As the royal court's session continued, there was an unspoken heaviness in the air. Despite the successful passage of my recent decrees, there remained a pressing issue on my mind—the matter of my image in the eyes of the citizens. It had been ruthlessly tarnished by those greedy nobles who sought to undermine me. While one of them had already faced the consequences at the hands of Seraph, another major concern loomed—the noble who had orchestrated the assassination attempts against me.
I couldn't take this matter lightly, for if left unaddressed, he might conspire to send assassins again. Although I held a strong suspicion that Dorian Lockwood was the mastermind behind the assassination plots, I couldn't simply order his execution without concrete evidence. Dorian was a high-ranking noble with influential connections, and his unjust demise could easily trigger a rebellion, particularly given the existing discontent among the populace.
I decided to consult Sylph, my ever-present guide and assistant, for a solution. Sylph, in her ethereal voice, offered a practical suggestion: acquiring a truth-spilling pill from the system shop. This pill, she explained, could force its ingester to reveal the truth, making it an invaluable tool in extracting information.
Without hesitation, I accessed the system shop and purchased one truth-spilling pill for 50 SP, depleting half of my remaining points. In an instant, a small, crimson pill materialized in my hand—the truth-spilling pill.
With the pill now in my possession, I directed Seraph to administer it to Dorian, the suspected mastermind behind the assassination attempts. Unsurprisingly, Dorian resisted at first. However, the notion of an obese noble attempting to resist an advanced swordsman was a futile one. Seraph, with precision and strength, forced open Dorian's mouth and fed him the truth-spilling pill.
The pill's effects were swift and inescapable. Dorian was unable to make up lies or omit any information. He was compelled to divulge the truth, his words flowing out instinctively. Dorian confessed to a long list of crimes as the details came flooding out, shocking everyone in the courtroom.
He admitted to embezzling substantial sums from the kingdom's coffers, divulged his treacherous dealings with an enemy kingdom—selling them critical secrets, confessed to orchestrating the manipulation of citizens' emotions to turn them against me, revealed how he had sown false narratives to discredit my rule, and most damningly, he admitted to orchestrating the assassination attempts that had threatened my life. Every sinister detail was meticulously recorded by Seraphine, who casted her recording magic to preserve the evidence.
Once the comprehensive confession had been extracted, Dorian was swiftly and decisively arrested, his fate now sealed. Turning to Seraph, I issued my next command, my voice firm and resolute, "Seraph, I want you to accompany the Knight Commander and a select group of knights. Your task is to apprehend all of Dorian's spies and subordinates."
"As you command, my queen," Seraph acknowledged, the determination in his eyes reflecting his unwavering loyalty.
With the conclusion of the court session, the day turned to evening, and the courtiers and spectators dispersed to their respective quarters, their minds undoubtedly buzzing with the shocking revelations of the day.
The following morning, the grand hall once again served as the backdrop for a dramatic event—the public trial of Dorian and his associates. Seraphine stood poised, ready to play the recorded video of yesterday's interrogation, which would lay bare the depths of their treachery for all to see.
As the citizens gathered to witness the trial, a palpable tension filled the air. They watched with bated breath as the video exposed the shocking truth, with each revelation fuelling their shock, anger, and disbelief. The courtroom was charged with emotion as the damning evidence piled up.
The list of offenses was extensive, so much so that it took over half an hour to recount them all. As the citizens absorbed the magnitude of Dorian's treachery, their collective outrage grew.
"What! Kill him!"
""" Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"""
Curses and insults rained down upon Dorian and his accomplices. Stones were hurled, spittle flew, and fists clenched in anger. The people needed an outlet for their long-pent frustrations, and today, justice would be served.
Dorian had committed numerous wicked acts and misdemeanours, all of which were now exposed for the world to see. As the tension reached its peak, Judge Reginald, his voice steady, pronounced the sentence in accordance with the laws of Solstoria.
"…I hereby sentence the traitorous Dorian and his associates to death by beheading."
The crowd roared their approval. "Put the traitors to the guillotine!"
"Yes!"
As the criminals were securely strapped to the guillotine, Judge Reginald cast a final glance in my direction, a silent acknowledgment of the justice being served.
"Execute… the criminals."
Taking a moment to steady myself, I gave the order. The blades of the guillotine dropped with a chilling clang.
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!
Degurrrr….
The severed heads of the criminals landed on the floor, and in that gruesome moment, a dialogue box appeared infront of my eyes.
[Notification: Your popularity has increased by 30!]
{*A/N: Favourability changed to popularity}
My popularity increased as the truth came to light, signalling a turning point in the court's proceedings. The people bore witness to the strength of justice, and the kingdom was left to contemplate its newfound revelations.