Chapter 54: Chapter 54

Sylas stared at the slave sitting among the servants and guards who had been brought in to witness the day’s trial. Why was that slave there?

The slave also stared at him with a happy expression. Sylas didn’t know if the slave understood why he was there. Whoever had brought him must have had a reason. And Sylas was sure it was Virouse.

Sylas walked into the room. It was very quiet. His footsteps echoed clearly.

The Royal Court was one of the most heavily guarded buildings in the palace. The courtroom was large and impressive, with high ceilings decorated with classical paintings and crystal chandeliers hanging above. At the end of the room stood a high podium where the Chief Judge sat, along with a large, beautifully carved table from which he led the trial.

In front of the podium was a long, curved table where the Dukes, Counts, Barons, and Earls sat. They were seated neatly in rows according to their rank and position, with Duke Marcellus sitting closest to the judge, as an important figure in the case. Next to them, slightly ahead and off to the side, sat General Huron and other military officials.

On the right side of the podium was a special area for the Royal Priest and Royal Doctor, who wore their distinctive robes and symbols. They sat with serious expressions, making Sylas feel sick just looking at them.

At that moment, they looked as if they were ready to devour him alive.

To his right and left were rows of seats for servants, guards, and other attendees who were allowed to be present.

When Sylas stepped in front of Chief Judge Sorende Simart, everyone in the courtroom stood up. They bowed in respect.

Sylas caught a small smile from Virouse, making his heart race. But he didn’t want to look nervous.

He stared at the old judge who would decide his future. The old judge was known to be very stubborn, and no one could change his mind once it was made up. King Adrien praised him highly.

The old judge nodded seriously and said, "Welcome, Your Royal Highness."

Prince Sylas replied with a respectful bow, standing straight.

"Thank you," he answered calmly, his voice steady. As he stepped forward to take his place, he gave a brief, polite nod to the dukes, counts, and other important people there, showing respect while ignoring his personal feelings.

The room went silent as Chief Justice Sorende Simart slowly stood up. His thin, slightly bent figure, marked by age, gave him an air of wisdom and authority. He raised a silver-inlaid wooden staff, signaling the start of the trial.

"Honorable members of the court, noble dukes, lords, and distinguished guests, we are gathered here today to hear the charges against His Highness Prince Sylas. The accusations are very serious—he is charged with poisoning our beloved King. This trial is very important for the stability of our kingdom and the honor of the royal family."

He paused for a moment to let his words sink in.

"As protectors of justice, we must put aside all bias and personal loyalty. This court will listen to all the evidence, witness testimony, and arguments before giving a fair and honest verdict. Let everyone here remember that the law rules this court."

He turned to the nobles. "I remind all members of the Royal Court to carry out their duties with honesty and wisdom. Let us begin with the reading of the charges."

A tall man in dark robes, the chief prosecutor, stood and walked to the center of the room.

"Thank you, Your Honor. Nobles and guests, we will prove that Prince Sylas, in an act of betrayal, gave poison to His Majesty the King. Our first piece of evidence is the testimony of the court physician, who will describe the symptoms and timing of the King’s sudden illness."

The prosecutor pointed to a middle-aged man in the white robes of the royal medical staff.

"Next, we present the testimony of servants before the king became ill. A servant belonging to Prince Sylas, named Misil, even confessed to putting poison in the king’s food, saying the prince ordered her to do it. We also have a bottle found with the prince that contained traces of a deadly poison known to be fatal even in small amounts."

Whispers spread through the courtroom as the prosecutor continued.

"We will prove beyond a doubt that the prince’s actions were deliberate and cruel, turning against his family and duty to the kingdom."

The courtroom went quiet again as all eyes turned to Prince Sylas. Judge Sorende Simart looked at him seriously from his high seat.

"Prince Sylas, you have heard the testimony. Misil, your personal servant, confessed that you ordered her to poison the king. What do you have to say in your defense?"

Sylas looked at the judge without any fear.

"I will speak the truth," he began, his voice calm but firm. "On the day the king was poisoned, I was not in the palace. I was traveling outside the capital on His Majesty’s orders. Several guards will confirm this. You can also check the records of when I left the palace."

Whispers spread among the nobles. Sylas went on.

"How could I give orders to Misil if I wasn’t even there? If she truly got instructions, they didn’t come from me."

The judge frowned. "Then how do you explain her confession? She served you. She directly mentioned your name."

"I’m sure she was tricked or forced," Sylas said confidently. "Someone could have used my name, sent a fake message, or pretended to act for me. Misil may have truly believed it was me. Or maybe she was forced to say my name."

He paused, letting the silence build.

"And now she’s dead. She can’t be questioned. No one can ask her why she said what she did, or who really gave her the orders."

Duke Virouse crossed his arms, watching quietly.

Sylas raised his voice slightly, speaking to everyone in the room. Get full chapters from novel{f}ire.net

"I loved my father. We had our disagreements, but I would never do something so terrible. Someone wanted to get rid of me in the worst way. The same person who wanted to throw the kingdom into chaos. If I wanted the throne, I wouldn’t have needed to kill His Majesty. Why would I do something so evil and ruin my name and chance at the throne?"

The courtroom was silent again.

The judge glared at Sylas, then looked down at the notes in front of him. With a thoughtful expression, he said, "This court will consider your statement. But we need more than just words."

The general looked calm, but when a guard captain behind him whispered something, his face grew tense.

He looked at Virouse, who had already been watching him. The prince smiled.

Huron tried to stay calm. He had prepared an important witness: the doctor from the palace lab who could confirm the source of the poison. Whether Sylas was guilty or not, that testimony would be key evidence.

But the doctor had been found dead that morning of a heart attack. This made Huron even more suspicious of Virouse.

The trial became more intense. More evidence was shown, but none of it cleared the charges against Sylas.

Alvaro also testified that he had been with Sylas the whole time and never saw him meet Misil. But his testimony had little effect, because of his loyalty to Sylas.

Then Terion shocked everyone. As the presiding judge, he gave his testimony in favor of Sylas.

"These charges are based only on a servant’s statement, Your Honor. Anyone can lie. But I want to tell you how I found the prince on the road and brought him back safely to the palace."

Terion explained how the shadow troops had attacked and nearly killed Sylas. He also described how they stopped his carriage on the road.

"I brought hundreds of knights and was still overwhelmed by the attackers. Can you imagine, Your Honor, that Prince Sylas had only one knight with him? Isn’t it a miracle that he’s still alive? Shouldn’t we also investigate the dark troops? What was their reason for trying to kill the crown prince?"

"You can ask how many of General Huron’s troops, who were escorting Prince Sylas back to the palace, died because of that attack."

"If Prince Sylas really planned to poison the King, wouldn’t he have run far away from the palace after the rumors started? Why would he come back?"

Everyone went quiet. They nodded, though doubt still lingered. But Terion’s words made sense.

Still, the court wanted to know who was truly behind it all. Misil couldn’t have done it alone. Someone powerful had to be involved.

And now, things were getting even more interesting.

Whispers stirred once more, but this time with curiosity instead of judgment. Some nobles leaned closer to one another, exchanging quiet thoughts. The tension shifted slightly, no longer pressing only on Sylas. Attention slowly turned to Virouse.