The Book Of Flowers
Hammer Court
a few days later, Rose Castle---
...
The day has finally arrived. The day that all nations come together, waiting for our testimony of an event that has not long ago just happened
But...
Why does everyone seem so unenthusiastic?
"Vainzel's... Who will stand before everyone...?" Luna asked softly
Ah, so that's the reason...
I looked towards Verdea, waiting for her answer
He just shrugged his shoulders, looking indifferent to what was about to happen
Alright
"Relax, it's just me and Verdea over there. You'll all only advance if called upon"
That's also if you're strong...
"Come on. Everyone seems to have gathered"
Seen from the troops whose uniforms are different, it can be guessed if they all come from different countries as well
It seems we are the only ones who arrived late. But the coachman who drove us was late as well
It's time we came in
Our door was opened by two soldiers guarding in front of him
At the next moment, the entire contents of the magnificent room were visible, accompanied by the whispering sounds of everyone inside
But realizing the sound of the door opening and the presence of all of us, the voice began to quiet down. Only the sound of our footsteps could be heard, as we looked around and stared intently at everyone there
In front of us Yuriel sat down, right in front of the kings from all over the world who sat behind and watched him
The wide wooden podium that stood before him clearly showed who the decision was in whose hands
Meanwhile, Verdea's eyes were on someone among all the nobles besides the king
Rosalia stood between them, covering half her face using a fan. He seemed to be waiting for what we were going to offer, as if all this was a small show for him
Verdea turned away from him blindfolded, already having a prediction of the outcome of this court
We all stopped there, on a podium made of wood and had a fence to border it
The door was closed, indicating the start of this meeting
"I see, everyone is here to testify today. A day that will be recorded by history" Yuriel opened it
His eyes focused on me. Not one bit that he cared about the others, I could feel that his gaze was piercing just me
"Before you testify, we must all know one thing. What makes you want to gather all the kings of the world today?" He also said again
...
That's your first question? Really?
"Isn't it clear?
There's something I want them all to know. If necessary, I want every noble in all the kingdoms to know this"
And it's final. That's why I asked Julius to give a quick message to all countries, because every king here must have vigilance
Yuriel who had just glanced from Julius' direction only sighed
That silence was a sign for us to take over
"If you're willing, I'd like to ask permission for everyone but me and Verdea to stand behind. We'll testify on their behalf"
"You're confident that you can win this by relying on just the two of you" Yuriel interjected
I just kept quiet with a defiant smile responding to him
He allowed it with a nod, followed by all my friends who began to retreat backwards to watch
And that way, Verdea or I can get started
"Verdea"
"Silent. I can"
Verdea took her breath as deep as possible, then received our report papers all coming from my hands
I have to admit, our combined reports are all very thick. There is no way that only one person will read all of this
Someone came forward to see the report that came out, and immediately received it after Verdea finished making sure everything was complete
"I suggest you read my report, Oberon, Remina Stagnia and Ordelia Herbia. The four reports are the most complete, and others please be archived for later additions" Verdea said
Yuriel nodded in understanding, and her eyes once again turned towards me
...
He seemed to be trying to provoke a mistake from me. It's a mistake like I'm controlling everyone to not look suspicious
But I'll keep my mouth shut until Verdea tells me to take over. I'll let them all see how smart Verdea is by keeping my mouth shut
Yuriel got up from her chair, ready to begin this trial
"The Oberon of the Elves, Vainzel of Alpensia. The fifth prince of Hortensia, Verdea Hortensia. Are you willing to swear on the truth, uphold the truth and say only the truth?"
"I am willing, your highness the judge"
"I am able, your highness the judge"
Yuriel slowly sat back in her chair, asking for a file from her hand
"The matter we face today, involves an event that took place in Xiang. All these things can be revealed by the plan of infiltration and attack from within by the Miralius. Herein described-"
"Sorry, your highness the judge"
...
Verdea raised her hand, stopping Yuriel who was talking
It invited a sense of surprise from everyone who saw, mainly because it was the first time someone made Yuriel speechless just by raising her hand
And the interesting thing about Yuriel was not that Verdea raised her hand, but that an annoyed face which she showed as a result of Yuriel's words
He kept his mouth shut, letting Verdea talk before he continued
"Please don't use 'Miralius' side'. The people involved don't just come from there, you know?"
That's correct
Miralius did not interfere in its entirety. Only people who understand and want to work with Verdea are involved. Even if some Elves were involved, the likes of Claudia, Collin, Vescal, Albert, the entire Black Hunt crew and a few others who participated could not be considered Miralius' side
It's more appropriate if you say combined parties if so, right?
They are free as they are, but intend to work together. 'Business' is also not the right word to describe our relationship, as we volunteer to help each other
And it seemed, the people watching could only whisper indistinctly. Empty words where no one will care even if they agree with us
"alright. I follow your advice, prince" Yuriel replied without further debate
Yuriel went back to reading the written report that we submitted carefully
"This is explained, if the person who planned this infiltration is Vainzel Alpensia. Recorded in the records of his and that of the fifth prince, without there being too much difference in the use of language"
"really. For that reason, you can check the 5th page in my report. To be clear, we wanted to fake our arrest and infiltrate to put a barrier for a divine level magic. That barrier is crucial in the success of this plan"
Verdea remembers something too extra. I can't even remember a part of my report like that...
"Can we explain it further?"
"In short, the magic could not be controlled in its vastness without a barrier capable of stopping the flow of Mana. We first had to infiltrate from the inside first to spread the barrier in certain places. All those places I've been tagged on page 20"
It's in my report, too, but it's not a problem
"And all that effort we did was because Vainzel did not want any casualties from either our side or the opponent. Although in the end, the magic killed almost all of the Vampire troops that were taking part in protecting Xiang from our attack"
"Vampire??"
Everyone immediately looked uneasy and started whispering back, while Rosalia and Yuriel tried to put on as flat faces as possible to cover themselves up
The noise made Yuriel tap her hammer to calm the room
"please calm. I was reading this report" He called out in a slow tone
His eyes were pointing to and fro looking at every single piece of writing on the report. Even every time he read a single page, it only took him less than 10 seconds to turn the page
Either he didn't care or he did have an incredible memory of recalling every single page in such a short period of time
"... If I may say, I'm quite impressed with your report. Every detail can be seen to feel without having any shortcomings. The teacher who taught you to learn language and write must be great"
Ahem...
Thank you for the compliment...
Verdea glanced at me for a moment with a dubious face
"But, Vampire? How do you know they're vampires and not other abnormal humans?"
Verdea looked back for Remina, until she came out among all the people who followed us with something in her hand
He handed it over to Verdea, who looked like a small glass container containing something black. Remina retreated immediately after handing over the object
"Please take it and hand it over to the best magic researcher you have. This drop of Mana will be enough to scrutinize and support my statement in the report"
"I see you've prepared a lot. Amazing, prince"
Yuriel told his men to come forward and put the glass container in a box with padded pads carefully
That thing will be an important key to deciding what kind of creature. Just a drop of anywhere was required to conduct the research
"We're going straight to the core. Skip through all the details pages of the event and go to page 36. There I've explained very well what myself and Vainzel saw"
Yuriel narrowed her eyes in surprise, but still obeyed what Verdea said
Half a minute after he read the two pages, he fell silent into a thousand languages with wide eyes. His eyes continued to re-examine the two pages, until the longer he looked surprised
Page after page turned around as his eyes continued to try to read and remember what was written
"... I've been getting word that this matter is going to be serious. But you didn't say anything about the number of fatalities they've caused, Oberon" Yuriel said, turning her attention towards me
Somehow he tried to divert all the things to me again
"I told you it was serious. At least I want all the kings sitting behind you right now to hear it in person without going through the mere news of birds" I answered him
Yuriel sighed tiredly, accompanied by an annoyed face while raising back the report she held
"You found 59 bodies that were barely shaped in this infiltration and 7 people who were seriously injured but could be healed by the divine magic! Based on the interrogation from Orion, at least the unfortunate victim that fell into Shen Xiang's hands had already reached hundreds more! And their victims are not just of human beings!
You can't put up with a death toll like this. I want to ask for more explanation!" Yuriel raised her voice
"The king who gave us the report is sitting behind you now, your highness judge. I hope you ask him directly" Verdea cut
Yuriel turned her head, looking at Julius who was sitting with a look of uneasiness from knowing what he had to say
With a sigh coming out, a speech from him followed
"Yes, your highness the judge. We from the Orion kingdom surveyed the results based on an average of the number said to be 5 percent of the Xiang warriors we were holding and were willing to testify to"
Yuriel immediately looked pensive in surprise, again trying to read all pages of Verdea's report
...
'The victims'
Verdea then nodded in understanding after understanding the gestures of the body and my eyes
"Your highness judge, if you please" He said, drawing Yuriel's attention
The two of us put ourselves aside and showed Xiang the trial victims who were standing behind us earlier, among all my friends
"7 That person is in this room right now. We have ensured their safety from the beginning under a mutual agreement with Orion" Verdea continued
The atmosphere was boisterous again, with all eyes on the prisoners. Once again the sound of the hammer knocking sounded loud and made all the sounds silent
"... 7 people... Coming from different races" Yuriel said, looking at each victim we brought
Verdea just kept quiet without even answering. The answer is in front of them
"For heaven's sake... How cruel..." Someone among the nobles spoke
Their whispers began to sound, but it was very slow as if they were becoming oblivious to the situation
"I don't need to testify any further about them. I hope they themselves want to come forward to do it" Verdea said
...
Although I disagree with that because it can degrade the mental health of these victims, but it's only for us to get justice for them and win this case briefly
Those who have to defend themselves, without needing any further help from us
Yuriel thought for a moment, but did not allow us to do so for long
Verdea and I took a step back to see the sign
......................
This trial... It hurt so much
Good for me who only see, especially for those prisoners who have to testify
Of the seven, only 3 are willing to testify. Others were too afraid to go forward, especially when all eyes were on them
Their voices that vibrate as they testify make my heart woeful for them. Standing there requires courage and determination, especially if what you are about to open is the greatest injury you will ever experience
"Your highness judge, that's enough. I don't want to trouble the other victims" I interrupted, after the last man had come down from the podium
"... Alright. Please both of you come forward again" Yuriel invited
I turned to the victims and gave them a smile to calm their hearts, before advancing back with Verdea on the podium
Apparently, the testimony given by them made all the kings dizzy seven circumference. Their faces look different
Some bowed because they were angry to hear it. Some people close their faces because they don't want to hear more. Some seemed to be thinking of processing what they had just heard
And there were also those sitting there with irritated faces, as if to strangle someone
Even Yuriel looked dizzy. He seems to be at a loss for words right now
His finger kept tapping on the cabinet board he was sitting on, not knowing what the purpose was
That is why we have to wait for his decision on this testimony first
...
"... His Majesty Julius Orion. Are you also on their side of the testimony and don't mind?"
He asked Julius hm?
"Yes. I side fully with their testimony, and let them take all credit for this
They dismantled everything. Otherwise, not even Orion alone would have been able to uncover it any further" Julius replied
Yuriel took a slow breath, until she sat up straight again
He took the hammer, making me a little surprised by it
"With this, Xiang was found guilty of genocide, kidnapping, illicit experiments and smuggling of goods. They were sentenced to indemnity to the suffering side, although I'm not sure the money would be able to take care of their suffering"
*tock!!*
The hammer was also knocked, indicating a final decision
...
Everyone whispered again, but not because of Yuriel's decision. Rather because of what was in this hearing today would be a hot topic in all circles
"Sorry, this is all I can do for you. Shen Xiang had escaped him, based on the written report. But, we will also seek to find a supplier of their goods and the entire Xiang family who fled in order to uphold justice" Yuriel added
...
To be honest...
"That's all...?"
Uh-uh?
Veri-is?
When I looked at her face at that moment, I immediately gasped and got goosebumps
...
He had never shown that face before. That's... Not his usual face
...
He's upset right now. For the first time in years with her, I saw Verdea growling at something
His gaze seemed to be able to kill someone right now, and his body was very swift as if it was ready to come forward to hit Yuriel right in the face. His body trembled in annoyance, and even others could tell about it
"That's all you can do, your highness the judge...?"
"Verdea..."
...
I dare not disturb him at this moment. At the same time, I must calm him down
But, how...?
"... Then, what do you want us to do, fifth Prince-"
"You speak as if the hundreds of lives lost were worth the lives of the few responsible for their deaths..."
...
"I am the judge, my son. My duty is to be fair, and destroying the whole country is not fair"
"I'm just asking you to be fair, instead you are offering the idea to destroy one country"
...
"This debate won't have u-"
"Explain why you can be a judge, Yuriel Grandier"
We were all jolted to hear that from him, let alone others watching
It was the first time, from decades of Yuriel being a judge, her name was called without a nickname. Just his real name alone, as if the person before him was challenging him right now
The judge, who was usually feared by the person he was in court, is now challenging
...
I no longer have the power to hold Verdea. He was already completely on the verge of being able to be held back
The only thing that would make him stop now was only the answer from Yuriel satisfying him
"... Again, what do you want me to do?"
"You have the power to do more for them, but you instead suggest to look for a dead person and a fleeing king only!!
Do you think these victims will get justice with their deaths, after getting incurable wounds??!! Answer me Yuriel Grandier!!"
"Verdea"
"Luna! Back off!"
My orders made Luna freeze on the spot. I just kept quiet, and turned back to look at Yuriel who seemed wide-eyed to listen to Verdea
But, his face then turned calm, as calm as he could do
"It seems, you have an idea to satisfy them?" Yuriel asked back
"You-you!!"
"Verdea, enough! Yuriel's right. That's the only limit they can do, even for us" I broke between them
I got a good time to interrupt...
"really so. I'm impressed that at least one of you can understand" Yuriel added
I'm not defending you, you idiot. I just want to stop Verdea before he can finish you off
"... But I don't like this...! You saw what Shen did, didn't you...??"
...
His face began to fall. It means she wants to cry now
Hmphc...
But really, that's the only limit we can do. Verdea is not wrong to say that it is unfair, but what other ways can equal justice be done for the victims?
There aren't. For the moment, nothing...
My regret is also the fact that their victims from the Elves cannot be saved. I'm grateful these 7 people survived, but...
Seeing those innocent Elf corpses among the piles of casualties, I wanted to tear my own face apart...
...
The world is not fair. Those hundreds of people we couldn't save, they were expecting to be saved as well
But their end was cruel. An end that no one wants. And the fact that these seven survived, will haunt them to their final days
"... Hey, we'll talk about it when we get back. How's it?"
...
Verdea nodded slowly
I showed a smile to melt the atmosphere
"Sorry for the commotion. We will try our best to find Shen Xiang as well
Because it's... It's been a personal matter to me"
Yuriel just smiled showing a sign of victory
"I'm really sorry, my son. But really, this is the only limit of what we can do. Even punishing young king Xiang that sounds unethical isn't it?" Yuriel said again
Verdea, who had been bowed, began to raise her head again while biting her tongue because she did not know what else to do to establish the justice that was proper for the seven men
Well, there's no need for further debate. The hammer of the court has been tapped, and a decision has been made. There's nothing we can do anymore
"So, can we go back now? The fifth prince of Hortensia looked limp" I asked
"Please. And please take good care of her
This trial was dissolved. The decision must be made immediately. Get ready!!"
