Today when we were about to enter the dungeon, I was called out by Church-san who was guarding the tax official at the entrance. It seems that on Friday of next week the knight group of Baldukk is going to enforce the punishments of criminals they're holding including Dereonola. Bel and I were told to be there as witnesses. It can't be helped so we'll have to make that into a day off from entering the dungeon.
Furthermore, when I tried asking the reason why there was over two months between the arrest and the judgments and it seems it was for the convenience of the lord. Since Baldukk is the King's direct territory then the lord is the King but obviously there's no way the King would go out of his way to come to Baldukk for this stingy job so normally it's the governor who manages the government of the town. However, as a matter of fact that governor isn't a representative with full authority like in Japan. They're limited to just the administrative authorities. In the first place it's not even an official governor. Since Baldukk is lined up with Rombertia as the King's direct territory in the true meaning of the expression so there's no official governor.
The only one who can administrate justice is someone that has been officially appointed as governor by the lord. Since that's the case the administrative secretary (they're treated as and actually called governor out of custom) that's appointed to take care of only practical work in Baldukk can't perform the judgments of criminals. For that sake, around 4-5 times in a year, when he has some leeway the official lord that is His Highness Count Baludukk Thomas Rombert the Third goes out of his way to come to Baldukk just to perform the judgments. It seems that reason this time was that it wasn't convenient for the official lord, His Highness to make it.
In any case, so it's Friday of next week huh? I need to make sure I don't forget. Thinking that I thanked Church-san and was about to return to everyone else when I was called out again. This time it was some advice. Bel is a foreigner. She's a noble but since her family isn't in the Kingdom of Rombert her treatment is the same as a commoner. Obviously that means it's the same for taxes and she's going to the government office every month to pay taxes. It seems that just in case it would be best for her to have the documents proving that she's paying taxes at that time. I'm sure it won't be necessary but it's nothing more than a just in case so I guess I should be grateful for the advice.
Bel and I exchanged glances as we returned to where everyone else was and explained to them that in order to stand witness to the judgement and enforcement of Dereonola's punishment we would have a day off from entering the dungeon Friday of next week, then we entered the dungeon.
..............
Year 7442, Month 8, Day 20
Today is the day of judgement for Dereonola. After waking up in the morning I changed into the highest quality clothes I have and went to the restaurant I always eat breakfast. Since I told Bel about it ahead of time she's wearing some decent clothes as well but they're at best clothes that say she's a slightly skilled adventurer. Well that's actually the case, so even though she's a person from a Sub-Baron family, since she's the second daughter that's left the house and her occupation is now an adventurer it would be strange for her to stand on the witness stand in a dress, so it should be fine. While they're cheap ones she's wearing boots for the time being after all.
We talked about things in the world until close to noon while slowly killing time and when it was close to the time we started towards the government office.
I thought they would confirm the offenses of each person one at a time and then punish them like Keel but they were processed even more carelessly than that. There were even more criminals than Keel and the judge's bench was far from the seats where witnesses wait so I could only get a glance of the King from a distance but just from seeing him he seems like a normal old man. When I tried Identifying him and his age was 48 years old, level is 10. He's either training a reasonable amount or trained when he was young. I'm sure the King is obviously busy so it would be different if it was someone who's committed a grave sin or the greatest thief under the heavens but since it was just at the level of stingy theft, rape, or murder that occurred from a conflict between adventurers so the punishments proceeded smoothly like an operation. They don't even let them complain about the reason why they were captured like in Keel. Since they're all gagged.
The crimes are stated and after they're informed about the evidence and testimony the majority of them quickly recognize their crimes and nod to it. Occasionally there were some who would shake their heads when it comes to punishments of execution or cutting off limbs and during those times the witnesses are called but after giving a simple testimony and the punishment is enforced without problem. They're already giving out the punishment of the next criminal next to a whipped criminal. The punishments are enforced so quickly that it even feels like that.
Since the King was going out of his way to decide the punishments, I thought it would be more dignified, and how do I put it, would proceed much slower with everyone bowing in dogeza mode, but that wasn't the case. Of course, we're giving testimony according to the law as politely as possible and the surrounding people are trying to act with the proper behavior towards an aristocrat but I think it's only obvious. There's commoners, Free People, and slaves in Baldukk and the majority of the victims and witnesses related to criminals aren't a part of the noble standing. I'm sure they understand that there's no point in expecting the same type of refined courtesy and manners that are expected in the royal court every time. As long as they don't completely deviate from the normal with their manners then it's not seen as a problem.
The judgments gradually pass by and when it was finally Dereonola's turn the incident occurred. Of all things, it seems Dereonola attempted to escape. Obviously he was immediately captured, tied up, and dragged along.
It was abduction and attempted rape of a noble. Bel is a foreigner but she's still a noble. The conflicts with the Kingdom of Devas over the southern border are still periodically continuing. There was a period where I was a bit worried what would happen but according to the stories I've heard from various sources there's no mistake he'll be executed. However, because he caused a disturbance with trying to escape at this time and ended up delaying the progress, it seems that he caught the interest of the King. We were told to stand on the witness stand and give testimony.
I wanted them to quickly get to punishing him without giving testimony but it can't be helped, after Bel and I stood up from the waiting seats and moved to the witness stand, status open was used on us to confirm we were the actual witnesses and that our social standing was just as recorded, then we gave testimony. We said all of the facts we could other than fact that we're Japanese. Since Dereonola is still biting down on a gag and he can't scream anything so he isn't even permitted to object to our testimony.
After hearing our testimony the King thought for a moment on the stage. In the next moment there was someone who whispered something to the King. He must be the commander of his guard or something since he's wearing expensive looking metal armor. After that person whispered something to the King he asked me a question before handing out the punishment.
"You, you said you were a member of Viscount Greed family right. Were you born in Marquis Webdos territory?"
Eh? What's that? Is it related?
"Yes, I was born in Bakuddo village of the Marquis Webdos territory. My father Heguryiyal is the lord."
"After all so that was the case. Do you have an older sister?"
"Yes, one"After this show me your face.""
Eh?
"Ha..Then afterwards I will visit."
After I said that and Dereonola was handed his punishment. As expected it was execution through decapitation. He was glaring at me with an expression filled with resentment but since he's still gagged he can't say anything. Well, since you did something bad so just die. And it was the worst that the other side was a noble.
Dereonola was executed at the edge of the execution grounds.
...........
After receiving a summons from the King I was about to worry myself to death.
I wonder what in the world this is about? The only thing I can think it's related to is about Mill. Since he went to the trouble of asking if I have an older sister. She's an up-and-coming new knight in the elite first knight group of the country after all. I wonder if she did something? Since it's that older sister. Like being told to "serve" the King and after refusing, she slapped him... Since she's a beauty and her outward appearance is good... But, I don't think she's that much of an idiot. Then what is it?
..Could it be..She was killed in action?
Suddenly my body started trembling in fear. I returned to the witness waiting seats and Bel was worried about me as I started thinking with a pale face so she held my hand.
"It's alright. Isn't it just words of praise for cooperating with capturing the criminal?"
That's wrong, that's not it. I see, I never told Bel that my older sister was in the knight group under the direct control of the King...