episode_0195

The next morning.

I summoned Savinelli to the imperial palace.

Seeing Devian heartbroken like yesterday, I decided I couldn’t leave him alone.

In the first place, he told me not to exercise my pardon power and not to use Savinelli.

That’s why I urgently called Savinelli in the morning and asked.

“Savinelli. Is there no way to save Lucius?”

Savinelli says with a puzzled look on my face.

“Are you not using your pardon power?”

I nod my head at Savinelli’s words.

“He said he wouldn’t stay still if I use it, but seeing him in pain breaks my heart. Is there no way to save Lucius?”

Savinelli says, lost in thought at my words.

“In this case, the decision is made through a trial… The decision in the trial is under the authority of the court and the judge in charge, and there is nothing the Ministry of Justice can do about it… This morning, Lucius asked me a favor.”

When I heard that Lucius had asked for something, I became puzzled and asked.

“What is that?”

“I requested a decision by jury.”

Jury system.

It is a time-honored system in which nine citizens of Roman are called to the court and decide by vote.

“Perhaps… they are aiming for not guilty in the trial.”

“Aiming for innocence when there is already evidence and a confession? Is that possible?”

Savinelli says, shaking his head.

“In my personal opinion, I think it is impossible. There is no way to look positively at the fact that a citizen of the empire smuggled money through forging official documents.”

“Then why is it a jury system?”

Savinelli shakes his head at my words.

“I don’t know about that.”

“Has Lucius’s lawyer been found?”

“I know that I haven’t appointed a lawyer yet, but if necessary, I will contact the competent lawyers I know for Lucius.”

I nod my head at Savinelli’s words.

“Yes. Use your authority to the fullest to save Lucius.”

“Well… trials are under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court… No matter how emperor or grand duke you are, it is impossible to get the decision you want.”

I nod my head at Savinelli’s words.

“I know. But that doesn’t mean you can stay still, right?”

“It doesn’t matter if you stay still. It is impossible to be acquitted in this trial. Even if there is already evidence and a confession and I come forward to help, all I am asking for is 30 years in prison, not the death penalty.”

I sigh at Savinelli’s words.

“Ha… Is there really no other way?”

Last night, he, who doesn’t usually drink, took out some alcohol and drank it.

Although he pretends to say nothing, deep down he is probably hurt by Lucius’ betrayal.

Maybe his true intention was to save Lucius.

However, if we were to save Lucius, the strictness of the law would be broken, so we wouldn’t be able to save him.

Considering what he has done so far, that is probably true.

Devian’s nature is to be extremely reluctant to kill anyone.

It was like that in the past as well. He even cried when many of his soldiers died during the previous civil war.

He always appears strong, but has a soft heart.

That’s why… he was probably distressed because his personal desire to help Lucius was opposed to the ruler’s position.

therefore. We must save Lucius at all costs.

“Savinelli. Please do your best to get Lucius acquitted.”

Savinelli hesitates at my words.

“As I said before…”

“Use all your authority to save him somehow. This is Hwangmyeong.”

-Startle.

Savinelli’s body stiffens at my words and stares at me.

and…

I bow my head and say.

“I accept the royal command.”

“Okay, let’s go in now.”

Savinelli nods his head at my words and leaves.

No matter what happens, I won’t let you be sad.

I promise and promise again.

***

“Lucius, sign this.”

Müller hands Lucius the paper. Lucius says after reading it carefully.

“Really… I can appoint you, right?”

Müller gets irritated at Lucius’s anxious words.

“Kk! You don’t trust me? Are you saying I will make you innocent? And did you request to be a juror?”

Lucius nods slightly at Müller’s words.

“Yes, I applied for that.”

And Lucius signs a paper saying that he will appoint Mueller as his lawyer.

“Okay, good job. Then I will make you innocent.”

And get up from your seat.

“Huh? Where are you going as soon as you arrive?”

“Now that I’m a lawyer, I have to go to court and submit it to the judge. Besides that, we also have to select a jury.”

And Müller looking at Lucius intently.

“So don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything.”

Lucius sighs as he sees Müller leave the visiting room.

“Ha… Will it work out?”

One day a few days later.

Lucius’s prosecutor and Müller are called to court.

“Defendant Lucius requested a juror, so here is a list of potential jurors.”

Lucius and the prosecutor in charge look at the list.

Slender body and black stockings.

And a dark-haired, dark-eyed beauty wearing a short skirt.

Dark spots and dark circles around the eyes.

She looked at the list carefully with a frown.

Judge called for jury selection.

For jury selection, Roman citizens are randomly selected to create a list of 27 people.

And there, prosecutors and lawyers discuss and ultimately select only 9 people, excluding 18, for sentencing.

‘Well… first, let’s skip out on civil servants as much as possible.’

What Lucius did was for his father, the head of the family.

The probability of a not guilty verdict increases when we filter out as many public officials who have no choice but to follow principles in these matters…

In the list, if possible, look for those who come from farmers with a strong patriarchal culture.

In this way, the prosecutor in charge and Mueller exclude one person each, and the jury list is gradually established.

Müller excludes highly educated people as much as possible from among farmers, artisans, merchants, priests, and other occupations.

Is it because the prosecutor also knows the whole story of the case?

Mueller feels that the prosecutors in charge seem to prefer highly educated people or scholars who often represent the intellectual class.

‘Hmm… Even so, the ratio of farmers, artisans, and merchants is greater than the number of intellectuals, so it will never go your way, right?’

This incident should appeal to the emotions of patriarchal citizens.

Lucius committed illegal acts to repay his father’s favor.

Mueller, who plans to present himself as a man with a strong sense of filial piety and wisdom, who values honor more than life, likes the final jury list.

There are 6 jurors he targets: 3 farmers, 1 craftsman, and 2 merchants. As the final list is confirmed to include one priest, one civil servant, and one academy student, Müller feels satisfied.

‘First of all, this isn’t that bad.’

According to legal interpretation, Lucius is clearly a sinner.

Therefore, when a judge makes a ruling in a trial, guilt can never be avoided.

However, the jury system involves citizens participating in making decisions, and their expertise is less than that of judges.

They often make decisions based on emotion rather than legally prescribed punishment.

Because Mueller plans to take advantage of that.

I feel that the current structure is not that bad.

“Then, can both parties proceed according to this list?”

When the judge asks, Mueller nods.

“Yes, I have no objection.”

“Me too.”

Lucius feels a little uneasy as he looks at the prosecutor, a young woman with a stern appearance who appears to be in her early 30s.

‘I guess you’ll stick to the principles?’

Generally, when a trial is held for a high-ranking official, prosecutors are willing to look at it.

Since he is a high-ranking official, he may face retaliation from people close to him.

There are many prosecutors who would rather look after high-ranking defendants and get some money later…

She feels unlikely.

‘It won’t be easier than you think, right?’

***

aria pyrene

She is the only daughter of the Pirenne family and has been designated as the future countess.

Therefore, he received training as a successor from a young age, and studied law at the Imperial Academy in his 20s.

Normally, the heir of a noble family would return to the family estate after graduating from the academy, but she, who wanted to take on a new challenge while her father was still strong, supported the prosecution.

As a result, she was appointed to the prosecutor’s office in a junior position, and Savinelli noticed that she had the least experience and was appointed as a prosecutor in a junior position, and appointed her as the prosecutor in charge of Lucius.

When Savinelli saw it.

Since she doesn’t have as much experience as her and only barely passed the entrance exam, she was intentionally assigned to Lucius in hopes of helping him get an acquittal.

She didn’t take it that way and did her best to prepare for the trial.

This is her first trial, and it is a major trial, so it can be said to be natural.

Of course, Savinelli, who saw her giving strength and preparing for trial, called her.

‘I have high expectations for you.’

Savinelli speaks with a serious face.

It was difficult for him to tell the prosecution that he intentionally committed the crime, so he turned around.

‘His Majesty the Emperor, who is close to Lucius, is also very interested in this trial. He will probably come to observe the trial, so you should be fully prepared.’

From Savinelli’s point of view. Since I couldn’t tell him to look after a corrupt public official, I brought up Theodora, who was close to Lucius.

She took this differently.

‘Ah… Your Majesty the Emperor is coming in person to see the end of Lucius, who tormented your Majesty as the Archduke’s spy.’

Of course, Savinelli didn’t mean that.

‘This is a trial for the Minister to test me, and as a nobleman, I must ensure that that evil man is sentenced to death unconditionally.’

Savinelli was reluctant to call her and openly ask her to acquit him, so he gave her a reasonable notice, but the names Minister of Justice and Emperor were perceived differently by her.

‘Lucius… I will establish justice by having you sentenced to death.’

If Theodora and Savinelli had heard, they would probably have admired Aria… but she was clueless and accepted it as is.

And Lucius’ sentence was arbitrarily raised to death.