His gaze, which had been trailing off, flicked toward the Crown Prince for a moment, then returned to me.
“Didn’t you have something you wanted to say?”
I tilted my head curiously. It was because his face looked slightly tense.
“Is this… the first time you’re seeing the Crown Prince?”
“Yes, I suppose it is? Why do you ask?”
“No… it’s nothing.”
Maybe it bothered him that his lawyer had just locked into an intense staring contest with the Crown Prince. Surely it wasn’t because he thought I might lose. Seriously, I’m not that kind of pushover, Your Grace.
“I just wanted to see how impressive he was, but he’s nothing special. Don’t worry—I’ll crush him in court.”
To reassure my client, I pulled my gaze away from the Crown Prince and smiled brightly at him, as if telling him to relax. No matter how composed someone tried to act, it was only natural to be nervous without any trial experience. Only then did a faint sense of relief seem to wash over his face.
A short while later.
“We will now begin the trial on the charge that the defendant, Benedict Richard, murdered Baron Devon Hayden.”
With the solemn declaration of the judge, the trial commenced, and the Chief of Police was the first to give a statement.
“The victim, Baron Hayden, was found stabbed in the left side of his back by a sharp dagger in the garden of his own estate.”
The Chief of Police, having finished his words, removed his hat and respectfully nodded toward Vivian, who was looking down at the courtroom with a beautiful yet chillingly blank face.
“That day was the day of a banquet celebrating the successful trade agreement between the victim’s merchant guild and the Grace Kingdom. Even Their Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were in attendance.”
“The defendant was also invited to this banquet?”
“That is correct. According to testimonies from those at the banquet, he disappeared midway through.”
“Continue.”
The judge nodded, listening intently to the Chief of Police’s testimony. The Chief of Police then pointed directly at Grand Duke Richard with a gravely stern face.
“Right around the time the defendant went missing, a maid at the estate discovered the victim collapsed and stabbed in the garden. To be precise, the defendant was standing right beside the victim’s corpse, covered in blood.”
Gasps of horror rippled through the spectators. Grand Duke Richard’s tightly clenched jaw twitched. The judge continued speaking.
“Was there anyone who witnessed the defendant stabbing the victim?”
“Yes. At this time, we would like to call as a witness Hesperano, a gardener employed at the victim’s estate.”
The Chief of Police raised his hand with a leisurely confidence to summon the witness. Then an older man with quite a few gray hairs entered the courtroom.
“Um… I… hereby….”
With his brow deeply furrowed, he haltingly read the oath. Finally, after he finished the oath, the judge directed a question at him.
“Did you, witness, see the defendant, Benedict Richard, stab the victim, Baron Devon Hayden, with a dagger?”
Witness Hesperano blinked his sunken eyes several times as he looked up at the judge.
“That night, I saw His Highness the Grand Duke standing in the dark garden holding a dagger.”
At the witness’s unhesitating reply, the courtroom erupted once more. The Chief of Police rose from his seat with a triumphant look on his face, clearly thinking it was his cue.
“Witness Hesperano saw the defendant lurking in the darkness with a weapon, preparing to commit the crime. I will now submit as evidence the dagger that the witness identified.”
The Chief of Police held the dagger high in the air as if to prove his point. Some people in the gallery even stood up to get a better look.
“This dagger is a standard issue supplied to the Imperial Army. Naturally, the defendant, who was formerly a commander in the Imperial Army, owned such a weapon.”
I narrowed my eyes and examined the dagger. It was undoubtedly the most crucial piece of evidence in this case. It was the murder weapon that had killed the victim and a piece of equipment linked directly to the Grand Duke, a member of the Imperial Army.
“The dagger was deeply lodged into the left side of the victim’s back. If the attacker was right-handed and attacked from behind, it would have struck the right side. The fact that it pierced the left means the culprit is left-handed.”
After pausing briefly, the Chief of Police spoke in a voice brimming with confidence.
“And Grand Duke Richard is known to be undeniably left-handed.”
Instantly, the atmosphere in the courtroom heated up. Whispers spread among the spectators—
“There’s no way out of this,” “That was a flawless deduction by the Chief of Police!”
Even those who’d been saying moments ago that the Grand Duke looked like someone who wouldn’t hurt a fly were now shaking their heads. The Chief of Police continued with a smug face.
“Furthermore, if the defendant were truly innocent, he would have produced his dagger immediately. But instead, he tried to brush it off with an obvious lie, claiming his dagger had been stolen several days before the incident.”
I quickly rose from my seat and objected to the Chief’s statement.
“Your Honor, the prosecution is making speculative statements about facts that are not definitively established. There is no evidence whatsoever that the defendant lied about his dagger being stolen.”
The judge gave a slight, indifferent nod.
“Sustained.”
It seemed he thought that since the prosecution already had ample evidence and witnesses, it wouldn’t hurt to allow this small objection.
“Thank you, Your Honor.”
When I flashed a bright smile, the Chief of Police’s expression twisted in displeasure, though he quickly let out a dismissive snort as if he wasn’t bothered at all. Then, in a loud, clear voice, he concluded his argument.
“The defendant brutally murdered Baron Devon Hayden. He was not only a noble but also the esteemed father of Her Highness the Crown Princess. This is a heinous crime. The Police Bureau therefore charges the defendant with murder and seeks the maximum sentence: death.”
Scattered applause of agreement erupted from the gallery. The judge cast a quick glance at the Crown Prince and Crown Princess seated in the highest gallery. It was obvious he was quite conscious of them.
Then he sent a doubtful look our way. Compared to the lavish prosecution team, with the Chief of Police and numerous investigators lined up, the defense side—just me and Grand Duke Richard sitting alone—looked almost pitifully sparse.
“Defense, do you have a rebuttal?”
His tone suggested he didn’t expect much. With such clear evidence, he probably thought there was little chance the situation could be overturned.
“Of course, Your Honor.”
I slowly stood and took in the entire courtroom with a sweeping glance. There were eyes doubting whether a mere commoner could even speak properly in court, and mocking smiles wondering what persuasive argument I could possibly make in such a disadvantageous situation.
With a composed smile, I opened my mouth.
“I am Elena Richard, the duly appointed legal representative of the defendant—and his wife.”
At my introduction, the gallery erupted in both boos and cheers. Enjoying all the attention, I raised my voice with full gravity.
“Before I proceed with my defense, I have a very important confession to make.”
The courtroom buzzed again. People’s faces filled with curiosity about what sort of crucial confession the defendant’s lawyer might offer. Of course, Grand Duke Richard wore his usual calm face. But I caught the slight flicker of unease in his eyes—he was worried, wondering if I might suddenly betray him.
The Chief of Police clearly thought the same. An unmistakable smug smile spread across his face. He must’ve assumed that I, overwhelmed by the Police Bureau’s airtight argument, was finally about to admit the Grand Duke’s guilt.
“So, at last, you confess. In that case, we may consider reducing the sentence—perhaps to life imprisonment instead of death.”
At his pompous tone, I let my eyebrows droop into a faintly pitiful arc. This was exactly the moment that called for a bit of showmanship. I placed both hands demurely over the hollow of my chest and offered him an exaggerated bow.
“How very merciful of you, Chief. However, what I wish to say is…”
As I said that, I spun gracefully toward Grand Duke Richard. Then I caught his startled gaze and gave him a deep, tender look. At last, my lips curved into the most beautiful smile, and I spoke in the clearest, most perfect voice of my life—these incredibly important words.
“I love you, darling.”
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