I Became a Dark Knight in the Game

40 – Marriage Scam (3)

It was doomed.

That was the conclusion I reached after much deliberation.

Doomed.

Three days had passed since I sent the letter to Morgina, and there was no reply. Damn, I thought she would still be at the headquarters or somewhere in the Holy Kingdom. Has she already left?

The Argatlam Duchy is a bustling city, so most priests of any religion were gathered there.

Although Eve Kaha has somewhat unique beliefs, it is also true that it is a model that leads the war against the abyss. Although it cannot be said that the order is large, it is in a position similar to that of a mid-sized company, so there was a sanctuary in the Argatlam Duchy as well.

I sent the letter through the chief priest there, but this impatient saintess did not stay long by the leader’s side, and there was no word back.

[In this case, the original plan to make the priest perjure himself is ruined.]

[But it’s a good thing. Lies tarnish a knight’s honor.]

Orisin and Tuon chattered on either side. It was frustrating, but they were both right.

So, what I can do here is…

“A knight is essentially a rogue with a sword.”

There was no other choice but to appeal with force.

[Master… Retract that statement, now!]

Tuon demanded angrily. Whether on Earth or in Tirnanog, there were indeed knights who were nothing more than violent thugs. Unlike those rogue knights, there were also exemplary knights who adhered to chivalry, so my statement wasn’t entirely true.

But it wasn’t entirely false either.

Therefore, I couldn’t retract my words, but I had a strategy to calm Tuon’s anger by adding just one word to the previous sentence.

“Originally, a dark knight is just a ruffian with a sword.”

[Hmm, that’s an accurate critique.]

Surely, I must be the one who hates the profession of dark knights the most in this world, yet I felt a strange bitterness.

Leaving the bitterness behind, I thought of the future.

During the three days waiting for Morgina’s reply, Armed and I scoured the imperial law to find any legal loopholes to escape this situation.

The conclusion was that it was extremely difficult to escape through legitimate means. Given that Armed’s own family, who should have been on her side, was actively cooperating to make her an outcast, it was hard to find a gap to nullify the betrothal.

But, as already declared, a knight is a ruffian with a sword.

“In the end, if there’s a problem, it means it’s a profession that solves it with a sword.”

“What do you mean?”

“Although it’s almost a dead letter, there is such a provision in the imperial law.”

I pointed to a part of the law book. Armed looked at me as if I were insane, but I was serious.

*

The court appearance date notified by Mazar Gabi was approaching. Considering the matter was closely intertwined with the personal affairs of both parties, the trial was to be held as an unofficial summary trial.

In Tirnanog, marriage was a sacred ceremony blessed by the gods. Therefore, the presiding judge for this matter was not an ordinary official belonging to the nobility but a religious inquisitor with clerical qualifications.

Armed, Mazar, and the judge were seated around a rather large table, not in the solemn courtroom one would think of when hearing the word ‘trial.’

The judge sat in the center, Mazar to the left, and Armed to the right. It was a closed-door trial, possible only because it was an informal and highly personal matter of marriage.

The young inquisitor with clerical qualifications was flipping through the documents with a weary expression. He had taken the clerical education course in a fast track—though it still took three years—because it was advantageous for employment, but it seemed he had chosen the wrong field.

When the arranged marriage of a noble family clashed with personal interests, the matter inevitably became complicated and unpleasant.

Mazar Gabi, sitting in the plaintiff’s seat, looked at Armed with a relaxed expression. Armed thought to herself.

‘Why is that blockhead so obsessed with becoming the head of the family?’

The Gabi family wasn’t some iron-blooded clan where only the strongest survived, and even if he didn’t become the head, he wouldn’t die. He wouldn’t be able to live a life of luxury, but he wouldn’t have to worry about putting food on the table.

‘Is it because of ambition?’

But it seemed a bit too desperate to be just ambition. If she knew the reason for his obsession with succession, she might have been able to handle the situation more gently.

After pondering for a moment, Armed shook her head. She had neither the time nor the reason to figure out what Mazar was thinking.

The young judge adjusted his glasses. It was time.

“Well, let’s begin.”

A few questions and answers were exchanged. Confirmation of the date the proposal was sent and the response received.

“Defendant, Armand Ket. The plaintiff claims that you rejected the proposal, contrary to the Ket family’s response. Is that correct?”

“Yes, it is.”

“And you answered that the reason for rejecting the proposal was ‘already engaged,’ correct?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Mazar Gabi presented a luxurious piece of stationery. Armand could see that the seal on the envelope was the Ket family’s crest.

“This is a statement from the Ket family. The two heads of the family claim to have no knowledge of Armand Ket’s engagement.”

The judge carefully examined the intricate flow of magic contained in the envelope. Indeed, a considerable level of magic could be felt.

He identified the shape of the seal. It was exactly the same as the Ket family’s seal registered with the Imperial Seal Office. The contents of the letter matched Mazar Gabi’s testimony exactly.

“Because it was a secret engagement.”

Before the judge could express any doubt, Armand spoke up. But this was within Mazar’s expectations.

“Then, where is the clergyman who officiated this secret engagement? I, Mazar Gabi, gave you a few days to bring him here or at least exchange letters with him.”

Mazar’s eyebrows twitched.

“Now I see that the knight is also absent. Did you perhaps go to fetch the clergyman yourself? If you need a postponement of the trial, you should have said so. I can grant it generously.”

Creak, the door to the chamber opened. The one who entered was a pale, white-haired man, Kriel.

“There’s no need for that.”

Behind Kriel was an elderly but robust priest. The crow-shaped holy symbol around his neck indicated that he was a priest of Eve Kaha.

Mazar’s eyes gleamed. That priest had been the head priest of the Eve Kaha Order’s Argetlam Duchy parish for a very long time. It was extremely rare for him to leave the territory. He was an unsuitable choice as a false witness for the engagement.

The judge bowed his head in greeting to the priest. Although they belonged to different orders, in the Holy Kingdom’s hierarchy, he was undoubtedly far behind the old priest. If he pretended to ignore his senior and a letter saying, “These young people these days are really scary,” started circulating, it would be quite troublesome.

He then looked at Kriel. Now that he had appeared, his identity was almost confirmed, but procedure was important in a trial.

“Defendant, Kriel.”

“Kriel. Who is the person accompanying you?”

“Priest Daukrius, head of the Eve Kaha Order’s Argetlam parish.”

“Is he the priest who officiated your engagement with Miss Ket? It’s quite miraculous. When did a man who has devoted almost his entire life to the Argetlam Duchy travel to officiate the engagement of the Countess of Ket?”

Mazar Gabi offered a polite but sarcastic remark. Kriel calmly shook his head.

“No. Priest Daukrius did not come here to testify to our engagement.”

“Hmm?”

“Shall we start from the beginning of the trial? Prince Mazar Gabi, you questioned our engagement. What is the reason for that?”

“Isn’t it obvious? In the past few years that I’ve been visiting the Ket family, I’ve never seen anyone like you. Isn’t it strange that someone who claims to be the fiancé has never visited the fiancée’s house even once?”

“Does that mean our love is in doubt?”

Something felt off. However, there was no need to affirm the love between Kriel and Armand with lines like “I believe their love is true” when questioning their engagement, so Mazhar affirmed Kriel’s doubt.

“Indeed, it is so. Can an engaged man who hasn’t faced his fiancée for years truly say he loves her?”

“That’s insulting.”

Though he said it was insulting, Kriel’s expression remained extremely calm. His tone was so flat that everyone present momentarily failed to grasp the meaning of his words.

“…Huh?”

There was no advantage in showing emotions in court. Judging by his expression, he wasn’t unaware of this. It was even questionable whether he truly felt insulted. Mazhar felt a mix of confusion and doubt.

Kriel’s next words stripped Mazhar of his doubts and pushed him into a pit of bewilderment.

“To insult my sincerity is to insult my honor. I hereby request a trial by combat.”

“What?”

“To judge a man’s character, a duel is best.”