“Do you realize that from the moment that photograph was taken, the number of magical beasts flooding into the empire suddenly increased exponentially?”
Forcite pressed, comparing with the actual timeline, clearly determined to transform rumors into facts.
The nobles had already fallen for both the political implications and Forcite’s plausible words.
They all nodded in agreement once more.
“That dragon was injured and needed treatment. Rather, the fact that magical beasts increased during that specific period is suspicious in itself. Someone has fabricated this.”
“Can you prove it?”
“Just as there’s no way to prove that dragons control magical beasts.”
“…How dare you speak to His Highness the Second Prince like that!”
Baron Marist, who moments ago had been gaping at Ariel’s face in awe, jumped up but was pulled back down by the noble beside him.
In fact, with the original status of House Hartez, even Second Prince Forcite would have been powerless against them, but today was different.
Baron Marist had been waiting for an opportunity ever since hearing that his daughter had been greatly humiliated by Merrien, who was living as a freeloader at the Hartez mansion, from the imperial banquet to tea parties.
Since the Duke of Hartez would lose his position anyway, showing boldness and loyalty might impress Forcite.
It was a meticulously planned action in many ways.
However, Forcite showed no interest in Baron Marist.
Forcite, who had been watching Ariel’s every move intently, spoke again.
“You were in a very weak condition since 11 years ago, right after the previous Duke and Duchess Hartez passed away. How did your body suddenly recover?”
Deliberately bringing up the previous Duke and Duchess Hartez.
Ariel showed a reaction for the first time.
Calm blue eyes that revealed nothing. According to Merrien, those were the eyes that appeared right before something happened.
“I recovered thanks to Merrien. Simply placing her hand over my heart was enough.”
He wanted to sarcastically ask if Forcite had been intimate with Saint Charlotte, but held back, considering she was Merrien’s friend.
Forcite’s eyes, which had been glaring fiercely, looking ready to pierce through some part of Ariel’s body, wavered for a moment.
Soon regaining his composure, Forcite called out toward the door.
“Let the witnesses enter.”
There were three witnesses in total. All were maids who had left employment at House Hartez a month ago.
‘Ah.’
Ariel noticed Forcite’s plan and ran his tongue over his lips.
When several maids suddenly quit a month ago, he hadn’t paid much attention. There was a reason after all.
The door opened, and three maids connected to Forcite by thin strands of dark energy entered.
The maids showed no signs of nervousness or surprise, despite being in the presence of nobles, the Duke of Hartez, and even the Second Prince.
“I worked at the Hartez mansion for several years. But last month, I decided to flee after seeing a dragon roaming around the mansion.”
“There’s a strange rule at the Hartez mansion that absolutely forbids going outside after six in the evening.”
“When I tried to go out and talk about Duke Hartez, suddenly my memories would be carved out and I couldn’t recall anything.”
He must have controlled the servants with the dragon’s power!
The three maids shouted simultaneously. It seemed quite strange, like a rehearsed performance, but no one in the courtroom raised any objections.
“Come to think of it, the time when magical beasts recently flooded in was usually after six in the evening.”
“There was much talk about them appearing specifically when it got dark.”
The nobles simply nodded in a trance-like state, fitting the maids’ words into their own thoughts.
“Duke Hartez. Do you have anything to say?”
Forcite raised his chin.
It was a silent gesture meaning he would look down on him.
Ariel let out a hollow laugh.
When the maids shouted, the energy emanating from Forcite was so strong that it enveloped the entire courtroom.
The frightening thing about Forcite was that he mixed actual events with lies to package them plausibly.
Agnes, transformed into a dragon, had never been discovered by any of the mansion’s staff. Even if he had been, erasing memories would have been enough.
But everything else the maids claimed was true.
It was obvious that people would find the mansion strange and bizarre just from hearing that.
‘After threatening to kill Merrien if I revealed I’m the Tower Master.’
Seeing Forcite smirking with obvious victory in his expression, Ariel’s eyes began to flicker.
‘Should I just kill him here…’
After thinking for a moment, Ariel changed his mind.
No, he couldn’t do that.
He had to endure, if only for the sake of the plan he had carefully arranged.
The blue eyes that had darkened and wavered gradually calmed.
“These are all just assumptions. The mansion’s rules were exactly the same even before the dragon came for treatment.”
“Then how would you explain this, Duke?”
Forcite threw a bundle of photographs onto the nobles’ table. The photos slid smoothly and stopped exactly where Ariel could see them.
Several nobles stood up in a commotion.
“Th-this!”
“Isn’t this a top-tier magical beast!”
A magical beast in a tightly locked room. It was a photograph of Christopher Alexander Montgomery Harrison.
“Ha.”
An incredulous sigh escaped from Ariel’s lips.
Not only the photograph with Agnes, but even a photograph of Christopher.
There weren’t any particular barriers in House Hartez except for Merrien’s room.
During the day, when magical power surges worsened, previous dukes occasionally reinforced internal security with help from the imperial knights or various support, but Ariel had refused this.
Unlike the previous dukes who showed themselves outside except during the day, Ariel never went out at all.
The first time he showed his face was at the temple where Merrien was staying, and the imperial banquet was the first time he faced the nobles. Because of this, there couldn’t have been any discord with the nobles.
The occasional assassins who broke in were dealt with by a single gesture from Ariel.
Even so… there was no way he wouldn’t have known about someone taking such blatant photographs inside the mansion.
After all, Forcite’s subordinate stealing the box containing the dog collar was part of the plan.
‘So that’s why.’
He stared at the black energy swirling greatly in Forcite’s eyes.
Red eyes that boldly met his gaze. Perhaps due to the joy of victory, black energy now overflowed and spilled from around his body.
“Please explain about this magical beast as well, Duke Hartez.”
“It’s a magical beast I kept in the mansion temporarily for research. It’s no longer in the mansion now.”
“…I’m sorry, but I don’t understand how someone who was ill would keep a magical beast in their mansion.”
Duke Bernando, who had been listening silently and solemnly even when other nobles were hurling harsh words at Ariel, spoke up. His eyes were filled with worry and doubt.
House Bernando maintained a neutral stance in the empire regardless of what happened. However, it seemed they couldn’t do so this time.
The atmosphere became greatly agitated.
But even under such pressure, Ariel’s momentum didn’t waver at all.
“It’s a clear fact that I researched magical beasts despite my poor health. His Majesty the Emperor is also aware that House Hartez has devoted efforts to exterminating magical beasts.”
You can’t replace the Emperor’s position. Ariel’s calm blue eyes seemed to say.
Of course, Forcite showed no reaction either.
He thought he had already won the game.
With a leisurely hand, he retrieved the photograph.
“But how can you prove that?”
The Emperor is now bedridden and unable to move. It was a fact everyone knew without saying.
“His Majesty the Emperor will prove it.”
“Haha, how exactly?”
Ariel silently shifted his gaze to the clock attached to the courtroom pillar. 4:29:55.
The second hand ticked, moving one space at a time. 56 seconds, 57 seconds, 58 seconds.
4:30 PM.
Bang-!
The firmly closed courtroom door opened.