The courtroom was frozen in silence.
Everyone stared at me in shock, mouths slightly agape, but no one dared to speak. The atmosphere was tense. After all, I had just mentioned the authority of the Emperor—and that was no small matter.
The farm owner's face drained of all color. He looked like he might collapse any second.
"M-M-My, how can I—"
He stammered, panic creeping into his voice.
I cut him off sharply.
"If you had no malicious intent, why would you give false testimony?"
"No! I didn't mean to—!" he shouted, eyes darting around in desperation. He was grasping for an excuse, any excuse—and somehow, he managed to come up with something that sounded halfway believable.
"I-I went to the temple for treatment. That's why I had bandages! Leftover symptoms!"
Some in the crowd began to nod. It sounded reasonable, at least on the surface.
But I wasn't convinced.
"Interesting," I said. "So, even though you couldn't pay your workers, you could afford expensive divine healing? With what money?"
"It was... emergency funds!" he sputtered.
I smiled coldly.
"Then tell me—when exactly did you go to the temple?"
He hesitated.
"Two days ago," he answered.
"Good. Then summon the priests," I commanded. "I want the one who treated you, the one managing offerings, and the one in charge of the temple. Three people."
The prosecutor stood frozen in place, clearly unprepared for my demand.
"Now!" I snapped.
Bang!
I slammed the gavel hard. The sharp sound echoed through the courtroom, making several people jump.
One of the prosecutors snapped into motion and rushed out of the room. I waved the farm owner back to his seat and folded my arms, waiting.
Josef leaned over with a soft smile. "Your Honor, perhaps we should take a short recess?"
His tone was smooth, diplomatic. It reminded me of courtrooms back in my old world—everyone liked to wait politely. But I wasn't in the mood for courtesy.
"No. I'll wait like this. If the prosecutor wastes time, he'll face the consequences too."
These people—Josef, the farm owner, even the prosecutor—they were all playing the same game. And none of them gave a damn about the truth.
They didn't care if Paul, a simple wage worker, had been wronged. They only cared about protecting their own interests. I didn't know exactly why—but I could feel it.
And one thing was certain.
I was going to deliver justice.
Time dragged on, every second thick with tension. Finally, the prosecutor returned, three robed priests in tow.
The truth was revealed shortly after.
"Baron Parviant never received divine healing," one priest declared. "We will submit the donation records for the week as proof."
The courtroom buzzed with disbelief. Even the priests, who had everything to lose by angering the powerful, couldn't lie in the face of evidence.
Not that I was claiming they were corrupt—but clearly, they hadn't expected to be called in.
"The records have been verified. No healing was administered. His testimony is false."
Gasps rippled through the audience.
"He didn't even go to the temple?"
"So he faked everything?"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Order!" I barked, slamming the gavel again. The murmurs died instantly.
I fixed my eyes on the farm owner.
"How dare you lie before this court—before the name of the Emperor himself?"
The man looked like he'd melt into the floor. Sweat poured down his face.
"N-No! That's not it! I—This isn't—!"
"Still lying?" I said, eyes narrowing.
"...No." His voice was barely a whisper. His shoulders slumped. He had nothing left.
I glanced around the courtroom.
Most eyes were wide with anticipation. Some were frowning—those in lavish outfits, dripping with wealth and titles. The nobles. The ones with the most to lose if justice stopped bending in their favor.
Too bad.
I don't exist to make them comfortable.
Just as I raised the gavel, Josef spoke up again in his syrupy voice.
"Your Honor, Baron Parviant is part of the Sierre noble faction. If we punish him too harshly..."
"So?" I said flatly.
He hesitated. "There could be consequences. The court might—"
I almost laughed.
So that was the game, then? Let it slide because of who he knows?
Yes, power always comes with privilege—but not here. Not today.
"In that case," I said firmly, "here is my ruling."
"The defendant, Paul, is acquitted due to lack of evidence. We will also be launching a full investigation into the farm owner."
Gasps filled the room.
"On charges of unpaid wages, bodily harm, and attempting to defame the authority of the Emperor."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The room erupted into chaos.
Nobles stood, shouting in protest—but their voices were drowned out by the cheers of workers in the back.
"Yes!"
"Finally! Justice!"
"Thank you, Your Highness Carriers!"
Some bowed. Others wept. To them, I might as well have been a saint descending from the heavens.
The praise was overwhelming—almost fanatical. But it only left a bitter taste in my mouth.
Is this how broken the system is? That they're this shocked when something fair happens?
As I turned to leave the courtroom, my eyes met a group of nobles in opulent clothes.
They stared back at me coldly, unmistakably part of the Sierre faction.
And I could already see it in their eyes.
This was far from over.