Marquess Zoliel immediately stood. His face held smug confidence as she walked towards the podium where Tori was standing like a statue. 

"At the night when Lady Sabina was poisoned with Arasthai, the knights found the locket where the poison was hidden in the room of Lady Victoria. Since we discovered immediately that Lady Sabina was poisoned, the entire Rozenreff estate became subject to a search warrant. Two hours later, the poison-covered locket was found in Lady Victoria's room. What gave Lady Victoria the motive to kill her sister is the fact that Duke Rozenreff summoned Lady Victoria on the afternoon of that day to tell her that Lady Sabina would inherit the Duchy. All the servants present at that time are the witnesses when Lady Victoria lashed out from the announcement." 

The cunning Marquess Zoliel was circling Tori. Every time his eyes met hers, Marquess Zoliel would give Tori a mocking smile. As if he's telling her that, she already lost the game.

Aah, I want to cherish your smug-looking face, Marquess Zoliel before I replace it with utter despair.

Chaos erupted inside the courtroom. The audience had something to say from the information they heard. They all looked at Sabina with sympathy as someone who suffered greatly at the hands of her evil half-sister. They also looked at Tori with disdain without even giving the latter a chance to defend herself.

"Then to defend the accused, I call Crown Prince Yei Lin to present the case."

Just like what the Marquess did, the crown prince also walked toward Tori as Marquess Zoliel retreated to the victim's table. The crown prince walked with elegance and confidence that every lady in the audience counted every step that he made. His dashing long black hair sparkled like a midnight sky when highlighted by the candle chandeliers above them. His princely suit with the Ming Country's sigil looked so fit and sexy with his tall and slim stature.

Look at that man candy walking straight to me. What's with these boys doing with my hormones today, huh? Hello, I'm being trialed here, you know, but my tits are saluting as if America's national anthem is being played.

Amazing grace... Tori wanted to laugh like crazy as she sang the anthem in her mind while observing the cliché type of prince walking towards her like he was on some runway.

Well then, let's see what you got, Kpop prince.

"Let me ask you this, Marquess Zoliel. Where did the knights find the locket?"

From his seat, the Marquess answered. "They found it hidden in the vase that was gifted to Lady Victoria."

"And where is the vase located specifically, Marquess Zoliel?"

The Marquess answered again after pondering for some time. "According to the knight of Castaña Duchy that we interrogated, the vase was located two meters away from the do—or ..." The Marquess finally caught on with the series of questions from Crown Prince Yei Lin.

Smiling slyly at the Marquess' response, the crown prince continued. "I present you our very first witness, the knight who found the locket, Sir Zulrich Lerkenstein."

From the other door where all witnesses would enter, the knight who found the locket came in wearing his determined face. The young knight was wearing the Castaña Duchy's uniform, his dirty blonde hair and chocolate eyes welcomed the stares of the high society.

Crown Prince Yei Lin turned to the newly arrived knight. "Did you or did you not saw anyone inside the room of Lady Victoria Rozenreff?"

The gruff voice of Sir Zulrich immediately answered, "I only saw the sleeping Lady Victoria Rozenreff without any handmaidens and knights."

Chaos erupted for the third time inside the courtroom. It was taboo for a knight to come inside a lady's room, especially at night without her permission. Tori immediately glanced at her father. When their eyes met, Tori learned that he already realized that the knight was lying. A few minutes before they found the locket, the Duke saw her in the garden talking to Lily. Their eyes met, but because of their previous argument, she walked away. Nevertheless, he saw that she was far from being asleep.

But will you say otherwise, father? You can't, can you? After all, as of this moment, you are being tormented by your memories with the late Duchess. Oh, my poor mother, you saw her in me in this dress, right? You remembered how her stiff body lay inside the fancy-looking coffin.

You will not dare to kill her again, will you? After all, that's the only reason why I wore this wretched black dress. Aiming for your weakness is the best, father dearest. You immediately become stupid to where you can be easily manipulated.

Sad red eyes met Tori's wicked eyes. She was giving the Duke a chance to defend Sabina once more, so she stared into his eyes.

The king interrupted, "You know it is against the codes of a knight to enter a maiden's room when she's asleep, right Sir Zulrick Lerkenstien? And you are also saying that at the time of the poisoning, the accused was sound asleep?"

The courtroom became silent as all of their attention turned to the young knight. "A knight pledged his allegiance to his masters. As a loyal knight to Castaña Duchy, I cannot dare to disobey my master. And yes, Your Majesty. The entire ordeal, Lady Victoria was already asleep as all of her handmaidens have already retired to their headquarters."

Tori, who was still observing her father, smiled triumphantly when she saw how Duke Luwen Rozenreff avoided her eyes as he looked elsewhere.

Aah, your love for the late Duchess will get you killed someday. Love, huh? Such a fickle thing, but it could even sway the hardest of men. This is the reason why I can't feel anything to anyone.

Gripping his throne, the king gritted his teeth at the knight's words and implications. "The Duke of Castaña Duchy was the one who ordered you?"

"That is a lie, Your Majesty!" The Duke stood from the audience with his protests ringing inside the courtroom.

"Silence, Duke Castaña! We are still interrogating."

The Duke of Castaña Duchy had no other choice but to sit down while the young knight answered by shaking his head first. "No, Your Majesty. The Duchess ordered me herself."

The fourth chaos erupted inside the courtroom, which was only silenced when Crown Prince Yei Lin finally raised his hand. "The evidence was presented to the royal court, but if you would bring out now to see the details, it was the replica of the necklace that the Duchess owns."

The king nodded to the chancellor to retrieve the evidence which was sealed away.

"What are you saying? I did not see the locket even once!" The Duchess was frantic as she stood up to appeal the accusation. Sabina's worried face brought immeasurable joy to Tori, who was internally smirking.

The chancellor came back with the box. He brought the sealed box to the center where Tori and Crown Prince Yei Lin were standing. And with his gloved hand, he took the poison-laden necklace for everyone to see. Even the chancellor admitted to himself that he saw the Duchess wearing this necklace during this banquet. "Presenting the evidence that was used to hide the poison and was found by Sir Zulrick Lerkenstien."

The noble ladies from high society including Marchioness Susana gasped in shock as they recognized the jewelry that the chancellor was holding.

Of course, you will recognize it. It is the famous Black Jewel of the Sea.

"Duchess Castaña, do you have something to defend yourself?" King Elphaim regarded the fuming yet collected Duchess.

"How sure are you that it's mine and not some duplicate jewel used to frame me?"

Duke Castaña stayed still as if he could not move from his seat from the shock of what he was hearing in the courtroom. He feared for the reputation of the glorious Castaña Duchy.

Crown Prince Yei Lin's glove-covered hand took the necklace from the chancellor and showed it to the audience. "You all know that this is the exact image of the Black Jewel of the Sea. The authentic black pearls and huge cut black diamonds earned this jewelry the title of Black Jewel of the Sea. The Duke bought it for her wife to remind her of his astonishing cobalt eyes that are the trademark of the Castaña Family. There is only one piece of this jewelry in the world. But, to know if it is fake or not, you will only know by checking the back part of the largest black diamond of the necklace where the locket was hidden. It was originally made to keep the rouge, but now, it was used to keep the poison."

Laughing gracefully after Crown Prince Yei Lin's statement, the Duchess argued again to prove her innocence. "That is a good deduction, your highness. But that jewelry was stolen from me. Who knows? Lady Victoria asked someone to steal it from me. Her motive might be because she's jealous that I am the tutor of Lady Sabina."