“Black…upside-down scales…”
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Against the Scales of Judgment’s golden glow, these scales gave off a black, dark, murky glow.
They were smaller than the Great Scales, and their pans were hanging upside down. They floated nearby above Gilvert’s head.
“Hey, bro! That’s the thing I saw inside the building!”
It was Gobta. Having come in on the carriage with the princess and the others, he was now standing in the arena and looking up at the Black Scales.
“Master, please get back! This magic is unidentified and could be dangerous!”
Shiro ran over to me. I looked back up…
Some unknown code that resembled an ancient script was displayed in the air.
And Gilvert’s body was gradually being transfigured into black text, starting from the top of his head.
In one instant—vwoom—there was a flash of green light.
Gilvert’s face, converted into text, began to disappear.
“This light—it’s the same as the object transference spell circle!” said Shiro.
I remembered the magic connecting the Hero’s Village and the city, and the green light it gave off.
“It’s trying to silence him.”
The points connected in my head. Someone was trying to make his body into an object so that he could get away.
“…I…”
Just before he lost his mouth, Gilvert whispered in his last moments.
“…sold my soul to the Demon King…”
There was a clattering sound as his upper body was disassembled into text.
“Assistant! We cannot allow the accused to escape!”
“Right! We can’t let him get away like this!”
It was our first time seeing something like this, but I figured the best way to resist the power of this text would be to use the Power of Words.
“Hand down your verdict!”
“…!” Tsukasa’s eyes wavered slightly. I sensed what she needed.
“Tamamo! Please act as counsel to the accused!”
“What? Whaaat?! Are you mad, my boy?!”
Ever since having her brainwashing reversed, Tamamo had been watching along with the development of events.
“After he imprinted some crappy words on the back of my perfect little head?! Counsel?! I’d rather act as prosecutor and recommend all sorts of torture for that jerk’s sentencing!”
The small fox girl with her five tails was practically foaming at the mouth.
“That’s exactly why we need you,” I countered. “If we give ourselves over to anger and hand down the verdict with that bias, we’re no different than him. I don’t think we can all be okay with that.”
When Gilvert had been speaking, I was closely watching the expressions of the church members in the gallery.
Right after they had just been released from their brainwashing, their expressions were of anger and hatred. But after hearing about the high priest’s father, and after seeing the scars carved all over his body, there were some who changed to expressions of sympathy.
“Every criminal has some kind of circumstances. No one should be judged without counsel.”
A thought came to the back of my mind. Maybe whoever was pulling the strings behind the curtain was using Gilvert to try to get us to bring down an unfair verdict, so that the people would in turn lose trust in us.
<<Akky. Thank you. I was thinking that he needed a lawyer.>>
I got a message from Tsukasa. I had sensed her strong conviction just then.
Although we had broken from the usual trial procedure and were forcing our way through, when it came to the important stuff, we still couldn’t lose our faith in the Japanese court. If we did, it would cast a shadow over Tsukasa’s convictions.
<<I’ll protect your trial, no matter what.>>
That was the whole reason she had been summoned to this world. I had to protect it.
“Tamamo. Please. I can’t do it myself—it’s too difficult for me.”
“Hmm. Well, that’s true. After all, I did score number one on the kingdom’s bar examination! And I do possess thousands of years of knowledge! And unlike that Yeleniana who only knows about criminal sentencing, I’m a rare genius that’s well-versed in all areas!”
Ileana ran up to her. “Stop comparing yourself to me about everything!”
The judge asked, “Does the prosecution have any further charges that they would like to bring before the court before the recommended sentencing?”
“No, ma’am! My recommended sentencing is the death penalty!”
“Please, Tamamo! No one but you can do this!”
Hurry!
“Fine. Listen well, everyone! I shall present my closing argument…”
Tamamo closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“Among the criminal acts of the accused that have come to light today, points regarding his involvement in the building collapse, which took place outside the church headquarters, remain unclear. Additionally, the accused had no direct hand in either the building collapse or the destruction of corpses. Furthermore, the accused was subjected to an abusive upbringing by his father from an early age, which may have caused him to lose the ability to make rational decisions, and may have led to an unsound mind. Taking all these circumstances into consideration, may the court issue a just verdict.”
“I will make my verdict now.”
As soon as Tamamo had finished her argument, the judge picked up where she had left off.
“Verdict: I sentence the accused to life imprisonment!”
The text in my window moved along with Tsukasa’s words.
“I will state my grounds for the decision. Based on the objective facts revealed today, each piece of evidence, and each testimony, there is no doubt that the accused entered the building in question before the collapse occurred. The crime of breaking into a building is therefore established, and the accused is subject to penalty under Article One Hundred and Thirty of the Penal Code.”
As she listed out the grounds for each crime, a window with corresponding text appeared at my fingertips.