Baur was escorted to the High Court.
To say she was escorted was not entirely accurate.
For the sake of appearances, she wore a magnificent silk dress and was not bound by shackles or chains.
Nor was she paraded through the streets for public ridicule.
Instead, a specially made, solid black cage carriage transported her directly from her place of house arrest to the High Court.
The High Court was packed to capacity.
Every seat in the gallery was filled.
However, unlike the Council, there was no clamor or noise.
Everyone sat motionless on hardwood chairs that lacked thick sheepskin cushions, making them rather uncomfortable.
It was obvious that the lords and ladies of the Elf faction appeared more at ease.
Those who had originally belonged to the Northern faction were visibly restless; as early as a day ago, they had hurried to express their loyalty to the Governor and Domenico, while simultaneously denouncing Baur.
Unfortunately, those sitting there noticed that members of certain families were still missing.
Yet the Governor had clearly emphasized that all “Golden Book” families were required to attend.
The implications of their absence were self-evident.
Furthermore, ambassadors and consuls from other nations had been specially invited to observe.
Diplomatic personnel from the human kingdoms, the Dwarven ambassador, and even those two mysterious elven ladies were present.
They sat at the very top of the gallery, overlooking the entire courtroom.
But the most prominent figure was the Honorable Julia Laguanse, who represented the Republic in the prosecution of Baur.
It was said that she had personally unearthed much of the evidence.
Everyone present knew that Domenico had already begun grooming Julia as his successor.
Liv had found this system quite strange at first.
She had specifically asked Julia about it, only then learning that Hobrick did not have a prosecutor system like the one she understood from her previous life.
For the prosecution of major criminal cases, the Ten-man Committee held full responsibility.
They could bring charges against anyone committed of high crimes such as treason, sedition, attempting to attack the Council, attempting to assassinate the Governor, manipulating the national market, or smuggling.
With the Governor’s permission, they could arrest a suspect before handing them over to the High Court.
Secondly, Landingset still maintained an ancient tradition: the “First Accuser.”
The first noble to risk their life by providing a written report of a crime to the High Court or the Ten-man Committee would become the First Accuser.
They could participate in the public prosecution, recount the facts, and provide evidence—but they also had to bear joint responsibility for the truthfulness of the allegations.
Domenico had Julia report the crime to the Ten-man Committee while allowing her to participate in the public prosecution, even going so far as to say she was presiding over it.
In a sense, he was letting Julia step halfway through the door of the Ten-man Committee ahead of schedule.
It would be a lie to say the young nobles in attendance weren’t envious.
But if such “good fortune” were truly offered to them, they wouldn’t dare take it.
After all, no one wanted to be the bird that sticks its head out.
As the heavy courtroom doors were pushed open once more, a squad of guards led Baur toward the “Solitary Chair” in the center of the court.
The floor beneath the Solitary Chair was several centimeters lower than the rest, and the area around it was wide open and unobstructed.
Sitting there, one would be stared at by onlookers from all directions.
It was a true panopticon.
Liv didn’t even dare to breathe heavily.
She felt that the people around her were afraid to even shift in their seats, each sitting as rigidly as a block of wood.
Baur sat gracefully upon the chair.
After smoothing out her dress, she rested her hands on her knees and slightly lowered her head.
She did not look around, nor did she look at her former allies.
It was as if such gestures were meaningless.
She likely assumed that the letters denouncing her had already piled up into a mountain.
Soon, the five High Judges entered the courtroom and took their seats at the bench in the furthest reaches of the room.
According to custom, the Governor himself should have sat in the center.
He would not be allowed to speak, nor could he interrogate or draw conclusions, but the Governor had not come today.
He was not seen in the gallery either.
None of the Ten-man Committee had shown up.
With the strike of a gavel, the trial officially began.
The judge first read the rules of the court and then asked Baur if she had appointed a defense counsel.
If she had not and truly required one, the High Court could appoint one for her.
Baur shook her head.
“Thank you, but I do not need a defense counsel.”
The judge then signaled Julia to read the indictment.
Julia picked up the indictment that the High Judge had written for her in advance and began to read.
It primarily listed the following charges and factual circumstances:
First, through her cooperation with the Elf Queen in celebrating the friendship between the two nations, Julia had keenly discovered that Baur had actually exercised diplomatic functions on behalf of the Governor, leading to misunderstandings with a friendly state.
Furthermore, through secret letters found in Baur’s home, it was discovered that she had, without authorization, befriended heads of state, ministers, and envoys of various countries, effectively selling out her nation.
The ironclad evidence lay in a request from King Wladyslaw, sent through the fleet Baur controlled, to purchase the sea charts and surveying data of Aurelia.
Baur had kept this letter, her intentions laid bare.
Second, Baur had attempted to disrupt the national market by selling off shares of the Southern Isles Company at the extremely low price of 15,000 ducats.
If this was not market disruption, it was bribery, or a method of transaction designed to evade taxes.
No matter which charge it was, it was extremely serious.
Based on current evidence, it was highly probable that Baur had attempted to bribe King Wladyslaw.
Baur would have to clearly explain exactly why she sold the stocks so cheaply.
Third, Baur had used the fleet as private merchant ships to transport goods without reporting to the Ministry of Foreign Trade.
This constituted the crime of smuggling.
After listing a long string of evidenced crimes, there was one final charge at the end of the indictment.
The rebels who had previously attacked the Council were found to be strongly opposed to the friendship policy with the elves.
Baur indeed had expenditures for the purchase of weapons and held influence within the navy.
Therefore, Baur had to clearly explain whether she had aided the rebellion or participated in it directly.
When these charges were laid out, everyone present felt that while the outcome was logical, it was still unexpected.
Domenico was truly determined to see Baur executed.
He would not give his former political rival any room to breathe.
Liv looked at Julia with a solemn expression.
Her guess was correct.
Domenico had decided to support Julia, handing her all the credit—and the negative fallout—of dealing with Baur.
In this way, Julia could quickly establish a firm foothold within the Elf faction and, with her newfound influence, compete for a seat in the Council and eventually enter the Ten-man Committee.
This suggested that Domenico sensed the retaliation from the Frostweave Kingdom would be fatal—so fatal that he worried the Governor might not be able to protect him.
So, where would this retaliation begin?
Would they once again send the prairie cavalry to threaten the Grand Duchy of Tiro?
Liv stared intently at the woman sitting with her head bowed in silence, trying to see any traces belonging to the Kingdom within her.
Suddenly, she felt someone gently take her trembling hand.
It was Tess.
Tess gave Liv a playful smile, as if telling her not to be nervous.
On the stage, Julia finished reading the indictment.
The High Judge in the center cleared his throat and said, “Baur, you may now defend yourself.”
Baur kept her head down, looking at neither the judge nor Julia.
She spoke slowly.
“Lord Domenico is truly civilized. According to the customs of our Ten-man Committee, you only needed to interrogate me in secret, induce me to say something contradictory, and then vote that same night to have me executed and tossed into Landingset Harbor. No one would have ever known I was dead.”
“Yet you chose this method to try me. In that case, I cannot remain silent. I hope the judge will not take offense.”
“Citizens in attendance, I, Baur, have committed crimes. I accept any charge except for inciting rebellion. But I must say, this method of yours is truly unwise. Ultimately, it is me today, and it will be your turn tomorrow.”
“If you all feel that Baur must die so the Republic may live, then I have nothing left to say.”
“Baur shall go first. I will await you gentlemen in the underworld; that day is not far!”