Chapter 369: The Decision of Guilt
“Now then, you three are suspected of being the instigators of the current situation.”
“““Huh?”””
The three of them once again displayed foolish expressions at the king’s words. While it was indeed us who stormed the castle, there was no denying that they were the ones who set the events in motion.
“W-What do you mean by ‘suspected’?!”
“The current… situation?”
“Huh? W-What do you mean…?”
The chief officer raised his voice in surprise at the king’s statement, while the councilor glanced around in confusion. As for the baron, he still seemed bewildered, his face pale as he fumbled for words.
“I have no recollection of such things. What crime are you referring to? The presence of a monster here seems far more serious…”
“I see.”
The chief officer, looking perplexed, spoke up, prompting the king to respond with an air of admiration.
“It is reassuring to know that there is a shared understanding that this situation is indeed a grave matter.”
Perhaps feeling a bit relieved by the king’s agreement, the chief officer’s expression softened slightly.
“However, I have no intention of retracting my initial statement. I said you were the instigators.”
“Instigators…?”
The chief officer tilted his head, genuinely confused. The baron seemed to have noticed me, initially skeptical but now wide-eyed and gaping. The councilor, on the other hand, appeared oblivious to my presence, fidgeting nervously.
“Baron Beifan Lowing.”
“Y-Yes!”
When the king casually called out his name, the baron hurriedly turned his face toward the king.
“You have accused an S Rank Adventurer of lèse-majesté and robbery, have you not?”
“Y-Yes! Th-Those ruffians not only failed to show me the respect due to a noble, but they also snatched my mirror right from my side!”
Despite his earlier nervousness, the baron pointed at me with a puffed chest, as if vindicated by the king’s words. I had thought he seemed a bit dim-witted at first, but it appeared he was also incapable of reading the room.
“Hmm. To admit one’s guilt so readily is commendable.”
“Eh?”
His reaction was unexpected, and after uttering that single word, the baron’s movements came to a halt.
“Lèse-majesté applies only to citizens. Moreover, such a charge should not be misused. This is one of the most prominent shops in the Royal Capital, and we can quickly gather eyewitness accounts to verify the truth.”
The king then turned his gaze to the councilor beside him.
“Viscount Wesley Grubbs.”
“Y-Yes.”
Compared to the baron, he seemed more composed, but beads of sweat glistened on his forehead, betraying his inner turmoil.
“What does it mean that a councilor, who is supposed to deliberate carefully on whether a crime has been committed, has not even properly faced the accused?”
“I intended to hear the details, but they refused to cooperate…”
Now that he mentioned it, I recalled being told to come along and ignoring the request. However, being judged guilty without any interaction was unacceptable. It felt as if they were ready to declare me guilty based solely on that refusal.
“If such a thing can determine guilt, then the very existence of a councilor is unnecessary.”
But the king swiftly dismissed the councilor’s excuse.
“The Alert Level for the Stampede had risen, so there was no opportunity for contact afterward.”
“That is no excuse. Regardless, a crime notification had already arrived at the castle before you returned to the Royal Capital. It was a foregone conclusion even before you had a chance to speak with them, was it not?”
Was he referring to the documents I had submitted? It seemed they were gathering information on the movements of adventurers, which was surprising. Still, I wanted to tell them to be a bit more discreet about it. Their methods were far too sloppy.
“Moreover, it seems you have added charges of attempted murder on top of lèse-majesté and robbery.”
“What?!”
The baron was taken aback by the king’s words. His eyes widened as he glanced between the councilor and the chief officer, then shook his head vigorously in denial toward the king.
“Lastly, Count Daredimo Torgabeat.”
“Y-Yes!”
He had seemed relatively calm until just now, but upon hearing his name called by the king, he began to tremble.
“You were the one who sent out Wesley, the councilor, with the added charge of attempted murder, were you not?”
“Th-That is…”
The chief officer hesitated, unable to articulate a response. It seemed he had effectively admitted to it, but now that he was summoned to this place, he likely felt powerless to resist.
“And it is also your duty to relay the crime notification to the chancellor. Even Wesley, who submitted it before hearing the details, should be held accountable. To proceed with such knowledge and add charges is utterly unacceptable!”
“Ugh…”
“As a result, you understand that the current situation has come to pass, do you not?”
“Y-Yes… I understand that we have wrongfully accused an adventurer of baseless crimes—”
“That is not the case.”
“Eh?”
“Huh?”
Oops, I inadvertently let out a sound. Was he implying that there were others who had been wrongfully accused alongside me?
“The dark forces and military units unleashed by the chancellor have been forcefully breached, and now this Audience Chamber is occupied by Golems that are believed to be your subordinates.”
As the king spoke in a calm manner, the three of them grew even paler.
“Though they are currently behaving, it would take only a slight movement of my hand to reap our lives. You three are the ones who set this in motion.”
It seemed he wasn’t talking about other victims. While we had indeed charged into the castle, it was undeniable that the king felt as if a blade was pressed against his throat.
The fearful gazes from not just the three of them but also the other ministers were directed at us. Perhaps it would be better to brazenly wave back at them.
“Now that you understand, I shall render my judgment. Including the absent chancellor, you are all charged with the crime of treason.”