I got into the carriage faster than anyone else.
"Please go to Erset Mine. Make it as quick as possible."
"Yes? Yes, I understand."
The coachman seemed shocked but soon came to his senses. I guess my expression was quite grim.
"Your honor! Please take us with you too!"
As the carriage was about to leave, I heard voices.
The associate judges of my court, Emir Kolund and Justice Josef Padilla, were calling out.
"Get on quickly. There is no time."
"Yes!"
I understood why Kolund was following me because he is honest and faithful to his duties.
But Josef was unexpected. I thought he would stay back and just fool around in court.
Josef must have sensed my gaze and smiled awkwardly.
"The judge is going in person, so how can I be the only one left?"
Immediately, shouts of flattery erupted.
As expected, it was best not to listen to this guy.
The carriage moved quickly without stopping for a moment.
Still, it was a long distance that took more than half a day.
As we traveled, I remembered the faces of the people who remained in the courtroom.
Then a smile appeared automatically.
'I heard they reacted more violently than when I mentioned the emperor?'
When I discovered Baron Parviant's lie, the audience was shocked.
This was because I witnessed an unprecedented scene where the crime of insulting the imperial authority was applied.
In back on earth, there were often cases where evidence was collected and investigated ex officio by the court.
But it seemed rare here. I vaguely asked Judge Emir Kolund.
"Is this really that surprising?"
Although I occasionally remembered Abel, not even the smallest details came to mind.
While Kolund hesitated, Josef answered in his place.
"As far as I know, a judge has never been to the scene."
"Why?"
"Is there really a need for that? The intelligence power of the Imperial Prosecutor's Office is the strongest on the continent."
"But that doesn't always mean it's fair. Isn't that right?"
"Hehe! Of course."
I thought he would hesitate at least once.
But Josef immediately agreed with a sinister smile. Even though it would be difficult to evaluate since it is the same industry.
'Ah! Come to think of it, this guy was an opponent, right?'
Justice Padilla was from the Sierre aristocracy, and Prosecutor Avery was from the Giovanni aristocracy.
I'm on my way to kill someone from the opposing faction.
How exciting can it be?
Unlike before, it seemed like he would demonstrate his abilities properly this time.
'Okay. Let's see how well you do.'
Some time passed, and the carriage arrived at Erset Mine. However, the scale of the building seemed larger than I expected.
"The fence is very high."
"The lower part is like a normal castle. They probably made a foundation with a low stone wall and put logs on top of it."
"At this level, it's almost safe to say it's a fortress."
"It's because of the monster threat. The surrounding area is all forest, right?"
If it is difficult to break in, it is equally difficult to escape. The picture I had in my head seemed to become clearer.
Emir Kolund's expression also became serious. It seemed like he naturally realized something.
Eventually, we reached the entrance to the mine.
"Who are you?"
Someone shouted from above the wooden fence. Since it was clear that it was a nobleman's carriage, they were cautious at first.
Originally, if the master's power was high, the servant's shoulders would also be straightened. The coachman answered loudly in a confident voice.
"This is the arrival of His Highness the Duke of Carriers. Open the door!"
"Huh? Just wait a moment!"
The person who had stuck his head out went down, and there was a commotion behind the wooden fence.
He seemed quite surprised by the sudden appearance of the Duke. However, no matter how long I waited, the wooden door would not open.
"Isn't this making us wait too long?"
Josef snapped his fingers, and his eyes lit up in annoyance.
It seemed like he wanted to take a closer look at the ins and outs of Erset Mine.
"I know, right. If they were honest, there would be no reason to stall like this. They're probably waiting for their owner."
The mine owner, Viscount Erset, was probably following behind like crazy, putting aside the work of the imperial palace, which was his duty.
He likely wanted to avoid having his private details revealed at all costs. If an unnecessary controversy arose, he might lose his position.
"I guess it won't work."
I couldn't wait any longer and jumped out of the carriage.
Then Emir Kolund spoke immediately.
"What are you going to do?"
"It is interfering with the execution of official duties, so it must be forcibly breached."
"Yes?"
Josef was equally shocked.
He seemed to be wondering how on earth we could open that thick door. Well, it looked as sturdy as a normal castle gate, so it was worth it.
Anyway, I went to the wooden fence and shouted loudly.
"If you don't open it within three counts, I will enforce it. One!"
"… … ."
They must have heard my voice, but there was no reaction from inside.
It seemed like he was just trying to hold on. If so, we must respond appropriately.
"Two."
I counted the numbers and took out the gavel. If I activated the heart of the beast, I could shatter a log door in one hit. Soon I said the last number.
"Three."
Tsutsutsu!
However, just as red energy was about to surge through the gavel, the wooden door suddenly opened.
Rattling!
"Well, please come in. Your Royal Highness, Duke of Carriers."
A man with his head bowed with an awkward expression caught my eye. Judging by his knowledge of noble etiquette, he seemed to be the manager of the Erset Mine.
"Hey, You could have appeared a little better."
"Yes?"
As I was muttering to myself, the other person looked puzzled. At that moment,
Josef quietly intervened.
He had an unusually solemn face.
"We came to investigate the Erset Mine. If you do not cooperate sincerely, you may be punished, so think carefully."
"The prosecutors have already been here?"
"This is not done under the authority of the court!"
When Josef shouted loudly, the manager pretended not to be able to resist and got out of the way.
Then he rolled his eyes and turned around.
"Please come this way."
It wasn't clear, but I thought we could proceed with the investigation anyway.