Chapter 97: Crown Prince's Assassination Case

On the morning of 23rd September, Year 1420, Rune Era,

Raven departed from the mansion early in the morning and went directly to the Supreme Court.

[If you made a mistake and got caught, you must abandon Thomas Holmes's identity.] Zera said in his mind as he stepped out of the carriage.

Indeed, he didn't come to the court in Raven's identity. Instead, he arrived using Thomas's identity and looked more like a young master from a noble house.

He wore a formal white shirt, pants, and a black morning coat. He also covered his head with a bowler's hat and put a monocle in his left eye.

Raven calmly walked towards the compound gate and noticed twenty guards in red uniforms were checking everyone.

He also joined the queue and went through a similar checkup.

"Name?" A slim officer with black hair asked as Raven passed through the compound gate.

"Thomas," Raven responded.

"Show me your identity." The officer ordered.

Raven nodded and gave him the identity certificate.

The officer didn't even look at the document and quietly waved his hand.

"Go in. Next,"

Raven hesitated for a second but soon took out the golden badge with the twin serpent symbol engraved on the front and showed it to him.

"I'm a little clueless about this place. Can you guide me, Sir?" As soon as the police officer saw the badge, he instantly saluted him and showed a polite smile.

"Forgive my rudeness, Sir. I'll guide you right away." Saying so, he said a few words to the nearby police officer and started guiding him toward the large court building.

Raven followed the police officer through the main entrance, his monocle glinting under the sunlight streaming through the stained-glass windows. Inside, the ambiance was different. The air was heavy with tension. Citizens, advocates, reporters, and nobles crowded the vast hallways, whispering rumors about today's trials. Raven even saw reporters carrying cameras and talking with the police officers to get permission.

It was more like they were preparing for a big event.

In a sense, that was a truth, too.

Two major final trials were happening today, resulting in crowds from all over the city. One was the Crown Prince's assassination case, while the other one was the Sword Princess's Kidnapping Case.

The officer led Raven into a long corridor and soon arrived before a large door. They soon entered the hearing Hall of Jurisdiction. Rows of seats were arranged in a semicircle, with the judges' high podium dominating the center. Massive banners bearing the twin serpent crest hung on the walls, swaying gently in the air currents.

The police guided him toward the hall's center and soon arrived near where the hearing would take place.

Then, he pointed his finger at the first row.

"You can choose any of these seats, Sir," the officer said, gesturing to cushioned chairs near the front.

Raven thanked him with a slight nod and settled into the seat close to him. From his vantage point, he could see the entire courtroom, including the area reserved for the accused. What made him nervous was that all the seats in the VIP section were allocated for nobles, Wizards, and Royals.

'I was wondering how to get a seat close to the Counsel's Table, but that advocate, Lauren, made things much easier for me.'

His sharp gaze scanned the crowd, taking in the diversity of people present—nobles, reporters, commoners, and individuals cloaked in robes.

The judges had not yet arrived, but the court was abuzz with activity. Advocates prepared their cases, scribes arranged their parchment, and whispers filled the air like a low hum.

Raven also saw Lauren among the crowd of advocates seated around the Counsel's Table and breathed a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the courtroom shifted. A sharp chime echoed through the hall, signaling the judges' arrival. The murmurs died down, and all eyes turned toward the towering entrance to the left of the high podium.

The six judges entered first, their robes of black and crimson trimmed with golden thread. Each carried an aura of authority, their expressions severe and composed. As they ascended the steps to their seats on the high podium, their presence alone seemed to command silence. Nobody even dared to take a breath and watched them moving towards their seats quietly.

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Then came the Chief Judge, his arrival heralded by a louder chime and the opening of the double doors. He was dressed in an elaborate black robe embroidered with silver threads and looked domineering. He looked around 70, with long grey hair and a wrinkled face.

'His name is Jamison Von Yuranis, known for his unmatched intellect. More importantly, he is the only person with authority to question the Emperor.' Raven quietly touched his monocle and checked his status.

'He is indeed following the Divine Path!'

At that moment, Jamison's icy blue eyes scanned the courtroom, and the pressure of his gaze silenced even the faintest whispers.

Once the judges were seated, a heavy thud echoed through the hall as the main doors of the courtroom opened again.

A 40-year-old man with straight golden hair and sharp red eyes walked in, followed by royal guards. He wore white robes with golden designs, and his presence commanded attention. His crown, decorated with sparkling gems, shone in the light, while his face showed a calm but distant expression.

'He is my biological father, huh?' Raven furrowed.

He was none other than the Emperor of the Zenith Empire, Ian Sillalus Jorvot!

Following closely behind was a man of sharp features and a piercing gaze. His long golden hair and silver eyes made him look more like royalty. Unlike the Emperor, he wore dark robes with minimal adornments, his presence less ostentatious but no less commanding.

He was none other than the Prime Minister Gavin, the Strongest Wizard of the Empire.

Emperor Ian sat on a luxurious seat much closer to the Counsel's Table while the Prime Minister sat only a few seats away from Raven's.

The court clerk stood, his voice booming as he announced the start of the session.

"Let the trial for the Crown Prince's assassination attempt begin!"

A hush fell over the hall.

All eyes turned to the accused, a man dressed in tattered clothes, his wrists and ankles bound with shimmering chains. He bore the insignia of the Arch-Duke Gravestone family, but his gaunt face and hollow eyes spoke of weeks, if not months, of torment.

The first judge, a stern woman with a hawk-like gaze, leaned forward. "Defendant, you stand accused of attempting to murder the Crown Prince and committing treason against the Empire. How do you plead?"

"Not guilty," the man said, his voice trembling. "I have been framed. I swear on my family's honor, I—"

"Silence!" The second judge, a stocky man with a booming voice, cut him off. "We have evidence tying you to the crime. Your denial holds no weight."

It was as Raven suspected—a sham trial meant to pacify the public while securing the Royal Family's interests. He glanced at Lauren, who was whispering something to the scribe at her side; her expression remained calm.

The prosecution began their case, presenting evidence—a dagger allegedly found in the Crown Prince's chambers bearing the accused's fingerprints, a witness claiming to have seen him near his bedroom, and a document suggesting a pact with Viser Kingdom. Each piece of evidence was met with murmurs from the crowd, but Raven knew the judges had long decided the final judgment.

The trial lasted more than an hour, and six judges asked the witnesses and those involved in the cases questions. Finally, the papers were submitted to the Chief Judge.

The courtroom became silent as Chief Judge Jamison Von Yuranis rose from his seat. His presence loomed large, his black robes flowing like shadows pooling around his feet. The hall, once alive with murmurs, sank into an oppressive silence.

Jamison's piercing blue eyes scanned the accused.

"The court has reviewed all evidence presented," Jamison began, his tone was cold.

"The weapon, marked with the fingerprints of the accused. The document details treachery and collusion with the Viser Kingdom. Testimonies corroborating these claims."

He paused. The accused—broken, shaking, yet glaring defiantly—met Jamison's gaze. It was as if both men shared a silent understanding of the farce unfolding here.

Jamison's expression, however, did not waver.

"This court must uphold the Empire's laws and protect its sovereignty, no matter the cost."

The words echoed like the toll of a death knell. Raven narrowed his eyes as a faint, knowing smile curled at the edge of the judge's lips—so slight that it might have been imagined.

"The accused is found guilty of high treason," Jamison declared, the words like iron chains binding the room.

"The sentence is death for crimes against the Empire and its people."

Gasps rippled through the chamber. The accused stumbled; his face drained of all color.

Despair, anger, and disbelief warred in his tear-streaked expression!

"But this is wrong!" he screamed, his voice cracking as he lunged forward.

"I'm innocent! You know I am!"

The guards seized him, forcing him to his knees. The court erupted with hushed whispers, but none dared speak too loudly in the face of Jamison's authority.

The other judges looked uneasy yet silent. The nobles watched; some were smug, and others were pale.

"There are moments," Jamison said softly, though his voice carried to all corners of the room, "when justice demands a heavier price. You may claim innocence, but history will remember only your guilt."

The accused's cries echoed off the marble walls as he was dragged away. The gavel slammed down—once, twice, thrice—with a finality that seemed to snuff out all hope.

"Let it be known," Jamison continued, his voice cold as frost, "that treason against the Empire will never go unpunished."

'Jamison knew the truth but lied? Didn't you say he can't lie?' Raven asked.

[He never lied. He gave justice according to the rules and regulations of the Empire's law with proper evidence. The truth can be distorted if one knows how to use it.]

The Chief Judge had seen through the forgery, through the lies. Yet he had chosen to let an innocent man die.

Not out of ignorance. Not out of oversight.

But because it served a purpose.

'Justice isn't blind,' Raven thought darkly. 'It's been bought and sold.'

"Next case." As Raven was thinking deeply, the Chief Judge ordered.

'It began.'

The court clerk stood again, his voice booming.

"Let the trial for the Sword Princess's Kidnapping case begin!"

Raven's monocle glinted as he shifted slightly in his seat, his sharp eyes narrowing with anticipation.

The double doors creaked open again, and two guards entered, dragging the accused into the courtroom.

This time, it was a woman whom Raven was so familiar with.

She was around 40 years old, with blonde hair matted to her face and wrists shackled with glimmering chains. She wore a torn black dress stained with mud and blood and looked lifeless. But what made Raven furious was her left hand!

It was cut below her wrist and tied with a cloth instead.

"A-Aunt!" His body trembled.

[Stay calm, lad. Be glad that she is still alive.] Zera said in his mind and snapped him out of the shock.

The courtroom had turned into a tempest of whispers and muffled gasps. Raven clenched his fists in anger and soon put his hope on Lauren.

Meanwhile, Lauren adjusted her glasses and organized her papers, preparing for a fierce argument.

Advocate Cedric, representing the Royal Family, smiled confidently from the other side of the Counsel's Table.

The Chief Judge's gavel struck, bringing the room to order.

"Advocates, present your opening statements," Jamison’s voice echoed through the hall.