They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 591: ... Is Guilty

He gestured to the side. "Christopher. Step forward."

Christopher in uniform approached, bowing stiffly.

"State your first nand position for the record."

"Christopher, Head of Surveillance, Riverum Castle."

"And what did you discover during your review?"

Christopher's voice was steady. "The recording shows the housekeeper approaching the soup pot meant for His

Highness. He removed a small, dark bottle from his clothes and poured something into the soup. At first, it

looked like seasoning, but the movements, careful, deliberate, betrayed the act. Afterward, he quickly replaced

the lid and stepped away as if nothing happened."

Murmurs swept through the hall. Nnenna noticed several servants exchange uneasy glances.

Daniel nodded sharply. "And what was done after this recording?"

"My men and | conducted a full search. We found the bottle hidden in the storage pantry, behind sacks of rice.

Upon testing its contents, it was confirmed to be a slow acting poison. Colorless. Nearly tasteless. Consumed

continuously, it would have made His Highness collapse within a few months. | have a copy of the video here to

prove everything."

Gasps filled the chamber. Swho had still refused to believe it covered their mouths in shock; others stared

wide eyed at the housekeeper, who remained unnervingly calm.

"Objection!" one of the defense lawyers sprang to his feet. "Speculation! My client has not admitted ownership of

this alleged bottle. Anyone could have placed it there."

"Overruled," the PrMinister's voice cut like steel. "The evidence was recovered from the kitchens under his

charge. And the video clearly shows him tampering with the soup. Proceed."

Daniel allowed himself a small smile but it didn’t reach his eyes. "Very well. | call the Head Chef to testify."

The chef, a stout man with sweat still clinging to his brow, walked forward nervously.

"State your name."

"Aaron," he croaked, "Head Chef, Riverum Castle."

"On the day in question, did you notice anything unusual about the housekeeper’s behavior?"

Aaron wrung his hands. "Yes... he seemed... unsettled. Kept pacing near the gas, though that wasn't his duty.

When | asked what he was doing, he brushedoff, saying he was checking the seasoning."

"And did you ever see that dark bottle before?"

Aaron shook his head furiously. "Never. We use no such bottle in this kitchen. None of my staff knew of it either."

The murmurs grew louder. Even the sous chef, called next, confirmed the same, he had seen the housekeeper

hovering, frowning, strangely tense.

The defense rose again. "Objection! Mere impressions. The witness cannot testify to my client's intentions."

"Sustained," the PrMinister allowed, but the unease in the room had already deepened.

Daniel pressed on. "The bottle was found. The poison identified. The footage recorded. Witnesses testify to his

suspicious behavior. All evidence points clearly to the accused."

He let his words hang, letting the tension coil through the air. Eyes turned toward the housekeeper, whose

expression remained unnervingly calm, hands folded in front of him.

Nnenna watched from the defense table, her face unreadable. She noticed the ripple of unease in the crowd,

loyalty clashing with fear. The staff respected the housekeeper deeply, yet the evidence was damning.

Too damning, she thought, narrowing her eyes. Almost... perfect.

The hall was tense as the last witness stepped down. Every word spoken, every scrap of evidence presented,

now hung like chains around the accused. The housekeeper stood motionless, face unreadable, yet his very

stillness unsettled the room.

Daniel rose slowly, the sound of his chair scraping against the floor echoing in the grand hall. He walked to the

center, shoulders squared, his voice ringing out with practiced clarity.

"My Lord. Esteemed court. Members of the household." He paused, letting the silence deepen. "This is not the

speech | wanted to give today."

A ripple went through the listeners. Sof the servants lowered their heads.

"For years," Daniel continued, his tone

softer now, "this man has been a

fixture of Riverum Castle. The ong we

rusted (0 quar le) h&attof our

hbusehold. We called him

‘Housekeeper,’ but in truth, he was

more than that. He kept order in

these halls. He kept discipline among

the staff. He was a symbol of

stability." The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

He turned, eyes flicking briefly to the accused. "That is why | take no pride in standing here today. It brings me

no satisfaction to accuse him. If anything, it brings regret. But regret cannot blind us to the truth."

The defense shifted uncomfortably. A low cough broke out in the back, quickly stifled.

Daniel's voice hardened. "We saw the

footage. We saw him standing over

His Highness's meal. We saw him

pour from that bottle. (he Gofson

was fond Ridden in his domain. The

chefs confirmed that the bottle did

not belong to their kitchen.

Surveillance confirmed that the act

was deliberate. These are not

shadows of speculation. These are

facts." The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

He raised his hand, palm open, voice

carrying conviction now. "Riverum

cannot, will not, be ruled by whispers

and deceit. Ifa mas6 dose 1 His

HR fihedy Sould plot to slowly bring

him to his knees, then what hope is

left for the rest of us? To ignore this

evidence would be to open the gates

to betrayal, to spit in the face of

justice itself." The content is on

novelenglish.net! Read the latest

chapter there!

Silence. The hall seemed to hold its breath.

Daniel lowered his hand, his expression heavy. "I do not ask you to condemn lightly. | ask you to see clearly. To

remember that justice is not about what we wish were true, it is about what the evidence demands. And the

evidence, however bitter, demands only one conclusion."

His last words fell like a hammer.

"The housekeeper is guilty."

The hall stirred. Snobles exchanged wary looks. A few servants wiped at their eyes, stricken by the thought

of the man they had once respected being branded a traitor. Others pressed their lips tightly, unwilling to betray

their thoughts.

Nnenna watched it all in silence, her hands folded in her lap, her mind racing. Daniel's words were ironclad, solid,

convincing.