I looked at Roderick Quinn with indifferent eyes.
As if silently asking what the problem was.
Seeming to catch my intent, a rebuttal came immediately.
Ah, of course, it wasn’t particularly sharp.
The logic was so flimsy.
“Former colleague courtesy is a long-standing custom of the Empire. It’s a kind of unwritten law!”
Unwritten law meant something not written in the law books but thought by everyone to be known and followed.
It was largely divided into customs and precedents, and Count Quinn was referring to the former.
I countered that opinion head-on.
“The Empire has a code of laws. Moreover, case law is not recognized in principle.”
“What does that have to do with this matter?”
“Fundamentally, the Empire follows codified law.”
Codified law referred to laws in the code, while unwritten law was the implicit national rule everyone followed.
“But you can’t break a long-standing custom with such an absurd ruling!”
There it was again.
The tactic of throwing a tantrum out of nowhere.
Why would someone old enough to know better act like that?
I looked at Count Quinn with pity and said.
I could easily shatter such baseless logic.
“You just said long-standing custom, right?”
“Yes.”
“Is that a norm that the majority of the citizens know well and definitely follow?”
Count Roderick Quinn couldn’t answer right away.
Of course not.
How many people even knew about former official privilege?
Excluding nobles or middle-class freemen, they probably didn’t even know it existed.
If we started recognizing such half-baked things as unwritten law, there would truly be no end.
Even barbaric customs from some remote village in the boonies would all become law.
Moreover, I had a more definitive way to end this controversy.
“Just one question, Lawyer Quinn.”
“Go ahead.”
“Who decided you get former colleague courtesy……. no, former official privilege? I’ve never acknowledged such a thing.”
The Chief Justice of the Empire was me.
Who exactly was trying to exert influence to change the trial outcome?
Even the emperor hadn’t done such a thing yet.
Then Count Roderick Quinn’s face turned pale white.
He’d only now realized who he was challenging.
I shot him a chilling glare and said.
“If you don’t like my ruling, appeal it.”
” “
Count Roderick Quinn silently bowed his head low.
The Empire followed a three-instance system.
Of course, it was somewhat different from Korea’s, but if desired, there were two more chances.
The problem was that above me now, there was only the emperor.
Who would want to go through the second and third instances with that terrifying figure?
He was someone who sent his enemies to their graves with a smile.
Count Quinn left the courtroom with slumped shoulders.
I was about to adjourn when I stopped.
The murmuring from the gallery was too loud.
“As expected of His Grace the Duke of Carius. He judges everything based solely on accurate facts.”
“Right! Regardless of whether relations are good or bad.”
“I thought the result would be different since the plaintiff is from the Sierre noble faction…….”
“Would he conduct a trial based on personal feelings? He even denied former official privilege.”
“Anyway, this is big trouble. The backlash won’t be small.”
The audience sent me gazes of praise and concern at the same time.
It was quite a groundbreaking result, after all.
‘Ah, there’ll be quite a bit of talk behind my back.’
The legal community would probably be noisy for a while.
It was a ruling that completely denied former official privilege for judges and prosecutors.
There would be quite a few people resenting me.
Since they’d suddenly lose a huge benefit.
But I had no intention of regretting or reversing this decision.
It wasn’t because I thought they could just not receive former official privilege.
‘I need to break the chain of unreasonableness.’
Moreover, it was something only I could do.
Who else would step up and take the heat?
It would be a difficult decision even for someone who’d achieved a fairly high position.
Tok. Tok. Tok.
As soon as I returned to the office and sat down, there was a knock on the door.
A restrained style of knocking.
It was likely Judge Colrund Emir.
“Come in.”
“Excuse me, Your Honor.”
Sure enough, Judge Emir entered with a slightly dark expression.
I could fully predict what that person would say.
Probably about this ruling.
“You can criticize me as much as you want. I’m willing to listen to any harsh words from Judge Emir.”
“No. I have nothing to say.”
“Oh! Really?”
It was welcome news amid what I’d heard.
But the following words crumbled my joy.
“Instead, protest letters are pouring in. Take a look at these.”
Colrund opened the office door wide.
Then a large cart hidden behind appeared.
Piles upon piles of papers.
The trial had just ended not long ago, so how could so many have come?
I clutched my throbbing head and weakly gestured.
“Bring them over.”
“Yes.”
Rumble rumble.
The sound of the cart’s wheels felt like the pulley of a guillotine.
Was this how kings in the Joseon era felt reading petitions?
As soon as I pulled out the first letter, a long sigh escaped.
“Sigh! Starting with a big shot.”
The name on the envelope was Marquis Alden O’Donnell.
He’d been in the legal field for a long time and even held the Chief Justice position.
He was said to be nearly 100 years old, yet to write a letter personally…….
‘He must have really disliked it.’
Well, Marquis Alden O’Donnell must have received former official privilege too.
He might feel his honor tarnished by my conclusion.
Sure enough, the letter was plastered with all sorts of rebukes from the start.
“No need to read it.”
Without even looking halfway, I pushed it aside and pulled out another.
This one was also quite critical.
Just in case there was different content, I checked the letters one by one.
However, contrary to expectation, the contents were all similar.
I tossed all the letters away.
“You’re not reading them?”
“What’s the point when it’s all obvious. Dispose of these all out of sight.”
“Uh, how?”
“Burn them.”
“Huh……! Is that okay?”
“They probably didn’t expect a reply anyway. And I have no intention of giving one.”
I stared at the mountain of letters and composed myself.
Looking at such nonsense only strengthened my resolve to push through to the end.
“Judge Emir.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“Can I ask one more favor?”
“Of course.”
“Please post a notice on the court bulletin board. We’ll hold a debate this weekend, so anyone dissatisfied with the ruling should gather.”
“What? Really?”
Colrund Emir looked quite surprised.
He probably didn’t expect such a head-on approach.
But I nodded calmly.
I had no fear of losing.
‘Come as many as you want. I’ll expose your arrogance and stupidity to the world.’
As rumors about the debate spread, Perias was abuzz for the entire week.
But the Carius Duchy was as peaceful as ever.
‘Everything’s running smoothly.’
The fashion business was now fully on track.
Especially the much simpler dresses were gaining tremendous popularity.
It was because rumors spread that the empress favored one-pieces.
So noble young ladies started seeking them one by one, but what do you know?
Once they tried them on, they were much more comfortable and pretty too.
Now they couldn’t sell them fast enough.
“You’re very busy these days.”
Visiting the Midias shopping district after a long time.
Perhaps because it was Friday afternoon, Steward Tobias Wilkins was moving very busily.
And rightly so, as it was peak customer time.
Tobias Wilkins showed an awkward smile.
“Thanks to the staff reinforcements you provided, it’s much better than before. Aren’t you still hiring?”
“Yes. New hires will be assigned soon.”
The stewards in the Carius Duchy numbered nearly a hundred.
They were deployed as managers in all sorts of businesses.
Tobias Wilkins, hired relatively early, had risen to an enormous rank.
Since each business had grown so large, a new order was needed.
‘Calling them stewards doesn’t even make sense anymore.’
They hardly even visited the mansion now, right?
Moreover, their work was far from that of stewards.
“After work, come to the office with Steward Miller Xavier.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Tobias bowed without complaint.
After that, I toured the major businesses more.
Especially noteworthy was the beauty salon.
Since it was newly started, there would be quite a few shortcomings.
“The line is really long? Are all those people waiting?”
“No. They’re here to make reservations.”
“Huh?”
It had just taken its first steps, yet so popular?
It was a phenomenon hard for me to understand.
What made them trust and entrust their hair to unfamiliar hairdressers.
I moved to the front of the beauty salon’s glass window.
Then the luxurious interior was fully visible.
‘As expected, well done.’
Perhaps because I entrusted it to Steward Wilkins, the building’s completion was very high.
Even the minor marble on the entrance stairs was sculpted as a point.
Was it because of the women lined up in various colorful one-pieces?
Somehow the beauty salon felt even more radiant.
I tried to go inside right away.
“Ah! That, that person is?”
“It’s the Duke of Carius.”
“Oh my! Oh my! What do we do?”
“What do you mean what? Do you think someone like him would notice a girl like you?”
“What? What did you just say?”
I just passed by nearby, but the voices of the lined-up women stirring reached me.
They seemed to have recognized me.
‘Ugh! Draining.’
If I got involved in even one conversation, it felt like big trouble.
All those women were looking at me as if ready to strike up a talk.
As I momentarily made a flustered expression, Steward Wilkins quickly whispered.
“It’s best to pass by quickly.”
“Is that okay?”
“Noble young ladies don’t come personally to reserve. No need to greet each one.”
“Ah, is that so?”
As Tobias Wilkins said, they were maids from noble houses.
Just running errands on behalf of their masters.
I felt a bit sorry, but I just gave a rough eye greeting and entered the beauty salon.
Sssak ssak ssak.
Hairdressers swiftly wielding scissors, cutting hair.
The customers sitting in front of mirrors had satisfied expressions.
The hairdressers’ touch seemed quite good.
‘Even to me, their skill looks good?’
They said they learned techniques from top barbers, and it didn’t seem like empty words.
At least the cutting skill passed.
Now it was time to check the other areas.
‘But why does this feel so familiar?’
It felt really welcoming yet terrifying, like seeing a face.
As soon as that thought hit, I looked toward the front of the beauty salon again.
It was right at that moment.
The customer who met eyes through the mirror smiled faintly.
Then she casually tossed out a word.
“It’s been a while. Your Grace the Duke of Carius.”
“Uh? You are……!”
Oh, damn.
It’s Princess Eustia.
Ugh not this crazy girl again.