Volume 6, 38

Volume 6, Chapter 38

How many hours have passed since Douglas Hamilton left the room?

Ryouma sat down on the sofa, enjoying the scent of tea from Katarina, then turned his eyes to the table clock on the desk.

In several minutes the tickling hand would hit the 13 o’clock.

It was the start of the hearing after it was being suspended after he had a war of words with the upper nobility.

(A little bit more… This farce will finally over…)

Just before the hearing resumed, Ryouma sighed…

He didn’t feel any nervous even if there would be another war of words once again.

He was also not frustrated for being inside the room for a few hours after he sent off Douglas.

And even though for him waiting there was part of the plan, he still could just have a peace of mind.

He could call what he did as a waste of time but, he sure feels like he had spent the time unproductively.

After all, the man named Mikoshiba Ryouma was usually a busy person.

In the beginning, the job of being a lord was not an easy task.

After all, military affairs, foreign affairs, and domestic affairs, everything was decided by the lord.

Of course, some lords impose heavy taxes and then left the other works to their subordinates.

But Ryouma knew something like that would only cause rebellion and the end of the household.

Earl Salzberg had been able to do his best for many years, but that was because the Earl himself was a military man with a good reputation as a warrior, and he had Yuria as his wife.

He was an exception even among other nobles.

And in the first place, if one were to have even a little bit of sense of responsibility and attachment to the territory, one won’t be able to just simply ignore the administration.

What was more, Ryouma’s territory was built with a lot of his hard work.

In any case, the ten households which control the northern Rozeria had mostly died.

Compared to the whole of the Wortenia Peninsula, it may be only a quarter or less in size but, with him acquired the northern region, his territory would have borders with countries such as the Zalda Kingdom and the Mist Kingdom, and also the other territory of Rozeria Kingdom.

Unlike the Wortenia Peninsula, which was called a dangerous unexplored territory, even if they were aware of the territory, not many people would go there…

Ryouma had a lot of work waiting for him.

But he was always able to find time to relax.

Laura or Sara would usually encourage Ryouma to take a break by drinking some tea but, he himself wishes he could move more faster.

(Well… I can get more free time if I’m just being irresponsible but… Considering the next battle, I want to do what I can…)

When he thought that, the sound of a bell signaling 13 o’clock could be heard.

It was the signal of Ryouma’s long-awaited battle.

“Now then… Let us go…”

Ryouma calmly raised his body from his chair.

Led by the bailiff, Ryouma once gain set foot into the hall, the place where he had a war of words before.

The face of the people sitting in front of him was still the same.

The full armored knights standing behind them were also still the same.

The difference was the place where the material for evidence was being placed.

(Maybe I’m going to sit there…)

The chair was not poorly constructed.

It was a general made product.

However, if one were to be asked if the chair was suitable for an aristocrat, it would be hard to answer.

(The thing itself was not that bad…)

Although there was no decoration at all.

In fact, it made Ryouma wanted to ask, where did they find this kind of chair in this house of lords building.

The aristocrat here might get angry if they were being asked to sit there.

(Well, I don’t care about that though…)

It was a wooden chair without cushion, though it won’t feel comfortable, it was definitely a first step in improving the situation.

However, it would be rude if he just sits on the chair without waiting for the permission of Marquis Halcyon.

No well, in that case, this might be a trap.

(I might be just being too conscious but, the situation is different compared to this morning after all…)

It was just a problem with sitting in a chair or not.

Ordinarily, sitting in a chair silently won’t cause a big problem.

And even though everyone have a different title, they belong to the same aristocracy.

But, not now.

Given they were being enemies, even a small mistake might be used as an excuse to get Ryouma’s life.

Ryouma then decided to stand in the same position as he was in the morning and pay respect to the nobles in front of him.

“It was great to have a rest time. I want to thank you, everyone, for it.”

Seeing Ryouma’s action, Marquis Halcyon clicked his tongue.

Perhaps, he feels uneasy that the situation would turn like this morning.

In the first place, the only people who could hear him doing that were only Earl Aizenbach and Earl Hamilton who was sitting next to him.

And for Marquis Halcyon, he also didn’t want the noise to be heard by the whole house of lords.

But since the sound had even reached Ryouma, his anger must be quite big.

That being said, Ryouma needs to be careful…

(Well, he was being bitten by someone of a lower rank, it is normal for him to feel irritated… I guess I should be careful during the hearing in case he wants some revenge…)

There was no deep meaning to his thought but, if the other person was that angry, it was not a good idea to move without much thought…

Because someone like that might cause a scene just because of a boring misunderstanding.

Ryouma then slowly raises his head.

The first thing he saw was the bitter face of Marquis Halcyon.

The face of Earl Hamilton next to him was angry and filled with murderous intent.

But that only lasted only for a split second.

After all, they were also people who know how to hide their emotions.

Though it seems they were very angry that Ryouma had asked Douglas Hamilton to be judged as a proof that the House of Lords were fair.

Certainly, for the nobility, it was not easy for them to just hand over their relatives.

Even if you’re dabbling in some kind of a crime, it was an aristocrats pride that they shall not speak about their relatives.

In that sense, it could be said as quite unusual for Earl Hamilton to hand over his relatives, Douglas, willingly at the request of Ryouma.

(Anyway, he did willingly let go of his relative, Douglas, maybe because he was sure that there was no reason to clean up Douglas in this house of lords. Well, if it weren’t for me, the hearing itself could be destroyed, so I think there’s no other option…)

And as Ryouma had predicted, it seems the house of lords was going to finish the inquiry now.

At first, Ryouma thought there was still some time but, after seeing the movement of the people since this morning, he was convinced.

Of course, the conclusion won’t be a settlement but in a literal end.

In other words, their goal was the execution of Mikoshiba Ryouma.

From the beginning, they didn’t want to let Ryouma alive.

Thinking back, Ryouma had broken the aristocrats’ customs and was placed in a similar state with that of a house arrest, and when he was placed in inquiry, the result was quite bad.

The house of lords top brass had said they didn’t know anything about that but…

As expected, something like that was irrelevant now.

(Well, I guess they finally decided on my execution huh? So I guess they are trying to let out some steam now…)

They seem to have already agreed on Ryouma execution.

But, even if they manage to agree on it, the heart of humans was still there…

Even when they knew the result of the inquiry, they still can’t help it but feel anger toward Ryouma.

And for them, even just a spitting on him for a bit would be satisfying. -

By comparison, it seems that Earl Aizenbach seems to remain calm.

However, Ryouma could feel the hatred inside Earl Aizenbach’s gaze.

(His folded arms are trembling… I guess he did his best to remained calm eh?)

Even so, the gentle smile on his face might have been because it was his quality, or because he was not get burned as hard as the other two this morning.

Anyway, one should never hope for a fair hearing from them… -

“Now then… Since it seems that Mikoshiba-dono’s concern has been dispelled, let us continue the inquiry…”

Then Marquis Halcyon struck a wooden block with a mallet in his hand.

This kind of mallet was something that usually being used in the western court.

It made the courtroom filled with a nice sound akin to that of a water-filled bamboo tube that clacks against a stone when emptied.

And as if being guided by that sound, people’s awareness also changes.

Their awareness turns serious for the upcoming inquiry.

(I see… That thing has such a purpose…)

He was not sure if such an idea had come from someone from the other world, or such an idea was born in this world naturally but, now he was sure that such a device had another purpose other than making the courtroom look elegant.

As Ryouma was thinking about that, Marquis Halcyon slowly opened his mouth.