The Yellow-Haired Villain in Soaring Phoenix's Novels Also Desires Happiness

In the gloomy corridor, a wavering light suddenly appeared.

A maidservant with a solemn, austere expression carried a lantern and followed a long spiral staircase, walking deeper and deeper down.

The oil lamps on both sides had long since dried up over the passage of years. In the cracked brick walls, there seemed to be some eerie echo, only for it to be crushed under the sound of cold footsteps.

The maidservant continued downward, until she reached the deepest point.

An ancient, simple door stood before her, like it hadn’t been opened for decades. Strange patterns were carved into it, along with a set of scales that still radiated faint majesty despite the corrosion of time.

The maidservant took a deep breath. She straightened her waist and back even more. Her expression grew even more solemn, as if afraid that her next movements might disturb the sanctity behind the door.

Then she raised her hand and pushed the door open.

The booming sound of the door opening disturbed the dust. Light that had never gone out for decades—fed by expensive magic stones—fell from the lofty ceiling, illuminating rows upon rows of neatly arranged bookshelves.

The darkness was driven back, revealing a staggering underground space. Yet the vast collection and densely packed shelves still made the place feel oppressively cramped.

Fortunately, the massive ventilation fan was still working. It continuously cast shifting shadows over the shelves, so the place hadn’t become a true dead zone from lack of air.

The maidservant extinguished her lantern and carefully walked deeper in. But even the tiny sound of her soles scraping the floor still startled the old man half-reclining at the very back, surrounded by countless books.

”Cough... cough... who.”

The old man leaned against stacks of books piled high. His head swayed faintly.

He looked utterly decrepit, steeped in the air of death. Saying he had one foot in the coffin would have been overly optimistic. He seemed like a living corpse, or a body that had just crawled out of a grave—those withered limbs looked like they could rot into dust again at any moment.

”Greetings, Grand Judge Trasweir. Sorry for disturbing your slumber.”

The maidservant bowed respectfully.

”I come from the Bugaard family. I was sent by the current head of the Bugaard family, entrusted to meet with you.”

”Bugaard...?”

The old man murmured.

”Bugaard... Bugaard... Bugaard... Oh, I remember now. The current head? Is it that kid Cotton?”

”The Cotton you speak of was the previous head. The current one is his son—Lord Feiman Bugaard.”

”I see. In the blink of an eye, decades have passed. Even that kid’s son has become the head of the family. Time doesn’t wait for anyone.”

Trasweir sighed.

”If he sent someone to find me, then it must be because of that favor I once owed the Bugaard family.”

”I didn’t expect you to still remember, Grand Judge.”

”I’m old, but I’m not so old I’ve forgotten everything. Speak. What does he want me to do for him?”

”It’s very simple.”

The maidservant stepped forward and respectfully offered a set of documents to Trasweir.

”A very important case will soon be put on trial. Because the defendant’s identity is special, this trial has extremely high public attention, and its impact will be very far-reaching. Therefore, the head of the family hopes you will appear in person and serve as the presiding judge for this case. With your status in the Empire’s legal world, as long as you’re willing to speak, this shouldn’t be difficult.”

”Oh?”

Trasweir took the documents. He read at a speed that didn’t resemble an old man at all, quickly grasping every key detail within.

”The Campbell family’s son? The new emperor’s nominal fiancé? Reported by the Bugaard family for colluding with an evil god? Hah. It’s even escalated to the point where it has to be a three-party joint hearing. This kid has some serious reach.”

”That’s why we need you to appear, isn’t it?” the maidservant said respectfully.

”What Bugaard means is...”

Trasweir narrowed his eyes. Those cloudy old eyes suddenly radiated a terrifying authority.

”You want me to lean toward you—and declare guilty a young man who may become the Empire’s prince consort in the future?”

”No, we’re not asking you to lean toward us.”

Seeing the grand judge’s displeasure, the maidservant hurriedly explained.

”On the contrary, the head of the family doesn’t trust the other judges. Those other judges, because of the defendant’s current identity, would instead be unfair. That’s why he came to you—hoping you can appear and bring a fair trial to this matter!”

”A fair trial?”

”Yes. This case is extremely special, and only you have the qualifications and status to bring it fairness!”

”Hm... that does sound like it makes some sense.”

Trasweir nodded slowly, thinking to himself—had the Empire’s legal world really decayed to this point during the years he’d been in seclusion?

Such a grave case, publicly tried, and even a three-party joint hearing... and yet they would still shrink back and show bias just because of the defendant’s so-called identity, tossing the Empire’s law underfoot?

What kind of disgrace was that?

If that was the case...

”Fine. I’ve heard the Empire’s new monarch has only just taken the throne, and everything is still in a state of newborn chaos. In that case...”

Grand Judge Trasweir abruptly stood. His authoritative judge’s robe trembled with the motion.

”Then let me bring absolute fairness to this three-party joint hearing!”

”The Grand Judge is wise!”

...

...

”Is he coming out?”

”Yes. Everything went smoothly.”

After hearing the old butler’s report, Count Bugaard was invigorated again.

”Very good. Now all the groundwork is complete. A fair trial... heh heh, it’s precisely because it’s a fair trial that I, the accuser who holds the evidence, have the chance to manipulate the outcome. Even His Majesty is pinned in place now, aren’t they?”

”Indeed. The higher one’s position, the more some things are beyond one’s control.”

”Next, all that’s left is waiting for His Majesty to compromise. If she doesn’t, she’ll face pressure from the Silent Bureau, the Church of Life, and even the upright Grand Judge himself. Even if her momentum is strong right now, I doubt she can withstand that pressure. In the end, she’ll still choose to compromise with me!”

Excitement showed in Count Bugaard’s eyes.

”After the compromise, the Bugaard family has been conserving strength for decades. It’s not impossible for us to rise again!”

”Indeed. As long as we get past this hurdle, what reason would the Bugaard family have not to flourish again?”

The old butler praised him sincerely once more.

”Count, ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) you are wise!”

...

...

”Trasweir? Who’s that?”

”Hm... I think he’s a grand judge with immense prestige in the Empire’s legal world from decades ago. He’s famous for being impartial and unafraid of power. Almost the majority of the Empire’s judges today are his students and grand-students, in a manner of speaking.”

Wier rapidly flipped through materials as she explained it to Celicia.

”Impartial? Unafraid of power?”

Celicia’s expression turned cold.

”He’s practically controlled the entire upper layer of the Empire’s legal world, and with a single sentence he can arbitrarily decide a verdict—and he wants to talk to me about ‘fairness’? The fairness they define?”

”But I heard his reputation is very good.”

”When everyone from top to bottom is his people, of course his reputation is good.”

Celicia’s eyes flashed, and she suddenly laughed softly.

”Still... perfect. Right now, we really do need a ‘fair’ person, so that... Go. Agree to it. Let him be the grand judge for the three-party joint hearing.”

”Yes!”

Wier shrank her neck. For some reason, even though they were inside the warm, comfortable palace, she suddenly felt cold.

...

...

Time flew. Five days passed.

Judgment Day.

Trasweir shuffled out of his carriage. The presiding chief judge, who had already been waiting, eagerly rushed up and took the initiative to support his arm.

”Wonderful. I never thought I’d have the chance to see Teacher come out of retirement again in my lifetime.”

As the head judge of the Empire’s Tribunal, this man with a monocle and an imposing face already had hair gone gray.

But compared to Trasweir, he was still young. And his posture was as low as a student who once humbly sought instruction—bent at the waist, deliberately making himself seem even shorter than Trasweir, who was already slightly hunched.

”Hmph. Isn’t it because you were too incompetent?” Trasweir scolded.

”Teacher, forgive me. For a three-party joint hearing case like this, it really does take someone like you to hold the room down.”

The chief judge smiled bitterly.

”I heard His Majesty will personally come to sit in. The Empire only just suffered that kind of upheaval—the Upper City bled so much it practically dyed the sewers red. We still fear this new monarch.”

”The Empire’s law is the Empire’s bones. Does His Majesty dare, in front of the masses, to break the Empire’s spine with her own hands?”

Trasweir snorted, then glanced toward the surroundings, which were now packed airtight with people who had gathered to watch the spectacle. He said in displeasure.

”What is this?”

”This... Count Bugaard deliberately made this matter known to everyone. All sides in Berland, you could say, are watching this place.”

”A sacred and dignified place of judgment—how can it be treated like a monkey show for people to watch?”

Trasweir’s anger sank deep.

”Go. Drive away all irrelevant people. Return quiet to the court!”

”Yes, yes, I’ll go right away, right away...”

The chief judge wiped sweat from his forehead and hurriedly ordered people to disperse the crowd.

...

Not far away, another carriage passed inspection and stopped in front of the Tribunal.

The carriage curtain was lifted. Count Bugaard leaned out and happened to see Trasweir enter the Empire’s Tribunal.

His brow furrowed, but not because he had also almost been driven off as an irrelevant person just now.

”Strange. Is this trial really going to start?”

He had meticulously plotted, pushed from every angle, and even burned an old favor to bring this grand judge out...

But in truth, he didn’t actually want a real trial targeting Muen Campbell.

Just as he had planned before, everything—every single step—was only to force His Majesty into compromise.

And in his ideal scenario, the best moment to compromise would naturally be before the trial began. Because if it really advanced to the point of a trial, nobody’s face would look good.

So he believed that bringing out this grand judge would definitely place enough pressure on His Majesty, and victory would be close.

He hadn’t expected...

”Heh. As expected of His Majesty—so persistent. But I won’t concede so easily either.”

Count Bugaard curled his lips, feeling the fighting spirit that had long been dormant in his chest flare up again.

”Just wait. This chess game and tug-of-war isn’t over yet!”

...

...

”Y-Your Majesty, Your Majesty? We’re here.”

Inside the carriage, Wier—still not used to the title ”Your Majesty”—gently shook Celicia awake.

”That’s rare. Even Your Majesty zones out?”

”I was thinking about something. I got too absorbed, that’s all.”

Celicia sat up and rubbed her temples.

”Oh? Did Your Majesty figure out how you’re going to punish that petty Count Bugaard?” Wier blinked, excited.

”Bu—”

Celicia showed a trace of surprise, then shook her head.

”I almost forgot about that guy. Whatever. A clown like that doesn’t matter. Let him keep hopping around a little longer. The one we need to deal with next is far more troublesome than him.”

When Celicia’s carriage arrived at the Tribunal, as if some kind of fate had ordained it, two other groups arrived at the same time.

The carriages came to a stop. The spirited horses, as if sensing something, uneasily pawed at the ground.

And at that moment, the carriage curtains were lifted.

Three gazes—each filled with meaning—met in the air.

...

”Hm? Is it going to rain?”

Muen, in the middle of being escorted, seemed to feel the air pressure drop rapidly. He subconsciously lifted his head.

But what he saw was still Berland’s vast, cloudless blue sky.

”Strange.”

He scratched his head, and all he saw was a peaceful scene.

Late spring, no rain—perfect for viewing peach blossoms.