The break time was coming to an end. Everyone who was gathered in the hall went to their seats. The sun went up; it looked like almost afternoon. But the crowd's voice never ended. "How cruel be they are."
In the hall's western wings, higher-up nobles were seated. Duke Larousse and his son and daughter sat alongside him, but his wife and elder daughter were left because of the duchess's health. They stayed in the Capital in Larousse palace.
"Let's start this hearing again." The magistrate said with a calm voice.
After a short break, the Trial began once again. Viscount Rutledge and his whole family were arrested and stood in front of the Court Hall on the east side.
"Your Highness, we have proof to that they were involved, those people are Mage,'' Ryan said and signalled to the Royal guard.
"Mage?"
"Yes, Your Highness, The Master of Magic tower Lord Orian handed over to us and they tried to kill Lady Elara and Lord Cassius," Ryan explained.
The weight of his words hung in the air, the falling eerily quiet as the trial pressed on.
On the other side, Sofia Rutledge was sobbing. Controlling her complexion, she looked at Elara like she was saying to her, "Please save us." But Elara didn't say anything.
"I didn't want to kill her, but…" Sofia started Crying.
* Once the richest person and the Empire's traitor. That is the unexpected life that will come to us, we didn't know. * Magistrate thoughts in his mind.
The hall was heavy with tension. The magistrate reviewed the long list of crimes committed by former Viscount Rutledge and his family; each charge more damning than the last. His mind was sharp, carefully weighing the evidence presented so far. So many lives were destroyed by their actions. Justice must not waver today. The magistrate thought.
Meanwhile, a whisper reached Elara's ears from behind. When Elara turned, she saw it was Orian, the master of the Magic Tower. And her saviours.
"Hello, Poky princess," he said, his tone playful and teasing.
Elara frowned slightly at the nickname, her eyes narrowing as she faced Orian. I told you not to call me that," she said, her voice laced with irritation.
Orian chuckled, unfazed by her reaction. "Oh, but it suits you well," he replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Always sharp, always ready to stab with your words."
She crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed. "Did you come here just to annoy me, or do you have something?"
He leaned casually against the chair, his robe flowing elegantly around him. "A little of both, perhaps," he said with a smirk.
As Duke Larousse and his Son Elian, watch Orian talking to his daughter. He frowns, clearly irritated. He leans forward slightly, looking like a father who doesn't want anyone to be with his precious daughter and sister.
Orian, catching the Duke's intense glare, leaned back a smirk and said, "Ah the famous Duke Death Stare. I must say it's even more impressive in person!"
The duke's expression didn't change, but his silence somehow became even more intimidating.
Orian casually relaxed, completely unfazed. "Well, if I somehow survive this. I'll definitely write a book: "How to Survive the World's Scariest Father-in-Law."
"You, Brat," Duke's furious intense more.
Elara, who had been trying to ignore the tension, couldn't help but give him an irritated look. "Seriously, Orian? You're really making it worse. Then how about this: How to get yourself killed?' to that book?"
Orian just chuckled and leaned back even further, enjoying the chaos he was causing.
The magistrate turned his attention to the Lady Elara, summoning her to step forward.
"Elara, please tell us what happened that day, " The Magistrate said firmly.
Elara approached, her ace calm but her voice steady with conviction. She recounted every detail of What Sofia did to her and her Family. Her words gripped the courtroom, each sentence like a blow against the accused. When she finished, she turned to Sofia, the Only daughter of the Rutledge family and Criminal. Her gaze was sharp and unrelenting.
"Please Forgive me Elara, I'm sorry what have I done to you but…" Sofia begs for her forgiveness in front of everyone.
*Why isn't my magic working today? If it were functioning as it should, no one would have the audacity to question us in this dimly lit room. Yet here we are, in a desperate situation, too late to change our fate. We'll have to plead for our lives, seeking refuge far away from this oppressive empire. Only Elara extended her hand to save us, but now I realize that everything I once confided in her feels trivial. A deep resentment brews within me; I'll always despise you.* Sofia thought, her mind swirling with frustration and longing.
"I have a question for you, Sofia," Elara said, her voice steady yet sharp.
The hall grew silent, and tension hung thick in the air.
"Tell me," Elara pressed on, her tone laced with barely contained emotion, "How does it feel to betray your closest friend simply because you have feelings for someone else? If the roles were reversed, and someone did the same to you, would you find it in your heart to forgive them? Or would you seek out justice?"
Sofia's face turned pale, and her lips quivered, but she couldn't find the words to speak. The hall fell silent, the tension hanging heavily in the air.
The Magistrate intervened by raising his hand and respectfully stated, "That is sufficient, Lady Elara. Please return to your designated position."
Elara stepped back, her presence lingering in the air as the crowd regarded her with admiration. Their hushed whispers filled the space as they began to process the significance of her words.
At last, Magistrate Ethyros stood before the assembly, his voice resonating throughout the grand hall. "The moment for judgment has arrived. I have considered all arguments and evidence presented, and now the law must take its course."
He turned toward the Rutledge family, his tone cold and resolute. "Viscount Rutledge, your actions have betrayed the trust the placed upon you as a noble. You conspired against the Eldrador Empire, endangered innocent lives, and sought to undermine the very foundation of justice." The magistrate continued. His tone is commanding the whole Hall. "For these crimes, the punishment is clear and abolute. I senetence you and your family to death by execution."
The hall gasped in shock. Magistrate continued, his voice unwavering, each word striking the courtroom like a gavel.
"Let it be known," he declared, his eyes burning with resolve. "That no one, regardless of their rank or privilege, stands above the law. Nobility is not shield against justice. It is a responsibility—a sacred duty to serve the Empire. When that duty is corrupted. The price must be paid in full."
As Sofia gasped and looked at Elara with wide, desperate eyes, her lips trembling to speak.
"Wait." Elara suddenly stepped forward. Elara cried, her tone trembling yet. Commanding.
"Magistrate Ethyros paused; his brow furrowed. "Lady Elara, what is the meaning of this interruption?"
Elara took a slow, steady breath. 'Sofia, I see you trembling. Do you feel the weight of your fall? You deserve every drop of it. But is Execution really the answer?' her lips curled into a cold smile. You aristocrats made tears your weapon and used them to manipulate and control. Today, I'll turn that very weapon against you all.' Her thoughts swirling with dark intent.
"Your highness" Elara began, her voice steady yet filled with a quiet storm, "I beg your forgiveness for the harshness of my words, but I lost those precious five years—five years consumed by their actions, drawing in suffering and despair. But tell me will executing them truly make things right?" she paused, looking at the Magistrate.
The hall grew silent once more.
"Execute them in a moment is mercy," Elara continued. "They don't deserve mercy, Your Highness. They deserve to live every day in regret, to beg for the life they once had. Let them feel the weight of their crimes every single day."
The crowd murmured in agreement, her words striking a chord. "Yes, she's right." One of the people said in a crowd.
Elara stepped closer, her voice rising "Send them a prison, where nobles and commoners are no different than criminals. They were treated equally." Elara's voice was cold as she started again. "Let them face the harshest conditions where their wealth, power, and status mean nothing. Let them work for their survival, day after day, until their final breath."
Sofia's face twisted in disbelief. "No!" her whole body was shaken. "You can't do this! This is cruelty! You said to me…"
Magistrate Ethyros raised his hand, "Cruelty you say Lady Sofia?" he asked her question and Silence her. He studied Elara, his eyes piercing as he tried to understand her intent. After a moment, he nodded.
"Very well," he said, his voice firm. "The court acknowledges Lady Elara Larousse's request," he turned to the crowd, his tone grave and commanding.
"Viscount Rutledge and his family are hereby sentenced to life imprisonment in the Northcrest Prison in Grand Duke Northcrest region. Stripped of all titles and privileges, they will serve as labourers, enduring the harshest of punishment. Their sentence is final and absolute."
"You can't do this to us. I've done more for this Empire than any of you." Rutledge struggled against his chains. His voice grew louder. More erratic. As he turned his fury toward the crowd. "And this is how you repay me?
The guards pulled him back, but Rutledge trashed against their hold, his wife was crying and sobbing next to him. His voice cracking with desperation. "You're all hypocrites! You call me a traitor, but you're blind to the rot in your own system! Do you think I acted alone?" he is shouting and screaming to the crowd and said, "There are others—more powerful, more cunning—still free while I take the fall.
That's enough. Edward Rutledge, you betrayed your empire for a penny of gold and endangered countless lives in the process." The Magistrate Ethyros stood, his expression cold and unyielding. "Your greed and arrogance know no bounds. This court will not entertain your delusions any longer."
The magistrate ordered The guard to take Rutledge's family to prison.
The heavy doors slammed shut behind him, his final scream muffled as he disappeared from view.
Magistrate Ethyros adjusted his robes, addressing the silent courtroom. "This case is a testament to the fact that justice does not favour the powerful, nor does it cover before influence. Justice demands patience, truth, and courage. Let it be known that betrayal, no matter how deeply rooted, will always face the sword of the law." He paused, the weight of his words sinking into the room.
"As we conclude this trial, I leave you with this thought: 'The measure of The Eldrador Empire is not its wealth, but the strength of its justice. Justice does not seek revenge, nor does it forgive corruption—it exists to remind us all of our duty to one another,"
The room remained silent, the power of his words settling deep in the hearts of all present.
Magistrate Ethyros added, "Let this be a lesson, not just to the guilty but to all of us. The path of greed and betrayal may seem easy, but it always leads to ruin. The only legacy worth leaving is one of honour and truth."
As the final judgment echoed across the chamber, the case was closed—not just in law but in the hearts of people, who now carried forward the Magistrate's words as a symbol of unyielding justice.
*Blue Moon Palace – Empress Palace.*
"So, they were sentenced to life imprisonment in Northcrest," the woman said, her voice calm but laced with intrigue. Her long, brown blond hair cascaded over her shoulders. What will you do next, Elara?"