Chapter 111

Ashid bit his lip tightly, anxiety gnawing at him.

Like a lead actor stepping onto the stage, Christian scanned the room and continued speaking.

“But the seals on these documents are genuine. It’s utterly incomprehensible.”

Marquis Langham asked, “So, what exactly are you trying to say?”

“That we need to find the person who framed these gentlemen.”

“!!”

“If they are innocent, then someone must have forged these documents.”

Christian shook his head.

“Who could have done such a thing? And why?”

At his words, everyone swallowed hard.

A single figure came to mind for all of them.

Someone with the power to pull this off.

Someone with a motive.

Christian’s gaze shifted deliberately, locking onto Ashid.

“Do you have any guesses, Prince Ashid?”

“!!”

“If there’s only one person capable of forging all their seals and who also has a reason to pin this crime on them, then only one name comes to mind.”

Ashid clenched his fists tightly.

Christian was trying to frame him!

It was too convenient.

No one else had the means or motive but Ashid.

‘Damn you. You think I’ll just fall in line with your scheme?’

It was simple.

There would be no proof that Ashid was behind this, so he just had to look up and deny it.

But then—

“P-Prince.”

The accused looked at him with desperate eyes, silently pleading for help.

Not just them.

Everyone in the courtroom was watching Ashid.

Waiting to see what he would choose.

“Think carefully before you answer. If you fail to prove that these letters are false accusations, all of them will be punished according to the family’s laws.”

In other words, the moment Ashid denied it was his doing, they would all be executed.

It was a trap with no middle ground.

Protect them, or abandon them.

‘Damn you.’

But it wasn’t even a question.

Ashid was a sociopath at his core.

He couldn’t imagine sacrificing himself for others.

Christian had seen through that nature and set this trap.

“I’m absolutely not involved.”

“!!”

A collective sigh echoed through the hall.

Ashid gritted his teeth and continued.

“There must be another culprit. We have to catch that person…”

“Yes, of course. Though I wonder who would dare do such a thing.”

Christian sneered, and Ashid flinched.

The cold stares from everyone were different this time.

Understandably so.

They all believed Ashid had framed them.

Especially the abandoned retainers’ reactions were dramatic.

“Prince Ashid! How could you do this to us?!”

“To accuse those of us who have followed you loyally all this time! Even the demons of Gehenna wouldn’t stoop so low!”

They shouted at Ashid with bitter resentment.

Even the other retainers who had supported Ashid turned icy cold.

They could accept the suspicions about the human sacrifice, but to frame their own followers and cast them out in front of everyone?

They were utterly disappointed.

Ashid had lost the entire family’s trust in an instant.

His vast support base crumbled in a moment.

‘Serves you right.’

Christian smiled inwardly.

‘This opportunity can’t be wasted.’

When people’s hearts wavered, that was the moment to strike.

Christian wore a look of regret.

“Since Prince Ashid denies it, we must punish them. But that wouldn’t be just.”

“Not just?”

“Yes. It’s clearly a false accusation. I believe in their innocence.”

At those words, the retainers looked at Christian with gratitude.

The man they had followed was abandoning them, but the one they had scorned was now protecting them.

In that instant, many thought:

‘The next head of the family should be someone like Prince Christian.’

Especially the falsely accused retainers.

‘If only we can clear our names, we will serve Prince Christian from now on.’

The balance of power among the heirs was about to shift dramatically.

Many retainers would come to support Christian after today.

Those who had been falsely accused would become his loyal vassals—if they survived.

Meanwhile, Ashid’s position was reversed.

He lost a significant portion of his support overnight.

Not only that.

Now the entire family would whisper behind his back.

From shining at the top, he had become the family’s disgrace.

At that moment, Marquis Langham poured cold water on the situation.

“How will you prove their innocence? Unless you reveal the real culprit, it’s impossible.”

“If there’s no evidence, there’s only one way.”

Christian looked at Ashid and spoke firmly.

The final goal of today’s trial.

The most important moment.

“I challenge Prince Ashid to a judgment duel.”

“!!”

Everyone held their breath.

When the truth couldn’t be uncovered, a duel was held, and the victor’s claim was accepted as right.

A primitive method born from the idea that the winner is always right.

It was rarely used these days.

“Surely you won’t chicken out of this too?”

Christian’s provocation drew a cold, amused smile from Ashid.

“…You must be crazy. Fine. I have no reason to refuse.”

It was the obvious response.

Christian was a 4-star, still at the lower rank.

Ashid had reached the 5-star Elder class.

“Prince Christian, this is—”

“Please reconsider.”

Those who had looked kindly on Christian now voiced their concern.

They thought he had no chance of winning.

The odds of him getting seriously hurt or killed were high.

Then—

“Heh heh, a judgment duel? What a thunderclap of a proposal.”

A voice cut through the tension.

It was Nordian!

He spoke with a tone of amusement, as if enjoying the spectacle.

“What do you think, Marquis? It seems impossible to uncover the truth anyway, so ending it with a duel doesn’t seem so bad. Of course, this old man is just here to watch, so the decision is yours.”

“……”

Marquis Langham was silent for a moment.

Who could ignore such an opinion?

Still.

‘Christian beating Ashid? That won’t happen.’

It was absurd.

The gap between their levels was enormous.

Langham examined Christian carefully, thinking it best to be cautious.

4-star lower rank.

“Prime Low” class.

There was no chance of an upset.

Langham said to Christian,

“There is one condition.”

“What is it?”

“Whatever happens during the duel is your responsibility. If you’re willing to risk your life, I will permit the judgment duel.”

He was telling Christian to accept the possibility of death.

It was also a warning to Ashid.

That through this duel, Christian’s life must be ended.

Ashid grinned fiercely, as if understanding the message.

Christian smirked.

“Don’t worry.”

His gaze turned icy toward Ashid.

“This is exactly what I wanted.”

Indeed.

Christian planned to end Ashid completely through this duel.

And so, the duel that would overturn the succession was set.

---

According to the Dark Mage Empire’s laws on judgment duels, the date was set for one month later.

This waiting period was meant to allow for a peaceful resolution, but that didn’t apply here.

Though the duel was officially to reveal the truth, everyone in the Dark Mage family knew the real reason.

This was the official duel for the heir’s seat.

Their fates would be decided by this fight.

The loser would lose everything.

The winner would take a giant step toward becoming the Grand Prince.

But almost no one expected Christian to win.

No one, really.

A 4-star against a 5-star.

An insurmountable wall.

“Why would Prince Christian make such a reckless decision?”

“Isn’t it because he stepped up for the retainers who were falsely accused? Even if Prince Christian seems like a wild card, he surprisingly has a strong sense of justice for others.”

“That’s true.”

If Christian hadn’t requested the duel, those retainers would have been doomed.

“Those retainers were practically his enemies, yet he stood up for them. Impressive.”

“Not even comparable to someone like Ashid.”

The Dark Mage family members admired Christian.

To outsiders, it looked like Christian was risking everything to save the wrongfully accused.

A far cry from the reckless outcast he had been before.

“But it’s too reckless. No matter how talented Prince Christian is, this duel is a stretch.”

“Yeah. It might be better to cancel the duel even now.”

Those close to Christian shared the same worries.

“…What are you thinking?”

Merian shook her head.

Christian sipped the strawberry juice Mari had made through a straw and asked,

“Why do you say that?”

“Are you serious?! How could you do something so reckless?”

“Don’t worry so much. Mari, would you like to offer Auntie a glass too?”

[Oh ho ho. Should I prepare it with virgin’s blood juice? Or the newly researched bachelor’s blood juice recipe? Or perhaps the charming young man’s blood juice?]

Merian scowled sharply.

“Enough. Who cares about juice? Ridan, say something for once!”

Ridan.

That was the name of Count Kazar.

He had come to the main estate because of this incident.

“…I believe in Christian.”

“Believe? Then why do you look like the world’s about to end? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“……”

Like Merian’s teasing, a shadow hung over Count Kazar’s face.

It was worry.

‘I believe in my son. But…’

This was a reckless challenge.

No matter how much of a genius Christian was, the gap was too wide to bridge.

At that moment, Melin cut in from the side.

“Don’t worry so much, both of you. This is Prince Christian we’re talking about. I’m sure he’s already come up with a winning strategy.”

She spoke with eyes full of confidence.

“Even when he was barely a second-rank, he held his own against me in a duel.”

At her words, Merian and Count Kazar both looked toward Christian.

He was still calmly sipping strawberry juice, his face relaxed and carefree.

Not a trace of worry anywhere.

“…Alright, let’s hear it. What secret plan have you cooked up this time?”

“I don’t have one,” he replied.