The Justice sat in his seat, his mood darkened.
Recently, the absurd cases that had plagued him had all but vanished, and his superior, Neuvillette, had returned to report for duty at the Fortress of Meropide. These days were, without a doubt, the most comfortable he had experienced in ages.
With his seniority, he rarely needed to preside over ordinary Judgments. Even during work hours, he could often get away with slacking off.
He had initially anticipated enjoying a leisurely vacation, but his joy was short-lived. He was soon informed that he was required to preside over an urgent Judgment, and his mood instantly soured.
These criminals just won't let me have a break!
"They just won't give me a moment's peace."
"I was only halfway through my afternoon tea when they dragged me here. Utterly infuriating!"
"I wonder who it is this time. The crime must be serious if they're calling me in."
"Such a depraved villain... I'll be sure to throw the book at them later."
The Justice muttered viciously to himself from his seat. How dare this clueless criminal interrupt my afternoon tea? Since they've made their choice, they can't blame me for being merciless!
At that moment, the two suspects were brought in together.
When the Justice saw Furina and the Clockwork Meka beside her, he was instantly dumbfounded.
Holy shit!
The Justice's earlier desire to impose a harsh sentence had vanished completely. Now, all he felt was regret—why hadn't he called in sick today?
If I pass judgment on Furina, the moment the verdict is announced, I'll never be able to leave my house again!
The Justice then turned his gaze to the Clockwork Meka being led to the Defendant's Stand, his mind swirling with confusion.
"Maison Gardiennage officer, what's the deal with this Clockwork Meka? Is there a glitch in its programming? Why is it standing in the Defendant's Stand?"
Hearing the Justice's question, the summoned Maison Gardiennage officer gave him an odd look before explaining.
"Monsieur Justice, this one is Lady Focalors, the Hydro Archon..."
The Justice: "???"
Stunned by this revelation, the Justice's head slammed against the table with a dull thud. Under the concerned gazes of those around him, he spoke in a weak voice.
"I... I think I'm feeling a bit unwell. I'd like to call in sick..."
"What? You're not feeling well?"
"Get the Melusine Doctor here immediately. There's still time before the Judgment begins; we can make it."
Focalors naturally understood why the Justice wanted to call in sick, fully sympathizing with the immense pressure he faced.
But if she let him slip away today, she had no idea when she'd ever get to go on vacation to the Fortress of Meropide... or rather, imprisonment!
So, with a silent apology, Focalors resolved: You're presiding over this Judgment today, whether you like it or not!
Hearing Focalors' words, the Justice was momentarily stunned. Then, spotting the Melusine Doctor hurrying toward him, he straightened up in his seat.
"Ahem, thank you, Lady Focalors, but it's no longer necessary. I'm feeling much better now."
The Justice reacted with lightning speed, terrified that the Melusine Doctor would expose his feigned illness, leading to accusations of deceiving the Archon and certain imprisonment.
How terrifying!
"I'm glad you're feeling better. No need for thanks—just preside over this Judgment properly."
Focalors flashed a smile at the Justice, but the smile sent a chill down his spine.
Meanwhile, Furina chimed in from beside her.
"Don't let our presence intimidate you. Just proceed with the Judgment as you normally would."
Upon hearing Furina's words, the Justice's hands trembled slightly, the pressure intensifying instantly.
Normal? What even qualifies as normal?
"Just pronounce judgment on whatever crimes you believe we've committed! Don't hesitate!"
Focalors, sensing his hesitation, elaborated:
"Rest assured, we won't hold you accountable. In fact, we'll reward you handsomely."
"What was your name again?"
"Never mind. Tell me after the Judgment concludes, and I'll make a note of it."
The Justice's mind went completely blank. Focalors had instructed him to reveal his name only after the Judgment ended—clearly a threat to settle accounts later if the outcome displeased her!
My life is over!
"I... I understand," he stammered.
Torn between his career and possibly his very life on one side, and his duty as a Justice on the other, the Justice wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his heart pounding wildly.
This is a nightmare!
"Monsieur Justice, here are the indictments jointly submitted by the Court of Justice and the Marechaussee Phantoms. Please review them."
At that moment, a Maison Gardiennage officer placed a thick file on the Justice's desk. With trembling hands, the Justice picked up the documents.
When he saw the hundred-plus charges listed against Furina and Focalors, he actually felt a sense of relief.
So that's it. It was obvious these accusations were fabricated. Someone was trying to frame Furina and Focalors, and he had simply been caught up in the conspiracy.
No wonder Furina and Focalors had been dropping hints to him earlier. They must have been worried he'd been bribed, so they were subtly warning him.
Though he couldn't recall offending anyone of significance recently, he reasoned that no offense could possibly be more serious than crossing these two ancestral figures.
Meanwhile, the Justice noticed that this "Judgment" wasn't open to the public. Clearly, the masterminds behind it knew how absurd their accusations were—an insult to anyone's intelligence!
Conversely, this also revealed the immense power wielded by those orchestrating the plot, capable of twisting reality to their will.
Now I understand everything! he thought.
He never imagined he'd one day be embroiled in such a high-stakes conflict. He swore to devote every ounce of his being to clear the names of these two esteemed figures, even if it meant sacrificing himself.
A powerful sense of mission and responsibility surged through him, filling him with renewed vigor. He declared with resounding authority,
"Time is up. The trial begins now!"
Furina and Focalors were baffled. Just moments ago, the Justice had been meek and subservient, but now he exuded unwavering confidence, even radiating an aura of self-righteousness.
No matter. They simply needed to wait for the final verdict.
They had already agreed: whoever was found guilty of the more serious crime would go to prison, while the other would retract their earlier confession and dutifully return to work.
This was a high-stakes gamble!
The winner would enjoy a vacation, while the loser would likely work themselves to death at their desk.
Though the loser would lose everything, Furina and Focalors were both utterly convinced they would win!
"...In summary, the Court of Justice and Marechaussee Phantoms have accused Lady Furina and Lady Focalors of 132 crimes."
"These accusations are patently... false!"
"Therefore, I hereby declare Lady Furina and Lady Focalors not guilty!"
With these words, the Justice lifted his chin slightly, ready to bask in the approving gazes of Furina and Focalors.
Instead, he was seized by Maison Gardiennage officers and dragged away.
"Monsieur Justice, Lady Focalors used her Archon's Power to examine you and confirmed you are indeed ill. She has granted you leave."
The Justice: "???"
"Wait, I'm not sick! I'm not sick!"
"What you're doing is treason! Those crimes could never have been committed by Lady Furina and Lady Focalors!"
"But they confessed themselves."
"Huh?!"
The Justice shuddered violently, his eyes losing their light as he began to question his very existence.
"Maybe... maybe I really am sick. Take me away..."
The Justice was dragged off, but replacing him proved difficult. Hearing the rumors, the other Justices all suddenly called in sick.
Now Furina and Focalors were in a predicament. Without a Justice, could their trial even proceed?
"Ahem, ahem... Lady Furina, Lady Focalors, all the Justices seem to have fallen ill. Perhaps we should postpone today's Judgment until another day? Please return to Palais Mermonia to attend to state affairs in the meantime."
The Maison Gardiennage had sent their most theatrically gifted officer to negotiate with Furina and Focalors, his face carefully conveying appropriate concern.
Fontaine's law enforcement agencies weren't fools. How could they possibly take these charges seriously?
But this Judgment had been forcibly demanded by both Furina and Focalors. When the other officials heard their demands, they felt they had truly witnessed a once-in-a-lifetime event.
For today's Judgment, neither the Court of Justice nor the Marechaussee Phantoms even sent representatives, leaving everything to the Maison Gardiennage.
Even though it was the Court of Justice and the Marechaussee Phantoms who had made the arrests, they ultimately passed the buck to the Maison Gardiennage. The Maison Gardiennage commander nearly threw his hat down in resignation.
But then he thought about the money pits back home and silently took his seat.
Though he had no idea what bizarre whim had seized the two ladies, he couldn't refuse to cooperate.
And so, the private Judgment began. As for the Justice presiding over it, he had been out enjoying afternoon tea when the Maison Gardiennage secretly notified everyone to call in sick, so he didn't receive the message...
When Furina and Focalors heard the Judgment would be postponed, they refused, both protesting at the thought of having to work for several more days!
"Absolutely not! How can such a solemn affair as a Judgment be delayed?!"
So, you understand this is a serious matter too! The Maison Gardiennage officer thought to himself as he stood before the two ladies.
"But, my ladies, there are currently no Justices still on duty..."
"If there aren't any, recruit a new one! Make sure they're absolutely impartial, someone who won't be swayed by our status... Wait, I've got it!"
Furina suddenly remembered someone. When she turned her head, she noticed Focalors' eyes seemed to light up as well.
The two exchanged a glance and immediately understood each other.
"He's the one!"
"Who?"
Hearing the officer's question, Furina and Focalors smiled slightly before speaking in unison:
"Go fetch Teacher Ron immediately!"
-
"Dr. Edward, I urge you to heed my advice this time!"
"I've already done everything I can to smooth things over for you, but this is truly the limit. The Akademiya is furious about your unauthorized entry into the Restricted Zone."
"You must stop defying the Akademiya's decrees. Sumeru's remaining medicinal supplies are dwindling. While this particular medicine isn't rare, gathering it in the wild takes time, and cultivating more requires even longer. We're already facing shortages in the short term."
"The batch of medicine you stored at the Bimarstan has been ordered by the Akademiya to be withheld from all users, not just those in the Restricted Zone."
"In a while, the Akademiya will send a representative to purchase them from you, with a price fluctuation of up to twenty percent."
Upon hearing these words from Rukh Shah, the Parchamdar of the Corps of Thirty, Dr. Edward chuckled derisively.
"Heh, those medicinal materials were collected by a friend at my request. I should be free to dispose of them as I see fit. The Akademiya's Sages should focus on their own research and stop meddling in matters beyond their purview."
"Tell those bigwigs that I won't sell them these herbs. I'll decide what to do with them."
Hearing Dr. Edward's mockery, Rukh Shah sighed helplessly.
"Dr. Edward, I know you're angry, but please don't act impulsively."
"The Akademiya's current supply of medicine is barely enough to cover their daily needs. The Sages even held a special meeting to discuss this crisis. This shows their patience has reached its limit."
"So this is the result of their deliberations?"
"Don't forget, when everyone was helpless against the epidemic, I developed the formula to alleviate it. Otherwise, Sumeru would have been doomed!"
"Are the Sages of the Akademiya getting too old? Their memories must be failing."
Hearing this, Rukh Shah quickly interjected, "The Sages specifically considered your contributions to Sumeru, which is why they didn't order us to simply seize the medicinal herbs while you were away. Instead, they notified you in advance."
"Bandits robbing me and giving me a heads-up? I should thank them, really!" Dr. Edward retorted sarcastically.
"Mr. Rukh Shah, you needn't waste your breath trying to persuade me. I won't budge on this matter."
"The Akademiya may have many patients, but they certainly don't need this many medicinal herbs daily."
"Those who are sick should report to the Quarantine Zone themselves. If they want herbs from me, they can forget about it!"
"They should be grateful they didn't try to raid the Bimarstan for my supplies. I rigged the place before I left—if any outsiders trigger the mechanism, Pyro will incinerate all the medicinal herbs."
"If they want to take it by force, then nobody gets anything!"
Hearing Dr. Edward's words, Rukh Shah sighed again.
"Dr. Edward, I know you wouldn't actually do that."
"Just tell them that! Let them try to prove me wrong!"
"Let's go."
With that, Dr. Edward showed no further interest in speaking with Rukh Shah. He simply strode past him, heading forward.
The street had been teeming with members of the Corps of Thirty, but as Dr. Edward approached, not a single one dared to block his path. They parted like the Red Sea, clearing a path for him to leave.
Lumine and Paimon froze momentarily, then hurried to follow.
The pair hadn't expected Dr. Edward to face such a large group of Corps of Thirty members without flinching. Their impression of him began to change.
But just then, Lumine and Paimon suddenly noticed that the surrounding streets had inexplicably filled with onlookers.
It was normal for crowds to gather in such situations, but these onlookers were fixated on every move of the Corps of Thirty. Only after seeing Dr. Edward emerge from their ranks did they lower their heads and resume walking.
Lumine and Paimon quickly understood why. Dr. Edward had developed a formula to alleviate the symptoms of the illness, and perhaps he might even find a cure someday. This explained the public's deep respect for him, and likely why the Akademiya had tolerated his actions thus far.
Wait a minute... Lumine recalled Dr. Edward mentioning that this illness, like Eleazar, was incurable because its root cause lay elsewhere.
If the Akademiya hadn't learned this, it meant Dr. Edward hadn't revealed it.
At that realization, Lumine and Paimon couldn't help but feel immense admiration for the tall, resolute figure before them.
Behind them, Rukh Shah watched the trio depart for a long moment, then sighed deeply and reported the outcome to the Sages via his Akasha Terminal.
"Great Sage, negotiations with Dr. Edward have failed. His stance is unwavering."
"Yes, yes, I understand."
"I will relay the orders and monitor the Bimarstan situation closely."
"If Dr. Edward shows any intention of bringing medical supplies into the Restricted Zone, I will immediately take coercive measures against him."