Chương 3: Court

In the opulent grandeur of the throne room, the atmosphere was heavy with tension as Oliver stood motionless, his hands bound by cold, unforgiving iron cuffs. Surrounding him, an assembly of women and noblewomen gazed upon him, their expressions a mix of curiosity, intrigue, and perhaps a tinge of pity.

At the heart of the room, on an elevated platform adorned with intricate carvings and glistening jewels, sat the Empress herself. Her regal presence commanded attention, and her piercing gaze seemed to bore into Oliver's very soul. Despite the vastness of the throne room, all eyes were fixated on this singular moment, where the destiny of a young man hung precariously in the balance.

The majestic throne of the ruling monarch of the Behemothia Empire towered above all else, symbolizing its unparalleled dominance. Positioned below this regal seat were four equally impressive thrones, each representing the esteemed positions of the four Grand Duchesses. Together, these thrones encapsulated the power and authority that radiated from the core of the empire.

Amidst the four resplendent thrones designated for the Grand Duchesses, only three were presently graced by the elegant presence of accomplished women who currently held esteemed positions. Each of these dignified figures exuded grace and authority, their poised demeanour a testament to their status as revered Duchesses of the great empire.

"This empty throne still remains a black mark in our empire's history," The woman, who was sitting next to Oliver's sister said, as she gazed at the empty throne.

Everyone just nodded at her words and simply ignored them since they knew this topic would only lead to something dreadful, so all of them decided to put their attention on the current matter that was taking place in front of them.

"My loyal subjects," the Empress suddenly announced, her voice carrying the weight of authority. "Today, we gather here for a momentous occasion – the trial of Oliver Bloodborne, once a trusted member of this empire, now accused of actions that have betrayed our trust."

The room seemed to hold its breath as the Empress continued, her words reaching every corner of the grand hall. "It pains me deeply to see one who was once considered family stand accused before us today. But justice knows no partiality, and we must determine the truth."

"I, Florence Behemothia, the 13th Empress of our great empire, hereby announce the start of Oliver Bloodborne's trial, to decide whether he is guilty or not, I hope my subject would only state the truth in this sacred hall bound by the spirits of our ancestors and won't dirty this holy ground,"

Oliver felt the weight of her words and he knew why she was the empress, who was able to control his mother, who was a beast on her own.

The first princess and second princess also stood beside Empress Florence, but Oliver noticed something special about Raven, who was standing in a weird posture.

'That bitch! I didn't even touch her legs, but she is pretending she is injured'

But before he could even proceed with what he was thinking, Lady Graveheart suddenly stood and started to read a list of crimes allegedly committed by Oliver.

"Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, esteemed counsel, and concerned my fellow nobles," Lady Graveheart began, her voice steady and unwavering.

"I'm sad to announce that my own son is a victim of all these crimes that this man committed, but just in case someone here doesn't know about yesterday's incident, I would briefly tell what his crimes are," She started reading each charge with a solemn tone, pausing briefly between each to let the gravity of the situation sink in.

"First, Oliver stands accused of using his resonance inside the academy to threaten the people, there are many girls as well as boys that are willing to give eye witness to this case,"

Lilith wanted to shout and say all these claims were just not true, but she knew disturbing the court when the empress was carefully listening would be her one-way ticket to inviting more problems, so she calmly waited for her chance.

Oliver didn't have any reaction to these claims, he just kept looking at Isabella, who was ignoring Oliver's gaze with a smug look on her face while Lady Graveheart proceeded to say all the other crimes he allegedly did.

As she addressed the crowd, she courageously revealed several other alleged crimes he had committed. However, as she spoke, her emotions began to surface, knowing that her only son was now battling between life and death due to the tragic events that unfolded in the ballroom.

"I won't forgive you for what you did, he is still unconscious thanks to you, this devil should be chained and kept away from us normal people," Suddenly Lady Graveheart shouted showing her anger, but the empress quickly asked her to calm down, as this was a scared ground where no one is allowed to act on their own accord.

"All these charges are not small, they are severe charges with real harm and shreds of evidence to prove their worth," Empress said while noticing the reaction of the nobles.

To her surprise, all of them nodded their head including Isabella, who should be normally on the side of Oliver, but she understood that wasn't the case here.

"Oliver Bloodborne, Young lord of the Bloodborne house, do you have any objections about any of these claims? Do you refuse these claims?"

As the question hung in the air, Oliver remained silent, his eyes fixed on his sister Isabella, who looked back at him without any signs of care. She knew this evidence was too perfect for him to even refuse.

The room seemed to hold its breath, awaiting his response. Before he could say anything, the guards, probably eager to show loyalty to the Empress, acted rashly and struck his leg, causing him to stumble and fall.

"Answer! Where are you looking, when the empress is talking to you?"

Empress immediately raised her hand, a stern expression on her face, "Enough! We shall have no violence in this hall. Oliver, I will not force you to speak, but your silence will be noted and I take this as a sign of confession about your wrongdoings."

Florence was heartbroken as she had to discipline her best friend's son, Oliver. He had always been one of her favourite kids to be around, with his captivating stories and constant curiosity. She had even entertained the thought that he might become her son-in-law one day. However, seeing him now, chained and pitiful, pierced her heart with anguish.

"I hereby announce that I shall uphold the empire's rules and administer justice accordingly." declared the Empress with firmness in her voice and regal grace capturing everyone's attention.

"As much as it pains me to do so to Lady Bloodborne's son," she continued, her gaze unwavering, "Oliver shall be banished to the church for charity works. He will be working there for a minimum of five years under Pontiff Ysandre"

Everyone gasped hearing her orders, as they knew by no means this was a small punishment. Working in the church might be a small but sacred task for most females, but the same cannot be said for males.

Most of the time males are not even allowed to visit the temples following the teachings of the Tablet of the Profound Devotion, as they were considered to be the living signs of Nameless Giants' sins.

Pontiff Ysandre, the revered spiritual leader of the church, was known for her compassion and wisdom at least in the eyes of most nobles and citizens, but those who had some connections to the dark side of the empire knew, who she really was, especially Isabella.

Ysandre, the seemingly flawless leader of the Cathedral of the Forsaken Light, presented an impeccable image of authority. Yet, concealed beneath this facade was a sadistic nature that took pleasure in tormenting and ending the lives of men, all justified under the veil of religion.

"His life is over, too bad we will lose such a handsome man, but it is what it is,"

"If I give a huge sum, maybe I can also take part in whatever the church is going to do,"

"I can't wait to see his tears-filled face asking for forgiveness for his sins, I'm getting wet just imagining it,"

The nobles were whispering different things among themselves, but the Empress had no idea about Ysandre's real nature because the information she got was vastly manipulated by the Graveheart family, who served as the prime minister of this generation of royalty.

But suddenly something unexpected happened. A messenger burst into the throne room, her face looking rather pale, clutching a sealed letter in her trembling hand. The Empress, intrigued by the unusual display of panic, couldn't help but wonder what could be so urgent. All the whispering among the nobles ceased, and all eyes turned towards the messenger.

Isabella, Oliver's sister, was the first to react upon seeing the messenger. Without hesitation, she sprang from her seat and swiftly reached for the letter.

Amidst the confused gazes of onlookers, she swiftly grasped the letter and wasted no time in unlocking its contents, as if driven by an overwhelming sense of urgency. In an instant, tears welled up in her eyes, cascading down her cheeks like a torrential downpour. Whatever she had discovered within had evidently stirred a profound emotional response.

"Why? Brother why?" Isabella suddenly shouted showing signs of anger and sadness.

"Why did you kill our mother? Why did you betray her love for us? Oliver! Tell me why?"

Everyone in the room froze upon hearing Isabella's emotional outburst. The air became tense, and all eyes turned to Oliver, whose face had turned pale as if he had seen a ghost. He seemed unable to respond, stunned into silence by Isabella's accusations.

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