I Became the Master of the Empress - Chapter 196
196 – 200
The Trial Day of Lucius.
Though normally too busy managing state affairs to attend, I decided to observe Lucius’s trial.
I sit quietly in the gallery with a few bodyguards in tow.
The court hasn’t been informed of my presence, so it’s likely they’re unaware.
As I ponder this.
– “Ladies and gentlemen of the Empire in the gallery, the judge is now entering. Please rise from your seats.”
The judge enters the courtroom.
As soon as the judge takes a seat at the bench.
Everyone in the gallery and related to the trial prepares to sit…
– “Additionally, today’s trial is graced by the special attendance of His Imperial Majesty. Please rise and pay your respects to the Emperor.”
Is Theodora also attending?
As I entertain this thought, looking towards the entrance of the courtroom, Theodora, Sabinelli, and their armed guards follow suit.
And then.
Theodora takes a seat on the dais behind the judge, placing a chair behind the bench.
“Your Imperial Majesty, it’s an honor to meet you. I am Judge Ulysses.”
A judge, appearing to be in his fifties, bows respectfully to Theodora.
“Well, I wonder if my presence here is an unnecessary distraction from the busy trial.”
At that, Ulysses hastily responds, waving his hand.
“Not at all. Your Majesty’s interest in the trial is a blessing for the Empire.”
Theodora responds with a radiant smile.
“I’m grateful for your kind words. Let us proceed with the trial then.”
With Theodora’s command, the judge sits and commences the trial.
“The defendant may enter the courtroom.”
As the judge calls out, Lucius is brought in, bound tightly with ropes by the soldiers…
And a familiar man appears alongside…
“Mueller?”
Mueller takes his seat at the defense bench.
-Click, clack…
And a young woman in her mid-twenties, wearing high heels, takes her seat at the prosecutor’s bench.
“Alright, then let the prosecution explain the charges against the defendant.”
At the judge’s prompt, the prosecutor stands and speaks.
“Lucius, while serving as the Grand Duke’s secretary in the Department of Nobility, accepted a bribe from his father Marius’s friend Yom, and in turn, Lucius forged official documents, issuing false intelligence certifications to Yom. Therefore, this case involves a high-ranking official forging documents and privately passing them on, for which we seek the maximum legal penalty of death.”
Listening to her, I’m already familiar with Lucius’s case from the reports I received before coming here.
However, I was expecting a sentence of 30 to 40 years, so the call for the death penalty is a bit worrying.
The sentencing itself is just the prosecution’s suggestion of an appropriate punishment, not the final verdict, but I think the death penalty is a bit excessive by imperial law.
“Does the defendant acknowledge the charges?”
At the judge’s inquiry, Lucius nods.
“Yes, I acknowledge them.”
At Lucius’s admission, the judge nods.
“Since the charges are acknowledged, we just need to confirm the sentence. Does the defense agree?”
At that, Mueller rises and responds.
“The charges are acknowledged, but not the guilt. We request a psychological evaluation.”
The judge frowns at Mueller’s unusual request.
It’s like admitting to drinking and driving, but not to drunk driving.
“What do you mean? It makes no sense to acknowledge the charges but not the guilt. And what psychological evaluation are you requesting?”
“We request an evaluation of the defendant’s motives for the crime.”
Requesting a psychological evaluation upon conviction seems like a waste of time.
But the intelligent Mueller wouldn’t waste time without reason.
“Does the prosecution agree to this evaluation?”
The judge asks, and the prosecution shakes their head.
“The defendant has already admitted to the crime. It seems like a waste of time.”
I completely agree, but Mueller steps forward to speak.
“Your Honor, esteemed jurors, the defendant has admitted to the criminal act. However, the prosecution is hastily seeking the harshest legal penalty of death. Therefore, we argue that for a fair trial, the defendant must be given the opportunity to present their own defense. We request that Your Honor allow a psychological evaluation of the defendant’s motives.”
Mueller has always been eloquent and logical.
“The defense’s argument is accepted. Proceed with the evaluation.”
At the judge’s approval, Mueller approaches the witness stand and addresses the defendant.
“Defendant, you were fully aware that forging official documents is a serious crime. Knowing this, what compelled you to commit such a grave offense?”
At Muller’s words, Lucius hangs his head and says,
“It was… for my father.”
“Why would forging official documents be for your father?”
At that moment, the prosecutor stands up to object.
“The defense is now appealing to the emotions of the jurors to obstruct a fair trial.”
Muller counters the prosecutor’s words,
“The prosecution’s claim is strange. There’s not a single line in this investigation record about the defendant’s motive. I haven’t been a defense attorney for long, but it’s the first time I see a prosecution investigation excluding the defendant’s motive. It can only be taken as either an intentional omission or a mistake by the prosecution. At first, I thought it was a mistake, but now it seems intentionally left out. This is a matter that could be considered deception in court, and it’s a crime that infringes upon the defendant’s right to defense.”
The prosecutor hastily argues back,
“If the crime is legally established, why does the motive matter? Legally, he has forged official documents and he has admitted it. Moreover, those documents were used for smuggling, so naturally, the maximum sentence is clear.”
Muller nods his head with a sardonic smile at the prosecutor’s words,
“Perhaps the prosecution’s claim could be right. However, determining the sentence requires understanding the defendant’s motive for the crime, and if that part was intentionally left out, it’s an illegal act. In other words, I earnestly request the wise judge to clarify the part that the prosecution has intentionally omitted.”
At Muller’s words, the judge furrows his brow in thought before speaking,
“I dismiss the prosecution’s objection. The defense may resume the hearing. Also, Prosecutor Aria should expect internal disciplinary action after this trial.”
At those words, the prosecutor frowns.
With the judge’s permission, Muller continues,
“Defendant, why did you commit the crime because of your father?”
Lucius hesitates at Muller’s words and says,
“The story is a bit long, is that okay?”
“Please, go ahead with your statement.”
And so, Lucius’s story unfolds.
Lucius’s father, Marius, owes a large debt to Yom.
When Yom was about to be thrown out onto the streets, he made a desperate plea to Marius, and Lucius, knowing his father’s sense of indebtedness to Yom, felt compelled to accept Yom’s request, lest his father be burdened with great guilt.
As Lucius’s testimony ends, Muller steps forward and says,
“That is all.”
Muller walks back to the defense bench with a relaxed expression, thinking to himself,
‘This is why I chose a jury trial.’
At first, I didn’t understand why he insisted on a jury trial.
But in an empire with a patriarchal social structure…
The fact that a son committed a major crime to repay the emotional debt his father owed will resonate differently with the citizens of the empire.
Perhaps it will remind them of their own sons at home.
In our country, just as we think of a virtuous woman, a filial son receives support both religiously and socially.
-How pitiful.
-Exactly, if only Maximus at our house was like that.
-Tsk tsk… Execution is too harsh for the sake of the family head.
As the jurors overhear the conversation, the prosecutor speaks urgently.
“Respected jurors, although the defendant may have filial piety, he has disrupted the public order of the empire. No matter how filial, one must not harm others. Especially Yom, who smuggled platinum to illegally produce coins…”
Wait, platinum?
Platinum…
Here, platinum is treated almost like trash, but in modern times, it’s a precious rare metal in chemical engineering, used in many applications.
Not only that. When creating precious metals, its unique shine and luster when paired with jewels make it far more popular than gold.
Moreover… The recent fertilizer process demands a massive amount of platinum, but there’s no source to obtain it, leaving us unable to procure it.
There’s no platinum in the Old Continent. As far as we know, platinum mines have only been confirmed in the New Continent.
But that doesn’t mean it’s easily obtainable in the New Continent.
Fearing the creation of counterfeit currency using platinum, the United Kingdoms refrain from selling it and dump the entire stock into the sea.
That’s why it’s tricky to even tell my uncle that I want to buy platinum…
If I purchase platinum here, which is treated no better than trash, I will surely have to explain its use.
And that’s because here, platinum is synonymous with the metal of currency forgery.
If I mention fertilizer development, the information might leak to the United Kingdoms, so I can’t bring it up easily.
That’s why I’ve been unable to obtain platinum, which triggers various catalytic reactions.
You’ve obtained platinum?
Does platinum exist in the Old Continent too?
The trial isn’t important right now.
I stand up and shout at the prosecutor.
“Wait! I object to the trial. Where did you get the platinum? And what happened to it?”
As I shout during the trial, Lucius, Mueller, and Theodora wear surprised expressions.
“Order! Order! Disruption in the court can lead to expulsion. I’ll let it pass as a warning this time, but if you disturb the sacred court again…”
As the judge glares at me with a warning, Theodora, seated behind him on the dais, speaks softly.
“Judge Ulysses. I do not know why he is here, but… the defendant is my companion.”
Ulysses hastily turns his head to look up at Theodora.
“Your… Your Majesty’s companion?”
Theodora nods with a bright smile at the bewildered Ulysses.
“Yes, he is the Grand Duke Francesco, and the imperial envoy of this empire.”
She speaks with a smile that seems to know I would come here, unable to hide her beauty.
“What is the Grand Duke doing? Why not take the seat next to me?”
I nod at her words.