Everyone looked shocked.
Despite the fact that all the audience members were nobles, some seemed to have forgotten themselves and could not close their mouths.
Eventually, one of Brayden's lawyers raised his hand and asked.
"Then won't only our Brayden estate suffer a loss?"
It was an obvious question.
The dispute now was over the side of the land that had been pushed over. This was because it belonged to the County of Brayden.
But I had already thought about that.
"Of course, I can't allow that. According to the principle of equity, the same area will be taken from Titus's territory."
Immediately afterward, Count Titus's lawyer jumped up from his seat.
"No, where is the law like that?"
His anger was understandable.
He must have thought they wouldn't lose, but suddenly, it seemed like their territory was being taken away.
But I had a solid basis.
"According to imperial territorial law, land whose owner is unknown is owned by the imperial family. Let's check it out."
I opened the Imperial Code and waved it around. Of course, there was a provision called Imperial Territorial Law.
But this was the law from hundreds of years ago, when the country was founded.
Now, it was virtually obsolete. There are very few lands whose ownership is unclear anymore.
But how did I know this?
'For your reference, the date of its enactment is listed in the law.'
Even if it was old, as long as I could use it effectively, it was fine.
I soon also mentioned the principle of equity. This was also something that appeared in the imperial code.
"If there is a situation where a court must arbitrate a dispute between nobles, the principle of equity applies. There shouldn't be any inequity on either side."
To put it simply, it was roughly like this: as much as you took from me, give me yours too.
Wouldn't it be fair if they were taken away equally?
Count Titus's lawyer quickly thumbed through the law book.
His expression soon became devastated because there really was such a law. Count Brayden, who was watching this, burst into laughter. Then, he bowed his head politely toward me.
"This is truly a wise decision. After all, all I have to do is return the authority delegated to you by His Majesty the Emperor, right? We should feel honored again."
It was a perfect turning point.
If this were to happen, Titus's side would not be able to win or lose.
What if he raised an objection here? Then it was no different from saying that he was going to oppose the emperor.
What kind of crazy person would dare do something like that? Count Titus also had to bow his head.
"I admit it."
I left the courtroom with a smile of satisfaction. But suddenly, an ominous feeling came over me.
'I sold out the emperor again this time, will I be okay?'
To be honest, I also wanted to control myself.
But didn't the trial turn out to be foolish?
Even if I racked my brain, I couldn't make an appropriate decision.
So what should I do? I should delegate it to someone who can handle it.
'But this time, I extended the direct jurisdiction of the imperial family. I'm sure they'll look at this favorably.'
I decided to think as positively as possible. I thought that would make me feel a little more at ease.
***
Meanwhile, in the imperial palace, Charon, Emperor of the Enfer Empire, was smiling wryly.
His eyes were very sharp, but his expression was playful.
"That child mentioned the honor of the imperial family?"
The voice was so amused that he seemed to be laughing inwardly. But Chamberlain Adit did not relax.
That's because the emperor's personality is so unpredictable.
How many times had an execution order been given with a smile?
Although he refrained from actively involving himself in court matters, he could overturn any decision at any time.
"It's not that he disparaged it; he just raised the imperial family's reputation."
"How?"
Emperor Charon didn't even look at the report.
This meant explaining it yourself.
The chief chamberlain gave a realistic account of what happened in the courtroom.
It was like performing a play. If he didn't do this, there would be an unpleasant order.
"…This is what happened."
The explanation eventually concluded.
The emperor gazed over the chamberlain's shoulder, who was sweating.
Then the situation in the court seemed to play out in his mind.
Even though the emperor's gaze wasn't directed at him, the chamberlain trembled.
This was because Emperor Charon's eyes were so harsh, even though he was smiling happily.
"Kkkkkkk! What an interesting guy. Just a month ago, he looked like he was dying."
"It looks like he has overcome his depression."
"That's good news. Okay. The imperial territory has increased?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Approximately 100 hectares of land were created. It is fertile land that can be used as farmland."
"Is there really a need to increase farmland? It could be used as an execution site. So the nobles can clearly see it."
"What?"
Chamberlain Adit asked without realizing it. The response seemed so absurd that it slipped out. However, he soon realized his mistake and was shocked.
"S-sorry, Your Majesty."
"It's fine. Things like that happen, too. Today is a good day, so let's just skip it."
"Thank you for your generosity."
The chamberlain's clothes were already very wet. Cold sweat was pouring down his face. It was a strange reaction.
The emperor was just smiling, but he was so terrified.
But it had to be that way. Whenever he smiled like that, something bad was bound to happen.
But today, he was really lucky. It was probably thanks to the news from Duke Carriers.
"From now on, please bring in all the information related to Abel."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The chamberlain left the room at a brisk pace.
Emperor Charon remained alone.
The wind blowing through the window rustled his gray hair. Soon, the smile disappeared from his mouth.
The emperor, who now had a cold look on his face, muttered softly.
"I wonder how much my cousin has changed. I'll have to meet him in person soon."