Chapter 7: The Age of Barbarism and Civilization Intertwined

Chapter 7: The Age of Barbarism and Civilization Intertwined

Hastur didn't leave immediately but sat in the empty classroom for a while longer.

Today's lecture had been greatly beneficial to him.

Professor Wayne didn't stick to the script but started with the birth of the law and the fairness and unfairness of it.

He even said, "There is no fairest law, only the most suitable law."

Such timeless wisdom was indeed rare.

Of course, it's possible that this saying was also one of Emperor Roselle's classic quotes.

Click.

Hastur took out his pocket watch and glanced at it. It was past twelve o'clock; time to prepare for lunch.

It was the perfect opportunity to try the campus cafeteria at Beckland University.

After the lecture, going to the cafeteria for a meal made Hastur feel like he was reliving his college days.

He pocketed his watch, got up, and left the classroom. It took him about ten minutes to walk through the teaching buildings and faculty dormitories to reach the cafeteria beloved by the students.

Hastur walked in and glanced at the prices. They were significantly cheaper than outside food, confirming that students are cherished no matter the world.

For just ten pence, Hastur enjoyed a hearty lunch with fish, steak, and vegetables.

The only pity was the absence of rice.

After lunch, Hastur strolled around Beckland University, getting a preliminary taste of the university life of this era.

Exiting the university gates, Hastur spent another six pence to take a carriage to the Beckland courthouse where criminals were judged.

There was nothing better than observing the sentencing process to pass the afternoon.

As a baron, he naturally didn't have to pay any extra fees to watch the judgments, which pleased Hastur.

Many shared Hastur's sentiment, mostly older nobles, especially noble ladies who, apart from their afternoon tea and social gatherings, had plenty of leisure time.

It was understandable. A person busy with daily meals wouldn't waste time on such valueless trifles.

Hastur's arrival caught the attention of many noble ladies, who cast admiring glances his way. Some bolder ones even whispered among themselves.

His fluffy, dazzling blond hair, tall and robust figure, handsome features, and a gentle, polite smile, coupled with a face that was just maturing, slightly green.

Such a young and handsome lad was not only liked by little girls; they were equally fond of him.

Facing increasingly undisguised scrutiny, Hastur maintained a proper smile and chose to sit in the last row's corner. He then turned slightly to focus on the simple patterns on the wall, avoiding those burning gazes.

After about ten minutes, a scent mixed with rose essence approached, and Hastur's mouth twitched slightly, trying his best to ignore the bold noble lady who sat down beside him.

The noble lady watched Hastur for a while, and seeing that he had no intention of speaking to her, she asked, "Good afternoon, sir. May I ask what time it is? I'm afraid I might accidentally miss the tea party with Countess Mori at three o'clock."

She spoke with an apologetic yet proper smile.

"Of course."

Hastur took out his pocket watch and said, "Respected madam, it is now one forty in the afternoon."

"Really?"

The noble lady leaned slightly towards Hastur, deliberately touching his shoulder, and slowly looked at the silver pocket watch's hands, checking them two or three times before leisurely straightening up.

Hastur's clenched fist relaxed slightly.

He understood the noble lady's intentions were not good, but as a Rune noble, he couldn't be too impolite.

Moreover, the lady had the courtesy to start with asking the time rather than making a bold pass or getting handsy.

This was a relatively polite behavior, and he naturally couldn't refuse such a reasonable request.

But being teased like this was still something he found hard to get used to.

He was not Emperor Roselle, with outstanding adaptability and strong social skills.

"Thank you for your generous explanation. May I have the honor of knowing your name?" she asked softly, flicking her hair by her ear.

"Hastur Campbell."

"My goodness, are you the sole son of Voltaire Campbell?"

Her exclamation made Hastur's face stiffen as he nodded.

Seeing that the charming young man beside her was the baron who had fallen on hard times, the noble lady's smile grew wider, and her gaze became even hotter.

"I have a deep impression of your father. If you have any inconveniences in life, I would be happy to offer some insignificant help."

The noble lady said, revealing her name and lineage—Gemanie, a countess.

To this, Hastur politely declined with some pleasantries, all the while keeping his eyes on the judge who had just appeared, indicating he was not interested in continuing the conversation.

Seeing Hastur's guarded demeanor, Lady Gemanie covered her mouth with a shallow laugh, her gaze intensifying.

Compared to the readily available bed companions, teasing such a freshly bloomed youth was more to her taste, witnessing and guiding a young man from greenness to maturity was an interesting affair.

Now that she knew Hastur's background, she was in no hurry.

This was a courtroom for judging criminals, a sacred place in a sense.

The judge's arrival made everyone halt their whispers, not to disturb the solemnity and sanctity of the court.

The judge spoke a few opening words, stating that his upcoming judgments would strictly adhere to Rune's legal code, without any bias, and would be sacred.

The plaintiff's lawyer then began the prosecution, while the defendants were often farmers working on estates, unemployed jobless people, or servants working for nobles…

These people could hardly afford lawyers and were here merely to go through the motions, waiting for the judge and jury's verdict.

Of course, some defendants would plead their hardships and desperation, hoping to gain sympathy and possibly be acquitted.

Here, unless the crime was heinous, the likelihood of the verdict depended on the judge and jury's preferences.

Being attractive was a significant advantage.

Faced with likable defendants, these noble ladies often showed their compassionate side, advocating for the defendants. With enough such voices, the judge would consider leniency.

If the defendant was particularly unattractive, even a minor offense like swearing could lead to a death sentence.

There was a classic case where a man who merely blackened himself at night, without committing any crime, was unanimously sentenced to death by the judge and jury.

Their reasoning was: a normal person without bad habits wouldn't blacken themselves at night unless they were a thief, and for caught thieves, hanging was the most fitting end.

It was convincing and logical.

Hastur just listened quietly, noting the specifics of these cases.

The accusations were generally straightforward. Farmers working on estates were either not fertilizing or weeding on time or being lazy, leading to poor crop yields.

The jobless were usually arrested for petty theft or robbery, with little chance of innocence.

Servants working for nobles might have stolen something, broken a valuable item, or simply offended the nobles.

The first type of defendant, if they could express how hard their lives were, would likely be acquitted, a chance for the noble jurors to satisfy their conscience.

The second type, if the theft was confirmed, would start with a death sentence, regardless of the amount involved.

In their view, even begging as a pauper was more honorable than being a thief or robber.

The third type of defendant had more complex situations.

Disputes between nobles were sometimes discordant, usually settled by the judge based on the facts, possibly with monetary compensation, imprisonment, or even death, unless a noble intervened strongly.

Time passed, and the day's court proceedings drew to a close.

One verdict left a deep impression on Hastur.

A farmer was sentenced to hanging for cutting down a small tree in the plantation, setting fire to a corn pile, and injuring horses and cows.

In a world where the death penalty was a common starting point for punishment, this was normal.

But the judge's reasoning was: corn and cows could be compensated with money, but not trees. The loss of trees was irreplaceable, so the perpetrator had to pay with their life.

Hearing this, Hastur almost couldn't keep his composure.

Cutting down a small tree was deemed worse than burning corn and injuring cows!

Did Rune's nobility truly value life so much? Or was it because of the influence of the Earth Mother Goddess, who deemed all life precious? But why was petty theft punished by death? Were those lives not considered valuable?

Respecting life while simultaneously disregarding it.

This was the age where barbarism and civilization were intertwined.

That was the only conclusion Hastur could draw.

(End of Chapter)