~CHAPTER 47~
“By the way, Sir Lenox.”
Marquis Beririch called out to Caliph.
Lost in thought, Caliph looked at him a beat late and replied,
“Yes.”
“Is the lawsuit preparation going well?”
Marquis Beririch asked.
Watching Caliphâs expression carefully, he added a sidelong comment, as if probing his true intentions.
“After all, I am essentially on your side, Sir Lenox, but if the outcome of the lawsuit isnât favorable, wouldnât my position become awkward?”
The Marquis twirled his empty glass slightly.
Caliph, silently observing him, picked up a bottle and spoke,
“I understand what you mean.”
Shaking off all thoughts of Mayna in an instant, Caliph filled the Marquisâ glass.
After finishing his own glass in one go, he replied,
“You need not worry.”
“Why is that?”
“I do not lose.”
The Marquis, startled for a moment, burst into a hearty laugh a beat later.
“Hahaha! This is exactly why I like Sir Lenox!”
If someone else had said he didnât lose, they might have been mocked.
But Caliph Lenox was different.
As expected, he was someone who simply did not know how to lose â whether facing monsters or competing for authority among regional rulers.
Meanwhile, Caliph filled his own glass expressionlessly.
From the moment he began preparing the lawsuit until now, he remembered every detail.
His capable lawyer and close friend, Curden, had repeatedly warned him against suing the Lord of Ouke.
“You really want to sue the Lord of Ouke?”
“Yes.”
“I understand how you feel, but this isnât something that simple.”
“Whatâs the problem? Donât I have a lawyer? Or money to hire one?”
“Do you even know what kind of man the Lord of Ouke is? How many connections he has in politics? There are at least a dozen in the royal court backing him.”
“I have the empireâs finest legal mind as my personal lawyer. What is there to worry about?”
“You mean me?”
“Yes.”
“You crazy bastard!”
“Iâll pay you separately for your service. Double the usual rate.”
“Double or triple, I told you no. I wonât risk myself in dangerous games. I plan to survive steadily, little by little.”
As discussed before, Curden had especially stressed that there was no direct evidence proving the man had killed the boy, showing skepticism.
But evidence could be obtained if one tried.
Caliphâs chosen method was to use magical power.
He had a top-tier magician nearby, one of the best in the empire.
AA-rank offensive magician, Rob Hugentia. He could wield S-rank magic controlling the flow of time.
After two weeks of reconnaissance, Caliph returned to La Rundel Town with Rob, roughly a month ago.
The banquet hall, attacked by monsters, still stood with its outer wall destroyed, awaiting repairs.
Fortunately, the scene had been preserved.
Rob could reconstruct the incident and collect decisive evidence.
The Lord of Ouke grabbing the boy by the hair and throwing him beyond the portal.
The boy falling and being caught by monsters.
And ultimately losing his life.
With his magical ability, Rob could act as a witness in court, showing everyone the events as they had unfolded.
Once evidence was secured, the remaining task was a battle of public opinion.
There were twenty jurors besides the judge who would deliver the final verdict, and citizensâ voices heavily influenced sentencing.
This was why Caliph had personally come to Marquis Beririchâs mansion.
Beririch, one of the empireâs top five wealthiest, was more skilled than anyone at swaying public opinion.
“Seeing such confidence gives me peace of mind.”
The Marquis said with a relaxed smile.
“Rumors began circulating barely three days after you cut off trade with the Lord of Ouke. People are saying the Marquis Beririch and the Lord of Ouke are at odds.”
Stroking his long chin, the Marquis added,
“Exactly matching what Sir Lenox said.”
The Marquisâ eyes, split slightly at the corners, fixed on Caliphâs face.
Caliph nodded slowly.
“In court and in public opinion, I have no reason to lose. I am assembling the best legal team, and no one will side with the Lord of Ouke knowing I am at odds with the Marquis Beririch.”
“Hmmm.”
The Marquis twirled his glass again.
He thought silently for a long moment before speaking,
“I assume the Lord of Ouke committed a sin that could never be absolved, even if he died. Sir Lenox, you are not the kind to make such a request lightly, are you?”
Indeed, unlike his humble background, Caliph was proud and dignified.
Those desperate to connect with the now-famous star lined up regardless of status, yet he seldom allowed anyone near.
So on the day he came to the Marquisâ mansion of his own accord,
Beririch was so surprised he half-wondered if his daughter Gigi had made some enormous mistake.
“Once the trial concludes, we shall discuss the details I mentioned earlier.”
Caliph gave a reply entirely unrelated to the Marquisâ probing questions, ending the conversation.
It was his unique way of signaling that he knew the Marquis was trying to probe, but he had no intention of giving the desired answer.
“Haha. Very well.”
The cunning old fox of a Marquis smiled and subtly withdrew.
“Shall we toast?”
Caliph filled the Marquisâ glass like a dutiful subordinate and tapped it politely.
Though he longed to leave this mansion filled with extravagance as soon as possible, he had to satisfy those who held the leverage.
“Have you found out where that man is?”
The Marquis asked.
Caliph shook his head quietly.
“Still inquiring.”
The Lord of Ouke, knowing Caliph was following, had gone into hiding.
He was probably hiding somewhere, spending lavishly, but finding the fugitive would only be a matter of time.
Then, commotion arose from outside the reception room.
“Oh my! Is it true?”
A familiar, nasal voice made Caliph instinctively uneasy.
Crash!
The door burst open.
Unfortunately, the one who appeared was Marquis Beririchâs only daughter, Miss Mustard.
“My goodness, itâs true!”
She wore a bright red velvet dress with matching lace gloves reaching above her elbows.
Clasping her hands in front of her chest, she twisted her body toward Caliph.
“Sir Lenox!”
Caliph struggled to maintain his expression and stood.
Polite, he greeted Miss Mustard, and she suddenly hugged him tightly.
“I-IâŚ!”
Marquis Beririch pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed.
As much as he loved his daughter, some things were simply too embarrassing to show to others.
