Thank you very much for waiting.
I have to overcome a lot of problems to get Loyd back in the atelier. Obviously, that involves getting through this trial somehow.
There are two kinds of trials in the Kingdom of Merzelia. Actually, you can subdivide them a lot, but the two main ones are regular trials, and queen’s trials.
The queen is not involved with regular trials. They are done in courtrooms, with lawyers and prosecutors going back and forth, and a judge gives a verdict in the end.
Also, these judges are not picked by the queen, they are chosen via a popular vote.
This is set up so the sense of values of royalty is not reflected in the decision, and the queen herself cannot interfere with verdicts.
But queen’s trials are not like that. Her majesty herself is the judge.
Since the queen is the judge, the methods of judgment vary, and it mostly feels like she’s winging it.
People who have done things like a disrespectful act towards the queen or treason against the country are the ones who are judged in this way, and the queen uses her power to judge them herself.
I’m getting off track, but Merzelia is different from other countries in that these types of trials are rare, and the former example is the norm.
Anyway, I’m being judged in one of these queen’s trials.
This is very undesirable for me, but I am being treated by the queen as if I am on a black list.
And so, my environment in my prison is deteriorating a lot. I am still treated like a person, but I might be sent to Abyss Wall depending on the result of the trial.
Abyss Wall is the most terrifying prison in Merzelia. It’s basically a death sentence, and most criminals are very afraid of being sent there.
Suffice to say, I want to avoid being sent there at all cost, but it depends on the queen’s judgment.
But this problem comes with opportunity. Thankfully, I have committed no crimes. And I am right in trying to get Loyd back.
If I explain everything properly, I’m sure her majesty will understand.
During this queen’s trial, one thing I have to be mindful of is ‘elegance’. That’s a word her majesty loves to use.
If I behave like a noble and speak in a well-mannered way, she will happily yell ‘+1 elegance’.
And so, I have to think of words that display my nobility.
The degree of elegance is so important in these trials, that people have avoided being sent to Abyss Wall due to that alone.
The nature of the crime is not as important as her majesty liking you. In fact, it might be easier to think of this not as a trial, but as an elegance battle.
And after spending the whole night thinking about how to bring out my elegance, I found an answer.
“Hey, it’s time for the queen’s trial. Get out of there.”
Says a soldier, a middle-aged man with a beard.
I do as he says, and exit the cell.
He binds by wrists, and starts talking on and on.
“This trial will decide your sentence. I think you were guilty the moment you troubled her majesty, but you should behave during the trial, so your crimes seem less serious. Her majesty might pardon you if you show remorse.”
Good grief, talking about how I’m guilty and need to show remorse like I’m a criminal.
I’m the victim here, being accused of a crime I didn’t commit.
“Your head doesn’t work too well, if you’re already assuming I’m guilty.”
“Ah?”
I let out a big sigh, speaking to the guard with an elegant and cool attitude.
“Everything I did was for the sake of finishing her majesty’s request. If I explain it to her properly, she will surely see I’m innocent.”
The soldier looks like he’s taken aback by my words, but I don’t care, and turn away while snorting. I don’t need to mind this servant.
It just has to go well with the queen. And as I walk, I picture my back and forth with her.
I am currently under the clock tower. A prisoner transport wagon arrives, and takes me to the courtroom where the trial will take place.
When I enter, I sense a lot of eyes on me.
The room is a circle, with seats becoming higher and higher and they go further back.
There are over a thousand people here, who point and laugh when they see me.
My blood boils at these lowly commoners mocking me, but if I make a fuss here, that will hit my elegance points hard.
But still, why is my approval rate with townspeople so low? Surely the false saintess of Roland, Iris Elzelbel Quarte, is behind this.
Her despicable designs put me in a predicament. She is a rare breed of villainess, and the main culprit behind all the otherwise inexplicable things going on.
She took everything from me, including my childhood friend Loyd.
Even the stupidly affable Loyd did not respond to my appeal. I’m sure Iris got involved and made it so he refused.
‘Loyd, you shouldn’t get involved with this criminal called Ruby. Forget about women in your past, and live with me in Minerva. And go buy me some black tea already.’
Yes, what a scary woman. Iris, I will never forgive you.
I strengthen my resolve to take down Iris, and stand in on the witness stand in the center.
In front of me is a throne with all sorts of ornaments, where a blond girl with a pink crown sits.
This is the most powerful person in Merzelia. The person who loves the word elegance more than three meals a day.
I don’t know her exact age, but she is younger than fifteen, and about a hundred and forty centimeters tall.
Her outfit reveals the lines of her upper body, and she’s wearing a miniskirt with knee socks. Her wonderfully blond hair hangs all the way to the floor like an undone turban.
Her facial features are so nice, that there is no doubt she will be a real beauty in the future, but her eyes are very cold when pointed at me.
“I haven’t seen you in months. It seems you have been running around a lot.”
She throws provocations at me the moment I take the stand, but I clear my throat and respond calmly.
“Your majesty, you are misunderstanding.”
“My name is not Miss Understanding. Lord Alchemia, did becoming a fugitive mess with your head?”
She says with a mocking tone, and I hear snickers around me.
I almost click my tongue, but keep the corners of my lips raised as I respond with an amiable tone.
“Your majesty, there is one misunderstanding. I had no intention of refusing your request.”
“But you did ignore it and ran from your atelier. How do you explain that? Many people saw you running from the atelier after you stuffed your bag with gold coins.”
“That was because I was attacked by a robber. I did it to save my life.”
“Eh… I see. You are very skillful to be able to stuff your bag with gold coins with a robber on the scene.”
She says with a smile.
(D-did I mess up!? I guess she has a point! Normally people would just run.)
My expression is frozen, and at the same time, I see a blue vein on her forehead.
“I-It’s a misunderstanding! I have good reasons!”
O-oh no.
At this rate, I’m going straight to Abyss Wall.
I need to at the very least stop that…!
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