Damn, I recarneted As A Judge in Fantasy World

Now, there was no reason to persist in making extreme choices. This was thanks to the greatly increased abilities resulting from Greatsword Mastery.

However, Abel didn't have the confidence to follow through. In that case, is there really a need to lower the attack power?

But the hologram that appeared immediately afterward was a bit disappointing.

[To change the choice of an extreme option, you must reuse it.]

Well, if you could change skill characteristics at will, it would be far more overpowered than it is now.

For example, when attacking, Abel could use the 'glass body' state, and when defending, switch to 'water fist'. Wouldn't that make him almost invincible?

'Clear.'

『Extreme Opt-out』

Pishuuuu―.

The skill ended with a sound like air escaping a balloon.

'This guy needs to be hit harder.'

After all, he is the leader, so he should be treated accordingly. Despite being outnumbered, I charged in anyway.

Tadadadot!

"Hurry up!"

The captain's attack came rushing in with a loud roar. Not only that, but the other knights' swordsmanship was also being displayed on both sides

. As expected, he was a veteran who had experienced countless battles.

'I never thought our movements would align so well, even though our ranks were in disarray.'

But the moment Abel gripped the greatsword, the fight was already over.

Shhhhh! Phu Kang! Ting!

Abel slammed the captain's attack and sent him flying to the left. Then, the sword bounced off and headed toward his subordinate's neck.

"Huh!"

While the surprised men struggled to put away their swords, he turned to face the knight charging at him from the right.

Even though the ominous aura was closing in, there was no real sense of danger. Abel just had to change the trajectory.

Oh my god!

"Ugh! Ugh!"

Perhaps because the attack was full of sincerity, a red flame rose up in an instant. The beast's heart swelled so large that it seemed ready to devour its opponent.

Soon, the man fell, vomiting blood. The impact had been so strong that even Able suffered some internal injuries. He would be unable to fight in this state, and the captain was clearly floundering from the sudden shift in the sword's path.

He must have been quite surprised, especially since he nearly killed his own subordinate. To make things worse for him, his sword was caught in the joint of his armor, making it impossible for him to move.

Abel placed his sword to his neck.

"Checkmate."

"… … ."

"Oh, sorry. We don't use that word here, do we?"

This was a world where chess didn't even exist. Abel should adjust his language accordingly.

"If you don't want to die caught red-handed, listen carefully, alright?"

Of course,AbeI had no real intention of killing him, but he needed to say enough to make them stop resisting.

Crunch!

As expected, the situation finally ended when the captain dropped his sword and stepped back.

* * *

The corruption in the Marquisate of Yates had been going on for quite some time. In fact, the starting point was when the Marquis gained his seat in the House of Representatives. Since the master didn't care much for the territory, his subordinates did whatever they pleased.

"This is truly incredible."

The wealth secured from the hideout was immense, even surprising someone like me, who was no stranger to wealth.

"It's the result of eight years of skimming."

"Don't they usually have their sons act as lords to ensure proper management?"

"That's the rule, but Marquis Yates has a mistress."

"That doesn't seem relevant to this matter."

But, as Cordell McNeil's investigation revealed, there was a darker side to the story.

"The Marquis of Yates and his mistress in the capital have an illegitimate child. He likely wanted to leave his title and fortune to that child."

"Huh? Then surely… … ."

"That's why they stole the treasure from the estate's warehouse."

Well, that explains it. What power did a few Seris have to manipulate the entire Knights so easily? If there had been an order from the Marquis all along, everything made sense.

'Come to think of it, it's really quite annoying.'

Perhaps Hugo Yates knew he would one day have to pay the price. He must have planned to get away by passing his title and wealth to his illegitimate child, leaving his wife and legitimate son to bear the blame.

After all, it was the Lord Deputy who had ruled the Marquisate of Yates until now.

Well then, the conclusion was clear.

'There's no choice but to set things right.'

I returned to the capital and initiated a trial concerning the collection of taxes from the Marquisate of Yates. Once judgment was passed, there would be no turning back.

"I hereby sentence you. The tax collector and the driver who led this incident will each receive five years of imprisonment. Additionally, I will enforce the taxes that were evaded over the last three years."

Normally, the sentencing would end there. Enjoy exclusive chapters from empire

But I still had something else to say.

'Marquis Yates, this won't end the way you wish.'

I told you. It's time to correct the wrongs.

"Additionally, the corrupt funds discovered in the Yates estate will be returned to their rightful place."

"I have a question, Your Honor."

The lawyer representing Marquis Yates raised his hand. It was a reasonable question, as the destination of the funds was a critical point.

"Go ahead."

"Can you specify exactly where the funds are supposed to go?"

The lawyer's question drew everyone's attention. A single word from the judge would determine the fate of millions of golden coins.

If Marquis Yates kept his fortune, his mistresses and illegitimate children would celebrate. But if things went the other way, his first wife and the deputy lord, who had long been disregarded, would rejoice.

I curled my lips into a smile.

"May I ask you something?"

"Yes, of course."

"Where were the funds that Seri and the knights embezzled originally kept?"

"That would be the estate's warehouse."

"Then doesn't that answer your question?"

"… … ."

The lawyer fell silent, likely realizing he would receive no commission from this outcome. But that wasn't my concern. My only duty was to set the record straight.