A Trial.
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Okay. First things first. Sorry, I haven't uploaded anything in...a month. Huh, I thought it would be longer.
Second, what's with my stomach recently?! This is the fifth time this year I had diarrhea and a fever!
Right, sorry about that. There's something in China called "mandatory summer school." I only have one week of summer left. Damn it!
Please, enjoy this crappy chapter I put together while sitting on the toilet whilst being bored as fuck.
P.S. I don't own Fate or Mushoku Tensei.
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It's been about a week since the kidnapping incident. I was so busy with everything that I only managed to work out a rough plan for Eris's education. So, of course, I also couldn't drop by and visit Sylphie.
Ha... I feel like I'm back at the Clocktower...
Why am I so busy, you ask? Well, you can blame stupid politics for all that crap.
The one pulling the strings behind the kidnapping was obviously Darius, but the one he hired to perform it had been the butler, Thomas.
The theory of why we'd been kidnapped I made in that storehouse had been correct. Eris caught Darius's eye a few years ago when her family visited the capital, and he wanted to beat her fierce and unyielding spirit out of her. Thomas, seduced by the money, added the two men Darius selected into my plan.
To speak my mind, I'm disgusted at the shamelessness of that piece of scum. Luckily, I'll be able to meet the lump of blubber face-to-face in a few hours.
That meatball completely miscalculated two things.
Firstly, that I possessed enough magical energy to incapacitate the two bandits, and secondly, that those two had no loyalty to him whatsoever.
When they awakened after their traumatic "death," I was standing outside their holding cell with a grin even Satan would be proud of. After the sheer pain the kidnappers experienced, they immediately submitted at my feet.
I admit I thought there would be more of a struggle. Had the temporal differences been that great? Oh, well. Works well for me.
When I was sure they wouldn't go against me, I gave the two kidnappers two choices. The first choice was death. And the second was to act as witnesses in Thomas's trial. Of course, they chose to be witnesses. No sane living being would willingly choose death.
It was thanks to sheer luck I'd spared those two kidnappers. If they were dead, this trial wouldn't have happened. Sure, the primary objective was to banish or potentially kill the butler, but I also wanted to get back at the perverted noble who dared mess with me, one who commanded the stars.
I don't care whether the butler lives or dies, as Darius's reputation would plummet either way, but I promised to make sure he survives as long as he gives dirt about Darius in court.
Today's the day I'm gonna head toward Asura. A trial was usually held in the city the crime was committed. But Philip made some excuse about being too livid with his servants and rushed the process.
I should have finished packing with the time I was monologuing, but I haven't even packed up a single item. Why? I am currently dreaming, of course. I haven't even woken up yet! The Celestials said they'd show me something, so they kept me in this dream-like state since I fell asleep last night.
And that's how I ended up in a barren world of nothingness. There wasn't anything for miles, only white smoke-like clouds that shifted hues as they rolled around.
Sol guided me through the smoke and clouds, his light burning them away like when sunlight evaporated morning fog. He is the sun, after all. A literal star in the form of a human toddler.
He pointed at two undefined figures in the distance. "ᛏᚺᛖᚱᛖ ᚦᛖᛁ ᚨᚱᛖ." (There they are.)
A naked, fat noble was bowing to a figure I couldn't quite make out. As soon as my eyes tried to focus on the white humanoid, the figure's face would become shrouded by the white smoke that filled this peculiar world. Though, something told me that wasn't all there was to it. Even when I looked at the white figure using my Celestial Eyes, I still couldn't see any noteworthy features. And yet... Why do I feel so much hate towards him?
I did, however, recognize the fat noble. "Darius. But who's the one with him?"
The flames around Sol expanded and burned with so much unrestrained fury I had to back away.
"ᛞᛖᛗᛟᚾ. ᛞᛖᚠᛁᛚᛖᚱ ᛟᚠ ᚠᚨᚦᛖᚱ×ᛊ ᚲᛟᚱᛈᛊᛖ. ᚠᚨᚲᛖᚱ. ᛖᚢᛁᛚ ᚷᛟᛞ. ᛞᛁᚢᛁᚾᛖ ᛁᛖᛏ ᚹᛁᚦᛟᚢᛏ ᚠᚨᚦᛖᚱ×ᛊ ᛒᛚᛟᛟᛞ." (Demon. Defiler of Father's corpse. Faker. Evil God. Divine yet without Father's blood.)
I waited for Sol to calm down before he began explaining in detail.
"ᛏᚺᚨᛏ ᛖᚾᛏᛁᛏᛁ ᚹᚨᛊ ᛒᛟᚱᚾ ᛁᚾ ᚦᛖ ᚹᛟᚱᛚᛞ ᛟᚠ ᚢᛟᛁᛞ. ᛟᚾᛖ ᛟᚠ ᚦᛖ ᛚᚨᛊᛏ ᛏᚹᛟ ᚹᛟᚱᛚᛞᛊ ᛟᚾ ᚦᛁᛊ ᛈᛚᚨᚾᛖᛏ. ᚺᛖ ᚢᛊᛖᛞ ᚨ ᛈᚨᚱᛏ ᛟᚠ ᚠᚨᚦᛖᚱ×ᛊ ᚲᛟᚱᛈᛊᛖ ᚨᚾᛞ ᛏᚢᚱᚾᛖᛞ ᚺᛁᛗᛊᛖᛚᚠ ᛁᚾᛏᛟ ᚨ ᚷᛟᛞ. ᛏᚺᛖᚾ, ᚺᛖ ᚲᛁᛚᛚᛖᛞ ᚦᛖ ᚷᛟᛞ ᛟᚠ ᛗᚨᚾ ᚨᚾᛞ ᛏᛟᛟᚲ ᛟᚢᛖᚱ ᚺᛁᛊ ᛒᛟᛞᛁ. ᚺᛖ ᛁᛊ ᚦᛖ ᚱᛖᛊᛟᚾ ᚦᛖ ᚹᛟᚱᛚᛞᛊ ᚹᛖᚱᛖ ᛞᛖᛊᛏᚱᛟᛁᛖᛞ. ᚺᛖ ᛁᛊ ᚹᚺᛁ ᚦᛖ ᚱᛖᛚᛁᛏᛁ ᛟᚠ ᚦᛖ ᛈᛚᚨᚾᛖᛏ ᛁᛊ ᛊᛟ ᚢᚾᛊᛏᚨᛒᛚᛖ. ᚺᛖ ᛁᛊ ᛟᚢᚱ ᛖᚾᛖᛗᛁ. ᚺᛁᛊ ᛞᛖᚦ ᚹᛁᛚᛚ ᛒᛖ ᚨ ᚲᚨᚢᛊᛖ ᚠᛟᚱ ᚲᛖᛚᛖᛒᚱᚨᛏᛟᚾ." (That entity was born in the World of Void. One of the last two worlds on this planet. He used a part of Father's corpse and turned himself into a god. Then, he killed the God of Man and took over his body. He is the reason the worlds were destroyed. He is why the reality of the planet is so unstable. He is our enemy. His death will be a cause for celebration.)
Sol turned to me, his white eyes tinged with red fire. "ᚺᛁᛊ ᚾᚨᛗᛖ ᛁᛊ ᛗᚨᚾ-ᚷᛟᛞ." (His name is Man-God.)
"Is he the one who killed the Druids?" I looked at the white figure in the distance.
"ᛁᛖᛊ. ᛏᚺᛖ ᚠᚨᚲᛖ ᚷᛟᛞ ᚠᛖᚱᛖᛞ ᚦᛖᛁᚱ ᛊᛈᛖᛚᛚ. ᚲᚺᚨᛁᚾᛊ ᛟᚠ ᚺᛖᚢᛖᚾ. ᛟᚾᛖ ᛗᛟᛞᛖᛚᛖᛞ ᚨᚠᛏᛖᚱ ᚦᛖ ᛊᛁᚲᛊ ᚱᛁᛜᛊ ᛟᚠ ᛚᛁᚷᚺᛏ. ᛟᚾᛖ ᚹᚺᛟ ᚺᚨᛞ ᚦᛖ ᛈᛟᚹᛖᚱ ᛏᛟ ᛞᛖᚠᛖᛏ ᚺᛁᛗ." (Yes. The Fake God feared their spell. Chains of Heaven. One modeled after the six rings of light. One who had the power to defeat him.) Sol turned to me. His following words were filled with warning. "ᚾᛖᚢᛖᚱ ᛏᛖᛚᛚ ᚺᛁᛗ ᛁᛟᚢ ᚲᚾᛟᚹ ᚦᛖ ᛊᛈᛖᛚᛚ. ᛟᚾᛚᛁ ᛞᛟᛟᛗ ᛊᚺᚨᛚᛚ ᚷᚱᛖᛖᛏ ᛁᛟᚢ ᛁᚠ ᛁᛟᚢ ᛞᛟ." (Never tell him you know the spell. Only doom shall greet you if you do.)
"Yeah, okay." I'm not gonna get on the Bad Side of a literal God. I know one too many legends about humans being punished for defying the divine.
"ᚠᛟᚱ ᚾᛟᚹ, ᛚᛁᛊᛏᛖᚾ ᛁᚾ." (For now, listen in.) Sol brought us closer to the two. I was worried. Wouldn't they see us if we were this close? Sol noticed my troubles and giggled. "ᛞᛟ ᚾᛟᛏ ᚠᛖᚱ, ᛒᚱᛟᚦᛖᚱ. ᛏᚺᛖ ᚲᛖᛚᛖᛊᛏᛟᚨᛚᛊ ᚨᛚᛚ ᚺᚨᚢᛖ ᛈᛟᚹᛖᚱ ᚲᛟᛗᛈᚨᚱᚨᛒᛚᛖ ᛏᛟ ᚨ ᚷᛟᛞ×ᛊ. ᛁ ᚺᚨᚢᛖ ᚺᛁᛞᛞᛖᚾ ᚢᛊ ᚠᚱᛟᛗ ᚺᛁᛊ ᚢᛁᛖᚹ." (Do not fear, brother. The Celestials all have power comparable to a god's. I have hidden us from his view.)
I nodded. I should have expected that from the child of the first god. For now, I strained my ears and eavesdropped on their conversation.
"...wrong. How is this possible?!" Man-God seemed to be in a rage. He banged his fist on the floor while shouting curses like there was no tomorrow. "How can a mere human evade my sight?!"
He must be talking about me. During my last meeting with the Celestials, they said they hid me from the Man-God's clairvoyant eyes. But they were still asleep, after all. Their protection is getting weaker. That's why I need to build seven bodies in the limited time I have left-so I could act freely despite the Man-God's sight.
The prostrating mound of fat groveled at the fake god's feet. I was almost impressed at the amount of devotion he showed. "My Lord. You, who shines brighter than both the sun and moon. So much time has passed since you showed your magnificent form to me. Tell me, what do you need this humble servant to do?" The voice was fearful, like a skittish mouse running from a cat.
From that short exchange of words, I could get a decent grasp of Darius's personality. He seems to be the kind of person who does everything he can to gain power and please his desires. Hence why he sucked up to this faker so passionately.
"Darius, remember that one child I told you about?"
"The son of Philimon's brother?"
"Yes." A blurry hand reached up to rub an indistinguishable nose. "I cannot see him. There's some spell blocking any and all attempts at spying on him. It's almost like the curse of the Dragon God."
"Forgive my ignorance, my lord, but why are you trying so hard to reach him?"
"He is too dangerous. I need to get rid of him. To do that, I need to gain his trust."
"I'm sure you will, my lord. The aura of tranquility around you is like no other."
"Aura of tranquility?" Odd... I don't feel anything from him. Except for a kind of hatred and distrust I couldn't quite place.
Sol noticed my musings and answered my inquiry. "ᛏᚺᛖ ᚷᛟᛞ ᛟᚠ ᛗᚨᚾ ᚹᚨᛊ ᚨᛚᛊᛟ ᚦᛖ ᚷᛟᛞ ᛟᚠ ᛏᚱᚨᚾᚲᚢᛁᛚᛁᛏᛁ. ᚹᚺᛖᚾ ᚦᚨᛏ ᚠᚨᚲᛖᚱ ᚲᛁᛚᛚᛖᛞ ᚺᛁᛗ, ᚺᛖ ᛁᚾᚺᛖᚱᛁᛏᛖᛞ ᚦᛖ ᚨᚢᚦᛟᚱᛁᛏᛁ ᛟᚠ ×ᛏᚱᚨᚾᚲᚢᛁᛚᛁᛏᛁ,× ᚺᛖᚾᚲᛖ ᚹᚺᛁ ᚨᛚᛚ ᛗᛟᚱᛏᚨᛚᛊ ᚨᚱᛖ ᚲᛟᛗᛈᛖᛚᛚᛖᛞ ᛏᛟ ᛏᚱᚢᛊᛏ ᚺᛁᛗ." (The God of Man was also the God of Tranquility. When that faker killed him, he inherited the authority of 'tranquility,' hence why all mortals are compelled to trust him.) He then gave a small smile. "ᚺᛟᚹᛖᚢᛖᚱ, ᛒᚱᛟᚦᛖᚱ, ᛁᛟᚢᚱ ᛊᛟᚢᛚ ᚺᚨᛁᛚᛊ ᚠᚱᛟᛗ ᚨ ᛞᛁᛊᛏᚨᚾᛏ ᚹᛟᚱᛚᛞ. ᚺᛁᛊ ᚨᚢᚦᛟᚱᛁᛏᛁ ᛗᛖᚾᛊ ᚾᛟᚦᛁᛜ ᛏᛟ ᛁᛟᚢ." (However, brother, your soul hails from a distant world. His authority means nothing to you.)
"Hmm... Is that so?" I couldn't feel this aura because of my other-worldly origins? Sounds like the plot of a manga or light novel.
"But, my lord, even with your might, you can never be too careful. What shall I do?"
"Ah ha! I thought you'd never ask." A fake grin made its way onto the equally fake god's face. I'm starting to hate this faker even more. "He will arrive in Asura today. Send as many assassins to kill him and Eris Boreas Greyrat as possible. Also, double your spy network. Get me as much information about Rudeus Greyrat as possible."
So, he wishes to nip my bud. Well, too bad. This bud has long since bloomed. I will show him my power.
"Of course, my lord."
The perverse noble faded away, probably back into his body. Though I really hope he somehow ends up in hell.
Sol grabbed my hand, and we were transported back into the black void covered with stars. It was unnecessary to linger when there was more to discuss.
"ᛏᚺᚨᛏ ᛁᛊ ᛁᛟᚢᚱ ᛖᚾᛖᛗᛁ. ᛟᚢᚱ ᛖᚾᛖᛗᛁ. ᚹᛖ ᛗᚢᛊᛏ ᚠᛁᚾᛞ ᚨ ᚹᚨᛁ ᛏᛟ ᛞᛖᚠᛖᛏ ᚺᛁᛗ." (That is your enemy. Our enemy. We must find a way to defeat him.) Sol seemed to grimace. It was hard to tell what the Celestials felt with their passive faces. "ᚺᛟᚹᛖᚢᛖᚱ, ᚺᛁᛊ ᛚᛁᚠᛖ ᛁᛊ ᛏᛁᛖᛞ ᛏᛟ ᚦᛖ ᛏᛖᚲᛊᛏᚢᚱᛖ ᛟᚠ ᚦᛖ ᚹᛟᚱᛚᛞ. ᛁᚠ ᚺᛖ ᛞᛁᛖᛊ, ᚦᛖ ᚹᛟᚱᛚᛞ ᚹᛁᛚᛚ ᛊᛟᛟᚾ ᚲᚱᚢᛗᛒᛚᛖ." (However, his life is tied to the Texture of the World. If he dies, the world will soon crumble.)
During the past week, the Celestials told me the basics I needed to know about the six true gods of the Six-Faced World. I knew most of it from reading this world's version of Enuma Elish, but some bits and pieces of the puzzle were new.
Firstly, Enuma Elish wasn't only the name of a legend but also the name of a weapon. It was used to reawaken the violent Voidsouls from their madness during the war between Starborn and Voidsouls.
When the war ended, there was no more need for the weapon, so it was split into four shards. While the first three fragments were entrusted to the Starborn and Voidsouls, the fourth shard was broken in three again.
It was around these three Divine Constructs that the Six-Faced World was created. The six Alter-Egos of the God of Creation imbued their energies within them and stabilized their respective worlds. However, the flaw with their system was that if a god died, their world would also crumble soon after. I don't know why the World of Void didn't disappear. But it didn't have a reining deity in the first place. Perhaps it was more stable because of its emptiness?
I'm getting off track. When that Man-God killed the God of Man, he inherited the God of Man's authority and connection to the Human World. It wasn't a strong one, mind you. This was why the Texture of the Human World was so brittle. But it was just enough to keep the world from falling apart.
"We'll need another god to take the burden off his shoulders so we can kill him once and for all." I grabbed a fistful of my silver hair-the hair I had in my past life-and groaned. "Where will we find a god stupid enough or altruistic enough to take on that impossible burden?!" Almost all gods were greedy and prideful. They'd never do something for mortals without something as compensation. And even then, they might, no, will cheat their way out!
Sol patted my back as I knelt on the ground in self-pity. "ᛞᛟᚾ×ᛏ ᚹᛟᚱᚱᛁ ᚨᛒᛟᚢᛏ ᚦᚨᛏ ᚠᛟᚱ ᚾᛟᚹ, ᛒᚱᛟᚦᛖᚱ. ᛁᛟᚢ ᛗᚢᛊᛏ ᛈᚱᛖᛈᚨᚱᛖ ᚠᛟᚱ ᛁᛟᚢᚱ ᚲᚢᚱᚱᛖᚾᛏ ᛈᚱᛖᛞᛁᚲᚨᛗᛖᚾᛏ." (Don't worry about that for now, brother. You must prepare for your current predicament.)
"Right, right. The trial. Don't worry. I've got everything under control." I shouldn't have said that. Famous last words and all. "I have a few other things to take care of in Asura."
Sol laughed and pushed me to my feet. It's surprising how much strength such a tiny body has. "ᚹᛖᛚᛚ, ᚷᛟᛟᛞ ᛚᚢᚲᚲ, ᛒᚱᛟᚦᛖᚱ." (Well, good luck, brother.)
"Yeah, thanks."
With those words, I faded back into my body.
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They say everything in the world can be found within Ars, the oldest of Asura's cities. And once you've seen it for yourself, you may find it difficult to argue.
Such was the quote I remembered from "Wandering the World." Who was the author again? Muddy Band? Ah, yes. Bloody Kant.
The city of Ars spread out before me as I sat in the carriage. Even though we were still a few miles away, the castle at its center gleamed like silver in the evening sun. I wouldn't be surprised if it was actually made from silver. Walls many times grander than Roa's encircled this central structure. I couldn't imagine any Phantasmal Beast getting past them.
"So, what are your first impressions?" Philip asked from across me.
During this trip, we kept things minimal. There were only four stagecoaches. Philip and I sat in one while Eris and Ghislaine were in another. The last two contained Thomas-the butler and our luggage. Philip's wife didn't want to come because of unknown reasons. But it seemed like family matters, so I didn't pry.
"I don't know what to say. I've never seen such a city in person before. It makes Buena Village seem like a grain of dust!"
"Just wait until you see the inside, but that won't happen until tomorrow." Philip looked over at the carriage Ghislaine was in. "Do you think it's about time we set up camp?"
"Looks about right." Ghislaine quickly glanced at the sun, nodding as she did. "Monsters will show up if we don't hurry."
Philip told the drivers he hired to stop the stagecoaches. They swiftly tied the horses to nearby trees and began preparing the essentials we needed for the night. I took that chance to build some basic houses with earth magic. Ghislaine whistled while leaning on a tree.
"Tell me, how does a kid your age become a Saint-Class Mage at age five?"
"Hehe... Luck?" I chuckled nervously.
"Hmm." She didn't believe me but didn't push further. "Are you going ahead with your plan?"
"Yes." I nodded in confirmation. "It wouldn't do to have me appear in politics so early. So I'll fake my death using the assassins Darius sent today."
"How do you know they'll arrive tonight?"
"A...distant family member told me." Thank you so much, Sol.
"Huh, guess you have more connections than I thought." Ghislaine rubbed her chin. "Well, stay safe. I don't wanna explain to Paul why his kid died."
"Yeah, I got it." My cloak unwrapped around my body. Magic circles lit up before vanishing, and my makeshift wings became invisible. "I think I'll be able to take them all out, but if not, I'll trust you to deal with them."
"Heh. You act a bit too mature, you know that?"
"Ahahaha! My family's told me hundreds of times already. The troubles of being a genius." Orbs of condensed wind gathered under my wings. "Well, better get going. Tell the others I'll see them later." I took off without any sound.
The early night was oddly peaceful.
...
The moon was already high in the sky, and my brothers and sisters winked at me from their places in the heavens.
I perched on the tallest tree I could find and used my Celestial Eyes to scout the entire forest. Assassins killed in the shadows, so the forest was their best choice, with so much flora acting as covers. But nothing could hide from me.
'There.' I noticed a faint light in the distance. As I got closer, I saw sixty people hunched around a small fire in a small cave. 'Not a terrible hiding place. I wouldn't have noticed it without flying.'
Most wore light clothing and had daggers attached to their waists, but a few held swords and staves. All in all, it looked like a decently sized army. But this made things troublesome. I didn't know there would be so many. Could I even take them all?
"Damn it. Talk about overestimating." I quietly complained at the cave's entrance.
I made a mistake. I realized as a dagger whizzed past my face. Those people were pros. To think they even heard my musings!
"Who's there?" A muscular man held his sword towards the entrance. They didn't know where I was just yet. They only knew I was there.
Oh, well. Better give a good show. I strolled out from my hiding place without a care in the world. A few beads of sweat rolled down my forehead in nervousness, but I used water magic to dry them. "Rudeus Greyrat, the one you were all hired to kill at your service."
"I see." The muscular man sighed. "Why'd that fatass hire so many people to kill a ki-"
Proper assassins would know to not underestimate their opponents. But this man's pride led him to think I was weak. That was his mistake.
"Chains of Heaven..."
In an instant, iron stakes popped out from the ground. The muscular man avoided it, probably thanks to sheer instinct, but many weren't as lucky. Blood splattered on the dimly lit walls of the cave.
I wanted to puke.
With one attack, I whittled their numbers down to twenty-something. The bodies of the deceased were held aloft by spears as if they were trophies of war.
Spears were considered weapons of evil in this world, thanks to the feared Superds using them as their primary weapons.
I quickly scanned the cave. The majority of the assassins have been killed. All the sword-wielders except the muscular man were dead. Most of the mages were scot-free as they were further in the cave. I should be able to take them.
"Let the vast and blessed flame converge at thy command." The mages wouldn't just sit around undefended. They began chanting fire spells of various levels. Fire magic was the most destructive, so it made sense it was valuable in combat.
The muscular man and the remaining assassins all rushed me at once. They finally realized the danger I posed, it seemed. A few daggers zipped out from the shadows.
I took out the sword Paul gave me on my fifth birthday. I changed it into a small dagger a few days after and always kept it on my person.
In any other case, I would stand no chance against professionals. But my Celestial Eyes and Time Alter made things possible.
"Triple Accel."
I deflected the daggers the assassins threw at me. As their speed had dramatically slowed, I could see an odd shine on the daggers' surface caused by liquid.
'Poison!' I can't let even one of those blades hit me. I can draw Saint-Rank healing and detoxification circles from memory, but it doesn't mean it won't take time.
I almost didn't see the sword coming to slice me in two.
"Woah!" Sparks flew as the blade's edge grazed the fabric of my cloak.
The muscular man's eyes widened, realizing my cloak wasn't ordinary. Taking advantage of the man's stunned state, I tried disarming him. Unfortunately, even with Reinforcment, his grip strength was better than mine. Fortunately, I managed to push him back to the end of the cave where the mages were. I have a few seconds to breathe while he gets back.
I'll need to use this time wisely. The assassins take priority.
Arrows formed around me, with Rune Chains glowing on their shaft. They were homing projectiles designed to track living things. I fired them toward the shadows where the assassins were hiding. They were the most dangerous. I needed to kill them before they killed me.
The arrows' trajectories twisted and bent in mid-air. They were almost impossible to predict. The assassins clinging to the walls dropped to the ground for better maneuverability.
"Fireball!"
The assassins knelt down as a few dozen fireballs came rushing at me. I warded them off without trouble. I didn't get why the mages wasted time on such an elementary spell...
I sensed heat below and above me, ready to explode. I get it. The mages chanted the beginner-level spell loudly, so I couldn't pick up their other tricks. It would have worked. In my experience, their chanting would be complete in five seconds-A time too short to put up any solid defenses. But I wasn't a helpless mage.
"Blizzard."
The air the mages were so desperately trying to heat up cooled to below-zero temperatures. Even if they finished chanting, it would be for naught as the sheer cold would snuff out all flames.
"Icicle Field." I summoned cold air already, so why not use it. Spears of ice impaled everyone in the cave. The blood spilled tainted the once-blue ice into a deep shade of crimson.
From my mouth came a small puff of steam. I scanned the area and sighed in relief when I found no enemies.
"Now, to alter a body..."
My gaze settled on the corpse of a young boy. He looked a few years older than me and wore leather rags. I felt a bit bad for cutting such a young life short, but he was the one who tried to kill me. I took out a large, white bedsheet I stored in my dimensional pocket pouch and changed it into a cloak with frayed edges. I stripped the boy's clothes and replaced them with the bedsheet cloak. Then I used my disguise spell and made his face identical to mine. As a finishing touch, I grabbed the sword of the muscular man and stabbed it through his chest.
"There. Now that noble will think I died." I nodded in satisfaction. I did feel guilty for mutilating a corpse, but a dummy made of sticks and leaves would be too easily found out.
I stepped out of the cave and brushed my cloak free of wrinkles. "Now, time to head for the capital."
...
A day later, Darius would be informed of the death of all his assassins and Rudeus Greyrat.
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...
The courtroom was quite spacious. The faint smell of aging yellowing paper and wood slowly wafted throughout the room. It was pleasant, in my opinion.
The room was in three sections. The middle was where the judge and all the other impactful figures necessary for the trial to play out sat. It was surrounded by a wooden railing, separating it from the two others. An intricate gate made from wood whose color was lighter than the railings was left open. The trial was about to start, so I guess everything was ready.
The other two were for the nobles who decided to attend because they had nothing better to do. Each chair looked handcrafted, with complicated designs and silken cushions. In my eyes, they were too excessive. But nobles will be nobles, I guess.
I watched from my spot as nobles started to trickle in. The first was the clerk, the bailiff, the court interpreters, and the jurors. They assumed their positions in the middle section one by one. The next to arrive were the nobles of high standing. I could tell from their expensive clothes and jewelry. They didn't want people to think they were lazy and arrived as early as possible so their reputation won't drop.
The required paperwork was being shuffled as the last of the guests rolled in. These included Phillip and Eris. Ghislaine wasn't far behind him, accompanying them as their guard.
"Ah, Phillip. It's been so long. How have you been? I've heard your daughter was almost kidnapped." The voice of a disgusting pig rang through the room. I resisted the urge to shove my dagger through his throat.
"Yes. It's...a pleasure to see you again, Lord Darius." Phillip's voice sounded tense. He knew this was the person who planned the kidnapping in the first place. I was the one who told him. There was a glint in his eyes that chilled my bones. Another reminder to never get on his "enemies" list. "All is well in Roa."
"Ah. That's good. Very good." The greed-filled smile on his face was absolutely repulsive.
"If you excuse us. We must be going."
"Yes, yes. Of course. Go right ahead, don't let me keep you."
Phillip and Eris quickly walked to the center section with Ghislaine in tow.
Now, where is little olf me, you wonder? I'm floating in the center of the courtroom.
Remember the shortsword Paul gave me? It's been one of my long-lasting projects to make it into a Mystic Code worthy of being called "Supreme." It's the first gift from my father, so nothing could replace it. I worked on it for two years, adding and removing parts and trinkets. It would have taken less time if I'd worked on it constantly, but Sylphie and my family made that impossible. Not that I wanted to.
Anyway, I finished it a few weeks ago. I looked at the shortsword in my hand. It had almost no resemblance to the blade Paul gave me those years ago. Only the steel had remained the same, and even that had been so carefully infused with Mana. The edge was white, while the fuller was pale gold. They complimented my cloak's coloring nicely. The hilt that the sword had originally was long since discarded. I crafted the new one from the condensed branch of an Elder Treant. I chose the simplistic design of a holy cross. Sometimes less is more, after all. There was a pale green and blue gem on the pommel. A magic circle spun lazily within.
Now, as for why this sword was relevant to keeping me hidden. Countless Runes and magic circles were carved on both the blade and hilt. When I passed Mana through them, they formed a Bounded Field whose purpose and size depended on me, the caster. The magic circles had been engraved in a pattern, turning the shortsword into a giant steel Prince Rupert Drop. The sword was incredibly resilient to magic and physical attacks, but if I passed Od through the magic circle carved on the pommel, the blade would shatter instantly. The same would happen if the gem was destroyed. The sword was essentially a magical grenade that would shoot steel needles. It would be handy during emergencies when I needed to escape a tight situation. This sword's pommel was its Achillis's Heel, so to speak. Luckily, a magic circle made regenerating the sword possible.
Right now, the sword produced a Bounded Field to make me invisible. Ghislaine still knew where I was thanks to her Demon Eye, but the others had no inking clue.
When I finished admiring my masterpiece of a sword, I looked back at the stands. Good. It seems everyone's seated. I heard the footsteps of the Lead Judge dragging across the floor. They weren't full of authority, nor were they intimidating. It sounded like the judge had no wish to be here at all.
The Lead Judge took his seat. He shuffled through the papers presented before him. He coughed.
"Will the defendant, Thomas, take the stand?"
The motion of the butler seemed slow in my eyes. I guess the suspense added to the tense atmosphere, making it seem slower than it actually is.
He passed many dark wood walls framed by marble pillars. If this wasn't a courtroom, I'd say the various paintings and mosaics hung on the wall were artistic.
Thomas had traces of sweat on his forehead. He was on trial with his life on the line. Who wouldn't be nervous? Luckily for him, I had no wish for his life, so he'll live to see another day.
"How will you plead to the nobles of Asura?"
"I plead guilty." The answer was short and straight. The judge widened his eyes. I'm sure he's been through many trials, with all the defendants lying and twisting the truth. This could be a first, even for the old judge. "But I beg that you hear my testimony. It will bring to light many truths."
"Go on then." The Lead Judge gave his consent.
"Prime Minister Darius hired me to commit such an act." Many of the nobles gasped fakely. I could tell they weren't actually surprised. Whoever taught these failures to act should have his teaching license revoked. "He had eyes on Young Lady Eris ever since she visited Asura with her parents many years ago. He offered me one hundred gold coins to deliver the Young Lady to him. Initially, I refused, but Prime Minister Darius threatened me using his position. I had no choice but to act."
'Oh?' Well, he never told me about that. Was it a lie fabricated on the spot? I didn't plan for that, but it's all the better for me.
"The kidnapping went as it should until the Young Lady escaped. The mercenaries I hired were subdued by a god, and that same god saved the Young Lady and brought her home."
Instantly, the courtroom burst into a discussion.
The room erupted into bickering. Mostly denying the butler's words. They were absolutely absurd, after all.
"What did he say?"
"He must be mad."
"How could Phillip have-"
"Order in the court!" The judge banged his hammer. The room was instantly silent.
"What do you mean by a 'god?' Do you speak of the Seven Great Powers?"
"I am not sure, your honor." Thomas bowed apologetically. "But if you allow me to bring the two mercenaries I hired as witnesses, I'm sure they can provide an acceptable explanation."
"I'll allow it."
The two kidnappers slowly walked to the stand. Unlike the nobles', they were made to stand with their hands chained with iron and feet trailed by a steel ball. The nobles scrunched their noses as they looked at the peasants in disdain.
"Please give your statements."
The two kidnappers had frightened looks on their faces. They were in a room filled with the highest-ranking nobility of Asura. Even a single mistake could cost them their life. The braver one spoke first. They couldn't keep the nobles waiting.
"We were hired by Thomas to kidnap the girl and to bring her to the edge of Ars, where we'd pass her along to some shady men waiting for us. But on our way there, a god rescued the girl and brought her back to Roa."
"Who is this 'god' you speak of." The Lead Judge asked. "Is it one of the Seven Great Powers?"
"N-no." The violent kidnapper's voice shook. Was it the intimidation of the head judge? Or maybe I traumatized them just a bit too much. "He took the form of a child with blonde hair and golden eyes. When we tried to kill him, he bound our legs with chains and cursed us with weakness. After I recovered enough and threw my sword at him, he froze time as effortlessly as if it were breathing."
"You are certain it wasn't one of the Seven Great Powers?" The judge asked again.
"Y-yes. I'm sure. The boy didn't match the description of any."
"How do we know he isn't making all of this up?" A noble shouted from the stands. "He could be lying to hide a major detail."
That was my cue to act.
"Exactly. For all we know, those scum could have-"
Time stilled as the world lost all color.
The noble speaking was frozen with his mouth open, eyes without the shine all living things should have. The color drained from reality, and patches of white mosaic smoke intertwined between the bodies of the living statues.
It was a scene straight out of an impossible light novel. Or perhaps it was the immature wishes of a family who broke one too many natural rules. Who knows? I can't say.
I only froze the lower nobility, leaving those of higher rank to witness this. The higher the position, the more influence the noble held.
Those left unharmed looked around the courtroom in astonishment. The kidnappers had already collapsed onto the ground. They were shivering as if a cold wind was mercilessly beating against their bodies.
"What is this madness?!" The Lead Judge roared.
"It's happening!" The kidnappers were shriveled up. That wasn't an act. They were genuinely terrified of my Reality Marble.
"Oh, well. Time to put up a good show." I pulled my hood over my head. First impressions are everything.
I sheathed my dagger, letting the Bounded Field break.
Instantly, everyone turned their gazes to me. They unconsciously sensed the pulses of Mana I radiated.
"I-it's him." The violent kidnapper's voice was unstable. He was like a scared kitten facing a starved lion. "W-why did he come now?!"
I ignored him, sensing pulses of Mana coming from all around the room. It seems the mages finally decided to act. Granted, the spells they were preparing to fire off were so weak even my cloak could stop them. It would take them a few more seconds to finish chanting, so I focused on the multiple knights rushing toward me.
I closed my eyes, pretending to seem bored. In reality, I was sweating bullets. After fifty-or-so years of using the mystic arts, I could sense the magical energy of living beings quite well, so I had a general idea of their positions, but taking away one of my five senses wasn't my preferred way of battle.
One of the knights leaped with his sword drawn. One of the mages cast a wind spell to boost his jump height.
My eyes opened.
His silver armor lost its shine instantly, and he froze like a statue. He floated in the air, unable to move so much as a muscle.
The rest of the knights froze, seeing what I did to the first brave soldier. Some still retained their will to fight, regardless. That didn't matter, as I only needed a few seconds.
I lifted a hand. It was covered by the silken fabrics my sleeves were made of, making it have more surface area than in reality. I waved it toward the mages, who were almost finished chanting. The fabrics fluttered like down feathers in a hurricane.
White smoke flowed from the frozen nobility to the lined-up casters. It reached them as they turned shades of grey, adding a small amount of movement to the dull scene. The spells fired from their staves hung lazily in the air, the fireballs akin to small stars in the sky.
I waved my hand again, and fog surrounded the remaining, still-moving knights. They didn't even have a chance to scream. The touch of time was invisible and intangible. No one could escape it. As the haze cleared away, knights in shining armor were reduced to sculptures with armors of stone.
A storm of tense silence hung over the courtroom, with me being in the eye. Akin to a hundred mountains weighing over a group of ants.
Finally, someone either brave or stupid enough spoke. "H-he incapacitated all the palace guards!"
My piercing gaze was on him in an instant. I didn't speak, as that would ruin the atmosphere, but my glare was more than enough to show intentions. Do you want to end up like them?
"A-ah!" The noble's knees instantly caved.
I allowed myself a bit of surprise. Did my Celestial eyes work that well? Lightly chastising myself, I reminded myself to stay on track. I needed to get my point across.
I pretended to search the room. My eyes locked on a noble with fat for brains. I slowly raised a hand, my finger pointing directly at the noble. This time, the finger was exposed. I said but a single word.
"Guilty."
That same noble was sweating like crazy. The sweat on the noble's forehead rivaled the rain in the Amazon rainforest.
I silently pulled the dagger from its sheath, carving Runes as it grew into a sword. The onlookers were silent as my Reality Marble shattered, and I disappeared into thin air.
The frozen nobles had no idea what happened, but those of higher standing panicked.
"W-what do we do?!"
"A-a god...!"
"We're all gonna die!"
The judge banged his hammer with a shaky hand. "W-we will discuss this at a later date."
"But your honor-"
"Enough!" The judge roared. "We will postpone this matter."
"Agreed." Phillip let out a held breath. I warned them I'd be using a trick, but they couldn't have expected I froze time.
"Prime Minister Darius is not the one on trial. We shall forget about this matter for the time being." The judge looked Thomas in the eye. "The sentence shall be death by hanging."
"I object." Phillip stood up.
"The man kidnapped a noble. Even if he was paid, he must be punished."
"Do you not want justice for your daughter's suffering?"
As the court erupted in endless squabbles, I nearly snickered. I was much older than them, being in my early fifties. With all the political fights I won in the Clocktower, this mess looked like brats having a food fight.
"Enough!" Phillip shouted. His voice boomed through the courtroom. I covered my ears. It seems Eris wasn't the only one who inherited Saruos's voice. "If my servant lied, I would have agreed to death. Yet he honestly told the truth. If a criminal will die no matter what they do, they will lie to try and gain a sliver of hope. I shall reward honesty with mercy. I propose my butler be banished from Asura."
"Why did you not hold this trial in your city?" A noble asked.
"Because my servant shared that Darius was the one who orchestrated the plan. The statement of the god we just saw cemented that fact. I want all of you to think long and hard when you tuck your precious children in bed at night."
"That is of no relevance, Mayor Phillip. I have said the matter regarding Prime Minister Darius will be settled later."
This was interesting. Was the fatass also blackmailing the judge?
"Apologies, your honor." Philip didn't sound sorry at all. Instead, his eyes held a sly glint.
"Are there any objections?" The judge saw that no one spoke. "Then the voting shall begin. The room is adjourned until the vote is cast."
I nodded. Everything has concluded as I wanted.
Taking one last look at the room, I teleported away.
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There will be two parts to this arc.
I considered calling this "Trial (Part One)," but where's the fun in that? It sounds so boring. I think the current chapter title sounds much cooler.
Anyways, Please like, share, follow, and comment.
As always, good luck with your game of life.