Halkias, who was sitting quietly, drew a short breath as he motioned for his knights to address the commotion. He then crossed his arms and leaned back on the seat.
It was the duty of the Gerecht Palace guards to keep the peace around the vicinity of the main hall. The members of the Third order were only present to serve as witnesses. They should not act in a way that imposes on the duties of the palace guards.
Though in the end, Halkias decided to intervene when the head of the guards gave him a pleading look.
"Commander, should I go there myself?" Reverend asked, his gaze pinned on the now opened door. "It seems as if someone wants to enter, albeit not having an invitation."
The Commander simply closed his eyes, nodding at Reverend subsequently. The young knight immediately made his way to the door, finally leaving Halkias in peace.
Unfortunately, that didn't last for long.
Halkias heard rushed footsteps approaching him, compelling him to sigh once more. He went on and opened his eyes, then turning his head to the doorway. He forthwith saw Reverend running back towards him.
Once he was beside Halkias, Reverend bent down and whispered in his ear, "Commander, there's someone outside claiming that they're a relative of the Duke of Gertrude."
The man shot up from his seat, nearly hitting Reverend's chin with his shoulder. He then approached the Chief Justice about the matter before going out of the hall himself.
Since the said individual was surrounded by both the guards and the knights, Halkias wasn't able to get a glimpse of them right away. Reverend noticed his Commander's dilemma, so he walked ahead of Halkias and paved the way for him.
Well, the second they saw Halkias, the knights and guards knew better than to obstruct him. They hurriedly opened up a path for him, putting Reverend's effort to waste.
Upon landing his eyes on the person in front of him, Halkias ceased from moving. His breathing hitched, his eyes slowly becoming bloodshot. He closed his eyes as he felt a dull pain arise in his head.
Halkias jerked his head to the side, taking a deep breath all the while. After a few seconds, he opened his eyes, only to meet the gaze of the claimant.
"I'm Vatar Halkias, the Commander of the knights surrounding us. And who might you be?"
Prior to answering the question, the person gave Halkias a bow. Of course, the Commander promptly returned the courtesy.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, My Lord. I am Ilya… Ilya Gertrude."
A chorus of bewilderment was heard within the hall. Some of the relatives of the Gertrudes even stood up to get a good look at Ilya. On the other hand, the Hamils were silent, particularly Countess Orelia who was gripping her fan tightly.
"Ilya von Bismarck?" Halkias asked as he narrowed his eyes on the lady.
He then took a step forward to inspect the lady's face even more up close.
"Considering that you're here, knowing that it's the last trial, you came with something that can prove your claim. Am I correct?"
"That's a given, My Lord. I don't have a knack for making myself appear senseless."
Halkias turned around, his back against Ilya. He exhaled audibly, responding with, "Well then, present yourself to the court. I will personally escort you."
Reverend was flustered at his Commander's decision. He glanced at the faces of the nobles inside the court, then at Halkias, repeatedly. He quickly blocked the man's path while combing his hair frustratingly.
"Commander, why are you doing this?" He said through gritted teeth, "You can't just escort someone suspicious without the permission of all the parties involved!"
Halkias didn't bother answering Reverend and just stared at him. At that point, Reverend knew that he should not intrude on his Commander's actions any further. The young knight reluctantly stepped aside, taking his place behind Ilya as the three of them entered the main hall.
The person of the hour and her conspirator paid no heed to the cacophonous complaining and speculating of the nobles. Their sights were set on only one person -- the Chief Justice.
As for Yanerveil, Vanderheim, and Dantalion, they merely pursed their lips at the arrival of their new competitor. However, there was something other than the feeling of competition brewing inside them -- something unfathomable at the moment.
"Your Honour, will you allow this lady to present her case in front of the court?"
The Chief Justice caressed his beard for a good few seconds, contemplating the aftermath of accepting Ilya sans the actuality that a background check on her had yet to be conducted. One misstep could cause a massive backlash.
"Hmm, what did you say your name was again?"
Prior to replying, Ilya grabbed her skirt, bent her knees, and bowed her head to the Chief Justice.
"Ilya Gertrude, gracing your presence, Your Honour."
The old man adjusted his eyeglasses, calmly observing every single feature of Ilya's face. But the second he was done, his eyes widened.
Out of perplexion, he blurted out, "You look just like the late Duchess Hevelia von Bismarck."
The words that he unknowingly uttered were ample to ignite chaos inside the hall. The knights and the guards had to step in to calm the crown of nobles down.
Amidst the chaos, Ilya was the sole person who had a smile on her face. But it was subtle enough that no one would see it.
Ilya had no business waiting for the confusion to die down. That was not what she came for.
She came to take everything that should have been hers in the first place.
"Precisely, Your Honour. My mother is the late Duchess Hevelia von Bismarck. My father, on the other hand, is the late Duke Brahm Gertrude. I am their child who was declared dead almost thirteen years ago."
Ilya proceeded to turn around to face the crowd. She opened her arms ever so widely, as if she was willing to embrace everyone within the hall.
"And I am here to claim my rightful seat in the Dukedom."