A Cruel Beast's Leash

“Ha….!” the prosecutor exclaimed.

However, despite the prosecutor’s bafflement, Irvan continued speaking with a straight face, “I’m officially asking you to prosecute Karina Muns Van Wert for treason and breach of trust.”

“Wa-wait. Co-Countess Karina?” The prosecutor looked taken aback. He looked up in question. Countess Karina looked terrified, trembling, yet her eyes were set in a glare.

“Yes. This is also your chance to correct your mistakes.”

Irvan nodded as if his words were absolute, Roham also added, “Honourable judge, everyone. As the suspicions on Captain Irvan have been disapproved with clear evidence, let us now have a trial for Countess Karina’s treason.”

“What!”

The moment Countess Karina was about to rebut, knights and the soldiers surrounded her under Irvan’s order.

“This is absurd! There’s no reason to listen to him! This is a setup!” Countess Karina shouted through the soldiers.

The judge realized that Bishop Albert was looking and quickly hit his gavel. “Please quiet down and stay still until the end of the trial as you are a suspect.”

“How disgraceful! I’m innocent!” Countess Karina slammed her hands on the arms of the chairs, unwilling to comply.

“… Your innocence will be proven once we go through a fair trial.”

Roham received the signal from Irvan, went to the judge and basically ordered him, “Your honor, please start the trial.” Then to everyone’s curiosity and surprise, he submitted the document detailing the suspicion against Countess Karina.

“This is…. the criminal charge?”

“Yes. It’s about the treason that Karina Muns Van Wert has committed.”

The judge closed his eyes as if the apocalypse had come and mumbled, “…. Prosecutor.” The prosecutor had no reaction, as if he had been left in perpetual shock. “Prosecutor!” the judge repeated firmly this time.

The prosecutor finally came back to his senses. He took the document from the secretary and started reviewing it. Meanwhile, people were chatting amongst themselves at the sudden turn of events. Some of them were wildly making assumptions as the prosecutor was reviewing the document, his eyes widening every now and then. Confusion, surprise, agitation, astonishment. All of this showed in the prosecutor’s face.

“Is… everything on this true?”

As the prosecutor asked Roham, Roham glanced at Countess Karina and shrugged his shoulders. “That will be revealed once the trial starts.”

The prosecutor’s face instantly became pale. The judge hit his gavel, announcing the start of the trial.

***

The unexpected trial showed a new, astonishing side. It commenced for three days straight where much commotion surrounded it. However, it was ultimately Countess Karina’s utter defeat. Through much evidence and witnesses, evry plan and deed she had done was  completely revealed to the public.

“To put Captain Irvan in a state of aggression, Countess Karina used a plant called ‘Red Matgal’. Moreover, Tasugari had also been used to make him s*xu*lly excited.”

Emma testified on the first day. Layna similarly attended the trial and testified harvesting ‘Red Matgal’ and purchasing Tasugari based on Monte’s request.

“Do you have evidence?”

As the prosecutor asked, Emma nodded. She called Jenna over and the latter submitted a bottle.

“This is the evidence. The water that was given to Irvan was also in this bottle as well,” she said.

Traces of ‘Red Matgal’ were still inside the water bottle. When Emma was arrested, the soldiers that came to the Baron Berne’s basement were trying to destroy all the evidence, but Emma and Jenna were fortunately able to hide the bottle. Finally, they were able to use it as evidence.

“But we don’t know if the Red Matgal affected him just by this bottle.”

As the prosecutor questioned the evidence, Emma prepared the medicine and submitted the report. She had anticipated that it was going to be questioned.

“As everyone can see, this is the medicine. It reacts even with the slightest hint of Red Matgal. Layna, the graduate of the royal academy, will be able to verify this.”

Layna scratched the inside of the bottle and mixed it with the medicine in front of everyone. The moment the medicine changed the color, everyone was aghast. However, that wasn’t the end, the caretaker of the cottage also attended to testify. When he was taking his oath, he didn’t dare to lie and spoke only the truth as the Bishop was in attendance.

“Yes… That day Miss Herman bought that bottle from me. Sir Irvan had used it during his stay in the cottage. Chairman Collin ordered it to be destroyed but I had sold it in secret.”

Countess Karina was in the corner of the room as the trial commenced and firm evidence and witnesses were brought against her one by one. The neutral side she was finally able to recruit was now turning against her, and the Muns’s side were in despair as they witnessed her collapse.