5.2

Miriam dabbed at her tears with a white handkerchief, acting as if she hadn’t secretly administered abortifacients to her stepmothers or had someone push them down the stairs. Some central nobles, unfamiliar with local affairs, were completely taken in by Miriam’s performance. How could one not feel sympathy for such a devoted and pious maiden?

“Vanessa Cloet despised my father, who was much older than herself. She refused to share a bed with him since their first night and used the excuse of caring for her child to sleep in separate rooms after giving birth. Having a son as an heir, she had no regard for my father. When he was bedridden after being severely injured in the War of Succession, she may have secretly been delighted. Once my father passed away, she would be free. But as you all know, my father, Sir Michael Cloet, was a veteran of many battles, wasn’t he? When he showed signs of recovery, fighting against illness, that wicked woman poisoned him!”

Turning around, Miriam pointed at Vanessa with a finger, shouting with malice. Vanessa met Miriam’s gaze without backing down. She felt wronged and angry, but it wasn’t time yet. She had to endure a little longer.

“If I hadn’t left the convent and returned to the Cloet estate upon hearing of my father’s critical condition, his unjust death would never have been known to the world! Please punish the murderer, Vanessa Cloet, and restore justice to this land!”

Feigning tears of emotion, Miriam returned to her place. Consequently, the intense gazes of the people pierced the back of Vanessa, who stood opposite Miriam.

The statement that she refused to sleep with her husband, an important duty of a wife, drew negative reactions from the people.

If she were truly innocent, why would she refuse Earl Plar’s trial and flee to Earl Arenshen, with whom relations were hostile? It was unusual for Earl Arenshen, known for his lack of mercy, to protect someone. Surely, the young and beautiful Viscountess’ seductive appearance had bewitched Earl Arenshen.

Moreover, where in the world does a daughter kill her father? Such a crime was unheard of. Vanessa Cloet, she must be the culprit!

Vanessa felt as if she could hear the silent voices floating in the air.

“Vanessa Cloet, do you wish to rebut?”

At the presiding judge’s words, Vanessa, also dressed in black mourning clothes, removed her veil and stood before the king and judges.

She had always imagined standing here and proclaiming her innocence, but now that she was about to speak in court, she couldn’t stop trembling.

Earl Arenshen had said that this inquiry was merely a formality and that King Arno would surely allow a trial by combat. The man seated on the throne continued to gaze at Vanessa without any change in expression. Vanessa took a deep breath and opened her dry lips.

“Miriam’s words are not true. I respected and followed my husband, Sir Michael Cloet, like a father. The reason I did not have relations with my husband was that, having had a son, there was no longer a need…. It wasn’t that I refused; Sir Michael didn’t want to.”

Her voice, trembling uncontrollably, sounded unconvincing even to her. However, Vanessa mustered the courage to speak the words she had kept inside.

“It is well known that Miriam has long been Earl Plar’s mistress. Although my husband was displeased with this, as a vassal, it would have been difficult for him to ask his lord to stop seeing Miriam. Sir Michael Cloet was a loyal retainer of Earl Plar.”

As Vanessa suddenly brought up old stories, anxiety spread across the faces of Miriam and Earl Plar.

“As Earl Plar’s interest in Miriam waned over time, Miriam did everything she could to regain his favor. Even if it meant killing her innocent stepmothers. But as the saying goes, a long tail is bound to be stepped on, and my husband, having learned the whole truth, chose to send his daughter to a convent instead of accusing her. My husband told me all this before he died, after Miriam returned to the estate. He warned me to beware of Miriam.”

This was a secret that Sir Michael intended to take to his grave. No matter how unworthy a child might be, they were still brought into the world through him. Being confined to a convent until death was a less terrible punishment than being burned at the stake.

The presiding judge looked at Vanessa with cold eyes.

“Then you have no evidence to support your statement, do you?”

“No….”

“Please continue.”

Vanessa took a moment to steady her breath, preparing for the shock that would follow.

“Bearing a grudge for being confined to the convent, Miriam turned her arrows not on me but on Sir Michael Cloet. Miriam murdered her father and framed me for the crime. And if she were to kill my young son as well, all the estates my husband built would fall into Earl Plar’s hands. Miriam could not have done all this alone. She must have conspired with Earl Plar.”

“Shut that mouth of yours! Who are you slandering now?”

Earl Plar shouted, his face turning as black as charcoal. But Vanessa couldn’t stop. Her heart was pounding as if it would burst.

“A lord has a duty to protect his vassals. But Earl Plar abandoned that duty and harmed his own knight. It was obvious they would sentence me guilty, so why should I be judged by him? So I fled. To survive…. Then he branded me a criminal and issued a warrant for my arrest. He wanted to silence me, even if it meant killing me!”

Who would have thought such a loud voice could come from such a small woman? People stared at Vanessa with wide eyes.

Like peeling an onion, her statements sent waves of shock rippling through the audience. Especially Miriam and Earl Plar, whose secrets were laid bare, were furious and agitated.

“She is a wicked woman with the devil’s tongue. Do not believe her words!”

“How dare you mock us, without fear of the heavens!”

Vanessa did not want to engage in a meaningless quarrel with them. It was a matter that required bloodshed to resolve, so arguments were futile. She had said everything she needed to. Though she was still angry, she felt a bit of fear and relief.

“Everyone, be quiet! How dare you cause such a commotion in this sacred place!”

The presiding judge slammed his gavel repeatedly, raising his voice. The scribes, busy recording every statement meticulously, scribbled furiously with their quills.

Bang, the young king struck the armrest of the throne with his fist, his face weary.

“If anyone disrupts this sacred trial again, I shall personally punish them.”

A cold silence fell over the assembly. Miriam and Earl Plar could no longer cause a commotion and sat down. At the right moment, the Magistrate who had sentenced Vanessa to death was dragged into the courtroom by the bailiff. People recognized his presence even before seeing him, due to the stench of blood and rotting pus. The Magistrate had been tortured under the guise of interrogation.

The presiding judge merely wrinkled his nose at the stench, showing no sympathy. The Magistrate was forced to kneel before the court.

“It has been revealed that this man accepted bribes and overturned verdicts. He confessed to receiving a bribe from Miriam in exchange for sentencing Vanessa Cloet guilty.”

Miriam covered her mouth to stifle a scream. She wanted to shout that it was a lie, but fear of punishment kept her silent.

“Then who is the real culprit? Who ordered the poisoning of Sir Michael Cloet?”

“I don’t know. Up to that point….”

The Magistrate struggled to answer the presiding judge’s interrogation.

“It is certain that Vanessa had poison… A maid of the castle….”

“What did the maid of the castle say?”

“…Saw it….”

“Hey, get a hold of yourself! Which maid are you talking about? Tell us the maid’s name!”

“Ugh, uh….”

The Magistrate coughed up blood and died on the spot. He left a black stain of blood on the floor, disappearing just as he had been dragged in. Death, and another death. It was an irresistible gift from the gods to humans. Accepting that mortality, the trembling ceased. Vanessa tore her gaze away from the bloodstain and slowly lifted her head.

“That maid was brought by Miriam. They were close since childhood, and at Miriam’s command, she hid the poison in my bedroom. At the time, I didn’t know it was poison and just didn’t want such a suspicious item in my house, so I put it away. But the poison I hadn’t discovered remained in the room, and the Magistrate used it as evidence to sentence me to death.”

“Where is that maid now?”

“I don’t know. She disappeared after the trial.”

Again, there was no evidence to support her words.

“The maid was sent to a relative’s house abroad to recuperate due to poor health. But I haven’t been able to contact her since then, so I have no way of knowing her whereabouts.”

Miriam trailed off, mentioning the many bandits on the roads these days. It was likely that the maid had been killed without a trace. Ultimately, the truth was lost to everyone.