Then Raul returned with the clerk about an hour later.
Sir Brace, who was talking not only about me but also about other people, from the front, and three knights who were quieting him from both sides and behind him. How could I stand it, me, listening to it still and silent? How much I wanted to overturn the desk.
「I’ve brought the secretary.」
A man of about 30 years of age with the appearance of a civil official appeared from behind Raul. I quickly stood up and bowed to the clerk.
「Thank you for accepting my request on such short notice. I am very sorry for the inconvenience, but I look forward to working with you.」
If it were me, there would be no need for me to bow down. But this is part of the calculation.
I could tell from the secretary’s mood that he had come reluctantly under unconvincing circumstances. I don’t know what explanation he gave, but I can say without a doubt that Raul brought him in without being able to convince him well. Maybe he didn’t even bow his head and was really asking for too much. His expression was so full of reluctance that it seemed so. If I apologized for my false accusation, what impression would it make in his eyes?
「…No, there is no need for you to apologize. Captain Colden told me it was some kind of mistake.」
「Still, since I am a party to the…」
「Then I will only take your feelings. Now, look up.」
When he took my hand and raised himself up, the clerk man had a slight smile on his face.
「Thank you very much.」
I returned a small smile in response. I grinned inwardly. This would have created a common understanding between him and me that I was being pushed around by the flabbergasting 4th Unit, because I would have been able to get him to see that.
I was urged to my chair as if I were being escorted, and he took his place at the desk where the clerk was stationed.
During that time, none of the knights said anything, so the impression must be terrible. Even a slight bow of the head, not to mention an apology, would have made a completely different impression, but they’re all idiots.
「Just to confirm, are you sure you want to be heard on the charges of breaking into the treasure room of the Palace of the King’s Brother and Princess, and theft?」
The secretary asked Raul, but Raul shook his head and said.
「This hearing will be conducted by Darryl Brace, who is sitting there. Consider me just a chaperone.」
「…Then, Sir Brace. Are you sure?」
The secretary asks Sir Brace, who is sitting in front of me with a scowl on his face. I can tell by the sound of his voice as well as his expression that he’s fed up. I totally understand that feeling. I know what it’s like to be a chaperone at a hearing. I don’t understand Raul’s thought process that he can say it as if it were a matter of course.
「Let’s add insult to injury to Her Royal Highness.」
Sir Brace said with a proud smile.
An insult, I see. I’m sure you’ll regret it, but if you want to add to it, be my guest.
「Yes, sir. Then we are ready, please begin.」
When the clerk said this, Brace coughed dismissively and looked at me with amused eyes. He was ready to torture me. Uwah, what a bad character. I’m not going to address you with “Sir” anymore. I don’t see the need to use the term of endearment that is used to call him with respect. I don’t feel any sense of decency at all.
「Marshallie Gracis. I know all about your misdeeds. I am afraid that you were so jealous of Her Royal Highness the Princess that you repeatedly harassed her. You have been verbally abusive to Her Highness, you have interfered with her visits, and you have been graciously invited to tea by Her Highness, yet you haven’t attended a single one.」
You’re not wrong about the tea party, but the rest of this is very misguided.
「Then, after threatening to fire the maid of the Royal Brother’s palace if she didn’t do what you said, you forced her to cooperate with you, entered the treasure room, and stole the priceless jewelry. Isn’t that right!」
「I have no recollection of this. I have been completely falsely accused.」
「Don’t lie to me. We’ve done our research!!!」
What kind of research would that be? Shall I ask you to tell me?
「The maid testified to the outburst. And the break-in and theft were discovered by a tip-off. You can’t get away with it!」
Yes, I can. This is not a cop-out, but a counter-argument.
「As for the tea party, yes. I have never attended one.」
「Hmph, is that so?」
I think it’s too early to get good at this.
「But I am not harassing her. As you know, I am the Queen’s lady-in-waiting. I cannot give priority to participating in a tea ceremony when I haven’t even received a day off. I have informed Her Royal Highness to that effect.」
Even if it wasn’t, I don’t want to go, and I have no intention of going at all if I’m invited in the future.
「And as for the visit being interfered with, I have been asked the same question by Captain Colden. However, I explained my suspicions to him at that time, and he seemed to be satisfied with my explanation, aren’t you?」
I turned to Raul, who was near the door, and asked him.
「…No, there is no need for that.」
Right? Because you are the one who will be humiliated.
「Darryl. We’ve settled that matter.」
「Are you defending that woman, Captain?」
「It is not so. Her Highness and I have both said that we are satisfied on this matter.」
“Satisfied” is a convenient way of putting it, even though it is Her Royal Highness the Princess who is at fault for not giving an advance notice of her visit.
「Tch…」
He gave me a terrible glare, but it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t itch, so go ahead and do what you want. Besides, the fun is just beginning. Please follow me.
「After that, which maid is the maid who testified?」
「What does that have to do with anything. A maid is just a maid.」
「It is important to know which palace the maid belongs to. You don’t mean to say that you were the maid attached to the King’s Brother and Princess, do you?」
「That’s true, but what does it matter? Testimony makes no difference.」
「Then you are corroborating that the testimony is correct.」
「There can’t be any mistakes, though, can there!」
How can you be sure? It is obvious that testimony alone is not evidence. That is why it is necessary to corroborate the testimony.
「So how can a maid with the palace of the King’s Brother and Princess listen to my rantings when I have never set foot in the palace of the King’s Brother and Princess?」
「…What?」
Basically, as the first lady-in-waiting by Her Royal Highness the Queen, I don’t have to go to the palace of the King’s Brother and Princess. It is not I, the first lady-in-waiting, but other attendants who go to the palace of the Princess on the mission of Myra-sama, and I personally would never go to see the Princess.
「Therefore, it is impossible for me, who has never been to the palace, to even meet the maids attached to the palace, even though I have attended tea ceremonies before. Maids aren’t allowed to leave their posts to go to other palaces, and they have to be checked in to enter the palace. It’s the Guard of Honor that does it, isn’t it? Do you have a record of that?」
At this rate, they probably haven’t looked into it. Too bad.
「Similarly, I think it would be difficult to threaten a servant to break in. To do so would require the cooperation not only of the servants but also of the knights of the Kingsguard who are guarding the place. You don’t mean to say that such a person is in the 4th Unit?」
「There’s no way someone’s there! Are you insulting the knights of the 4th Corps!?」
That’s the only way I can answer that. I can’t doubt my friends, and more importantly, it’s like saying I’m suspicious of them too.
「Yes, you are right. I am relieved. Then my suspicions are confirmed.」
Because it is, right?
「If I can’t break in, I can’t possibly steal it.」
「…Kuh!」
「Ahh, but you said that you had evidence that I couldn’t get away with. Please, bring it out.」
Don’t tell me this is the end of it. Because you treated me like a sinner in front of that many people.
「What’s wrong? You have solid evidence, don’t you?」
「…」
Why do you turn your face away? You’re lying. I haven’t made an argument that seems to be argumentative yet. It’s just the beginning, right? Right!?
