With a smile on his face, Allen looked at former Prime Minister Sistine and said: "Mr. Sistine, can you tell us whether you had any communication with Archbishop Nerga during your tenure as Prime Minister?"
The Sistine Prime Minister glanced at the Archbishop in the dock and replied calmly: "It did happen."
"Did the Archbishop ask you to do anything?"
"Yes. He asked me to transport three prototype magic cannons to the Papal Territory via the Kingdom of Ferrand."
"Have you notified the Council?"
"No."
"Does Her Majesty agree?"
"No."
"Do you know this is treason?"
"I know," Sistine lowered her head, "I am willing to sincerely repent to the goddess. But I...the reason why I did this was actually because I was forced by others."
"Forced by whom?"
"Archbishop Nerga."
"How did he coerce you?"
"To be honest, I was able to win the election and be elected as the prime minister of the kingdom largely because Archbishop Nerga granted me the title of 'devotee of the goddess,'" Sistine confessed. "The archbishop said, if
If I don't do what he says, he will revoke my title and announce to the whole country that my faith is not pious. In this way, it will be difficult for me to continue to be re-elected as prime minister, and I may even be ruined."
"According to the regulations of the church, using the title of 'devotee' as a tool for power and money transactions is an act of blasphemy against the goddess. Doesn't Archbishop Nelga understand this?" Allen suddenly raised his voice.
"But he did."
"Furthermore, according to the agreement between the church and the royal family, clergy are not allowed to interfere in the internal affairs of the kingdom. Does Archbishop Nerga really not understand the consequences of doing so?"
"But he did." Sistine repeated the words.
"Also, Mr. Sistine," Allen continued, "is it also what Archbishop Nelga secretly ordered you to do to reduce the research funding for the Mage Tower?"
Sistine took a deep breath and said slowly: "Yes."
"Okay, your honor," Allen smiled faintly at the judge's high seat, "This is the end of my questioning."
Howard glanced at Archbishop Nelga: "Now it's up to the defendant to cross-examine."
In the past few minutes, Archbishop Nerga kept his head lowered, remained silent, and made no more attempts to interrupt Allen's questioning.
After all, the Archbishop had twice tried to assassinate Sistine. The other party must be resentful and had evidence in hand. It would be difficult for him to take advantage of this round of questioning.
So, after hearing Howard's words, the archbishop shook his head slightly and said to Sistine: "Mr. Sistine, do you dare to say that you have not benefited from these things?"
Allen immediately said: "The protest has nothing to do with this case."
Howard: "The protest is valid. Please continue asking the defendant."
The Archbishop shrugged: "Then I don't have any questions."
…………
Throughout the trial, the young girl Liz had been sitting in the jury box, listening quietly.
She never expected that the subject of this trial by the Supreme Court would be the archbishop in charge of the Braden Diocese! And the charges he was accused of were exactly two of the seven deadly sins mentioned in the "Light Canon"!
I’m afraid even the comedy scripts staged at the Capital Grand Theater wouldn’t dare to write like this!
"It's unbelievable!" She sighed silently in her heart.
…………
As for the former Prime Minister Sistine, after the questioning, he calmly sat back in his seat.
Although he knew that after today's trial, it would be difficult for him to escape the charge of "treason".
But when he saw Archbishop Nelga looking embarrassed in the dock, he felt particularly happy.
Sistine understood that since he agreed to cooperate with Archbishop Nerga, although he sat on the high seat of Prime Minister, he was also shackled and became a tool in the opponent's hands that could be discarded at any time.
Every time he abused his power to do things for the other party, he suffered in his heart, as if two villains were fighting in his heart. One longed for glory and wealth, while the other pursued a clear conscience.
But today, the shackles that bound him were finally broken, and he was finally free.
Looking at Archbishop Nerga not far away, Sistine couldn't help but taunted in his heart: The two of us have been using each other for so many years, but in the end we are still brothers!
…………
At the same time, others present were deeply shocked by Allen's accusation.
"No wonder some time ago, I often saw Prime Minister Sistine going to Hagia Sophia to confess," they sighed in their hearts. "I thought he was really a devotee of the goddess, but I didn't expect that he came to secretly plot with the archbishop.
These filthy things! This is simply a defilement of the goddess!"
Thinking of this, everyone's mood became extremely complicated.
In their impression, Archbishop Nerga has always been upright, amiable, and a qualified spokesperson for the Goddess of Light. Who would have expected that such a conspirator's face is hidden under his humble appearance!
So...are the other clergymen of the Church of Light similar to him?
Could it be that they appear to be sanctimonious on the surface, but in reality they are all evil-minded hypocrites?
…………
The trial is still going on.
"Third," Allen stood up again and stated another crime of Archbishop Nerga to everyone, "In order to cover up the mistakes he had made, Archbishop Yak Nerga tried to kill people more than once and silenced believers.
of the Code, the laws of the Kingdom and its own terms of reference.
"This is the sin of 'wrath'.
"Your Honor, I apply to summon our Witness No. 3 and Witness No. 4, John, the priest of the Church of Light, and Philip, the magic apprentice of the Mage Tower."
Hearing the name "John", Archbishop Nerga's mood completely hit rock bottom.
He had previously sent John to assassinate Sistine, but Sistine was not dead, but John disappeared. He specifically asked Queen Margaret, who also said she knew nothing about it.
Unexpectedly, John fell into Allen's hands and became a witness used by Allen against him.
As for Philip from the Mage Tower, Archbishop Nerga did not know him and had little contact with him.
He didn't know what Allen's purpose was in summoning this man.
But the various traps Allen had set for him before had already left him with a deep psychological shadow. Archbishop Nerga did not dare to take anything Allen did lightly.
This is when the scribe Bennett said: "Witnesses, please place your hands on the "Lighting Book" and swear that what you said today is absolutely true."
"I swear." The two witnesses said in unison.
…………
ps: Thanks to newnight and duskofdawn for the 100 reward! The first update is asking for monthly votes and recommended votes!