A scapegoat.
It's not a surprising tactic, but it's one that leaves Alaric feeling unfulfilled. So, he stops listening as the rest of the nobles and advisors debate over which family will become the scapegoat to bring an end to this case before the imperial family's reputation drops any further. However, it only gives the people an illusion of justice.
In the end, it means that they surrender to the real culprit, admitting that they can't pin the blame on them and instead have to add the charges on top of the crimes committed by a different noble that the imperial family is aware of but hasn't bothered pursuing for one reason or another. It has to be somebody who was in attendance at the banquet but with a murky reputation.
And now, Alaric, for the second time in his life, has been unable to bring justice to his wife.
Some husband he is.
