The flow of the trial had completely changed. Count Vallidus sensed this too, which was why he was throwing such a desperate fit. But Seraphie wasn’t easily shaken. She was simply waiting for the perfect conclusion with a humble heart.
“How shameless.”
But in that humble heart, there was no filial piety that required her to show respect to Count Vallidus as her father.
“This is in front of Her Majesty the Emperor. Show some respect.”
“That wretched…!”
“And why should I have informed you about it, Father?” Seraphie tilted her head as if genuinely confused. “When I bought that land, did you contribute anything?”
“W-What?”
“There’s a saying that luck is also a skill and a talent.”
Seraphie’s blue eyes, fixed on the Count, were deep and distant. This made the Count hesitate. The vast waves behind those blue eyes seemed ready to surge forward and sweep him away at any moment.
“I bought that land solely with the money I earned through my abilities.”
Not a single penny of the Count’s help or the family’s wealth had gone into it. The finances of the Vallidus family were in ruins due to the Count’s reckless behavior. He had even resorted to using loan sharks.
“You must be speechless. How are you siphoning off the taxes collected from the estate?”
Later, Seraphie discovered that the actual amount of tax revenue from the estate never matched the amount that entered the Count’s coffers.
“…Huff.” Seraphie turned away as if tired of the conversation. She didn’t want to engage with him any further.
“Duke Felicia.” The emperor, who had patiently observed the power struggle between Count Vallidus and Seraphie, finally spoke. “Is what the plaintiff said true?”
“It is true.” Duke Felicia confirmed.
“…Haha.” The emperor let out a hollow, bitter laugh. “The gods must truly favor Lady.”
At some point, the emperor had started addressing Seraphie as ‘Lady’ instead of ‘Plaintiff’ or ‘Count’s Daughter.’
Seraphie responded politely. “If the gods have indeed blessed me, it must be to serve the Empire and Your Majesty.”
Damn gods. They dropped me in this place. I would kill them if I ever get a chance. Seraphie, bowing respectfully, cursed the damned gods in her mind. If there really was such a thing as a god, they wouldn’t have done this to her. Throwing someone who had been living peacefully into the world of a novel was the work of a devil, not a god. But Seraphie didn’t let her true feelings show.
“Your Majesty.” Seraphie continued to play her part until the very end. “I will work with the Felicia family to mine the divine treasure.” She boldly declared that she had the backing of Duke Felicia’s family.
Duke Felicia, impressed by her audacity, cleared his throat with a small cough. “This is also true.”
Another murmur rippled through the courtroom. The Duke glanced at Seraphie and then at his son, Orkis, who met his father’s gaze with a confused expression. He still couldn’t grasp what was happening.
That foolish child. But there’s something endearing about it. The Duke smiled warmly at his son before continuing.
“Your Majesty, the Felicia family accept Countess Validus’s propo—” Ah. The Duke paused with a bitter smile. “I apologize. I spoke out of turn before Your Majesty’s supreme authority.”
“It seems the Duke already considers Lady as a countess.” Instead of reprimanding him, the emperor chuckled along.
“I have always been impressed by the Lady’s exceptional talents. But this trial is solely within Your Majesty’s power.”
The Duke’s eloquent flattery deflected the emperor’s attention. The emperor, not particularly displeased by the praise, let the matter slide.
Oh my. Seraphie scoffed internally. You spoke like that when trying to pressure me before.
Seraphie still vividly remembered. It was on the carriage on the way to confirm the Land Abandoned by the Gods. The chilling gaze with which the Duke had scrutinized her was devoid of any humor. Seraphie had repeatedly touched her neck as if trying to soothe an imaginary pressure.
A monster capable of suffocating a person with just a look. But that’s why she was relieved to have Duke Felicia on her side. He was a formidable ally, someone she couldn’t even imagine as an enemy.
…But it’s strange. Why did they lose?
Seraphie was suddenly troubled by the ending of the original story. In the original, the Felicia family ended up in a bitter conflict with the crown prince, who had an affair with Lillie, and eventually rebelled. And they were annihilated.
It was odd. The Felicia family was described as incredibly powerful in the original. Even though she hadn’t been in this world for long, Seraphie had clearly heard about the Felicia family’s prominence. So why did they lose so easily? Even now, Seraphie was reaping the benefits of the Felicia family’s name in this trial.
She quickly dismissed the frown that had formed on her face. I’ll worry about it later. Right now, she has to focus on herself.
At that moment, Duke Felicia spoke again. “I look forward to our venture together. Even in our brief conversations, I have seen her wisdom and courage.”
The Duke, known for his exacting standards, praised Seraphie in front of everyone. He had given Seraphie an opportunity to make an impression on the emperor.
“Your Majesty.” Seraphie didn’t miss this chance. “I will present the first divine treasure we mine, in the name of both our families, to Your Majesty.”
Seraphie’s declaration had two meanings. First, by offering the first divine treasure to the emperor, she was demonstrating her loyalty to the Empire and the emperor. The second was to assert that she was worthy of bearing her family’s title.
“…Hahaha!” Understanding her intent, the emperor laughed heartily. Her laughter echoed throughout the courtroom, and Seraphie barely restrained herself from frowning.
The emperor’s laughter echoed throughout the courtroom, and Seraphie barely restrained herself from frowning.
“I almost made a grave mistake.”
The emperor’s previously narrowed eyes now glinted sharply. Her predatory gaze swept over Count Vallidus and his daughter. She was thoroughly entertained. It was hard to remember how disinterested she had seemed when she first arrived at the courtroom.
“To think I failed to recognize such a loyal servant who cares so deeply for the Empire.”
That statement sent a chill down Seraphie’s spine. I almost lost… The emperor had been planning to side with Count Vallidus. Seraphie was relieved she had changed her strategy in time. If she had continued to play weak, she would have lost the trial.
“I will deliver the verdict.”
The emperor stood from his seat. Everyone followed suit. The tension in the room was more palpable than ever.
“Seraphie Vallidus.”
Seraphie, whose name had been called, bowed.
“…Welcome to the battlefield.”
Seraphie’s hands tightened around the hem of her dress.
With an arrogant smile, the emperor turned away. “I recognize Seraphie Vallidus’s forced succession to the title of Count.” Her red cape fluttered as she walked away.
* * *
Seraphie felt like her soul was leaving her body. Only now did she truly understand what the emperor meant by ‘Welcome to the battlefield.’ The emperor had personally welcomed and warned her about entering the noble society. But it was also clear that she was looking forward to her next move.
I won.
Seraphie had won.
I’m a countess now.
But she didn’t feel happy. Just staying conscious was exhausting, and all she wanted to do was collapse.
…If I close my eyes and open them again, will I be at home? Home in the world from which she originally came.
Seraphie closed her eyes, hoping against hope. But when she opened them, she saw Count Vallidus, who was now cursing at her. No, he was the former count now.
Damn it. Out of all things to see first.
“Seraphie! You ungrateful wretch!”
“Ah, yes, dear Father.” Seraphie gathered whatever remnants of filial piety she had and waved. “Take care, dear Father.”
Her mocking farewell only made the former count more agitated.
…Hmm? My pronunciation sounds like an expensive cosmetics brand. Seraphie found herself oddly fixated on how her words sounded. She had no more attention to spare for the father, who was now being restrained and dragged off to prison by knights.
“Let go of me!”
The former count couldn’t accept the trial’s outcome.
“How could you take that land! Why do you get to have it…!”
But in the end, he was hauled away, spewing curses that were too vile to repeat. The knights dragged him off, and the other nobles around them all frowned in distaste.
“My father is so resilient; he’ll do just fine in prison.”
Meanwhile, Seraphie felt reassured that her father would adapt well to prison life. And only after the former count had completely disappeared from view did she finally…
“…Phew.” Seraphie let out a long sigh. The sigh was so deep and tired that it even surprised her. The fatigue she had temporarily forgotten during the trial, along with the harsh reality, now weighed heavily on her.
No wonder I’m exhausted.
Since waking up in this unfamiliar world, Seraphie hadn’t had a moment of rest.
Maybe I can finally rest now.
Seraphie fiddled with the dark cloak wrapped around her body. The handkerchief around her neck also felt unfamiliar.
“Would you like to sit down?” Orkis, who had been watching her, asked.
Without replying, Seraphie weakly sat down on a chair Orkis had brought from somewhere. The chair was the same as those in the gallery.
He’s quite perceptive. Seraphie quietly admired.
No sooner had she sat down than dizziness hit her.
“…You won.”
As she closed her eyes to overcome the dizziness, Orkis spoke.
“Truly impressive.”
There was a newfound respect in his low voice.
“You thought I would lose, didn’t you?”
Seraphie had been aware of Orkis’s concerned gaze throughout the trial. His eyes had clearly conveyed, ‘What are you going to do now? This is serious.’ But Seraphie didn’t mind the concern because it was the first time she had felt genuine worry from someone in this world. Concern without pity or mockery.
How can someone like him be a villain?
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