Damn, I recarneted As A Judge in Fantasy World

"Other stores that pay taxes are not abiding by their wages. Why can't Grantham General Store pay its wages?"

When Abel asked the question, the defendant looked at him with resentful eyes.

'No, what did I do wrong?'

At first, the situation seemed absurd to Abel. However, when he heard the story behind it, he immediately understood the cause of the trouble.

"This is what happened after the shopping district was built in Midias. Since all the customers flocked there, the net profits of the stores dropped significantly."

"Ah..."

"But I can't just cut off all the employees who have worked for me for a long time, right?"

Viscount Grantham's resentment, however, was fundamentally misplaced. After all, he had used his influence with officials to establish a general store in a prime location. While it was reasonable not to say anything until he started seeing profits—this ability to leverage influence was, after all, a skill of Viscount Grantham's—it was also natural to suffer losses when stronger competition appeared. This was the basis of competition, and when times were tough, cutting expenses and seeking innovation were qualities expected of a leader.

The unpaid wages were the result of Grantham's inability to make firm decisions. Abel, however, had no intention of confronting him with a barrage of accusations. This was a courtroom, not an alley bistro—it was a place for judging right and wrong based on evidence and facts.

'But what is this? A free gift?'

As Abel reviewed the last part of the ledger, he noticed a record of giving away items for free. Something didn't add up. He stared blankly at both the defendant and the victim.

When something is ambiguous, you should look at the answer sheet.

<Person Information>

Name: Landon

Status: Freedman

Position: General Store Clerk

Relationship: No acquaintance

Status: Angered by unpaid wages, feeling a sense of satisfaction in taking exactly what he believed he was owed, and wanting to take his colleagues' share too.

Overall Ability: D

'Did you really do this for justice?'

Mr. Landon, a store clerk, was a man with a burning sense of justice. If the information window was correct, it implied Viscount Grantham might indeed be a corrupt landlord. But Abel refrained from making any hasty judgments and calmly reviewed the hologram.

<Person Information>

Name: Alfredo Grantham

Status: Viscount

Position: Imperial Chamberlain

Relationship: Shuguri Shuguri

Status: Concerned about the financial state of his struggling general store, he has a strong sense of responsibility, yet is overly preoccupied with his appearance and the opinions of others.

Overall Ability: C

Could someone who shamelessly neglected to pay wages really act this way? Abel thought it unlikely. After examining the psychological state and circumstances of both individuals, the entire scenario became clearer.

Swish.

When Abel reached into his robe, he noticed that he had grabbed the Hector Punisher, his usual gavel forgotten in his office. Perhaps it was time to consider using Hector Punisher as his new gavel. After all, there was no rule saying he had to use only one specific hammer.

Abel looked straight at Viscount Grantham and asked, "Before I pass sentence, I have one question for you. I reviewed the ledger and saw a record of giving away free items. Who did you give them to?"

"That..."

The Viscount glanced around the room, unable to provide a clear answer.

"Defendant," Abel called firmly.

"Yes?"

'If taxes are so burdensome, why bother doing business in Perias?'

And what about the people who live here?

Are they staying in Perias because they have so much money?

That was absolutely not the case.

There was some tax burden, but it wasn't a huge burden.

So everyone comes to the capital to live and do business.

"Did you give the items to your employees, instructing them to sell the goods at another store far away and pocket the money?"

"…!"

"Then didn't you also withhold their wages?"

A look of confusion spread among the crowd. Of course, it made sense. It had become clear that the roles of the victim and defendant had been reversed.

Modern labor laws prohibit providing goods in place of wages, but the Imperial Code had no such restrictions. Thus, wouldn't this logic also apply here? Acts of self-help, rarely recognized in modern systems, were quite common in the Empire.

"Defendant, why aren't you answering?"

"That is…"

The expression on Viscount Grantham's face darkened as he lowered his head in shame. It was evident he found it difficult to confess the truth. Abel then turned to the victim, Landon, and questioned him.

"When I looked at the ledger, I noticed that you had received items valued higher than your wages."

"Yes, I did, but not that much."

"It says here they're worth 10 goldens."

"Since I had no choice but to sell them cheaply, the price was much lower than that."

"How much lower?"

"Probably around 4 celery."

Ten goldens in silver equaled 50 shillings. Even with a discount, a markdown of over 90% seemed implausible. Abel turned to the audience.

"Is there anyone here who, like Mr. Landon, received wages in goods from Viscount Grantham?"

Several individuals immediately raised their hands and were brought to the witness stand.

"Did you all receive the same amount?"

"Each of us took different items, but the selling price was consistent."

"So, you took the items to another store and sold them. How much did you get for them?"

"I received 3 golden."

"I got 2 golden and 3 shillings."

Although the purchase price varied slightly by store, the average selling price seemed to be just under 3 goldens. Abel directed his gaze back at Landon.

"Everyone else said they received similar amounts, so why did you get so little?"

"That's because I received something of poor quality."

Landon's attitude remained shameless, despite his deception now half-exposed. It was clear he felt justified in his actions.

Why wouldn't he admit the truth? Abel wondered. Verifying the facts wouldn't be difficult. He summoned Attorney Ernest Calhoun.

"Can you come here for a moment?"

"Yes, Your Honor?"

"Bring in the store owner who bought the victim's items. Also, bring the purchase ledger."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"I understand, but that will require a search and seizure warrant."

"I'll write it up immediately; take it and go."

"Yes!"

The new prosecutor's eagerness was impressive. It wasn't long before the store owner arrived, bearing testimony and a ledger showing he had paid 3 goldens for the items.

Abel turned to Landon. "Are you still going to lie?"

"But the boss only gave me goods, not cash wages, right?"

The monthly wage for the general store employees was 7 shillings. With two months' unpaid wages, that amounted to 1 golden 4 shillings. The value of the goods Viscount Grantham had provided was significantly higher than that.

'Why did you do this?' Abel wondered. Landon had received more than his owed wages, so why steal?

Even as his lies unraveled, Landon held his head high, steadfast in his denial of embezzlement. Perhaps he had misinterpreted the Imperial Code's self-defense provisions.

'It's unsettling when ignorance and misplaced confidence meet,' Abel thought.

Looking at Landon with a steely gaze, Abel noticed the atmosphere in the courtroom had shifted.

"Oh my! Look at his arrogance! I can't stand it," someone murmured in the gallery.

"The way he thinks is so unlike ordinary people," another whispered.

"Does he think everything works according to his logic?"

Landon continued to insist, "I am more innocent than anyone here. Please acknowledge this was an act of self-preservation!"

But Abel knew there was no reasoning with someone so stubborn. All that remained was to deliver his verdict.

"The defendant tried to pay wages in kind due to financial hardship. He did his best for his employees and is therefore not guilty. On the other hand, the victim, who tampered with the safe, is charged with embezzlement and sentenced to three years in prison. Additionally, his assets will be seized to repay the embezzled amount to its rightful owner."

Taang! Taang! Taang!

Hector Punisher struck down, its echo shaking the room. The courtroom remained silent long after the verdict was announced.

Chapter: Judgment of the Deceiver

After the verdict was announced, a profound silence filled the courtroom. The weight of the decision hung heavily in the air, the reverberation of Hector Punisher's strike lingering in everyone's ears. Abel sat in calm composure, his gaze steady on Landon. There was something unsettling in Landon's unwavering defiance despite the verdict. Even after being found guilty, his eyes remained unyielding, as if he still believed he had done no wrong.

The judge watched Landon closely. It was rare to encounter such an intense display of self-righteousness from someone caught in blatant deception. Abel's insight had unveiled the truth, but he knew that Landon wouldn't easily admit his fault. With an unspoken sense of finality, he stood and made his way towards the exit, leaving Landon's fate sealed.

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