Published at 14th of December 2022 09:10:35 AM

In the quiet early afternoon, armor-clad soldiers rushed into a luxurious shop crowded with noble wives and daughters, looking totally out of place as they did.

Everyone, dont move! the captain yelled. This store is under suspicion of patent infringement and theft! Bring out the person in charge!

The aristocratic wives and daughters cowered in fear of the soldiers sudden presence.

Goodness, gracious youre being pretty rough, arent you? a middle-aged-to-elderly man said as he came out. Im the General Manager of the Royal Capital Branches, what do you need?

You! Youre coming with us! Capture him! the captain yelled.

As the subordinate soldiers approached him, the man suddenly yelled,

Dont vandalize the store!

Woah! the soldiers ransacking the shop cried out.

At the commotion, the captain was startled and scowled.

Bastard! Are you going to resist!? I can cut you down right here and now! the captain cried, drawing his sword at the man.

But, he didnt move.

When did I try to resist? he countered. Please stop making false accusations.

Wha? the captain said. Didnt you just shout and threaten me?! Dont think you can get away with something like this in front of so many witnesses! he roared, his eyes burning with hatred and the blue veins of his head popping.

I dont know what youre misunderstanding here, but you said our store is under suspicion, didnt you? the man said. If its under suspicion, there shouldnt be an order of arrest, but an order of appearance, you have no right to capture me. And this store is not subject to suspension of operations. This is our right guaranteed by the laws of the Kingdom. Nevertheless, if you cause trouble to our customers and interfere with our business, damaging our store and products,yourecommitting a crime. Were prepared to take legal action, including claims for damages, but are you prepared to do the same?

Ngh thi-this is just quibbling! the captain said.

Hes not quibbling, hes insisting on his legitimate rights and treatment, but the captain who was only ordered to, Arrest these criminals! doesnt get it. However

Thats right! You barbarian! one of the noble ladies yelled. This store would never do such a thing!

Thats right, thats right! another called out. Anyway, if you did a little research, theyd have been proven innocent right away, so dont think you can get away with doing this without consequences!

I will also tell my husband to conduct a proper investigation of this incident!

Wha? Huh?! the commander sputtered.

All these surrounding customers are piercing the soldiers with their gazes. From the point of view of the customers who were watching the situation objectively, it was obvious who was at fault. And this store is visited by many noble wives and daughters. There is no need to think about who has a stronger position, a mere soldier or a nobles wife.

First of all, I will contact the president of our company about this, the man said. Will that be alright with you?

Uh? Uhm? the soldiers went, crippled by the intense blowback from the ladies around them.

When the man in charge gave a signal to a clerk, the clerk nodded and left through the back door. If it happened during their initial rush, the soldiers would have followed and arrested them together with the manager. However, the situation no longer made it viable.

Dear Customers, I apologize for the trouble, the manager said. As an apology, please take home a sample of this product today. Its a new face pack were planning to launch at our company. It conditions your faces skin to keep it soft and supple.

And with those words and a signal, the clerk from earlier pulled a wagon out from the back. Its loaded with packages of said face pack.

Kyaa! one of the ladies squeals. Really?

Itll keep my skin soft and supple, you said? another said.

I definitely want to try it, too, a third go.

The store was in chaos, but the customers had already forgotten about the soldiers and rushed to the wagon. It is difficult to say whether the confusion the soldiers sowed was uprooted and suppressed, or theyd just replaced it with an entirely new confusion that overpowered the first.

Well then, shall we head out? the man said to the commander.

And so, Hugo, General Manager of Caanzas Royal Capital Branches, headed for the royal castle with the soldiers.

It was after the lunch rush, the crowds had eased a little as the customers then got their fill, but even so, the Crepe Cafe was still crowded with huge numbers of people, and now was being inundated with soldiers in armor, too.

Bring out the person in charge of this store! This establishment is under suspicion of patent infringement and theft! If you dont obey, I may have to cut you down! their captain threatens.

The guests didnt give way to the soldiers and just looked at them in annoyance. The soldiers didnt realize it, but they were clearly unwelcome here.

Im the person in charge? a young woman says as she comes out from the counter.

She certainly looks different from the rest of the crepe-making and serving staff. But no matter how you look at it, she doesnt look like someone in charge.

How can a young woman like you be in charge?! the captain snapped. Hiding them wont help you! Hurry up and call the real person in charge!

Of course, they would not think this young woman was the manager. Now, they were shouting, indignant the real one was being hidden. Although they were already shouting from the start

As I said, Im in charge of this store, the young woman said.

Enough with this nonsense! Do you think such a lie will pass!?! the captain yelled even louder.

He was so loud she frowned at the excessive noise.

Bianca just told you she is this stores manager! a customer said, annoyed.

Have this countrys soldiers completely lost their ability to understand words? another complained.

If you did a little digging, you should know who the store manager is, right? So you came a~ll the way here to arrest someone without even knowing that much, did ya?

Threatening a young woman so loudly how terrible

Yes, truly these soldiers act so high and might, acting as they please have you ever been of any use to anyone?!

Wha?! Yo-You bastards! the captain sputtered.

The customers in the crepe cafe began to whisper. Realizing they were completely out of their home turf, the soldiers were a little confused.

I am the manager of this store, the young woman said. If youd had checked our registration, youd at least know who I am, right?

Uuu the Captain choked.

It is implicitly proving that they have come to arrest someone without even investigating. No arrest should have been made without investigating your target. If you could have captured someone without any prior research or investigation, the soldiers would have simply run amok.

Im not going to run or hide, the young woman said. Im not going anywhere.

Were with you, Bianca!

You bastards tried to do something horrible to Bianca! The citizens of the royal capital will not let this stand!

Did you seriously not do any investigating?

Thats right, you know? They were like this from the start were they trying to frame someone?

Uu ngh hey! This is not a show! Get out of our way! Move, move! the captain yelled.

And with Bianca silently obeying, the soldiers took her to the royal castle.

In a solemn building inside the royal castle, Hugo waited in a courtroom before he heard a door open behind him and see the other person had finally arrived.

Mr. Hugo, Bianca said.

Hey, hey you keep saying youre the manager how many times have you told us this crap? Youve gotta have realized its not working, right?

Neither Hugo nor Bianca seemed nervous. As Duke Alto von Bayen watched such an exchange, he sniffed like he wasnt amused. At the same time, however, he smiled sadistically, wondering how long they would be able to keep it up.

Altos victory was confirmed when he arrived at this place, and the loss of the man and woman who were standing in the defendants seat confirmed it. All thats left is to wait for another person to come, and when they arrive, his victory would be declared.

While Alto thought about it, he calmed himself down, thinking that the sight of the commoners making a fuss was adorable.

A little while after the young woman entered the court, the door opened again, and a small man with a cloak all the way over his head entered. The judge raises his voice after confirming that the three are in the defendants box.

Then, from now on, we will hold a trial regarding the crimes of Patent Infringement of Duke Bayens patent and Theft of his household property!

Its kind of strange at this point. First of all, those who are standing in the defendants seat have not even been interrogated to begin with. They are made to stand there as soon as they are brought in. There was no investigation or interrogation, and it was not even announced beforehand the trial was to ever take place. It was a set-up from the start.

Audiences and the court observers were unrelated nobles who hadnt attended Duke Bayens soiree. Even if a noble of Bayens Faction is observing, there is a possibility of corruption, so theyd call people who are totally unrelated and have no conflict of interest. But even so, Alto thinks its enough.

This is not the place to reveal the truth. It is a place to condemn those who stand in the defendants seat according to the script decided from the beginning.

Both the judge and the prosecutor move to Altos orders. And the flow of the trial and the verdict have already been decided. The rest is just a show of convincingly convicting the accused in front of the audience and witnesses.

Normally, according to the laws of the Kingdom of Ploiss, the accused would be arraigned, interrogated, and if they were to be brought to trial, they would be informed when they would be brought to trial, and lawyers and witnesses would be prepared for the trial. Opportunity must be given to ready their defense.

But this time, no such process is undertaken and is completely omitted. They were arrested and thrown straight into court. In such a situation, there is no way you can properly investigate, interrogate, or build a defense for the defendants or even defend the accused.

But the audience and Bayens witnesses have no way of knowing that. Witnesses who are simply asked to testify as they are, when questioned, only speak about what they have seen and heard about the proceedings. Also, the observers just listen to the trial and see if it was fair, and they have no knowledge of the investigation methods, the process of the investigation, or the behind-the-scenes dealings of the judges and prosecutors.

Defendants Hugo, Bianca, Floto, step forward, the judge said.

The three are called to the front. Although its called the defendants box, there are no seats. They remain standing throughout the trial.

And you over there at the end take off your cloak, the judge said.

Of the three people brought before the court, the one who was wearing his coat up to his didnt take it off even with the judges order.

He says he cant take it off for various circumstances, Bianca said.

What?! the judge said. Do you think that kind of excuse will work?! Take it off, now!

Though surprised at the refusal, the judge insisted.

He doesnt have to take it off. Let him continue as is, a voice said from the audience.

All eyes in the court focus on him.

Y-Your Majesty the King?!

What is His Majesty doing in a place like this?

At that moment, the bystanders noticed and were shaken. The judge and prosecutors also panicked and looked at Duke Bayen. But they cant stop now. Alto jerks his chin, telling them to continue.

Is it so strange for me to be here? Wilhelm said. Judicial power has always been included in my royal authority. Since I cannot conduct all trials by myself, I have only entrusted that power to the judges. Are you saying I cant stand to observe this trial?

No, thats not what were

The audience and observers were surprised at this unexpected guest, but they did not object to his presence. That they panicked was that the King wasnt expected to be there. Duke Bayen, the judge, and the prosecution had already sent signals to each other and made up their minds, so the turmoil had subsided.

ThenDefendants Hugo, Bianca, and Floto, and the firm run by or employing you three, are manufacturing and selling a product called pudding that was developed by Duke Bayen and registered with the Patent Office without his permission, the judge read out. At an evening party hosted by his House, the accused colluded with a certain individual in the party, entered Duke Bayens residence without permission by posing as delivery people, and then stole a large quantity of Hexen White Porcelain pieces owned by Duke Bayen. The defendants have already admitted these facts today. We shall now hear testimony to corroborate and render a judgment.

Hmm~ another voice interrupted. Thats certainly strange, isnt it? Ill be happy to act as the defense. Since its a trial, theyll need an attorney, wont they?

As they wondered who it was, they turned to look and found

Prime Minister Dietrich!?

His Grace is their defense attorney?!

Before the three defendants now stood Prime Minister Dietrich.