“The court recognizes the high priest Gilvert Trinity as the representative for his church members.”
Tsukasa turned toward the high priest and continued.
“After all, we’ve all heard how the high priest is a hero who saved his people’s lives from a collapsing building. And we are very thankful that you are joining us today as a witness.”
Her tone had become markedly more polite.
Considering what she now knew had been happening in the basement of the church headquarters, and that the church had tried to impede her investigation of the scene, Tsukasa must have been harboring anger within her. But still, she was playing her part just as we had planned.
“Through the help of our witnesses, we should be able to solve the remaining mysteries for this case. Thank you in advance for your generous cooperation.”
First, we had to try to get the high priest to talk as much as possible.
“Miss Judge, you are acting rather differently than when we last met. Did you have a change of heart?”
“Actually, my brother who had been acting as court assistant said to me that ‘other worlds have their own sense of righteousness.’ It made me think: If you are proven to be right, perhaps I will retire as a judge.”
“…Is that so? You would be all right with that?”
“Of course. And on that occasion, my brother and I would be honored to live a life of prayer together in the church.”
“Pfft!” The high priest cracked a smile. “You Japanese people are admirable indeed!”
So far, so good, Tsukasa. She had done a fine job acknowledging that I had joined the church.
The high priest probably thought I was still at church headquarters offering up prayers at that very moment.
“Now, please take the oath before the witness stand. The accused may return to her seat.”
The head of the church, wearing his gold and white robe, switched places with the princess at the center of the Grand Bench.
Watching the monitor, I opened the witness oath in front of the witness stand.
The high priest glanced at the text and read it aloud.
“‘I solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.’”
“Thank you. Please proceed with your testimony. Since not all present are aware of the testimony you gave last week, please include everything from the beginning.”
“Certainly. On that fateful day, I…”
The high priest repeated the exact same story as he had told it last week.
As they were praying in the church branch building, through the rain they began to hear a creaking sound. Then the unrefined concrete crashed down on the walls and ceilings… He protected his congregation from the falling debris with the Holy Scourge… But the unfortunate Cumba was in the wrong place at the wrong time and died from his injuries.
“And yesterday, Alba died as well. While I did rescue him from the rubble, and temporarily brought him back from the brink of death with my treatments…I believe the wounds in his heart ran too deep. He…took his own life.”
Tears sprang to his eyes as he emphasized those last words.
But we knew the truth. Alba was still alive. And he had almost been made into compost.
He’s a good liar.
I was overcome by an urge to barge in there and confront him with the evidence that debunked his lies. But not yet.
“By ‘treatments,’ do you mean the famous God’s Panacea?” Tsukasa asked the high priest, pressing him for further explanation.
She hated the man and must have been exhausted from sleeping outdoors for a week straight, but you’d never know it. She kept her face measured and calm, as if she had on some kind of special makeup that could hide her expression.
If we rushed this part, we could mess everything up. I checked my impulses.
“That is correct. It is able to cure any kind of illness…as long as one has faith.”
The high priest exaggerated his gestures, like he was playing it up for the camera.
“But oh, what a tragedy that such a horrific incident occurred! It can only be God’s punishment. But it is also an opportunity for us all to repent!”
The three church members sitting in the gallery chanted…
“““The high priest’s words are right and just.”””
…and nodded in unison.
Looks like they’re still brainwashed.
The two men’s caps, and the one woman’s hood, were fastened tightly.
Lyra wasn’t with them. She must have still been hiding at headquarters.
“The court would like to confirm the two enigmas that still remain in this case. The first is the Holy Scourge.”
Tsukasa cut to the chase.
The true nature of the Holy Scourge, this world’s oldest sacred artifact, was among the mysteries at the crux of this case. We needed to hear everything we could about it from the high priest himself.
“As you are aware, I have come from the otherworld Japan, and am thus a newcomer here. I know little about the special power of magic and sacred artifacts of this world.”
“Yes, precisely why I wondered how you could speak so boldly of your intention to judge the God of this world.”
He was talking about her declaration after the Hero’s case that she would “judge God themself.” How did he feel about that, as a high priest? This other remaining mystery was of the utmost importance to the case: the high priest’s motive.
First we need objective truths over anything subjective.
This was something I had learned from Tsukasa.
In criminal law theory, there are two major approaches: a subjectivist approach that emphasizes the offender’s intent and character, and an objectivist approach that emphasizes the criminal act and its result.
But it’s difficult to establish proof of a crime only through subjectivity. If someone tried to kill a person by cursing them and hammering a nail into a voodoo doll, it would be dubbed an “impossibility defense.” Objectively speaking, this would be considered attempted murder.
What needed to be clarified first throughout the trial’s investigation were the objective facts. Clarify the objective truth and solidify it. Give the true culprit nowhere to run.
That was what Tsukasa believed to be a fair trial.
“For the sake of my own ignorance, I ask you to please show us this Holy Scourge.”
“Oh my. I suppose I can oblige.” The high priest held out his right hand. “Come forth, Holy Scourge.”
In the blink of an eye, a whip had appeared soundlessly in his palm.
The whip’s form was primitive. The handle was large enough to stick slightly out of his hand where he grasped it. It was about as long as a horse whip and a reddish brown, emitting a divine glow.
“It appears you summoned it by some kind of magic,” said the judge.
“It is not magic. It is a sacred artifact. As its possessor, it is always wrapped around my body.”
That’s creepy. Great, I just imagined him naked with the whip wrapped around him.
“That way, I can defend myself even in the event of an unexpected attack.”
“I see.” The judge’s response was swift. “In that case…”
Tsukasa violently grabbed her hefty copy of the Six Codes with one hand…
“Allow me to verify that!”
…and chucked it at the high priest!
“Hmph. Awfully rude as verifications go.”
But high priest Gilvert Trinity was unperturbed.
The Six Codes, probably weighing around nine pounds, cut through the air. It was heavy enough to kill someone with.
“Holy Scourge.” The high priest stood in place and extended his right hand. “Counter.”
The sound of something bursting open echoed throughout the courtroom.
The high priest hadn’t moved a muscle, but the body of the whip had extended in his place.
The tome’s six thousand pages fluttered and scattered in the air like the book had been cut in half by a master swordsman.
“I understand its power. Now, witness. Can it handle this amount as well?”
Barely taking a breath in between, the judge pushed forward. The high priest immediately understood what she was asking.
“With ease.” He smiled. “Strike Down.”
The courtroom was filled with a flash of golden light.
This is like what I saw at the church induction ceremony.
The bad frame rate of the monitor was actually good for observing the situation. This must have been what happened in the sermon hall after the new members had drunk the holy water. He had taken out this whip at that time.
The tip of the whip nimbly danced in the air and struck down each of the pieces of paper at high speed. If he had used this whip, surely he would have been able to apply the Power of Words to every head in the room.
“What amazing skill… I underestimated it.”
After the blizzard of paper ended, I could see that the huge amount of paper bits had piled up against the walls, owing to the high priest’s power. This power looked like it could feasibly protect him and his followers from falling rubble, too.
“There is almost nothing that is physically impossible for the Holy Scourge. Though the Demon King isn’t able to be completely defeated only through physical power, which is why the Hero and magic become necessary.”
The high priest had a boastful air. In his hand, he still grasped the silent, now shortened whip.
<<Akky. What else was I supposed to check?>>
<<The symbol and the number.>>
“Ahem. As you possess an artifact of such power…assuming that is a real sacred artifact, does that act as proof that you are the real high priest?” Tsukasa asked the high priest.
“What do you mean?”
“The symbol displayed outside the church is a symbol much like two whips crossing each other. Furthermore, after purchasing and reading the scriptures, I noticed it was written that the Holy Scourge was a weapon held in both hands.”
Like Tsukasa said, the church’s symbol was a mark like an X, almost like the kanji for father. This was our next point to focus on.
“I’m not surprised you’ve done your research—the judicial profession is diligent indeed. Allow me to explain.”
The high priest extended his left arm. Another Holy Scourge appeared.
“In a serious fight, I would use both hands. And while there are two, only one owner is allowed. That is precisely why the holder of the Holy Scourge is called the high priest.”
The high priest shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.
“Have we had enough with this nitpicking? What is your last enigma to ask about?”
<<Akky, is there anything else we need to do here?>>
<<I think it’s time. Let’s move on to the last phase.>>
“I am thankful for your cooperation. The last issue lies in the cause of the building’s collapse. Now…”
The judge sternly addressed the courtroom.
“…the court will complete its investigation at the scene of the incident!”