Dusk gradually descended, and within the ancient Council Hall of the Mosgla family, figures were flitting about at that moment.
On the evening of the day the grand assembly within the Council Hall concluded, most members of the Mosgla family, including Marquis Fred, gathered there, indignantly discussing Saint Laurent VI’s decree from today.
"Clearly, we could have directly executed this demon, but yet there’s a need for the Holy Tree Judgement."
A young member of the Mosgla family slammed their fist onto the oak table, finding the procedure completely redundant.
His words resonated with many present.
"Indeed, His Majesty shouldn’t complicate matters. Dealing with such heinous criminals, since he has voluntarily surrendered, we can proceed directly to the judgement of the result!"
A woman with a haggard expression responded hoarsely.
She was Eunice’s mother, who had personally witnessed her daughter being skewered with a spear by Lynn at that banquet, every drop of blood drained from her body.
Hatred had seeped into every inch of her soul, utterly devouring the once graceful and composed noblewoman.
Marquis Fred sat at the head, his hawk-like gaze sweeping over each family member present.
His eyes were somewhat red, seeming to suppress his anger, yet ultimately he remained restrained, speaking in a low tone: "His Majesty... has his own considerations."
Though those appearing were essentially insiders, with his understanding of that person, there could be spies of Saint Laurent VI among those present.
So some things could not be said.
"I’m not worried at all. The Holy Tree Judgement process is absolutely fair and just. Based on our intelligence, at the very least, the murder of Fourth Prince Joshua is a crime Lynn cannot refute in any way."
Theodore Mosgla, with slightly curly long hair, spoke out.
As the youngest grandson of Marquis Fred, he was known for his composure.
Even at banquets where noble scions indulged in revelry, he habitually stood silently by the pillars, playing the role of a listener and observer.
Once he spoke, the once noisy Council Hall immediately quieted down significantly.
Clearly, everyone thought he made sense.
"Since the founding of the Saint Laurent Empire, such heinous incidents where a prince or princess is murdered by a criminal have never occurred before. Lynn’s actions are not just murder, but a shaking of the Empire’s foundation, a blatant challenge to the sacred imperial power!"
"That’s right, what awaits him will be the most brutal punishment in the entire Saint Laurent Empire!"
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Everyone spoke one after another, only Marquis Fred himself showing a solemn expression, seemingly waiting for someone’s arrival.
As coincidence would have it, the next second, there was a knock on the Council Hall doors.
Immediately, everyone ceased speaking, fixing their gaze, and were surprised to discover that the visitor was none other than Cardinal Connor of the Heavenly Principle Church.
The two seasoned foxes exchanged a glance, nodding tacitly.
As for the others, they were a bit astonished at Bishop Connor’s sudden visit, feeling somewhat uneasy and anxious for a moment.
Only Theodore Mosgla was unsurprised by this.
The reason was simple.
For both the Heavenly Principle Church and the Mosgla family, killing Lynn was a mutually shared demand.
Therefore, for the purpose of thoroughly nailing that monstrous youth to the gallows, Cardinal Connor came to personally negotiate with Marquis Fred to ensure the judgement’s infallibility.
Connor, as a cardinal of the Heavenly Principle Church, held a transcendent status, making even Marquis Fred somewhat subdued in front of him.
It’s worth noting that the appearance of a cardinal in a private meeting of the Mosgla family was an event significant enough to shake the Imperial Capital.
"Good evening, everyone." Stepping on the soft red carpet, Cardinal Connor, bathed in the gaze of everyone, slowly walked to the center of the room, his tone calm, "It seems you are experiencing some trouble?"
Marquis Fred rose to greet while engaging in social niceties: "Regarding the case of Lynn Bartleion, what insights do you have, Bishop?"
After ushering Cardinal Connor into his seat, he waved to dismiss some family members around, leaving only the core and direct lineage to listen.
Upon hearing this, Cardinal Connor shook his head: "I wouldn’t call it insights, just... Marquis Fred, are you fully confident of sentencing Lynn to death?"
Marquis Fred’s expression remained unchanged as he retrieved a parchment scroll from his pocket: "This outlines the detailed arrangement of the judgement procedure; the Holy Spirit Tree will only extract memories of that night at the old factory from Lynn."
"At that time, the entire city shall witness firsthand how he cruelly murdered His Highness Joshua."
"Therefore, Lynn is undoubtedly doomed!"
After receiving confirmation from Marquis Fred, Cardinal Connor breathed a slight sigh of relief.
He was familiar with the procedures of the Holy Tree Judgement.
The Holy Spirit Tree can read the host’s memories and display them on the sky curtain for the entire city to see, thus the selection of memory nodes is crucial.
Although Cardinal Connor was aware of the many secrets hidden within Lynn, using the Holy Spirit Tree to read memories could potentially unveil many unknown secrets, possibly even peering into some taboo matters of the Third Imperial Princess.
Cardinal Connor was extremely interested in this.
Unfortunately, if too many memories were extracted, it might complicate the situation, leading the trial, with its predetermined outcome, into an unknown resolution.
Therefore, only extracting memories of that night at the old factory from Lynn was undoubtedly the safest option.