C89
The Count Miloam laughed at Elliot's protest.
"In haha, sorry about that. I'm so grateful to be able to give you bread!"
"I'm so astonished."
Elliot clicked his tongue once and cleared his throat with water. If it had been before, he would have been angrily criticizing for at least three minutes, but it seemed he had learned that most words had no effect on the Count.
"If you're so grateful, testify in my favor at my future trial."
This was something that arose from that context.
"Elliot Rudd is a valuable talent that will contribute to the country's development, so consider this and reduce his sentence."
In a cheerful atmosphere, Elliot also mentioned it in jest.
"..."
But the air around us suddenly calmed. This was because Count Miloam, who was the only one leading the atmosphere, suddenly fell silent.
"Hey, Count?"
After a while, I called him. Elliot and Vinetta also looked at Count Miloam with perplexed eyes.
He chewed slowly what was in his mouth, looking troubled by a problem, and only opened his mouth after swallowing it all.
"I'm sorry, but that won't work."
He looked at Elliot with an expressionless face, unlike the person who always smiled cheerfully.
"If this is the trial you're going to face, it will be for that case, right? The Iver Merchant Guild, which is talked about a lot these days."
I knew that Elliot and Iver were related, I thought. When I brought the Count here for the first time, I didn't explain to him what Elliot's crime was. At that time, the investigation into the Iver guild was conducted secretly.
Although the incident was officially reported yesterday, the Count's attitude was not much different from yesterday to today. So I wondered if the Count still didn't know that Elliot was the second in command of Iver, but he did.
"Well, what should I say? I have a simple mind, so I can only preach simple things. So, I tried not to say anything if possible, but..."
Count Miloam scratched his short hair with his thick fingers.
"You didn't really think about this, did you? About the crime you committed."
Elliot's eyes widened.
Count Miloam expressed his thoughts slowly but clearly.
"I don't know if you would have reflected, but I can't say good things in the trial of someone who doesn't reflect. This has nothing to do with whether you're a genius or not. If a person commits a crime, they must pay the penalty."
Elliot left the bread he was eating.
"I lost my appetite. I don't want to see anyone, leave now."
"Speaking of that, let me ask you one thing. Why did you do that?"
Elliot, who was about to get up, stopped.
"If you were, a smart guy like you, wouldn't you be able to use that smart brain for the world? But why did you commit a crime?"
"Ah! Why should I work hard for the world? I will live for one person and not for the world. Only she needs to know me!"
"Did you commit a crime for that person?"
"Yes."
"Does she know that you are doing this for her?"
"She always thanked me. Fortunately, she also told me that I am the pillar that supports her."
"Then that person is a bad person."
Count Miloam touched Elliot's sore spot with just one word. Liena was almost a sacred territory for Elliot.
"What?"
"She just thanked you with words and doesn't really care about you."
Elliot's eyes were bloodshot.
"Don't talk about things you don't know!"
"Even if I'm stupid, I know! If she's really a good person, if she's someone who cares about you!"
Count Miloam shouted louder than Elliot. Vinetta and I covered our ears. The quality was such that it was suspicious that he had not actually boiled and eaten the stove of a train.
"I wouldn't say nonsense like thanking you for committing a crime! I would have stopped you! I should have guided you on the right path!"
"What do you know? Is it okay to just speak out loud for no reason?"
Did he tremble at the volume of his voice, or were his words convincing? Elliot's once fierce spirit was shattered.
"She's a good person. First of all, unconditionally equating illegality with evil is dichotomous thinking and black-and-white logic."
This was not something someone would say who believed that anyone on the other side of Liena was necessarily a villain.
"What are you talking about? Please explain it so I can understand."
"She's a good person! It's not just about being excessively kind, but simply being kind in moderation."
"I don't understand what that means. Are people who commit crimes reasonably good? Then are people who follow all laws good without any measure?"
"It doesn't cross the minimum line. She doesn't intimidate those weaker than her. Rather, she protects the weak even using extralegal means."
"Extralegal means...?"
"Stop your nonsense, let me explain with a friendly example. What would you do if you saw a bully assaulting an elderly person on the street?"
"After hitting him a few times, I'll make him swear he'll never do it again."