Gospel of Blood

Chapter 385: The Trial of the Third Prince

This was Charlotte’s first time seeing so many nobles of the kingdom.

There were more than six hundred nobles present at the venue, all of whom were direct vassals of the kingdom or court nobles without fiefs.

For the first time, Charlotte felt the profound foundation of the Crescent Kingdom.

All six hundred-plus nobles present were extraordinary beings, with the weakest among them being at the Starry Sky tier. Most were at the Silver Moon tier, and by sensing their auras alone, there were likely more than seventy people at the Blazing Sun tier.

Above that, there were three presences that made Charlotte feel significantly threatened.

These were the Legendaries.

Among them, one Legendary was Duke Boite in the third seat, while the other two were a marquis and a court noble.

Of the three Legendaries, Duke Boite sat in the Dukes’ seat, while the other two did not take their seats but instead sat in separate seats on one side of the venue.

Those were seats designated for Legendaries, and they included a seat for Duke Boite. However, it was evident that the Duke valued his identity as a duke more than his status as a Legendary.

Charlotte noticed that there were four seats reserved for Legendaries in total. Apart from Duke Boite, one seat remained empty, indicating that someone had not attended.

This was likely the Crescent Kingdom’s chief magician, Engelhardt, who was said to be deeply engrossed in magical research.

When Louis V and the Crescent Archbishop entered the venue, all the nobles stood up automatically to salute them.

“Your Majesty… Archbishop…”

“Your Majesty… Archbishop…”

“…”

Charlotte followed the crowd, while secretly observing the king on the dais.

King Louis V of the Crescent Kingdom was a formidable-looking elderly man.

He was dressed in luxurious royal robes, with a golden crown that shimmered under the crystal lights. His curly gray hair added a touch of ruggedness and boldness to his appearance.

Although his brows and eyes showed signs of aging, his black eyes still harbored a piercing gleam.

As his gaze swept across the venue, everyone fell silent, and no one dared to meet his eyes.

Charlotte felt that when Louis V’s gaze fell on her, it seemed to pause briefly, but it quickly moved on.

“Please be seated.”

Louis V nodded to the crowd.

The king sat down first, followed by the Dukes and Legendaries. After they were seated, the remaining nobles followed suit.

After the sound of chairs being moved, the venue fell silent again.

Louis V’s gaze swept across the room once more, and his authoritative voice rang out.

“It’s about time. Anro, you may begin.”

With the king’s permission, Duke Moonshield rose, saluted, and took his place on the dais, speaking solemnly.

“Ladies and gentlemen, good morning. I am John de Anro, Duke of Moonshield and the chairman of the 39th Central Council of the Kingdom.”

“This session of the Central Council is the 83rd temporary meeting of the Kingdom, proposed by Duke Aurore and approved by an emergency review of the cabinet.”

“The theme of this meeting is the noble joint trial of Crescent’s Third Prince, Philip de Valva. Prince Philip is suspected of colluding with the Blood Demon Cult, blatantly violating the Holy Code and the Kingdom’s Royal Covenant. According to Article 18 of Chapter 9 of the Holy Code, the Noble Council has the right to jointly try and sentence Prince Philip de Valva…”

After speaking, Duke Moonshield paused and then said,

“Bring Prince Philip de Valva up.”

Soon, fully armed royal knights brought the Third Prince Philip, who had been deprived of all his extraordinary powers, up to the dais.

This was Charlotte’s second time seeing Prince Philip.

Compared to his previous spirited appearance, he now looked withered and emaciated, appearing somewhat despondent.

His hair was messy, and his eyes were dull until he passed by Charlotte, whereupon his gaze briefly cleared and erupted with anger, making him stop involuntarily.

“Charlotte… de Castell!”

He nearly gritted his teeth.

Charlotte frowned slightly.

However, she ignored him.

“Bring Prince Philip de Valva up. This is the Central Council, please maintain order.”

Duke Moonshield frowned slightly, speaking sternly.

Prince Philip glared furiously, wanting to say something, but seeing the impassive face of Louis V on the dais, he ultimately held back.

Duke Moonshield, for his part, paid no heed to the Prince’s venomous glare.

After the royal knights forcibly placed the Prince in the trial seat, Duke Moonshield took up a gavel and struck the table.

“The accused is in place. I now declare the noble joint trial of Crescent’s Third Prince Philip de Valva… officially begins!”

…

This was Charlotte’s first time participating in a noble joint trial of the Crescent Kingdom.

After announcing the start of the trial, Duke Moonshield took out a parchment and began reading the charges compiled by the Noble Council against the Third Prince.

Seizing noble properties, violating the Royal Covenant, colluding with the Blood Demon Cult, attempting to overthrow the kingdom’s government, abusing noble relatives, murdering the kingdom’s vassals, desecrating holy matrimony, trafficking women and children…

One after another, the charges were numerous and more severe than Charlotte had imagined.

The nobles had evidently prepared ample evidence for each charge, with substantial documents and even witnesses present to testify.

Charlotte initially thought she might be called to testify, but it turned out she wasn’t needed.

Not only that but the evidence the nobles had prepared even surprised Charlotte.

For example, the charges of abusing noble relatives and murdering the kingdom’s vassals. One noble accused the Third Prince of not only abusing his wife but also his half-sister, Princess Margaret of the Crescent Kingdom, ultimately leading to her depression and suicide.

Charlotte was stunned by this revelation.

As far as she knew, there indeed was a Princess Margaret in the Crescent Kingdom, born to a maid and not favored by the king, who died of illness before she was fourteen.

She had no idea there was such a secret!

Although there was no conclusive evidence to thoroughly convict the Third Prince of this charge, the explosive news was enough to cause an uproar among the nobles in the council hall.

When this bombshell dropped, Charlotte noticed that Louis V’s face on the dais darkened, and his gaze toward the Third Prince grew menacing.

As for the charge of murdering the kingdom’s vassal, it was equally shocking.

The noble accused the Third Prince of murdering none other than one of the Kingdom’s nine great dukes, the former Duke of Borde!

This charge caused an even greater commotion in the hall.

If it had been merely the murder of a vassal, it would have incited noble anger but not to such an extent.

The key was that the Third Prince had stacked too many offenses.

First, being a member of the royal family, committing murder against a vassal was already a taboo akin to tyranny.

Moreover, the murdered vassal was not just any noble but one of the kingdom’s major dukes, who had also contributed significantly in the Star-Moon War.

Secondly, this nobleman is also his father-in-law and the heir to the title is his wife.

Finally, his wife also suffered from his abuse, with suspicions of forced murder…

This is a real otherworldly version of devouring the orphan’s inheritance, and it’s even a buff-stacking version.

When these accusations were announced, the entire venue erupted. Some angry nobles even started cursing and spitting.

On the high platform, Louis V’s gaze grew even more oppressive. The air pressure near the dais seemed to drop, and the surrounding nobles didn’t dare to breathe loudly, creating an oppressive silence like the calm before a storm.

Listening to the nobles’ curses below and seeing Louis V’s gradually indifferent gaze, the Third Prince, Philip, finally panicked.

“No! No! This is slander! These charges are all slander!”

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and looked down at Eleanor, shouting sharply.

“Eleanor! Tell them it’s all slander! I never abused you! I never abused Margaret! I never murdered the Duke!”

For a moment, all eyes were on Eleanor.

“Bang—”

Duke Moonshield struck his gavel and said solemnly.

“Sir Philip de Valva, according to the charges, you are accused of mentally manipulating Duchess Eleanor de Borde.”

“According to the regulations, any exonerating testimony provided by Lady Eleanor regarding you will be considered invalid in this meeting.”

Hearing Duke Moonshield’s words, the Third Prince’s eyes widened, and he angrily cursed.

“John de Anro! You royal traitor! You backstabbing dog! Have you forgotten your family?”

Listening to the Third Prince’s curses, Duke Moonshield frowned slightly.

However, before he could say anything, an angry shout came from the high platform.

“Scoundrel! Silence!”

A vast and terrifying pressure came from the high platform, carrying overwhelming anger, sweeping over everything in an instant.

In an instant, the venue fell silent.

The nobles all fell silent, not daring to make a sound, each turning pale under the terrifying pressure.

Only a few Legendaries remained calm.

With the blood divine power, Charlotte was actually fine. Although she felt the pressure was terrifying, she could still endure it.

However, she also mimicked the other nobles, showing a shocked expression.

It was King Louis V who spoke.

Under that angry shout, the Third Prince turned pale, his legs trembling, and he collapsed completely.

If it weren’t for the royal knights holding him up, he probably wouldn’t be able to stand.

The pressure gradually subsided. Louis V looked at him coldly and then said calmly.

“Continue.”

Duke Moonshield swallowed and then sighed, saying seriously.

“Sir Philip, of course I know my own name. The Anro family is a branch of the Valva family. Maintaining the honor of the Valva family is naturally my duty.”

“No one can desecrate the honor of the royal family, not even you, a Prince!”

He paused and looked at the nobles below.

“So… regarding the charges against the Third Prince, Philip de Valva, please…”

“I can testify.”

Duke Moonshield was interrupted by a voice before he finished speaking.

It was Eleanor.

For a moment, the nobles’ eyes were again focused on the duchess.

Duke Moonshield hesitated and said,

“Lady Borde, when you say you can testify, do you mean…”

Eleanor stood up, looked at the Third Prince coldly and with disgust, and said,

“I can testify that I was indeed abused by Philip, and that Princess Margaret also suffered his abuse before her death.”

“Furthermore, I can testify to his seizure of noble property, collusion with the Blood Demon Cult, human trafficking, and civilian murders.”

Hearing Eleanor’s words, the Third Prince’s eyes widened, and he roared angrily.

“Eleanor! You bitch! Traitor!”

“Silence!”

Duke Moonshield shouted.

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

Then, Duke Moonshield said to Eleanor.

“Your Grace, any trial at the Central Meeting requires evidence. Do you have concrete evidence?”

Eleanor nodded.

“I do. But… before I testify, I have a question I want to understand.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“I want to know, how did my father die?”

Duke Moonshield sighed.

“Of course, according to the testimony we obtained, your father was poisoned by Philip.”

“The witness is the late Duke’s maid, who participated in the conspiracy and fled Borde out of fear of being silenced, eventually being rescued by a noble during the chase.”

Hearing Duke Moonshield’s words, Eleanor fell silent.

After a long time, she nodded.

“I understand.”

She glanced at the Third Prince, whose expression was dull and face was ashen, and then gently lifted her clothes, revealing intersecting scars.

Seeing those hideous scars, the nobles murmured and stirred again.

Eleanor’s expression was indifferent.

“Then… let’s start with the Third Prince’s abuse of me…”

…

The Third Prince was done for.

Truly done.

The moment Eleanor chose to testify, it meant his complete downfall.

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

But she was also the Third Prince’s wife.

Witnessing many of the Third Prince’s sordid deeds, once she chose to come forward, it was enough to send him to hell.

Eleanor methodically listed all of the Third Prince’s crimes, one by one.

As they listened to her shocking testimony, the nobles’ gazes at the Third Prince grew increasingly contemptuous.

When Eleanor finally finished exposing all of the Third Prince’s evil deeds, an hour had passed.

The hall fell silent once more.

There was no need for further evidence.

The existing evidence was already sufficient.

Duke Moonshield struck the gavel again and said solemnly.

“Testimony concluded. Next, the Central Meeting Council will judge the charges against Philip de Valva.”

After speaking, the council composed of cabinet ministers and dukes began a low discussion. Shortly after, the drafted judgment was handed to Duke Moonshield.

Duke Moonshield glanced at it and then respectfully presented it to King Louis V.

Louis V skimmed it, frowned slightly, then took the quill and made some significant changes before handing it back to Duke Moonshield.

Seeing the king’s modifications, Duke Moonshield’s eyes widened, his expression hesitant.

“Your Majesty… this…”

“Read it.”

Louis V said coldly.

Duke Moonshield swallowed and, with difficulty, read aloud.

“Upon investigation, it is found that Crescent Prince Philip de Valva has seized noble property, violated the Royal Covenant, colluded with the Blood Demon Cult, attempted to overthrow the kingdom, abused blood-related nobles, murdered the kingdom’s vassals, desecrated holy matrimony, and traded freemen and landless nobles… The evidence is conclusive.”

“According to the Holy Code and the Royal Covenant, judged by the Central Meeting Council and Crescent King Louis de Valva, Prince Philip de Valva is sentenced to—”

“Hanging!”

At these words, the entire council chamber fell silent, and all the nobles looked in shock at the calmly seated king, showing disbelief.

Philip’s eyes widened, all color draining from his face.

He trembled, and then his head slumped to the side as he fainted directly.