Innocent Trial

"Uh…," I began, trying to break the tense silence.

"P-Please be quiet!" Professor Amelia snapped, her voice barely steady.

Her gaze flickered nervously over me, avoiding eye contact as she adjusted her glasses yet again.

Even as she said it, her hands glowed faintly with mana, her expression tight with concentration, yet clearly strained.

Cold sweat trickled down the side of her face, and she seemed to flinch every time I moved or even breathed too loudly.

I glanced around, suppressing my irritation. How long was she going to make me sit here?

It had been over half an hour since I'd woken up, chained in this chair.

Professor Amelia, Principal Leilah's assistant and granddaughter, was still muttering nervously under her breath, attempting some sort of transmutation spell on the magic cuffs around my wrists.

But the cuffs hadn't loosened one bit, and with her shaking hands, it didn't seem like she'd make much progress anytime soon.