Bow, Your Highness

Chapter 17: Justice

Scaramouche had begun to speak seriously and neutrally, pretending to be Mona as much as possible. Tartaglia was sitting next to the real one on the prosecutors' balcony.

Logically, she had to give all the arguments, as she had lived it from beginning to end and knew her mother's weak points. Scaramouche was just another actor until Mona delivered her verdict.

Scaramouche was trying hard not to get his Fontainian wrong, let alone the Cardithingie. (Why did he have to repeat its name so many times? Who had given it such a ridiculously long one?) Not that he had to intervene much, either, so he hoped Focalors wouldn't doubt the real one. Though she certainly looked more desperate to defend herself now.

Well, desperate to justify herself, more like. Focalors still acted unbothered, as if she knew the final verdict would be manipulated by herself.

"I've done it all for the greater good!" "I've gone out of my way for this nation!" He heard her argue occasionally.

But Mona would uncover the means to the end. Focalors may not have consorted with the fatuis. However, the queen did the necessary scheming behind everyone's back so Fontaine's upper class could rise, modernize and enrich itself in a particular sphere at the cost of the lives of its citizens. In addition, water pollution was beginning to affect the richest as well.

And everyone had already seen her true colours. Whether she won or not, the people repudiated her. He began to see that, contrary to his goals, Mona's were more likely to be achieved. The citizens preferred the princess who was now defending them. He could see it in the faces of the moved audience every time Mona spoke.

It was proving to be a long trial, yet it was moving forward. Each irrefutable argument further fueled the Cardithingie behind him. He only knew that, once it fully enlightened, he had to swap back with Mona.

Merely, there was one more step to go.

One more , and it would come to an end.

"Do you admit, then, Your Majesty Focalors, the crimes you are accused of? All of them, since you have not failed to make a point of justifying them."

"Objection! Crimes! Only the Oratrice will decide an accusation like that. If you mean, do I admit to doing whatever it took to keep this nation going? I do. Anyway, how could you, an... Inazumian who hasn't even been here to see it, know that? Believe me when I say that this boy is doing nothing but repeating what my daughter has clearly influenced nonsensically in him."

Oh, but the rest of the citizens weren't seeing Scaramouche there, but their princess . Focalors wasn't taking the trial seriously because she thought she still had control over the Oratrice and Mona.

"Objection overruled." Scaramouche looked straight ahead stiffly. "Your Majesty Focalors, stick to the question and do not refer disparagingly to the prosecutor."

"You defend him impartially because-"

"Your Majesty Focalors!" She was getting on his nerves. He used the cane he had stolen from Mona to silence her. "Have you committed the crimes? Yes or no?"