Chapter 578: Chapter 578

578 An inescapable trap

“Lilith, it is time to go. Let’s see what Darwin has to tell us.”

“Yes, Vincent. Let’s see if the decision has been made. I hope the five noble families didn’t make a troublesome choice.” Lilith agreed. She nervously tightened her fists and followed Vincent.

After Vincent, Ester, Lupa, and Lilith went outside, Nick and Clair were the first to approach them.

Nick and Clair tried to offer any kind of help, yet they quickly admitted their family was the one who could provide the most help. Without a noble rank like a Baron, the two can’t do much in this situation.

Lilith smiled warmly and said, “Thank you. Regardless if you can help us or not, we know that we are blessed with trustworthy friends like the two of you.”

Vincent looked at Nick and Clair with a confident smile to ease their worries. “If fate is set in stone, then we will have to face it one day or another. Knowing how many people have our backs is what allows us to face this current situation with determination to seek justice.”

[Such profound words for a man who was contemplating if the situation had turned worse than he expected.]

-...-

“Yeah! Nobles are not dragon gods! They must be punished like anyone else and allow the victims to see their deserved justice.” Nick exclaimed while pumping his arm up.

.....

*Sigh* “Please don’t become more infamous than you are, Nikolai...” Clair shook her head.

While Nick and Clair continued chatting with Vincent and Lilith, Kazumi went to Jun Ye Rim.

[Let’s go together. Don’t worry. Whatever they demand, we will have your back.]

Jun Ye Rim nodded, yet she murmured, “I could go alone, but since you insist on having my company, then I have to satisfy you for a little.”

[Sure, sure, hehe. I am insisting a lot.] Kazumi joked.

Jun Ye Rim approached Lilith after Kazumi started to tease her. “I will keep you company since you need someone to feel better, unlike me.” She said with a nervous expression.

“Sure, hehe.” Lilith agreed before giggling at Jun Ye Rim’s obvious lie.

Soon, Vincent, Lilith, and Jun Ye Rim teleported to the academy. The teleporting light faded, and those who remained on the island were filled with worry as they could only wait to hear the news.

Vincent, Lilith, and Jun Ye Rim later arrived in front of the headmaster’s office. After knocking on the door and announcing who they were, Darwin told them to enter.

“Good morning Baron Vincent Lionheart. Good morning Baroness Lilith Lionheart. Good morning Lady Jun Ye Rim. Please take a seat as I have important news to convey.” Darwin said with his hand extended to point at the three chairs in front of him.

[Ohh, boy. Darwin is speaking formally even if our ranks are low. I have a bad feeling about what he is about to say next.]

“Does anyone want to drink a relaxing cup of tea? Or do you wish to know the update about the situation?” Asked Darwin.

“We are prepared to hear what will happen next. Please tell us what a resolution has been made.” Vincent said with a poker face.

Vincent declined the offer to calm his nerves. The more they delayed, the worse Vincent knew they were going to feel. Thus, it was better to start immediately.

“Alright then. It’s your call.” Darwin said while tapping his finger on the desk.

“Something that hasn’t happened for a very long time will happen in the upcoming week. I will try my best to delay as much as possible, but combat’s judgment is now inevitable.”

“The judgment by combat has been accepted by the high council of the Lusterfall Kingdom because they want the noble families to avoid needless bloodshed in the city.”

Vincent clenched his fists. The need to fight was upon him. The probability of endangering his people was high again.

Kazumi frowned angrily. She felt Darwin didn’t say everything. She watched him lean his head and massage his temple all of a sudden. The update about the situation wasn’t over.

Lilith held her chest as her heart nervously raced. She was worried about the situation they now had to face while being angry at herself for not being powerful enough to stand by Vincent’s side.

On the other hand, Jun Ye Rim remained looking with a poker face, yet from her forehead, cold sweat was starting to appear.

“However, a complication has occurred.” Said Darwin after finishing rubbing his forehead.

“Complication?” Vincent, Kazumi, Lilith, and Jun Ye Rim questioned at the same time.

“All the information and evidence related to the incident where Jun Ye Rim was a victim and Vincent acting out of emotions at the scene he witnessed were all deemed as hearsay. Thus, Vincent now looks like a vicious aggressor because there is no evidence of the reason why he did what he did.”

Darwin saw the three in front of him staring with a shocked blank expression. He sighed and started to explain in a way they could understand better.

“I will keep it simple to help the three of you understand better.”

“The high council of the Lusterfall Kingdom arrived at this decision before I could send new valuable witness information that can’t be considered hearsay. However, mysteriously, the documents arrived late. The sudden internal delay now makes Vincent the perpetrator without reason for his actions.”

“In other words, the five noble families turned the story to their favor, and the entire Lionheart branch family can only survive by winning the judgment by combat. Only then can the Lionheart branch family appear righteous and make a demand.”

Vincent, Kazumi, Lilith, and Jun Ye Rim frowned while revealing puzzled expressions. They became confused now.

Even though they didn’t know about the politics of the Lusterfall Kingdom in detail, it was obvious that the law was being tampered with and abused to get what they wanted.

It first started with the five families demanding a large amount of gold as compensation while ignoring what their children did. But later, they chose to fight it out, which was an obvious power move against a weak noble family.

*Sigh* “Confused again, right?” Darwin asked. “Let me tell you how they managed to force the decision and overlook how onesided it is.”

“Based on what I understand, the aristocratic faction is backing the five noble families demanding judgment by combat. It is similar to how we, the royal faction, are protecting you and your family.”

“Wait! Isn’t this similar to making a show of the aristocrat faction’s might with us? Aren’t we now the targets to make the royal faction lose power and credibility?” Vincent urgently questioned.

“In a way, your words hold a lot of truth.” Darwin honestly responded, showing that this case was far larger than it appeared to be.

“But isn’t it against the law to agree to a decision without the other party’s consent? Can’t his highness the king interrogate their misuse of authority?” Questioned Lilith.

“My thought is exactly the same, yet his majesty, the king, can not touch the sacred laws made to have the most honorable form of truth a noble can display. I heard from my sources how his majesty, the king, was shocked to find out about the emergency council session and the decision they made.”

*Sigh* “Those bastards are unbelievable. They gathered the most influential high-ranking noble families on their side with the help of the Blackheart family and pulled a power move by doing an emergency council session.”

[Blackheart?] “Blackheart?” Vincent, Kazumi, and Lilith angrily said.

Darwin shook his head while continuing,

“Yes, they had their hand in this situation. Because an emergency council session doesn’t require everyone to attend, and they can act as the proxy of the king for matters that don’t involve the kingdom’s safety, the Blackheart family led the aristocrat faction, and a few bought votes from the royal family faction to arrive at this decision.”

“Regrettably, this is the only thing I can say. After this judgment by combat ends, I am sure there will be new protection laws about the misuse of judgment by combat.” Darwin let out a long sigh and gently shook his head. “But not right now, unfortunately.”

[This smells like a scheme made after much planning. I bet they involved Jun Ye Rim after learning how you are easily swayed when people you know have a problem. In other words, this might have been a well-prepared trap all along, and we fell right into it.]

“A trap? Was it all my fault?... I am really a cursed elf...”

“Don’t bother blaming yourself, student Jun Ye Rim.” Darwin stood up and continued, “Let me make you a relaxing cup of tea. You can not change what has already happened. You can only prepare for what is to come.”

Lilith placed her hand on Jun Ye Rim’s lap.

“I am sorry for causing you trouble. If it was a trap, then you suffered because of us.” Lilith apologetically lowered her head and continued, “I, Baroness Lilith Lionheart, apologize for dragging you into our matter and almost getting you killed.”

I am sorry, Jun Ye Rim. Angering too many from the aristocrat faction made you suffer.” Apologized Vincent with his fists clenched. He was angry about the situation and himself for negatively involving others in his choices.

[Don’t worry, Jun Ye Rim. We will take responsibility for what happened to you. So please sit back, relax, enjoy the cup of tea Darwin is making, and leave it to us.]

Jun Ye Rim nodded once without uttering a word. She looked conflicted and needed time to think. Yet her face remained pale from worry.