Contrary to everyone's expectations, inspecting the authenticity of any sort of item created from Manna was a difficult task.
To put it briefly, each and every single particle used in creating the item would have its history thoroughly examined. If even one particle was out of place, the item's authenticity would be scrutinized.
Marquis Herkel Benedict and Count Mikhail Schatten, together with Halkias and the three candidates, were already in the late stages of verifying the Manna sphere. The entire hall gave them the silence that they needed.
In the intervening time, Ilya excused herself from the centre and sat on one of the benches. Her entire body was quivering. She couldn't even focus her gaze. The blood trickling down her nose wouldn't stop.
'Ha… what is wrong with me? What in the world is wrong with me?'
Ilya began to shed bitter tears. She bit her lip down, closing her eyes to grieve to herself.
'This weakness of mine, why can't I ever get rid of it? No matter how proficient I am in wielding Manna, it's useless.'
She began struggling for air. She clutched her chest as she felt her consciousness slowly drifting away.
'No, no, I can't pass out. I still have to see this through.'
Although she was evidently suffering, nobody in the hall had enough kindness to spare to her. The nobles were either preoccupied with the verification or forming their own speculations. The knights of the Third Order had barred the entrance to disallow anyone from leaving.
That being the case, llya was trapped in a room full of people who were not on her side. Well, that's aside from the group who were willing to listen to her. However, they were too absorbed to address her condition.
"I can endure this. I can… I can endure this." Ilya whispered with bated breath. "A little more, I'll wait a little more."
Ilya fought the urge to close her eyes as she felt her chest tightening. It was as if hundreds of needles were pricking her heart. It was as if someone had her heart in their rigid clutch.
No sooner than a second, Ilya began coughing. She immediately covered her mouth with her hand and tried to stop coughing by taking a deep breath. Thankfully, she was able to. But her tearful eyes and the blood on her palm made it difficult for her to act as if nothing had happened.
By good fortune, someone finally approached her.
"Are you alright?"
Ilya didn't raise her head, and instead, waved the person off. Ilya could distinguish one's intentions -- whether they're genuine or simply pitying her -- merely through their voices. At that moment, what she needed was someone who could assure her, not someone who only wanted their efforts to be validated.
Once she was left alone, Ilya allowed herself to breathe properly. Though she was still in agony, she wanted to show that nothing was wrong with her. The second she displayed her weakness afore the power-hungry Nobles, for sure, she would be devoured before she could enter their world.
That's not a confrontation that Ilya had no time to deal with.
Unbeknownst to Ilya, the verification had already reached the conclusion. The faces of those involved were bare of any emotion, much to the disappointment of the eagle-eyed Nobles.
First to pay Ilya a look was Marquis Benedict, followed by Marquis Halkias. The second that Halkias saw the pool of blood by her feet, he was finally compelled to check on her. Meanwhile, Marquis Benedict approached Lady Dantalion.
"Lady Leahmir Dantalion, you're a physician, right? Please treat Lady Ilya Gertrude this instant. We can't let her continue in that condition."
The Chief Justice drew closer to them and inserted himself in the conversation right away.
"If you need anything, or if you need the assistance of more physicians and healers, just inform the chamberlain. I'll immediately allow their entry. However, if the Lady is in need of urgent hospitalization, bring her to the Imperial Medical Facility."
Lady Dantalion quickly bowed her head and heeded their orders. The centre of the hall became chaotic, leaving the audience curious about what was happening.
The Chief Justice, together with Marquis Benedict and Count Schatten, made their way back to the live viewing room. They were followed by the twelve judges who were aiding the Chief Justice in the trial.
Within the room was another door that led to a secret room. All of them made their way inside and took their places around the circular conference table. Count Schatten, who was holding the Memory Sphere, was the only person who remained standing.
"Your Honour, the Chief Justice, and the Judges of the Court of Justice, I hereby present to you the Memory Sphere conjured by Lady Ilya Gertrude. We have verified its authenticity, and thus will qualify as a piece of evidence that will back Lady Gertrude's statements. I will now unveil the memory stored inside."
There was another Manna screen set up in the secret conference room. The Count replaced the sphere that was maintaining the activation of the screen with the memory sphere forthwith. On the point of doing so, the screen glitched and showed the scenery of a dark forest.
In the middle of the screen, a lady's thin legs and small feet could be seen. Rather than a delicate sight, it was a pitiful one. Riddling the lady's snow-pale skin were scars, bruises, and fresh lacerations. Some of her nails were darkened, one was even pitch black.
A few of the judges squirmed at what they were seeing. Perhaps it's because they haven't encountered someone with such grave wounds. To their relief, their attention was soon snatched by the sound of distant footsteps and the voices of two women.
[ "What in the world are you talking about, Countess So--" ]
[ "It's Duchess to you, my dear sister, Countess Orelia Hamlin." ]
[ "Duchess Sorsiana Gertrude, what in the world did you just tell me? What if someone discovers that it was your plan from the very beginning?!" ]
[ "You won't tell anyone, Yes? Besides, my husband played a big role in it. Forcing that wretched Hevelia to kill herself was the safest way to get rid of her." ]
[ "I have no intentions of revealing your heinous plans to the public, Sorsiana. But what you did was not something that I can tolerate! Do mother and father even know of this?!"
[ "They don't need to know what would hurt them, Orelia. Leave them with their peace. They don't have to involve themselves in an issue that's already absolved." ]
[ "Do you really think that no one will discover this? You hired a sorcerer to alter the scene of the crime, correct?" ]]
[ "I can guarantee that. It wasn't my doing though. The Duke himself hired the sorcerer from a renowned guild. Our connections with that guild and the sorcerer are already severed. There are no more trails that any rats can follow." ]
"Stop," Marquis Benedict said all of a sudden. He then covered his face with his hand and started to laugh.
The sound of his laughter was the sole thing heard for quite a while. Once he was done, he slammed his hands on the table and glared at the screen.
"That fool of a woman. Her words make me want to clean up her remnants."