Volume 6, Chapter 43 Part 1
After Ryouma’s voice scattered, silence rules the hall.
Everyone closed their mouth.
All faces remain calms on the surface.
But what about the inside?
Were they thinking about a surprise attack fly from an unexpected place?
And the silence soon defeated by the aristocrats’ presents.
“How stupid… What is he talking about?”
“He must be just a madman!”
“Calm down, everyone. I as well don’t completely understand… That’s why I want to ask Baron Mikoshiba to explain.”
“Anyway, first of all, please show me what was written on the paper. Only then we could seek the truth of the matter…”
Most of the words coming from them were denials.
Did they really think by acting like that no one would remember their actions?
These people, sometimes they openly insist on their innocent, while on the other hand sometimes they went on roundabout ways to trap Ryouma.
It was said that monsters were residing within the Rozelia Kingdom.
Ryouma’s words should have been unexpected, but that didn’t seem to upset the nobles’ legitimacy…
It seems that there was no hope for an easy development where the villain who was struck by evidence turn themselves in, which was sometimes we saw in a drama.
(Although some of them were second-class actors.)
On the surface, they looked calm
However, Ryouma’s eyes saw that some of their faces were tense and cramped.
It was proof that some of them were completely being bribed. -
(Well, it doesn’t matter since it won’t become evidence for the trial, to begin with.)
The problem was those who showed complete restraint despite Ryouma’s words.
A politician with a lot of experience should be able to hide their real intentions, no matter which world, it seems that alone remained true.
In a sense, powerful politicians need to have the acting ability of a top-notch actor.
Of course, that would require complete control of one’s mind.
Meanwhile, Marquis Halcyon who was the most calm made a quick move.
“Your majesty, pardon me, let me see…”
With that said, Marquis Halcyon turned to Queen Lupis and quickly glanced at the paper that Queen Lupis had.
Then, Marquis Halcyon snorts as if in ridicule.
The story would be different if the paper says anything that could incinerate Marquis Halcyon but, as far as one can see, it was really just a piece of paper with numbers and names on it.
On the surface he was calm, but truth be told, Marquis Halcyon was in a hurry when he heard what Ryouma had said.
However, now that he saw the paper, there was nothing to worry about.
That was why…
Marquis Halcyon sighs deeply to calm his buzzing heart and condemn the upstart who showed his ill-aggression at the last minute.
Then he slowly opened his mouth.
“Your Majesty, please don’t be fooled. That man is just trying to struggle and trap us. If you think calmly, your majesty will understand.”
Marquis Halcyon spun his words in a particular order to remove the seeds of suspicion that disturbed Queen Lupis heart.
From many years of his experience, he understands that in such cases, a poorly exposed objection can be counterproductive.
“That man gives this to your majesty as proof but I just saw it as nothing but numbers and names. Besides, this paper has no signature and seal. What kind of proof is this? What do you think, your majesty?”
That was said, Marquis Halcyon tries to remind her.
“That may be the case… But…”
Queen Lupis lost her words…
In fact, what was written there was indeed just numbers and names.
It was unclear who wrote it, it was not much different than scribbles written on paper.
It was not much different than children’s graffiti.
It was too weak as proof.
However, Queen Lupis still feels stuck when she heard Ryouma’s words.
Considering it was Mikoshiba Ryouma who submitted the paper, that was a natural reaction.
At least, as far as Queen Lupis knows, a man named Mikoshiba Ryouma hates wasteful move.
That means he won’t give something like that just for fun.
And with that, even with Marquis Halcyon’s words, Ryouma had already managed to incorporate suspicion inside Lupis heart.
“It would be bad if people believe this. Well, I admit, it was indeed pretty weak in terms of evidence.”
That said, Ryouma laughed calmly.
Then, he slowly opens his mouth to confuse Queen Lupis.
“The paper itself doesn’t mean much. But, the numbers and name do make sense, you know?”
“What do you mean?”
“The numbers and names are the results of making a copy of the data Earl Salzberg made where he write down the names and amount of gold coins given to each house as a bribe every year.”
Unable to understand the meaning of Ryouma’s words, Queen Lupis tilted her head.
Of course, she understands what he said.
The question was, why did he bother to make such a copy…
“Then, why don’t you submit the original?”
That was a natural question.
Original and a copy.
When asked such a question, of course, they want the higher quality of the evidence, and it goes without saying the original would be better.
Of course, even if he said copy, if this was the modern society, if he took a picture using a camera, it would be regarded as valid evidence, but in this world, there was no such device.
Inevitable, a copy was a literal copy of someone else handwriting.
Considering the possibility of falsification and writing errors, it was hard to use it as evidence.
Considering all this, if Ryouma has the original, there was no reason to not submit it as evidence.
Not only that, if he gave poor evidence, it would damage his credibility.
However, that was only when the judges have a fair trial established. -
“Isn’t that natural?”
With that said, Ryouma slumped his shoulders.
Then, he turned a keen eye on the surrounding aristocrats.
The scariest people were people who commit a crime while wearing the mask of justice.
In modern society, those were people working in the law enforcement agencies, such as police officers, prosecutors, or judges, or any of their affiliated institutions.
It was akin to those people who buy a referee in a sports match and making a decision in your favor.
In any case, everything in this world was meaningless unless fairness was guaranteed.
(Well, I know there is no complete fair society. Including me… After all, we’re human.)
If you compare it to sports, it was like, those people who without realizing it, making a decision in favor of a certain team just because they come from the same hometown or the host.
It was a delicate topic to call that evil or not.
Because people were a creature that gets a sense of security from solidarity by belonging to something.
That was why living humans in a society can be said to be in a battle against injustice.
The question was, what to do when one faces an unfair reality.
The only path for those was to curse the unfairness or fight with all means necessary to not lose.
(So, the only thing left was which stronger, my justice or their justice…)
What he was doing now was a verbal battle against Halcyon.
It was essentially the same as a battle, just not wielding a sword.
The one who gives in to the opponent wins.
And in verbal war, it was very effective to diminish the justice of your opponent.
Such as exposing corruption such as bribery and tax evasion…
“I don’t believe the justice or neutrality of the house of lords. The injustice of Earl Salzberg, who had been smuggling rock salt from the peninsula since the time when Wortenia Peninsula was still under the direct control of the Rozeria royal family, he manages to fill his own pocket, and the people of the lords who overlook such misbehavior had been paid every month. Anyhow, there was no reason for me to bring evidence if the people here had already been part of the corruption for a long time…”
It was the biggest words bomb Ryouma