It’s a direct confrontation!

 
 We have safely conducted the communications experiment.
 
 Based on the results of the experiment, Graham-nii-sama consolidated his claim regarding this magic tool.
 
 ”As you’ve just seen, we received a reply to the transmission here from the western spire in just a short while. The [other point of practicality] which the witness mentioned earlier is precisely this function. Not only can it transmit, but also receive. In other words, this magic tool is a long-distance communications device utilising magic power waves.”
 
 In response to my brother’s explanation, the assembly hall began to stir.
 
 (“If there’s such a thing, there’ll no longer be a need to dispatch messengers.”)
 
 (“The system of command in the army will change dramatically!”)
 
 (“Not just that. Wouldn’t this also make it possible to exchange market information with a distant town in a short time?”)
 
 Everyone began to realise the value of this magic tool.
 
 
 My brother then declared something which bordered on the heart of this incident.
 
 
 ”The prosecution claims that the Duke of Oswell used this magic communications device, and leaked the arrangements of the day of the incident to the Principality!!”
 
 
 At that moment, the assembly hall shook once more.
 
 
 
 ——— Bang bang bang bang!!
 
 ”Silence! Silence!!”
 
 The banging of the judge’s gavel echoed around.
 
 The assembly hall was still in an excited state, but perhaps because of His Majesty’s words earlier, they quietened down after not too long.
 
 The judge’s voice then spread out.
 
 ”Defendant, regarding the claims made by the prosecution just now, do you have any objections?”
 
 With the dragging of a chair, the Duke stood up.
 
 Doing so with no particular effort, he then expressionlessly spoke.
 
 ”Objection.”
 
 
 
 The Duke took one step forward, and then continued talking.
 
 ”I have to say, the experiment just now that reached whatever sort of conclusion was rather inadequate.”
 
 ”———so, by that you mean?”
 
 The judge blinked in surprise.
 
 ”First of all, that magic tool was already broken at the time of being confiscated, and was [restored] some other day by that girl. Earlier the prosecution claimed that [the magic circuit board was destroyed via a self-destruct system]. If it had been destroyed by the self-destruct system, then at the very least, it should be unclear as to what kind of circuitry the damaged part had. Then what exactly did that girl rely on to [restore] it?——— don’t tell me, she [repaired] it by installing a new magic circuit of her own devising?”
 
 The Duke looked at me with a glance.
 The assembly hall began murmuring after that rebuttal.
 
 (“Indeed, no matter how you say you’d [fix] it, you can’t fix it if it’s messed up.”)
 
 (“Eh? Then, are you saying that child remade the contents of the magic tool as she pleased?”)
 
 Their suspicious gazes concentrated on me.
 
 The Duke continued.
 
 ”Secondly, regarding the magic tool installed in the western spire. That magic tool was also made by the witness, wasn’t it? ——— If that’s the case, the witness would’ve been free to craft it in whatever way, all in order to support their claim.”
 
 The assembly hall began murmuring again.
 
 (“Certainly, that’s right…. Damn. That was a sham just now!”)
 
 (“You’ve lost my admiration.”)
 
 ”……”
 
 Those seem like some terrible things to say.
 
 
 
 Perhaps feeling pity for the extreme things said, the judge then asked me a question.
 
 ”——— so, the defendant has said as such, so does the witness have any objection… uhm, is there anything you’d like to say in return?”
 
 As the other party was a minor girl, the judge seemed to have carefully chosen his words.
 
 I’m glad he’s worried for me, but… it’s kind of funny.
 
 ”Fufu”
 
 Unconsciously, I laughed.
 
 The Duke looked at me suspiciously.
 
 I coughed, clearing my throat, and clearly spoke these words.
 
 ”I do, object.”
 
 
 
 I then continued.
 
 ”There is evidence which will concisely clear up the doubts which the Duke presented just now.”
 
 ”Ohh, evidence, is it?”
 
 The judge blinked in surprise once again.
 
 ”Yes. I think it’ll arrive here in not too long, but——— I’m sure it won’t take longer than 10 minutes. If it’s alright, could we have a court recess for a moment? Once the court recess has ended, I think it would have been delivered.”
 
 Saying so, I looked in Graham-nii-sama’s direction, to which he nodded and raised his hand.
 
 ”Your Honour! The prosecution formally requests a ten minute recess.”
 
 In response to those words, the judge nodded.
 
 ”Very well. The court will then be adjourned for 10 minutes.”
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 Ten minutes later.
 
 On the evidence table, a new piece of evidence was placed, covered with a cloth.
 
 ——— Bang bang bang!
 
 ”We shall then resume the discussion. ——— it seems that as the witness has said, a piece of evidence has been delivered.”
 
 ”Yes. Exactly so.”
 
 I smiled from the witness stand.
 
 ”Hou hou, that’s good then. Then could you please give us an explanation immediately?”
 
 ”Understood. Then I will explain. The new evidence received was just now in the [western spire] which you can see from that window. We asked that someone from the Second Knights Order, in the presence of someone from the Judicial Ministry, bring it over here.”
 
 ”The western spire you say, by any chance…”
 
 ”Yes. It is magic tool of the [other party] with which we communicated during the experiment. And so, please have a look. ———Onii-sama, please!”
 
 At the same time as my voice rang out, Graham-nii-sama took off the cloth that had been covering it.
 
 In that instant———
 
 
 (“”OOOooooohhh!?””)
 
 
 Everyone there in the assembly hall that saw it stared at it in wonder.
 
 
 What was there, was yet another magic communications device, which was identical to the magic communicator placed next to it.
 
 
 Graham-nii-sama’s voice then spread out.
 
 ”This magic communications device was confiscated from a company building in the Duke’s possession in the town of Padma, 150 km from the capital city Sanakia^[1]. It is undamaged, and as demonstrated earlier, was confiscated in a usable state.”
 
 
 The Duke’s eyes opened wide, and he gasped.
 

TL Notes:

[1]a reminder, this is the capital where they currently are ↩