Chapter: 09
At last, the summary trial began.
The participants were Marquis Corel, Madam Mimosa, and Viscount Puterio.
Along with them were Sisrein, myself, and the five children who had helped prepare the food.
So that’s Marquis Corel.
He was a plump man with an extremely sensitive-looking face, wearing the white horsehair wig judges traditionally used.
And the moment he arrived, he did something rather peculiar.
Spritz… spritz…
His secretary diligently sprayed something from a perfume bottle all over the chair.
That smells like alcohol…!
Afterward, he carefully polished the chair with a silk handkerchief before allowing the marquis to sit.
Perhaps noticing everyone’s puzzled expressions, Marquis Corel spoke apologetically.
“My apologies. I’m rather particular about cleanliness.”
Just as expected, his germophobia is severe.
He couldn’t even sit on a bare chair without disinfecting it first.
I narrowed my eyes as I watched.
It suited a man whose crippling hypochondria had developed into full-fledged obsessive cleanliness.
After making everyone wait with all his fussing, the marquis shook hands with Madam Mimosa and then Viscount Puterio.
“Your Excellency… I deeply apologize for troubling someone as noble and busy as yourself over such a small matter!”
“It’s quite all right, Viscount.”
His response was strangely cold.
As soon as he withdrew his hand, his secretary immediately replaced his gloves with a fresh pair.
Good grief. I can’t believe I’m actually seeing this.
Even the little children found the sight amusing.
They covered their mouths with their tiny hands and giggled.
“Heehee!”
But the instant Madam Mimosa cast them a stern look, they all flinched and quickly fell silent.
“These are the children who helped prepare today’s banquet for our honored guests.”
“I’m Sasha!”
“I’m Julian! I made the bwead!”
The five children introduced themselves one after another.
The girls lifted their skirts and fluttered them adorably as they performed the Forest’s traditional greeting, while the boys clasped both hands together and met the adults’ eyes respectfully.
“I’m Annette.”
It was finally my turn.
Just as I finished the traditional greeting and stepped back—
“…!”
Viscount Puterio suddenly grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward him.
I stumbled helplessly into his grasp.
Then he whispered in a voice only I could hear.
“So you actually made it here instead of running away. Bold little brat.”
His smile was disgusting.
“Your greeting was rather cute, I’ll give you that. But I don’t find children adorable.”
Then came the revolting threat.
Directed at a twelve-year-old child.
“Children who don’t make money aren’t cute. And girls like you who keep sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong are the ones I hate the most.”
I tried to pull my wrist free.
Instead, he tightened his grip even harder.
“…Ugh!”
“You’d better be careful. I hear plenty of children disappear after leaving the Forest. Keep acting smart, and you might end up sold as a slave yourself. Heh heh.”
At that very moment—
Sisrein shoved the viscount away with surprising force and pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly.
His crimson eyes glared straight at the viscount, flickering dangerously.
With an icy expressionless face, Sisrein muttered,
“If you touch Annette…
I’ll kill you.”
The murderous intent in his voice made the viscount instinctively recoil.
“…Y-you… filthy slave!”
Buried against Sisrein’s chest, I blinked.
Whoa. What a cool little kid.
If Sisrein were twelve years older, my heart would’ve skipped a beat…
He’s scared himself, but he’s still trying to protect me.
My little baby is just too precious.
My nose stung with emotion.
“You should be careful, Viscount.”
Madam Mimosa stepped in with perfect timing.
“As you know, that child is an awakened ability user.”
The viscount’s face turned bright red.
He clearly wanted to shout back, but after glancing nervously at the overly sensitive Marquis Corel, he bit his tongue.
He didn’t dare make a bad impression.
And understandably so.
Today was a day that would determine the rest of his life.
Fifty million gold might not have been much to a prosperous slave trader.
But for someone standing on the edge of bankruptcy and ruin, it was more than enough to become the lifeline that could save him.
Naturally, he treated this courtroom as carefully as someone carrying a basket full of raw eggs.
He would do everything possible not to offend the marquis.
Having silently observed everything, the marquis finally spoke in an indifferent tone.
“Let’s begin immediately. Who will explain today’s case?”
“I will!”
Viscount Puterio hurriedly stepped forward.
His expression screamed that he couldn’t wait to tell the story in whatever way benefited him most.
“…”
Madam Mimosa had been a step too slow.
The marquis granted the viscount permission to speak.
“Very well. Proceed.”
Grinning, Viscount Puterio rose to his feet.
“Your Excellency, today’s case concerns a young slave named Sisrein, formerly belonging to my Perdes Slave Company. Puh-choo!”
“…!”
The unexpected sneeze made Marquis Corel stare at him with obvious disgust.
“What was that unhygienic sneeze just now, Viscount?”
Wiping his mouth, the viscount smiled awkwardly.
“My deepest apologies. It seems I sneezed by accident. As I was saying… today’s… Ah-CHOO! Excuse me—Achoo!”
Marquis Corel shouted in irritation.
“What in the world are you doing in this sacred courtroom?!”
At that moment, I quietly cut in, blinking innocently.
“Could it… be a symptom of an infectious disease?”
“…!”
“…!”
The atmosphere instantly froze as though a bomb had exploded.
Marquis Corel’s face turned deathly pale.
The color completely drained from the viscount’s face as well.
Watching their reactions, I grinned inwardly like a little devil.
Looks like the peach munching worked perfectly.
Three hours earlier.
Viscount Puterio’s secretary had arrived at the Forest ahead of time to inform everyone of his master’s preferences.
“The viscount is particularly fond of meat dishes. Roast duck is his favorite.”
“Perfect! Marquis Corel also enjoys meat dishes. Then roast whole duck will be ideal!”
I answered brightly with the crisp, intelligent attitude of an honor student.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary!”
The secretary smiled approvingly.
“Oh, right. Is there anything the viscount can’t eat because of allergies?”
Smiling sweetly, I asked.
The nobles of this kingdom had always been strictly kept away from foods they were allergic to from childhood.
As a result, they never had the chance to build up any tolerance.
It was extremely common for nobles to have at least one allergy.
“I’ll let the head chef know to leave those ingredients out.”
“How thorough of you. Let’s see…”
The secretary rubbed his chin before suddenly raising a finger.
“Ah! The viscount is allergic to peach fuzz. However, peaches that have been preserved or cooked into jam are perfectly fine.”
A little while later.
I gathered all the children who would be helping with today’s cooking.
“Sisrein is one of us. He’s a Tree, just like we are.”
“But he’s about to be dragged away as a slave.”
“We’re not just going to stand by and let that happen… right?”
Children formed friendships quickly.
The little ones looked at me with sparkling eyes.
“My friend Sisrein needs help.”
“Who wants to help him?”
Caroline pursed her tiny lips determinedly.
“If he’s Annette’s friend, then he’s my friend too! I’ll help!”
Julian’s big eyes sparkled.
“I wanna help my fwiend too!”
Sasha chimed in.
“Sisrein blows the best soap bubbles ever! So we have to help him!”
…Well.
That was certainly an odd reason, Sasha.
But thank you.
The other children eagerly raised their hands one after another.
It seemed that simply playing together in the water had already made Sisrein feel much closer to them.
That worked out perfectly.
“But… how are we supposed to help?”
Sasha tilted her pink-haired head curiously.
“It’s simple.”
Smiling brightly, I brought out a basket.
Inside were piles of sweet peaches covered in soft fuzz that I’d taken from the food storage.
“Everyone, I want you to enjoy eating these peaches right now!”
“Yaaay! They’re yummy and easy!”
The children sat together in a circle, happily munching on the peaches with their tiny hands.
Then, when the summary trial began…
They happily fluttered their skirts still covered in peach fuzz, or warmly shook the viscount’s hands while greeting him.
It looked like nothing more than adorable children’s manners.
But it was more than enough to trap the viscount.
“An… infectious disease?”
Marquis Corel asked in alarm.
Pretending to know nothing, I answered calmly.
“I heard that people with Perdes Plague start sneezing and coughing.”
“Then they get a fever…”
“And eventually, the skin all over their body starts rotting…”
“…!!!”
Marquis Corel looked as though his own skin had already begun to decay.
Naturally, Viscount Puterio frantically denied it.
“N-no! That’s impossible! Cough! Cough!”
He desperately covered his mouth.
But his sneezes had already turned into violent coughing.
To make matters worse, tears and snot were streaming down his face.
Smiling faintly—careful that only the viscount could see it—I put on a worried expression.
“But, Viscount, your forehead feels like it’s burning.”
“I should bring you some fever medicine.”
Startled, the viscount shoved me away and glared.
“That’s a complete lie! Cough! Cough! This cunning little witch is trying to frame me—!”
But by then, Marquis Corel was already consumed by terror.
“Stop that filthy coughing immediately!”
“Your Excellency! Feel my forehead yourself! I don’t have a fever at all!”
Desperate to prove his innocence, the viscount rushed toward the marquis.
Smack!
With a look of utter revulsion, Marquis Corel swung his thick hand with all his strength.
The blow sent the skinny viscount sprawling pathetically across the floor.
“Oof…!”
The slap was so powerful that his front teeth flew out like popping popcorn.
“Don’t come near me! Get back! Stay away!”
Marquis Corel shoved his chair all the way back until it hit the wall.
Even his horsehair wig trembled violently.
The viscount groaned where he had fallen, unable to get back to his feet.
No one moved to help him.
His face red as a volcano, the marquis hurriedly turned to Madam Mimosa.
“We should finish this trial as quickly as possible.”
“What exactly is today’s case?”
Without showing the slightest sign of panic despite the sudden chaos, Madam Mimosa answered calmly.
“The viscount claims ownership of a child from our Forest named Sisrein.”
“The child originally belonged to the Perdes Slave Company, but the viscount lost him due to negligence.”
The moment he heard that, Marquis Corel’s face twisted with displeasure.
“You lost the child through your own incompetence, yet you still dare claim ownership?”
“How shameless.”
“…!!!”
Viscount Puterio, who had naturally expected the marquis to take his side, looked as though an iron spear had pierced straight through his body.
“Y-Your Excellency…?”
His bloodied lips twisted miserably.
