CHAPTER 523: -43- TRIAL OF THE THIRD PRINCE_3

"Not only that, he seized the property of the nobles, colluded with the Blood Demon Church, trafficked people, and murdered commoners... I can testify to all of these."

After hearing Eleanor’s words, the Third Prince’s eyes widened with rage as he bellowed,

"Eleanor, you bitch! Traitor!"

"Silence!"

The Moon Guardian Duke commanded.

He glanced at the Royal Knights, who quickly used magic to restrain the Third Prince, preventing him from speaking further.

Then, the Moon Guardian Duke addressed Eleanor,

"Duke, any trial in the Central Council must be backed with evidence. Do you have conclusive proof?"

Eleanor nodded:

"I do. But... before I testify, I have a question that I also want to be clarified."

"Please go ahead."

"I want to know... exactly how my father died."

The Moon Guardian Duke sighed:

"Of course, according to the witness testimony we have obtained, your father was poisoned to death by Philip."

"The witness is the old duke’s maidservant, who was personally involved in the conspiracy. She fled Bold due to fear of being silenced, and finally, she was rescued by the nobles during the pursuit."

Hearing the Moon Guardian Duke’s words, Eleanor fell silent.

After a long while, she nodded:

"I understand."

She glanced at the stunned Third Prince, his face ashen, and then gently lifted her clothing, revealing crisscrossing scars.

Upon seeing those gruesome scars, the nobles whispered among themselves, plunging back into commotion.

However, Eleanor remained composed:

"So... let’s go through them one by one, starting with the abuse inflicted on me by the Third Prince..."

...

The Third Prince was done for.

Thoroughly done for.

The moment Eleanor chose to take the stand as a witness, it meant he was completely finished.

Eleanor was a long-term victim of the Third Prince’s abuse.

But she was also the Third Prince’s wife.

Witnessing the Third Prince’s numerous vile acts, for her to stand up meant she could cast him directly into hell.

Eleanor methodically laid out all the evidence of the Third Prince’s various charges, one by one.

As she made her harrowing narrative, the nobles’ gazes toward the Third Prince became increasingly filled with loathing.

And by the time Eleanor exposed all of the Third Prince’s misdeeds, an hour had passed.

The venue fell silent once more.

There was no need for further evidence.

Because the evidence presented was already sufficient.

The Moon Guardian Duke knocked his gavel once more, intoning gravely:

"The testimony is over. Now... let us have the Central Conference Evaluation Team deliberate the judgement of Philip de Valva’s charges!"

After he spoke, the evaluation team, composed of the Kingdom’s cabinet ministers and the Lords, began a low discussion, and moments later, a prepared judgement was submitted to the hands of the Moon Guardian Duke.

The Moon Guardian Duke glanced at it and respectfully presented it to King Louis V.

King Louis V scanned it briefly, his brows slightly furrowed, then took a feather pen, made several changes, and handed it back to the Moon Guardian Duke.

Seeing the King’s amended judgement, the Moon Guardian Duke’s eyes widened, and his expression hesitated:

"Your Majesty... this..."

"Read it."

King Louis V commanded coldly.

The Moon Guardian Duke swallowed and proceeded against his reluctance:

"After investigation, Third Prince Philip de Valva of New Moon, found guilty of seizing noble property, violating the Royal Authority Contract, colluding with the Blood Demon Church, subverting the Kingdom’s rule, abusing Bloodline Nobles, murdering Kingdom vassals, desecrating sacred marriage, trading free citizens and landless nobles... the evidence is conclusive."

"According to the Holy Code and the Royal Authority Contract statutes, presided by the Central Conference Evaluation Team and the New Moon King Louis de Valva, Third Prince Philip de Valva is sentenced to—"

"Hanging!"

As these words fell, the entire Council Hall went deathly silent, all the nobles shocked as they looked towards the King on high, their faces filled with disbelief.

Philip’s eyes bulged, his complexion rapidly draining of color.

He trembled and then, with a lurch of his neck, fainted dead away.