By Zephyria No matter how high-ranking the people were, they didn’t seem to be able to touch the witnesses who had participated in the subjugation. The witnesses who attended in droves recalled Leonardo in the Peninsula and delivered the facts they remembered clearly for his release.
Kenneth was also on the witness list. Just before his turn came, he hurriedly opened the hall door with Flynn and entered. He had some busy work to do, so he barely made it on time and went up to the platform. He sat in the witness seat in civilian clothes, took an oath, and answered the lawyer’s questions.
“The witness stated that he was arresting illegal entrants in the Peninsula, fell to the bottom of the valley, and was evacuated from the collapse site with the help of the person being judged in the process. Can you explain the situation in more detail?”
“Yes, yes. I was carrying the illegal entrant on my back and flying down the cliff….”
The guy, who clearly had no consciousness and wouldn’t remember anything, cleverly pieced together the events before and after the incident to describe the situation even more dramatically. Leonardo listened to the testimony with a blank expression, but suddenly remembered Kenneth’s boast that he was good at lying.
The guy who is stiff and only looks ahead is so shameless at times like this.
Perhaps because he knew Kenneth’s simple nature, Leonardo felt grateful to him and also felt strange emotions.
“So, the witness also could have been in great danger if the person being judged had not been there.”
“Maybe… I wouldn’t have been able to come out here? Because I was in a situation where it was difficult to take care of my own body due to injuries.”
“Then, in the witness’s opinion, is the person being judged someone who could harm others or the community?”
“Yes, yes? Absolutely not! If Blaine… no, if Mr. Blaine was that kind of person, how could I have survived, and how could the subjugation have succeeded?”
“So you see the results of this Peninsula subjugation as a success.”
“Of course. We annihilated 98% of the demon beasts living in the Peninsula, and the core that produced them was also destroyed without leaving a trace. All the members belonging to the subjugation force will feel the same way. The Peninsula subjugation is a victory and a success. Thanks to Mr. Blaine.”
Kenneth, who was consciously not looking at Leonardo, turned to him with desperate eyes as he finished his last words. Leonardo deliberately maintained a nonchalant expression. The lawyer judged that this was enough and ended the witness examination with a thank you.
However, in the subsequent discussion among the voters, statements unfavorable to Leonardo began to come out as if they had been waiting for it.
“Are you aware that the person being judged fired a fireball in the frost territory and damaged the barrier in the Gate’s sky? It was fortunate that the Legion Commander stopped it, but if it had flown towards the Gate as it was, ordinary citizens would not have ended up with just injuries.”
“I heard that he caused a disturbance in the ward a while ago during an examination. Not to mention the damage to property, medical staff could have been injured if something had gone wrong.”
Shorendo frowned. The commander had told them to keep it quiet, but it seemed like it had leaked out somewhere again.
“The Attack Magic cast by the person being judged in the north plaza had enough destructive power to devastate an area of at least 3km in radius even within Magic Power Control Zone 2. Can you still say that this person is not someone who could harm the community? Furthermore, our 4th Battalion Commander even fractured his arm trying to suppress the situation.”
“Council member―. That’s not because of Blaine, but because I bumped into it myself, how many times have I told you? I’m perfectly fine now? Look, there’s no problem―.”
“Be quiet. Frederick.”
As Andreas showed his arm along with an indirect excuse, the council member blocked his unhelpful remarks in advance.
“There are too many concerns to release him as is. I believe that this is an issue that should be decided after taking more time.”
Andreas, who had been deprived of the opportunity to speak, opened his mouth and laughed bitterly. Soon, he ruffled the back of his head and jumped up from his seat.
“Come on, council members! I was the one who confronted Blaine in the plaza. Please listen to me! If he hadn’t considered the safety of the public, he would have taken citizens hostage, grabbed me and the commander by the ankles, and escaped leisurely, right? But he saved a child in danger, didn’t he? He prioritized the child’s safety over his own situation!”
Silence flowed for a moment at his voice, which seemed to have burst out after holding back for a long time. A few seconds later, Loren, who was looking down from the 2nd floor railing, cast Amplification Magic on herself to strengthen Andreas’s statement.
“Battalion Commander Frederick is right. Even though that chaos broke out, there were 0 deaths, and the number of injuries was extremely small compared to the scale of the incident. Furthermore, isn’t it true that not a single person was directly injured by the person being judged’s magic? I believe that the Council’s failure to control the citizens in advance is a bigger mistake in the situation at the time.”
Not only Andreas, but even the battalion commanders and council members looked up at her with surprised eyes. This was almost the first time that Loren, who was faithful to the orders of the higher-ups, openly defended Leonardo.
But whether that was the starting point, several council members who had been silent then raised their voices.
“I agree. Let’s stop the wasteful arguments. Numerous witnesses have already mentioned the righteousness and sacrificial spirit of the person being judged.”
“Even if there is a history of military law violations that resulted in a guilty verdict in the past, that negative image should not affect the issue.”
“I also agree. No matter how much we nitpick like this, it will only lower the quality of the discussion, and we will not reach a conclusion. It is unacceptable for our council members, who must strive for a fair judgment in this sacred courtroom, to indiscriminately condemn Mages who are subject to protection as high-risk groups.”
“Condemn? You’re going too far!”
The council member who had been criticizing Leonardo until just now shouted angrily. Andreas, who had been standing up, sensed signs of division among the council members and poured oil on the fire.
“Isn’t it condemnation? The members who participated directly in the subjugation testified with their names and affiliations, and if you ignore even that and drive the person being judged as a criminal, what is it if not condemnation?”
The battalion commanders turned to Andreas with faces that said, ‘Has that guy finally gone crazy?’ A council member with a similar expression raised his right hand and requested the judge.
“Esteemed Judge, Battalion Commander Frederick is undermining the essence of the deliberation discussion by criticizing those with different opinions. I request that the participant be removed.”
“Yes? Council member, no―!”
Andreas looked back at the judge’s seat with a flustered expression. At that moment, the judge sitting in the presiding judge’s seat picked up the gavel and declared.
“I order the removal of voter Andreas Frederick.”
“Judge!”
In the meantime, the court officers in the hall approached and grabbed both of Andreas’s arms. As they tried to take him out by force, Andreas looked around and appealed to his injustice.
“Hey, no wait, let go―. Council member, how can this happen!”
Maria and Dellua, who were watching, were so dumbfounded by this situation that they suddenly got up from their seats and shouted at the judge’s seat.
“Judge, isn’t this too one-sided? This is the Council before it is a courtroom. Everyone has the freedom to express their opinions, and before that, they have a duty to be fair in the deliberation!”
“Do not get up from your seats during the discussion. We will consider it an act of obstructing the proceedings and take immediate removal measures.”
“Judge, no, council members! Battalion Commander Frederick did not say anything wrong. Leonardo Blaine, whom I saw, is a righteous person who protects his comrades and the weak, and he led the subjugation to victory even risking his life for the Empire and its people. Anyone who has spent time with him will agree that he is a person who is too good and unfairly treated to be left as a criminal!”
The audience stirred at Dellua’s appeal. She looked back at the council members behind her and asked again.
“Do you think we don’t know that you’re doing this because you want to assign Blaine to the Council? If so, the right order is not to oppress him by driving him as a criminal, but to release him from this position, praise his achievements, and formally make a scouting offer―.”
“I order the removal of voter Dellua Rivera.”
“…Judge―!!”
With Dellua’s piercing scream as the end, the courtroom became a mess. The murmuring soon turned into sharp shouts, and the audience was thrown into confusion by the first-ever confrontation in the Council.
4th Battalion Commander Andreas was dragged out, resisting by covering the door behind the chairman with wooden vines. 6th Battalion Commander Dellua also held onto his arm, calming Andreas by saying that they shouldn’t use magic on people.
As their battalion commanders fiercely resisted, the members sitting in the audience seats also became flustered and clashed with the court officers with force. In the chaotic situation, the presiding judge shouted.
“Activate the Magic Power disruptor!”
Loren struck the disruptor with a dagger, rendering it uncontrollable. Shorendo touched the lights in the hall at a good timing. The councilors threatened the battalion commanders, saying they wouldn’t escape disciplinary action.
Only Meterion, with his arms crossed, quietly sat in his seat and checked his watch.
“Silence, silence―!”
Leonardo, sitting in the center of the courtroom, wondered if this was reality or a dream. He had felt something similar once before. A buzzing in his ears, a feeling of separation between space and himself.
He never thought he would fall into such a sensation again, but the situation was slightly different from then.
Back then, the entities shouting for him were his comrades, but now… the guys who were causing a ruckus for him were a little ambiguous to call comrades.
The judge’s voice and the dull sound of the gavel echoed through the hall. But the voices of the rampaging audience were louder. Leaving aside the fact that an organization was divided in two because of him, Leonardo realized the futility as he watched the object of public criticism change from moment to moment.
Even without Flynn shouting from under the platform to reassure him that he knew he was confused, his head in the midst of the chaos was incredibly cold and calm.
‘With the situation like this, why isn’t Agrizendro here….’
Nevertheless, the phantom of Hugo, who had not yet shown himself, flickered before his eyes.
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t resentful. You clearly said we’d meet inside, so where on earth are you and what are you doing?
“Silence! The voting and tallying are complete. Before the jury announces its verdict, anyone who uses force or raises their voice without the right to speak will be severely punished immediately!”
At the words ‘verdict’ announcement, the noisy hall instantly fell silent. After Andreas and Dellua were removed, the judge, believing that further discussion was impossible, declared the end of the debate and hastily proceeded with the vote.
Now, the trial was about to reach its climax, the final verdict, after the verdicts of each Council group were announced.
However, Leonardo found himself not expecting anything at all. What was this feeling? Right, resignation. Just like that day.
Even if a positive public opinion had been created, hadn’t three people who would have cast a vote in favor of his release already left?
“Judge, Legion Commander Agrizendro has not yet returned! I don’t think we can exclude the voting rights of the Legion Commander who watched the person under deliberation most closely in this trial!”
Shorendo, who barely avoided being kicked out, shouted towards the judge’s seat. The judge slowly shook his head.
“The trial was conducted fairly so that anyone with voting rights could cast a vote for or against, as long as it did not interfere with the proceedings. However, if there is someone who did not return in time to vote, that is solely their responsibility.”
It was certainly true. But they could never be called fair either, so why should we have to be fair? Leonardo clenched his fist.
The sound of chains clattering was heard, and around that time, Leonardo discovered his hands were trembling.
“Then proceed with the announcement.”
The judge passed the right to speak, and the citizen representative standing in front of the jury received the Amplifier from the court officer.
“Case number 999-RT-0024. We will announce the jury’s verdict regarding the charges and release of the person under deliberation, Leonardo Blaine.”
The silence before the announcement was a completely different atmosphere from before. Leonardo found the pounding of his heart in the silence very unpleasant. The strange ache below his chest, which was gradually moving away from peace, was so annoying that he wanted to tear his heart out at this moment.
Unconsciously, he tried to bring his hand to his left chest, but his wrist, bound by chains, stopped abruptly in mid-air.
Leonardo took a breath, pretending to be calm, and lowered his arm again.
The representative of the jury glanced at him and turned his eyes to the verdict in his hand.
“Council Group 3, jury voting results.”
The pronunciation, read clearly, was etched in his ears. Soon, the first sentence was handed down in the silence.
“11 votes in favor, 14 votes against out of 25. Final verdict, release invalidated.”
“What is this―!”
“That’s absurd!”
At the same time as the two words ‘invalidated’, the members sitting in the audience seats stirred. Along with that, Leonardo felt a pain as if thorns were piercing his heart. It was similar to the tingling pain that spread when he faced the Queen in the peninsula.
It became difficult to breathe as if his throat was gradually tightening.
“Silence! Next, Council Group 2. Announce the verdict of the senior commanders.”