𝓒𝓱𝓸𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓪𝓽𝓮- 𝒦𝓁𝒶𝓊𝓈 𝐵𝒶𝓊𝒹𝑒𝓁𝒶𝒾𝓇𝑒 𝓍 𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇

Chapter 14

The courtroom collectively gasped, including Strauss herself. 

Count Olaf smirked and stood up. 

"You may applaud."

The room once again, burst into applause. 

Oh for god sakes. Y/N was so done. 

He took his seat on the podium, seeming proud. 

"Will the defendant state his name?" Klaus asked. 

"Count Olaf."

"Occupation?" Violet inquired. 

"Impresario."

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"

"I have never told a lie in my life!"

"That's a lie!" Klaus said, exasperated. 

"You can't prove that," Olaf said smugly. 

"That's the whole point of this trial!"

"Ah! I've always been honest about my desires, orphans. You: maimed or dead, and your fortunes in my rarely washed hands. That's more than the rest of these people can say."

"These people are here to help us," Violet stated. 

"Help you?" Olaf questioned amusedly, "Look around! I see a banker who cares more about a promotion than three orphans. I see a man who was too afraid to protect you, and a woman who values paperwork over people's lives."

Y/N knew he was talking about Mr. Poe, Jerome Squalor and Babs.

"I see a Vice Principal who was more than happy to let me into his school, as long as I stroked his ego."

"That's a lie!" Nero stood up. "He only stroked my...Violin." 

Y/N turned around in her seat once again. 

"Just sit down, Nero. Just sit down."

Olaf continued pointing out a few more people in the room. 

"I see volunteers whose complicated codes and pretentious literary references  are useless against the real treacheries of the world." He stared directly at Y/N's parents. 

They glared back, although Y/N could see a tint of melancholy in their eyes. 

"And, presiding over them all, a judge so blind she let me marry Violet." 

Strauss looked embarrassed and looked away. 

"These so-called decent people have done more to help my schemes than any of my associates. They should be up here right now."

"They're not. You are." Klaus countered. 

"Yes." Olaf agreed. "But you are up here too Baudelaires. Tell me, on Mount Fraught, what despicable act did you perform to rescue your sister?"

Klaus seemed flustered. 

"We held Ésme-" He spoke quietly. 

"Louder, please, for the Court!" Olaf beckoned. 

"We held Ésme Squalor hostage but-" He repeated.

Olaf spoke again. 

"And when you needed to reach V.F.D headquarters in the Mortmain Mountains, what did you help me do?"

"Burn down Caligari Carnival but-" Violet was interrupted. 

"Let's hear from some witnesses! You!" He pointed at a man in the crowd. "Who caused all the terrible accidents at Lucky Smells Lumbermill?"