Chap 8
"Of course, Your Majesty the Empress can personally conduct the lawsuit. But with the epidemic currently plaguing the capital and the distribution of illegal potions that corrupt people, there are quite a few pointing to Your Majesty as the mastermind behind these two incidents. If you want to receive a fair judgment, even for the unjust parts, it would be wise to find a competent lawyer."
'So, basically, since everyone has conspired to hate me, no matter what witnesses I have, the outcome may not be in my favor?'
'Being a villain would have been fine, but why did you do such things, my body's former owner?'
With family like enemies, there was no chance of finding a competent lawyer.
Knowing nothing about the law and lacking information about this world, representing herself didn't seem to yield a positive result either.
"It seems I can't find a lawyer. I may have been a bit hasty."
As she started to collect her papers and leave Count Batistian's office, his faint voice stopped her.
"Shall I find you a lawyer?"
"?"
Ermedillin stopped and looked back at him with a puzzled expression.
If she recalled correctly, Count Batistian had been one of those who relentlessly attacked her during the last trial.
"I appreciate the offer very much, but why all of a sudden?"
The Count gestured for her to come closer, tapping the nearby desk with his finger.
With a haughty expression, Ermedillin glided over to him.
"I know very well that you dislike me. I have no intention of blaming you for that. But I find it difficult to accept your favor purely."
"Since Your Majesty the Empress has been half honest, I will also be half honest. I dislike the Duke of François as much as you do. No, if what is written here is true, as a father with children, I find it disgusting. No child should be assaulted like this by their father."
If his response had been that he could not stand to see the Empress assaulted, she might not have trusted him.
Count Heidern used the word "children" instead of "royalty."
Having been abandoned in an orphanage as a newborn baby, Ermedillin had no idea what parental love felt like, but she found herself unknowingly nodding in response to Count Heidern.
"Understood. Then who will you recommend as a lawyer?"
"My son."
'Son?'
It vaguely rings a bell.
Pellio Heidern.
In the original work, Pellio was the imperial court's lawyer who presented evidence to bring down Ermedillin throughout the trial until the very end.
Of course, behind him were Emperor Henri and his chief minister Valliere.
If Henri was popular for his intense charm, like the warm sunlight, Count Heidern's son Pellio was popular for his cold and chilly charm, like the moonlight.
A supporting character whom Ermedillin tried to capture numerous times and failed.
According to the description in the novel, Pellio despised Ermedillin, even outright contemptuous of her.
"Could it be, Prince Pellio?"
"Yes. Although he's my son, he's quite clever and will be of help."
"Ah… I… That is…"
"What is the problem?"
"The son of His Excellency will defend me?"
That it was that Pellio, Ermedillin's voice gradually diminished.
She didn't want to experience the humiliation that should only be encountered in the novel.
"He will."
But the Count's expression was confident.
Without a trace of hesitation or doubt.
"Although he's my son, he has quite a rigid sense of chivalry. Debt is debt, but assault, and that too a man wielding a knife at a woman, he won't just overlook."
"Ah…"
That's right.
The reason why Pellio in the novel despised Ermedillin so much was that she tortured her maids and even used a baby for a curse.
He seems to have a character that cannot bear physical assault done unilaterally to women.
But Ermedillin's evil deeds were not known yet.
She might still rely on his chivalry for help.
'If he has such a rigid sense of chivalry, he might indeed help in a case where a woman was unilaterally assaulted.'
"I understand. I will gratefully accept Your Excellency's favor."
It felt like a ray of light in the dark path ahead.
Ermedillin bowed her head slightly, sincerely.
Since her gaze was directed at the floor, Ermedillin didn't notice the subtle smile on the Count's lips.
"Aren't you going today?"
Roonie asked as she finished her preparations to lie down.
"Where to?"
"Haven't you asked for a lantern to go to the basement every night?"
'Ah, the basement. Where Ermedillin used to make magical potions and torture the maids.'
"I was preoccupied today and forgot momentarily. Can you bring it?"
"Yes. I have prepared it in advance."
In Roonie's hand was a lantern filled with oil.
"Thank you. Thanks for thinking ahead."
A word of praise made Roonie leave the room with a face as happy as if she owned the world.
The basement was connected to Ermedillin's bedroom.
Whether the basement's existence was not much of a secret, a small door was blatantly exposed right next to the bookshelf.
But like it was sealed, even without any lock, the door would not open.
'Blood again? Again?'
Ermedillin was annoyed as she pricked her finger with a needle she had secretly taken earlier in the day.
'Who knew the experience of drawing my blood would be useful at this moment.'
It was much faster and less painful than a fountain pen nib.
Ermedillin smeared the blood gathered on her thumb on the door, and, sure enough, the door opened with an ominous creak.
Inside was pitch black, a darkness so complete it seemed as though one could forget their own existence.
Carefully shining a lantern, a narrow stone staircase appeared, seeming to go on forever.
Gulp.
She swallowed her dry saliva and took deep breaths, but her heart was pounding wildly.
'How can I be scared of this? If I stay still, I'll burn and become barbecued and die!!'
Ermedillin, with trembling fists clenched tightly, took one step at a time down the deep and dark stone staircase that resembled a tomb.
After a while, she reached the end of the stairs, where there was another door. This time too, the door opened automatically when blood was smeared on it.
"Ugh. The smell."
She scrunched up her face at the foul smell that wafted in and tried to block her nose, but it was no use.
She looked around for a window, thinking it might help if opened, but there was not a single crack in the stone walls.
After transferring the flames to the lanterns placed intermittently, the rough appearance of the basement finally came into view.
"No wonder it smells."
A strange sight of all kinds of weird herbs and dried bodies of small unidentifiable animals hanging everywhere.
"Is this what's used to cast curses? It's very witchlike indeed."
Suppressing the rising nausea, she took a detailed look around the basement and saw books placed here and there.
They seemed to be recipes for making magic potions.
"Shall I start reading?"
Ermedillin picked up the thinnest volume and focused on reading for a while.
"Hmm? What's this? Nothing but unpleasant magic. Maybe it's because the name starts with 'dark magic'?"
Disease, injury, decay, and even a curse to steal sight were written.
'Who would like this? The very person who distributed this medicine.'
She was about to close the book with a disapproving shake of her head when a white clump fell with a soft thud.
Search "I Possessed" at