As the three of them passed through the large gate and headed into the palace, the two knights standing guard noticed the girl walking with Derland. They immediately understood she was the princess. The two exchanged confused looks.
"Looks like Ser Derland couldn't stop the princess," the first knight said. "But how are we supposed to stop her?"
"We can't stop her," the second replied. "But we can inform My Lord."
The first knight brightened and patted his companion's shoulder.
"Good idea. And who better for that job than you?"
The second knight looked shocked.
"Me? You're using my own suggestion against me?"
"There's no time. They're coming this way. Go tell the lord before they reach us."
The second knight glanced toward Shakky, then nodded.
"Fine."
He turned and ran inside. The three of them passed by the remaining knight without slowing down.
The knight who had gone ahead burst into a large hall, shouting.
"My Lord! My Lord!"
He was breathing hard from the run, head lowered. A sharp voice immediately scolded him.
"You fool! You entered without permission. Do you even know what's going on here?"
The knight raised his head. On both the left and right sides of the hall, five special chairs were occupied. The man sitting in the fifth chair on the right — wearing silver armor with a bear emblem on the chest — stood up and looked at him.
The knight quickly bowed.
"Forgive me, Lord of Knights, Ser Voldis. But the matter is urgent."
Voldis noticed the panic on his face. Before he could ask anything, a heavy voice interrupted.
"Stop, Voldis. Sit back down."
Voldis said nothing and returned to his seat. The knight looked forward. At the top of the stairs sat a man on a large golden chair. He had black hair and an expression that looked like he might kill someone at any moment, yet his face remained calm.
"Well?" the man said. "Why did you come rushing in like this?"
The knight glanced around. Three knights stood in the center of the hall, and a short distance away stood three women. He realized immediately — he had run straight into an ongoing trial.
*I have to report it anyway.*
He raised his voice.
"Forgive me, Lord Manice, but the news is important. The princess is arriving."
The entire hall fell silent. Even the crowd that had come to watch the trial went quiet.
A young man sitting in the first chair on the right — around twenty-one years old — spoke up.
"Are you joking? The princess is already here this quickly?" He looked up toward Lord Manice. "Father, if he's lying, we can cut out his tongue."
Manice gave him a sharp look, then turned back to the knight. His voice remained calm.
"Mardy. A lord protects his people. He does not punish them without reason."
Mardy fell silent and simply stared at the knight again. He glanced at the people sitting near him — Joham, the elderly white-haired advisor in the second chair; Benjhon, the finance minister in the third; Bordies, the minister of the city guard in the fourth. Then he looked at the five people sitting across from them, all of whom remained completely silent.
*(Why is everyone so quiet? Are they afraid just because the princess is coming?)*
At that moment, Shakky entered the hall with Derland and Ameria.
Everyone stood up. Lord Manice also rose from his seat.
"Forgive me, Princess. I was unable to come receive you."
Shakky's eyes moved across the hall. She noticed the woman being supported by two other women. Then she looked at Manice and gave a small smile.
"It's fine, Lord Manice. Justice comes first. May I join this assembly?"
Manice glanced at his advisor, Joham. The old man nodded.
"Of course. We cannot refuse you."
Shakky looked around for a place to sit. Joham stepped aside and gestured.
"Princess, please sit here."
Shakky walked over.
"Thank you, Mister…?"
Joham bowed respectfully.
"You may call me Joham."
Shakky smiled faintly and sat down. Joham stood behind her chair. Ameria and Derland remained standing nearby. Once Shakky was seated, Manice and the others sat as well, and the trial continued.
Manice looked at the three knights in the center and spoke in a heavy voice.
"Do you accept the charges? All the evidence is against you three."
One of the knights — the bald one — answered.
"My lord… we thought she was one of the women from the brothel."
The woman suddenly cried out.
"I told them I wasn't! I kept telling them!" She clutched her head, her voice breaking. "I kept shouting… but…"
She started crying.
Manice turned toward Shakky.
"Princess, what do you make of this?"
Shakky was quiet for a moment. Her eyes met the woman's, and she could clearly see the pain there.
"Lord Manice," she said carefully, "I don't think it's appropriate for me to speak on this matter."
Manice gave a small smile.
"You are a princess. All of us here would like to see how you handle justice."
Shakky pressed her lips together slightly, then looked at the three knights standing in the center. After a moment, she turned back to Manice.
"If that is what you want, then I won't refuse. And if all the evidence is already against them… then there isn't much left for me to say."
Manice's smile deepened, as if he had expected that answer.
"Princess, I want you to judge them. Who knows… one day you may become queen, and you will have to make decisions like this every day."
Mardy frowned as he watched. He couldn't understand why his father was handing such a serious trial over to a young girl.
Shakky understood it clearly — this was a test.
She gave a small smile.
"Very well, Lord Manice. As you wish."
She looked at the knights.
"Tell me what happened."
One of them spoke quickly, his tone careful and soft, as if speaking to a child.
"Princess, I'll tell you the truth. We were passing near the brothel. We had been drinking a little. We… thought she was one of them."
Shakky glanced at the woman. Her eyes were lowered, as if she had already given up on receiving justice.
"Was she shouting at that time?" Shakky asked. "Was she trying to protect herself?"
The knight's face tensed. Sweat appeared on his forehead as he looked down.
"I… don't know, Princess. We were drunk."
The woman cried out again.
"That's not true! You weren't that drunk! I kept screaming!"
Shakky's voice cut through the room, sharp and cold.
"Enough. You will get your chance to speak. Not now."
The woman met Shakky's eyes and fell silent.
The knights quickly softened their tone further, speaking as if they could still convince her.
"Truly, Princess, we were drunk. It was a mistake. You are kind… please forgive us."
Shakky watched them quietly. She could see exactly what they were trying to do — treating her like a child who could be swayed by soft words and apologies.
Her voice turned colder.
"So you were drunk. Why?"
Another knight answered quickly.
"The cold is severe here, Princess. We drank because of it."
"Were you on duty at that time?"
All three nodded.
Shakky let out a quiet breath.
"I've heard enough from you."
She turned to the woman.
"Now it's your turn. Tell me everything. Why were you there, and how did this happen?"
The woman wiped her tears.
"Yes, Princess. I was returning home after work. I needed medicine, so I went to the physician. The road passes near the brothel." Her finger trembled as she pointed at the knights, anger mixing with pain. "That's when these three came. They forced me to go with them. I begged them to let me go… but they didn't listen to a single word."
Shakky looked toward the crowd.
"Is the physician here?"
An old man stepped forward.
"I am, Princess. What she said is true. She comes to me for medicine once every week."
Shakky nodded.
"That's enough. You may step back."
The old man bowed and returned to the crowd.
Shakky remained silent for a while, thinking. The room stayed quiet.
Finally, she spoke.
"If anyone has something to say, say it now."
She glanced at Manice.
"And I trust no one will object to my decision."
Manice nodded.
Shakky gave a faint smile, then looked straight ahead. Her voice was calm and steady.
"Very well. For their crime… I will pass judgment on these three."