Reborn as a Mind-Reading Empress
Chapter 93: Trapped Prey [Bonus - ]

Chapter 93: Trapped Prey [Bonus Chapter]

At first, only those who knew about the tribute and slavery issues were maid to talk so Gulliver was confident since it was hard to pin the blame on him with no direct evidence.

But with Gulliver finally done making excuses, witnesses from the noble faction were finally called upon. Count Elirion and his allies who knew about Gulliver’s plots finally had their say. The noble faction had their own share of proof of Gulliver’s involvement between the hefty taxes, the false tribute, and the slavery.

Based from his experience, Count Rowell also pointed out why the information did not get of Prudencia. The other nobles and non-aristocratic faction also seconded since Count Rowell was apparently not the only one who received threats after trying to send letters outside Prudencia.

Gulliver still tried to deny thought even after most of the witnesses had spoken. However, the most important witnesses were yet to be revealed.

Arabella smiled as Gulliver paled when Odette and her older siblings entered the hall.

[She’s alive?! How come?! I received a report she failed to become an assistant of the Empress and was already disposed of.]

Gulliver frowned at Odette and looked around.

[Was she hired?!] Gulliver glanced at Arabella and she smiled at him as brightly as she could. Ferdinand glared at Gulliver for staring at her.

It was only then did Gulliver realized he was probably, already doomed.

Theodore, Jonathan, Nathaniel, and Benedict all gave their statements first before Odette’s because hers was the longest and most detailed.

And once it was Odette’s turn, she revealed everything she knew in detail including the fact that she was threatened into a marriage with Gulliver so she wouldn’t reveal she had overheard him speaking with the head of the mercenaries about gathering and selling slaves from Prudencia.

Odette also knew that Gulliver had been getting ladies sent to his chambers and among some of them were slaves.

After Odette, their younger siblings were asked if it was true that they were imprisoned by the Marquess as leverage and hostage to control their older siblings. Gwyneth and Frances also gave their statements and testified against the Marquess.

After the siblings, the investigators brought out their most important cards.

Some of Marquess Gulliver’s own people who had agreed to testify against him in exchange for their family’s safety and lesser punishment for them for helping reveal the truth.

Alwin and the investigators had roamed Prudencia and the northern borders along with some knights in order to catch them in the act so they would have no room to deny.

The mercenary leaders protected Gulliver. But the same was not true with the ones under them. They had their fears and doubts.

Gulliver glared at the mercenaries who were just allowed to enter. But they were no longer scared of him because they now feared a far greater power. They glanced in Ferdinand’s direction and they paled.

Alwin and the investigators told them that Ferdinand would execute everyone involved in the slavery case along with their families since it was one of the heaviest crimes ever committed in Valeria. Thus, they agreed to reveal the truth in order to be exempted from execution and save their families.

After all, if even their families would be executed, the contract with Gulliver no longer has meaning.

The mercenary leaders were surprised to see some of the men under them had betrayed them. They didn’t know it was because even their families would be executed due to the weight of their crimes.

Arabella knew though that it was just a farce to make the mercenaries give in and testify. A different punishment was already set.

The mercenaries then gave their statements and even revealed the contract with Gulliver. The fact that what they were saying contrasted with the mercenary leaders’ statements was questioned.

But it was then that one of the mercenaries said, "It was because we learned that the equivalent punishment of procuring slaves in the Empire is the execution of everyone involved including our families."

Gulliver and the mercenary leaders became deathly pale at this and glance at each other. It became obvious that they had connections with each other.

"The contract with the Marquess no longer works since all our families would be executed with us anyway. There’s no use in covering up for him," another of the mercenaries added and encouraged their leaders to be honest and reveal the truth.

The hall was filled with murmurs due to the mercenaries’ words.

Executing the mercenaries themselves were alright but involving their families were a bit much.

If their families were not part of the crime, they should not be punished along with the mercenaries.

Everyone glanced at Ferdinand wondering if it was true.

His time to talk finally came as one of the courtiers asked if the mercenaries’ claim was true.

"Of course. This has never happened before in Valeria. How could someone dare sell my people for a few measly gold coins? Ever since Valeria’s founding, slavery was prohibited. And yet, it happened in my term. Doesn’t this make me the only failure among all my predecessors? How would I ever face them if I do not punish these evildoers?"

Arabella blinked repeatedly. Ferdinand was also a good actor. He spoke as if he was not the one who planned what would happen in this trial with Alwin and the investigators.

"In the first place, Valerians are not and had never been for sale. How dare you desecrate the sacred blood of the God of Dragons flowing in every Valerian citizen? I know Prudencia had just joined the Empire recently but they are my people now. And none of my people are slaves," Ferdinand glared at the mercenary leaders.

"You were also caught in the act and you have also confessed your crimes. There is more than enough evidence. All of you shall be executed together with your families as soon as possible," Ferdinand said as if he meant it.

And due to this statement from the Emperor himself, the mercenary leaders finally stopped covering for Gulliver and revealed he was the mastermind in order to plead for their families’ lives.

Another long exchange of statements occurred and all of it finally pointed to Gulliver as the mastermind of everything that happened. The slavery, the false tribute, the hefty taxes, the imprisonment of the nobles’ children in the palace, and the control of information to not leave Prudencia.

The investigators brought out more of their pieces of evidence and the mercenary leaders revealed the contract with Gulliver’s signature.

The Marquess no longer had any room for escape.