Chapter 50: Chapter50

Chapter50

―― Five years ago.

It was the 933'rd year of the Loiza calendar, in the Amagir kingdom.

A few hours after it was decided that Harold would be decapitated and he was forced to the jail in the tribunal's basement, Cody was standing in Vincent's office.

["Why the hell does Harold need to be executed?!"]

Cody pressed the question on the office's owner. His face was unusually sour.

But even the one whowasbeing pressed, Vincent, had a sourand distorted face, as if hehad just eaten a bug.

["Except for me, everyone agreed with this judgement, including the commander,Mr.Cox. They haven't even checked the facts yet, thesentence is just too heavy..."]

Harold certainly had some strange points tohim and he was suspected of being a spy, too. But still, this time's judgement had jumped over too many steps, and it would be hard for anyone to say that it was very just.

[".....What you're saying is that someone put the squeeze onthe judges?"]

["I'm afraid that'sthe case. To stop Harold's execution, we'll have to find that person."]

Although Vincent hadhis thoughts concerningHarold, he didn't think he committed a crime deserving of being killed. He gave Cody a rough report on the circumstances.

His suspicions might not have been completely dispelled, but he still was against the execution.

["So the deadline is in one week..."](Cody)

There was too little time. Asking him to look for the one pulling the strings in such a short time period was like asking him to find a needle in a haystack. Besides, finding the puppet master wouldn't necessarily stop him.

However, if he didn't do it, Harold would die. Then,even if it seemedimpossible, any plan was a good plan.

ThoughCody and his friendsenthusiastically started making their moves, the situation took a turn for the worst the very next day.

Afterhis execution was decided, some bad rumors concerningHarold started spreading within the knight order and theyreachedthe streets in no time. Moreover, the contents of the deliberations had been maliciously twisted, with no regard for the facts.

From this, Cody was convinced that someone was trying to kill Harold. And so, the right atmosphere for the execution had been installed.

Once it got to that point, Harold's bad reputation had naturally reached a certain girl's ears.

["I deeply apologize for my repeated sudden visits."]

Said Erica, Harold's fiance, with a bow. Shehad paid a visit to Cody once again.

Her motives were clear. It was about the veracity of Harold's execution and themalicious rumors, the source of which was unknown.

Honest as he was,Cody hadn't quite grasped the situation so there weren't many things he could talk about. Harold was sentenced to decapitation, that was the truth, but Ericawas his fiancee and she was still a child, so he was extremely troubled over whether he should tell her or not.

In the mean time, since she was a guest, he ledEricato the same guest room as the day before. Upon entering inside, her female attendant took position in a corner of the room without uttering a word.

Sitting face to face with Erica, Cody immediately cut to the chase.

["How can I help you today.... you don't want to hear that, right?"]

["Yes. I'd like you to tell me what is Harold-sama's situationand what has the tribunal decided"]

[".....Frankly speaking, his situation is very bad. Do you still want to hear?"]

["Yes, if you please"]

Erica answered withouta tinge of hesitation. She had assumed the worst.

An amazing reaction for a girl her age.

["First of all, it's no liethat the he was sentenced to decapitation. If nothing is done, in six days, Harold will be executed."]

With Cody's words, Erica closed her eyelidsto gather her senses and she let out a light breath.

Next, she calmlyopened her eyes, and looked straight at Cody.

["...... "If nothing is done", you said, does that mean there is something we can doabout it?"]

The girl facingCodyhad kept her calm and read through the real meaning hidden behind his words.

As expected of Harold's fiancee, she's quitedirect, he thought.

["Sorry for raising your expectations but I can't definitively say that there is. It's a very bad gamble."]

["It doesn't matteras long as there is even just a glimmer of hope of saving Harold-sama."]

She didn't understand the desperate circumstances but that didn't mean she didn't accept them. Even after taking on all the facts, she didn't waver and she only thought about saving Harold.

Cody searched for presences in the surroundings to confirm that nobody was listening in.

It should be all right to tell her.

["Normally, it would be impossible to overturn the tribunal's decision. But this time's deliberation is far from normal."]

Cody told Erica the details of the matter without concealing anything.

He told her about how the judgement was too rushed. About howHarold's words and actions had beencompletely ignored while, on the contrary, the execution had been pushed forward.

Listening to that, the faces of Erica and her attendant gradually became stiff.

["...... This is the situation Harold has been put in. There is definitely someone who'strying to kill Harold."](Cody)

["Who is it?"](Erica)

["Sorry to say but..."](Cody)

Cody shook his head left and right looking desperate.

He was ashamed to admitit, but he really had no idea who it was.

["But we need to search for that person using the time we have left. However, even if we manage to find them, there is no guarantee that that will save Harold."]

If he had to be frank, they were actually in a state of checkmate. It was close to impossible to turn the tide at this point.

But perhaps because she didn't know that, Erica did not give in to sorrow and despair.

["In that case, we need to start moving immediately. Cody-sama, who were the ones who held the discussions?"]

["Huh? Well, if I'm not mistaken there were six members of the tribunal, adding to that was the commander of the knight order, the vice-commander,and three commanding officersof the expeditionary units. Among them, only the vice-commander opposed the execution."]

The odd number of members of the deliberation were tobegathered,and to thenvote after having multiple discussions. Nine people is the maximum number of membersper discussion.

A sentence being given after only two weeks for such aserious deliberation wasabnormal.

["And what's your standpoint, Cody-sama?"]

["To be honest, it's in my principles to bet on the winning horse. But this time only I'm readyto serve a losing battle."]

Cody smiled wryly in embarrassment. Seeing that, Erica displayed a lightsmile.

Hasshe gained some faith in me? He wondered.

["Well then, would you please give me a list of those who agreed with the execution? It's enough if you give me their names, their posts and their careers."]

["I can prepare that but...."]

["Then please do. Yuno, go prepare the boat for boarding. I'll catch up afterwards."]

Ericagave her instructions without hesitation. Her attendant bowed her head and hurriedly left.

As for Cody, he told Erika to["Please wait a moment"]and went back to his room. There, was a pile of documents among which was a list of the court's judges.

He went back to the guest room and handed it to Erica.

["There you go. So, what are you planning to do?"]

["....It's difficult for me to admitit, but I don't have the power to change the situation. I'll deliver this list to my father and I'll have him appeal for a withdrawal of the judgement and a retrial."]

The current head of the Sumeragi family, Task Sumeragi.Even among the people of the Royal capital, there are many who know the name. Hisinfluence is notto be compared to that of an average noble.

If the Sumeragi family raises its voice loud enough, other nobles will follow suit.And to the question of whether that would enough to overturn the judgement, the answer is no.

["Also, in parallel to that, we'll do a background check on the members of the discussions. We have no other choice than to investigate as much as possible about who they had contact with before the verdict was given. The time will not be enough to trace back to the source of the bad rumors..."]

["Leave that part to me. Because some stories are only caught by the citizens' personal information network. Even thought I might not look the part, I have quite a lot of influence among the town's people."]

Usually, during his daily patrols, the times he skipped on his work during what he titled as breaks, he would stop by various shops to get somegifts.

Thanks to that, thoughhe was neverspoken well of, Cody had vast connections with the citizensof the king capital when compared to the other knights.

["The vice-commander Vincent will investigate the Commander. It's fine to leave it to him, he can do it."]

Ifthey left it to Vincent, thenhe'dsomehow manage to obtain some information. Cody trusted that.

Having likely perceived that, Erica also approved.

["So, Vincent will be responsible for the commander, and I'll investigate on the troops' commanding officers and the source of the bad rumors."]

["The Sumeragi house will put its whole into investigating and persuading the remaining members of the deliberations."]

At last, they had confirmedeach other's roles. They had included Vincent who was absent, but Cody deemed it wouldn't be a problemas long as hegothis ex-post-facto approval.

In any case, the Rescue Harold Alliance had just been formed. And they weren't likely to get any sleepfor a week.

["Well then, I must getgoing. Thanks a lotfor your cooperation, Cody-sama"]

["Ah, hold on"]

Unable to control his impetuous mood, Cody called Erica to a halt. Perhaps he was meddling in things that were none of his business, but this alone he wanted to do.

["Itwould be too muchof me to tell you to not be impatient, but still, don't be afraid.Even if things are still hopeless by the end, I'll just have to barge into the tribunal tosave him, I'll attract the attention of those who have some leeway and sharpen their views."](Tln: Not sure about the last part)

["If you do such a thing, won't you be removed from the knight order, Cody-sama?"]

["If that happens, pleaseemploy me at the Sumeragi house. I am fairlyconfident in my sword skills so I'll be quiteuseful"]

["Hehe, is that so?If that timedoes come, I'll discuss it with my father."]

She gave a smile that would enchant any observer regardless of age or gender. Cody might have managed to relax Erica's tension ever so slightly.

When she was told aboutHarold's situation, only her face was calm, her hands were tightened to the point of turning white. She felt desperately hopeless and anxious of losing Harold.

Hershoulders were faintly shaking, as well.

It felt like she was going to madly rush ahead while closing her eyes in order to shake off her fear of attacking.

However, she had to stay calm to save Harold.

The means of escape were too narrow and awfully unreliable.Entrusting this to brute force would not cut it.

["Please hold on to these emotions"](Tln: And not sure about this either)

["Yes. Thank you"]

Erica slowly bowed and withdrew fromthe guest room. This time, she had left for good.

["...She's astrong kid."]

Cody spontaneously let out those wordsin the roomwhere he was left by himself.

itwasn'tanexternal kind of strength like the ability to fight, rather, it wastheinternal strength of a solid heart that goes through one'ssoul.

One could only wonder how much care she had for Harold, and yet she tried to keep calm even when a person that dear to her fell in such an awful predicament.Or perhaps it was precisely because he was in such apredicament.

Itwas hard to grasp for Cody.

For Harold's sakeand Erica's, he would absolutely free him. Such a thought boiled up in him. And if that meant he would be banned from the knight order, then it was all the better.

There was something resounding in his heart, telling him to to confront the cruel reality without backing away.

["Well, helping children who try their bestis what adults are for"]

Could that be what being a parent felt like? Suddenly having such reflections, Cody hadgoosebumps.