Chapter 103: The Queen’s Despair

"Dethronement?!" Queen Thalia’s horrified voice echoed in the courtroom. She arrived just in time Lady Amber mentioned that the court trial was for the King’s dethronement.

"On what grounds is this made possible?" Thalia walked to the side of her husband, fuming mad. "And there was even no prior notice. Your grace, I believe this trial is completely unnecessary."

"We received a petition, Queen Thalia. The petitioner presented enough grounds for a court trial. The grounds are quite strong so we are here to further validate the evidence of the petitioner to decide if King Martin should be dethroned or not," Lady Amber replied.

The Queen’s eyes flew to Alec and Lauren standing in front of the ministers. There was no need for her to ask who the petitioner was.

Thalia gritted her teeth in anger. She was still mourning her daughter’s death, and as if the embarrassment two days ago wasn’t enough, she had to stand in the court again but this time a greater threat was presented. The outcome of the court trial would decide if the King would still retain his position.

"My son-in-law submitted the petition, didn’t he?" King Martin asked as he looked darkly at Alec.

"I did," Alec admitted before Lady Amber could answer.

"Pardon me for my impudence, but I only want what’s the best for our people, Your Majesty. I have nothing against you, but some things need to be done the right way. A leader should be a good example, shouldn’t he." Alec flicked his brow up, teasing the King with his polite smile.

King Martin balled his fists and resisted the urge to yell in the court. The only thing he could do was throw an alluvion of curses in his mind.

The court trial soon started. As the petitioner, Alec was the one who presented the grounds for the dethronement.

"This is the ledger of the royal family’s account. After a thorough investigation, the council discovered the discrepancies in the state’s financial statements which brought us to the conclusion that the King had been allocating funds in the wrong direction. The council chief, Lionel, is here to attest to my claim," Alec said and pointed at Lionel with a gesture of his hand. The council chief was standing by the side.

King Martin was furious in his seat but he could do nothing. He didn’t expect this would happen right after his three children died. He knew Alec was eyeing the throne but he didn’t imagine he would be so bold to file a petition for his dethronement.

"You may check the mark of the royal seal in these ledger and financial statements to prove its legitimacy," Alec laid the papers on the Supreme House’s table.

"A king cheating on his people, isn’t it a shameful thing to do?" He then said while looking at King Martin whose furious eyes were killing him.

"How bold of you to accuse your king! I gave you the position and this is how you pay me back? You basta-"

"I demand order in the court," Lady Amber interrupted which made the King shut his mouth.

"Please refrain from saying unnecessary remarks," she added coldly before telling Alec to proceed.

A middle-aged man entered the courtroom at Alec’s request.

"This is Ludwig. He is one of the royal accountants managing the state’s finances. He is a friend of Genevieve Murphy, his fellow royal accountant who died three months ago. It was said she died in sickness but this man here says Miss Murphy was killed together with her family who lived in the west village because the woman allegedly attempted to tell the council about how the King is embezzling too much money from the state’s funds," said Alec.

While the man named Ludwig was giving his testimony, Queen Thalia shouted.

"Liar! How could you drag the royal family in such nonsense!"

"Again, let us refrain from making unnecessary remarks during the trial, Your Majesty," Lady Amber said with obvious impatience in her tone.

Another person entered. A royal guard. He confessed that he got an order from the King to silence Miss Murphy and kill her family.

Queen Thalia could hardly breathe in her seat because of too much anger. Her blood boiled more when she saw Lauren’s teasing smirk.

It was in the book of laws that a King shall not murder innocent people. Once the crime was proven, it was enough ground to dethrone a king.

Lauren was surprised herself that Alec had been investigating her father’s evil doings. She had known everything he presented, but there were evidences she couldn’t lay her hand on because she didn’t have power over the court. Picking a capable man to be her ally was indeed one of the best decisions she ever made.

As Alec presented more of the King’s crimes, Queen Thalia grew more unsettled in her seat. How could someone uncover past events that happened months and years ago in just a matter of weeks? As much as she wanted to prove Alec wrong, she didn’t have proof to counter the accusation and she knew her husband wasn’t capable enough to outsmart a cunning man like Alec.

If only she married one of her daughters to the Everston lord before Lauren messed up everything, perhaps things would have been better... thought Thalia. But there was no use in dwelling on the past right now.

"King Sebastian of Acheron also wrote a statement to prove that King Martin had been cheating on Acheron for the past year," Alec laid the paper with Acheron’s royal seal on the Supreme House’s table.

"Last year, Evardin and Acheron had an agreement with the mine at the northern border between the two lands. Both kings had agreed to have equal shares of gold in the mine but under the King’s command, Evardin had been taking more than its share discreetly. It means King Martin breached the contract with another land which could cause a war, putting his people’s lives at risk."

"The King would never do that!" Queen Thalia yelled desperately, but her cries of contempt were never heard.

"How hopeless," Lauren muttered quietly, enjoying the Queen’s despair.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read