How a Villain Defies Destiny Chapter 34

 

“Tomorrow?”

 

I was taken aback by the unexpectedly fast pace of events.

 

The scheduled trial was next week.

 

“It’s better to do it before word gets out that you’ve met with Her Eminence Enheduane.”

 

It was true.

 

The condition of the ambush was to strike before the opponent realized it.

 

“Can you pull the schedule at will?”

 

“Yes. My brother… he wants to take care of this business with Lady Laurus as soon as possible.”

 

It sounded murderous to hear.

 

‘He’s trying to get me executed.’ 

 

No wonder.

 

In the original plot, he’d already poisoned me and left me for dead.

 

“Okay, I’ll try to prepare myself.”

 

“See you tomorrow, then.”

 

💫

 

It was a full summer day with intense sunshine, but the air inside the solemn courtroom was chilly.

 

In contrast, the spectators who came to watch the trial were colorfully dressed as if they were attending a party.

 

‘You’d think it was a performance by a popular theater company.’ 

 

While I was clicking my tongue at the crowds, there were a few people who stood out.

 

Right up front, Selene and her targets.

 

‘The black-haired, dark-eyed Adhad, and the pink-eyed Riqueia.’

 

Flanking Selene like knights, they were easy to recognize because they looked like they were straight out of an illustration.

 

“Laura Laurus, you have attempted to murder Selene Seynt, the eldest daughter of Viscount Seynt and first Saint, do you admit to the crime?”

 

A booming voice cut through the chaotic atmosphere.

 

‘What the hell is he doing up there?’

 

It was Endymion, the Crown Prince of the Euphrates Kingdom.

 

I’ve only played through the story once, as the only way to get Laura to trial without being assassinated was through the hidden character route, but I’ve seen a black silhouetted judge whose name was never mentioned, and certainly not Endymion.

 

“Laura Laurus, answer me!”

 

Just as I was about to ponder whether this had anything to do with the accelerated trial date, Endymion’s gruff bark assaulted my eardrums.

 

I felt like if I stayed still, he would arbitrarily decide that I was guilty and silent, so I spoke up.

 

“I didn’t do it.”

 

My stomach was in knots before I could finish. He began to criticize and condemn everything about me.

 

“How shameless of you.”

 

“Yes, I know. There are several witnesses, and you’re the last one to deny it…”

 

“I’m ashamed to be of the same nobility.”

 

The chatter grew louder until it filled the spacious courtroom.

 

‘You all seem to be enjoying yourselves.’

 

I’d barely gotten the words out before the hyenas pounced as if they’d been waiting for me.

 

“Quiet!”

 

Endymion shouted, slamming his fist down on the podium when it became too loud to proceed.

 

‘I guess there’s no such thing as a wand.’ 

 

This was a very different world from my last life.

 

With no prosecutors or lawyers, it was no wonder there was no trial precinct.

 

‘I need to concentrate today.’ 

 

Almost lost in my own thoughts, I pulled myself back together.

 

Yves and I have a plan, but the details need to be worked out on the spot.

 

Shaking off the distractions, I focused on Endymion.

 

Despite the fact that he looked like he wanted to kill me at any moment, he conducted the trial calmly.

 

“Laura Laurus, do you deny the existence of witnesses?”

 

“In the first place, they didn’t see me inflicting harm on Lady Selene with a piece of broken glass. They only came in after they heard her scream.”

 

“So you didn’t do anything to Saint Selene?”

 

“In the name of Astarte, I swear to tell the truth. I, Laura Laurus, do hereby declare that I have done no harm to the body of Saint Selene.”

 

I started to swear before anyone could stop me.

 

When nothing happened to me, the silent crowd of onlookers began to stir.

 

Endymion, on the other hand, remained calm. It was as if he had expected me to swear an oath.

 

Then he calmly asked the next question, “I have heard that something similar happened in Viscount Oannes. Is that true?”

 

Suddenly?

 

I was silent for a moment, unsure of his intentions, but then I nodded in agreement.

 

After all, I hadn’t done anything to offend him.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Even then, you pushed back against Lady Selene and swore an oath to the gods.”

 

Ugh. He sounded convinced I’d pushed her.

 

‘And your tone went from formal to downright condescending.’

 

I mimicked Endymion’s tone.

 

“Because even then, I was innocent.”

 

He frowned, as if to say, ‘No offense.’

 

‘I didn’t mean to provoke you.’

 

He had a low boiling point.

 

Endymion, who was still processing the new information in his brain, quickly composed himself and spoke up.

 

“But Selene insisted otherwise.”

 

He called her by her first name, not even bothering to add her surname, as if to conceal his intimate relationship with her.

 

This was a public occasion, and he wanted to make sure there was a clear distinction between public and private.

 

‘No. Maybe that’s a good thing?’ 

 

The more selfless you are, the more loopholes there are.

 

I watched Selene as she rose from her seat.

 

“Yes, Miss Laura did push me that day, but she swore an oath to the gods, and no stigma came to mind.”

 

“Can you prove it?”

 

“I can swear on Nanna’s name that I will tell the truth.”

 

Judging by the way things were going, Endymion and Selene were more or less in agreement.

 

‘Not surprising, considering they’re not stupid.’ 

 

Endymion thought to himself, ‘Unless you are stoned, of course.’ 

 

Perhaps this plot was devised to frame me.

 

“Miss Laura pushed me in the garden of Viscount Oannes and attacked me with a piece of broken glass in the Barony of Laurus.”

 

“I see that no stigmata appear upon thee.”

 

The murmur of the crowd grew louder.

 

“This is unbelievable.”

 

“They both claimed the opposite, and they’re both fine…”

 

“Didn’t the Holy Father say that divine punishment is inevitable?”

 

“Of course not. What is this all about?”

 

The air in the tribunal room slowly grew hotter as common sense failed to prevail.

 

‘So this is what it’s coming to.’ 

 

I thought to myself as my eyes scanned the crowd, and suddenly caught sight of Yves.

 

His lips were slightly parted in surprise.

 

Then I realized I hadn’t said anything to him.

 

It wasn’t really relevant to our plans, and it was something that we forgot about in the hustle and bustle.

 

I thought, ‘Well, it’s not important, so it’s okay.’ 

 

Perhaps I was staring too hard.

 

As if sensing my stare, Yves’s gaze shifted to mine.

 

The moment our eyes met, I almost laughed out loud, so I quickly looked away.

 

I didn’t want to make eye contact with him for too long, or I’d give away my conspiracy.

 

“My visit to Baron Laurus was actually to ask Miss Laura how she is still alive after swearing an oath to the gods.”

 

All the while, Selene was telling the visitors a story of great significance.

 

“But Miss Laura vehemently refused to meet with me, and it was only with the help of the Baroness that we were finally able to talk.”

 

“This is consistent with the testimony of Baroness Laurus and her servants. What did you two talk about in private?”

 

Endymion asked, feigning mediation but subtly adding evidence to bolster her case.

 

“I was discreetly asking about what happened at Viscount Oannes, and Miss Laura…”

 

Selene trailed off. Like someone tormented by the return of a terrible memory.

 

“That is enough. It must have been a nightmare you’d rather not be reminded of.”

 

Now they’re treating me like a nightmare.

 

‘This is the worst one.’ 

 

As much as I wanted to tackle them, it wasn’t the right time, so I listened.

 

“It’s okay. To finish, I didn’t solve Miss Laura’s secret that day, and a few days ago, I talked to Miss Ann about it.”

 

Miss Ann?

 

‘Was there someone with that name?’

 

I searched my memory and couldn’t think of anyone with that name.

 

Even as I scratched my head at this new, unrecognizable figure, her story continued.

 

“I thought it was a matter of not being stigmatized for swearing a false oath.”

 

“Very well, and that is why High Priestess Enheduane met with Laura Laurus yesterday?”

 

“Yes. Miss Ann said that she sensed a faintly foreign aura about Miss Laura.”

 

I was a little nervous about the introduction of a new character, but it seems that the ‘Miss Ann’ Selene was referring to was indeed Enheduane.

 

‘Who else is there?’ 

 

I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when I remembered her nudge yesterday to call her ‘Ann’ since I had trouble pronouncing it myself.

 

“Are you a wizard?”

 

A word cut through the crowd, freezing the air inside in an instant.

 

In this world, the word wizard was taboo.

 

But the silence was short-lived. Someone’s words had been the catalyst, and the atmosphere in the hall had overheated.

 

“Come on. A wizard, that’s ridiculous.”

 

“But the strange aura the High Priestess sensed is definitely magic.”

 

“I agree. Baron Laurus owns a mine of crystal, so he must have close ties to wizards.”

 

“Maybe he found the mine with the help of a wizard.”

 

The aged nobles speculated about Baron Laurus’s connection to the crystal mine.

 

“What, he’s in league with an evil sorcerer?”