It seems Eliza, who had been recounting her story, has finished speaking. Liliana then chimed in.
“It appears that you, Eliza, have also safely regained consciousness. And from what I’ve gathered, St. Freud Monastery is the only place you can go. It would mean retracing your steps back to the town of Libitone, but how about I escort you there? Leaving you here to die like this would just be too infuriating…”
Her tone was lower than usual, laced with hostility towards Eliza.
“Ah, who are you?! And you want me sent to St. Freud Monastery, which is tantamount to a prison! After all I’ve been through, shouldn’t you be helping me, as a human being?”
“Don’t you recognize me?”
“I… I have no acquaintances among lowly adventurers. Beg your pardon!”
“So… you don’t recognize me, then.”
After Liliana and Eliza’s back-and-forth exchange, Liliana, impatient, slowly removed the Valkyrie-shaped mask she was wearing.
“Ah, you! Liliana Emilia Yangas!! So you’re alive. You fake Twilight Woman! Real villains are tenacious!!”
“Thanks to you, I am alive and well. But calling me a ‘fake Twilight Woman’ is rather harsh, don’t you think… it speaks volumes about your upbringing.”
“Wh-what did you say!”
“This is the fight you picked!”
Eliza’s demeanor changed drastically upon finally recognizing Liliana. Her beautiful deep green eyes narrowed, giving her a look worthy of the “Villain Princess.”
Seeing her attitude, I too would certainly refer to Eliza as the “Villain Princess.”
Liliana, facing her, had also discarded her usual fluffy, princess-like demeanor, as if ready to deliver the final blow to her enemy. She directed a hostile and cold gaze at Eliza.
Meanwhile, the other Party Members watched with bated breath.
I found myself flinching back at the sudden, intense confrontation.
Ly and Tirna, on the other hand, seemed to be observing the situation, letting Liliana reveal her true identity first.
“Still, it’s rather pitiful that a former princess has lost her country. It seems you’ve fallen into disrepute as a shady adventurer… You probably used your body to ensnare Lord Raymond, didn’t you…”
Eliza was venomously attacking Liliana.
“My homeland, the Yangas Kingdom, will soon see a restoration of its monarchy. My half-sister, Yuliana, is leading the charge there. And I will soon be enthroned as the Queen of the New Yangas Kingdom. As for you, Eliza, I suggest you make St. Freud Monastery your final resting place, or rather, your tomb.”
Liliana, too, was not backing down.
They were like sworn enemies, or perhaps natural adversaries. More than just dragons and tigers clashing…
If Eliza were in peak condition, this would have likely devolved into a catfight.
Still, even though I had saved Eliza with Resurrection Magic, I hadn’t thought about what to do with her afterward.
I had suspected she was a princess of noble birth from the carriage she was in, but I never imagined she was the “Discarded Princess” who was suspected of being the “Villain Princess.”
Failing to discard her as she is leaves me feeling uneasy, but I can’t possibly add her to the “Princess Harem,” which already includes Ly and Liliana, whom I consider enemies.
This is quite a predicament.
“Lord Hal, I have a proposal regarding the disposition of Eliza Licana Ultbern.”
Ly’s voice called from behind me.
Ly and Tirna, who had arrived last, were also wearing Valkyrie-shaped masks. Eliza, sensing something, directed a stern gaze at Ly.
“Ah, you… could it be!?”
“Yes, it’s been a while, Lady Eliza.”
Ly then gracefully removed her mask.
“!”Y-Your Highness Ly, the Fourth Imperial Princess! Y-You’re alive too!!”
Ly’s introduction left even Eliza speechless. It was impossible not to be surprised, as both Liliana and Ly, who were supposed to be dead, had appeared one after another.
“You caused me considerable harm with your ill-intentioned pranks, Lady Eliza. Though, showing consideration for me as an Imperial Princess, most of those pranks were directed at Liliana…”
“Indeed, Your Highness Ly. Even now, my anger is boiling up. — By the way, what is your proposal, Ly?”
“It is this, Liliana. Today, we shall hold a trial to determine whether Miss Eliza is indeed the ‘Villain Princess.’ If she is judged to be the ‘Villain Princess,’ she will be sent to St. Freud Monastery without question. On the other hand, if she is acquitted, she will be placed under the protection of a suitable individual.”
Ly straightened her posture and smiled at us.
“Liliana and I will be the victims and prosecutors. We will then need to select a judge and defense counsel. As for the remaining Party Members, I would like to ask you to serve as jury members. If Eliza’s supporters outnumber her detractors, she will win her case.”
“That sounds interesting. But I wonder if there are any kind Party Members willing to defend Eliza, whom we’ve just met and have no connection with?”
At this point, Elise, the Vice-leader, raised an objection.
It was unusual to see Elise looking so resolute.
I hoped it wasn’t a sign of a coming disaster…
“A trial? That sounds interesting enough. I’ll side with Eliza~♪”
“Me too… nano♪ nano♪”
“Alright… it sounds a bit interesting, so I’ll also volunteer as defense counsel.”
“Gah, Elise is on our side… an incompetent ally—”
“This is a truly dire situation… nano.”
“Did you say something, Freya and Shera?”
“…”
In response, Freya and Shera agreed to defend Eliza, perhaps to pass the time.
Ultimately, Elise, along with Freya and Shera, decided to engage in a debate with Ly and Liliana, who were acting as victims and prosecutors.
Now, all that remained was to find a judge or have one volunteer.
“Lord Raymond, this trial will not be fair. The victims and prosecutors are an Imperial Princess of Waiyar and the Crown Prince of Yangas. While our side has one more person, we have two common girls and a single Fox Beastkin cub. We stand no chance from the start. This is a scheme by Ly!”
Eliza, who had been observing the proceedings, complained to me about the weakness of her defense team.
“I-I don’t think so… Even though she looks like this, Elise is the Vice-leader of the ‘Princess Harem,’ and Freya holds considerable influence as the Accountant. Moreover, they are all Crown Princes of the Southern Nations. And Shera, who is half-Fox Beastkin, is also the Crown Prince of Sazania, the most powerful kingdom in the Southern Nations.”
I explained to Eliza, who was unfamiliar with our situation, weaving in truths and half-truths.
“Is that true?”
“They are also the last survivors of their respective royal families. Shera is from the Sazania Royal Family, Freya from the Vanadis Royal Family, and Elise is a princess and Crown Prince from the Portland Royal Family. If that’s the case, then Ly and her group are at a disadvantage.”
“Lord Hal, then I will assist Ly and Liliana.”
“Thank you, Tirna.”
“Alright then, I’ll be the judge! Everyone else, listen to the opinions of the defense counsel, Elise and her group, and the victims and prosecutors, Ly and her group. After the trial, move to the side you believe is correct. Whichever side has more people wins!!”
Finally, Swan Hilda volunteered to be the judge, formalizing the trial.
However, Eliza probably hadn’t considered the legitimacy or coercive power of this trial.
Swan Hilda’s true identity is a Valkyrie, a lesser deity.
Her authority is certainly no less than that of any trial presided over by a mere human.
We are currently staying at an inn in Harama Village, having crossed Satela Pass, which appears to be one of the difficult passes on the main road yesterday.
Last night, we performed the “First Night Ritual” for solace and remembrance, while appeasing the soul of Princess Margarita Pedos Wahl, who had possessed Ly’s body.
The next day, we rented the Harama Village community hall to hold Eliza Licana Ultbern’s trial.
Regarding the rental fee for the community hall, the shrewd Accountant Freya was happily negotiating it down.
Beside her, Elise, with a greedy look on her face…
Elise is probably converting the saved rental fee into snack money.
“Now, I declare open the ‘Trial Regarding the Allegations of ‘Villain Princess’ Against Eliza Licana Ultbern, Former Fifth Princess of the Ultbern Kingdom’!!”
Swan Hilda, seated at the head of the community hall, announced the opening of the trial in her capacity as judge.
At that moment, Tirna approached Swan Hilda and handed her a piece of paper.
“The prosecution has immediately lodged a complaint. They want the trial to be called the ‘Impeachment Trial of Eliza.’ They also said that an execution on the spot is possible, but this is a ‘military tribunal’ in disguise, so it’s their final act of mercy.”
“Wh-what! Are you truly going to punish me in a ‘pretend trial’ like this! That’s utterly ridiculous. Ohohohoh!”
Eliza, who had been quietly seated at the defendant’s bench in the center of the hall, shed her meek facade and scoffed with a high-pitched laugh befitting a “Villain Princess.”
“Eliza, you’re falling into Ly and her group’s trap.”
“Is that so… nano nano.”
Feeling a sense of disappointment at Eliza’s unexpected display of helplessness, akin to being mocked after portraying herself as a tragic heroine, Freya and Shera chided her.
To them, Eliza was now nothing more than a slightly dim-witted girl.
Glancing to the side, Elise wore a pitch-black smile that was genuinely frightening.
Elise might be pretending to defend Eliza, but in reality, she might be planning to plunge Eliza into the abyss. The grudge over snack money is terrifying.
“The defendant’s motive and plea will be covered in the preceding flashback, so we will begin with the victim’s statement.”
“In the Waiyar social circles, I was frequently subjected to insidious pranks by members of the ‘Noble Roses’ salon.”
“Liliana, please elaborate on the nature of the pranks.”
“Well, at balls, my feet were stepped on, drinks were spilled on my dress at standing parties, and sometimes drawing pins were placed on my seat, or lizards were thrown at my chest.”
“Liliana… how pitiful. In my case, a cockroach would be floating in my soup, or my fencing sword would be swapped for a real one during a match—”
The victims, Liliana and Ly, revealed the details of the pranks in stark detail.
“Th-that’s a lie! I never ordered any of that!”
Eliza vehemently denied her involvement in the pranks.
Well, it was only natural.
“Regarding the pranks just described, while some may have crossed the line, isn’t that just how things are in the social circles of great nations rife with machinations!?”
Contrary to my expectations, Elise is seriously defending her!
Could this be a sign of impending disaster!?
“Is that so… I felt my life was in danger on the staircase landing several times.”
“What’s this— Liliana. Attempted staircase fall?”
“Yes, that’s right. When I felt my life was in danger, I looked back, and the salon members in question were trying to push me down. However, perhaps they were frightened by my gaze and fled… This happened several times.”
“So… if the perpetrator is guilty of attempted murder, then Eliza, who ordered it, is guilty of incitement to murder?”
“N-no! Even if the members of the salon I hosted committed the act, the responsibility lies with them as individuals, and it has nothing to do with me.”
“That’s right. Liliana and Ly were famous in Waiyar’s social circles, weren’t they? There must have been people who resented them. Isn’t it unreasonable to place all the responsibility on Eliza!?”
“I… I think so too… nano.”
This time, Freya and Shera seemed to be defending her to the best of their ability.
In contrast, Elise was meditating and muttering incantations!?
Elise is not only a user of the four elemental magics but also an accomplished mage who skillfully wields various mental magics.
Perhaps the fact that her protruding belly hides the truth of being the ‘Sealed Shrine Princess’ is just one of the many things she’s concealing.
However, outwardly, Eliza appears to be the very image of a “Villain Princess.” Yet, in this world, only those with knowledge from another world as past lives are subject to condemnation.
In truth, I also possess memories and knowledge of Lester the Cleric from my past life, but this regression and reincarnation were carried out by Crouneruia, the God of Time and Space, who is a high-ranking deity, so it is not something to be ashamed of.
Even if Eliza’s actions resemble those of a “Villainess,” they would not be an issue without knowledge of another world.
And Eliza does not seem to possess knowledge of another world.
In my personal opinion, if she were to apologize to Ly and Liliana for her past misdeeds, it might be possible to settle the matter…
Afterward, Ly and Liliana, acting as prosecutors, and Freya and her group, acting as defense counsel, engaged in a fierce debate.
Neither side yielded an inch, resulting in a draw.
“It seems the debate has run its course. Now, let’s move on to the jury’s verdict, or rather, the vote.”
“Judge Swan Hilda, allow me to deliver my findings on Eliza’s mental state using my mental magic. Eliza is not a ‘Villainess’ who has undergone ‘isekai reincarnation.’ I’ve investigated her past actions, but there was no indication that she possessed memories of a past life from another world. In conclusion, at worst, she is a ‘Villain Princess’ native to this world.”
“Is that so? Thank you, Elise. Jurors, please move to the side you believe is correct.”
At Swan Hilda’s call, the jurors, who had been silent until now, began to move.
Alicia moved towards Ly and her group.
Meanwhile, Kirika sided with Freya.
And then, all movements were completed.
Gathered on the victim and prosecution side were Ly, Liliana, Tirna, Alicia, Astarotte, Lara_Berze, Lili_Berze, Lulu_Berze, Edele, and Eria, a total of 10 people.
With Swan Hilda, who served as judge, they numbered 11.
On the other hand, gathered on the defense side were Freya, Shera, Elise, Kirika, Dietlinde, Mai, Sharon, Ain, and Zwei, a total of 9 people, joined by me, making it 10.
“With this, the trial is concluded. Although it was a narrow margin, Eliza is to be sent to St. Freud Monastery!”
“N-noooo! Someone, someone help meeee!”
“You have been restored to your virginity by Lord Hal. In that strict monastery, you shall weep tears of ‘male drought’ your entire life.”
Liliana, with a smile, delivered the de facto final ultimatum to Eliza.
“Please! Help me! Lord Raymond, I will offer you my virginity, so please save me. This is a rigged conspiracy! Lady Ly, Lady Liliana, I beg you, save meeee~~!”
“Good day to you, Lady Eliza. We will likely never see each other again.”
“I’ve heard rumors about St. Freud Monastery, but I hope you survive with all your might.”
Ly and Liliana, apparently confident of their victory, offered parting words.
It was at that moment.
Following the sound of light wings, something, gliding, stuck to Eliza’s chest.
“Wh-! Kyaaaa~~! M-my chest! A moth… Ahhhhhhh~~!”
*Flit*
And in the next instant, Eliza’s clothing was opened, revealing her magnificently full breasts.
“N-noooo! You mustn’t look at my breasts~~!”
*Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze, squeeze*
“…Ah… Aaah♡ D-don’t squeeze meeee~”
“The shape and elasticity of your breasts are excellent♡ And your dark areolas at the peak are an enticing accent~”
“Don’t look at my embarrassing secrets~~! I don’t want you to seeeeee~~!”
“The other side is with us now. Breasts don’t lie.”
In other words… the Holy Spirit Serena, who had been in hiding until now, as the “Ero Old Monster,” carried out an “Old Man Attack” after a long time.
I had forgotten about her existence until now, but her judgment will go to the defense side.
This means the number on the defense side becomes 11, putting it on par with the prosecution.
Now, what should be done in this situation!?
Thank you for reading.
Episode 53-3: Sentencing: Deprivation of Purity ①
is scheduled for advance posting at 0:00 on March 6th.
