Well, then, let's get this hearing started.
　When he said that, the Marquis Halcyon cut off his words once as he ran his gaze over his surroundings.
　Then, he turns his gaze to Ryojin with a divine face.
　However, what lies behind those eyes is a fire of hatred filled with hostility and contempt.
　But those things have not changed since the first time Ryouma met the Marquis of Halcyon face to face.
　What has changed is the fact that the hatred contains a clear intent to kill in it?
(Does that mean he's pissed off at being scooped up underfoot and having his face hurt?
　Nobles are creatures that value vanity and masks.
　In the modern world, it's just a matter of pride, but for the aristocrats in the world of the earth, appearance and masks are one of the factors necessary to maintain the family name.
　If I were to give a clear example to the Japanese, I would say that mikoshi (portable shrine) is a good example.
　The mikoshi is a sacred object that is usually reserved for the gods of shrines and other places of worship, and is said to be a temporary dwelling place for the gods when they go out of the house for a short period of time.
　Naturally, it is necessary to maintain the dignity of the mikoshi with a holiness befitting a god.
　A simple mikoshi made of scrap wood and plastic found in the neighborhood can hardly be called a mikoshi, and no one would willingly carry it.
　Normally, when a person is going to carry the same mikoshi, he or she would want to carry a more gorgeous and solemn mikoshi than the others.
　It is similar to the way a nobleman keeps his family name.
　A nobleman is only a nobleman if he has vassals and lords to carry him up.
　Whether it's out of fear or respect, a nobleman can only exist as a nobleman if there are others.
　In fact, a vassal would not follow a patriarch who can't even be vaunted, and it would be the same for the residents of a lord.
　In fact, there are some families that have been abandoned by their vassals and fellow countrymen and have been unable to maintain their family name.
　Of course, the stall of the Marquis Halcyon family, one of the greatest aristocrats in the Roselia Kingdom and the head of the House of Lords, would not be so easily wobbled.
　But the very fact that they have been trampled by an opponent whom they despised as an upstart is a blow to the Marquis Halcyon that he cannot afford to ignore.
　And there is only one way to heal that pain.
(They've gotten serious about it, too...)
　In the past, Mikoshiba Ryoma had been an enemy to the nobles of the Roserian Kingdom.
　But now it's different.
　Today, for the first time, Mikoshiba Ryoma has become the enemy of the Marquis of Halcyon himself.
　A dark gaze filled with murderous intent that was as sharp as a blade.
　No fool would expect neutrality and impartiality from the inquisition that is about to begin with such a gaze.
　That's what Ryoma was also prepared for from the beginning.
　However, the words of the Marquis Halcyon that followed made Ryoma doubt his own ears.
''To be sure, I myself think there is no need to listen to Baron Mikoshiba now...''
　At those words, one by one, the people around him voiced their approval.
　This was due to the Marquis Halcyon's confidence.
　At the very least, the Marquis Halcyon probably didn't have a shred of doubt about the investigation conducted by the House of Lords under his control.
　Of course, as for whether it was a reasonable decision or merely the overconfidence of a foolish nobleman, that's another story.
　However, that's not the biggest problem.
(Oh, oh, oh, this again...)
　A small sigh escaped from Liang Zhen's mouth.
　Of course, the intentions of the House of Lords were clear from the beginning, and Ryoma had no expectations of this world's judicial system.
　However, it is only natural to be disgusted by the open-ended attitude shown to this point.
　It's just a matter of throwing away even the least amount of credit.
(This is the world of the land world, where people are not as strong as they are today, and the status system is far more rigid than it is today. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this as well. I'm not sure what kind of horse I am, but I'm an upstart. There is no way we can stand in the same ring from the beginning. I'm sure the current words of the Marquis Halcyon are just a normal way of thinking for the nobles of this country. (I'm sure he'll be impeached in reverse from the
　Of course, it's to ensure the illusion of justice and fairness in the trials they conduct.
　Many ordinary people who don't work in the judicial profession have a misconception, but law and justice are not completely equal.
　Justice is an idea that exists in the heart of each individual human being.
　There is some commonality, but it varies due to factors such as environment, ideology, religion and history.
　On the other hand, the law is nothing more than an average of the justice possessed by individuals in a particular group.
　It is certainly something that is acceptable to everyone.
　Or is it more accurate to say that it is within an acceptable range?
　That is also natural.
　It's a matter of course, because people with brilliant minds spent a great deal of time and effort adjusting it to what they thought was an average value that was acceptable to the majority of people.
　Law is just a measure of what is acceptable and what is not in the maintenance and management of the group called society.
　Nevertheless, even if law and justice are not equal, they also overlap in many areas, and I am sure they point in the same direction.　
　The design of the badge a lawyer wears as a proof of identity is a balance, so much so that it is brought from the balance that is believed to govern fairness, which is held by Themis, the goddess of justice.
　But if you ask me if they are completely the same thing, I can only shake my head.
　The subtle misalignment that occurs between law and justice.
　This is what I mean by trust in the judiciary.
　Of course, judges are human beings too, so it is difficult to completely exclude preconceived notions and personal justice.
　Even the God spoken of in myths can be emotional at times, and can make mistakes.
　And it is impossible to be completely impartial or neutral when you are in the person of someone who is not God.
　If the case were a trial for a brutal criminal act, such as the murder of an infant, people's emotions would not allow it.
　But when you tell someone face to face about it, the meaning of the story is quite different.
　As long as you are leading an act that could be called arrogant depending on how you look at it, it is necessary to make an effort to maintain fairness even if it is a token, and it is only natural that you should strictly refrain from words, actions, and attitudes that could be seen as clearly biased by a third party.
　No matter what your true intentions are, it is not all good to honestly express your true feelings and thoughts in words.
　From that perspective, Marquis Halcyon's words and actions cannot be forgiven.
　But that was only the impressions of someone who knew the modern society.
(Well, even though they are similar in terms of position, the head of the House of Lords is not a judge, and it wouldn't make sense to ask someone from this earth world to be a professional ethic.
　Even if there are concepts of fairness and justice, they are not the same as in modern society.
　No, even justice in today's society is changing from one country to another and from one era to another.
　The world itself is different, so it's impossible to have the same sensibilities.
(Well, that doesn't mean I'm going to quietly follow their justice, though...)
　Ryouma had no intention of declaring this earth world to be evil, nor did he intend to deny the justice that the Marquis of Halcyon spoke of.
　But at the same time, Ryouma had no intention of making any effort to bridge the gap between the two dissimilar things by exchanging words with each other.
　It is true that conversation is an important tool for understanding others.
　I understand that sometimes people who are at odds with each other find a compromise and stop fighting through conversation.
　And that it is only a sweet ideal....
　But the Marquis of Halcyon, who does not doubt his own superiority, has no way of knowing what is in Liangzhen's heart.
　The Marquis Halcyon opened his mouth again with a hideous smile that was far from befitting his status.
It seems that Baron Mikoshiba has many misconceptions about the House of Lords, but we take pride in the fact that we have been defending this country as the guardians of the law since the founding of this kingdom. Since we have conducted an investigation for months before holding this hearing, there is little point in listening to the objectivity of the parties involved now. After all, there is no denying the fact that you violated the law of the land and caused the death of the Countess of Salzberg and the ten northern families who followed her.
　That is what is on the minds of everyone here, and at the same time, it would be nothing short of inappropriate for the head of the House of Lords, who is conducting the hearing, to say that it is indeed inappropriate to say that.
　When an inquest is to decide whether or not to hold a trial, it is natural to say that you will listen to the parties involved.
　As the Marquis of Halcyon said, the opinions of the parties would certainly not be neutral, but that doesn't mean it's never a good idea to listen to them.
　At the very least, that decision would be a bad one when considering the appearance of the country.
　At that time, a voice called out from the side of the Marquis Halcyon.
''Your Excellency, your words are certainly correct. However, in terms of formality, that's a bit...''
　The Marquis Halcyon tilts his head slightly at Count Eisenbach's words.
　He wondered if there was any point in taking time out of the inquisition that was being concluded now.
　However, Count Eisenbach's words made sense to him, and he opened his mouth gradually.
''No, well I guess I'm getting ahead of myself on this one.
　And with a small cough, the Marquis Halcyon turns his face to Ryoma again and asks: "Baron Mikoshiba, let's begin the inquisition again.
''Baron Mikoshiba, so let's begin the inquiry once again, but do you have anything to say in your own defense regarding this matter?
　That is the face of a man convinced of his own victory.
　However, it's natural for the Marquis of Halcyon to think that way.
(Well, facts are facts....)
　Ryoma had no intention of claiming that he didn't do the very act of defeating the northern ten families.
　But that doesn't mean that he should accept his own faults and serve his sentence, as the House of Lords imagines.
　So, Ryoma said the words he had been preparing for a long time.
It's not that I have to say that I'm sorry to say that I'm not an excuse, but I did fight against the Countess of Salzberg and the Ten Northern Families who look up to that family as their allies, and I defeated them. But how you were summoned by the House of Lords and called to a hearing on this matter is beyond me. I was only doing my duty as a nobleman in the Kingdom of Roselia for the sake of His Majesty, Lupus Roselianus, to whom I am indebted.　
　The words released from Ryoma's mouth echoed loudly in the room in a scorching way.
　The silence dominated the entire room.
　It took time for everyone in the room to understand Ryoma's words.
　And in the next moment, angry shouts and curses echoed through the room.
(Stupid ... what is this man saying?)
　The Marquis Halcyon unintentionally turned his attention to Count Eisenbach, who was sitting beside him.
　But Count Eisenbach, like the Marquis of Halcyon, could not hide his agitation.
　That's how shocking the words released from Ryoma's mouth were.
　However, the person himself, the one who had uttered them, calmed down.
(This man has indeed now admitted that he caused the war and that he lost the Countess of Salzberg and the other ten northern families. And yet, how can he be so calm?
　The Marquis of Halcyon's questions would be natural.
　Ryouma's words just now were equivalent to saying that he couldn't understand why the defendant was being charged with a crime, even though he admitted at the trial that he had committed a criminal act.
(No way, I know, but are you an idiot who doesn't understand the meaning of the words you just uttered?　(No ... not in this man's case...)
　Under normal circumstances, it would be the first word of defense that would be unthinkable.
　So the Marquis de Halcyon asks himself.
(But then, what the hell is he after?)
　The Marquis of Halcyon stared at the man standing comfortably in front of him.
　It's as if he's trying to see through the depths of his heart.