Please Support My Revenge - Chapter 49

Lobelia was taken aback when she saw Aina’s eyes.

“Is that really… Aina?”

Whatever had happened, Aina had undergone a complete transformation. Just a few days ago, Lobelia would never have thought someone could have eyes like that.

“Well, I guess it’s not surprising.”

After all, it was her first time experiencing something like this in her life.

People change when they go through unexpected events. Lobelia thought Aina, like herself, had changed due to facing difficulties.

As Aina turned her gaze away, Rohan, who was accompanying Marlon with a somber face, came into view.

“Viscount, here are the documents. Once you submit these, Viscount, you will be acquitted…”

“You’ll be declared innocent. Instead, I’ll be the one going to prison.”

Rohan suppressed the words he wanted to say.

Marlon accepted the documents from him and carefully held onto them. Then he lightly tapped Rohan’s shoulder.

“I’ll definitely get you out. Your time in prison won’t even be a month, not even a week.”

Marlon assured him, and a faint smile appeared on Rohan’s face.

“Not just getting you out. I’ll have to pay my debt properly to you and your family. I, Marlon Evelentia, don’t forget favors.”

In case Rohan might change his mind, Marlon had poured out all sorts of words. Rohan listened to Marlon’s words with a vacant expression and occasionally nodded.

“Silence!”

When Lobelia turned her gaze away from Rohan and Marlon, the judge appeared. A judge, dressed in a long black robe, helped by an assistant, took his seat on the judge’s bench and struck the gavel after settling in.

“The trial of Viscount Evelentia will now commence,” declared the judge.

The courtroom fell into an immediate silence at the judge’s proclamation. It was so hushed that the dropping of a needle could be heard.

The judge, already wearing a furrowed brow as if bothered, began the trial.

Representing the accusers, there was a moment for one of the miners to testify. It was Maxwell, a young miner with brown hair, who had fought at the forefront when the thugs threatened Lobelia.

Maxwell stepped forward with a tense yet confident face and began accusing Marlon of his misdeeds.

As his story unfolded, the courtroom buzzed with fervor.

“Is what he’s saying true?”

Finally, when Maxwell’s testimony concluded, the judge inquired with a weary voice.

“I swear to the gods it’s true.”

“Can you take responsibility?”

“Yes, Viscount Evelentia coerced us, promising each of us a sum totaling 20 million Menihei to pull down the union leader!”

“We’ve heard the testimony; there’s no need to repeat it.”

The judge waved his hand dismissively. The miners, including Maxwell, were perplexed by the judge’s lackluster attitude.

On the other hand, Marlon wore a smirk of self-satisfaction. He observed the judge, who casually brushed off the miners’ testimony with an indifferent expression.

“Do you all agree with the representative’s statement?”

The judge’s question prompted each miner to step forward and make their declaration. After all thirty miners completed their declarations, an odd atmosphere lingered in the courtroom.

The miners hesitated upon seeing the judge’s stern expression, while the nobles displayed uninterested faces.

“Unfortunately, it seems your testimonies are not entirely credible.”

Maxwell, taken aback, responded to the judge’s words.

He looked at his fellow miners with a shaking gaze. The testimony they had bravely given with strength and conviction was now being blatantly ignored, and the shock of this fact left the other miners dumbfounded.

“What do you mean by that?”

Nevertheless, perhaps thinking it was too early to give up, Maxwell asked the judge with a resolute tone.

The judge, seemingly determined to display an even more indifferent attitude, stared down at Maxwell with eyes that were raised to an uncaring, almost disdainful level.

“What did you all do with the money you received?”

“We were keeping it as evidence to submit…”

“So, you did receive the money, right?”

The judge’s question left Maxwell and the other miners bewildered.

“Well, We were planning to use it as evidence…”

Maxwell began explaining with a noticeably diminished voice compared to before. However, the judge didn’t bother to listen to his explanation.

“From the moment you accepted the money, the credibility of your testimony plummeted.”

“But we submitted all the money as evidence!”

Maxwell protested, and the miners behind him became agitated.

In reality, they had submitted all the money they received from Marlon to the court. Since practically none of that money would ever find its way back to Marlon, the court had silently pocketed around six billion Menihei in profit.

Receiving such treatment even after handing over the money was unbelievable to Maxwell and the other miners.

“Perhaps you received the money with delight, got scared afterward, and decided to submit it? Maybe you’re worried there might be repercussions now,” the judge remarked with a smirk.

“What did you say?”

Maxwell’s face contorted with anger at the judge’s words.

“To accept your testimony at face value would be to deem you all too immoral!”

The judge accused, casting a condemning glare. It was evident that his words inflicted a considerable sense of shame on Maxwell. Even Maxwell, who was comparatively mild-mannered among the miners, lost his composure in a fit of rage.

“This is outrageous!”

Maxwell shouted, glaring at the judge.

A collective sigh of sympathy emanated from the spectators’ seats. Maxwell, somewhat bewildered, couldn’t immediately comprehend the gravity of his actions.

“Daring to defy the sanctity of the courtroom! Drag him out!”

At the judge’s command, burly security guards appeared and restrained Maxwell from both sides.

“Let go! Haven’t you seen how I was treated just now?”

Maxwell struggled, but it was in vain. The security guards dragged him out, leaving the other miners to gaze at Maxwell’s vacant seat with a mix of fear and anger in their eyes.

That’s when it happened. Marlon’s sinister laughter echoed in the courtroom.

Marlon now harbored complete confidence in his victory and leisurely observed the unfolding events.

“Hold on.”

Lobelia instinctively sensed that Silveston was on the verge of exploding and raised her hand on his arm.

Silveston, breathing heavily, stared at Maxwell’s vacant seat. His veins bulged on his forearms, and his body trembled. He was on the brink of causing a commotion.

“It’s okay. Hold on, Silveston.”

Lobelia pleaded once again, but Silveston couldn’t bear it any longer. His honest and upright nature refused to tolerate this injustice.

Silveston rose abruptly.

“Enough of this!”

He shouted at the judge.

“We have the right to a fair trial. This mockery has to stop!”

Silveston’s voice resonated with a compelling force and urgency, enough to make even the nobles prick up their ears. With earnest blue eyes, he faced the judge and continued his outcry.

“Is this truly the law of the Empire? Mocking and ridiculing powerless, ignorant miners?”

The judge’s face contorted slightly. Silveston’s words struck a chord deep within him, awakening a semblance of conscience.

The judge remained silent, gazing down at Silveston.

“Is it right for someone like you, who should be respected for performing the duties befitting your position, to commit such acts without remorse?”

The judge’s grip on the gavel trembled ever so slightly.

“I…”

The judge ground his teeth and mumbled.

He, too, was not conducting this farcical trial willingly. The opponent was Duke Efelentia. Yet, how could he render a guilty verdict based solely on the testimonies of commoners?

The judge was merely a tool of the nobility.

Raising the gavel, the judge spoke, “Contempt of court. Drag him out!”

Security guards, as robust as ever, appeared and restrained Silveston from both sides.

“Let go! Haven’t you witnessed how I was treated just now?”

Silveston struggled, but the guards were relentless. They dragged him out, leaving the other miners to gaze at Silveston’s vacant seat with a mix of fear and anger.

Then it happened. Marlon’s malicious laughter echoed in the courtroom.

Marlon was now completely assured of his victory and leisurely observed the unfolding events.

“Hold on.”

Lobelia instinctively sensed that Silveston was on the verge of exploding and raised her hand on his arm.

Silveston, breathing heavily, stared at Maxwell’s vacant seat. His veins bulged on his forearms, and his body trembled. He was on the brink of causing a commotion.

“It’s okay. Hold on, Silveston.”

Responding to Lobelia’s polite request, the judge nodded as if mesmerized.

Silveston, who had been agitated moments ago, calmed down in front of Lobelia. He obediently took a seat as she gestured.

Facing the judge, Marlon, and the nobles, Lobelia spoke up.

“You mentioned that the miners’ testimonies are not trustworthy.”

Lobelia’s clear voice resonated in the courtroom.

When her eyes met Marlon’s, she tilted her head slightly.

The unspoken message was clear: “Don’t try any useless attempts; just stay quiet.”

Lobelia smiled.

Now that she didn’t need to be formal in front of Marlon, she returned his arrogant gaze without reserve.

Lobelia, advancing confidently, challenged the judge’s bewildered expression.

“I would like to request a new witness.”

The judge, with a perplexed expression, said, “But a new witness…”

“Anyone related to the case can testify at any time, correct?”

“True.”

The judge gave up, his shoulders slumping.

“So, who is the new witness you wish to present?”

In response, Lobelia directed her gaze beyond the audience. People followed her look and were shocked.

Standing there was Jade Ferrado, whose entrance went unnoticed.

“I would like to call upon Lord Rohan, the confidant of Duke Evelentia, and Duke Ferrado as new witnesses.”

Marlon met Lobelia’s gaze, and he seemed taken aback.

It was an expression of someone who realized that something had gone wrong but couldn’t figure out what.

“So, you’re calling Duke Ferrado a witness?”

“No, more than that. It’s Lord Rohan, Duke Evelentia’s confidant. Wasn’t he associated with Duke Evelentia?”

“It’s Duke Ferrado!”

The courtroom instantly became noisy.

“Quiet! Order!”

The judge pounded the gavel several times until the commotion subsided.

“Bring Lord Rohan forward.”

At the judge’s command, Lord Rohan swiftly moved away from Marlon. Marlon, still bewildered, watched as Rohan left his side.

“Lord Rohan’s testimony will be accepted. He is closely associated with Duke Evelentia. However…”

The judge’s words trailed off.

Jade’s sudden appearance left everyone unsure whether to be shocked by Lord Rohan’s name or Duke Ferrado’s.

“Duke Ferrado as a witness?”

“No, it’s Lord Rohan! Wasn’t he Duke Evelentia’s man?”

“It’s Duke Ferrado!”

The uproar in the courtroom became as loud as a bustling market.

“Order! Order!”

The judge banged the gavel repeatedly until the noise diminished.

“Lord Rohan, come forward.”

In response, Lord Rohan quickly stepped away from Marlon. Marlon, still clueless about the situation, watched Rohan leave his side.

“Lord Rohan’s testimony will be accepted since he is closely associated with Duke Evelentia. However…”

The judge hesitated.

Until now, Jade had crossed the audience with graceful steps and stood next to Lobelia.

“But Duke Ferrado…”

“I believe I have the right to speak.”

Jade spoke impeccably, with the utmost politeness, and without a hint of disrespect.

“I obtained ownership of Mine 9 as of yesterday. So, I believe I have the right to speak.”

He pulled out a contract from his pocket, leaving Marlon, who finally grasped the situation, wide-eyed.