Chapter 237: Side Story 29 Part 1
The Roaz Kingdom was a defeated nation.
The war had produced numerous orphans, and the number of children with nowhere to go only increased endlessly.
There was a limit to the number of people an orphanage could accommodate.
The remaining children had to live in slums, scavenging for garbage to eat, or become slaves, not even treated as human beings.
“Allen had provided those children with a place to live and food to eat…”
He had nothing to do with the rebellion in the first place.
The salary he earned as a knight was entirely spent on taking care of the children.
“And the donations…”
Allen had received support from wealthy patrons.
It wasn’t for raising a rebel army.
It was to establish a school that orphans from the Roaz Kingdom could attend.
“But a private academy without the Empire’s permission is clearly illegal.”
The Empire would never permit the construction of private educational facilities for the people of a subjugated nation.
“Because it would be the seed of rebellion.”
Naturally, it would have been done in secret.
Count Valois had used this to disguise the children as rebels.
Then the reason it took 15 years…
“Did you really wait until those children grew up enough to be convincingly disguised as rebels?”
“Yes! There was never any rebel army, and no one ever conspired for rebellion! I just helped to establish the academy. I am innocent!”
The Count, blinded by fear, continuously claimed his innocence while trembling.
“Innocent?”
Yes, if he wasn’t supporting a rebel army in the first place, he would be innocent.
“And the most innocent of all was Allen!”
Not only him but also the people who sponsored the school for the children, a friend named Garnet, and even the children themselves…
The “land of dreams” Allen mentioned in his note must have been a peaceful land where the children could rest comfortably, play, and learn…
“How many innocent people did you sacrifice?”
Sabina’s face turned cold upon hearing all the truths that Count had hidden.
But her eyes were burning like the flames of hell.
“Did those children die by your hand?”
“Anyway, the right to interrogate is invalid. No matter if it’s Valentine, you have no right to interrogate Valois without any basis!”
Completely consumed by fear, he rambled on before suddenly changing his tone.
And he murmured in a completely deranged, unpleasant voice.
“Would you still charge me with treason now? Shouldn’t you clear that man of his wrongful accusations?”
“Ha…”
Sabina let out a tearful sigh, her breath hitching.
A boiling rage and relief engulfed her, leaving her unable to regain her composure for a while.
“Allen cared for me, not because he wanted to use me.”
He simply felt sympathy for a young child who was oppressed by his own family.
It was just an act of kindness.
“Just as he had done for other orphans.”
Allen was simply a person who stood by his beliefs.
Sabina saw him for who he truly was.
Having realized the entire truth, Sabina quickly calmed down.
She wiped the corners of her eyes.
“I can save my tears for later.”
There was something else she needed to do first.
“Count Valois.”
She had discarded the trivial title of “father” and the formalities.
“Nothing has changed. Only from treason to the crime of insulting the royal family. You still mocked His Majesty, do you think he will revoke the right to interrogate because the truth has been revealed?”
Do you think he would reconsider?
Sabina looked at him with contempt, as if she couldn’t bother to associate with his foolishness.
“At least now, the right to interrogate will lose its effectiveness!”
The Count stammered in rebuttal.
It was a struggle for survival.
He grabbed the iron bars and shook them back and forth, shouting.
“Release me at once!”
Then, Tristan, who had been showing a pleasant smile by her side, added,
“If it’s not treason, then there’s no need to hang heads at the city gates. We might even obtain the right to execute on the spot.”
“What, what?”
“It would be easier to deal with them, right? You would know better, wouldn’t you?”
Know better, indeed.
Treason was tied to the security of the state, making it extremely difficult to obtain the right to execute.
Count Valois was able to obtain that right because the opponent was a fallen noble from a minor subjugated nation.
But it was a different story for an imperial noble.
For Valentine to obtain interrogation rights was unprecedented.
“You talk too much.”
Tristan extended his hand and made a gesture of grasping the Count’s neck out of thin air.
Just that action turned the opponent’s face pale as if he was being strangled.
“…I’m trying my utmost patience. But how long do I have to listen to this nonsense?”
