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A week later, Deon's trial was held in the imperial palace's courtroom.
Having heard the news, the nobles all attended the trial unless they had a special reason not to.
The ostensible reason was to prevent misjudgment due to personal feelings, as the victim in this case was the emperor.
But there was another reason internally.
Not for justice or the greater good, but simply to watch the downfall of someone who had existed above them.
And to quickly get in line with the rapidly rising power.
Idris and Leticia also attended today's trial.
Just in time, the two opened the door and entered the murmuring courtroom.
The nobles who found the two rushed towards them, vying with each other.
"Oh, Grand Duke. I see you've attended as well!"
Among those gathered, there were some nobles who had been close to Deon.
Idris exchanged light greetings and replied quietly.
"Since it's a matter I intervened in, I have to see the end of it."
"Ah, that's right. I heard that the Grand Duke put in a lot of effort in this matter. Thank you for your hard work."
"Of course, today's peace is all thanks to the Grand Duke."
"No. It was Leticia who pushed me, hesitant because I was bound by old ties, so her contribution is greater than mine."
Idris subtly credited Leticia for this matter.
It was to firmly imprint on the nobles who they should be trying to impress.
Then, the nobles' favorable gazes were all focused on Leticia.
Startled, Leticia looked up at Idris, who shrugged and whispered.
"Isn't that the truth? This whole thing was your idea."
"Well, yes, but..."
"Didn't you like being praised?"
"That's just, I liked your—"
Leticia hesitated as she was about to answer, 'I liked the praise from you.'
It was a little embarrassing to say in front of others.
Meanwhile, the nobles who saw the two whispering affectionately to each other were quite embarrassed.
Idris was always smiling, but he was somehow inscrutable and scary.
But in front of Leticia, he was completely disarmed.
The nobles, watching the situation, quickly changed their target to Leticia.
"C-Clouel Young Lady is not only talented in business but also in politics! The Grand Duke must be very reassured."
They praised her, saying that not just anyone could be the Grand Duchess, and that they were looking forward to seeing what would happen to the Grand Duke's family with a mistress.
It was when the atmosphere was slowly coming to an end.
The courtroom door, which had been tightly closed, opened and Deon entered.
The atmosphere in the courtroom, which had been noisy, became cold and even brutal.
The nobles, especially those who had been in contact with Deon, watched the two and quietly returned to their seats.
Leticia looked at Deon as she heard people whispering.
He was haggard after a few days, but his eyes were clear.
The sight was so foreign that she even felt a momentary chill.
After staring at him for a while, Leticia turned her gaze as she heard the sound of the door opening again.
Azeph was entering the courtroom.
At the same time, the whispering atmosphere subsided in an instant.
The nobles all rose from their seats and paid their respects to Azeph.
Azeph, who went up to the platform, had a firm light in his eyes, as if to prove that his appearance of collapsing at the banquet a few days ago was an act.
"Before this trial, I would like to express my gratitude to those of you who have attended the trial despite your busy schedules."
"......"
"As today's trial is an important matter with the fate of the empire at stake, I hope you will watch and conduct a fair trial with your insight."
With Azeph's words as a starting point, the full-fledged trial began.
First, Idris stepped forward.
"Deon Zahir, the beloved brother of His Imperial Majesty and, as a member of the imperial family, has a duty to protect the empire and its people, is guilty of threatening His Majesty's safety and creating crisis and chaos in the empire by mixing poison in the gift I presented to His Majesty."
"Grand Duke Dellua, do you have any evidence or witnesses to prove the crime?"
Then Idris gestured to a knight waiting in the side door.
As the knight opened the door, Count Cannon entered with a terrified face.
Count Cannon, who had been frozen by the pouring gazes, noticed Idris' nod and hesitantly opened his mouth.
"I, I swear to tell only the truth before His Majesty the Emperor and the honorable jurors."
"A gaseous poison from another continent was found in the scented candle I gave to His Majesty as a gift. And coincidentally, an antidote to that peculiar poison was found at Count Cannon's mansion. Of course, the record of its import into the empire was also found."
So far, it was nothing new, as it had been a hot topic in the newspapers for the past few weeks.
"And as a result of the investigation, the palace attendant who mixed the poison into the normal scented candle was a nephew of the butler working at Count Cannon's residence. Is that correct?"
"Yes, yes..."
Idris, who had obtained Count Cannon's docile confession, did not pursue him any further and moved on to the next story.
"This is not the first time that Deon Zahir has plotted to threaten the safety of the empire. You all remember the incident at the founding festival this year."
The nobles recalled the incident at the founding festival when Ludian fell into the water and Leticia saved him.
"The incident was known as a simple accident to prevent conflict, but in fact, there was a maid who tried to harm His Highness the Crown Prince."
Then, this time, Leticia stepped forward.
After reciting the oath of truth, Leticia opened her mouth as a witness to the founding festival incident.
"That day, a maid named Kanna Lier tried to drop His Highness the Crown Prince into the pond. I stopped it."
Idris immediately accepted Leticia's statement and continued.
"As a result of the investigation, it was revealed that the maid had borrowed a considerable amount of money from Deon Zahir in order to pay for her younger sibling's medical expenses. But she had not been able to repay even the interest for months."
"......"
"The reason why we covered up the incident was because we could not catch any evidence or witnesses. Kanna Lier was killed on the spot by me, and Kanna Lier's family disappeared. Without leaving a single speck of dust."
"......"
"But Deon Zahir leaves evidence in another case."
Is there another case besides the founding festival and this case?
As everyone was shocked, Idris mentioned another case.
"You all remember what happened at the recent hunting festival."
When the story of the hunting festival came out, a member of the jury asked with a puzzled voice.
"Wasn't that incident revealed to be the work of Duke Farnese?"
"Of course, Duke Farnese is the main culprit in that incident. But there was a hidden accomplice behind him."
"Come to think of it... Duke Farnese seemed to be struggling because he didn't have any financing."
"I remember! It was Grand Duke Zahir who confiscated the property when the Farnese ducal family collapsed, right?"
The words that there was a hidden accomplice, and the person who confiscated Peidan's property.
People who noticed the connection between the two began to whisper.
But there was still an unresolved question.
"But isn't it possible that he just lent the money? That's what the financial industry is all about."
"Of course, Duke Farnese is the main culprit in that incident. He did it on his own. But there was one fact he didn't know."
Idris looked at the knight at the side door once again, and the door opened and another person entered.
It was the mercenary who tried to harm Leticia at Peidan's instigation.
Contrary to his fierce momentum, he hesitantly completed the oath of truth.
Idris asked him.
"You were hired by Duke Farnese to do the job."
"...That's right."
Idris asked again.
"I'll change the question. Was the one who hired you Duke Farnese or Grand Duke Zahir?"
As the audience was agitated, the mercenary looked around and could not answer easily.
Idris asked a little more tenaciously.
"Who was your real master?"
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