Chapter 29
“…You really…”
Louise suddenly burst out laughing.
“Fine, you’re right. My life isn’t that cheap.”
It was a loud, hearty laugh that made her throat move.
Asel had his fingers interlocked and was resting his chin on them as he quietly watched me.
“Do you have a plan? The Luweiz heir is likely to testify against you. And the Second Prince will resist with everything he’s got—his life depends on it.”
Of course, that was expected.
“It’s fine. I don’t want to run away over something like this…”
This wasn’t the first crisis I’d faced while living as Laura.
I had survived many similar dangers before.
More than anything—
“I signed a contract, so I need to fulfill my duty, don’t I?”
I had promised to do my job as the future crown princess.
Asel stared at me blankly, as if shocked.
Louise, too, looked surprised, then suddenly yelled at Asel.
“W-What?! A contract?!”
Asel flinched and straightened his shoulders.
Whatever they needed to talk about was between them.
I had said all I needed to say.
“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”
Only one day remained before the tribunal.
I had a lot to prepare.
Normally, a criminal’s testimony was taken in private by inspectors.
But this time, the Second Prince himself had demanded a public tribunal, and since all involved were nobles, the inspectorate made an unusual decision to open it to the public.
Because their claims were so conflicting, they decided it was better to handle it openly.
The courtroom wasn’t large, and thanks to Laura’s infamy, it quickly filled.
Tribunals were supposed to be solemn, but in the audience, tension mixed with anticipation and malice.
Some people were just there because they hated Laura and wanted to see her fall.
But most were hoping they’d benefit if she lost power.
If Laura disappeared, there would be a spot open next to Asel.
Those in high society who wanted to become the crown princess stared at her seat with greedy eyes.
Among them was Marien.
She arrived early and sat where she had a clear view of the witness stand.
She carefully dressed to look pure—but more eye-catching than Laura.
“Oh, Princess, you’re here too?”
Some people recognized her and greeted her.
With a thin smile, Marien replied, “I was a bit concerned about the trouble in the empire…”
She didn’t mention Laura’s wrongdoing—she wanted to appear unrelated to Laura’s fall.
She needed to be the perfect, flawless person who just happened to be available.
Soon, the Second Prince Malken from Mortum arrived.
Despite rumors that he had been interrogated in the dungeon, he looked fine.
Dressed in plain black clothes, his skin looked healthy.
Only his red eyes showed signs of stress.
Imperial knights held his arms and sat him on a hard wooden chair—no cushion.
It was an unfitting seat for someone who had grown up in luxury, but Malken leaned back without complaint.
At that moment, a knight pretended to check on him and whispered:
“I’ll leave the back door open when you exit.”
Malken stared straight ahead like he hadn’t heard anything.
But his clenched fists on his knees were soaked in sweat.
Four days ago, a mysterious person had made him an offer:
“If you succeed in taking Laura Luweiz down, we’ll help you escape.”
The offer had come through the mouth of an imperial knight.
If he got sent back to his kingdom, Malken would be executed for treason.
His only chance to survive was to escape while still in the empire.
He had no choice but to accept.
Part of it was revenge, too.
If it hadn’t been for that woman—Laura—he would’ve stayed on track to become king.
“…Yes, I admit it. I wanted the throne. That’s the truth.”
A good lie needs some truth in it.
“But I didn’t start off that way. I knew I wasn’t as capable as my brother. But that woman—she kept whispering to me every day. That if I started a civil war, she’d give me weapons. That I had a chance.”
Then Malken turned and looked directly at Laura.
There was a faint madness in his bloodshot eyes.
“Her intentions were clear. She just wanted to profit from the war. To her, the people of Mortum—their innocent lives—were nothing but gold coins!”
The inspector responded:
“We acknowledge your claim, but just because a ship owned by Luweiz was used for smuggling doesn’t prove she was involved.”
“I figured you’d say that.”
Malken nodded calmly.
“But think about this. Remember what Lady Luweiz said when she arrested me? She said she caught a ship that docked without a report.”
There were people who remembered that part and nodded.
Malken seized the moment and leaned forward, shouting:
“Isn’t that suspicious? Hundreds of ships come and go every day at Lowin Harbor—how could she know which ones to check?”
Lowin Harbor was the busiest port in the empire.
That’s exactly why the Grand Duke had used it for smuggling.
The audience started murmuring.
It spread like waves until multiple cries for silence quieted the room.
Malken smirked, pleased by the reaction.
“The answer is simple. She was involved in the smuggling. When things started falling apart—when I couldn’t pay, and the royal family was close to discovering us—she turned me in to save herself!”
The room fell silent.
Malken’s story sounded logical on the surface.
Laura had used knowledge from her past life to catch the smuggling.
Basically, she gave the answer without showing her work.
So when asked to prove how she knew, it was hard to explain.
Louise bit her lip hard.
Her fist trembled under the chair.
‘That bastard…!’
She was disgusted by her nephew’s lies.
If this weren’t a formal event, she would’ve gone down and smacked him herself.
Asel sat next to her, expressionless, but his gaze locked forward with barely contained patience.
Malken, after his dramatic speech, turned to the witness stand.
“Even though this is enough, let me call a witness. Luweiz heir—step forward!”
At that moment, Gepetto stood up.
He shrugged once and walked to the witness stand.
“I swear under the Imperial name to speak only the truth.”
It was the first time in months anyone had seen Gepetto, the Luweiz heir.
All eyes turned to him.
Most of them were openly hostile.
Rumors about why he had been imprisoned were everywhere, but most knew Laura was somehow involved.
Everyone assumed he would speak against her.
Malken swallowed and urged him on.
People glanced at Laura, wondering how she was reacting.
A tense silence filled the room, full of hope and malice.
Then Gepetto spoke.
“Yes, the ship belongs to our family.”
“I knew it…”
There was a sharp intake of breath from the audience, and Malken clenched his fists.
“But my sister had nothing to do with it. She didn’t even know that ship existed.”
The reaction in the room turned confused.
What Gepetto said completely betrayed their expectations.
“That ship… I sold it in secret.”