The utterly empty witness waiting room where there was no one but Kiole. The Crown Prince Kachian’s side, who were so indifferent that they didn’t even try to scrutinize the opponent’s submitted evidence a little, unlike Marin.

Right. It made no sense unless they had expected the trial to end before it could even begin!

‘That’s impossible. Surely they won’t accept it, right? There’s no way that’s true!’

Kiole had monitored the Sage and his group for quite a long time. He had also seen, closer than anyone, how Kachian, even after the Sage died, failed to escape the brainwashing and behaved like a madman.

Which was why he knew full well. It was all lies!

But how on earth could he prove it was fake?

The man identified as the true culprit—the Sage—was dead. The dead do not speak, so he could not be investigated directly. If the Duke of Diarca’s health had been sound, he would have cut off the tail immediately without getting involved in something like this, but the Duke of Diarca was currently lying in bed.

Then what about Kiorne, who was leading House Diarca in his stead? Would he act like his father and wriggle out of it? Or else…

‘If it’s my eldest brother, he might actually be pleased, deciding this is a chance to pin everything on Father….’

Knowing exactly that point, Crown Prince Kachian had no doubt chosen them as those who would be made to shoulder and flip this awkward situation in his stead.

‘On top of that, the Cavalry. And he intends to rope in the Emperor’s side behind them as well…!’

It wouldn’t be mere involvement. In Kiole’s mind, a vivid picture unfolded of House Diarca and the Cavalry entering a second round of conflict over who bore responsibility. If Kiorne and the Emperor had publicly joined hands and something like that happened, what then? He was so terrified he didn’t even want to imagine it. Only a ghastly, dizzying image filled his head and spun around and around.

To think the Crown Prince, who had seemed out of his mind, had found and was executing a method like this from behind the scenes. Was this also thanks in part to that so-called advisor?

He got chills. Kiole panted and looked toward Kishiar. He shouted inwardly at the back that gave him no expression to read.

‘You said it would be over quickly…! You talked about it being a chance to feel certainty—what is this supposed to be!’

Then, as if he had heard Kiole’s silent cry, Kishiar turned his head. The inquiry room should not have been able to see into the waiting room, yet those jewel-clear crimson eyes looked precisely toward Kiole.

“Eek.”

The moment Kiole instinctively recoiled in fright, Kishiar turned his head back and opened his mouth.

“The deliberation is taking excessively long. If it is difficult to decide immediately, it would be better for everyone if we first complete the originally scheduled inquiry process and then continue discussing.”

Before the judge could answer, Kachian let out a low laugh and murmured as if to himself.

“How many in this world don’t know that dragging time by force won’t change the result. Truly, when a commoner who knows no honor brings an accusation, one suffers things like this.”

With that one line, the malice to insult both Kishiar and Marin at once was palpable. The inquiry room froze over, but Kishiar merely smiled.

“Hm. If someone hadn’t suddenly thrust new evidence forward, I would already have finished verifying the witnesses and be happily on my way back to the Cavalry. It does seem true that when someone who knows no honor brings an accusation, there arises the matter of dragging time by force. Don’t you think?”

Everyone present—Kiole included—felt just how perfect a counterstrike that was. With a single line, Kishiar la Orr returned Kachian’s insult to him intact—no, with a little extra piled on top.

“…Hh…”

From Marin’s side, where her head was deeply bowed, a breath of wind slipped out as if she couldn’t hold back a laugh. The room had grown so quiet that even Kiole in the waiting room heard the sound without any filter.

Crown Prince Kachian’s face flushed crimson with fury in an instant. Having seen far too often how the Crown Prince would then roll his eyes back and convulse like a madman, Kiole squeezed his eyes shut.

‘He’s going to blow…!’

But he didn’t explode as easily as before. After glancing at the evidence papers in the investigator’s hand, he calmed himself with astonishing speed.

Barely suppressing his anger, the Crown Prince curved his lips into a crooked smile on a stiff face.

“…It seems the Duke of Peleta still # Nоvеlight # has difficulty distinguishing public matters from private ones. Your manner is… light beyond belief.”

“Is that so? Since I did not shout in a courtroom like certain people, I thought I was still distinguishing them rather well… I shall strive to improve.”

Whenever Crown Prince Kachian swung a blade hidden in his words, Kishiar returned an attack that was exactly the same, only a little stronger. Kachian ground his teeth, but again he endured his anger and smiled beautifully.

“If you are so eager to be off, then the powerless side can only yield. I don’t know what magnificent witness you’ve brought, but go on and have them enter.”

A conclusion had been reached. At last, the door of the waiting room where Kiole was opened.

Pressing down his bursting heart, Kiole walked out stiffly. Even without turning his gaze, he could feel with searing clarity Crown Prince Kachian’s startled stare burning his face, but he feigned ignorance with effort.

“Two names are registered on the accuser Marin’s witness list. First, Sir Kiole da Diarca of the Imperial Guard… Are you he?”

“…A-hem! Y—yes.”

Perhaps because tension had dried his throat, his voice came out hoarse, like that of a man gone raspy.

“Next registered witness, His Highness Kishiar la Orr, Duke of Peleta and Commander of the Cavalry.”

“Mm.”

Kishiar smiled and raised his hand. The investigator did not ask him for identity verification. He had been seated in the inquiry room from the start, so it was natural, but even knowing that, Kiole still felt a twinge of shame.

“I question the criteria for selecting witnesses.”

At long last, the Crown Prince’s side, who had been so indifferent about the evidence, raised their first question. At Crown Prince Kachian’s cold whisper, the advisor stepped forward and spoke.

“We believe neither of the two stepping forward as witnesses has any connection whatsoever to the murder case described in the complaint. Can a witness who is unrelated to the case truly serve as a witness? Especially Sir Diarca—he was, until very recently, His Highness the Crown Prince’s bodyguard knight. For such a person to suddenly come forward as a witness? One cannot help but suspect an impure intent!”

Thankfully, Kiole did not have to personally respond to this difficult objection. The investigator holding the witness list answered in a fairly upright manner.

“The reasons for witness selection are also recorded on the list. In Sir Diarca’s case, as you yourself noted, it is because he is the person most capable of testifying objectively regarding His Highness the Crown Prince’s condition in the period before and after the time the murder occurred. There will be no questions likely to elicit statements on personal matters, and it is recorded that he will take the Oath of the Sword before ascending to the witness stand.”

‘…Oath of the Sword? Me?’

At words he had never heard until now, Kiole’s pupils shook wildly. He had been told to simply answer what he was asked and come down; no one had said he would have to do something like that.

The Oath of the Sword is the heaviest of oaths taken by those who walk the path of the martial. It is sworn upon one’s weapon and honor; for a knight, upon one’s knighthood.

In the past, he would have flatly refused to take such an oath. But the present Kiole stared at his feet for a moment, sighed, and decided to accept everything.

‘Oath of the Sword, whatever. I said I’d do this, so I’ve no choice but to do it….’

“Even after taking an oath, one can lie all one wants. Moreover, the time when Sir Diarca was appointed as His Highness the Crown Prince’s bodyguard is far after the victim’s time of death recorded in the complaint! How can such a man possibly give objective testimony?”

“That matter is not grounds sufficient to disqualify Sir Diarca as a witness.”

“Sir Diarca admitted he failed to properly serve His Highness the Crown Prince, took leave, and ultimately resigned. If that is not serious disqualification, then what is?”

Kiole had not yet said a single substantive word, but the Crown Prince kept raising objections through his advisor. It seemed Kiole’s taking the stand truly grated on him.

‘Why me…? Because I’m easy to push around?’

“—How strange. Am I the only one who thinks so?”

Blankly bewildered, Kiole flinched at the sound of Kishiar’s voice that flowed along as if linking with his thoughts. Kishiar, as if genuinely curious, asked everyone,

“If I recall, until a moment ago you spoke as though, should the new evidence be accepted, matters could end before the trial even begins. Why, then, are you so reluctant about a witness who might not even make it to the stand? And you leave me alone while doing so. Is it because he is of Diarca? Or because, in his days as bodyguard, he met the supposed true culprit, that ‘Sage,’ face-to-face? Or perhaps because, regarding the evidence submitted from the time of the Crown Prince selection exa—”

“Duke of Peleta!”

“…Your Highness the Duke of Peleta. As you are on the stand, please maintain decorum.”

Kachian, unable to bear it, shouted, and simultaneously the judge hurried to warn him. Kishiar smiled with a brazen face.

“Ah, I apologize. Someone a moment ago was speaking very loudly to himself, so I thought I might do the same. Now then, since the witness qualifications have all been verified, do proceed with what must be done. I shall behave.”

“Understood. Then continuing…”

It was then that someone banged hard on the inquiry room door. Standing beyond the open door was the very same investigator who had brought the new evidence earlier.

Cradled in his arms now, instead of an envelope, was an old wooden box.

Why was that? Perhaps it was only his imagination, but strangely, it felt as though a fishy, rotten stench was wafting from inside that wooden box. Kiole wrinkled the tip of his nose, yet couldn’t tear his gaze away.

The investigator spoke with a pale face.

“…Pardon the interruption mid-proceeding. Another new piece of evidence has just arrived at the door of this inquiry room.”