"Your Son." the king replied.
"Oh! My son. Regardless of who he is, he should be hanged." Silas laughed reflexively.
"Even his family—" His voice died.
"Wait... WHat...? My son....?" He blinked, confusion spreading across his face.
"Your son." the king repeated calmly.
The words fell cleanly. Calmly.
Silence descended upon the court.
Everyone, including the duke, took a few moments to process as they remained motionless and dumbfounded.
Then—someone laughed seeing the bewildered expression on the duke, and soon the entire court followed, erupting into sharp, cruel and unrestrained laughter, while the duke's expression became pale. His face drained of color as he stood frozen, mouth half-open.
Clang.
The king lifted the sheathed artifact sword slightly and struck its tip against the stone floor causing a noise, making everyone stifle their laughter.
Once the court settled, King Aurelius spoke without raising his voice. "Since everyone is in agreement, we shall proceed with the judgment."
"Send the offender to the gallows. Duke Silas's house will also provide compensation to the count."
The words were delivered as casually as assigning the next agenda.
"Wait—wait, please wait, my lord!"
Duke Silas snapped back to himself, panic flooding his voice.
"What is it, Duke Silas?" the king asked calmly.
"My lord," Silas stammered, "I believe we should reconsider. Maybe the punishment exceeds the crime— no mistake, yes, the charges are exceeding the mistake he made."
Aurelius's gaze hardened.
"Exceeds? He assaulted and publicly humiliated a noble's daughter. What future do you think awaits such a girl? What becomes of her dignity?"
The king's tone sharpened.
"What am I to answer when my people ask me—if a noble's daughter can be treated this way, what of a commoner? Are they people, or merely livestock?"
A chill swept the hall.
"Where is the safety and security in my kingdom? Where lies justice and order?", Aurelius demanded.
This made all the nobles flinch.
The king continued coldly, "And besides, this punishment was your own suggestion. You declared that such an idiot should be hanged."
"That—th-that was a slip of the tongue, my lord," Silas said desperately. "Surely such punishment is excessive for a high noble."
"It was a slip,but it was the correct judgment." the king replied, unyielding.
"It is precisely because he is a high noble that his punishment must be harsher. He abused power, disgraced his status, and sullied the name of nobility itself."
He paused.
"The sentence is justified. It will be carried out to set an example for everyone."
"My lord, please—please reconsider—"
"I have already passed judgment, Duke Silas," Aurelius said flatly. "Or would you like to add your house to the punishment as well?"
Silas froze.
YOU ARE READING
The Eclipse Moons Grimoire: Lilith's Soft Whispers
FantasyA boy who wishes to be a girl dies in an accident and reincarnates in a world of gods and demons as the second son of the baroness with hidden past. His supposed mother disguises and raises him as a girl.
