Chapter 28 - Leading Up to The Trial

Chapter 28 – Leading Up to The Trial

Author's Note: The moment we all anticipated is here, but Naofumi will go slightly easier on her because of Satoshi not believing in cruel and unusual punishments, good persuasive skills, and the fact that she didn't have as many opportunities to screw him over because of Satoshi's actions.

A cage of ice appeared around King Aultcray. He tried to protest, but the freezing frost muffled his desperate screams.

With a wave of her fan, the ice cage disappeared.

"I can't believe how low you've sunk."

"Such powerful magic!" Aultcray remarked. "Indeed, you are my wife. What has happened to you? And why are you with the Shield!"

The guy looked seriously upset. Understandable, considering his deep hatred for demi-humans and their worshipped deity, a view which was the polar opposite of mine.

The queen walked up to Aultcray and slapped him twice. I didn't intervene, because I didn't like the guy very much despite my deep admiration of his skills as a commander on the battlefields of Siltvelt, and because I needed the queen's favors to improve life in Arcium.

"Now," she said as she turned to Naofumi. "With that out of the way, allow me to re-introduce myself. I am the ruling queen of this land, Mirellia Q. Melromarc. Aultcray may appear to be the ruler of this land, but he is not. Do not believe what he says."

I actually did believe some things he said, but many things he said were falsifications.

"Please to meet you." I smirked.

The queen gracefully smiled back in return.

"Umm… Hello?" The other heroes mumbled.

Motoyasu and Ren probably didn't even know about the queen, while Naofumi had just met her. They most likely had no idea what was going on.

"Myne?" Motoyasu asked in concern, as she was still gagged by the shadows.

Man, I really wanted some of those guys working for me. They would be perfect as some sort of CIA-like agency.

"Hey!" Motoyasu complained. "What's up with Malty!"

"Having a gagged individual yelping before another world leader is considered quite impolite," Mirellia calmly spoke. "And it would be only fair to hear her protests."

With a nonchalant wave of her hand, the shadows unhanded her and removed her mouth gag.

"Mama!" She wailed. "This wretched demon tried to rape me!"

"And?"

Oof. Roasted! I could not believe a mother could dismiss her daughter so rudely and offhandedly. What a savage.

"It's not like you were a virgin."

Ouch. I wasn't Malty, but I could feel the pain myself. If this woman wasn't a queen, I would love to have her as a friend.

"No way! My first was with Mr. Motoyasu!"

"Enough with the lies! You really thought I didn't know? If you really did have relations with the Shield Hero, there might have been a way to save you…"

Roasted. Roasted. Roasted.

"Well, that's it for you. Maybe Melty can take your spot. We just have to be hopeful."

Naofumi? With Melty? They have like a 10-year age gap as far as I am aware. Does he have a Lolita complex or something?

Naofumi looked uncomfortable as the three other heroes, including myself, glanced into his soul in disgust or shock.

"No way!" Naofumi exclaimed. "Melty's just a little girl!"

I just kept silent. I didn't care about royal successions and the sort unless it brought Arcium or myself any advantages, but if Naofumi did go through with this, he should at least wait until Melty was 18.

"I'm sorry!" The queen apologized as the room descended into an awkward situation, the atmosphere in the room palpably tense. "But it's only natural that the two should marry!"

As the rest of the room erupted in doubts and confusion, I already knew what was happening. Melty marrying Naofumi, the object of worship for the people of Siltvelt, would ease tension between the two countries.

"We should probably wait until the waves are over to decide things," I interjected. "Although, it is not my place to make a final decision."

"Agreed." Everyone nodded, just hoping to get the topic at hand over with. The queen, however, did not. Looks like she really wanted to give this arranged marriage thing a shot.

A long silence endured. Then, Malty broke it.

"Who would marry someone as ugly as him!"

"He's not ugly!"

All three girls in Naofumi's party shouted in unison.

"If this does prove anything," the queen placidly continued. "It is that you have not a single drop of purity left in you."

"What do you mean? What proof? Just ask Mr. Motoyasu!"

"You may be able to fool the spear hero, but you can't fool me."

The queen continued to yell at Malty, raining upon her a barrage of words that made me cringe inside at the sheer sound of them. This queen did know how to insult somebody.

Motoyasu also joined in the argument.

"If it's true, then show us proof."

The queen, having enough, snapped her fingers. An entourage of wizards entered the room, with a group of soldiers put Malty and Motoyasu under their firm grasps.

The queen used a needle to prick her own finger and dripped her very own blood into a pot of ink.

No. This could not be.

This very action, which I could probably guess was applying a slave seal, was strictly forbidden under Arcium's constitution under the cruel and unusual punishments and emancipation clauses. It was an invisible seal that forced the user to speak the truth at all times, causing immense agony if they refused. No matter how much of a moron and jerk Malty was, I still believed that all humans should be treated humanely.

"N-No! Release me!"

When something this drastic was going on, I had to intervene. This was morally and ethically wrong.

Well, technically, slave seals in Arcium were called restraining seals, but they didn't shock and acted purely as lie detectors. There was also a variant to stop prisoners from escaping, but that also barely shocked at all. Under both circumstances, restraining seals were strictly reserved for government use. This seal, however, inflicted immense pain, which violated my principles.

"Queen Mirellia. If I may have a word."

"Go ahead."

Mirellia ordered the guards and wizards to stop.

"The crimes of Malty and Aultcray must be exposed to the entire kingdom! Doing it here inside the castle will not inform the average citizen of their evil deeds!"

This, I heard about from some gossip around town. It was probably true considering her cruel and inhumane character.

"Instead, I propose a trial, but this time it should be free and fair. Let her have a taste of her own medicine, like what she did to Naofumi. If Your Majesty shall allow it, you should be the judge, while I shall act as prosecutor for the side of Naofumi Iwatani, the person that presses charges against the accused, Malty S. Melromarc. Please allow me two days to gather evidence and witnesses for the case, and please allow the case to be held in the city square so the people of this country can witness her wrongdoings themselves.

The queen pondered my proposal for a long time. I could tell she wanted to do the whole trial herself to assert dominance, but my idea was also acceptable, and it would lead to more people witnessing the case, and her authority and perceived justness to rise as a result. This would be a big political power play for the both of us, and she knew it.

"If the bow hero and shield hero want it that way, it shall be allowed."

"Yes." Naofumi replied. "She must have a taste of her own, wicked, and bitter medicine. Let her pay for what she did."

"Guards." Mirellia said. "Report the news of the trial to everyone in the city. This shall be a grand spectacle for all to see."

"Naofumi!" Malty cried. "I shall prove to you that I am right!"

"We'll see." I replied. "We'll see."

It was time to put my lawyering skills to the test. I hadn't used them for a few months, but they shouldn't be that rusty. This was going to be a fun time.

The court disbanded and most people were heading back to their quarters.

"Naofumi. We should sleep at the same inn tonight to discuss our plans for the trial."

"Agreed."

The throne room door swung open as a messenger sprinted through the door.

"Your Majesty!" the man frantically reported. "A group of armed cavalrymen mounted on horses and filolials claiming to be from the country of "Arcium" have arrived! They want to see their "President" at once!"

My platoons had finally arrived. Guess it was time to meet them for all the hard work it took them to get here. They arrived too late for the fight anyways.

"Your Majesty. If you may, I shall take my leave. We should gather at the city square two days from now."

"Agreed. I shall get a makeshift courthouse built there at once."

"Naofumi," I waved as I walked out of the room. "Meet me at the inn by dinnertime. We have some eventful days ahead of us."

"Yeah! We'll show Malty who's boss."

Before I left, though, a shadow handed me a note. It was from the queen, and she wanted me to meet her in a few hours. I made a mental note and headed out the door.

With a big trial ahead of me, I would experience my first actual case as a lawyer. This was going to be fun.

Chapter 29 out soon! How do you think the trial will go!