The hearing proceeded as I expected.
I knew, being a saintess, she wouldn't utter a word against faith for the goddess, and would not want to put the blame on the child that suffered.
So, I just made her say the very same thing she wanted to avoid by masking her words.
Instead of saying that the heir of Krells lost his faith in Luna, or that he lost his faith in the existence of the goddess. She said the heir never gave his 'consent'; he never had the will to live. He was already dead from the pain before she could bless the child.
Quite hurtful to say that right in front of the Duke of Krells, who sat in the corner seats of the court.
I looked to my right, in the corner of the court. A man with chestnut hair, a light beard, dark skin, and a muscular brute of a knight.
He was a warrior. One of the strongest Knights among the Kingdoms bound to the Lunar.
A walking powerhouse. Mordrak Krell.
I couldn't sense any murderous intent from him. He was calm. But the way he looked at the saintess, I knew he wasn't going to let her off.
"The hearing was convened to examine the charge against Our Holiness," Isolde D'Arterri delivered her verdict.
"What was presented, however, indicates neither rejection nor defiance against Our Goddess," She continued.
And I kept staring at the duke as he stood up. Usually, looks like that are meant to attract attention, fear. He was a brute after all.
But there was an eerie silence in his movements. I couldn't sense his presence even if I was seeing him with my own eyes.
"The accusation, as framed, cannot be sustained," Isolde continued.
And the Duke of the Krells left without listening to the complete verdict.
"The Saintess will return to the church's care. This hearing is adjourned." She stated as the saintess bowed.
Violet was trying her best to hold her tears. I could notice her clutching the gown tightly, shoulders draped in shivers.
With her sisters accompanying her again, she left the auditorium without a word.
"I must say I'm impressed, Your Highness," Isolde spoke.
"Even if I were to ignore the fact that you barged into the court because Our Holliness, or should I say your Fiancé, the fact that you made her change her words and stopped her from sacrificing herself, all while preserving the notion of the Kingdom and its holy lands. All in itself is not short of the tales of a hero," She continued.
Once or twice is enough. I was starting to hate her tone. I didn't like that.
'Why am I losing my temper over little things?' I thought to myself.
I didn't know. I just didn't like this burning sensation in my chest when someone looked at me like that… as if I was a… plaything.
The same thing happened when I met Orochi. I got pissed when he had the same look in his eyes.
Do I hate that look? Or do I hate this sense of…inferiority?
"Forgive me, your Highness. My words were meant as praise, not burden. I see the weight you carried, and I only wish to honour it," She spoke, sensing my unease. Maybe I was staring into her eyes with a little intent.
I ignored her. I need to control myself.
Standing up, I asked Winifred, "Care to ride with me, Advisor? I'll drop you off at your residence."
This guy again thought for some while. Processing information.
"Ah- Of course, My Lord. It would be my honour to have you accompany me," He replied and supported himself up with his cane.
The priest was nowhere to be seen. I guess he left before I even stood up. Most of the people here started leaving after I was up.
I nodded and walked at a slower pace for Winifred to keep up.
"Hmm?" I raised my brows, looking at the saintess, waiting in the back corridor of the court.
Winifred stopped alongside me and tried to bow to the saintess as much as he could.
"No-elder, you don't have to do that…" Violet called, and I straightened Winifred by holding the back of his collar and pulling him up again.
'Will you only learn after slamming your face on the floor?' I thought.
"Pleasure meeting again, 'Violet'," I said, emphasising her name.
She didn't show any particular reaction to that. Her companions, however, had their eyes wide open.
"I should've appreciated your help. Even if not that, the fact that you came here meant a lot. I apologise for that. I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you for your support…" She spoke, holding her gown.
'First of all, why is she even wearing that ton-weighted gown?' I thought.
"There's no need for that," I said, stepping close to her as I leaned next to her, and whispered, "And there are several ways that I can think of for you to repay this debt."
Now did everyone flinch. The Knights' grips tightened on the hilts of their swords.
"Wha-"
"I mean… 'My Name," I grinned and leaned back.
"Everyone calls me 'His Highness', 'My Lord', or whatnot. So why not just call me by my name instead of those fancy terms, and I think you're more than suited for that than anyone," I said.
"I'll-I'll try," She replied.
"That's all I need," I nodded. I won't push her more. At least not here.
Moving alongside Winifred, who stayed silent on our walk, we arrived at the backside of the church, where Bart waited for us outside the carriage.
He bowed and opened the gates to the carriage.
"You must be Bard," Winifred spoke, facing my butler.
"You've grown to be a fine young man, keep doing your best to assist our lord," He added.
"Uh…Yes, course!" Bart chimed up.
'Was it Bard or Bart? Whatever, I'll call him whichever comes to my mind,' I thought.
The gates of the carriage closed as Winifred sat across me, with his cane in his hands.
This senile old man. He was a former advisor. He observed more than anyone else. His age now was just a cover for him to speak less.
"You're as lively as the tales I've heard about you, My Lord," he spoke up.
"Am I?" I was curious about what he'd heard of me.
"Yes…your actions may seem reckless to others, but not me, My Lord. You've been like that, knowing things that were not even informed to you. As if you're a part of an organisation. But there's no such thing as that, is there? Something that even our Queen couldn't put her hands on," Winifred said
'Would you look at this fucker? He knew I was a part of the Golden Order. Or he has a strong hunch at least.' I thought.
Golden Order is just an organisation that maintains its neutrality. The sole purpose is to gather individuals and maintain an order of peace, with the constant schemes that the ranked demons slipped into the mortal realm are running.
The organisation in itself was secretive enough that even higher nobles thought of it as a myth.
"Maybe I'm just a good observer," I replied, and rested my hands on the armrest.
"What do you think of the case? No, what even was the reason for all of this? To me, it looked like it wouldn't matter if the saintess had won the case or taken the fall. What was your…take on this situation, Winifred?" I asked.
"…" He thought for a while, eyes barely open, but I knew he was staring at me.
"If you think that all of this is a fuel, then I fear our thoughts align, My Lord," He replied.
"So, my hunch was on the right spot?" I asked.
"Yes, My Lord. The motive was to sow the seeds of Rebellion in the House of Krells. If they had won the case, the most the church would've done was to punish their saintess by an ordeal, but Krells want her life." Winifred began.
"With her being declared innocent, the seeds are now already sprouting. Now it's not just the church, but the Kingdom that Krells will start to hate, with Our Holliness being the centre of their attention,"
"If left unplucked, those sprouts can deal with several weeds that might destroy the corps from within." He concluded.
"Then watch the crop and find who sowed the seeds, Winifred," I said.
'I knew the mortal realm was going to be destroyed sooner or later, depending on the route I take, but I can't have the Kingdom collapse in itself before we even enter the real war. And I didn't like the fact that someone was trying to use something which was mine, to achieve their goal,' I thought.
The ride to his residence wasn't long.
Dropping off Winifred, Bart entered back in the carriage. Up until now, he was sitting alongside the driver.
"When are the classes going to resume, Bart?" I asked.
Come to think of it. 'The fuck am I going to teach?'
'It's not like magic in itself was coded. Fundamentally, it was just that if you pressed a certain key, a certain animation would show up, and a certain action would take place…Only an idiot would think that the magic in itself was coded.' I thought.
"Next week, My Lord," He replied.
'Guess, I'll have to wrack my brain over books for a week,' I thought.