"If I may..." Epel spoke up hesitantly, "What's going to happen to Rollo now?"
There was a deep sigh as the headmage responded, "Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, I would not be able to start the trial. Instead, I've assigned another one of my students to lead the trial in my place."
"Huh?" Peony paused in bewilderment before she wore dry smile, "Wait... Old man, do you have any other students, aside from the three of us?"
"Of course not. Otherwise, we would not have such difficult problem in our hands." The man responded bluntly.
"Hold on, hold on!" Peony gasped as it dawned on her, "You never told me about this!"
Confused, Deuce asked in confusion to her outburst, "What's going on?"
Puzzled, Riddle muttered, "The trial consists of the false headmage and rollo. Both of which as his students. He himself is also not in the best condition to hold this trial."
"Then, the best option is to pick another student or trusted individual to judge the trial in his stead." Azul mumbled as it dawned on them, "Wait! Y-You mean-!"
"Of course." Trill responded, "The president and I intend for my youngest student, Peony Xue, to lead the trial in my stead."
"I see... I see..." She stood with a wide smile.
"Um... You're smiling, but your eyes aren't smiling, you know that?" Ruggie hesitated with a shiver.
"Oh. Don't worry. It's nothing serious." She smiled, "I was just thinking... This would have been quite an important information that I could have heard from the beginning. Right. old man?"
"Now, now. This was the decision the president and I concluded with after you left." He smiled, "Naturally, a student of the headmage of Nobel Bell College is required to act as judge in this trial, but apart from the three of you, only you continued to act impartially throughout the entire five years of my absence."
Hearing this, she raised a brow. Impartially? Didn't she just beat up and even took the lives of some cultivators recently? Then, there was the fairy gala situation and some couple of guys from another arcane school who stalked her yesterday afternoon, whom she pummeled into a pulp. She scoffed, "If you take beating up some people impartial, sure. Besides, being the judge of this specific trial is not simple."
"It's not?" Epel tilted his head in confusion.
She shook her head, "It's like picking out the next president, but through trial. The one running the trial is usually the current headmage. To keep it fair, the jurors can voice their decisions and opinions. This is a test for both the candidates and the current headmage."
"That is how the trial is run. However." Trein hesitated.
Peony sighed, "This generation, both candidates have committed serious crimes and the current headmage is too weak to act as the judge. Not to mention, he is also the center of all of this as well."
"Can't the president act as the judge this time?" Silver pointed out in confusion.
"The selection and duties of the judge is designated to contend with the power of the president." She explained, "If the president took control of the trial, he'd be seen as some form of conqueror of power."
She drew a triangle and wrote down something on each corner as she continued, "President has the power to promote laws, events and overseas all magic related matters. All those under him as technically also under the judge, who has the power to decide whether the decision of the president is just or unlawful and the legislation that processes all the laws and monitors all events relating to magic. This is the power of three. So, if the president suddenly took over the power of the judge, he'd have some serious feud with the third power and the other officials who are under all three of them."
"And, Peony is the perfect candidate as judge," The preside replied, "She has worked under me all this time. However, her task and position makes it so that she is not directly involved with my work and decision. It was a good thing the headmage introduced you to me from the beginning."
"However, I am also a member of the fairy's royal family." She added.
"There is no other better candidate." Her master stated resolutely.
"At least let me have a thorough conversation about this matter before you decide."
"We're already having this conversation." The judge chuckled, "After all, you are also the one who single handedly took out the threat against Fleur city. I can't think of anyone better for the job than you."
"Isn't is because I am the only student who has yet to create chaos? And, I'm the only one who can deal with this problem?" She grumbled in dismay, "Maybe I should just get pulled over for underage driving."
"Isn't is an honor to act as judge for this event?" Azul tilted his head in confusion.
"Exactly." Riddle smiled, "To have chosen you means they trust you and your abilities. You should be proud of this."
She glared at the two and smiled wide, "Since the two of you are so sweet as to give me such honey coated compliments, I may not be able to refuse. Then, I guess the two of you are also so kind as to help me complete all of the papers in from my father's office while I arrange for the repairs of the city? It's not really a problem. Just a good number stacks of papers to go through. I'll even throw in the medical expense for bruised fingers and a popped thumb joint."
Hearing this, the two was taken aback in disbelief upon hearing this! She sighed as she grumbled, "When will I have a younger sibling already? I've already had to replenish the aides' fairy dust four times this last month. The next documents should come in after another week and my parents will be out on an errand to the other fairy villages and towns!"
As she began moping in the corner, the president laughed, "Looks like the fairy kingdom is in good hands after all. We had a feeling it would be good to leave this trial to her."
Ruggie sighed, "More like leave the burden on her."
"Anyway," Her master continued, "I hope everyone enjoys the celebration to their fullest. Tomorrow-"
"Take Rollo out into the city and help with the repairs of both the city hall, buildings, and school." Peony grumbled in the corner.
"For now, the students are free to do as they please during their stay. If you wish to look around the city, that's all right as well." He added.
Peony folded her arms but remain silent. After speaking a little longer with him, her master thanked them again before hanging up the phone. As Riddle handed the phone back to her, she grumbled, "Looks like I'll be taking a quick trip back to the tower."
"Did something come up?" Riddle raised a brow.
"He tried to leave the tower." She grumbled, "If not for his back, he probably would have succeeded too. Since being in a state of coma, his condition is not what it used to be. He'll need the proper nutrition to regain his muscles. I need to go so that he doesn't suddenly show up in the ER."
"Why not call for a healer?" Riddle raised a brow.
"The real headmage is the only person in the tower all this time. The princess and the president are the only one able to enter due to their powerful magic. If a regular healer enters, it would certainly alarm him." Rook pointed out with a frown.
"Thus, the old man decided he would only reveal himself at the end." She explained, "HE and the president are old friends, so you don't have to worry about his safety. The president is still healthy enough to pull out his pen. If he hadn't heard that it was my teacher, he would not have came at all."
"He must've been searching for a very long time." Trein pondered feeling rather pity for the guy.
"He was. However, even though it is because they're close friends, we had to ask him to leave the matter to us. Having the president search for one person for so long can also become a cause of rumors for his political opponents to use. Being in a position of a lot of power can become a restraint for some." She shook her head in disappointment, "I can name a few people who have had a difficult time growing up in such an environment."
"Oh?" Ruggie grumbled rather unamused, "Like who?"
She smirked, "Do you really want me to start saying the first name of the top of my mind?"
Ruggie hesitated, "On second thought, scratch that."
"If I may trouble the lady, I would like you to answer a few questions for us." Rook questioned politely.
Peony had a feeling that he was gonna ask something strangely important again and shrugged, "Fine. I'll do my best to answer."
"I have a feeling you would not have a problem." He smiled gratefully before his expression went a little cold, "As the real headmage, why didn't he stop the fake one?"