The second floor of the Imperial Palace, Arbitration Hall.
The function of this Arbitration Hall was very simple. It was not used to judge heinous criminals, but to pass judgment on officials—or rather, on the Empire's high-ranking officials.
Although it had not been used for a full month, the Arbitration Hall remained spotless. The thick curtains were drawn tight, the crystal chandelier in the center of the ceiling was lit, and a number of well-dressed officials were whispering among themselves. The arbitration had yet to begin.
At the very back of the Arbitration Hall stood a raised judge's bench, with several documents placed upon it. No one sat behind the bench, but the back of its chair bore a crossed-swords emblem.
In front of the judge's bench was an empty space. The polished marble floor was spotless, and at the very center of the Arbitration Hall stood a specially made wooden chair surrounded by iron bars. Clearly, this was the condemned's "Special Class Seat." No one wanted to sit there.
The "Special Class Seat" faced the judge's bench. On either side of it, near the walls, were two rows of wooden desks. The seats behind them were already full. Most of those sitting there were fairly old, with an estimated average age of over fifty. Their expressions were solemn, while some had their eyes closed in a brief nap.
Behind the "Special Class Seat" were several rows of seats, which were also nearly full. Madam Nancy was seated in the first row, looking somewhat restless. Guts, Hank, and Reinhardt sat in the last row. Old Hank was muttering something under his breath, occasionally glancing at the people seated behind the long wooden desks. These were the senators. Aside from the monarch, once gathered together, they were the Empire's highest authorities—provided