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UNDER the scrutiny of everyone present, Alicia calmly walked to the center of the room and took the witness stand next to Riddhe.
Alicia observed the Erdalians with her sky-blue eyes. Lady Crowne was amazing, gathering all attention on Alicia through her skillful direction and words.
However, Chancellor Yggdrasil and Crown Prince Fritz showed no signs of panic. They’d probably already predicted that Alicia was Heilland’s trump card.
Casually resting his cheek on his hand, Fritz gave a faint smile. Beside him, Yggdrasil gave a slight nod.
“Thank you for your time, Your Highness. You may give your testimony.”
“Thank you.”
Alicia let out a small sigh to calm down, then straightened and spoke in a dignified voice to the crowd.
“Lady Crowne’s testimony is true. I, Alicia Chester, formed a secret alliance with Her Majesty during my last trip, and we agreed to have Riddhe Sutherland stationed in Erdal. Hence, there is no reason for him to harm Her Majesty. That’s all I can say.”
With that, Alicia gave a polite curtsy.
The crowd, however, broke out in an uproar as the witness chose not to reveal anything. Alicia stood firm, looking straight ahead. Suddenly, Fritz stood and waved a hand as if trying to silence the confusion that had overtaken the room.
“Alicia. Are you making a fool of this trial and of Erdal?”
“No, Your Highness. I am not.”
“Then why don’t you tell us the entire truth?”
“As I mentioned, I’ve said all I can say.”
“What?”
Confused whispers broke out throughout the room again until Alicia raised her voice and spoke clearly.
“The alliance between Her Majesty and I was formed on the basis of mutual agreement. Thus, I cannot testify alone. So, in order to ensure a fair trial, I request to have Her Majesty called as a witness.”
The crowd stared at each other, unable to believe what they’d heard, but Alicia’s sky-blue eyes were focused only on the crown prince. Fritz stood motionless, stunned, while Chancellor Yggdrasil frowned apologetically.
“My sincere apologies, but we cannot do that. Her Majesty is currently recuperating in bed. That is why us representatives are overseeing the trial in her stead.”
“I understand. However, I heard Her Majesty’s condition is already stable. Even if she can’t stay for the whole trial, she can surely be present for a few minutes.”
“That’s not up to me… The medic will have to approve it.”
“Then, at least allow me to visit Mylene Hall to get Her Majesty’s approval.”
“My answer remains the same. Please understand, Your Highness.”
“…I see.”
Yggdrasil remained rational, his tone sincere, as he addressed Alicia. His argument made sense, so everyone expected the princess to accept it, but…
“That’s going against our promise, Chancellor Yggdrasil.” Suddenly, Alicia’s voice turned stern and questioning as she shook her head.
“Promise? What promise?” For the first time since Alicia took the stand, Crown Prince Fritz’s eyes moved away from her to stare at Yggdrasil.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what Your Highness is talking about,” Yggdrasil replied, head tilted in suspicion.
“Are you playing innocent? Apart from Her Majesty, the Lord Chancellor has also formed your own alliance with Heilland, haven’t you?”
“What are you talking about? I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Have you forgotten about this?”
With that, Alicia threw something onto the table before her. The rolled scroll crinkled as it landed on the wood.
The chancellor’s frown deepened as Fritz ordered a guard to bring the scroll over. Once in hand, he quickly unrolled it, and his eyes widened.
“What’s this…?!” He choked out.
“I swear on Heaven’s guardian star to welcome you as a friend.”
The one who spoke the words written on the scroll aloud was not Alicia but Riddhe Sutherland, who’d remained silent until now. Usually, the accused was not allowed to speak without permission, but the Erdalians were all too stunned to criticize him.
Riddhe glared at Chancellor Yggdrasil with fire in his eyes.
“Eric Yggdrasil, you were the one who invoked this ancient oath and stamped it with the seal of Julius the Conqueror’s black horse.”
“No! It can’t be!!” Crown Prince Fritz shouted. Distraught, he turned to the chancellor. “You were the one who signed the oath…? But…” His voice trailed off as he shook his head.
Alicia’s assumption had been right.
When she’d spoken with Fritz alone in the garden on the night of the banquet, he hadn’t seemed eager to overthrow his mother and take the throne in her place. That meant that his current ambition was born after that night.
From there, it was easy to conclude that the alliance between the chancellor and crown prince was formed recently. In other words, no trust existed between the two, and Alicia was determined to destroy this fragile relationship.
So she had hinted at the shocking “truth” and Fritz’s greatest fear: that the chancellor was betraying him. With the oath, she’d suggested that Yggdrasil had formed a secret alliance with Heilland, breaking the already fragile trust between the two and raising the crown prince’s suspicions.
But to be fair, I hadn’t expected it to go this well…
A bead of sweat trickled down Alicia’s forehead as she watched a clearly upset Fritz glare at the chancellor.
Of course, she and Riddhe were speaking half-truths. Yggdrasil had signed an oath with Loid Sutherland, but it had been to destroy the relationship between Erdal and Heilland, not to strengthen it.
If the crown prince calmed down, he would quickly realize this was a trap.