Shadow's Oath-Chapter 90

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Chapter 90: Jedrick’s Trial

Jedrick could not easily understand Vadio’s words.

‘Why is he here?’

Even as he tried to piece together everything he had heard and experienced, he couldn’t make sense of it.

Vadio had always despised and dismissed the Geron people, calling them savages.

He saw them as less than human, killed children without hesitation, and set villages on fire without remorse.

He was the last person who would want the prince to undergo a formal trial in this place.

And yet, here he was, the one proposing a trial.

“But Count Vadio, why are you here?”

Damion spoke, voicing the very question on Jedrick’s mind.

“I came to assist His Highness, who seemed to be in a difficult situation.”

“I am neither in difficulty nor in need of help.”

Damion’s expression and tone made his refusal clear, yet Vadio either didn’t understand or pretended not to.

“Your Highness, please heed my counsel.”

Vadio stepped closer to Damion as he spoke.

The knights guarding him shoved aside the village residents blocking their way, using their spears not just to threaten but to stab.

Several Geron people cried out and fell to the ground, wounded.

Vadio didn’t even glance their way as he continued.

“This trial must not end as it is. Ordinarily, just the fact that Your Highness was placed in danger would warrant taking half the lives of this village.”

“Enough, Count. The people will disperse, and there will be no further trial.”

“That is unacceptable, Your Highness. Someone must take responsibility. This is not a matter to be resolved simply because one witch was granted a merciful death.”

Vadio turned to Jedrick and issued a command.

“Translate. The high chief, a chieftain, or that chieftain’s mother over there—one of them must take responsibility and be executed right here.”

“I told you to stop!”

Damion’s sharp cry cut him off.

Vadio, unfazed, continued speaking.

“Who will step forward? In my opinion, it should be you, since you were involved in this matter.”

Miela, who met Jedrick’s gaze, gasped.

Her fearful eyes trembled.

Even Ikarum, who did not understand Vadio’s words, could grasp the situation.

His eyes burned with rage, but Vadio would not tolerate it.

“Look at that chieftain’s eyes. He is thinking, ‘I will remember this and take my revenge one day.’ We cannot allow that, Your Highness. Beasts must be tamed with fear, not words.”

“I already said no. You are in a position to obey my orders.”

Even in the face of the prince’s firm command, Vadio did not waver.

“No, Your Highness.”

“…No?”

“It is Your Highness who must follow my command.”

“Who… said that…?”

Damion stopped mid-sentence as realization struck him.

“My father?”

Vadio did not reply.

Instead, he gestured to the knights behind him.

“Seize him.”

Jedrick had no way to resist as the knights grabbed him.

The overwhelming force pressing on his shoulders forced him to his knees.

Two knights held their blades to his throat without hesitation.

“No!”

Charlon screamed.

She turned desperately to the prince.

“Your Highness, you must stop this!”

She then called out to her brother.

“Rusef, do something!”

Rusef did not respond.

Even if he wanted to, he could not.

He was a knight of another country.

He had no power to stop Triton’s lord, who wouldn’t have listened to him anyway.

At that moment, an unexpected hand intervened.

It was Ram.

With a dagger in his left hand, he pressed the blade against the throat of the knight on the right.

His longsword, still stained with Olga’s blood, was aimed inside the helmet of the knight on the left.

His crossed arms pointed both weapons at the two knights.

The knights only realized the precarious situation they were in when it was too late.

They recoiled in alarm, moving hastily in the same direction, causing them to stumble over each other with a loud clatter.

“Without His Highness’s orders, no one may touch the high chief.”

Ram declared.

“You insolent wretch! How dare you—”

Vadio was about to lash out when General Terdin stepped forward.

“Calm yourself, Count Vadio.”

Vadio, pointing at Ram, shouted angrily.

“You saw that, General! That brat dared to oppose the royal knights—”

“That boy is my shadow. He is bound by absolute obedience to my command. My last order was to protect His Highness, the high chief, and the lady. My shadow simply followed my instructions. His actions are my responsibility. If there is an issue, I will take responsibility for it.”

Terdin could have spoken from where he stood, yet he deliberately positioned himself in front of Vadio, blocking his view of Ram.

“I fail to understand why the count insists on executing High Chief Jedrick. He faced the same danger as the rest of them, nearly lost his life, and did everything in his power to ensure Lady Charlon’s safe return. Even if he is not to be rewarded, execution is completely unreasonable. Does that not seem illogical?”

Vadio glanced at Jedrick.

His expression resembled a sulky ten-year-old child who had been scolded.

He clicked his tongue and ran it over the inside of his cheek as if nursing a bruised ego.

“Do you think I’m trying to be logical here, General? As I said before, someone must take responsibility.”

Then, in a near whisper, he murmured to Terdin, just loud enough for Jedrick to barely hear.

“You saw the trial process, didn’t you? These people barely listen to the prince. There was chaos at the end, as if a riot was about to break out. If we don’t instill proper fear now, they will soon rise in rebellion.”

On the other hand, Terdin did not lower his voice.

"History has never shown that fear could prevent rebellion. Even the Empire was divided because of it."

"I'm not here to persuade you. From now on, I have command over this place. The royal knights will follow only my orders, and soon, even the general’s knights must swear new loyalty under me."

"The knights under me are bound to other lords, so they have no reason to swear allegiance to Count Vadio,"

Terdin responded, adding with a slight jest,

"You already know that."

He then smiled and continued,

"Now, let’s stop this. We should go see Archbishop Aikob..."

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Vadio glared at Terdin as if he were an enemy.

"Then what exactly does the Count want? Do you intend to execute the chieftain here, in front of everyone? These people have surrendered to us. The way we treat this village will determine how the other two villages cooperate with us. If we support these three villages well, the remaining seven will surrender without war. Acting rashly now will not help us in any way."

Terdin continued to speak persuasively.

"Besides, for now, you may have command, but in the end, the one who will rule this place is the prince. Can you really support him if you act in this manner?"

"The authority to assist the prince has already been granted to me by His Majesty!"

"If the prince returns to His Majesty after executing the chieftain and burning the village against his will, do you think he will say, ‘Oh, Father, Count Vadio is truly a perfect match for me. Please let me continue working with him’?"

Vadio glared at Terdin with burning eyes.

"It seems the general has taken quite a liking to these savages, hasn't he?"

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"I'm only speaking from a strategic standpoint. Later, during negotiations, this matter will clearly be used against them. That would be more beneficial than killing half of them, which would only reduce our future tax revenue by half. That would not help us in any way."

Vadio grumbled and turned to Damion.

"What do you say, Your Highness? I do not like that chieftain. We cannot let this pass without any consequences."

"Proceed with the trial,"

Damion said.

Charlon exclaimed in surprise,

"Your Highness, if you do that..."

Damion shook his head at her, signaling for her to stay silent.

Then, he addressed Vadio.

"Did you not just suggest a trial, Count Vadio? Then, as with the previous two executions, let us follow Elum’s judgment this time as well."

Without pause, Damion turned to Jedrick.

"Jedrick, translate my words for Ikarum. Can you do that?"

Still on his knees, Jedrick only nodded.

Even though Ram was protecting him, Vadio’s knights were still standing their ground.

He had to maintain a submissive posture.

Damion raised his voice so that everyone could hear.

"Here stands Elhorn, Jedrick. When I was in danger, he stood by my side and shared my risks. Even when we faced death at the hands of the Tagda tribe, he remained by my side, and he is still with me now. If you agree that he threatened my life and endangered the village, raise your hands. If the vote is unanimous, he will be executed."

Jedrick translated Damion’s words for Ikarum, who took several deep breaths before addressing the people.

Not a single villager raised their hand.

A few, who had started to do so absentmindedly, quickly lowered them when they saw no one else was voting.

"By vote, he is innocent,"

Ikarum declared.

Vadio scoffed.

"And you are just going to let this go? You will regret this."

At that moment, Elder Sao shouted,

"Jedrick Elhorn cannot be declared completely innocent yet! There is still a lack of evidence to trust this trial’s verdict. Moreover, as an Elhorn, he cannot be sentenced solely by the vote of our villagers. Therefore, we propose detaining him for fifteen days for further interrogation. If his guilt is confirmed, he will be stripped of his Elhorn status, and the trial will be held again at that time. Until then, we elders propose that he be kept in confinement."

Jedrick translated Sao’s words himself.

It was tormenting to relay his own sentence.

Damion listened to every word carefully and then spoke calmly.

"I will accept this."

Charlon groaned in distress.

"No, Your Highness! Our souls..."

"Do not say another word, Charlon. This is the best course of action for now,"

Damion calmly reassured her.

'Well done, Damion.'

Geronian warriors appeared and grabbed Jedrick by the arms.

One was Albo, and the other was his old friend, Jebit.

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Jebit held him gently, but Albo gripped him so tightly it felt as if his arm might break.

Charlon tried to run to him, but Rusef stopped her.

She screamed and struggled against her brother, but Jedrick shook his head at her.

‘Just go, Charlon. Stay with your brother. That’s the safest place for you right now.’

Jedrick deliberately avoided looking back as he was led away.

He could faintly hear the continued dispute between Damion and Vadio.

As he passed the elders, Sao, without looking at him, whispered quietly,

"I'm sorry, Jeje. This was the only way."

"Thank you,"

Jedrick replied.

He was taken to a small, dimly lit storage room beside the village.

The door shut firmly, and a large bolt locked it from the outside.

Jebit, who had secured the bolt, said,

"Nothing bad will happen, Jeje. Don't worry. The elders did this on purpose. Did you see? No one participated in the vote."

Albo's voice came through a small window.

"I did. I raised my hand, though."

His laughter faded away.

"Don’t worry. That southern count is crazy. If he doesn’t kill you, he’ll burn down our village again. This was the only way. You understand what I mean, right?"

Jebit stammered as he explained.

"I understand. You don’t have to say more."

"Anyway, don’t worry too much, Jeje. Everything will be fine. I’ll guard this door myself, so just trust me."

Jebit repeated his reassurance multiple times, and Jedrick kept replying that he understood.

The noise from the square faded into silence.

The sudden stillness weighed heavily on him.

Jedrick slumped onto the straw-scattered floor and covered his face with his hands.

‘I couldn’t stop it.’

Olga’s death had unfolded right before his eyes, yet he had been powerless.

He had wanted to save Olga so that she could heal Charlon, but he had done nothing.

He had been helpless before his father’s death, before the fall of his village, before Charlon’s suffering, and now before Olga’s death.

‘The Red Pond Serpent? Why did you say that at the end, Olga? Now, every time I think of you, all I will remember is that phrase—Red Pond. But what I want to remember is the warm herbal tea you made for me...’

Jedrick buried his face in the straw, hoping no one would hear his sobs.

[Translator - Night]

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