“Chokerisas-Disroll Grandheit has been brought here.”
“Let him in.”
Chokerisas-Disroll Grandheit, the son of the Disroll Grandheit family, entered a room for aristocratic trials called the “Judgment Room”.
There were two guards on either side, so he could be suppressed at any given moment.
I opened my eyes wide, seeing his current state.
He looked much different from the time of the engagement party.
His eyes looked sunken, and cheeks hollow.
It had not been that long since that event, yet he had aged considerably.
No, I suppose I am the same.
“You realize why you have been brought here, correct?”
“…I have done nothing wrong.”
This was a place to judge those of aristocratic stature.
The only one capable of judging aristocrats was the King.
He should know that the moment he was summoned here, he would be subject to severe scrutiny befitting his status.
Regardless, he looked straight at me glaringly.
It seems he truly that felt he had done no wrong.
“You can’t brush off the murder of an aristocrat like that.”
“Please call Armilicia here. I’m sure she will understand.”
It was unpleasant hearing him refer to Armilicia without honorifics.
However, he didn’t look like he would lend an ear to any of my protests now.
I showed him a letter kept at my side, in order to teach him reality.
“…I have already received a letter from Armilicia.”
“!! In that case!!”
” “Chokerisas-Disroll Grandheit has murdered my husband, Lord Duke Lunan Forseed. I request an equivalent punishment delivered upon him.” is what it said.”
For a second, Chokerisas showed a moronic expression expressing his shock.
“LIES!”
Right after, his face dyed red and he tried stepping forward.
Without delay, the knights dropped him to the ground.
“It is not a lie.”
“It can’t be! There has to be some mistake. Armilicia. Call Armilicia here, right now.”
“Armilicia is busy handling the house of Duke Lunan Forseed, which has lost its head. I cannot summon her.”
You are reading story Thereafter of An Exiled Magician at novel35.com
Armilicia had begun building a relationship of trust with the previous head.
This man has made all that for naught.
There was no defense that could help him.
Then, I showed one more letter kept at my side to Chokerisas.
“This one’s from Duke Disroll Granheit. It goes- “Chokerisas-Disroll Grandheit’s actions are in no way endorsed by the Duchy of Disroll Grandheit. Regardless of how harsh a punishment descends upon Chokerisas-Disroll Grandheit, our house shall not interfere.”.”
“Wha-!?”
Blood drained from Chokerisas’ face.
If you’re abandoned even by your own house, then there’s no one to object even if you’re punished the same as a commoner.
I summoned him here today not to make a judgment, but to remove him from the aristocratic register.
Such things also happen in this room.
Truly a bother.
Even aristocrats who murder other aristocrats in cold-blood, are beheaded.
I imagined how a commoner would be judged in the same place…
Besides, did this one really think his house would protect him even after doing this much?
The Duchy of Disroll Grandheit was located adjacent to Duchy of Lunan Forseed.
That too, to reach the capital, a company from Disroll Grandheit would have to traverse through Lunan Forseed’s territory as it was placed right in-between.
If you tried avoiding that path, you would be left with no choice but to go through another country, but a Duke cannot enter another country.
Putting such a house on one scale, and a moronic heir on another, would be unquestionable for an aristocratic house.
“You are no longer an aristocrat. As such, you are not even worth my direct judgement. Your punishment will be announced on a later date. Take him to the prison.”
“…”
Chokerisas went out of the room, dragged by the knights.
In response to this incident, a great purge was carried out among the aristocrats.
Until now, Aristocrats would have used their prestige as shields, but this time was slightly different.
Duke Disroll Grandheit, who was the leader of the aristocratic faction that advocated aristocratic privileges, had changed sides to the neutral faction with this incident.
At first, I thought of taking his land and demoting his rank to Count.
However, as soon as the current head heard this story, he made his way to the royal capital at once.
With evidence of fraud regarding him being the central figure of the aristocratic faction.
Chokerisas’ letter of disowning was handed alongside his bill of indictment, so I couldn’t just accept either one.
There was also a purge of the troublesome aristocrats in the aristocratic faction, so I didn’t even have the time to impose Chokerisas’ crime onto the Duke.
He had most likely, taken all that into account before handing me the bill of indictment.
The current head was made from a different cloth than Chokerisas.
Regardless, no faction wanted to take in a traitor’s house.
Duke Dirsoll Grandheit’s power was also significantly reduced, so it should be fine to leave it at that.
“With this, I hope this country gains a brief respite.”
Injustices must be corrected to prevent the loss of any more competent minds.
However, I must tread carefully while separating the incompetents lest they turn out to be actually competent later on.
My life of sleepless nights saw no end in sight.