Vote for Your Knight! - Chapter 52

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Vote for your knight!
Episode 52
From the next day onward, the Town Square no longer displayed the real-time rankings, but instead broadcast an urgent notice.
!! URGENT NOTICE !!
to be held
Subject: Should the controversial participant be expelled from Cartamen?
1. We are recruiting debate participants.
– Please submit your personal account!
– We will invite 100 of those who submitted accounts to the debate hall
– and select 5 of them as debaters!
(Accounts to be received by the administrative office)
2. For those who wish to remain anonymous, masks will be provided
3. The debate will be broadcast live from the Town Square.
※ After the debate, whether the participant will be expelled will be decided based on public opinion.
At that, newspapers across the realm rushed to print extras.
The news spread to every corner of the kingdom in an instant.
The rumors traveled so swiftly that even someone living in a remote mountain village knew of it.
The entire empire was in turmoil.
The news was simply that inflammatory.
The problematic participant was unmistakably Kusto.
A death-row inmate, a former slave turned monster who had murdered a pitiable hostage taken by pirates.
That they would expel such a demon through debate!
While seething with anger, people grew excited at the prospect of putting Kusto on a public stage and tearing him apart.
Of course, there were those who believed in him, who pitied him and felt compassion, but they were only a minority, including Kusto’s supporters.
What is this nonsense?
He should be expelled immediately—what’s all this talk of a debate?
– There must be people who don’t want him expelled
ㄴ Most of them want him expelled though?
ㄴ People are probably silenced, so they can’t speak up
– I’m just saying they should throw him out, not waste time debating
– I’m sure the person who wrote this already submitted their account too
ㄴ Right lol nobody here hasn’t submitted one?lol
Hand if you think this is actually going to be fun
Honestly expecting him to be expelled anyway, but I’m so hyped for the content lollolol
-222222
-333333lolol
-The debate is just gonna tear Kusto apart even worse lollolol
-Doesn’t really affect my candidate anyway so I’m just looking forward to it lollollol
-You people are really cruel…
ㄴYou people are rreally cruel~
One week later.
With the next evaluation drawing uncomfortably near.
The was held in the Imperial Palace Hall.
Just as with the Cartamen competition, Edith took on the role of moderator.
She did so against the opposition of both the Emperor and Duke Frederick.
Ninety-five audience members whose accounts had been selected filed into their seats one by one.
The hall where theatrical productions and operas were ordinarily held.
To hold a murderer’s expulsion debate in such a magnificent place!
The people could not conceal their trembling anticipation.
Image Orbs hovered throughout the hall.
They were there to broadcast this scene live.
The Town Square was already crowded with people gathered to watch the debate.
The viewership seemed to exceed even last week’s Cartamen broadcast.
Soldiers had to be dispatched to every square just to manage the crowds.
It was a phenomenon of truly enormous proportions.
‘Of course it is. It’s a collection of provocative spectacle.’
Edith sat in a back seat on the dais, thinking to herself.
Next to her was her father—the Emperor’s seat.
Unlike the anonymous forums where people spoke freely, the debate required drawing out the truth.
‘To make people speak honestly, they need the pressure that authority brings.’
So I bent the rules a little.
Five masked debaters soon took the stage.
Edith rose from her seat.
“Thank you all for gathering here today for this debate. And special thanks to our five debaters for their participation.”
The masked debaters bowed their heads.
Judging by their garments, they represented a cross-section of society—commoners, merchants of moderate means, and nobility alike.
“These individuals were selected through their personal accounts as the most suitable participants for today’s discussion. We trust you understand.”
Edith continued.
“Now, the Kartamen Knights—please enter!”
The hall erupted in murmurs.
“All the Kartamen Knights are coming?”
“I thought only Kusto was supposed to appear?”
The rear doors of the hall swung open, and fifty-three knights filed into view.
They took their seats in the empty rows at the back in orderly fashion.
The crowd’s attention kept drifting toward where the knights were seated.
But that didn’t last long.
“And now, the star of today’s proceedings—Kusto enters!”
As though by prearrangement, everyone’s gaze snapped forward.
Kusto emerged onto the stage.
His posture was firm and upright.
There was no trace of intimidation in his bearing.
For some, it bred resentment. For others, relief.
Relief was felt most keenly by Kusto Marie, who sat among the spectators.
As a noblewoman, she had never imagined she would find herself rooting for a knight of slave origin.
She kept it secret from her parents.
She had come to the Town Square in disguise and hadn’t dared purchase any of Kusto’s memorabilia for fear of being discovered.
‘But I couldn’t miss this day.’
This was the day Kusto’s fate would be decided.
She had submitted a heartfelt account to the authorities.
Her sincerity had worked—she’d made it into the chosen hundred.
Though her enthusiasm had been so obvious that she hadn’t been selected as one of the debaters.
‘This might be the last time I see him.’
Expulsion from Kartamen wouldn’t be the end of it.
‘People will demand his execution.’
What if there were circumstances that would exonerate him?
Kusto Marie had privately commissioned the Information Guild to investigate what had transpired in the Pius Territory at that time.
But the territory’s residents had been so thoroughly silenced that she’d gleaned nothing of value.
‘The only thing I learned was that the lord of Pius is terrifyingly cruel.’
Wasn’t that, at least, some hint?
But without that lord appearing here, there was no way to uncover the truth.
‘Please, let there be debaters among them who will speak in Kusto’s favor!’
Kusto Marie prayed silently.
It was then.
“And we have a special guest today.”
‘A—a special guest?’
“It is—”
Edith gestured toward the stage entrance.
Someone with a stern expression strode forward.
“!”
The crowd gasped in shock.
That person was none other than—
“Tiery Born, Lord of the Pius Territory.”
“Good day to you all.”
He bowed with formal courtesy.
To all appearances, he was a handsome young man of pleasant demeanor.
‘Is this really the lord known to be so cruel?’
Even Kusto Marie found herself bewildered.
He took the seat prepared at center stage.
Kusto sat directly opposite him.
With the two of them as the focal point, the five debaters’ seats were arranged on the right side.
‘What on earth is happening here?’
Kusto Marie was bewildered.
One thing was certain.
The lord of Pius Territory, Tiery Born, did not seem likely to give testimony favorable to Kusto.
‘Because he’s the one who sentenced Kusto to death!’
Then why had the princess summoned him?
‘Could it be…….’
An uneasy premonition wrapped around her.
‘Is she using Kusto as kindling to fuel the flames of scandal around Cartamen even higher?’
If so, the princess had nothing to lose.
She’d face some criticism, but she was a princess—she’d emerge unscathed.
With time, people would forget about this affair.
There were still fifty-three members left in Cartamen.
It was only Kusto who would face public execution.
‘But this—this is too cruel!’
Kusto Marie wanted to jump to her feet and cry out immediately.
To demand an end to this vile deed at once.
But before her stood not only the princess, but the emperor himself.
His authority weighed so heavily on her instincts that reason reasserted itself whether she willed it or not.
Then Edith spoke.
“Kusto is the party directly involved in this matter, and the lord of Pius Territory is a witness to the events in question. We shall hear both of your accounts fairly and proceed with discussion. Kusto, please speak first.”
Kusto regarded the lord of Pius Territory, Tiery Born, with a composed expression.
A young man, neatly dressed, wielding power.
Everything about him contrasted with himself.
Yet Kusto was not afraid.
Just as he had not been afraid of the death sentence Tiery Born had once pronounced upon him.
“I contracted with the lord to suppress pirates. He commanded me to bring the hostages to him as they were—to make them his personal slaves.”
“That’s absurd……!”
Tiery Born bristled, but Edith cut him off.
“You’ll have your turn to speak. Wait, please.”
Once he fell silent, Kusto continued.
“I was born a slave. I know well the suffering of those reduced to slavery. Moreover, those hostages……were overjoyed at the thought of gaining their freedom. They wept and thanked me and the soldiers, as if they had been saved.”
Kusto, who had spoken calmly until then, suddenly bowed his head as emotion welled up.
“Much as I did, foolishly, in my childhood…….”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————