episode_0071

At the point where Emma Urnen had her tail cut off, Theo Ramstair would have thought that no one knew his secret anymore.

Considering Carsein’s bad reputation, it was easier to think that he had caused another problem rather than suspecting Radial of betrayal.

Even though Radial tried to clear his name by accusing Carsein, the evidence from the old trial where everyone blamed Carsein was still hanging over them.

Unlike Emma, who stumbled and fell due to various evidence and witnesses, those who could have made false claims were locked up in prison or had no evidence left.

It was not unusual for both sides to deny lies no matter which way they spoke.

But he was caught red-handed.

With the mention of the Radial ambush incident in Chapel Forest, Emma, who had been the strongest ally at that time, disappeared, bringing this incident to the surface.

Despite eliminating all exposed weaknesses, all the power they had vanished at once.

With the disappearance of alibi evidence and testimonies related to the commission, Radial’s testimony as a victim became the only evidence left.

“Oh, no! That…! Please bring my classmates who are in prison right now!”

“What significance do they have?”

“They were there at the time! They can testify to correct the misinformation that is spreading!”

“You’re talking nonsense. The victim is currently pointing you out, and those two people didn’t collapse and faint for some reason due to Carsein. What could they possibly know?”

“T-That’s…”

As Arscien pointed out the flaw, Theo fell into contemplation.

There was nothing more to justify.

No matter how hard he tried to come up with something, the situation wouldn’t change.

It was time to drive the nail in.

“I will present additional evidence.”

It was truly a coincidence.

I, who was just a trainee, became recognized as a probationary knight due to the incident at the waterworks.

After the training, I was moved to the probationary knights’ dormitory and immediately started unpacking.

However.

Even before unpacking, I noticed that the wall was slightly protruding.

Thanks to that, I felt like there was something there, so I reached out and discovered a faint light seeping through.

Yes, it was a memorial.

In the game, I hadn’t even discovered it, but through this, I could peek into another memory of Carsein and obtained an item to fill Theo’s leash.

An item that could be used as evidence, which Theo had failed to deal with at the time.

“The commission letter sent by Emma and the letter forged in Radial’s name─”

At that moment.

Thud! Theo slammed the table.

“…You don’t need to present that evidence. It’s the truth.”

“What do you mean?”

“I accepted it because I could earn a lot of money from Emma’s commission. In the process, I manipulated some other guys a bit more… and I also thought I could come back to the slums and get rid of the unpleasant Carsein.”

“Oh?”

Surprisingly, he was confessing.

“It seems like you are confessing now.”

“Yes. Everything Radial Captain said is true. I was afraid of receiving punishment after the job, not just for the money.”

Why he was saying this now, with his head bowed and his fists trembling,

“…I heard that the layers in Tulea Mine are divided according to the depth of the mine. Also, I didn’t want to be stamped in the judgment’s prison.”

He said.

“Hmph. Were you afraid of the level of judgment’s prison and the execution level?”

Arscien chuckled at Theo.

Theo was clearly intimidated.

Even if he had sworn in court and lied, the person holding the judgment’s prison could punish him for it.

In the playable text, it is written that the stamp on the face and body causes pain and lasts for 30 days on the face but does not disappear from the body, tormenting the criminal severely. If it goes as far as to torment them, it would be fearful to work in hard labor.

‘But… did I clear it so easily?’

Episode VI, Chapel Forest Retrial, had the fewest retries for me.

It was easy to predict and prepare for, but…

‘It feels like it was cleared too easily.’

In some ways, I achieved 100% completion before presenting the evidence.

According to the game’s progress, presenting this evidence, defeating Theo’s argument once more, and then achieving 100% completion should have been the process.

After that, following Arscien’s judgment, I would have been dragged out like Emma, and the episode would have ended. The result would have been the same, but skipping this process had a significant impact.

Or rather, at every turn, the best choice was automatically selected without my intervention.

The same went for when Claire stepped up.

And when the maids and servants who supported me stepped up.

Heron and Shayden were the same.

Therefore, there were only a few choices for me to make, along with the right timing for calling witnesses and presenting evidence.

Although Episode VI felt a bit easy for me, it wasn’t that easy.

‘Hmm… is it because of the intimacy?’

Seeing that the white box values were slightly higher than in the game, it made me think that way.

“Take him away. Lock Lord Ramstair in the Duke’s prison until a letter is sent to him, and then send him straight to Tulea Mine once the investigation is over.”

“Yes!”

In the meantime, Theo was led away by the knights.

The trial ended quickly.

Arscien’s verdict was Carsein’s innocence, and the fact that he had been falsely accused was clear.

The nobles who had hoped for my defeat left with sour expressions. Those who had helped me as witnesses left with bowed heads, and

“Wait outside, Carsein. I want to talk to you. Isabella.”

Isabella left a sad expression on her face and left those words for me before walking away.

Now, it was my turn to leave.

Just as I was about to move my feet,

Arscien, who had transcribed the contents of the judgment’s prison record onto documents, spoke to me.

“You handled it cleverly. Your eloquence was excellent.”

“You flatter me.”

“It’s not flattery. At the beginning of this trial, the case was heavily stacked against you.”

It couldn’t be helped.

The game had set strict clear conditions…

“If the audience had created public opinion and you had stumbled under the pressure, it would have been dangerous. Tsk. It was truly an unfair trial.”

It was indeed dangerous.

The audience wavered between Theo and Emma’s arguments, becoming my enemies and continuously lowering my completion rate.

That’s why I tried to change the atmosphere at once.

But this disadvantage was not something I overcame alone.

“Even Princess Hwanye supported me.”

“…Oh, what an interesting thing to say. I don’t quite understand, so I hope you’ll explain.”

Arscien pretended not to know.

Judging by the slight twinkle in his eye, he really seemed interested. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.

“The main reason is that you initially focused on the incident at the waterworks rather than the Chapel Forest incident. Perhaps one of those two people must have boasted about the Chapel Forest incident to boost my reputation.”

“Oh. Is there more?”

“Even during the trial, she didn’t stop me from openly targeting Emma Urnen. Strictly speaking, it was a trial between me and Theo Ramstair.”

I brought out everything before any other nonsense could come out.

I pointed out to the nobles in the audience, who could potentially be witnesses, more heavily than Claire, and tried to suppress public opinion by emphasizing the weakness of Emma and Theo’s arguments.

Before Arscien could ask why I was saying this now, I brought out everything.

It was to point out to the nobles in the audience, who could potentially be witnesses, more heavily than Claire, and tried to suppress public opinion by emphasizing the weakness of Emma and Theo’s arguments.

-Clap, clap, clap.

“Such remarkable insight. I was wondering how far you had dug into the matter, but it seems the evidence was the key, wasn’t it?”

“…Yes, indeed. Just the request letter from Emma that Theo failed to handle was enough.”

“I knew it was something like that. Haha.”

Arsien seemed satisfied, a faint smile playing on her lips.

And the numbers in front of her changed.

[Arsien Lihern Pesselos]

[Affinity: 7%]

“So, how long do you plan to keep meeting with your fake fiancée, Harniea Teresia?”

“…Excuse me?”

“No use pretending not to know. Nobles may be deceived, but I know that the two of you are not connected by love.”

She involuntarily flinched, and Arsien clapped her hands.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand. I’m not trying to threaten you. It’s just that in my position, having the upper hand is crucial to becoming the emperor.”

Come to think of it, Arsien had two older brothers, and there was a setting that they, along with her, were aiming to become the emperor through political struggles.

Bagrand and Teresia.

If the two families were to be united, it would be important information for her to keep an eye on.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose that information.”

“Hmm. Is that so? Seems like some important conversations have been happening.”

“But there shouldn’t be anything that would affect the princess.”

After all, it was just a contract engagement. There was no need to merge. It would naturally fall apart after a year.

“Alright. I’ll trust your word. But it’s important to keep an eye on the movements of your fiancée.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Haha. You’ll figure it out on your own.”

With that cryptic remark, Arsien left.

***

By concluding the trial, Episode VI came to an end.

Even though it seemed like the status bar was showing something, I was too tired in body and mind to pay attention to it.

When I exposed the misdeeds of Emma and my real housekeeper and drove them away, I was so exhausted that I just wanted to collapse on the bed.

But.

“Is the conversation with the princess over?”

She wouldn’t even let me rest when I came out.

It seemed that this wouldn’t change even in the game.

“Mother left with Claire first. She said she wanted to talk at the Marquis’s house.”

“Oh, I see.”

I replied resignedly.

“But why are you still here? Unless… you’re not happy with the trial results?”

“Karceine.”

“If it’s not that, then there’s no reason for you to be here, right?”

My slightly mocking attitude made Arina’s eyebrows furrow.

“Hmm. Alright. There’s something I just can’t understand. Why was Flora’s perspective restricted?”

It was obvious from my perspective, but Arina wouldn’t understand anyway.

In situations like this, it’s better to end the conversation quickly and move on.

“Flora could take Theo and Emma’s side.”

“Are you saying that now? Do you really suspect your sister, who tried to help you?”

“Isn’t it true? She supported Theo Ramstair during the Chapel Forest trial, and Emma Urnen was Flora’s nanny.”

Arina’s expression became even more fierce.

▶Arina’s affinity has decreased!◀

[Current value: 21%]

“To suspect your sister, who is trying to help you as a family…!”

From Arina’s accusations, I was once again the one who had done wrong.

That’s enough.

By consuming affinity, I could end this conversation.

“I don’t want to become a criminal again in that trial. I was so unfairly accused that day that I was about to go crazy.”

“Sigh… Karceine. You really…”

“I’m leaving. I have to train now because it was postponed due to the trial.”

By ending the conversation unilaterally, Arina didn’t follow me anymore.

This way, I could also cut off the conversation with Isabella and Claire, and no more events would occur.

Although the affinity might drop a bit, it was better to end this conversation for the sake of the time that could be spent on the next chapter.

-Ding!

The alarm went off right on cue.

With that, everything was over.

Episode VI was over.

CHAPTER 1 was over.

Having finished a chapter, there was nothing to worry about for a while.

I was tired.

I went back to my accommodation, not even bothering to wash up, and closed my eyes.

***

The mansion was silent.

Just the other day, the maids and servants would follow me in a line, chatting and laughing, but now there was no sound at all.

Just the sound of footsteps.

Light footsteps echoing through the mansion.

But despite the sound of footsteps, they felt infinitely heavy.

With a heavy heart, I took each step, and with each lengthening shadow, dry tears fell from lifeless eyes.

“…”

– I’m sorry. Miss Flora is not allowed to enter.

That one sentence I heard in the courtroom.

I realized that Karceine was a solid wall.

I couldn’t even enter.

Even though I had all the evidence to prove Emma’s guilt in my hands.

The mocking gazes, the twisted eyes, lost their spark.

The lively energy in her blue eyes had turned cold.

The cloudy pupils were empty, with no room for light to enter.

-Sob.

Flora, who had been wandering through the mansion, tripped over a stone and fell.

Even though her knees were scraped, she couldn’t help but stare.

In her inverted view, the setting sun, hidden by the sun and the moon, was rising, revealing the moon.

The setting moon that had been hidden and concealed, like her past misdeeds, was now shining.

No matter how much she tried to hide it, the moon existed.

It was just hidden by the sun, somewhere else, just like her past misdeeds.

Yes.

It never disappears.

In Karceine’s memories.

Flora sat up again.

As time passed, she looked at the full moon that was now visible even when covered, and muttered with a cracked voice, echoing Camilla’s advice.

“But what should I do…?”

-That sin cannot be washed away. You must carry it with you for the rest of your life.

“A sin that cannot be washed away. That’s too much…”

-Young Master must have already shown mercy to you several times.

“I don’t know… I’ve never lived outside. I’ve never had anything taken from me… I don’t know anything…”

Flora burst into tears again, her eyes filled with tears.

At that moment.

“Ugh?!”

Someone roughly and violently covered her mouth.

But she could feel it.

The familiar sensation that touched her skin.

She had to push it away.

This person was not supposed to be here.

“Ugh!”

But Flora had already taken in a sweet scent.

Even though she tried to resist, her body was gradually losing strength.

‘It’s… not… right…’

In the end, her body slumped, and her eyes closed.

-Ding!

▶Hidden episode in progress!◀