I Will Abandon My Family! - v5 Chapter 29, Chapter 30, Chapter 31 (Patreon)

v5, Chapter 29
Trial (1)
After the preparations, the day of the trial arrived.
Dania, dressed in dirty clothes, became a spectacle, and nearby, Shepherd was also present.

"Now, let the trial begin."

The judge looked over the entire courtroom as the trial commenced.

"The defendant, Dania, committed assault against her older sister and murdered her biological father in the past, followed by tampering with a suicide note..."

"No, that's not true! Everything was twisted!"

"Silence."

"But I'm not guilty. And yet..."

"Mrs. Dania, please calm down!"

Despite the lawyer's intervention, Dania caused the expected trouble.

"Defendant, choose your words carefully. The details are already in the records."

"Judge."

"What is it?"

Our lawyer raised their hand.

"May I have permission to speak? Mrs. Dania's claim of not remembering is likely because, as the aggressor, she didn't value the past events."

"Oh? That's..."

"In cases of bullying or abuse, the pain experienced by the aggressor and the victim differs. If the aggressor feels no guilt, the memories are less likely to linger. Therefore, we brought someone who knew her well at that time."

"Very well."

"What... that's not fair!"

"Defendant, close your mouth. If you can't, I'll shut it for you."

Dania cowered under the stern gaze of the judge.
A tough and unsympathetic woman, renowned for being skilled in her field.

Mrs. Anita took the stand and began recounting the events.

"My sister Dania had frequent arguments with our Father from childhood. She would throw tantrums at any opportunity."

"Wait..."

As Mrs. Anita spoke, Dania tried to refute, but her attempts were suppressed.

"She would immediately become violent, and it was challenging to handle her even with a little scolding. These scars on my arms are from those early days. There are medical reports as well."

Showing her arms, she presented the painful burn scars while making her case.

"Dania always craved a lot of affection. Therefore, whenever any affection was directed towards me, she would glare at our Father and start hurling insults. She even resorted to violence against me in secret... and this behavior persisted even after my marriage."

"What evidence do you have?"

"We obtained testimonies from the residents of the Ranford territory. There are also documentary pieces of evidence."

It wasn't just one-sided; she submitted evidence, and the judge's expression slightly changed.

The second witness against Dania was my Mom.

"When my son's wife, Marie, was engaged to him, I was surprised by the clothing she wore, that was equivalent to abuse."

"The basis for calling it abuse?"

"The difference in her son's and Marie's clothing. Moreover, she made repeated statements that seemed to suggest submission, as if she were talking about livestock."

They showed a photo from the time we first met.
Even in past pictures, there was an evident anomaly.

However, the conclusive evidence was a certain letter.

----------

v5, Chapter 30
Trial (2)
Testimonies in court can change frequently.
Therefore, the most effective means to reveal the truth is through evidence and exhibits.

"What I have submitted is a letter sent by them to my wife at that time."

"Wha–!"

"I request handwriting analysis of this letter."

If it's proven that the past letters weren't written by the person, it could be the end.
However, to ensure neutrality, I requested handwriting analysis to be performed.

"I have no doubts that the letter addressed to my wife shortly after our engagement was indeed written by her."

"Very well."

With the judge's permission, handwriting analysis was conducted, confirming that it matched the person's writing.

"I will read the letter."

The letter was returned to me, and I read the humiliating content written at that time.

"Marie, you are being deceived."

"Wait!"

Dania started to protest, but it was meaningless.
I read the letter while hiding my emotions.

"No man who truly loves you exists. The man named Henry doesn't love you anyway. Because you are unloved by anyone. Live for Shepherd and also die for him... Just listen to me. That's the only value you have. Your happiness exists for us."

Amidst the commotion, I decided to read other letters.
Letters from after our marriage.

Locked in the territory, a letter Shepherd wrote to Marie.

"We're short on money. Can't you prepare more? Making a fool of me... you are so useless. Earn your keep, even by selling your body if necessary. That's the only way you're of any use to me. Marrying a man like that was disgraceful on your part."

"Stop!"

"This failure, who is a shame just for being born, dares to embarrass me further. He doesn't even have the worth to live like our Father."

"Stop... no more!"

Shepherd also protested, but he was restrained.

"How terrible."

"This is brutal... How could they be so cruel."

Nobles and commoners participating in the trial expressed their disdain.

"To his sister, his own blood."

"The mother is not human either."

"I always thought something was off. How come Lady Marie always wore dirty clothes?"

"Such trash of a human being!"

Everyone condemned Dania, which was expected.
However, this wouldn't be the end.

"You! What's your intention?"

"Yeah... these kinds of letters.”

As anticipated, they berated me.
That's why I decided to put on a performance.

"Why would you hurt my wife so much... I always wanted your approval. I respected you..."

"Huh?"

"I liked you both. That's why I endured everything, even without a proper wedding ceremony..."

Acting as if I were the tragic hero, I continued.
Even though they blamed me, if I smiled sadly, my allies would naturally turn towards me.

----------

v5, Chapter 31
Trial (3)
With only those two holding animosity towards me, the power of the crowd can sometimes be more formidable than a few authorities.

"These devils!"

"You're not even human!"

"Death penalty!"

"””Death penalty!"””

The crowd points fingers at them, showering them with insults.
Now I truly understand the terror of being condemned by a crowd.

Unable to move, can they endure this murderous intent?

"Silence!"

The judge tried to calm the situation.

"The evidence is already clear... the defendant is guilty."

"No way!"

"Don't joke! This can't be happening..."

Whether they expected to be found guilty or not, this time, even the judge berating them.

"Murder, child abuse, attempted murder — these are serious charges."

"Wait... I didn't..."

"Hence, both of you must atone for these crimes until death."

Dania turned pale, frightened, but it was too late now.

"Both of you are sentenced to life imprisonment."

A lifetime of labor to atone for their sins.
In a way, it's more humiliating than the death penalty, but it's fitting for those two.

"For the grave crimes you have committed continuously, you must repent and reflect on your sins while working for the rest of your lives in the Northern Territory."

"The Northern Territory... are you trying to kill us?"

"Is that a death sentence?"

The judge mentions the Northern Territory, a freezing land with insufficient food supplies throughout the year.
Wild wolves might even attack them.

Many die from starvation each year, making survival challenging.

"Let go! I don't want to go to the Northern Territory!"

"I refuse! I'm not guilty... everything was set up! I'm not guilty... I was deceived by Shepherd!"

"Don't be ridiculous! Are you trying to sell me out?"

"What! It's all because of your incompetence... everything, this... all this suffering is your fault."

What an ugly exchange.
Despite the intense affection she once had, in the end, she only cares about herself.

How ugly she is.

Ultimately, she only loved herself.

"I'm not someone who will end here! I am–!"

Even while being escorted away, she continued to shift the blame onto others until the end.
The more she made a fuss, the worse her situation becomes.

Newspaper reporters were present in this courtroom.

"Henry! Save me... call Marie!"

"Marie won't come here. She will never appear in front of you again."

If she wants to create a commotion, she can go ahead.
No matter what is said, it won't affect us.

"Monster! Demon! You're a demon in human skin!"

Who is saying that?

Do they not realize that what they have done is more heinous than anything I could be accused of?

If I am a demon, then what does that make them?

Next: https://www.patreon.com/posts/98258283