Rollo was in a room with Trein and the lawyer who was left in a daze.
"That was quite surprising…" Trein hesitated.
"The princess is rather bold." Rollo looked around nervously.
"Rollo!" His mother hurried over to him and gave him a big hug much to his dismay.
"Are you all right, kid?" His father looked to him nervously.
He nodded, "I'm fine… However, my brother's case…"
His uncle's face became solemn as he frowned, "Don't worry. Since the judge was the one who brought it up, they won't get away with this."
Suddenly, the lawyer bursted out laughing. Shocked, Trein raised a brow, "What's wrong, sir?"
"Haha! Ah! M-my apologies." The man wiped a tear away as he gave them a big smile, "It's just from all my years practicing law, it's the first time the judge themselves deemed the law forged by their predecessor unfit for the present and completely disregarded it! Yes. If this is the new judge, then I believe Mister Flamme will be safe if she's the one overseeing the hearing."
"How so?" Trein raised a brow in confusion.
"The past judges held the law in high regards and followed the old set up without changing as though it was set in stone by god. However, since the current headmage stepped in, he held morals over the law instead. This was an major improvement, however, the punishment still ranged from exile and public humiliation to death. The current judge not only has power and knowledge, but the boldness to tackle the old structure head on unafraid of facing the consequences. With this, we can ensure that whatever punishment will be received, the student can return to his life as a student without severe consequences. Perhaps some janitor duty for a year like those in Rose kingdom with similar level of crime."
As the parents rejoice, Rollo spoke up in disbelief, "Was the law really so uncompromising?"
"Yes." He nodded, "Even if the jurors were completely elderlies, they would have to sit for five hours listening to the trial or hearing until it was over. The city had to call on the ambulance so many times that it's become required to have one on standby. Yet nobody changes the law here. This time, the judge not only personally kicked out someone against her position, but she even has the guts to scold the headmage comparing him to the only child that's not on the judges seat."
Hearing this, Rollo realized that he wasn't wrong. He'd never thought he'd hear someone talking sense on a law that was praised for so many years to be claimed as outdated. It was quite a surprise.
After the fifteen minute break, everyone returned to their seats as Peony stated, "The second part of the trial shall commence. According to the record, Mister Trill has commited a number of crimes ranging from theft of identity to committing financial theft of business. Huh, yet, before that same incident over five years ago, you had a clean slate too. Smith, present"
The lawyer stood up calmly unlike before and began, "From what was gathered, the candidate was tasked to bring the current headmage to the police station. However, upon arrival something terrible happened."
"He suffered a seizure upon arrival and had to be taken to the hospital." She frowned, "Yet, what astounds me is how he was rejected from every hospital."
"The candidate had tried to seek the city hall for help, but he was turned away." He responded.
"Now that the city hall is attacked, I don't suppose you have a witness to this, now..." She grumbled.
"Actually, I have one." He responded.
"Oh?" She raised a brow rather interested.
"Although the hospital turned them away, there was a janitor who witnessed everything and kept an eye on them." The lawyer recalled, "I've asked him to stand for us today."
"Then, bring him in." She responded.
Shortly, after an old man walked in nervously as the lawyer spoke up, "This man is Mister Howard Millet. He is the janitor of Fluer City Medical Center."
"Howard Millet." She scribbled down and asked, "Let's start with what you saw that day."
"Y-Yes ma'am." Howard nodded nervously, "That day, I was preparing to tend the garden. I remember this since the gardener called in sick, so they had me work on the garden instead. I was putting away my tools when I saw a pair of father and son hurry to the front door. The father looked pale and was carried on his son's back through the door. I was curious and took a peek, you see. Normally, I've seen such scenes a number of times if you've worked at a medical center, even as a janitor. However, the father's appearance looked unusual and it was my first time seeing such a condition. So, I took a peek but I never thought that I would see the vice-president come out in person and send them out with my own eyes."
"Are you familiar with the vice-president?"
He shook his head, "For my years working there, I made sure to keep my distance from him."
"Why is that?"
"As a janitor, I understand I am a blue collar worker. However, in Fluercity, I've rarely faced any discrimination for my area of work. Even the president came to make sure I was alright with everything. However, whenever I was greeted with the vice-president, he often treats me as if I was not there. Unless he was in a group, he would continue to pretend I was not there and he was the one who often directs doctors to patients according to how he feels about their situation. I was worried about the father and son and followed them. However, when I found that they were approached by a suspicious individual, I hurried back to meet with the president. However, when I returned, I was fired from my position saying that I had an unexcused leave and was rejected from the place I was working at."
"Did you see this father and son go to other hospitals?"
He nodded, "I remember clearly and reached out to my acquaintances from other hospitals."
"You have acquaintances from other hospitals?"
He nodded again, "When I began working, my boss introduced me to a small network for blue collar workers and a support system. If anything happened, I could seek them out. However, we are not very well known. After I was fired, I sought them out and they recounted what I had seen and their own experiences. They all mentioned how their superiors or boss was talking on the phone with someone prior to the visit with a strange change in their demeanor. Then, a few days after, this happened."
"Why did you not try to report this?" She questioned.
"Because I was scared for our lives. After I was fired, the others believed that this was some sort of dangerous scheme. That it could be a dangerous gang and we can't afford to lose our lives. Some of the braver fellas went to the City Hall, but they were pulled away before they even made it there. Some disappeared, while others escaped and didn't dare go out for weeks or months. However, we didn't want to forget what happened to those poor fella, so we made sure to keep an eye out for them so they don't get into trouble."
Hearing all of this, Rollo and Axel were shocked! Doesn't this mean that everything was staged?! The lawyer spoke up, "As you can see, the witness had the information all along. However, due to the foresight of a third party, they were quick to retreat because they were threatened."
"Like prey waiting for the slaughter." Peony sighed.
"After this incident, the candidate was approached by a foreign healer who offered healing artifacts in exchange for money. As it had helped his father's condition and kept him alive, he purchased the artifact in exchange for his family's home and wealth."
They looked to him in disbelief as most understood what had happened. Peony grumbled, "I see, then it's a good thing he woke up when he did. Authority stated an individual had found him and gave him a healing pill during the time before the headmage woke up and discovered everything that had happened. During that time, Rollo dropped his phone and it slid under the floor before landing in his room, which he used to call for help from outsiders."
There was a deep moment of silence before she stood up, "Tell me you have a security camera too..."
"Actually…." The lawyer shook his head, "There was a lack of crystal ball or security camera in the area, however, I have discovered an old log that tracked everyone's whereabouts over five years ago on that day."
Peony sighed, "Better than nothing I suppose."
She took the log and skimmed through it before raising a brow. She frowned, "I see that a number of people did not utilize the logs often. Including their position, nobody but the janitor and a few number is people uses this on a daily basis. Yet the number of workers are 20?"
The lawyer hesitated, "W-well…"
"Explain." She demanded.
He cleared his throat, "It's just logs are not used often on a daily basis."
"And you believed this would strongly prove your case?" She stared down on him coldly.
Seeing this, a shiver ran down everyone's spine as she tapped her finger against the pedestal. Suddenly, a man in the crowd bravely stood up, "If I may, ma'am."
She nodded her head as he continued, "I recognize that place. My smithy is right across the street from it and I've had crystal ball and security cameras running for as long as I can remember, so that there's no theft. As you can probably guess, blacksmith work are rare these days due to machines taking over our job. So the prices of my work are expensive now yet still retains the touch of an artisan."
"And you allow this hearing to borrow them briefly?" She questioned curiously.
"Yes, ma'am." He said solemnly.
She nodded with approval and stated to her attendant, "Accompany the man to his smith and retrieve the evidence. This time, all evidence must be checked if it applies to the case, is necessary for the trial, is genuine, and, most of all, is considered reliable. Physical, testimonial, demonstrative, and documentary evidence are still accepted. But anything else are considered to be claims without supporting evidence."
"Yes." Zhang Li bowed her head and rushed out the door with the local blacksmith.
Peony grumbled quietly to herself and shoved the papers aside, "And the only thing proving Mister Trill's case is the testimonies, and a formal letter… Geez, I wonder how we got into this mess."
She folded her arms and continued, "Mr. Trill, what prompted you to make such an extreme exchange for something that was obviously a scam?"
Regaining his grip, the lawyer spoke up, "After the hospitals rejected his father, he was at a loss on what to do before the healer approached him with the only viable source of help. So, he did what he felt he had to out of desperation."
She grumbled and continued scribbling down endlessly before speaking up, "Very well. Until documentary evidence arrives for cross examination, we shall continue with this claim. Continue."
"After the headmage lost consciousness, his son took control of the school as the acting headmage until three years prior where he assume full control as headmage." The lawyer continued much to everyone's shock.
Peony huffed as she took out the papers, "Ah yes. And from there he has slowly moved the schools funds for the real headmage's treatment while unintentionally ignoring the government duties that comes with this position. According to the documents provided by the student council, the second candidate and the student council has managed to maintain the fundings throughout the school's activities despite the lack of proper fundings due to utilizing remainders from last year's funding. If not for them, the students, not just the staff, would have felt the effects of the lack of fundings. Not to mention, a number of staff were laid-off due to 'lack of funds'."