The dispatch to the western governorship was temporarily postponed.
An absolutely massive incident had exploded, after all.
“It’s not like I’m doing this because I don’t want to go. It’s all that little bastard’s fault—what can I do?”
Of course, that didn’t mean I could avoid the west forever.
Once an imperial decree was issued, refusal was impossible.
But handing this case to someone else was equally out of the question.
‘Who else could withstand that kind of pressure?’
The heir of the Sierre ducal house was involved.
No one but me, the High Judge, could handle it.
“But why is there still no reaction?”
“From where, Your Highness?”
“Even the west isn’t more important than the kidnapping of Princess Eustia.”
“You’re right.”
“Shouldn’t some kind of directive come down by now?”
Shouldn’t he at least say something?
Hurry and finish it, or mediate at an appropriate level—anything.
Yet the Emperor showed absolutely no movement.
That only made me more uneasy.
“Just proceed as you always have.”
Judge Kolund Emir gave a sensible opinion.
It was the kind of statement that made me nod automatically.
Had I ever gone easy just because someone was a big shot?
I had seized the lands of powerful families and thrown count heirs into prison.
Naturally, I had no intention of going soft on the Sierre heir.
But Joseph was different.
From start to finish, he only opposed for the sake of opposing.
“This must not proceed. It could have a very negative impact on imperial politics and society. End it at a reasonable line.”
Blatantly shielding his own faction.
Just because they’re the same noble bloc, he defends without question.
This is exactly why nobles must never be allowed to band together.
They try to turn the unreasonable into reasonable.
“Let’s hear the investigation results first.”
I let Joseph’s nonsense go in one ear and out the other.
He’s only useful when crushing the Giovanni faction anyway.
Soon we entered the courtroom.
I took my seat amid the usual greetings, when a certain figure caught my eye.
A man sitting arrogantly, smirking as if thoroughly entertained.
‘He really looks like he never listens.’
Neatly combed golden hair and a plump, fleshy face—spitting image of Duke Sierre.
That must be Skyler.
I only had childhood memories, so his adult face felt completely unfamiliar.
Neither the court nor the prosecutor had ever seen him before.
He hadn’t shown his face once during the entire investigation.
All thanks to Duke Sierre’s influence.
‘Doesn’t matter. He won’t escape a real sentence.’
The evidence was already overwhelming.
Not just Princess Eustia—more victims were surfacing one after another.
Our young prosecutor, Corbin Sears, had latched on like a hunting dog.
“To date, 37 cases of high-ranking human trafficking have been identified. Including those whose low status makes tracing impossible, the scale of damage is expected to be even larger.”
Prosecutor Corbin Sears concluded the proceedings with a grim face.
Yet even as his crimes were laid bare, Skyler showed no interest.
He simply sat with legs crossed, idly tapping his ankle.
‘Wait, is that even possible?’
It wasn’t just his insolent attitude.
How does someone who looks over 100 kg cross their legs like that?
I was simply impressed by his transcendental flexibility.
He’d become obedient as a lamb soon enough anyway.
No matter how modernized the capital prison had become, this was still the middle ages.
Even simple confinement without labor would be torture.
Filthy, sunless, with terrible food.
An environment where you’d fall ill in no time.
‘He’ll lose weight nicely. Might even come out healthier, the bastard.’
I forcibly suppressed the corners of my mouth that kept rising.
Then I calmly looked at Corbin.
It was time for the prosecutor to demand a sentence.
“…Therefore, I request the defendant be sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.”
Honestly, I expected harsher.
The crimes more than warranted it.
We needed to project an image of severe punishment for diplomatic reasons too.
But for Corbin Sears, 20 years was probably the limit.
He couldn’t touch me, but they could pressure him.
‘He must have had a headache.’
Still, 20 years wasn’t bad.
While Skyler rotted in prison, we could uncover more crimes and add time.
I doubted he had only done this much.
I immediately raised the iron gavel.
“I pronounce the sentence. The defendant is sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. Additionally, a fine of 2,000 goldens is imposed for victim restitution.”
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Thus Skyler’s fate was sealed.
He was 22 years old.
When he finished his sentence, he’d be in his forties.
His prime years spent in a damp cell.
Dragged to labor camps every day.
The punishment most befitting a villain.
Yet Skyler only smiled faintly.
‘He’s smiling?’
Far too calm for someone whose youth had just been destroyed.
It reminded me of the serial killer Lorenzo, who had giggled while begging to be killed quickly.
When the death sentence actually came, he laughed and thanked everyone.
To show he didn’t fear death—but inside he was different.
‘He was overacting out of sheer terror.’
Skyler was probably the same.
His insides must be rotting away.
To check if that was true, I immediately opened the status window.
<Character Information>
Name: Skyler Sierre
Status: Heir to the ducal house
Position: Advisor to the trading company, Vice-Commander of Sierre 2nd Knight Order
Relationship: No prior contact
Condition: Relaxed due to a powerful backer, finds the trial extremely boring, listening with one ear and letting it out the other
Overall Ability: A
“Hah!”
I involuntarily let out a hollow laugh.
Still in the courtroom.
Everyone was watching the bench, so they saw my expression.
But no one said anything.
They were all equally disgusted by that bastard’s attitude.
“Let us leave, Your Honor.”
“Phew. Yes, let’s.”
Urged by Judge Emir, I moved with heavy steps.
Somehow I had a feeling something extremely irritating was about to happen.
Bad premonitions always hit you in the back of the head.
While preparing to depart again from the mansion, I received a visitor.
It was Judge Kolund Emir, who would temporarily take the bench in my absence.
The news he brought was shocking.
“So you’re saying Skyler was released?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Impossible.
The Corrections Headquarters was clearly under the judiciary—under the High Judge.
Yet they released him without my order?
No wonder there had been no reward despite punishing a villain.
“How?!”
“Well…”
Judge Emir hesitated with an apologetic face.
It must be quite an awkward topic.
“It’s fine, speak freely.”
“The Giovanni noble faction launched a support offensive. It seems Viscount Holt Almeida moved because of that.”
“Don’t tell me the Corrections Director is with that faction?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“Have they all gone mad together?”
Skyler Sierre was a demon far worse than Alonzo Brayden.
The sheer scale of his crimes was insane.
It could even cause diplomatic incidents.
Not just Princess Eustia—noble ladies from western minor countries had been victimized too.
And they weren’t making an example of such a monster?
What would happen to the empire’s honor?
‘It wouldn’t just hit rock bottom—it would drill straight through to hell.’
At that thought, a question arose.
“What did the Crawford Principality and the western nations say?”
“Surprisingly, no protests at all. As if nothing happened.”
“They must have been paid off to shut up.”
“Ahem!”
Judge Emir only coughed instead of answering.
Of course—he wouldn’t want to say out loud that justice was bought and sold.
‘They’ve completely lost it. Sierre and Giovanni joining hands?’
The empire’s noble factions were famous for tearing each other apart.
Not literal fistfights in parliament.
They waged verbal wars to drag each other down.
When words are exchanged, grudges deepen.
They were worse than sworn enemies.
Yet they cooperated this dramatically?
“They wouldn’t unless they had a common enemy.”
The moment I muttered that, I felt a subtle gaze.
Judge Emir was looking at me meaningfully.
I shrugged lightly.
“What? Is there something on my face?”
“Right here. The common enemy.”
“…Ah.”
I had forgotten.
My glorious history of thrashing both noble factions.
But I didn’t do it on purpose.
Who told them to commit crimes?
They mess up and then get mad at me?
‘Of course, reasoning with them won’t work.’
These are people who used tricks to free a 20-year sentence criminal.
They clearly don’t have “common sense” installed in their brains.
Beasts have their own way of communicating with beasts.
“Looks like I need to set an example.”
“By now the release process is probably almost complete.”
“Let’s go to Corrections Headquarters.”
“What exactly are you planning to do?”
“No plan. I need to see the reality of this insane stunt first.”
If the procedure was already finished, there was no reversing it.
I could only dig up more crimes and lock him up again.
But would that change anything?
Viscount Almeida would just release him again.
‘I need to replace the Corrections Director with my own person.’
Of course, that wasn’t something I could do immediately.
The appointment of agency heads was the Emperor’s prerogative.
‘Should I go to the palace and mobilize my great cousin?’
The thought crossed my mind, but I immediately shook my head.
Why had the Emperor made me High Judge in the first place?
To uphold justice without yielding to outside pressure.
Yet run to him because I can’t solve this one thing?
‘He might decide I’m no longer useful and get rid of me.’
Besides, asking anything of that stone-hearted Iron-Blooded Emperor was hard.
I boarded the carriage and organized my complicated thoughts.
But the unease didn’t fade.
This was the first time a verdict of mine had been ignored.
“We’ve arrived, Your Highness.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The moment I thanked the coachman, I dashed to the main gate of Corrections Headquarters.
If the release wasn’t complete, maybe I could still stop it.
At least yell at Viscount Holt Almeida.
But contrary to my urgency, everything was already over.
Step. Step.
Our chubby little darling, Skyler Sierre, was walking out.
Meeting him face-to-face, I froze in place.
Then Skyler flashed his characteristic rotten smile and began to sneer.
“This is what happens when you mindlessly scream about justice. Why don’t you live alone in your own world?”
Getting lectured by a psychopath—truly a sight to see in a long life.
Anger surged to the top of my head, and even the attendant trailing behind him became an eyesore.
FWOOSH!
Crimson flames instantly enveloped my entire body.
“I’ll make sure you’re the one I crush.”
KABOOOOOM—!
Beast’s Heart activated