The Freak Show Foreman

"Kidnapping, imprisoning, and exploitation of minors? When he was just called a serial killer, I had still had some good impression of them…"

"Now that I hear it like this, I’m not sure if it was a good idea for Lady Anais to step in."

"The Circus Troupe’s reputation has fallen by 2."

[Current reputation of the Circus Troupe: 13]

As the exact charges were revealed, the looks directed at Wonderstein grew darker.

It was only thanks to Anais that the public’s reaction had been somewhat contained, and if she hadn’t stepped forward, the quest might have failed the moment the judge announced the charges.

The spectators on the defendant’s side quickly regained their composure.

Regardless of what happened, they had no choice but to trust Lady Anais and watch the progress of the trial.

Viscount Dosville, on the other hand, looked disappointed as the people’s reaction quickly faded.

Originally, according to his plan, the public opinion should have shifted the moment the charges were announced.

"Please explain the outline of the case, prosecution."

"Yes."

Lord Dosville stepped to the center of the stage.

He cleared his throat and began his narrative.

"This case began ten years ago."

His storytelling skills were remarkable, just as the rumors had said. He vividly described the events as if he had been at the scene himself.

Strange incidents occurring during rehearsals.

Rumors about ghosts witnessed in various places in the cabaret building.

Girls disappearing at intervals of two to three years.

Threatening letters and an attack on the actress.

A murder that occurred during the performance.

The revelation of a hidden underground space.

And the discovery of the bodies of missing girls in that place.

His eerie and sinister demeanor heightened the shock and tragedy of the case.

Even those who already knew about the case couldn’t help but feel a natural anger when listening to his words.

"But here’s the thing."

He had taken the case to dramatic heights and then changed direction.

He targeted the people from the cabaret.

He emphasized how poorly the theatre had handled the situation.

The premature conclusion of the manager, "She probably ran away with a man."

The director’s callous insistence on continuing the performance despite the actress being attacked.

And even the cold-hearted decision of the theater’s owner to cover up the case.

He carefully selected the parts that were difficult to justify and criticized the theater’s handling of the situation.

His cunning rhetoric effectively piled up negative emotions toward the perpetrator before directing it squarely at the people from the cabaret.

Accusations against the cabaret poured from the prosecution’s side of the courtroom.

The defense’s side also reproached them for mishandling the case.

Anais put on a relaxed smile in the face of the Dosville’s attack, but she was not at ease inside.

She had figured out the reason why he was attacking the Rose Windmill people.

If the Rose Windmill people continued to face accusations, they would naturally start thinking like this:

"The Ghost did the wrong thing, but… it’s that scoundrel who’s the real villain, so why are we the ones being blamed?"

The anger at receiving unfair treatment.

That would naturally be directed at the current suspect, Wonderstein.

The Dosville’s move was not only tarnishing the honor of the Rose Windmill but also aiming to create a rift between them and Anais.

"I just don’t understand why the Rose Windmill people are sitting on the defense’s side! Weren’t you all involved in the murders? Tsk tsk, you’re so quick to hide your shame in front of foreign guests. My, my, I’m embarrassed for you."

He shook his head, touching his forehead with his hand.

The expressions of the Rose Windmill people soured.

In the end, they had become selfish individuals only looking out for their own interests.

With just a few words, he had changed the dynamics of the confrontation.

Indeed, he was not to be underestimated.

"Lord Mustang’s actions are quite something. It seems like preserving his own honor is more important to him than revealing the truth of the case, right?"

"I’m not sure if sitting here is a good idea…"

Amidst the audience on the defendant’s side, there was a division of opinions.

Lord Dosville maintained a smug expression.

As the commotion grew, the judge pounded his gavel.

Bang, bang.

"Order! Order in the court! This is a legal proceeding, and I kindly request that irrelevant comments from the accused side be restrained."

"I apologize. Thinking about the victims who were suffering in the cold underground, I became too enraged by their behavior"

"The accused!"

"…Very well."

Lord Dosville stepped back, emitting a sigh that made him seem genuinely sympathetic and angry.

[The Circus Troupe’s Reputation has decreased by 3.]

[Current Reputation of the Circus Troupe: 10]

Public opinion had turned against them. The gazes of the audience looking at the courtroom became slightly colder.

The prosecution side was trying to uncover the truth for the victims, while the defense side seemed only concerned with covering up the case. In just a few minutes, the scales of justice had tipped in the opposite direction.

Anais had failed in her attempt to turn the trial into a political conspiracy.

She couldn’t try it again.

If it were Lord Dosville, he would not miss the opportunity to launch such criticism.

"Four people died!"

"Why are they blaming the accuser for not revealing the truth instead of the accused?"

"Both Lord Mustang and Lord Dosville, are they just trying to protect their own reputations?"

The political battle had reached a balance with these arguments.

Now, only a purely legal battle remained.

Anais condensed the details of the case in her mind.

Lord Dosville’s explanation contained too many emotionally charged elements aimed at incitement. She filtered out those parts and focused on summarizing only the facts in her mind.

[List]

Anais Bergson (20): A charismatic defense attorney with a sharp mind. Me Frank Wonderstein (27): The person who treated my illness. She confessed to him and he is convicted. Ella (16): The deputy ringmaster of the circus troupe. She was in charge of the performance on the day of the incident. The Ghost (??): A person who could pass through walls.

He lived underground in the cabaret and exploited young girls. Ivonne (19): The cabaret’s star singer. She was threatened and attacked by the Ghost. Antoine (42): The cabaret’s leading actor. He died after a light fixture fell on him from the ceiling. Sabo (22): A sergeant in the mounted police unit.

He was the investigator for the Ghost case. Lord Dosville (29): The accuser in the case. He is very eloquent.

"Now, let’s begin the examination. The first witness, please step up to the witness stand."

Amidst the crowd of people from the Rose Windmill, a middle-aged man with a nervous appearance walked forward. He was the overseer who had supervised Hall 1 on the day of the incident, and he seemed uncomfortable with the attention directed at him. He was always cautious and prioritized safety.

In this case, even the police had initially dismissed it after taking his statement, and he never expected to end up in a situation like this.

After a quick introduction, Lord Dosville immediately began the interrogation.

"Please tell us about the events that occurred at the time of Antoine Beau’s death."

The steward calmly recounted what had happened that day.

A mundane life of a dull man leading a dull life suddenly became fascinating from the moment a murder occurred.

Listening to the testimony in silence, Lord Dosville stopped him at one point.

"Wait a moment! So, there were no outsiders present at the time of the incident, right?"

"That’s correct."

"What about secret passages? Were any discovered later? Could someone have entered the cabaret through them?"

"We have verified that the passage leading directly to the performance hall is connected to our ’stage area’ used by our staff. If someone entered through that passage, they would have to pass through the stage area. However, the stage area is a busy space with staff constantly coming and going, making it impossible for anyone to enter or exit without being noticed."

"I see. In that case, the culprit must have been someone inside the hall at the time of the incident. Was there anyone missing from their seat at that moment?"

"All our staff members provided each other with alibis. The audience remained in their seats. Except for one person."

At this point, Lord Dosville raised a piece of paper as if he had found the first-place prize in a treasure hunt, waving it high and making a loud noise, surveying the audience.

"Who is that person?"

"That would be him."

The steward pointed to Wonderstein.

People in the room buzzed with excitement, discussing the testimony he had just given.

There were no traces of an outsider entering.

Access to the ceiling through any other passage was impossible.

The culprit had to be among the people inside.

And there was only one person missing from their seat at the time.

"It looks like we’ve reached a conclusion quickly. Who is the culprit?"

He extended his arms toward the audience on the side of the accused.

The spectators, feeling triumphant, shouted with joy.

"He’s the culprit! That guy is the culprit!"

"The moment the invincible man is pointed out as a suspect, the trial is over!"

"Kill him! Execute him!"

"You filthy scoundrel!"

"Confess your guilt without hesitation!"

Even amid the uproar, Wonderstein remained calm.

He gazed at Anais with a quiet smile.

Of course, his composure was only on the surface.

Inside, he was burning with anxiety.

[Circus Troupe’s Reputation has fallen by 7.]

[Current Reputation of the Circus Troupe: 3.]

With a reputation of only 3 remaining, there was little he could say.

Viscount Dosville would have criticized the audacity of the accused who attempted to make excuses, which could have greatly tarnished his reputation.

In this situation, he had to trust Anais.

He hoped that she would notice the ’contradictions’ in Lord Dosville’s claims.

"Do we really need to hear further testimony? Your Honour, please render your judgment promptly," Anais said.

The judge furrowed his brow at the Lord Dosville.

He was well aware that such testimony alone wouldn’t lead to a verdict.

However, he was making such statements to elicit cheers from the audience.

That didn’t sit well with him.

Maintaining a calm demeanor, the judge turned to Anais and said, "…First, we need to hear the defense’s perspective. Counsel, would you like to question the witness we just heard?"

"Is there anything to question? The witness has all stated clear and undeniable facts…"

Viscount Dosville’s face broke into a mocking smile.

He also knew that this level of testimony wouldn’t result in a guilty verdict.

But this immediate trial was nothing more than a political show.

"If the headlines in tomorrow’s newspapers read ’The Only Suspect Defended by Viscount Vergsong’s as Lawyer,’ it would be enough," he thought.

Of course, Anais was confident that it wouldn’t come to that.

She rose from her seat, wearing a self-assured smile.

"It seems that the Viscount’s claims are contradictory," she said.

At her words, Viscount Dosville burst into a bitter laugh.

"How absurd. Do you have any evidence to support your claim that my conclusion, ’the accused is the only suspect,’ is contradictory? Show me."