Chapter 4: A Woman’s Pride

There were many special operations units in Wiltia. The military strictly controlled some, while others were effectively private forces under the command of high officials. Apuvea, the unit that Jacob’s father Blitzdonner joined, was an example of the former, and the Werewolves that Lud had belonged to were an example of the latter. However, many other units existed. There were so many that no one could keep track of them all.

Among them was the Sicherheitsdienst, or the Security Department. For external appearances, it was in charge of security for every ministry and agency in the Principality of Wiltia. However, its reach extended beyond the royal capital to all of Wiltia, including Pelfe and the colonies. Thus, it was highly effective at collecting information. It was said that an incident in the morning on the other side of the world would reach the chief director at the Security Department in the royal capital by noon.

Heinrich Hitzinger, the chief director of the Security Department, was known as the “ears” of Wiltia, and he had already received a report about the uproar at Tockerbrot, with the photograph of a woman attached.

“Chief Director, who is that woman?” Hitzinger’s subordinate asked.

“Oh, she is currently under scrutiny by the Security Department. Her name is Mary Ville Mehl.”

Hitzinger’s face was vaguely reminiscent of a reptile. His emotions were hard to guess, so it was difficult to judge whether he was glowering or smiling.

“But she is better known under her other name. Have you heard of Mary Clarissa?”

“Yes, I think I know that name from somewhere...”

The subordinate put a finger to his chin, but he couldn’t come up with it.

“She is a novelist in Greyten. I understand she is quite popular.”

“Oh, that’s right! I knew I’d heard that name!”

Hitzinger’s subordinate clapped his hands in satisfaction.

Although Mary Clarissa was a new writer, her impressive accomplishments had earned praise across the continent of Europea, and translations of her books lined the shelves at Wiltian bookstores.

“She also has a day job. She is a well-known international journalist writing under her real name, Mary Ville Mehl. Mary Clarissa is her pen name.”

Pen names aren’t like the false identities secret agents use. Using a pen name is customary in the publishing world.

“She is an outstanding journalist. Did you hear of the romantic scandal that rocked Greyten’s senate a few years ago?”

“Well, Greyten has had so many of those! Let’s see... Is it the one involving an opposition senator?”

“Yes, that’s the one.”

It had come to light that a leader of the prominent opposition party had a lover. The leader was unmarried, so it wouldn’t normally have gone any further than a romantic account of the senator’s private life. Nonetheless, it had become a problem. That was because the senator and his lover were both men.

“A same-sex romantic scandal... Greyten is a strict nation. Not long ago, they might have driven him from public office. As it was, the dailies made him the object of ridicule and he almost had to leave politics.”

However, Mary Ville had turned the situation around. In her articles, she made the counterargument that sexual orientation was irrelevant to political acumen, so it was contemptible to accuse a politician regarding such a matter of utmost privacy.

She also called for a coalition of women’s rights groups, minority communities and parties of opposition to launch a massive protest campaign. She helped coalesce public opinion in support of the senator’s right to privacy in his sexual preference, and as the coup de grâce, she revealed that the source publicizing the scandal came from the ruling party.

This threw the senate into an uproar, and before the ruling party knew what hit them, they had gone from casting accusations to weathering condemnation, and it appeared that power would change hands with the next general election.

“That’s some impressive shaping of public opinion! I’d like to scout her for our department!”

“If she were Wiltian, I would have done it myself.”

Hitzinger’s reply to his subordinate’s light tone was more than half serious.

“Oh, right... Greyten is an enemy nation.”

The subordinate neglected to say “former” enemy nation. Neither the Wiltian military nor the government had openly acknowledged it, but they still saw their opponents during the Great War, nations like Greyten and Filbarneu, as enemies.

“And she has yet another face.”

“Oh, she has many faces... like a chimera.”

The chimera was an imaginary magical beast with the heads of a lion, goat and dragon.

“Her third face is that of a lawyer. We might say that is her true nature.”

“I see, I see, I see... So that’s why she’s involved with that little mob!”

“Correct.”

The subordinate finally understood why the photo of a foreign woman was in the office of the chief director of the Security Department, which was actually an intelligence agency.

“I heard that this woman wants to reveal the truth behind Lapchuricka to the public.”

“I see... So that’s why she’s using the Silver Wolf.”

They talked casually about the misfortunes of the former national hero.

“She is a public figure so it would be complicated to have her eliminated. Besides, she may have already taken that into account.”

If the nation so desired, it could easily disregard an individual’s rights. However, that only applied to average citizens. If they carelessly interfered with someone of international renown, it would be newsworthy, no matter what methods they employed.

Even if they didn’t act, she could claim a secret Wiltian intelligence agency was watching her, and that would be enough to prevent them from action. A conspiracy theory could serve as an impenetrable shield, depending on how it was used.

“Apparently, Elvin observed her some time ago but couldn’t get his hands on her.”

Elvin was a marshal in the Wiltian regular army. He was the head of the military government and the most senior person on the organizational chart to which Sophia and Lud had once belonged.

“She outsmarted that old fox, huh? Impressive!”

Hitzinger’s tone suggested it was indeed a pity that he couldn’t use her for his own purposes.

“I wish she were not from Haugen.”

Haugen was the nation where Lapchuricka was located before it disappeared.

“Handle the matter with due diligence, Belger,” Hitzinger said to his subordinate.

At the Security Department, there were no detailed orders. After briefing, the department’s members knew how to thoroughly perform their duties for the nation.

Hitzinger’s subordinates had been trained and were capable of acting accordingly. All the chief director had to do was indicate a mission. He granted authority to use the necessary personnel and resources however his subordinate desired.

“Yes, Sir!”

After a bow, Belger left the room.

“Tch... She is trying to expose what His Lordship carefully sealed! I really despise minorities!”

Hitzinger mumbled and removed a framed photograph from his desk drawer. It showed several high-ranking military officers. He was among them. And the man standing in the middle was the group’s leader.

“Do not worry, Lord Genitz. We will carry out your will.”

Night fell in Organbaelz.

After the commotion was over, the group at Tockerbrot closed the shop and was taking a rest.

“Let’s see... So much has happened!”

It was Jacob, the youngest, who spoke.

“You’re right. So much has happened that I can’t sort it out in my head.”

Marlene, the nun from the church atop the hill, agreed.

Laurel, the miners’ leader, had already gone to work the night shift at the mine. That left two more inside the shop.

“........................”

Lud had remained silent with his head lowered, and now his already sullen face tensed further.

“........................”

The waitress Sven stared blankly.

“At least we’re in better shape than those two!”

“Yeah, I guess so!”

Neither Jacob nor Marlene could find anything to say to them.

The incident had happened a couple of hours ago...

“Mary...”

Lud froze upon seeing Mary Ville Mehl appear at Tockerbrot. He had never thought such a reunion was possible, but here she was.

“Tee hee...”

Wearing a smirk, Mary Ville returned a piercing look.

“You’re...”

Sven recognized the woman’s voice. To be precise, she had located a matching voice profile in her memory’s audio data.

Human voices differ according to the muscles, organs and bone structures that produce them. People have a voice print the way they have fingerprints. And no two people have the exact same print.

“Are you... Mary?”

“Ohhh!”

Mary Ville looked surprised at Sven’s question.

“Sven... you noticed. I’m surprised.”

It wasn’t the first time for Mary Ville and the people at Tockerbrot to meet. Last year, around the time of the Holy Festival, Mary Ville met them while using her pen name and wearing a disguise.

“I was confident in my disguise. Oh well, at least the shop owner didn’t notice.”

Mary Ville’s smile disappeared and her eyes shot daggers at Lud.

“You’re... alive?”

“Do you wish I were dead?”

Mary Ville responded bitterly to Lud’s question, which he asked in a trembling voice.

“It’s understandable you didn’t recognize me. After all, I was already dead to you, you self-centered jerk!”

“Ulp...”

Unable to respond, Lud simply lowered his head.

“Ahem...”

Finally, the protestors—flustered and looking as if they had forgotten where they were—spoke to get Mary Ville’s attention.

“Get lost.”

She issued her command without even turning to look at them.

“Uh, but...”

“You already accomplished your goal, didn’t you? If you do anything else, it’ll cause problems.”

She glanced at them over her shoulder. That was enough to make the protestors cringe like puppies, even though they had behaved with such brash insolence toward Lud and the others.

“B-But... that woman...”

Dissatisfied, one of the men—the one Sven had angrily grabbed—argued back.

“Dust.”

“Huh?”

“You’ve got dust on your clothes.”

“What...?”

The man was confused when Mary Ville pointed at his collar.

“Sven... You were just trying to get that dust off him, right?”

“Huh...?”

“I said... right?”

Mary Ville repeated her question to Sven, who was stupefied.

“So it was your mistake. You’re lucky she didn’t get violent with you.”

“W-What’re you talkin’ about?! She—”

“Hunh?”

The man continued to argue, but Mary Ville hit him with a glare so fierce there was almost an audible metallic ka-slam!

“Eep!!”

“Let me ask you something. Did you do anything that would cause the bakery staff, especially this girl, to hit you?”

“But that was—”

The man raised a cry but faltered and glanced aside.

“I told you to get lost. You’ve already overstepped yourself, and I’m from a baker’s family, so I find that most upsetting.”

Mary Ville apparently had been watching everything the man had done. After paying, he had stepped on the bread baked by Tockerbrot’s owner, and right in front of him.

“Urgh! All right... fine!”

Defeated, the man grudgingly gave in and left the shop along with the other protestors.

“Impressive work, Miss!”

“This is all so... surprising!”

Jacob and Marlene were amazed at how Mary Ville had overpowered the group with mere words—the very group that had plagued Tockerbrot for days.

“Oh, the nun... We’ve met before.”

“Y-Yes... that’s right!”

Marlene had met Mary Ville in her role as Mary Clarissa.

“Thank you for your help that time.”

Mary had helped someone who was like a sister to Marlene.

“No problem. I wanted to help.”

“Oh... you did?”

Mary answered naturally and from the bottom of her heart that she didn’t require any thanks.

“She’s good-looking and she’s got good character! Wow! What gives, Lud? You know someone like her?! Then you should have introduced me sooner!”

“Uh... yeah.”

“Lud?”

Instead of asking Jacob why a ten-year-old boy would need such an introduction, Lud looked more upset.

“So, um... how do you and Lud know each other?”

Jacob asked Mary because he sensed from Lud’s manner that something wasn’t right.

“We’re old acquaintances. We were both older than you are now, but we were still children.”

As she spoke, Mary Ville pulled a photograph from her breast pocket. Standing in the picture were a boy and a girl still thirteen or fourteen years old, along with a man past middle age.

“—?!”

At the sight of it, Lud’s face stiffened once more.

“Is this girl... you?”

“Yes.”

“You were even pretty as a child! Not at all like Milly! Even though she’s about the same age as you in this photo!”

Without noticing Lud’s demeanor, Jacob continued to chatter away as he looked at the photograph. He pointed at the aging man.

“This old guy... Is he actually old? He...”

“That’s my grandfather.”

“Oh...”

Then Jacob pointed at the boy on the left and said, “And who’s this boy with the foolish grin? He’s got decent features, but something tells me I wouldn’t want to get too close to him.”

“Then you’re a good judge of character.”

“What?”

After her comment, Mary Ville pointed at Lud.

“It’s him. About eight years ago.”

“Huh?!”

After hearing this, Jacob froze in surprise.

“Um... what?!”

A moment later, he erupted.

“This kid is him?! And he’s this kid?! Nuh-uh, nuh-uh, nuh-uh! That’s impossible!!”

He pointed at the boy in the picture and the muscled man before him, back and forth, repeatedly shouting, “No way!!”

Lud was uncomfortable as he responded.

“Well, um... I had a growth spurt.”

“That was one heck of a growth spurt!”

Jacob immediately interrupted.

“Even your bone structure has changed. You don’t look like the same person!”

Unless told, not many people would recognize Lud as the boy in the photo.

“To be honest, at first I thought the two just happened to have the same name.”

Mary Ville put her hand on her forehead and mumbled in tones expressing a thousand feelings.

“But when I heard the name of the shop, I knew there was no mistake.”

However, her voice immediately returned to its former tone. It was cold and heavy, containing depths of fury.

“Hey...”

Slowly, she drew near Lud and whispered in his ear so softly that only he could hear.

“Isn’t it in excessively poor taste to name your bakery after a man you killed?”

“—!!”

Lud’s face tensed. He looked more desperate than he would have if spears had pierced his body.

“Mary... I was...”

“Don’t say my name so easily!”

Lud spluttered as if begging, but Mary Ville rebuffed him loudly.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I didn’t come here to save you. I have better things to do.”

After regaining control of her breathing, she presented her request to Lud.

“I want you to appear in court.”

Back in the present...

“So that lady... Mary Ville... Is she a lawyer?”

“To be precise, she’s also a lawyer.”

Marlene slightly corrected Jacob.

“No wonder she knew so much about the law. But I was surprised to hear about the trial.”

Mary Ville had asked Lud to testify at Miroslav’s trial for the hostage incident at the shop a few days ago.

“Come to think of it... Lud, you did tell Miroslav you would testify when the case went to court.”

Jacob remembered their conversation at the shop that day.

“Yeah...”

Lud finally opened his reluctant mouth. As usual, his face was scary. For Lud, however, this may have been the darkest and most pained look he had ever worn.

“Lud... Um, what is your relationship with Mary Ville?”

“Uh...”

“Jacob, shouldn’t you be going home? The sun is going to set soon.”

Lud couldn’t find the words to explain, so Marlene spoke instead.

“Huh? But...”

“Charlotte will be worried if you come home late.”

“Okay...”

The boy had no choice but to leave without an answer to his question. Marlene checked once more that the CLOSED sign was hanging on the door and turned to Lud.

“Is she a survivor of Lapchuricka?”

“Yes. I had no idea she was still alive.”

Her name was Mary Ville Mehl and she was the granddaughter of the owner of a tiny bakery in Lapchuricka, a small town in Haugen that no longer existed. The name of the shop’s owner was Tocker Mehl. And the name of his shop was Tockerbrot.

“But I searched for her. I wanted to find her body and bury her at least.”

Lud had been on a mission to Lapchuricka that involved collecting information and weakening an anti-Wiltian resistance group’s base. The Kingdom of Haugen, which shared a border with Wiltia, had publicly declared neutrality, but it was secretly communicating with Filbarneu, Wiltia’s enemy, and using guerrilla tactics to attack Wiltia. The guerrillas didn’t wear military uniforms and hid among the civilian population. Wiltia needed to eliminate them immediately.

“I crushed many resistance plots.”

Some had planned arson in order to take advantage of the resulting confusion and commit sabotage, but others preferred to act nonviolently, such as printing an underground newspaper critical of Wiltia and raising awareness among Haugenites. Lud had destroyed such plots through the methods he was reminded of in his dream.

“To perform secret missions, it was necessary to blend in with the townsfolk and create a personality. For that reason, I became an employee at her grandfather’s... at Mr. Tocker’s shop.”

Lud had played the part of a bright and earnest baker’s apprentice so he wouldn’t look suspicious. The owner, Mr. Tocker, had grown fond of Lud and treated him like family.

“On shop holidays, it was my job to carry Mr. Tocker home when he drank too much and passed out.”

A girl about Lud’s age also worked at the shop. She was a cheerful girl, full of laughter.

“Wiltia... No, I destroyed it all...”

Based on reports from Lud and other undercover agents, Wiltia determined that eliminating just the guerillas in Lapchuricka would be impossible, so it drafted an operation for destroying the whole town, killing everyone, including noncombatants. And it wouldn’t stop there. It would use large railway artillery and new incendiary grenades to completely erase the town from the face of the earth.

“The first bombardment struck the shop and it disappeared without a trace.”

By age twelve, after losing his parents to war and undergoing training as a type-three soldier to be a future combatant, Lud had acquired the skills for murder. Furthermore, he had been approved to join the special ops unit known as the Werewolves. He had been a cold-hearted undercover operative who deceived others.

“My feelings froze without me noticing. I was a mere tool... I believed I was an implement for murder.”

He snuck into the space inside people’s minds, used a false smile and charm to earn their trust, took what he needed, exploited it, and cast it aside.

“But I was wrong. I cared about that place. I didn’t realize it myself, but... I had betrayed Mr. Tocker and Mary!”

After everything was over, when there was no going back, Lud finally realized what he had done. He had shouted, wept, and clawed his body, suffering so intensely that he vomited. For a time, he felt like a dead man. Genitz had trusted him, but he finally decided that Lud was useless and let him quit the Werewolves.

“Ever since that day, I haven’t been able to smile. I try, but...”

He recalled that day. Then he remembered Mary’s face, the woman he just met again after eight years.

“It seems the same is true for her. No... of course it is.”

Her eyes had been as cold as ice. There wasn’t any trace of the smile she had once shown Lud. Which was understandable.

Mr. Tocker and Mary had been like family to him. It must have been the same for her. How had she felt? She had lost her family and her home, survived Hell, and wandered alone. Then, by accident, she had learned Lud’s name. And she learned that the boy she had thought of as family was a Wiltian soldier.

“It’s obvious that to her I’m not someone to smile at!”

Lud had hoped she was alive, but he didn’t think there was any way that could be true. And that had tripped him up. He hadn’t recognized her when she appeared before him as Mary Clarissa. And that must have been yet another insult to her.

“Master, I’m sorry to be rude, but there’s no time for sulking.”

Sven had kept silent, but now she spoke with determination.

“It’s like Mary Ville said. The situation is changing for the better!”

The woman had asked Lud to appear in court to testify in Miroslav’s case. And, should he cooperate, she had proposed conditions for solving the issues currently bothering Lud.

“It appears she has influence over those people trying to ruin our shop.”

They would otherwise continue their protest forever until Lud’s shop fell to pieces. Mary Ville had promised Lud that if he appeared in court and testified in Miroslav’s favor, she would make them leave.

She had told him, “I don’t want you to help me for free, because I would hate to be in your debt!”

“So we’ve got to go! There’s no other way!”

Sven didn’t sound like her usual self. She claimed that her very existence was for Lud alone. And she would not hesitate to die for him. She obeyed his orders without fail, never doing anything he wouldn’t like. That was how it was supposed to be.

But now, she encouraged Lud to grant Mary’s request, which would force him to confront his painful past. Sven herself was unaware of why she spoke so enthusiastically. One thing was certain: she felt a fierce resentment. Mary’s past evoked pity. Sven could understand why she held a grudge against Lud. Still, Sven didn’t want to run from a woman so hostile to her beloved.

Sven was jealous. And she was filled with a woman’s pride.

A few days later...

Lud and Sven arrived in Ponapalas, the former capital of Pelfe. It was their second visit to the city. They were there before during the airship incident, but they hadn’t been able to do any sightseeing because the cleanup afterward had dragged on. They wouldn’t have any leisure time during this visit either. They went directly to the courthouse where Miroslav’s case was held.

“It’s strange. Wouldn’t a lawyer or prosecutor normally want to hear my testimony beforehand?”

It was Lud’s first time testifying in court, and he was confused. They entered the building and were shown to a sitting area adjacent to the courtroom. An official told them to wait until it was their turn and then left.

“What we need to do is... Um... Don’t we just have to prove Miroslav is a person of good character and not a vicious criminal?”

Sven didn’t know the details either. Mary Ville had told them to come and then sent an explanatory letter, but she hadn’t shown her face again.

“What is she thinking?!”

Sven knew Mary Ville nursed fierce resentment against Lud. However, she was relying on Lud to give the defense an advantage when it came to the decision in Miroslav’s case. That was the obvious explanation. But she couldn’t help thinking there was something else behind all this.

“Lud Langart, please enter the court.”

While they were discussing the situation, the official reappeared and requested Lud’s entrance.

“But... no accompanying persons, please.”

Sven tried to enter the court with Lud, but the official stopped her.

“Why not?”

“Only Lud Langart applied to be a witness.”

The official answered in the prim way characteristic of governmental functionaries.

“I will accompany him.”

However, Sven wouldn’t budge.

“I am Master Lud Langart’s servant. I must not leave his side for a second.”

“But... the application form...”

“That’s your problem, isn’t it? I guess we’ll leave then. And the responsibility is yours!”

“What?!”

The official winced under Sven’s barrage.

Government employees put the rules above all else. It was only natural, since it was their duty. But this was also why they hated liability for anything. In fact, they dreaded it.

“It’s probably just a mistake in the documentation and the fault of whoever processed the application. But if we leave now, it would throw the trial into confusion and some would hold you responsible. So what’s it gonna be?”

“Well, um...”

Without explicitly stating it, Sven made it clear that the official could only avoid blame by doing as she asked.

“Well then, we’re outta here. Let’s go, Master!”

At Sven’s tone, which both pulled and pushed, the official spoke up in a panic.

“Very well! It was our mistake! We’ll correct the document. Please, both of you, do come in!”

“Much obliged.”

Sven grinned as she and Lud stepped into court.

There were more spectators in the courtroom than they expected. In fact, every seat was taken. Everything else, however, was just as they imagined. The judge was seated front and center. The prosecutor was in front of him on the left, and the defendant’s position, where Mary sat, was on the right.

“Ahem... Who might this be?”

The judge inquired about Sven’s identity, since her name wasn’t in the documents.

“I am this man’s assistant. Please, don’t mind me.”

“Harrumph... Very well.”

People are quick to agree with someone who speaks without hesitation. Even if the statement sounds unlikely, people will supply a reason for why it’s true. It was a technique used by swindlers, so using it in court was questionable.

“The witness will now take the oath.”

At the judge’s request, Lud swore to tell nothing but the truth. And it was more than an oath. It confirmed that it would be a crime for him to give false testimony.

“Well, Mr. Langart...”

After Lud finished the oath, Mary Ville began her questioning.

“Uh... where’s Miroslav?” Lud said.

“Please, Mr. Langart, only speak in response to my questions. That’s how a trial works.”

“Um... s-sorry.”

Lud’s massive form withered the moment she spoke. He was like a frog caught in a snake’s stare. No, he was cowering without even being glared at.

“I’ve heard you are a former Wiltian soldier. When did you join the military and when did you leave?”

“I joined in Year 914 of the European Calendar, and I left in April of 919.”

“Oh... you didn’t join in 911?”

“Well...”

“Never mind.”

Lud’s military career actually began in Year 911 when he was thirteen years old. However, his time as a type-three soldier and a young boy in special ops was classified. Publicly, he joined the military at age sixteen. This was the minimum age to enter the military according to Wiltia’s criteria.

This woman... How deeply has she investigated Master? Sven’s gaze turned slightly harsh. Mary Ville’s insinuation wasn’t just sarcasm. With her first question, she indicated that she knew everything about Lud.

“So you quit the military two years ago... Hmm... To be exact, it was one year and ten months ago, right?”

“Y-Yes...”

Lud was confused. Why was she asking about his military history? Wasn’t he here to talk about Miroslav?

“I’ve also heard you’re a former Hunter Unit pilot. Let’s see... You were the ace pilot known as the Silver Wolf. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

As soon as Lud answered, a murmur ran through the public gallery.

“Um, why are you asking about these things?”

“Just answer the question, please.”

Lud wasn’t proud of his past deeds, so having them raised in front of other people was very uncomfortable. And because he didn’t understand Mary Ville’s intentions, he was more confused.

“As a Hunter Unit pilot, did you only operate weapons, or have you received other combat training?”

“I’ve received training in hand-to-hand combat, the use of guns and knives, and general combat training.”

Hunter Unit tactics wielded a single soldier like a whole company. However, this only succeeded when that soldier was piloting the Hunter Unit. If one machine became immobile, the pilot would have to return alone through enemy territory. Thus, all Hunter Unit pilots were expected to have greater combat abilities than regular infantry.

“I see. Then if you were bare-handed, could you defeat a civilian bearing a firearm?”

“That depends on the situation.”

That was the only possible answer Lud could give to Mary Ville’s question. However...

“—!”

“?!”

Mary Ville’s eyes radiated menace. She pulled a fountain pen from her breast pocket and unexpectedly flung it at Lud’s face.

“What the heck?!” Sven cried out.

Without a sound, Lud stopped the fountain pen with one hand before it stabbed his eye. Loud cheers rose from the gallery.

“Your Honor! I object!”

The prosecutor couldn’t let this go and protested.

“Defense Counsel, what is the meaning of this?”

Even raising one’s voice was forbidden in court. Mary Ville’s reckless action was one step away from contempt of court.

“I beg your forgiveness. However, my intention was to demonstrate for the court that while Lud Langart is no longer in the military, his physical abilities remain high—certainly much higher than most civilians!”

Mary Ville declared this to the judge and gallery as if it resolved everything.

“Do you understand? It is clear that the defendant Miroslav is incapable of securing, occupying, and holding the shop of a man like Lud Langart.”

Lud saw Mary Ville flash a grin. It looked like a hound’s grin when its prey is caught in its trap. By forcing Lud to defend against a sudden attack, Mary Ville had shown Lud’s great physical prowess and ability to respond to a crisis.

“Lud was very capable of resisting the defendant. And yet he didn’t do so... Why is that? Because he was enjoying himself! Just like the article states... could it be that Lud Langart was toying with Miroslav?!”

Mary Ville held a copy of the magazine Weekly Global News in Greytenese.

Oh no!

When she saw that, Sven mentally clucked her tongue in dismay.

The same magazine was open in front of the judge. And chances were a Wiltian translation accompanied it. Not only that, but Sven could see the same magazine in the spectators’ hands. Her goal isn’t to win sympathy for Miroslav! It’s to entrap Master! Oh no!

“N-No! Mary, I didn’t—”

“My name is Mary Ville Mehl, but you must call me Counselor Mehl, Mr. Langart!”

Mary Ville fired back at Lud, her eyes and voice frigid.

“So it’s not true? Are you saying everything in this magazine is a fabrication?”

“No, but—”

“Are you not Wiltian? Are you not a former soldier? And were you not involved in an indiscriminate massacre executed by the military?!”

“You—!!”

Lud finally realized Mary Ville’s true intentions. Her goal wasn’t merely entrapping him. Here, before the court, she was going to do something astounding.