The Strongest Clan’s Master Is the Weakest and Most Evil Support Class

The audience was in an uproar when I brought up the name of Hugo Coppelius.

「Did he say Hugo Coppelius!?」

「Is he talking about Leather Mask!?」

「What on earth has that death-row convict got to do with this!?」

Hugo’s case happened two years ago. It was long enough ago that it wouldn’t have been weird for memories of it to have faded away already, but due to the very bizarre nature of the crime, many people still remembered it.

「Two years ago from today, a certain wealthy person and his family were cruelly murdered. And, the person who was arrested as the culprit was Hugo Coppelius, a talented doll maker. Hugo didn’t only cruelly murder the entire family, he also stripped off their skin and affixed it onto mannequins. It was as if he was making stuffed specimens. I’m sure everyone remembers very well that he was given the nickname of Leather Mask for that very reason」

When the audience was reminded of the details of the case once again, many frowned at how atrocious it was.

「It was an extremely cruel and malicious crime. Among the family members who were murdered, there were some who were still young children. My heart weeps when I think of the regret that they must have felt. I cannot forgive the culprit who has strayed from what it means to be human. He must be sentenced to death emphatically」

I put my hand on my chest and closed my eyes as if I was enduring pain. When I felt that anger and sadness had spread throughout the audience, I opened my eyes and raised my voice.

「For that reason, I’ll declare right here that Hugo Coppelius has been falsely accused! And the true culprit, who must face judgment, is still roaming free even now!」

At those words, the audience was stunned speechless. After a silence in which I could have heard a pin drop, a commotion broke out suddenly.

「Falsely accused!? What do you mean!?」

「Are you saying that there were mistakes in the investigation!?」

「That’s an insult to the Justice Department, you know!?」

「But if what he said is true, it's a serious matter!」

The audience had gotten so flustered that they were virtually in a panic.

The reason why the audience was so shaken up, was because I was criticizing the Justice Department publicly for making mistakes in their investigation. That meant that, by extension, I was criticizing the country. Therefore, they were more flustered than necessary because they were afraid that they would get caught up in a bad situation.

「Everyone, please settle down!!!」

Talk Skill: Peer Support

When I activated the Skill that normalizes the target’s mental state, then shouted, the people in the audience gradually regained their composure. It was a convenient skill, if I do say so myself. It was very versatile, and useful even outside the battlefield.

「It’s understandable that everyone is surprised. But I'm not trying to deceive everyone by spewing irresponsible remarks. I can declare without a shadow of a doubt that Hugo has been falsely accused」

To the audience that had become quiet, I held my head up high and continued in a clear voice.

「In the first place, Hugo was arrested as the culprit because he was the only survivor at the scene of the crime. Given the situation, he was certainly the person who was most likely to be the culprit. However, when Hugo was arrested, he was unconscious. In other words, he had been put to sleep by someone」

According to the investigation, Hugo had visited the wealthy person’s home to deliver the doll that had been ordered. However, as soon as he set foot inside the mansion after being invited in, he lost consciousness.

And when he woke up, the wealthy person’s entire family had already turned into corpses, and while he was still overcome by surprise, the military police, who had turned up after receiving a report, arrested Hugo.

「According to the court records, they concluded that Hugo was the culprit because there was no evidence of any culprit other than Hugo at the scene of the crime. In other words, despite the fact that Hugo was also put to sleep by someone, he was judged as the culprit using only circumstantial evidence. Isn't that strange?」

As I tilted my head, a member of the audience shouted in a harsh voice.

「Hugo is mentally ill! Being unconscious is undoubtedly a lie!」

The man who had pointed that out was one of the shills that I had hired.

By raising opposing opinions before the other members of the audience could, my aim was to prevent the atmosphere of the venue from straying off the course that I wanted it to follow. In reality, the other members of the audience were nodding at the point the shill had raised, and there wasn’t anyone disrupting the venue by making unnecessary remarks.

「Hugo is not mentally ill. The result of the psychiatric test showed that he was normal. In spite of that, he was branded as a mentally ill person, and all appeals were denied」

「If that’s the case, he must have lied with a clear intention!」

「That's certainly a possibility. However, even if you take that into account, they should have conducted the investigation while considering the possibility of other culprits. And yet, it’s obvious from the court records of that time that the prosecutor had assumed that Hugo was the culprit from the very beginning, and neglected the investigation」

In this country, the judges and the prosecutors were managed by the Justice Department. In other words, the people who delivered the judgments and the people who denounced the crimes belonged to the same organization, so trials could easily become unfair depending on the intentions of the Justice Department. When that happened, the defendant would have no choice but to comply with the ruling.

「In fact, other than Hugo, there is someone who could have been the culprit as well. And that is none other than the person who reported the crime」

I opened the audience’s eyes to that fact. This information wasn’t recorded in the court records. It was written only in the investigation records of that time. It was Loki, of course, who had obtained it.

「The person who reported the crime was said to have heard a scream from inside the mansion, then reported it to the military police, but on the day of the crime, all the doors and windows of the mansion were closed. The mansion was newly-built and had the latest soundproofing installed. Moreover, a large courtyard separated the mansion from the public road. No matter how much you screamed from inside the mansion, your voice would never leak out. In spite of that, how did the person who reported the crime know the situation inside the mansion?」

At my question, realization dawned on the faces of the audience.

「It looks like everyone has realized it. Yes, there is only one answer. The person who reported the crime is either the true culprit or his conspirator. It seemed like the prosecutor had also noticed this after some time, but they had already lost the whereabouts of the person who had reported the crime. Normally, they should have done their best to search for that person, don’t you agree? Nevertheless, the Justice Department, wanting to resolve the case at an early stage, concluded that Hugo was the culprit and immediately ceased the investigation」

It was the role of the military police to search for suspects, but the person with the role of directing them was the prosecutor. In other words, the Justice Department was in charge of directing the investigation.

「The Justice Department’s aim, when concluding that Hugo was the culprit, was the early resolution of the case. So why did the Justice Department, in their desire to end the case immediately, go so far as to cease the investigation into the person who was thought to be the true culprit? The reason lies in the domestic situation at the time」

I smiled at the audience who had tilted their heads.

「The rising unemployment rate, rising taxes, and rising prices. Our economy is booming right now, but we were in the midst of a recession at the time. Consequently, the people's dissatisfaction was directed at the government. Under such circumstances, it was very likely that the Justice Department would have borne the brunt of the public’s criticism if it was found out that they had lost sight of the most important witness in the extremely bizarre case that had attracted the attention of the public. No, they would undoubtedly have come under fierce criticism」

Once they became the target for public criticism, they would be thoroughly attacked until the citizen’s attention moved on. In the worst case, large-scale demonstrations might be held because of the Justice Department. It wasn’t hard to imagine that the Justice Department would be eager to avoid that.

「However, if they were able to resolve the case at an early stage, they would not only maintain the prestige of the Justice Department, but also become heroes of justice overnight. That was why the Justice Department gave up on searching for the most important witnesses that they had lost sight of, and made the decision to frame Hugo as the culprit. --This is the truth of that case」

The audience was abuzz. They all had expressions that said that they had heard something that they shouldn’t have. But I had a firm grip on the reins that controlled the flow.

「Everything you said is just speculation, isn't it!? Do you have any evidence!?」

The person who had shouted that was a shill. I laughed and nodded.

「Of course. I’m not here to pose as a great detective who is announcing a deduction. I’m here to tell everyone the cold hard facts only」

I stretched my hand out towards the entrance of the venue.

「Alright then, I would like to take this occasion to introduce a person who can prove that Hugo has been falsely accused. --Count Leicester Graham, the former Deputy Minster of the Justice Department!」

The door opened, and an elderly man wearing a judge’s robe appeared, accompanied by Alma.

「Did he say Lord Leicester!?」

「It’s the real deal! There’s no doubt as I’ve met him before!」

「What does he mean!? Is Lord Leicester going to provide evidence!?」

It was only natural for the audience to be surprised. The person that I had just summoned wasn’t just any noble, but the man who had served as the No. 2 in the Justice Department. His face was widely known even in high society, and it seemed like just about everyone in the venue was acquainted with him.

「Lord Leicester, please come on stage」

「Ah, yes……」

When I prompted him, Leicester went up on stage in trepidation. He was showing a complete lack of motivation. So I whispered into his ear.

「If you don't want that thing to be exposed, I’m trusting you to do it properly, got it?」

Leicester, dripping with cold sweat, swallowed and nodded slightly.

This man had served as the Deputy Minster of the Justice Department till about six months ago. He was dismissed due to disagreements with the current Minister. Since then, he had withdrawn into his territory, and spent his days cursing the Minister who had driven him out.

He was a stereotypical small fry. An inconsequential man. But that was why he was the perfect man for me to use. And this man had a secret that he didn’t want to be exposed to anyone.

It was his profound love for little boys. If that became public, he would lose all of his authority and reputation, and his territory might even get confiscated. That was why he had no choice but to obey me, who held his secret.

「Wh, what this young man said…… is all true」

As if it had been wrung out of him, Leicester confessed.

「The Justice Department decided to make Hugo Coppelius out as the culprit in order to preserve the organization’s honor…… It’s all the Justice Department’s fault……」

「His Majesty, the Emperor doesn't know anything about it, does he?」

「Of course not! His Majesty doesn't know anything. This is the result of the reckless actions that were done on the Justice Department's own accord!」

「I see. Lord Leicester, what do you think should be done about this?」

「……I suppose that the truth should be revealed. Then, the unjustly arrested young man must be released, and the true culprit, who is roaming free, must be found. As someone who wasn’t able to stop the reckless actions of the Justice Department, despite having served as the Deputy Minster, that's also my responsibility」

He was saying that he wasn’t able to stop the reckless actions, but I knew that this man didn’t feel guilty about it. No, he had no intention at all of stopping it from the start. He had the nerve to behave as if it was against his will.

But, as far as I was concerned, that was very convenient.

Leicester obeyed me not only because he was afraid that his love for boys would be exposed. At his core, was an ugly desire for revenge on the current Minster.

It was clear that his plan was to use this case to drag the current Minster down, and make a comeback in the Justice Department. If it was to achieve that goal, even a cowardly small fry would probably work desperately.

He was just the man to spearhead the repeal of Hugo's sentence. I should make up a story that the reason for his dismissal was because he was the only person to oppose the Justice Department's actions in Hugo’s case.

If I did that, justice would lean increasingly towards my side. In reality, I could tell quite clearly that the audience’s hearts had already began to waver.

「Everyone, the truth has been revealed right here. The Justice Department, while being subjects of the Emperor, neglected the administration of justice because of their selfish desires, and brought about a great deception in the imperial capital. This is nothing more than the dereliction of their duty, and absolutely cannot be forgiven」

The reason why I kept bringing up the Emperor's name was to clarify that the party to be denounced was only the Ministry of Justice, and that I had no intention of opposing the country itself. It was also intended to make it clear that it was the Justice Department who had violated the Emperor's--and by extension, the country’s trust in the first place, and to make everyone recognize that it was an evil that couldn’t be overlooked as well.

That logic would tie down the audience's decision-making abilities.

「Hugo Coppelius was born as the third son of a penniless shoemaker. He led a precarious life in squalid conditions. But fortunately for him, he was blessed with the talent of a Puppeteer, and obtained the chance to escape from that life」

The audience listened attentively as I spoke of Hugo’s past.

「After achieving success as a Seeker, using the money that he had saved up so far, he chose to become a doll maker. The kind-hearted Hugo retired from a life of fighting because he wanted to make people smile with the dolls that he made. I believe that everyone is well aware of his reputation as well」

Hugo’s dolls were loved by many people, both within the country, as well as abroad. Even among the audience here, there should be many people who had been his fans.

「Such a wonderful person was thrown into prison for a crime he was innocent of, and was robbed of two years of his life! When I think about how he must have felt, it’s far too sad and cruel! My heart feels like it’s going to break! If it’s within my power, I want to help him as soon as possible! No, I must help him!」

Members of the audience nodded silently. Some of them had tears in their eyes.

「To that end, everyone, please lend me a helping hand! First, let's start a petition to repeal Hugo’s death penalty! For the sake of our Empire, we’ll carry out justice together!」

When I finished, applause erupted.

At first, it was the shills. But it quickly spread to the others, and everyone became supporters because of peer pressure. Now, the venue was filled with thunderous applause and cheers.

If they got caught up in this momentum and signed their names on the petition, they would no longer be able to go back on their decision. Through Modern Opinion, the newspaper company where Thomas works, what happened today would spread throughout the imperial capital. Even if it was just the people who were here, the prominence of their names would give the Justice Department no choice but to repeal Hugo’s death penalty. At that point, if I gathered more supporters from all over the imperial capital, Hugo's release would become a certainty.

And then, as my fame also rose, it would become a stepping stone to getting even more patrons. I should be able to procure something like the cost of building an airship in an instant.

『Noel』

As I smiled contentedly inside my heart, I received a telepathic communication from Alma.

『Found him. There’s no doubt. Like Noel said, the real culprit behind the case is here』

『Is that so? Well done』

I couldn’t figure out the identity of the culprit who had framed Hugo even after using Loki. The case had happened two years ago after all. All of the evidence had been lost long ago. However, as a result of being patient and continuing to investigate, I was able to narrow down the number of people whom I suspected to be the culprit to just a few. Those people were all attending this party as invited guests.

I'm sure that he must have been surprised when I started to appeal that Hugo was falsely accused. He must have been completely thunderstruck. He undoubtedly would have felt as if his heart had stopped.

For that reason, he would show a different reaction from the others.

Alma had been instructed in advance to detect that reaction. Even for Scouts and Archers, who were skilled at detection, it would be difficult to pick out only the reaction of a specific person from a crowd of people. But Alma had accomplished it masterfully.

I had already anticipated how the culprit behind the case would act. All I needed to do, was to turn his plan to my advantage.

When I suddenly felt a gaze on my back and turned around, Sieg smiled with satisfaction. Beside him, Johann, who seemed to have finally realized the truth, had undisguised hostility on his face.

The other Seekers also seemed to have guessed that I was the true proposer of this party. Some of them had expression of interest, while some were filled with wariness.

I faced them, drew back one leg, put my hand on my chest, and bowed just like a stage actor would. I did my best so that it would come off overly polite and patronizing.

「Dear esteemed seniors, thank you very much for watching the show」

Be it Regalia, nobles, the Emperor or the country itself, it doesn't matter who my opponent is. I’ll use everything, and swallow everything whole.

This is my--a Talker’s way of fighting.

Just a reminder, the kanji for Leather Mask is “Blood-Covered Taxidermist” which I personally feel is cooler but Leather Mask is what it’s supposed to be read as so……

You guys know what I feel about the head tilting, but imagine an entire audience tilting their heads lol.

Pederasty(Man x Boy) is taboo now, but there was a time when such practices were not only accepted, they were even encouraged. Three main cultures that did so were: Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and the Samurai. The Ancient Greeks and the Samurai believed that it helped the educational and sexual progress of the boy, though in Ancient Greece, there were many, like Plato, who condemned it as having a more negative effect than a positive one. This is definitely one thing that I didn’t expect to learn as I translated Japanese…..

Noel acting smarmy, after jerking everyone around. Best ever. What will happen next now that the party is over? Stay tuned!