Ouroboros Record ~Circus of Oubeniel~

Tullius was satisfied at how bitterly the Marquis had to agree with him.

“Yes, I submitted to the ‘might’ of his Excellency. Absolutely not because it was ‘right’. I am just a Viscount. Creating trouble during my brother’s wedding ceremony would not be right. I had to show respect to his Excellency, who possesses a higher peerage, and who was also an esteemed guest of the wedding ceremony. That was why I bowed.”

“Bullshit! You said you did not mind that I took my daughter back...”

“Did I say that?”

Count Cartan’s enthusiasm petered out.

“N-no you did not say that.”

“Right. All I said was that I will explain to my brother. I did not say I was alright with you taking her away, nor did I ever say I was ok with it at any point of time. Moreover, if I had to say, your Excellency...”

Tullius bent over to look more closely at the Count. He definitely had a broad smile across his face now. Uni was somewhat vexed that she could not enjoy any bit of it.

“...Did I say anything that meant that I acknowledged Uni as Miss Anrietta?”

Cartan’s face became dark red and his forehead throbbing. He had not collapsed in a stroke yet, but it looked like he might anytime soon. If that happened, the trial would have to be delayed… and she might die. Uni summed it up dispassionately.

Cartan trembled tremendously as he spoke.

“N-no...You…did... not...”

Yes, not once did Tullius declare that he was letting go of her. The Count was simply misled by his own interpretation.

...Uni was terribly ashamed that she could not realise that until she spent a full night thinking about it. Her master had planned to take her back.

“Yes, I never did agree with your claim. I let you bring Uni back because his Excellency had a higher peerage than me, and because I want to avoid creating a commotion at all cost. I did, however, plan to seek legal means to take her back later.”

“S-stop playing on words… Did you not open the door for me…!?”

Cartan’s voice started to become hoarse and he seemed to be gasping for breaths.

Tullius did open the door of the parlour room.

“That was for his Excellency, the Marquis. ...Did I want you to leave? Did I urge you to take your leave? ...Did I say that?”

Tullius doubled down on his questions to Cartan.

All he did that night was to open the door. He did not say, ‘please have a safe trip home’ or ‘let’s return to the ceremony’.

Cartan was too caught up with taking his daughter back and ignored him entirely. The Count forcefully dragged her out.

You reap what you sow. Uni thought.

“You did not say that but...”

“Objection! Judge, the plaintiff is playing on words and is changing the events that happened that night!”

Marquis Lavallee could not help but interject. However, Tullius flat out denied the Marquis the opportunity.

“Objection to the objection! All I am doing is confirming the truth of that night with Count Cartan. If that is considered a play on words, then I would truly be shocked!”

“Silence!”

The judge rang his wooden clapper bell and warned.

“At the moment, there are no contradictions between the plaintiff’s testimonies and questionings. Furthermore, the accused has agreed fully with the plaintiff. As such, the objection that Tullius is playing on words is dismissed.”

“Ugh...”

The Marquis groaned.

Marquis Lavallee, the ringleader of the centralist faction, the notorious schemer across the entire kingdom had been talked down. The visitors flew into an uproar.

“Plaintiff, do you have more to say?”

“Yes, a final one please.”

Tullius turned to look at Cartan again.

“Count. That night, when you left the reception room where we had our discussion...who did you bid farewell?”

“M-Marquis Lavallee...”

“What did you say to me? As the representative of the groom’s brother, the second son of the Oubeniels, did you give the proper formalities to me as you left?”

“No...”

The Count’s reply became as soft as the buzz of a mosquito.

“I did not hear you. Could you please repeat that?”

“...No, I did not!”

“Did everybody hear that!?”

Tullius projected his voice to the entire courthouse. Tullius was now playing a central role in the trial. The young Viscount cornered both the Count and the Marquis. His every single move was captured by everybody in the courthouse.

Uni could imagine his back glowing with glory.

(Amazing… master!)

As she smiled with her entire face, Tullius continued his one-sided slaughter.

“Exactly, he did not even bother to exchange farewells before leaving! And he brought my slave back without my permission! Is this an acceptable course of action for a noble, even if one was higher in rank and older in age? No, not to any noble and definitely not to the brother of the organiser of the ceremony. As such, Count Cartan is unbefitting… of being a noble of the kingdom!”

“Shut up! You slave murderer!”

Cartan furiously shouted.

“How to treat other nobles? Unbefitting!? Would anybody treat somebody like you as a noble?”

“Please do not get me wrong, Count Cartan.”

Tullius remained calm.

“This trial is the one deciding if you are fit to continue being a noble. Didn’t your wife sue you because of this? The reason why I am here is because I have been summoned as a witness. Should I repeat that again? You are the one being sued. ...Do you understand the position you are in now?”

It was a question loaded with malice.

However, Cartan was still under the effects of Uni’s brainwashing.

“Whatever!”

All he could do was answer honestly to all questions from Tullius.

Of course, what he said was what he thought of truly. Normally he would be able to have some self-control but his anger brought forth everything.

“...Huh? ...Huh”

He was too late in shutting his own mouth. Everybody was looking at Count Cartan as coldly as a winter sky. This was the trial which decided his fate and he shouted, “Whatever”. Could he still call himself a Count?

Marquis Lavallee stared at his underling with murderous intent. Linus was also looking down at the Count with disdain. Josephine was silent, perhaps because of the over-effectiveness of the medicine. But she looked as though she was deeply disappointed with her husband.

The Count, a former court magician, had ruined his reputation completely.

Well, as for Uni...she was good whatsoever. Certainly she was blood related to him, but she did not think of him as a father. The person who respected and loved her father was Anrietta. Anrietta died 11 years ago. She was Uni, born 11 years ago. If she had to call somebody father, then that person would be Tullius. And her mother would have to be...the alchemy he practiced.

The courthouse fell dead silent. Tullius reinvigorated the courthouse with his crisp voice.

“As we can all see, that is how the Count behaves. I would like to reaffirm my strong desire to accuse the Count, with his terrible character, of abducting my slave. By the way, Count?”

He redirected his gaze back to the Count.

“You said I was a slave murderer?”

“Ahh....”

His response faded midway.

He must be mentally exhausted. Without concerning himself with that, Tullius continued.

“Is it a crime to kill your own slave?”

“It...is not a crime.”

Exactly.

Slaves were legally, just a tool, a property. So long as they belong to you, you can do whatever you want with them. This was not a law limited to this country, but a common law between the countries in the Ithuselah continent.

“How about stealing a slave?”

“A crime...”

And that was the truth too. While slaves were tools and property, that did not mean it was acceptable to rob another’s slave. It was unacceptable to steal a person’s property. Even a child would be aware of such a logic.

“Enough. Then I believe everybody is fully aware of the situation? That is all from me.”

As he announced grandly, Cartan fell on his knees.

Now that was unexpected. Uni was surprised.

As long as it was something she made, she wanted to show her master. Not just denouncing Count Cartan for stealing her, but also for his terrible personality. She knew she had to brainwash the Count to gain an advantageous footing in this trial. However, Tullius managed to deduce how she brainwashed the Count and made full use of it.

The second accusation...was a triumph. Far more victorious than she had expected.

―Clap, clap, clap.

A lonely clapping sound was heard.

Marquis Lavallee was the only person clapping.

He no longer glared at the defeated Count Cartan and stared straight at Tullius.

“Wow, you are very eloquent for somebody this young, Viscount. Even this old bones have to give it to you.”

“Well...it is truly unexpected to be receiving praises from your Excellency.”

“Hehehe, please don’t be humble.”

Marquis Lavallee was being complacent as he sang the praises of his enemy, Tullius. That was to be expected. At the end of the day, all Tullius did was dealing a blow to Count Cartan. Whereas the Marquis, at worse, gained a few more gossips. Nothing more than an itch.

“However, there is hole in your argument.”

“Oh?”

“Are you able to prove that your slave and Miss Anrietta are different people?”

The Marquis spoke with a smile, pretending to be a well-mannered old noble.

Right. For Uni to return to her master, it was not enough to just force Count Cartan to retreat. As long she was Anrietta Pola Cartan, nothing would change and she would still be bound to the Count’s family. As long the ‘apparatus’ known as the Cartan family was present, Lavallee’s plan could still work.

This monster would have no problem manipulating the new head of family. Not to mention if the new head of family was younger and inexperienced. As long as Marquis Lavallee declared himself as the guardian of the Cartan family, he could continue as per normal.

The Marquis would lose nothing, while Tullius would lose Uni.

Still.

“Your Excellency is in such a rush.”

Tullius shrugged his shoulders. Calling this the end was hasty.

“The trial is still ongoing. There is still one more accusation to go through? What was it…? ‘Lying that the Viscount’s slave is his child to reject returning the Viscount’s slave. Truly running afoul of the laws of the kingdom’. Am I right, judge?”

“That is not wrong. We still have the indictment.”

“...Shall I present the evidence now?”

“Yes.”

“Oh...?”

Marquis Lavallee smiled in response. A fierce and sadistic smile. The kingdom’s finest schemer, who brought together the centralist faction, began to slowly reveal his true nature.

Thinking upon it, this man had conducted himself quietly for the most part of the trial. He focused exclusively on covering for the Count, and hardly went on the offensive. He would probably use his trump card soon.

The final accusation was the most important factor considered by both Tullius and Uni. The entire game could change based on the outcome of it.

“Very well. Please present it.”

“Of course. ...About her.”

And then he looked over at her. Tullius’ face was always the same. His calm demeanour was to cover up the boredom in his eyes. And inside those eyes was the trust he had in her.

“Uni. That is all from me. It is now up to you.”

Ah. She let out a small sigh. A command from her master. The trust he had to leave it up to her. She felt the bliss of having a weight on her back and fell into a momentary trance.

Naturally, it was just for a moment. She had no intention to fail as a servant by appearing idiotic. She paid her respects to her master and bowed.

“...I understand your orders, master.”