I Planned a Su*cide Mission and Got Kicked Out of the Party

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The assembly turned into utter chaos as soon as the amendment was proposed. The Countess, with the blood of a vampire mixed in, was an undeniable problem in this situation, but no member was able to precisely conclude where the issue lay.

“According to imperial law, there is a clause prohibiting institutional discrimination against Ain, but there is no clause stating that mixing with the demon race makes one a criminal or a target of oppression.”

One member of the imperial faction pointed this out, while another from the regional faction expressed dissatisfaction.

“Does that mean vampires are included in the category of Ain?”

“It explicitly states that all beings who have undergone a similar evolutionary process to humans are included. It’s not just the vampires; it’s a concept that encompasses orcs and ogres as well.”

The ensuing debate did not settle down immediately. As each member rose from their seats, they began voicing their opinions, signaling a brewing intensity in the discussions of the Imperial Assembly.

“That may be the case, but the empire’s decree stipulates that anyone involved in organizations that pose a serious threat to the empire’s security should be dealt with uniformly. It is undeniable that the demon races pose a significant threat to the empire’s safety.”

“In fact, the concept of the demon races is a racial concept, not an organizational one. It’s an artificial concept that forcefully links many races under one umbrella. If we must specify an organization that threatens our country, it would be the Demon King’s Army, not the demon races.”

“Then, if there’s no evidence that the demon races are involved with the Demon King’s Army, doesn’t that mean we cannot punish or impose sanctions based on imperial law?”

“If we consider this a legal issue, then that would indeed be correct.”

“But that means if we capture a suspicious demon while conducting an interrogation and fail to extract evidence that they are affiliated with the Demon King’s Army, we cannot punish them, right? So it would imply an acquittal without guilt.”

“Has such a thing occurred until now?”

“Not yet! The Demon King’s Army has never used such strategies. But if we simply let this pass, what if the Demon King’s Army uses this incident as a precedent to send in spies to deny their involvement in the Demon King’s Army?”

“At that time, the royal family would have to issue an imperial decree in accordance with the situation. After all, imperial law cannot apply retroactively.”

“There are limits to the arbitrary issuance of imperial decrees that contravene higher laws. If we respond that way, we’ll confront internal contradictions.”

“But does that mean we need to show an example by punishing Countess Harker now? Regardless, if someone is sanctioned merely for having ‘demon blood,’ it would symbolize the collapse of our country’s law!”

“More than anything, wouldn’t that take us back to the closure of Walter Hellhound’s brothel? That decree was issued due to concerns that the succubus might leak confidential information to the Demon King’s Army; if demon races, who haven’t been proven to be affiliated with the Demon King’s Army, are found not guilty, then there would be no legal basis for that imperial decree.”

“Why are we bringing up that law now? Are you saying the crazy rogue soldiers should just let the imperial army’s secrets be leaked?”

“That’s not what I mean; my point is that both imperial decrees and imperial laws must be applied consistently. If we apply the law selectively, how can any citizen of the empire trust our nobility?”

“Strictly speaking, the brothel closure order was issued based on concerns of information leaks, but the decree simply stated to permanently shut down all brothels within the system. Since there are no records of direct arrests or disciplinary actions against succubi, it’s not necessarily illegal under imperial law.”

The assembly, originally convened solely to discuss ‘what to do about Jenis Harker,’ had splintered off into topics far removed from the purpose, touching upon awkward matters where the speaker hesitated to voice opinions.

It’s easy to not question Jenis’s actions or bloodline regarding this incident. Since the emperor has already favored Jenis, the members of the Imperial Assembly were left with no choice but to carry on with the discussion, assuming she would be acquitted without issue.

But does this problem simply end here? Or will it serve as a bad precedent when similar cases involving other demon races arise in the future?

While the noble members continued their fierce debate, Rose, Jeongjae, and Margaret in the guest seats maintained a quiet silence. The three of them, who had showcased their presence right from the moment they entered to receive the nobility’s salute, were too significant to casually join in the arguments.

The first to speak was Rose.

“The royal family’s position is firm.”

Rose stated.

“The royal family has no comments regarding future amendments to imperial law in similar cases. That is the realm of the assembly, and excessive interference from the royal family would severely undermine the autonomy of the Imperial Assembly.”

It was a hypocritical lie. The royal family was already swinging their influence over the assembly as much as they could, and everyone, including Rose herself, knew this fact. It was just that no one could openly declare this uncomfortable truth in front of the Crown Princess.

“The only part where the royal family has stated its stance concerns the main agenda for which this assembly was convened. Jenis Harker is innocent. She did not commit any destructive acts that could harm the empire, and should any damages have occurred, they were legitimate actions approved by Rose Caprice. Therefore, she cannot be subjected to any sanctions.”

With that, Rose succinctly expressed her position and returned to her seat.

Today, Rose’s attire was more splendid than usual. The red robe, much like before, was lined with golden epaulets on her shoulders, and her insignia as the commander of the imperial army seemed to symbolize that she was ‘the one to inherit this empire in the future.’

At her waist hung a ceremonial sword, allowed to be brought into the assembly only for the emperor and his heir. It served as a decorative item and a reminder of her significance.

In her statements at the assembly, Rose did not show much emotion or express her opinions. She simply articulated the views that represented the royal family. But in this moment, she was the embodiment of the royal family and the Audrich Empire itself.

“Then the royal family’s position is that not only should Jenis Harker be acquitted, but also that no measures are needed for risk prevention?”

“She is a free individual. I believe that suffices as an explanation.”

At Rose’s resolute response, the questioning member had no further comments to make. By now, it was about time someone raised the issue regarding the ‘House of Harker,’ but no one seemed willing to speak up.

Jeongjae remained seated in Count Harker’s chair, maintaining a proper posture while listening attentively to the proceedings.

From that view, he seemed no different from his usual self, but today he had worn his combat robe instead of his regular blue jacket to the assembly.

Did that mean he had come to the assembly ready for battle? Or was it a show of not only being the spokesperson for the Harker family and Baron Harriet but also of demonstrating that he was a Grand Mage with terrifying power?

Jeongjae himself couldn’t be sure. He merely wanted to wear a robe today. It felt like something he simply had to do for some reason.

Suddenly, a noble mustered up the courage to ask Jeongjae a question, who was almost completely obscured by his hood.

“What is the position of House Harker?”

“Are you asking me?”

Jeongjae responded, surprised, as he lifted his hood and stood up. He hadn’t expected that the question would land on him.

“Y-yes. Today… you are attending as a representative of House Harker, correct?”

Although he may have been intimidated, the voice of the noble who boldly posed the question trembled and wavered. Jeongjae, flustered by the situation before him, nodded awkwardly.

“Yes, of course. House Harker and Jeffrey represent the positions of all, but since your question pertains to House Harker, that is indeed right?”

“Y-yes. Then, what is Count Harker’s stance on this situation…?”

“The position is quite simple and straightforward. If Jenis Harker has acted in a manner constitutionally considered as a crime, she should be held accountable. However, if she hasn’t engaged in any legally culpable actions, then I ask that nothing else be raised against her. Count Harker has indicated this.”

The suggestion to not raise other issues beyond her actions clearly implied that her bloodline should not be used as an excuse for her indictment.

Now, another noble posed a question to Jeongjae.

“If it’s not too presumptuous, how much did Count Harker predict regarding the bloodline of the young lady? That is, concerning her hidden traits…”

Since this could escalate into an overt attack or accusation, the question was approached cautiously. A slight misstep could lead to shocking claims like ‘House Harker is a vampire clan!’

Strictly speaking, Count Harker is 100% vampire, so that isn’t wrong, but from an outside perspective, traits of a half-vampire could manifest at rates less than 50%, even as low as 25% or 10%. Cautiously attacking the paternal lineage was not wise.

“The Count is aware that there is a possibility that Jenis Harker’s bloodline may reveal vampiric traits.”

Jeongjae organized and presented the ‘official’ stance of the Count.

“However, there is no law that requires such information to be disclosed or publicized in advance, and there is no basis to ensure that a daughter’s traits would necessarily manifest during her lifetime, so he has never spoken of it to anyone.”

“I see. It seems there are no issues regarding that point. Perhaps there’s anyone who wishes to raise a concern…?”

No one stepped forward. Anyone who did might initiate a dangerous challenge against ‘House Harker.’

While it was true that there were now members of the imperial faction who disliked Count Harker, it was also true that the imperial faction wasn’t in a position to recklessly challenge Count Harker. Since the emperor had taken a protective stance towards Jenis Harker, it was clearly dangerous to attack Count Harker here.

Meanwhile, you could say that among the regional nobles, there was no one who genuinely wished for House Harker to fail. After all, many nobles relied on the remarkable financial management of the Harker family, and the more capable noblemen were well aware of the immense influence that Arthur Harker had within the assembly.

“Then, essentially, Jenis Harker’s case will be treated as not guilty, leading to a decision not to prosecute…”

“The conclusion could indeed go that way. However, if we overlook this matter, the ripples it causes as a precedent could be hard to predict.”

“Is the issue of precedent really that significant? If a pure demon were to be captured later on and cried out ‘I am not part of the Demon King’s Army!’ wouldn’t we be free to resolve that as we see fit? After all, the Sage Hero will decide the conclusion.”

“If you’re going to pass judgment on every case at will, then what’s the purpose of the law?”

“So why not settle this case by finding it not guilty per law and move on, really?”

“The 100,000 imperial soldiers are shivering in the cold north fighting for the nation, while nobles gather here to squabble over the law, doesn’t that seem pathetic?”

“You are the most disgraceful one for saying that. If you’re not going to jump in arms and fight right now, it’s best if you just shut your mouth!”

“Let’s finish this unproductive debate and do something more beneficial for the nation. Did I ever say I wanted to go out and fight?”

“We’re not having a useless discussion. For instance, what if a noble from a confirmed demon race comes out later, caught aiding the Demon King’s Army? If we claim that today’s incident should serve as a precedent for an acquittal, without evidence, we wouldn’t even be able to punish them!”

“Evidence will emerge! In such an emergency, even the wizards of the Magic Tower will be mobilized to find proof! To create a nonsensical situation that may never occur just to argue about precedents…”

“I’d at least like to see that the purity of the young lady is verified. ‘Since her purity has been demonstrated this way, we release her without issue.’ Wouldn’t that be clean and wonderful?”

“Punishment is something you’d impose on those with evidence of wrongdoing. If one were to be punished because there’s no evidence of innocence, half the world’s population would end up in prison! You, for instance – do you have any evidence of never committing a crime in your life?”

“Do I look like a fool to you? I’m not saying that because I don’t know!”

The meeting, which had seemed to reach a conclusion for a brief period, plunged once more into a battleground of debate.

Jeongjae sighed quietly, so as not to be heard amidst the arguments, murmuring the words he caught in the fray.

“Magic Tower… Magic Tower…”

At that moment, Margaret’s ears perked up as she turned to look at Jeongjae from a distance. While she likely had good hearing, it was evident that the Elven Princess had been paying considerable attention to him given she caught his muttering amidst the noisy debates.

Jeongjae instinctively sensed Margaret’s gaze and turned around to face her. In an instant, their eyes met, and a similar thought crossed their minds.

Magic Tower… red eyes?

At that moment, Margaret, who hadn’t spoken a word since the beginning of the meeting, abruptly stood up.

“Excuse me, may I speak for a moment?”

“Yes, go ahead. Speak, Margaret of Eramenia.”

Rose, presiding over the high table, granted permission. Margaret nodded her head in respect to Rose before saying.

“I would like to request a short recess. There is a method to resolve this matter without lingering debates.”