At the moment, I, Jake=Ractos, were in the exactly same condition as the Count Raul=Nizzet, who will become his father in law, my head was in perfect mess.
The first witness, the maid of the royal castle, seems to had misunderstood the suggestion that Count Raul=Nizzet made when he asked me to engaged with his daughter, Anessa.
Well, although it felt bad for father, but to be honest, this kind of misunderstanding was a normal occurrence for him.
Though I, also get misunderstood sometimes, but father is more than that.
Now, His Highness Alto said that there were another witness, but I sure that the other person was also misunderstood about the situation.
.... I thought about that in the first place, but it seems the matter wouldn’t go as simply as that.
The second witness that was brought by His Highness Alto was ragged man... Although not to that extent, but he didn’t seems to be someone from high status, a man with vicious face with his hand tied behind his back.
He was someone who I couldn’t remember the origin from, I looked around to see the reaction from others, but no one seems had clue about who was this person. Leaving Count Nizzet who already seems to stopped thinking, no one really showing surprised expression.
Prince Alto ignored us and urged the second witness to gave his testimony, then the man slowly opened his mouth.
“Well, in the alley that was located near the main road... I am someone who sell kebab made from leftover meat”
Alley... kebab... what about that? I had really bad feeling about this though.
“About two months ago. Umm, the people from Ractos household, Grid-sama and Jake-sama, they visited my stall... and shut me up”
Hmm? I always felt that there was some sense of dejvu when seeing this person.
The way he speaking also leave an impression in my mind, but I felt like it was also some kind of misunderstanding.
“Jake-sama gave me gold coins... that, although he didn’t said it clearly with his mouth... but when they exhort me to never told anyone that they visited the Crescent Moon Pavilion countless time.
Yep, I remembered it all now.
Who this man, you ask? It was at that time when I and my father went to Crescent Moon Pavilion for dinner, and I bought a kebab on the way.
It was that man who seems to misunderstood the matter when I tried to act cool and said that “You can keep the change” as a silencing money.
In other word, he thought that I gave the money as as a warning? And he actually feared it?
“Of course, the gold coin in his possession already been examined as the material of evidence. Whether it’s really Jake’s will be proved after the examination. Well, you have a really special sorcery trait, it’ll be easy to track you magical power on that coin”
... Ah? Isn’t this bad?
The maid who brought as the first witness were totally misunderstood. In fact, we could still resolve the misunderstanding about the topic of Count nizzet want me to be engaged with Anessa with small.... well, maybe it’s still need lot of work, but we should be able to resolve the misunderstanding.
But, what about the second witness?
Although it’s fact that I never had any intention to made him shut up, but it’s all true that I bought a kebab from his place and paid with gold coins. I thought that the misunderstood about me shutting up this uncle’s mouth wouldn’t be able to solved smoothly.
... If I said that it was just a mistake, and I never had any intention to bribe him to shut up. Would they even believe in me?
It is difficult to prove my innocence at this point.
Aah, this is serious, isn"t’ it?
“What’s wrong? Are you become lost of word? Jake=Ractos”
His highness said that as I was fell deep into thought.
Well, I’m sorry, for a moment there I thought for an excuse for this situation.
“I know what you want to say next. Although I had witnesses with me, the testimony of the both witnesses are lack of credibility... It’s impossible to caught you guilty with just these people. You thought that, don’t you?”
? Ah, eh... Was that ture? I already felt that it was really difficult to get out from this situation though, hearing those two testimony. How in the world that these testimony couldn’t really put me on jail? If that was true, could you tell me about it?
“The testimony of the first maid can be said that she just hearing something that just sound like Duke Grid and Count Nizzet were plotting something, as for the second person, you can say that you was just covering the fact that a Duke is having a meal on the alleyway on the downtown”
I see! So that how it is!
“ But have you forgotten? I already told you guys that I have the evidence, and these evidence are not something that you guys can run away from”
Another evidence? That was stronger than this?
... Wait, hold on a second, I couldn’t thought any more thing that was more convincing than the matter with the uncle from the kebab stand.
“well, this one is an evidence, but at the same time it’s a person”
His Highness Alto said so and then fell into silence for a moment.
“I caught the a.s.sa.s.sin”
That remark change the atmosphere in the room into that of a commotion.
No way, you caught the a.s.sa.s.sin? My father and I never hire an a.s.sa.s.sin before, and I was sure that was the same for Count Nizzet.
The a.s.sa.s.sins surely also a person that easily got misunderstood.
“Of course, through questioning and hearing his final confession, I’ve learned that he is someone that is involved in your plans”
... it didn’t seems like that.
Wait, wait, surely it’s just misunderstanding.
It would be a disaster if some a.s.sa.s.sin using our name as the scapegoat to protect their employer.
“Your face look pale, Jake=Ractos. There seems to be something on your mind, heh”
Yep, I felt little cold on my back, let’s call it a day and we’ll continue this latter...
“well, this is the end! Bring the a.s.sa.s.sin here!!”
Well, I didn’t thought that his highness will put stop on this though...
Hearing the shout from the prince, the guards bring in another man that were handcuffed stricter than the kebab uncle.
My thought stopped the moment guard bring in the said a.s.sa.s.sin.
Because, he was a person that I well familiar with.
“The second man’s testimony said that you went to this place called Crescent Moon Pavilion... And this is why you tried to shut him up”
The man who entered the room was a man with light brown skin that could be seen at glance that he was a foreigner. Numerous scars on his skin. Black hair and brown eyes.
Then beneath that slender and beautiful eyes... A cloth as if to cover his mouth and nose.
“This is the guy that I found on the Crescent Moon Pavilion”
That man was my friend.
He is the son of the shopkeeper of the Crescent Moon Pavilion. Yuugkun.
“...!! His highness Alto! Please wait a minute. That man is not an a.s.sa.s.sin. Well, he is actually my friend!!”
I couldn"t help to deny his accusations.
But what would it made? He wouldn’t even listen to me.
“Haha, what’s wrong jake? You look really panic, but it’s too late!”
Was it because the trial already reached the ending phase? His highness shouted excitedly and spoke faster than usual to Yuugkun.
“ I’ll asked the same question! Tell me the truth, are you an a.s.sa.s.sins that hired from another country!?”
“... Ah, yes”
Thank you giving affirmative to his highness question.
Hmm? Wait, what’s going on here? Are really an actual a.s.sa.s.sin?!
“The man who hired you is the Ractos household! Is that true?”
“Ah, yes, no mistake, just as you said”
Thank you for another good anwer there.
Wait wait wait, what’s the matter? I was the one who hire you, and you’re the a.s.sa.s.sin? What happened!?