Chapter 3: Chapter 3

The court, shaped like an amphitheater, also served as a secret execution site. A high-ranking nobleman, a traitor who shook the country, a political prisoner… the lives of so many people were lost on this spot.

This court was the tomb of criminals who could not be publicly executed.

Those who judged the death to be justifiable all sat on high seats and watched the death of the criminal standing in the center of the circular court, as if seeing the deaths of those who posed a threat to the empire directly before their eyes would give them peace of mind.

A knife-like coldness filled the slightly dark interior.

The eyes of all those seated were focused on the young knight standing upright in the center of the courtroom. The young man, who was famous for being audacious, kept his head down and never moved after he was brought to the scene.

There was only heavy silence in the courtroom, as if everyone was waiting for someone else to speak first.

Laius ordered coldly.

“Raise your head.”

Arendt’s shoulders trembled. After a moment passed, Arendt slowly raised his head as if he was obediently complying with the command.

Arendt’s eyes shifted silently, scanning the people who filled the courtroom one by one. From where he was standing, the backlight caused people’s faces to look hazy.

The only faces that could be recognized were the knights sitting at the bottom of the tiered seats, closest to Arendt.

Among them, what stood out were the three leaders.

Arendt’s gaze fell on Laius, the leader of the 3rd Knights, for a moment and then dropped. The next place he looked at was slightly above the front, where the judge was.

Unlike the seats occupied by knights and other nobles, a handsome old man was standing in the law school on a high platform, looking down coldly.

Lee Soo-hyun… no, Arendt knew very well who he was.

‘Grand Duke’ Lancelot would preside over this important trial on behalf of the emperor. He was highly trusted by the emperor, as he was able to hand down the final death sentence in this secret trial. He was not a character that appeared often in the novel, but in the current situation, he was a fairly important role. He was an essential character to bring the audience into the plot.

Arendt, who had confirmed all the characters, bowed lightly and spoke first.

“Arendt von Eckhart of the Third Knights meets you, gentlemen.”

A voice without any flaws filled the heartless court with a sonorous sound. Just that one word was enough to distort the stern faces of those standing.

It was originally the actor’s role to break the silence on stage. Even now, his mouth was dry as he thought that his life was at stake.

However, since it had already begun, Arendt decided not to hesitate.

What he was dealing with now was no different from the audience who didn’t even know how to admire a great stage and had no sense of style. He was an unlucky actor who must somehow lead them to their desired destination.

“Heh…”

Duke Lancelot burst into absurd laughter.

“I’ve heard before that you’re arrogant, but…this is truly amazing. Do you really not know what it means to stand here?”

“No, I know full well where this court is. I’m not a dimwit. I know very well that no one has ever stood here and survived.”

Arendt’s clear yet sharp voice flew in. Then, a slight anger began to seep into Duke Lancelot’s calm voice.

“Then you still haven’t fully realized how serious your sin is?”

“You, the duke, is the person who doesn’t know anything. Before considering the severity of sin, shouldn’t we first consider whether there is a sin or not? I think the meaning of the trial should lie there.”

The meaning of his words was clear.

However, Duke Lancelot and others, had no choice but to doubt their own ears at least once.

This sentence wasn’t something that could be said in this courtroom.

There was a cold silence.

After a while, Duke Lancelot frowned and asked as if to confirm the meaning of Arendt’s words.

“Are you saying you’re going to plead not guilty here and now?”

“Yes, Duke.”

The golden eyes revealed in the dim light contained vivid venom.

Duke Lancelot seemed at a loss for words this time.

Arendt glanced at Laius.

Laius also couldn’t take his eyes off Arendt and had a puzzled look on his face.

If Duke Lancelot was the person he was going to appeal to, the most important audience right now was Laius. Even though Duke Lancelot was the one who could immediately make the decision, the person who actually held the power over life and death was Laius, Arendt’s leader.

Arendt, who fixed his gaze straight ahead again, articulated at Duke Lancelot with a sharp voice.

“Did you say that I was in cahoots with a force trying to harm His Majesty the Emperor?”

“Yes. Do you have anything to add to that?”

Duke Lancelot regained his composure and responded.

Arendt glared fiercely at everyone who looked down on him.

“What I did was not a secret communication. It was a transaction.”

“…What does that mean?”

The person who asked that question was Laius, not Duke Lancelot.

Arendt glared at him and continued.

“That’s literally it. Instead of just giving something, you also receive something.”

Laius’ face suddenly hardened.

He growled fiercely.

“Did you hand over information to the enemy and receive money in return?”

“Oh dear. Captain, are you kidding me?”

Arendt twisted his lips perversely.

“I’m not that kind of a stupid person. Do you really think that this Arendt risked his life for just a few pennies? Seriously?”

That voice was full of venom.

Maybe there was a hint of ridicule in it. There was silence in the audience, as if they had grown tired of his obnoxiousness.

Arendt continued speaking clearly.

“A transaction is only established when there is a balance between the two sides. I am not so wretched that I would risk being chased just for money. I’ll tell you in advance just in case, but it’s not because of my personal grudge.”

Arendt’s gaze landed on Laius.

“You know that I don’t like to let other people take care of things for me. I think it’s better to do everything with my own hands.”

“…”

“For example, pointing a knife at the leader’s neck… even if I’d have to rebel against this empire, I’d prefer to do it with my own two hands.”

It was as if ice water had been poured from the ceiling.

Some people sighed as if they couldn’t make sense of him, while others glared at him as if they were going to eat him at any moment.

“Such an arrogant guy…”

“You talk so well with your open mouth.”

A clenching sound came from somewhere.

Arendt did not bother to identify who the anger originated from.

This courtroom was already filled with hostility toward Arendt, to the extent that the words just said seemed to have no particular meaning.

‘The response is quite enthusiastic.’

Arendt swallowed dryly without even realizing it.

Still, he felt fine. The fact that the audience reacted in some way was a hundred times better than them being completely indifferent, and, even at this moment, Laius was maintaining his composure.

That’s what mattered.

Duke Lancelot cleared his throat and shouted.

“Quiet!”

As if that one word was a signal, the courtroom, which had been briefly engulfed in murmurs, became quiet again.

Duke Lancelot spoke again.

“Go ahead.”

“Duke!”

One of the nobles who was angry called him sharply. However, Duke Lancelot silenced the protest by raising one of his hands.

“Tell me more.”

As described in the novel, Duke Lancelot was strict, but he was not an uncommunicative person. Duke Lancelot now seemed to have a rough idea of ​​what Arendt was trying to say.

Arendt’s mouth drew a curve.

This time, it wasn’t something he made up, it was something that came from his heart.

“Information. It’s about those who are trying to slander His Majesty the Emperor.”

“…!”

This time, a different kind of commotion filled the cold courtroom.

Arendt slowly closed his eyes and opened them, as if he was appreciating the voices for a moment.

One of Duke Lancelot’s eyebrows was twisted. Laius’ face was so hard that it could not have been any harder.

Complaining about injustice here would not be helpful. Even if he could avoid the death penalty presently, if there was no more use for him, he could still be executed.

In the worst case, his limbs could be cut off and locked in prison to rot.

What he had to do now was to defend himself as much as possible, so that he could walk out of this place on his own without a single hair on his head being damaged.

Arendt poured out his words with an overt criticism.

“The situation would have been different if you listened to me before arresting me, instead of just saying I was a murderer. I may have been able to penetrate to the core of their power, but instead, after just one contact with them, you guys accused me of treason.”

Arendt’s golden eyes flashed with anger.

“You grabbed the tail. Me. In that case, rather than being satisfied with me, you should have thought of following them and cutting off the head. Have I expected too much from you cowards?”

“Huh…”

Someone let out a long sigh, the people in the courtroom seemed so shocked that they couldn’t even speak.

Duke Lancelot looked down at Arendt with disturbed eyes.

Arendt looked as ugly as if he had been thrown in prison and then dragged out.

The neat and tidy uniform of the apprentice knight was completely disheveled, and his pure white silver hair was messy, and dirty things were stuck on it. This appearance seemed fitting for someone who had committed a serious crime and was waiting for the death penalty.

However, the eyes glaring in their direction like a venomous wild cat made those watching unable to take their eyes off Arendt.

A clear voice, his facial expressions, gestures… everything was attracting attention.

‘Was that intentional?’

It was difficult to listen to his harsh words and provocative tone, which felt arrogant.

But what if even that was a very intentional production to make people there listen to him?

The Duke’s eyes narrowed.

Whether it was unintentional or intended, it was not something that could be ignored. The sinner was enhancing the persuasiveness of his words simply by making the people gathered listen.

People were buzzing again.

Duke Lancelot, who once again calmed down the audience, asked calmly.

“You wouldn’t tell a lie in this setting.”

“I would not. Please believe me, even though I will not kneel down and pray, I can guarantee one thing.”

He raised his bound hands and tapped his head with his index finger.

“If we lose this, it will be quite a painful loss for you as well.”

“…”

There was deep silence again in the courtroom.

Some people were angry at his words and actions, while others were lost in thought, pondering the words Arendt had just said.

Arendt stood still and waited for them for some time.

The person who broke the heavy and noisy silence was none other than Laius.

“If we let you live here, can you prove the worth of your life?”

“I have to prove it. “You idiots don’t seem to recognize it.”

Arendt grinned as if he had been waiting for that question. Laius’ eyes became even colder.

Arendt added as if driving a nail into the coffin.

“The information I have in my head will definitely be valuable. It’s much better than condemning one knight and using him as an example.”