Chapter 25
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Chapter 25
The Guard eventually nodded and began rushing out at full speed.
Amused by his hurried departure, Fron chuckled as she watched him dash away.
"Hehehehe, look at him clutching that sword like his life depends on it! What a sight!"
After sending the Guard off, Namia Loapi buried her head again and prostrated herself.
Fron, watching Namia Loapi lying flat on the ground, waved her hand dismissively.
"Hey, it's fine. Get up now."
Fron rolled onto her side and spoke from her reclined position.
"Honestly, this doesn't even hurt as much as a mosquito bite, so stop making such a fuss. It's annoying."
"But I did wound a member of the Royal Family, regardless of intent."
"You said it was unintentional. That's enough—let's move past this."
But Namia Loapi did not rise. Words flowed ceaselessly from her small lips.
"However, as I mentioned earlier, according to Article 1, Section 4 of the Royal Family Protection Laws...."
"Ugh, what are you going on about? I don't know any of that. Just drop it."
"I cannot simply drop it. The Royal Family is far too precious for that."
"Me, precious? I'm just an ordinary person with some muscle. Why all this fuss over nothing...."
As Fron opened her mouth wide in a yawn, Namia Loapi lifted her head.
The eyes of the prostrate Namia Loapi and the reclined Fron met across the iron bars.
'What?'
Fron was startled by the look in Namia Loapi's eyes.
'Why are they gleaming like that?'
Though Fron had lived long as a mercenary, her spirit wavered for a moment.
Her body, hardened through countless bouts, recognized it first.
This woman was not dispirited—rather, she was brimming with confidence.
Fron's expression grew serious as well.
'She's not a fighter, but... clearly....'
During her mercenary days, she had occasionally encountered people like this.
People accustomed to concealing their true nature.
'In other words, people confident enough in their abilities that they could hide their identity without concern.'
This was precisely the type she had always valued most highly.
No longer wearing a naive expression, Namia Loapi spoke again.
"Please forgive me for wounding Your Majesty, I beg you."
"Hey, are you going to keep pestering me with that? That's...."
"Instead."
Namia Loapi smiled faintly.
"I shall resolve the troublesome matter that vexes Your Majesty."
"...Huh?"
Fron blinked blankly. Then she asked, incredulous.
"Do you even know what troubles me?"
"I can make an educated guess."
Namia Loapi spoke with unwavering confidence.
"I will ensure that you are exonerated at tomorrow's trial."
It was utterly absurd.
"What are you talking about? Exonerated? How could you possibly know that?"
Fron chuckled, scratching her ear.
"And I will absolutely, absolutely, absolutely never explain why I possessed that poison."
"Yes, regardless of the reason, you need not explain it—absolutely, absolutely, absolutely not."
"Does that make any sense?"
"Yes."
Namia Loapi met Fron's gaze with gentle but unwavering resolve.
Her composed expression betrayed that her earlier frightened voice had been nothing but an act.
"I will make it make sense."
In the shadowed confines of the prison cell.
Fron and Namia Loapi's gazes collided with palpable force.
* * *
The following day.
Crown Prince Kiaros pressed his weary eyes shut.
His mind felt so tangled that a headache seemed imminent.
Yet he had to attend the emergency Imperial trial.
'The Empress and poison....'
According to the Minister of Justice, Fron had remained silent throughout the entire interrogation.
And the moment Fron was apprehended, Crown Prince Kiaros sent a letter to the Emperor in the Western Region.
He demanded his immediate return to the Capital.
Though he knew the Emperor was convalescing, no other solution presented itself.
'I can guess at the truth, but the Empress will never confess it to me—she fears bringing shame upon the Imperial Family.'
Crown Prince Kiaros had already made his decision. He would delay proceedings by claiming insufficient evidence.
Once the Emperor arrived, he would defer the interrogation to him.
'That is the extent of what I can do.'
Of course, even stalling would prove quite difficult.
So though it was not his preferred method, he would have to suppress the matter through sheer authority.
'I must accept the backlash of the Royal Family interfering excessively in what should be a fair trial....'
Moreover, if his suspicions were correct, the aftermath would be considerably troublesome.
'Even if His Majesty arrives, the Empress would sooner die than reveal to outsiders why she sought poison.'
In any case, everything had been thrown into emergency status because of Fron. That was why he could not summon Namia Loapi.
It was not an urgent matter, so he planned to question her after the trial concluded.
'Now that I think about it, I received a strange report.'
Crown Prince Kiaros had already issued orders to all relevant parties: 'Absolutely prevent the Empress from confessing.'
But then....
'Namia Loapi, who came to verify the inventory of luminous scrolls, allegedly used an attack scroll against the Empress.'
Namia Loapi's name had surfaced once again.
But it wasn't something worth making a fuss over.
An Emergency Team official had rushed over like lightning to check on her condition, and according to the physician, everything was fine and there were no problems whatsoever.
'I sent her home, so why did she come back crying and then go check the Prison's inventory?'
Checking the Prison's luminescent scroll inventory was part of her duties, but something felt off.
Still, Crown Prince Kiaros forced himself to postpone thinking about that name.
The trial was imminent.
'Either way, I need to hold out as best I can during the trial.'
He entered the Trial Court with a hardened expression.
Imperial trials could be observed by any noble who submitted an advance request.
The courtroom was packed with people—far more crowded than usual trials.
'Sigh... there are more people than I expected.'
My head was already aching.
A large audience was hardly favorable for an uncouth Empress.
'If the Empress opens her mouth, public opinion will only worsen—that much is certain.'
The audience didn't render the verdict, but from the perspective of those delivering judgment, one couldn't help but be conscious of public opinion.
Crown Prince Kiaros desperately hoped that Fron wouldn't suddenly cry out something like 'If it seems suspicious, kill me, damn it!'
"The Crown Prince has arrived!"
With Kiaros's entrance, everyone in the Trial Court rose and bowed their heads to him.
Fron, who had been sitting facing the audience, also stood.
'Ah.'
Crown Prince Kiaros's complexion darkened further upon seeing Fron.
He had hoped that perhaps being confined for a day might earn her some sympathy from the audience, but...
'She doesn't look pitiful at all...'
The properly dressed people sat back down.
Fron also took her seat, and while wearing a dress, she sat carelessly and let out a yawn.
In truth, a frilly dress with ribbons looked absolutely dreadful on the muscular Fron.
Yet after taking her place as 'Empress,' she had forced herself to wear the dress.
'Her complexion is even good. There's not a trace of remorse or anxiety in her expression.'
He had anticipated this, but it was far more disheartening than expected. No matter how lenient a verdict he tried to guide, the prejudice against her would be substantial.
Crown Prince Kiaros was someone born with natural authority.
It wasn't difficult for him to control the Trial Court, but still, he wanted to set aside some of that authority before the law...
Besides, Fron wasn't skilled at using her mind.
'I wonder if she even understands proper trial procedures...'
It would be fortunate if she simply avoided saying something ill-timed that would only increase the prejudice against her.
As he stepped forward and took his seat, it happened.
'Hmm?'
At the very back of the spacious courtroom's audience section, in the furthest corner, he spotted a familiar silver-haired figure.
That woman sitting so demurely was surely...
Crown Prince Kiaros unconsciously furrowed his brow.
'Namia Loapi?'
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