duties. The diaries submitted are a vast record spanning three years.”
She continued, “Are you suggesting I somehow recalled events from five or six years ago with perfect, date-by-date accuracy and wrote them all down just now?”
“B-but, you could have added content to existing diaries…”
“Do not worry about that,” the judge interjected, nodding toward Margo. “Before accepting them as evidence, the court’s forensic department confirmed they were not written recently.”
He gestured to the stand. “Princess, please give your testimony.”
Margo stood and looked at Olivia. That small girl had always weighed on her conscience. Now grown, the young woman smiled at her, as if she understood exactly what was in her heart.
With the solemnity of a confessor, Margo began to speak.
“I have known about this for a very long time. The reason I remained silent, despite knowing it was unjust… was purely out of selfishness. I left Herod having promised that I would never cause any disturbances.”
Margo’s face grew hot. Unable to bear looking at Olivia, she turned her eyes toward the judge.
“But every moment since, it has felt like a thorn lodged in my heart. My testimony and my true feelings are preserved exactly as they were in the diaries I submitted.”
Margo took a moment to steady her breathing. Then, she spoke to the judge as if making a grand declaration.
“I, Marguerite Astrid, stake all my authority, my status, and the blood of the Astrid ancestors flowing through my veins to assert that Olivia Rosemond Astrid is indeed Oliver, the developer of the Magic Dome. If this is proven false, I will relinquish my title.”
A stir swept through the courtroom, affecting not only the judges but even the Wilhelm Company’s counsel. It was unheard of for royalty to stake their very status on a testimony.
Margo felt the intangible weight that had been crushing her finally begin to lift. She gave a small smile to Olivia, who was looking at her with reddened eyes, and then turned to face Ansen.
Seeing the face of the boy who once walked the school grounds superimposed over the man he was today filled her with a profound bitterness.
“Ansen.”
“…”
“Do you really think you can hide the sun with your palm?”
Despite her heavy question, Ansen remained silent.
Once Margo returned to her seat, the judge called for order.
“We have reviewed all evidence submitted by both parties. We will deliver a verdict after considering this evidence and today’s proceedings in their entirety. If there are any final statements, please make them now.”
The judge gave the floor to Olivia first.
Olivia slowly rose from her seat. She could feel Noah’s gaze from the VIP section. He was looking at her with absolute trust in his eyes.
After flashing him a quick smile, Olivia turned to the judge. In a gentle voice, she began to speak the words she had practiced dozens of times.
“This is not the first time I have filed a constitutional appeal. Olivia Liberty filed an appeal two years ago, only to be turned away without even being allowed to submit her documents. And now, here I am, standing in this very place.”
“…”
“Why was it impossible then, but possible now? I have thought about this over and over. But this is not a question for me alone; it is a question that you, a judge of Polder sworn to uphold equality, must also ponder.”
The judge bowed his head, his heart heavy, as the Princess Consort watched him with stern eyes.
“Your point is well-taken.”
Olivia returned his gesture with a slight nod, then looked at Ansen.
“I am the developer of the Magic Dome. Whether someone acknowledges it or not, that fact does not change.”
“…”
“The core principle of the Magic Dome is ‘safety.’ I designed it with that goal in mind. To that end, I poured my heart and soul into ensuring it wouldn't fail even if one or two parts malfunctioned. However, my design was overruled by a Wilhelm Company clause that forbade opening the engine room doors, even to prevent death.”
Ansen’s eyes trembled, and Olivia’s voice grew increasingly sharp.
“I opposed that clause, but my objections were dismissed. Isn’t that right, Representative Wilhelm?”
“Your Honor, the Princess Consort is not making a closing statement; she is conducting an interrogation!” the Wilhelm lawyer cried out, but the judge did not stop her.
Olivia turned back to the judge and declared loudly, “A Magic Dome must prioritize the safety of people over the profits of a corporation.”
“…”
“Your Honor, I ask for a wise and just judgment. I sincerely hope that your decision goes beyond my personal rights and contributes to the safety of all humankind.”
As soon as Olivia finished, the judge glanced at Noah. He looked back and forth between the couple, who seemed strangely alike, then turned to Ansen.
“Do you have anything to say, Mr. Ansen Wilhelm?”
At the question, Ansen’s lips parted several times, but in the end, not a single word escaped them.
The judges watched him with grim expressions, giving small, subtle shakes of their heads.
While the judges retired to deliberate, Olivia remained in her seat. She looked at Ansen, whose face was cast in shadow, then turned her gaze to Noah.
He gave her a wide grin and mouthed a whisper.
‘Well done!’
It’s said that the entire universe conspires to grow a single tree. If she had been alone, she never would have made it this far. At first, that fact had angered her, but over time, that anger had transformed into gratitude.
A short while later, the judges returned.
The presiding judge read the verdict in a clear, concise voice. The main point was that the evidence Olivia presented was sufficient to prove she was the developer. The fact that Ansen Wilhelm’s side had failed to provide a single piece of clear personal information about the ‘Oliver’ they claimed existed also worked in Olivia’s favor.
“Therefore, this court recognizes that Olivia Rosemond Astrid is the ‘Oliver’ registered as the co-patent holder of the Magic Dome five years and eight months ago, and recognizes that she holds all legal rights pertaining thereto.”
At the declaration, Olivia let out the breath she had been holding. Margo and Noah shot up from their seats. Rick Winfred silently raised both hands in triumph, while the Wilhelm Company’s legal counsel hung their heads in defeat.
The judge looked at Olivia, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he leaned forward slightly.
“Your Highness the Princess Consort.”
“Yes.”
He smiled softly.
“I sincerely hope that my judgment contributes to the prosperity and well-being of Polder, Herod, and all of humanity.”
In response, the Black Lion of Astrid gave a long, slow smile. Then, with a face full of confidence, she declared, “Just watch. You will never regret it.”
*
‘The Wilhelm Company’s Magic Dome might not belong solely to Ansen Wilhelm!’
Naturally, all public attention was focused on the court’s decision. The area in front of the courthouse was a sea of people. There were furious bereaved families, reporters camped out with cameras, and clusters of politicians looking to sway voters.
However, among them was one group that belonged to none of those factions. They stood in silence, looking somewhat like a gathering of scholars, occasionally exchanging glances but never uttering a word.
One of them, a man with a thick beard, was quietly looking up at the courthouse when a woman appeared at the top of the high steps.
The moment she appeared, a restless silence fell over the rowdy plaza. The woman's presence was so commanding that it eclipsed even the majestic Central Court building behind her.
“…That’s the Princess Consort of Herod…”
No sooner had someone’s whisper drifted through the air than a man appeared by her side. Radiant as the piercing sun, he gently took her hand.
The picture-perfect couple smiled at each other and began to descend the stairs. As they did, a cheer erupted from the bereaved families, who seemed to have realized the outcome.
“The Princess Consort won the case!”
“Ansen Wilhelm lost!”
The fragile silence shattered completely.
Amidst the flashing cameras and roaring cheers, Olivia squeezed Noah’s hand a little tighter.
“You usually hate this kind of thing…”
“Usually, yes. But today, I like it.”
Contrary to his words, however, the look Noah directed at the reporters was a stark contrast to the one he gave Olivia. The reporters scrambled to get closer, but none dared approach in the face of the Lion of Herod baring his teeth at them from behind her.
His fierce gaze seemed to carry a silent, unmistakable warning.
‘Keep your distance. Just enough.’