Althea looked at the viewing gallery, where a throne had somehow appeared. The main hall was five floors high. There was still plenty of space remaining.

The crowd pushed against each other quite comically in an effort to bow. The lack of space made it hard.

"Please continue." the Empress said before things got worse. Althea couldn't see her face from here, but she was sure that she was smiling.

"I present our first witnesses." Althea asked as Nathan and Vanessa entered. So, they were going to make at least part of their history public.

Nathan took his position in front of the crowd, bowing before her.

"I greet her grace, the Countess Guarding Diery." he said, and then towards the gallery. "I greet her majesty, the Empress."

"Please continue." Althea said.

Nathan took a deep breath. “I know most of you don’t know me, and many of you are less than happy that there are those of different races in your home. But I beg you to consider what they have done before you make your decision. And I beg the Countess to please administer justice for my comrades.”

Nathan's hands trembled as he slowly took off his mask. Althea tried to keep a still expression. That was far more than she had expected him to disclose.

The crowd gasped as they saw what remained of his face, the other half telling what it could have been before. Even Althea had to say that it was a pity.

"The wound was made by my uncle, in an effort to teach me a lesson after I failed to escape," he said. "The same uncle who will soon stand judgement before you. I ask that he be given the harshest punishment possible, your grace."

“That is not the only thing he has done, or the worst.” he said. “In the caravan, there were ranks. The ranks governed what we could do, and how well we were treated.”

Althea heard the murmuring begin among the crowd.

“I was actually ranked quite high. What happened to me was still lenient by the standards of the caravan. What others suffered was far worse.”

Nathan kneeled. "I ask you to kill them and give me and my brethren justice, your grace."

"I will take your words under consideration. The punishment for such a crime will indeed be harsh." Althea said. There was still need to be serious and appear impartial. After all, she was setting an example and expectation. As Countess, she would continue to do so for as long as she lived.

Vanessa was next.

"I was kidnapped from my home when I was just a few months old. I do not know when I was born. I do not know who my parents are. I know they were from the Bern march, it is why I came here looking for them." Vanessa took a deep breath.

Althea knew a little of her story, but she could visibly see that it was hard for her to talk about.

"I was valuable. As a space mage, they could not hurt me, or maim me." Vanessa' breath caught. "But what th-they wanted was still…"

Nathan held Vanessa's hand as she took a deep breath, then moving to continue.

"When I turned eighteen, the man who had raised me, and his sons, they approached me. I-I was to give birth for them. That was the leader’s order. The caravan wanted more space mages. And I don't have the power to teleport. The leaders wanted that. So they…"

Vanessa did not say more, but she did not need to.

"That was when we tried to escape." Nathan continued for her. "And then…" he touched his face.

"The only reason we got out was because my mother sacrificed her life to let us. "

"The court acknowledges your plea, and apologizes for being so late in administering justice. The caravan's actions should have been stopped before they even started. The Empire will make sure that is the case now." Althea said.

The pair nodded and retreated back. The other victims came. Not many were in a position to speak.

But the few that could spoke of events that she could not imagine going through. The kind of horrible events that were only supposed to exist in stories and imagination.

There was a girl who had been kept in a dark, dirt cage, half filled with water to get her mermen bloodline to awaken.

There was a boy who had been hung on the tree upside down by his legs because he tried to save his sister from being literally beaten to death.

A…feline species with only one gender had horrible tales that Althea did not want to hear. Just hearing them brought her pain. Having to live through them…would bring her great pain.

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The Fae practiced slavery. The worst, bloodiest kind of slavery. There were stories that the victims told. Of how ten arrived in the caravan, and only three survived. Of how so many women suffered the fate that was in store for Vanessa. Of how the Fae had experimented to make a powerful army for unknown reasons.

Three hours later, Althea was even more sure of her decision. But there was one last part. Doing it pained her, and even her reason felt hollow. But legal process was legal process. The accused had the right to defend themselves. Even if the judge felt that they didn’t deserve it.

“Bring the leader of the accused in.” Althea ordered. “Tell him that he shall represent his entire force.”

The Fae leader, a Master, was dragged in. Althea knew he was not the most powerful one, the Empress’ notes had mentioned that he was the only one left of the leadership, not how many, or how powerful they were. But she hoped they were powerful and used a lot of tricks, because if it was otherwise, then it meant that…there could be others doing these things.

“Chantae Murdox, you stand here accused of crimes against humanity, how do you plead?” she asked, letting her voice boom.

The Fae did not deem to answer, looking at her with scorn and disdain. The minutes passed as the discussion grew in the crowd. The Fae still not replying.

“Are you aware that you and your comrades may be executed if you do not answer today?” she asked.

“I am a citizen of the Fae Empire.” the Fae spat. “I do not need to follow some human’s laws.”

Althea's face hardened as she withdrew a single paper from the stack.

“Why is it then that this paper states that you are on the run from the Fae Empire for…” Althea let the silence lay for dramatic effect. “Experimenting on minors and attempting to kidnap a noble child.”

The Fae rolled his eyes. “That simply makes me a Fae fugitive. Now be a good human and hand me over to your betters.”

How did this guy even become a Master? Althea knew why, bloodline magic. The Fae passed their magical strength and talent through their bloodline, making for a very rigid system. At least human Master stage mages were more likely to have brains in their heads.

“I think you do not realize the position you are in.” she said, calmly. “Steward Ven, would you please demonstrate?”

The Steward simply titled his staff forward. The Fae’s eyes widened as he felt mana pass through him, targeting the inner parts of his body. Crippling a Fae without killing him was hard. But not impossible.

“Wh-what did you do to me?” the Fae screamed. “Unhand me this instant you filth! Do you have any idea who you are dealing with? I have royal blood in my veins!”

Althea was even more sure that this guy was not the main leader behind this caravan. The operation required brains, and this guy clearly had air instead.

“Mr Murdox, do you have anything constructive to add before I pronounce judgement?” she asked.

The Fae’s eyes widened, showing fear for the first time as he seemed to realize that she wasn’t, in fact, joking.

“Wait!” he yelled. “I was under orders! I was forced, you can’t punish me!”

“I can do what I wish, Mr. Murdox, but please, tell me more.” Now they were getting somewhere.

“The old thing ordered us around! I couldn’t defeat him! Not one of us could! I was compelled!” the Fae repeated his point.

“Mr. Murdox, I will need names and evidence of compulsion if I am to believe that you are innocent.” Althea stated.

“I don’t know that bastard’s name!” the Fae shouted in frustration. “I can’t give you evidence, that was burnt with the caravan! Can’t you see I am not involved in this?”

Althea was starting to feel like there was something wrong. Even if this guy was an idiot…he couldn’t be this stupid right? Even a fool could tell the obvious. An actor, however, may try to pretend otherwise.

“I cannot.” Althea stated. “Could you perhaps tell us what you do know?”

“The old thing was using some kind of magic to know stuff! And then he used his staff to influence our minds.” the Fae yelled, and then pointed at Nathan who had joined the crowd. “That bastard's mother was the most influenced! The old thing even made her forget her own name!”

Althea took a deep breath. “Could her majesty please tell us what stage the caravan leaders were?”

“The Adept stage. The Shadow Squad killed seven Adept stage Fae and twenty-nine and the Master stage.” the Empress stated.

“Thank you, your majesty.” Althea said as a gasp ran through the crowd. That force was huge. A single Adept stage could set up their own nation. A small weak nation, but still. A nation. To the people of the county, that stage was very powerful. And now they heard that seven of those were dead.

“Now, Mr. Murdox. Are you telling me that this staff was enough to control six Adept stage Fae and thirty at the Master stage?” she asked. “Are you aware of how powerful a weapon would be needed for such a thing to happen?”

“I-I-The old man did not control every person. Just me.” the Fae looked at Nathan. “Just me ad his mother.”

Althea threw a glance at Nathan, wondering why this Fae kept mentioning his mother. Why was she so important to him?

“Why would he spend so much effort to control you?” she asked.

“We-well, you see, I am a good person.” the Fae gave her a smile that made her wonder if he was a fool after all.

"I have heard enough." Althea said. “Is there any way to confirm if he was spelled?”

“I can confirm that he is not under a spell and hasn't been under a mind spell for at least a year. The same is true for every person present here.” the Empress said.

And that was it. The trial was done. Mr Murdox looked like he had more to say, but Althea had heard enough.

“Bring in the prisoners.” she commanded.

Two hundred and seventy-two Fae were brought into the room. The Empress had been thorough, there was a case against every single one of them. Althea hadn't read or verified each one, but she trusted the Empress.

Not a single one was not an active participant. Not a single one had not enjoyed it. The others were sent back to the Fae continent, extradited for money. But these, these were to be made an example of.

"I do not know your names." she began, eager to be done with it. "I do not care for them. The world is a worse place with you in it. I find you guilty on seven thousand eight hundred and thirty-three counts of kidnapping.

Seventeen thousand and forty-seven counts of trade of living persons. Of nineteen thousand seven hundred and twenty counts of rape. And other crimes that I do not care to repeat here. And that is just for those that you kept records."

Althea let her mana rise, keeping her expression level. "For your crimes against the Empire, humanity and the entire continent, I sentence you to death."