〈 Chapter 270 – Turnabout Trial (?) 〉
*
Sure glad I took a look at the future before the regression.
In that future, when the door closed, I smashed my way in.
The Holy Knights thought I was an intruder and were about to attack me.
Just like before the regression, people from the Amiris Church were yelling.
“How dare you invade the sacred courtroom!!!”
“Seize that intruder!!!”
“This is a blatant court violation!!!”
Coincidentally, the Holy Knight Commander growled with a pleased expression.
“Are you prepared to be penetrated for being an intruder?”
“I’m not an intruder, you fucking bastards.”
I calmly replied.
Because.
This is not an invasion from the outside.
I merely entered through a suddenly created entrance from the inside.
“You guys made the entrance from within.”
“Where’s the entrance in that? Isn’t it just a dog hole?”
I confidently countered the Commander’s words.
“What’s so strange about a Dog Beastman Wolf using a dog hole as an entrance?”
Grr… Damn!
The Commander couldn’t even rebut that and just let out a low growl.
No one else dared to argue either.
That means my reasoning was perfect.
[That’s logical, you dog.]
‘Yeah, you bitch.’
At that moment, the Pope gently addressed me.
“Are you here as the defender for the defendant Caressy?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“In that case, please move next to the defendant Caressy.”
With that, I smiled at Caressy and moved beside her.
Caressy nodded in response to my smile.
As soon as I got to my seat, I glanced around for a moment.
The courtroom was vast, yet it was packed, with Beastmen filling every available spot.
All the gay bastards from the Beastman Kingdom must have gathered here.
Still, I quickly asked the Pope a question since I was sure of one thing.
“Your Honor, may I ask a question?”
“Permission granted.”
“Are all parties related to the Motherless Church gathered here?”
Then, the Archbishop from the opposing side replied to my inquiry.
“Aside from the Cardinal who’s currently adjusting his body, all bishops and faithful are present!”
“That is correct.”
“Thank you.”
This confirmed it.
All the gay bastards from the Beastman Kingdom were gathered here.
I felt a slight concern that the Cardinal was absent.
But still, things couldn’t be better.
Suddenly, the Pope rose from his seat and walked to the center of the courtroom.
He drew a sword adorned with a golden cross.
“Let there be judgment upon every lie spoken before this sword.”
As he spoke, the sword gleamed softly.
It looked like it served as a lie detector.
[Isn’t that similar to the bracelet Caressy had before?]
‘Ah, that too.’
Anyway, everything was ready.
After the Pope returned to the judge’s seat.
He began the trial in a solemn voice.
“I will now commence the trial against the sinner Caressy.”
Instantly, the air in the courtroom changed.
The atmosphere was sharp compared to just moments ago.
The gazes directed toward Caressy and me turned fierce.
Because of that, Caressy flinched for a moment.
But I thought differently while facing those glares.
Caressy had been left alone before these contemptuous gazes.
How painful and difficult must that have been?
It’s remarkable she stood her ground until the end despite feeling powerless.
Simultaneously, I made a new resolution.
I would stand by Caressy’s side.
I wouldn’t leave her alone.
I would fight alongside her.
And I would erase all those shitty glares.
Just as I resolved, the opposing side’s bishop opened his mouth with a grave expression.
“The defendant Caressy was dispatched to the Academy last year. A grand purpose to prevent the ruin of the Beastman Kingdom.
However, in reality, she was solely absorbed in her Academy life, forgetting her original goal and living extravagantly.”
Suddenly, the bishop’s face hardened.
“A saintess should dedicate herself for the safety of the Beastman Kingdom, yet her actions have been disappointingly inadequate.
Forgetting her duties and merely living it up at school! That is an affront to the faithful present here and, furthermore, an insult to the Holy Spirit!”
After saying that, the bishop paused to catch his breath.
Then he slammed the table and shouted vehemently.
“Therefore, Caressy should be declared guilty without trial! I request her to be stripped of her saint title and exiled!”
At his words, everyone except me, Caressy, and the Pope applauded, agreeing with the opinion.
Caressy’s face stiffened, which was a bonus.
It certainly seemed like a plausible argument on the surface.
Highlighting only Caressy’s wrongs while overshadowing what they had done.
I thought they’d formed some level of public support from that angle, effective as it seemed.
But to me, it was just sophistry.
So I decided to shatter that logic.
Step by step, and perfectly.
“I object!”
The murmurs of the crowd quieted down, and sharp gazes flew towards me.
But I didn’t flinch and continued speaking.
“As you just mentioned, does that mean everyone here, regardless of their jobs, is a believer because they are in the cathedral?”
“Why ask about an obvious fact?”
The opposing bishop scoffed, but I had been waiting for that line.
“It’s the same at the Academy! Once anyone is enrolled, they’re a student at the Academy!”
“What’s your point?”
And just like the bishop, I slammed the table as I shouted.
“What’s wrong with a student dedicating themselves to their school life?!”
“I object, Your Honor! The author is mocking the court with persuasive language!”
“The bishop’s objection is not accepted. The defender’s statement is acknowledged.”
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Caressy was looking quite surprised at me.
Seeing her face, I smiled slightly.
“What do you think? Do I look like a qualified defender?”
“It’s pretty amazing you can be this logical.”
“You bitch.”
But just as I was enjoying the moment.
The opposing side began their offense again.
“However, even after contact with the one responsible for the downfall, Caressy has shown no significant actions since then!”
“Wait!!!”
“What now?”
I tapped the table and spoke.
“Caressy made contact with that villain and even obtained an A rank hunter title in South Korea!”
“That rank was just obtained in South Korea! It means nothing if it wasn’t earned in the Beastman Kingdom!”
But I could counter that argument as well.
“I object! The rank in other servers is less valid than the Korean server! It’s higher in quality!”
“I object! The author’s statement is just dog noise!”
The bishop raised an objection to the Pope.
“The Wolf Beastman can speak dog noise because they’re a Dog Beastman. Therefore, the bishop’s objection is not accepted.”
“Damn it! I didn’t think of that!”
It was perfectly dismissed.
That was the maximum consideration the Pope could show as well.
To not betray that consideration, I spoke with a hint of frustration.
“What kind of place is the Korean server! It’s a crazy place where Yumi and Sindra are teaming up with Giant Hit in the game!
Looking at the speechless bishop.
I slammed the table again and shouted strongly.
“Do you know how difficult it is to even reach A rank there!!!”
“Uh, it’s not that hard!”
The bishop struggled to refute.
“What’s your rank then?!”
“Fuck!!!”
He couldn’t come up with a reply to the following words.
It seemed he wasn’t even a misfit, just throwing curse words around.
This time I returned the insult and spoke.
“It’s a remarkable achievement for Caressy to obtain an S rank while in contact with the one responsible for the downfall!”
“Then what does the defender want to say?”
The Pope spoke to me solemnly.
But it seemed like there was a faint smile on his face.
I smiled slightly back at the Pope.
“To say she did nothing is sophistry! She was gradually fulfilling her role as a saintess!”
“I accept the defender’s statement.”
That statement plunged the courtroom into chaos.
Moreover, despite everything I had said, the sword that stood in the center hadn’t moved a bit.
In other words, it meant there was no lie in my words.
[Got him.]
‘Hey, you bitch! Are you crazy?!’
At that moment, a piece of information seemed to trigger a reaction as this time the Archbishop stepped forward.
“Your Honor! Caressy went to the Academy just to fulfill her own desires!”
“I object! The author is merely spewing sophistry without proof!”
I quickly refuted.
“No, I have proof right here!”
“The defender’s objection is not accepted. Archbishop, please present your evidence.”
This time my objection was not accepted.
For the Pope, who had to maintain neutrality, it was unavoidable.
Then the Archbishop grinned and took something out.
“Look at this! Caressy’s corporate phone!”
“My, my corporate phone!!! Ah, no!!!”
On the screen of Caressy’s corporate phone was the familiar face of Nopia.
Caressy turned pale and hurriedly tried to stop it.
But the Archbishop continued ruthlessly.
“It’s full of romance novels about relationships at the Academy!”
“This, this is objectionable! At that age, it’s a normal hobby to be interested in romance!”
As far as this went, it was fine.
After all, everyone reads at least one or two romance novels.
“Moreover, most of them are smut novels about mating at the Academy!”
“Oh, fuck.”
But at the Archbishop’s next words, I found myself at a loss for words.
Seeing me speechless.
The Archbishop mocked me and sealed the deal.
“If this isn’t going to fulfill her own desires, then what is it!!!”
The flow was not good.
Really.
*
