The Kingmaker System
Chapter 182 - 181. Devil’s Advocate (2)

Chapter 182: 181. Devil’s Advocate (2)

The first man to stand at the witness box was none other than Count Peter Erkens’s aide who was the key person in dealing with the rogues which were smuggled from Frosthail.

"I am Viscount David Lorentz, Your Honor. I work as an Aide for... Count Peter Erkens and I swear by my name that I will speak truthfully in this temple of justice," his eyes travelled up to Katherine for a second, "in front of our Mother, Her Majesty."

"Please say what you have to say, Viscount Lorentz." The judge said.

David looked once at me and then gulped before he started speaking.

"I-I... have been aiding Count Erkens for years, Your Honor and I have been a witness to all of his deeds for all the time that I have been beside him. A-And... I have also aided him... in his new business of... smuggling... the rogues shifters... and rearing them in the town of Respel." He spoke making the public execute a collective gasp.

"It’s all a lie!" Peter shouted as he jumped to his feet.

"Baron Ocean is fabricating lies to frame me! I’m innocent!" Peter shouted.

"Silence! Silence!" The judge hammered making Peter glare at me.

"Count Peter you are not allowed to speak in between the proceeding testimony." The judge scolded.

"But it’s a lie!" Peter insisted.

"Silence!" The judge scolded again making the people around Peter give him disapproving looks.

The next person stepped ahead and spoke of his involvement in the matter. One by one seven people stepped ahead and gave their testimonies while Peter stood there watching his world fall apart.

"This is all a lie! These people, they’re all being forced to lie by this man!" Peter pointed his finger at me.

"He’s an underworld Boss, he must have threatened them to lie against me! He owns not one but two of the Underworld cities and he wants to take over the other powerful places that’s why he’s framing me! It’s all his plan, I’m innocent!"

"Silence!" The Queen thundered this time making Peter grow ashy pale as his last pillar also gave away.

With all the evidence and witnesses presented the tides of the trial had completely overturned now and the new accused who wasn’t even expecting his demise was suddenly thrown in the middle of a storm.

The Queen must be angry to not have a person like me on her side at this instant. Well, if anything I wouldn’t want someone like Peter Erkens on my side, I would rather befriend an enemy than have a walking self-destructive time bomb like him beside me.

I looked at Peter’s aide and gave him a subtle nod which made him gulp before he fell on his knees in front of the court.

"Your Honor! Your Majesty!" He shouted.

"We all did whatever we were told by Count Erkens!" He announced and the other witnesses who were with him also kneeled beside him.

"We are ready to face the consequences of our sins but please we beg you to not involve our families into this, they have nothing to do with it. We were mere puppets used by Count Erkens, so please have mercy!"

The judge glanced once at the Queen before he sighed.

"You all have committed a grave sin by helping Count Peter Erkens but, since you all have redeemed yourself by providing testimony you shall be pardoned from the death penalty." The judge announced making the witnesses have hopeful expressions.

I knew he wouldn’t kill him if they surrendered themselves, it was the rule. If the culprit or the witness surrendered without any hesitation then their act would be seen with mercy. I had instructed the witnesses to do so because I knew they were only following orders. Even though I had their families at the dagger’s tip I had given them a chance to redeem and they had taken it gratefully.

"Your Honor and Your Majesty," I spoke up making the two look back at me.

"Those documents also hold the evidence of another crime that Peter Erkens committed a few years ago." I pointed out making Peter whip his head to the judge.

The judge flitted through the papers and looked at the papers which I put in there to make sure Zach got his place with the dignity that he deserved.

"These are!" The judge gasped making the people lean forward in their seats.

"What is it now?" I heard the Earl mutter.

"Count Peter Erkens you poisoned your own father and hid his will to usurp the title." The judge spoke up making Peter’s eyes go wide.

He turned to look at me and I smirked back. He and I weren’t ever on good terms so, I wasn’t just going to let him off with a capital punishment of exile or something which the Queen must have thought as her plan B. I was going to see to it that he would get his head off in front of everyone.

"Unfortunately, there is no witness but these evidences have the seal and signatures of Count Peter Erkens himself, that’s why I request Your Honor to affirm the validity of these documents." I added making the judge look at me and then at Peter.

The people started whispering fervently as they threw disapproving and pointed looks at Peter, killing a man was one thing and patricide was another. The late Count Adam Erkens was a good and respected man so, his murder would count as a huge disapproval in the social world.

"Silence!"

The court hall grew silent as the Queen reacted all of a sudden. I looked up at her as she looked at Peter Erkens with a furious expression.

"Peter Erkens has commited a grave sin by not only putting our kingdom into peril but also by murdering the late Count, he deserves the punishment of death for his sins!" She announced.

"It is a matter of shame that such people are a part of this kingdom and I as a Queen am aggrieved for having to witness a man who could stoop so low as Peter Erkens. I feel terrible for Baron Sebastian Oberon who was wrongfully framed to protect a hideous person like Peter Erkens."

"He deserves to be stripped off of his title and assets and have his head decapitated in front of the people he wronged! And that would be justice!"

The crowd cheered widely at the Queen’s act and I couldn’t help but shake my head, she just threw her ally to the dogs to save her skin.

The judge barely managed to get the fervent crowd under control as he looked at Peter who seemed like he had his soul sucked out.

"Peter Erkens do you have anything to say about the accusations presented against you?"

"What’s there to ask?"

"The evidence is as clear as a day!"

"Peter Erkens should be beheaded!"

"Her Majesty has made her decision!"

"Behead Peter Erkens!"

"Behead him!"

The crowd was so fired up that if they would’ve got a chance they would have decapitated Peter right then and there.

The judge once again calmed the bewildered crowd and slammed his hammer onto the table.

"Since Peter Erkens is not saying anything his silence will be taken as a sign of agreement."

"These documents contain the seal and the signatures are also valid so, it is clear that Count Erkens was also involved in the conspiracy against his own father. And for committing a horrible sin like patricide, he will be punished accordingly." The judge announced.

"Considering all the new evidence presented and the testimonies of the witnesses involved in this incident..." The judge looked once at the Queen.

"It has been decided that the perpetrator regarding the incident of ’Night of Terror’ where the towns of Lozar, Hezborn, Borkshire and Crisgton were destroyed and the lives of the citizens were put into peril is Count Peter Erkens. And not only that but, he also murdered his own father Count Adam Erkens by poisoning him." The judge stated and the prosecutor who couldn’t do anything kept sitting in his place with his jaw slackened.

"The court acknowledges Baron Sebastian Oberon plight after being wrongfully framed and hereby announces him as an innocent man."

Baron Oberon slumped in his seat covering his face with his hands while the people around clapped and cheered for the justice served.

"And, since there is no evidence regarding the involvement of any noble from Frosthail, it is unsure of who helped Count Peter Erkens but I order the authorities to investigate this matter further so that even that person could face the rightful punishment."

"As for those who are involved in this incident and those who surrendered themselves before the law, they will lose all their assets and will be stripped off their titles and live as commoners from hence on."

"Rather lenient." I muttered, I had expected at least exile for the witnesses but this was quite good too.

"And I order to Peter Erkens... to be stripped off of his family name and all of the assets that he acquired unjustly. The title of the Count of Irmens will be given to the illegitimate son of late Count Adam Erkens, Zachary Erkens as per the original will." The judge announced.

"And... Peter, for his sin of putting the kingdom of Sestia in mortal danger and also for the sin of patricide... is ordered to be decapitated within a fortnight in front of the citizens of Sestia at the Leiden’s town square!" The judge slammed his hammer with his reluctant sounding order.

The hall echoed with the deafening applause and I joined in the claps as I looked at Peter Erkens who was being apprehended by the royal knights.

I released a breath of relief and then looked up at the balcony but Katherine wasn’t there anymore. She must have stormed off watching her perfectly set plan fail.

I still had no idea why she was involved in all this or what the motive Peter had by smuggling the rogues into the kingdom but I would have to find out why they were into this. There was still one loose end here which I had to tie before I could call this incident done.

Tip: You can use left, right keyboard keys to browse between chapters.Tap the middle of the screen to reveal Reading Options.

If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report