Chapter 6: Chapter 4: Fiancée, Broken Engagement, and Revenge
"Anthony Lancelot, Knight Commander of the Lion Knight Order. On October 29th, 1987, at 3:04 PM, you killed him in the Giant Stone Bar in London’s Lambeth District."
"As for the murder weapon..."
The Judge clapped his hands.
An attendant in black pushed open the rustic birch doors and walked into the court, carrying a polished, carved walnut box with both hands.
Baron’s gaze followed the wooden box in the attendant’s hands, and his heart sank. He recognized what was inside—his original self’s guide cane.
"A cane forged from a Canaan Tree, a colorless, odorless tree that neither flowers nor bears fruit. But when tempered in a Dwarven forge and treated with the juice of mistletoe, it can even kill the soul of a Silver Knight, provided the wound is large enough."
The Judge had the attendant place the cane in the center of the court. He rapped his gavel and said, "Only the Dwarves of Plains can forge such Alchemy Weapons. And in the Inner Side, Plains is the territory of the Constantine Family."
"This is the only cane of its kind in all of Britain’s Outer Side."
"According to the Holy Cross Association’s investigation, you were in London on October 28th, and Anthony’s cause of death was soul annihilation."
The Judge stated indifferently, "The facts speak for themselves, Constantine. There’s nothing left for you to argue."
’His predecessor’s diary did mention going to London on October 29th, but the entry was about collecting a debt from an old widow.’
’If he remembered correctly, the amount was five hundred pounds.’
’As for killing someone with a cane...’
’Wasn’t that just an ordinary, telescopic guide cane?’ Baron snarked internally. ’The most you could do with it is play golf—unless the deceased Anthony was a golf ball.’
"Your Honor, the facts you’ve presented, from my perspective, are like a hit-and-run accident that just so happened to occur right next to a drunk driver."
Baron tried his best to remain calm and avoid falling into the trap of having to prove his own innocence:
"I have never met or known this murdered Knight Commander. I have absolutely no reason to kill him...
As you can see, whatever I was before, I am now just an ordinary bank debt collector. I don’t possess this ’power’ you speak of, while he was a Knight.
Does Your Honor believe that an ordinary bank employee could kill a Silver Knight with nothing but insurance sales pitches and a silver tongue?"
’Baron had no idea what a Silver Knight was, but based on the information he had, he guessed it was a profession similar to those in the fantasy novels of his past life, something that involved mastering Fighting Spirit.’
Baron was trying to clear his name by arguing his lack of motive and the vast disparity in their strength and means.
Even if he couldn’t be exonerated, stalling for time was also an option.
’The optimal solution my mind came up with was to stall—regardless of whether I could prove my innocence, dragging out the case meant that every extra minute I stayed alive was another minute of hope.’
But the outcome was not what Baron had hoped for.
"Because of your jealousy and resentment! Constantine! Don’t you look at me with those vile, deceitful eyes!"
The Judge slammed his gavel again and again. His hair and beard bristling with rage, he looked so furious that Baron had no doubt the man would bring the gavel down on his skull in the next second.
"Six years ago, at the London Tower, your fiancée, Freyja Lancelot, stood before the entire Old Descendant World of the United Kingdom and announced she was breaking off her engagement to you—Baron Constantin, the second son of the Constantine Clan, the notorious ’Bloodless’!"
"That act caused the Constantine Family to lose all face in the Old Descendant World! As the last remnant of the Constantine Clan, how could you not feel hatred and anger!"
The Judge’s words were like thunder, exploding in Baron’s ears one by one.
’Broken engagement? I actually had a fiancée? Was she pretty... no, wait, why was there no mention of this in my predecessor’s memories or diary?’
Baron said in a low voice, "I was not aware of this engagement. Furthermore, according to what Your Honor has said, if I wanted revenge, shouldn’t my target be the fiancée you mentioned, the one who caused me to lose all my dignity?"
The Judge said coldly, "Because Anthony had someone replace you and your brother, Edward, for the spots in the Knight Order. According to the agreement your ancestors made with the Templar Order, those positions should have belonged to the Direct Lineage of the Constantine Family.
Your uncle, who was your guardian, traded those two spots with the Lancelot Clan for ten Lawbooks that grant the Wizard profession. That transaction was guaranteed by the Hestia Family.
On top of that, Anthony had tried to block your engagement to his sister, Freya..."
’Wait, was I that in love with my fiancée? As in, ’her or no one’ kind of love?’
"The Constantine Clan met its downfall with you three siblings... I know your kind, you Bloodless. You are abandoned by your own clan and the Old Descendant World, your hearts filled with resentment, like lions cast out from their pride...
From the moment you were cast out, revenge became your only reason for living."
’He makes a good point, but whether in my past life or now, the only connection I feel to lions is watching Disney’s *The Lion King* as a kid.’
’After all, I’m a tiger fan.’
"Could Miss Freya be called to the stand? I’d like to speak with her."
Baron now understood the Judge’s intentions. The old man seemed to hold a great deal of prejudice against him. It was clear from the way he kept contemptuously calling him a "Bloodless" that he could probably be classified as some kind of "racist."
He decided to try a different, more roundabout approach.
"Miss Freya has already testified to your guilt. As the murderer of her brother, she has made it clear that she will not appear in court."
"No, seriously, do you all really think a bank employee who makes a little over a hundred pounds a week can kill a Knight with a shabby old cane?" Baron raised his hand resentfully. "Can I request a defense attorney? I don’t intend to say another word until he arrives."
"The jury is the best lawyer," the Judge said flatly. "And they unanimously agree that death is the best Judgement for you."
"If I am guilty, then sentence me. Don’t just kill me under the guise of justice."
Baron glanced around. There were only a few Attendants, and their gazes toward him were like sharp bolts of lightning.
He gave a mocking laugh. "But I don’t even see a jury."
"Silence! You vile Bloodless!"
With a roar from the Judge, the attendants behind Baron once again slammed him hard onto the table.
Pinned to the table, Baron shot a sideways glance at the man. It was the prison guard.
"So much for waiting for an opportunity..." Baron sneered as the guard held him down. "It seems the Judge has no intention of giving me a chance to defend myself."
The Judge raised his gavel and brought it down hard:
"There is no need for further discussion! Baron Constantin, your ignorance and foolishness regarding the Law have completely exhausted my patience. The original sentence stands. Remember this time and date: 3:30 PM on November 20th, 1987."
The Judge said, "That will be the Time you embrace death."
He didn’t know if it was his imagination, but Baron thought he saw a cold glint flash for a moment in the eyes of the snake-catching lion carved on the gavel.
He glanced at the wall clock in the courtroom. The countdown to his death was 358,250 seconds.
He had 100 hours to escape.
...
[From the diary of Baron Constantin (the predecessor):
December 4, 1981 / Plains / Overcast
A woman I’ve never met broke up with me. Does that count as having my heart broken?]
