Chapter 79 Prosecution Witness's Statement: Lorenzo: I know he is you...

Lilith watched in disbelief as Isolde was brought to court, stood before her in the witness stand, swore to Saint Mark that everything she had said was true, and quietly awaited questioning from the prosecutor.

What's going on? Shouldn't she have already left Venice? Didn't she promise to stand by my side? Lilith suddenly felt flustered. She had confessed everything to Isolde. If Isolde chose to switch sides at this moment, Lilith's entire defense would crumble.

Lilith couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that her loyal friend would betray her and choose to join the enemy. Was her bond with Maria so deep that she was willing to avenge Maria at all costs?

A sudden, indescribable loneliness and sorrow overwhelmed Lilith. She felt an unprecedented sense of isolation and helplessness—at this moment, she was like a lamb to the slaughter, trapped within the wooden fence in the center of the courtroom, surrounded by the eyes of more than forty men watching her every move. Even though each of them bore the burden of sin and murder to some degree, even though their hearts were as filthy as mud, at this moment they were all playing the role of messengers of justice, waiting for the opportune moment to raise their knives and stab the sacrifice they were about to offer to fairness.

“Countess, please begin your testimony.” The prosecutor gestured with his head held high, glancing at the unfocused Lilith out of the corner of his eye, a look of confidence on his face.

“My name is Isolde Alta. Many years ago, I met Maria’s sister at the monastery school and we became close friends. Before she died, she entrusted me with the care of her sister, Maria, who married Mauro Knarro, and so Maria and I have been corresponding ever since.”

So it really is because of this past connection… Lilith felt her hands and feet grow cold, her nerves throbbed uncontrollably, and she almost couldn't help but tremble. Images of herself and Isolde lying in bed chatting flashed through her mind, so distant they seemed like a dream.

“In April of this year, I received my last letter from Maria. She told me that she was about to return to her hometown in Verona. I was really looking forward to it, but I didn’t receive a reply from her, so I went to Venice and learned that Maria had passed away unexpectedly.”

"What was the cause of death?" the judge asked the prosecutor.

"According to the autopsy report at the time, the victim was murdered with a sharp instrument, and the body was dumped in the lagoon. It was already decomposed when it was discovered. Due to limited evidence, no suspect was identified at the time."

"I came to Venice to find out the truth, and thus deliberately came into contact with Liliana, which allowed me to learn the full details of the conflict between her and Maria. It turned out that the two of them had a long-standing conflict. Maria had poisoned Liliana in desserts at Mauro's instigation, and later conspired with Mauro to fabricate false testimony, framing Liliana's chastity and slandering her as a witch."

"This clearly shows that the defendant had a very clear motive to murder the victim," the prosecutor added. He glanced at the defendant's position again and saw that Lilith's legs were weak, and she was leaning weakly against the wooden railing.

“On the surface, it does seem that way,” Isolde took a deep breath, then suddenly changed the subject, “but the truth is quite the opposite. Liliana did not do it, and Maria’s death had nothing to do with her.”

"What!?"

The prosecutor roared, and the courtroom erupted in chaos. The judge had to repeatedly bang his gavel to signal for silence, but Lilith secretly breathed a sigh of relief during the disturbance.

It turns out Isolde came to help her. If this testimony had been given by the defense, the prosecution would have seized upon it as evidence of friends covering for each other. However, since the prosecution gave testimony entirely in favor of the defense, it became all the more convincing.

She actually went to such lengths to help her; she didn't need to get involved in this mess at all... Lilith was so moved she almost cried.

"I request an immediate halt to the questioning of this witness." The prosecutor, flustered and barely managing to control his emotions, told the judge, "What she is saying now is inconsistent with the testimony she previously provided to me."

“Your Honor,” Lilith’s lawyer continued, “I haven’t yet questioned the prosecution witness. Since she says Maria’s death has nothing to do with her, we should hear why!”

"The defense attorney makes a good point." The judge nodded. "Since the prosecution has no further questions, the defense attorney may continue with the cross-examination."

“Thank you.” Lilith’s lawyer bowed slightly to the judge, then turned to Isolde: “How can you conclude that Liliana was not involved in Maria’s death?”

"According to what I later learned, during the family trial held at the Knarro's home, Maria confessed to the murder she had committed. Although Mauro was the mastermind, Maria, as an accomplice, should not have escaped punishment. It was Liliana who requested a pardon, arguing that she was forced to do these things by her husband and therefore should not be punished. If Liliana hated Maria to the point of hiring someone to kill her, why didn't she present Maria as an accomplice to the Committee of Forty in the first place, instead of pardoning her?"

“You weren’t even there at the time, so how can you testify about these things? Your words are just empty promises!” the prosecutor retorted.

“Your Honor, in that case, I request that the defense witness be allowed to appear in court.” Lilith’s lawyer decided to press his advantage. “Liliana’s father, Bruno, was present at the time and is now waiting outside the courtroom for a summons.”

"pass!"

Isolde left the witness stand under the escort of guards. As she left, she turned back and briefly met Lilith's gaze. Although Lilith dared not show any relief, she still expressed her sincere gratitude to her friend with gentle eyes.

Bruno was then brought in. He explained the events of the Mauro incident according to his prepared statement with his lawyer, and confirmed that Lilith had indeed chosen to pardon Maria. Since the prosecution could not provide further compelling evidence, Lilith was acquitted in the Maria case.

Lilith breathed a sigh of relief again. Fortunately, she had prepared well enough before the trial, and with Isolde's further assistance, the proceedings were progressing much more smoothly than she had imagined.

Lorenzo indeed only wanted to use his influence in the committee to bully a helpless illegitimate daughter, but he didn't expect that Lilith had already gained the support of her family. Although the Canaro family was outwardly strong but inwardly weak in business, as one of the eight oldest families in Venice, the social connections accumulated by their ancestors had never been severed.

In addition, there were rumors recently about Lorenzo colluding with the Paduan rebels. Countless aristocratic families suffered business losses due to the war, and some who were once on good terms with the Condarini family now have reservations about Lorenzo.

After a brief recess, Lilith was brought back to the dock. Looking through the glass window, she saw the previously sunny sky suddenly become overcast, as if a torrential downpour was imminent, darkening the atmosphere of the entire courtroom. Waiters had to light candles to maintain the room's illumination.

Lilith leaned back in her chair, bored, as the prosecutor delivered a passionate speech on the arson case involving the Condalini family warehouse.

She felt a little hungry. Only one charge remained; she just hoped it would end quickly, that she'd be acquitted, and be able to go home for dinner. What to eat tonight? She hadn't had cheese in ages. She thought of the days when she and Heinrich lived together, sitting in the kitchen, secretly eating cheese while watching him cook. She suddenly missed him terribly. If only all this could end soon, if only she could see him again…

She wanted to boast to him that, even without his help, she had successfully escaped all the charges against her through her own strategic planning. His lover was not only a successful banker but also a silver-tongued debater, capable of effortlessly distorting the truth. Wasn't he precisely drawn to her cunning and wicked nature?

"Liliana, do you plead guilty?" the judge asked routinely, pulling Lilith back to reality from her reverie.

“I don’t admit it. I didn’t do it.” Lilith yawned.

“I request that a witness be called.” The prosecutor, seeing Lilith’s distracted look, blushed as if insulted. “Mr. Lorenzo Condalini.”

Lilith flinched at the mention of Lorenzo's name, but quickly regained her composure. "Bring it on," she thought, silently rehearsing her next words as she coldly watched Lorenzo enter the courtroom. He had his chestnut hair neatly combed and tied into a ponytail, draped over his shoulders, and wore a dignified black robe. His gaze met Lilith's, and he gave her his signature polite smile, as if victory was already assured. Lilith couldn't understand what he had to be so smug about in this situation, and instinctively rolled her eyes.

“I can testify that Liliana ordered the fire to be set on my warehouse. That night, after my personal servant finished taking inventory, he accidentally left some personal belongings in the warehouse. He went back to retrieve them in the middle of the night and witnessed the entire arson process. He saw the blond German slave who worked for Liliana set the fire on fire.”

"Where is that slave now?" the judge pressed.

“This question should be answered by Liliana.” Lorenzo lowered his eyes and looked at her coldly.

“He’s dead,” Lilith replied expressionlessly. “Three months ago, my house caught fire. He died trying to save me. Also, I need to clarify one thing. He wasn’t a slave; he was a free Gentile.”

"It's recorded in the Civil Affairs Bureau's files that he was originally a slave you bought, and you later redeemed him. Every slave under your name is redeemed after working for you for a period of time; this is a tactic you consistently use to win people's hearts. Moreover, regardless of whether he was a slave or a free man, he worked for you. Would he commit arson without your authorization?" the prosecutor countered.

“Prosecutor, this is all your conjecture. Besides, Lorenzo’s witnesses only saw the story; there’s no concrete evidence. Isn’t that just making things up? Even if you could definitively say he did it, I have no knowledge of it. A free man is free in the legal sense, and I have no right to interfere with his actions.” Lilith rolled her eyes, somewhat impatiently. “Besides, he’s already dead. God will decide whether he goes to heaven or hell. What’s the point of us arguing about whether a dead man committed any crimes?”

"Do you really have no right to interfere with his actions? Liliana, you named this slave you bought 'Heinrich.' That's your husband's name. According to your previous statement, you thought your husband was dead. So, did you name this slave that because he was actually your lover?" the prosecutor pressed.

A murmur of discussion broke out again in the courtroom.

“Your Honor, the prosecutor’s questions concern the defendant’s private life and are irrelevant to this case,” Lilith’s lawyer objected, giving Lilith a look that signaled her to remain silent. Lilith understood, lowered her head, crossed her arms, and said nothing.

“Actually,” Lorenzo suddenly spoke, his tone gentle and calm, “the prosecutor’s conjecture is indeed not true. Because that fellow named Heinrich is neither Liliana’s lover nor her slave, but her husband. He is Heinrich Schmidl himself.”

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Author's note: Lorenzo really went through a lot, digging up such a bombshell. How will Lilith respond? [doge emoji] This is so exciting!

Next update on Friday, love you all!