Chapter 41.1

Chapter 41.1

“Sorry? Falling for him? Me?”

Ara jumped up in surprise, as though she had heard something completely out of place, and quickly composed herself.

“That’s not it. It’s just… an unusual outfit, so naturally, my eyes were drawn to it.”

Baekmok nodded, as if she could tolerate Ara’s lengthy explanation indefinitely.

“…But, he is handsome, though, right?”

“Ha!”

Ara couldn’t hold back a laugh at the question.

Baekmok quickly bit her lip, trying to suppress the smile that kept escaping. She covered her mouth with her hand to hide her grin.

“But don’t you think so, too, Baekmok? Leaving aside any feelings toward that bad goblin, it’s just… when you have eyes, you can’t help but recognize it, right? You know what I mean?”

Ara, feeling unfairly flustered, desperately sought Baekmok’s agreement.

“Ara, are you sure you’re not a goblin?”

“Huh?”

“I just wondered, since you’re so bad at lying, maybe you’re one?”

Baekmok chuckled, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

“I’m not! I’m really good at lying!”

Ara puffed out her cheeks, about to argue, but Baekmok pointed toward a neatly arranged sofa near the tea table.

“Why don’t you sit over there? The trial’s about to start.”

The sound of sharp, rhythmic footsteps passed by as Baekmok made her way to the sofa.

“Uh… is it okay for me to watch too?”

Ara asked, a bit flustered, following Baekmok.

In the real world, there are times when outsiders can’t attend trials, especially if there’s confidential information involved. Ara wondered whether this situation was different, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that Baekmok might be testing her.

“Anyway, you won’t be able to hear the proceedings. Here, we can only watch the video that’s recorded by the recording device.”

Fortunately, Baekmok seemed unconcerned.

She sat down on the sofa and aimed the remote at the window, pressing another button. The sunlight streaming in from outside was quickly blocked, and the room darkened like the curtains had been drawn.

This would be perfect for watching a movie.

Ara thought this as she settled into the seat opposite Baekmok. In the meantime, Baekmok adjusted the angle and distance of the screen reflected on the glass.

On the screen, Seok-kyung was waiting, flipping through the documents in his hands. The long trailing hem of his robe and the slight furrow in his brow suggested a subtle weariness.

If only he’d eaten something proper before heading out…

As Ara clicked her tongue inwardly, Baekmok, who had been staring at Ara’s face instead of the screen, suddenly spoke up.

“In your world, you typically have a three-trial system, right?”

“Yes. District court, high court, and the Supreme Court. We go through three trials.”

“Our kingdom also has three trials for disputes among regular goblin.”

“I see.”

“But the trial in that court is a single trial. The judgment and punishment are directly decided by His Majesty.”

Ara hadn’t thought much about it until now, but hearing those words made her realize the weight Seok-kyung carried as the head of a clan.

“Does Seok-kyung ever hand down sentences like the death penalty or life imprisonment?”

“Of course. The trials handled at the Law Palace are of such serious matters that they are directly reported to the king. Lighter punishments are few and far between.”

“That sounds like so much pressure.”

Ara responded without taking her eyes off the screen.

The thought that her decisions could shape someone’s life was a far greater responsibility and burden than she had expected.

“With great glory comes greater responsibility.”

Baekmok nodded, seemingly agreeing with Ara’s sentiment, her gaze returning to Seok-kyung on the screen.

“As the king of this world, His Majesty must faithfully carry out the role of a judge, determining right from wrong and the severity of crimes. There is no one else who can take on this task for him.”

It might have sounded a little cold, but there was no fault in the words themselves.

In monarchies, the king is often also the final judge in the highest court.

“Indeed, it’s not just that. The duties and roles of a ruler are burdensome and unpleasant, but they must be carried out.”

“Seems like being a king isn’t something anyone can do,” Ara remarked, shuddering even though it wasn’t her problem.

It suddenly reminded her of the time during her school years when she had seen a schedule of a Joseon king and had similar thoughts.

She had thought, if she were born a king, constantly burdened by work, etiquette, and ministers, she’d rather be born as the child of a wealthy family with plenty of money.

“Fortunately, His Majesty is a born ruler. However, the more exhausted he gets, the more immersed he becomes in his work, and that’s a bit concerning,” Baekmok replied.