Rollo was stunned speechless! There was suddenly a burst of commotion to which Peony huffed, "Order."
Everyone quiet down as she continued, "These papers were cross examined by the authorities today. Mister Trill. Had it not been for the student council, the students would not have the carefree lifestyle they have today. They've even prepared funds for the staff on their own? Even if these terrible things happened to you and your father, are you not ashamed of yourself as the supposed headmage?"
Before the commotion could begin, Peony raised a hand stopping all conversation as she folded her hands together and leaned into her seat, "I want to know. While Mister Flamme and the other students were struggling on their own, what were you thinking during all this time?"
"I… I wanted to maintain the school and my father's condition until he awakens." He spoke up calmly before taking a deep sigh, "However, I was short sighted and narrow minded… I plead guilty…"
She huffed in disappointment, "It's just as he expected…"
Her words confused them as the door opened with the black smith and the two authorities arriving with the security footage and crystal ball. With a wave, Peony opened her mouth, "Ah, they're here. Set up the footage."
As they did, the black smith was stunned upon hearing the situation from others in the crowd. She watched as the video began with a young and weak looking man carrying an elderly with a hunchback on his back. They were hurrying into the hospital before being shoved out by a strict looking middle age man. The janitor from earlier appeared from the side looking confused at first while peeking through the window before becoming shocked and confused. He put his broom down and went to approach them. But he paused and glanced back at the building before secretly trailing behind them instead.
'Your honor." The man with a police hat spoke up, "There was something else we caught during the examination."
He sped up the footage revealing that an hour later, the janitor returned secretly before being scolded by the middle age man and pointed away from the building. However, he stayed around just in time to catch a healer with a red scarf approach the pair and offer the son a strange device. She sighed as the video ended, "Pause the video twenty seconds ago."
They nodded and rewinded the clip before pausing it. Looking carefully at the clip, she frowned, "On his hip…"
Sure enough, there was a black snake tattoo decorated on his hip before she frowned, "Looks like there's more to this than meets the eye. Spread word for others to watch out for these individuals. Now that this concludes the events, I shall hand down the decision. Rollo Flamme, for premediatated a plan to harm mages and steal magic, shall be sentenced to community service… However, as his main objective was Malleus Draconia of the Draconia family, the current headmage has decided to allow the victim's decision to hand down the punishment, thus… he shall continue his student life under the guise of the hero. If he chooses to reveal the truth, he shall also bear those consequences. He will also serve the community in aiding the people who have become victim to his actions and study abroad for a month after the citizens have recovered. Take this time to reconsider your actions and what your actions have caused. As you are still young, your sentencing was made light by the Council of Magic. Do not take advantage of this. As for studying abroad, you shall be sent to Night Raven College. I'm quite certain the headmage will happily accept you there."
She sighed before turning to Axel Trill and stated, "As for the other candidate… Despite your reasons, you are charged for stealing government funds and education funds, abuse of power and identity fraud. You are sentenced to community service in Nobel Bell College for a month, stripped of your rights as candidate for headmage of Nobel Bell College, and shall spend five years as student teacher and teacher assistant in Night Raven College."
There was a buzz as the door suddenly opened revealing the weak headmage struggling inside with the aid of the president. Surprised, Peony stood up and bowed her head with respect, "Teacher…"
Seeing the state of the man, some was shocked to see him with pity while some were stupefied from disbelief. She sighed as he stepped up and spoke up, "Have you already handed down succession?"
She shook her head, "No. Unfortunately, it would seem you may have to take up office for a little longer. Perhaps an assistant is required? You took your time."
The president smirked, "It would seem we were not allowed entry as not 'being apart of the council of education or magic' by a kid outside."
Peony sighed as a teacher from afar whispered to another next to him, "Who is he?"
She frowned and opened her mouth, "You are speaking to the ninety-seventh headmaster of Nobel Bell College and the author of The History of Laws and Amendments. A book all who study and teach in the field of law should be well familiar with. As one of the teachers, I had expected that the Board of Education would adhere to it that all are made aware of the proper behaviors and etiquette towards others and how to best set an example for their students. However, if this is how Dawning Gates School treats their peers and other schools-"
He shook his head and sighed, "That won't be necessary. My son and I have caused so much trouble and endangered so many people. I've also harmed one of my own students when he needed me the most. I'm stepping down. After all, it's the only choice left."
"WHAT?!"
As the two candidates exclaimed in disbelief, Peony frowned feeling rather ominous, "Wait… Then, who's going to become headmage?"
He chuckled, "You'd know if you read the Succession letter."
Apart of her doesn't want to read the letter as she hesitatingly open the scroll, "As it is stated in the letter, 'To all the members of the Board of Education and the Council of Magic, I, Tropin Trill, write this will to pass down my position as headmaster and my responsibilities to my successor and the victor of the Nobel Bell trials should I pass without warning or have stepped down. I declare my juror, Princess Peony, Princess of the Fairy Kingdom to remain present during the trial and the headmage until another successor is decided. Tropin Trill. This marks the end of the succession letter… Can I step down now?"
"No."
As she pouted, the headmage behind Trein spoke up, "Why not stay for a little longer? From the way I see it, the real headmage is more than capable of running the position."
The old man sighed, "Nobel Bell College is full of history no matter where I looked. As a child, this was my goal and this became my stepping stone into my studies of law and history. As a young adult, I initially wanted to continue to travel the world and continue to study history and law with the paleontologist group who treated me no different from their own. However, my deformed body that was caused from an accident upon birth became the cause of a decline to my health and kept me tied to a chair shortly after my son's birth. It has been fifty years since I last stood like this again. The one who inspired me to focus on the education of children was the birth of my son who displayed great interest in the field of law as I did and inherited his mother's compassion. When the board of education began to talk about preparing a will should something happen and trying something new to record into the history of the school, I had thought that I would see if I could make a new rule where every few generations or so, a headmaster could grant their position to their child or a child they are close to. Of course, this would end should both refuse to take on such a tedious role. However, never had I thought that one decision would result in such a huge catastrophe as this."
Peony magically created a chair behind her teacher as he sat down gratefully, "My health plummeted and I fell into a deep coma six years ago. An old injury to my skull had began to affect my mind. However, rather than affecting my thoughts and memories, I fell into a deep slumber. I prayed to god that I would wake out of the darkness for a long, long time. Truth was that I was awake. I just could never open my eyes. Not my mouth, nor my body. And... I have heard it all."
She turned to the headmaster and sighed, "What does headmaster Trill wants to do about this situation? There's no covering it up since the vice-headmaster has dragged it this far out now."
"This is not something that could be covered up to begin with." The old man continued firmly which greatly contrast his weak and awkward appearance, "Nor did I ever intended to cover up this crime. Today's fiasco has created two guilty men. One is my son, Axel Luis Trill, and the other is me, Tropin Trill."
"What are you saying, Headmaster Trill?!" One of the headmages spoke up in bewilderment, "You didn't do anything wrong. You couldn't have known this would happen when you made that decision. Don't we all do crazy things at least once in our life?"
"Yes..." The headmaster laughed weakly, "Growing up, I too have taken many bad decisions and led a crazy adolescent life in frustration of my condition. However, you must also remember this. Ignorance is not an excuse for what you have done wrong. Accidentally spilling a glass of milk and apologizing for it, does not clean it back up nor does it refill the glass with more milk. One must always take responsibilities for their actions, even when that action is simply ignorance. Had I not been more careful with my decisions back then, I would not have left this burden for my son and my best friend's grandson to carry knowingly or not. The school would not have been left in such a dangerous position and the City of Flowers would not be in such a dire state. Thus, to save Fluercity and protect its people, I must step down and let a successor with a brighter mind to step forth. Though not a resident of this city, I chose Peony Aine Xue as the next headmage."
"However, she's a woman."
"And yet, she was able to clean up the mess in a matter of a couple of days. Tonight, she has also devised a new and effective law for our future trials and displayed leadership and fairness in her judgement. Despite being responsible for their crimes, rehabilitation was also thought out in her judgement, which displayed her sense of compassion as seeing the guilty as human just as they have wronged and gave them other alternatives to live their lives after their sentence is served. Throughout the years of the previous headmages, none were as bold as to rectify the old laws and create new regulations that would fit according to the current era. During last night's incident when the city was overwhelmed by firelotuses, she stepped up in person, rallied capable adults to help the people and saved those deeply affected by the firelotuses. The times are changing, and, although uncommon, I have decided to name her as my successor and new headmage. So, is there any objections?"
Seeing as the room was silent much to Peony disbelief, the headmage nodded to her as she grumbled in dismay and pounded the gavel on the sounding block, "This trial is now adjourned."
Suddenly, there was an erupt of cheering as they left the room. Malleus approached them out of the blue with a smirk, "Congratulations, headmage."
She huffed with her arms folded, "You know, your words would sound more genuine if your smile don't look like a smirk sometimes."
"With so many people, how are you going to have them keep quiet about Rollo's punishment?" Silver hesitated.
"The people attending the meeting today are all involved with the candidacy." She explained, "Leaking information is equivalent to a crime here. Thankfully, this law was made by my teacher and the president while he was judge. Therefore, they won't leak anything without risking their own safety."
"So what will you do now?" Malleus hesitated, "The headmage."
He glanced over and saw the headmage being escorted to the nurse's office by the president. Peony nodded, "Under supervision and care, he will recover. The artifacts prolonged his life, but not healed his condition. I will monitor his health and have a teleportation spell from Sage's Island to here be made in case of emergency."
"That's good to hear." Sebek sighed, "Looks like all that's left is the succession ceremony."
"You're joking right?" She glared at him, "What makes you think that right now is the perfect time to hold a ceremony of some sort?"
"So there won't be a ceremony?" Malleus tilted his head in confusion.
"Nobody is able to put together a ceremony in their current condition. There are people still recovering from the attack and the bell artifact is in a precarious situation at the moment. Right now is not the time for celebration. Instead, I've already sent order to the city hall to prepare for the mayor for some serious reconstruction of the government of this city and how to dispatch aid to the people."
"You're going to reconstruct the city's government?!" They looked to her in disbelief.
"Of course!" She scowled, "During the time the mayor was absent, did you not hear what had happened to the city hall's functions?! It just stopped! There was no replacement cogs or a temporary solution. Everything just stopped! This is a serious error in its structure! There should always be a backup plan in case such things occur and this time that backup was also gone! The people are in serious trouble and some needed actual magic artifacts as life support!"
"Oh dear…" Malleus frowned, "That is quite the dilemma…"
"And now the old men decide that I take the reigns in this situation…" she grumbled, "All while saying that I will make a brighter change. They just want me to clean up the mess and give me more work."
"Isn't it because they trust you than the other candidates?" Silver pointed out, "After all, both did something terrible."
She sighed, "Whatever, it's not like doctors can ignore patients either… speaking of doctors….."
Seeing her big yet cold smile, Malleus sighed, "What are you planning now?"
"Nothing really." She smiled wide, I'd just really love to know how the medical facilities are doing."
"Ugh…" Malleus sighed, "Then, we won't take anymore of your time."
"On the contrary." She stopped him, "There's something I'd like to ask of you."