Chapter 27: Devious Smile of An Angelic Mask

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"By justice, a king gives a country stability, but those who are greedy for bribes tear it down." —Proverbs 29:4

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THE GASPING of everyone back then was heard reverberating in the whole hall continuously as in each magic stone, there would be something to react to, especially when Hubert Floyen's infidelity to Lantana with Mistica Uros, and the illegal actions of their families were shown. The voices, the careless words, the actions taken—everything was scandalous.

The people of the society used to flock to the cheating couple back then. Even when the position of Lantana was higher, just because they were better storytellers, the old Penelope would be outcasted like an ignored, unwanted toy.

Lantana couldn't really blame them who sided with the cheating couple that much. They themselves were deceived. That was why, in order to get back at them, it would be better to slap the real truth on their faces using their same methods.

After the duke spoke, not once did the magical symbol hurt him. With that, the emperor's resolve immediately strengthened.

"Get the traitors family here this instant!" the emperor commanded angrily.

Usually, in every hearing that happened in Leontios, the two sides would be heard normally before a conclusion would be made. They would be treated fairly, just like in all other places. But that was not the case at that time. The entire families of Floyen and Uros were dragged like the worst criminals in front of the emperor while all of the spectating nobles were full of tension, waiting for something to satisfy their greed for entertainment—even if that greed was equal to two families meeting their doom.

"Y-Your majesty, may we ask what is this all about?" pale as snow, the patriarch of the House Floyen asked while being held and pushed back on his knees by two imperial knights.

Behind the patriarch were the rest of his family and the Uros family who were also looking completely dumbfounded at the event that was happening before their eyes. If confusion was a person, it would be personified in their faces.

"You still have the guts to speak? You knew someone else's child died before her father even knew it yet you didn't even know that your family committed treason by trying to kill one of my vassal's daughter who held the highest authority in this empire after me? You had the guts to ask about this? How come you didn't even ask about your child's act of infidelity? You do know that every marriage here in our empire is sacred and greatly valued just as it is written in the sacred text! Betrothal is on an equivalent weight as marriage. We do not take it lightly! Not only that, your illegal activities behind the empire's back, don't you think they are yet exposed? Acquiring your own army without even submitting a report to the office… Your murderous plan—everything was already brought to light. None of you deserve your titles. It's only righteous to strip it off and grant it to the people who really deserve it…" the emperor exclaimed in a tone filled with disgust as his eyes glanced over the two families with deprecation.

An uncomfortable silence filled the place again as soon as the emperor stopped speaking. After a few minutes passed by eerily, the eldest mage decided to take the initiative again.

"Do any of you have anything else to say? Speak now. Whatever you say could either make your punishment lighter or harsher. Every word you will speak of will be used against you so think carefully," the mage said sternly as he saw the teary faces of the women of both families.

One thing the people of Vincequere Empire detest the most was unfaithfulness. Everything in the empire was rooted from their religion whether it was about government or romance. Though the imperial family and the nobles had the power in their hand, the influence of religion was still something that no one could deem trivial nor easily oppose. Not even the emperor himself—for he himself was a devout believer.

"I-I greet, Your Majesty, the emperor," Mistica said with a quivering voice to the emperor with her head bowed so low because of the imperial knight handling her hair briskly while pushing it down.

At that moment, Lantana couldn't help but to applaud the woman who just talked. Her whole body was actually trembling and her voice even cracked yet she was still able to gather her courage to utter a word in front of the emperor who was already exuding an aura of contempt to the both families.

"Alright. I'll grant you a chance to speak—no, to be fair, I will grant everyone who wishes to speak, defend themselves in front of me and the nobles. But before that…" the emperor said with his eyebrows as he sat on his throne with his left foot sitting above his right knee.

As soon as the emperor stopped talking, the old mage who did the duke's Magen, went in front of Mistica and without any command, the imperial knight who was holding her raised her head briskly to face the man. As a result, Mistica's Magen was drawn on her forehead. Following that, Hubert, Count Floyen and Countess Floyen, and Countess Uros had the Magen drawn on their forehead as well.

"Now speak," the emperor commanded.

"Y-Your Majesty, I do not know everything that is currently taking place but I believe that I am innocent from—aaah!" the woman immediately said but wasn't even able to finish as her loud wailing suddenly surprised the ears of the crowd.

'The six-pointed star on Mistica's forehead suddenly started a great white blaze!'

Lantana held her own mouth in astonishment at what her eyes were witnessing. With a grin hidden behind her hands, she focused her attention at the woman who was currently crying in pain.

"I-I do understand things a little!" she said while having a hard time. And with that, the flame stopped—which made Lantana disappointed and made Mistica smirked.

Maybe after experiencing the cruel pain of the Magen, her courage mustered up.

"I did not have a relationship with Floyen's heir in the past! I only got together with him after the rumors of my best friend's death circulated in the whole empire," she continued saying as everyone waited for the star to burn up again, but it did not so she continued.

"Uncle, I know that you're grieving and looking for someone to blame but it wasn't me who killed Lantana. How could I kill my dear friend?" Mistica said shamelessly as she opposed her brisk handler and directed her head towards the duke.

Mistica even expressed a sad expression that almost cracked because of what her eyes had seen as she faced the duke.

Of course she noticed the woman beside the duke. How could she not? The woman seemed so otherworldly with her looks and her aura while she was sitting soundlessly beside the duke yet her face looked so pale and weak, totally in contrast with her colorful dress. Despite that contrast, her beauty was not even one percent dulled, instead, it shone even brighter.

'Who is she?' She thought, 'How could she look so beautiful and regal sitting beside the duke and the emperor while I had to suffer the harsh treatment of the imperial knight and the nobles' ridicule?'

Despite her thought, Mistica continued with her act seeing the duke was speechless.

After hearing her sentiment without seeing her head burning, the duke was in rage. He wasn't born yesterday. Though the investigation was just recently conducted, he already knew that something was up with the woman and his daughter's fiancé. However, not willing to be the villain of his own daughter's happiness, he did not interfere. He chose not to interfere. He turned a blind eye.

Perhaps experiencing betrayal could help her—he used to say to convince himself knowing all too well that it could end up badly.

Perhaps it was his method of loving that was just so wrong that it even endangered the one he was supposed to love and protect.

In the end, he might even be considered an accomplice to his daughter's almost death.

"May I ask her a question, Your Majesty?"

Amidst the crowd's silence and her father's thoughts, Lantana spoke, which directed everyone's gaze at her.

"Yes. You may proceed," the emperor replied—with a large smile!

Totally different from how he treated her! Who the heck was that woman? Did she seduce the emperor with her face and her massive bosom!?

The woman stood up and looked down at her.

"You claim you did not have a relationship with the Floyen's heir in the past, does that relationship include not seeing him behind your best friend's back and doing all things that only a couple should only be doing?" the woman whom she did not know said which made Mistica freeze and almost made her heart stop.

"Please answer faithfully. And please be careful with your words, okay? I can't afford to see you writhing in pain again. It's too sad to see my best friend crying in pain," the woman said again, which made Mistica, Hubert, and the rest of their families turn pale in shock—as if they had just seen a ghost.

Best friend? Best friend who?

"Please allow me to rephrase my question. I've long known your actions yet I always acted on my own selfishness and affected even the people I cherished. Please speak now so that I wouldn't be the villain of your love story anymore. Did the two of you not kiss and do any immoral actions behind my back? Yes or no?" the woman said with a sad smile plastered on her face.

"Y-You're kidding, right? How could you assume the identity of my fiance that died—" Hubert, who couldn't stop himself because of the need to protect 'his woman', exclaimed as he forcefully raised his head—only to stop before even finishing his words.

Who was that person? He was wondering and dumbfounded. Truthfully, he was captivated that only the loud beating of his heart was what he could hear. How could a person be that beautiful? Soon enough, the answer was immediately fed to him that shattered his delusion.

"How dare you talk like that to my daughter?" angered, the duke said.

"Order in the court!" the emperor commanded which made the duke bow as he apologized while the rest of the culprits were still dumbstruck.

Silence filled the place again until the emperor's eyes landed on Mistica again.

'Daughter? That ugly fat woman was the woman beside the emperor?! What kind of sorcery did she use to look like that?!' Mistica was fuming mad as she directed her eyes to the woman.

"Now, answer, Mistica Uros! Answering wrong might burn you to a crisp so be careful with your choice of words," the emperor said loudly with his suppressed anger.

"I… I didn't. No—aaah! I did not—" Mistica tried to deny it with her tongue but with the huge blaze on her head that was starting to spread on her whole body which caused the knight to drop his hold on her, she couldn't.

Perhaps due to their own fear of being burned alive, the rest of the people confessed to their sins that ended the trial earlier than Lantana expected.

"As for the verdict of the emperor, with all of their charges including illegal unofficial activities, adulterous actions, attempted murder, and treason, I declare that the Floyen and Uros families will be banished from the Empire of Vincequere and stripped of their noble titles. All their properties and assets will return to the imperial treasury. Depart from this place and never return. Your generation up to your fourth generation shall not see this place again nor receive any official works," the scribe read out loud.

"As for the people who betrayed the engagement justified by me and the Heavens and even plotted murder, Hubert Floyen and Mistica Uros, you shall walk out of this land without wearing any piece of clothing and shall be stripped of your power and shall live together with your families outside this land." The scribe then closed the scroll.

Everything ended so smoothly that Lantana couldn't even keep up her innocent smile while standing beside the emperor. From her view, the bugs who used to bother Penelope looked nothing but a pile of trash. So when the cheating couple whose faces were full of tears and snot looked at her in bewilderment, she did nothing but to express a smile—a smile so devious that the two pairs of eyes looking at her couldn't help but clenched their teeth in awe, anger, helplessness and regret.