THE DEFENSE OF OROL

THE DEFENSE OF OROL

"There really is a conspiracy going on here", the crowd murmured to themselves.

"Yes, I will ask the same question as the Earl", Duke Kiriakos added.

"What do you suggest?" King Laventios asked me.

"The real murderer of Prince Stamatis of the Appolokis family is Minister Kimon and those who colluded with him", I told the king.

"Nonsense, how will you know about this?" Minister Kimon asked me angrily.

"See, you have admitted you killed Prince Stamatis", I told Kimon.

"No, I didn't say that. I was just saying", Kimon replied to me as Duke Kiriakos looked at the minister furiously.

"Another question. Prince Geoffraie, what was my father Orol doing in your residence during the time of the murder?" I asked Prince Geoffraie.

"The Duke of Kaleon is our family and guest. We had a chat and a game of chess till late in the night. When it was late, he returned to his chambers and not long after that, Orol shouted out that someone was murdered", Prince Geoffraie told us.

"So, the one who discovered Prince Stamatis' murder is the accused?" Prince Raslee asked in surprise.

"Yes, we rushed to Orol's room and found Prince Stamatis lying on the ground dead and reported the matter immediately. It so happened that Minister Kimon took up the case and he told us not to say out a word about the murder while he investigated", Prince Geoffraie told us.

"What happened there in your room, father?" I asked Orol who was the only witness to the murder.

"Erm… I had a few drinks with Cousin Geoffraie, so I was a little blurry. When I returned to my room, I thought someone attacked me, so I retaliated by casting 'Starfire Flash', but I only used one fifth of my usual magic in the attack. The next thing that I know, Prince Stamatis' body was lying before me. I thought he was the one who attacked me", Orol explained to us his testimony.

"The Duke of Kaleon is the murderer, he is the only person in the room with Prince Stamatis", Minister Kimon accused Orol again.

"Why is that?" I asked him.

"Where a person lies dead next to another with nobody else around them to witness, he is the most obvious suspect", Prince Samlee told us.

"So, if you die next to your wife in bed due to natural means, will your wife be presumed to be your murderer?" I asked the prince.

"It is a presumption. We will have to analyze the case. Prince Stamatis' body also contains the duke's magic when he was discovered dead", Prince Samlee told us.

"Well, you do know a lot about this case, Prince Samlee, are you also involved with the investigation?", I asked the prince who suddenly realized that he shouldn't have come to the defense of Kimon, while the king looked at his son suspiciously.

"How do you explain the duke's magic on Prince Stamatis' body if he didn't kill him?" Minister Kimon asked me.

That was the crucial and only evidence of Orol's suspected killing of Prince Stamatis. This was circumstantial evidence but if there was no reasonable explanation for it, then Orol will be in trouble even if he didn't kill the prince.

Suddenly, Ratatouille said something to me.

"There is a problem with the corpse", Ratatouille told me in my mind.

"What is the problem? And where the hell did you go?" I asked him in my mind.

"I went looking for treasures. When I returned here, I saw the corpse, so I went there to see if there were treasures on the dead guy's body. Guess what I discovered?" Ratatouille explained and asked me.

"What did you discover?" I asked him.

"The dead body lost all its blood", Ratatouille told me.

"Damnit, how can the dead body lose all its blood?" I asked him.

"The blood was drained from the corpse, together with all the magic in it", he told me.

"What are you thinking, Oriese?" Prince Raslee asked me suddenly.

What Ratatouille told me gave me an idea on how to defend Orol.

"Yes, I thought of something. Somebody get me forensic conjurers, but I don't want those who work for Minister Kimon", I replied to him before I asked for independent forensic conjurers.

"What is wrong with my forensic conjurers?" Minister Kimon asked me.

"Because your deeds are suspicious", I replied to him.

"Yes, I agree that we need independent forensic conjurers to investigate our prince's murder", Duke Kiriakos added.

So, independent forensic conjurers were called out by the king.

"What magic remains on Prince Stamatis now?" I asked the forensic conjurer when he was summoned to investigate our case.

"There is remnant magic on the prince's body that matches the Duke of Kaleon's magic", the forensic conjurer replied to me.

"See, that is prove the duke killed the prince", Minister Kimon shouted out to argue.

"Let them proceed, Kimon", King Laventios stopped Kimon interrupting us.

"Are there other remnant magic on the prince's body?" I asked the forensic conjurer.

"Erm… there are no other magic on the prince's body except the duke's magic", the forensic conjurer replied to me.

"Where are you going with this, Earl of Kaleon?" the king asked me.

"What about Prince Stamatis' own magic. Aren't there any of his magic remaining in his body?" I asked the conjurer.

"No, there is no magic remaining on the prince's body, even the prince's own magic", the forensic conjurer replied to me to the shock of everyone.

"Will a dead man's magic remain on his dead body after death?" Prince Raslee asked the forensic conjurer.

"Usually, there will be and not a small amount either. It will take months for the magic to completely dissipate and for a Legendary templar knight like the prince, it might take years", the forensic conjurer replied to us.

"Can you explain how the prince lost all the magic in his body after death?" I asked the forensic conjurer.

"The only possibility is that magic is withdrawn from the prince's body by somebody", he replied to me.

"Who will do such a thing to our prince?" Duke Kiriakos asked angrily.