-Paul Marshal, we hear that you wish to leave this realm along with all these women.
Is this true?
The emperor asked immediately after Paul and his ladies greeted him.
The throne room was, as always, full of nobility, but this time there were more guards stationed inside, which was not surprising considering the cultivation levels of the summoned people.
-Yes, your majesty.
Paul answered calmly.
Not understanding the monarch's intentions.
-The Fei family brought to our attention that three of these women are criminal slaves responsible for the death of their eldest son, and were sentenced to slavery for the remainder of their lives.
Ascending to the upper realm would void this sentence.
To avoid that, we order you to relinquish your ownership of these three women to the Fei family.
The emperor stated, as if it were a done deal.
-With respect, your majesty, I will not relinquish the ownership of my slaves to anyone, especially to the people who put them into the chains, just because their son was a rapist, who was finally stopped.
Paul said calmly.
-You dare to go against an imperial order?
A middle-aged-looking man standing closer to the throne shouted in rage, while everyone else was too stunned to comprehend what just happened.
-Yes, I dare, since this order is issued in error, and I also dare to demand justice for the three unjustly sentenced women.
Paul answered, as calmly as before.
Once again, a gasp of disbelief sounded through the throne room.
-Young man, since you doubt the judgment of my imperial judge and demand justice, then present your proof, or face the consequences.
The emperor thundered from the throne.
He was more than pissed at Paul's audacity, but had to give him a chance to present any proof he had, as that was the custom.
-As you wish, your majesty.
Paul answered and invoked the contract on Rina, who was the accused party.
-Rina, tell everyone here what happened the day Young master Fei died, without lying.
He ordered.
Everyone was surprised once again, as it was not often that the slave order was used in the throne room, and most of them forgot about it.
Rina described the whole situation in a monotone voice, as the slavery contract forced her to do so.
The emperor heard her account of the incident and was once again shocked, as that was not the story he was told by the imperial judge and the Fei family.
Once Rina finished, Paul invoked the contract on Ran, who was the victim, and she recounted everything as it happened, under the order.
-As your majesty just heard, this was not a murder but a case of a mother defending her child from being raped.
I also have three independent opinions of judges, stating that in such a case, the mother shouldn't have been convicted in the first place.
Paul said that taking out three documents signed and stamped by three judges who heard the whole story and independently agreed that Rina was innocent.
The documents were passed to the emperor by a guard who took them from Paul.
Everyone present was surprised at how well Paul was prepared to defend Rina.
Especially since they all knew that he had no clue why he was summoned.
What they didn't know was that Paul prepared for this a long time ago, since Su warned him that the Fei family might try something to stop Rina, Rin, and Ran from ascending to the beginning realm.
-Well, lord Fei, what do you have to say about this evidence?
The emperor asked, with fury in his voice, as he was made to look like a fool by the lord.
Said Lord was now trembling in fear as everything he did to avenge his son was now exposed, and these were not minor matters.
Lying to the monarch, bribing the imperial judge, fabricating evidence.
Any of these three charges was enough to be sentenced to death, and the imperial judge who was not there at the moment was also in trouble, since taking bribes while being a judge was an immediate execution sentence.
-Your majesty, it seems I was also lied to, as the story I heard and acted upon was different from what these women's story was.
Lord Fei said, while sweating profusely.
He knew that he was screwed and only hoped to get out of it alive by playing a grieving father who had been lied to by others.
-Is that so?
Paul asked in a cold voice.
-Your majesty, with your approval, I'd like to ask the guards' captain to cast a slavery spell on Lord Fei to uncover the whole truth about this matter.
If Lord Fei was indeed lied to, he should not have any problem with that.
He added.
-Very well.
The emperor agreed, as he wanted to get to the bottom of this.
-Lord Fei, you will agree to the slavery spell, and if you don't, we will assume that you are guilty immediately.
The monarch ordered.
A moment later, the guard's captain cast the spell and ordered Lord Fei to tell the truth, which he did.
The lord admitted to everything and even uncovered a pattern of covering for his son by silencing his victims for years.
Additionally, he admitted to all his illegal activities, taking some other nobles who were involved in criminal activities down with him.
Hearing all this, the emperor was truly furious at that moment and immediately sentenced the whole Fei family to death.
-Ladies, we owe you an apology for all the unjust suffering you have endured.
The emperor said as soon as Lord Fei was taken away by the guards.
-From this moment on, you are free of any accusation, and your status as criminal slaves is revoked.
The emperor declared and personally removed their restrictions.
-Thank you for giving us justice, your majesty.
Rina and her daughters said bowing to the emperor, with tears in their eyes.
They already lost all hope of ever getting justice and were hoping to leave this realm for good, to have their freedom back.
After that, they were compensated by a thousand crystal coins each from the empire for wrongful sentencing, and Paul was also compensated for freeing three slaves, as he had to remove the slavery contract from the three of them once they were acquitted.
Lastly, they received thanks from the emperor for upholding justice, even though the emperor was not exactly happy with Paul undermining his authority.