Chapter 49 - Price for Freedom [2]
Simply put, knowing me as a person, do you think I’ve learned how the law works?
All of it? No. Most of it? Still no. A little? Kinda.
I’m also the type of person who remains passive, but aggressive toward those I dislike.
I tend to avoid situations involving the law because I’m not very good at it. I don’t like politics, so I didn’t think I would need to understand them.
I planned to be happily disowned from the Historia family, anyway.
Regrettably, I needed to learn new things to improve the quality of my novel, which is why I have some understanding of how certain legal matters work.
Sometimes I get so motivated that I study all night, while other times I overthink what I need to know.
It’s like browsing social media, only to end up procrastinating and wasting the entire day, which leaves me feeling dreadful.
If there is a reason why I’m saying this, it’s because I’ll have to bullshit my way through this, or I’ll end up regretting my half-assed attempts at studying.
Yes, I’ve picked up a little bit about how it works, but that’s about it.
I’ve spent my time overthinking, scrolling through social media, telling myself, “Nah, I’ll win,” and then falling asleep.
This was used on the early arcs involving Noah and the high authorities in Demiurge, so I didn’t think it would be that significant.
For such a ‘small’ segment, it bit me on the neck and has me on a leash.
Hilarious, right?
—Bang! Bang!
“You may start, Vincent.” The judge looked at the prosecutor to begin the trial.
The crowd fell silent as Vincent, the prosecutor, cleared his throat, ready to present his statement.
“Understood, Your Honour.” He flipped through his notes on the desk, preparing to read his script.
“A few weeks ago, two individuals appeared next to a sacred azure blossom tree, a property owned by the Historia family.” He fiddled with his mustache.
“As we all know, azure blossoms grow in soil abundant in mana, making the land nearby flourish due to their aftereffects, a priceless item that’s given to those who are highly trustworthy. Isn’t that correct?”
Looking at him, both Camellia and I nodded.
“Then, after close speculation, we discovered that one of the girls is the missing heir, who has been gone for two years, influenced by the tree’s ability to manipulate mana.”
Vincent swirled his mustache, his wrinkled forehead and overly long eyebrows standing out.
I found myself distracted by his exaggerated appearance.
“Camellia, the third daughter of the Historia family, a genius who mastered Telekinesis magic at a young age—” He flipped to another page.
“But what about the other girl? Who is she, and where did she come from? She may look like a vulnerable young girl, but beneath that facade lies a heretic—a monster in disguise!” He raised his voice to capture the public's attention.
“Thus, heretic, reveal to us what’s hidden beneath that arm of yours!” He mocked me with a snicker.
Ah, I want to punch him.
“…” I remained silent, unable to refuse.
—Tangle Tangle…
I removed the bandage from my arm, revealing what lay beneath.
“Oh my god… I-I can’t believe it…”
“We should kill her right away!”
“To think it really was true…”
The crowd whispered, a majority siding with him.
Ominous dark sigils were linked to Morze’s technology—a binding vow that caused one to give their body and soul to otherworldly beings for greater power.
Although magic is used every day by billions of people, some ventured into a power source filled with malice.
These self-destructive practices were known as Taboo Magic Arts.
To avoid the misfortunes caused by the modification of a mana core when selecting their desired magic, certain magic arts were lost to time and were never to be spoken of again.
Manipulating the human body and using toxic substances were examples of Taboo Magic.
However, one that stood out the most wasn’t just a specific Magic Art, but an entire category dedicated to them: Eldritch Magic.
At the bottom of this iceberg lay the most heinous arts, where humans were utilized as catalysts to bring about destruction.
Simply uttering its name could get you into serious trouble.
The marking on my arm was a clear example of Eldritch Magic, representing the highest form of violation.
Maybe they assumed I was a cultist based solely on these marks, or worse, someone sensed a foreign energy not belonging to an evil god, but to an unknown, forgotten deity.
That unknown energy clearly belonged to the Ichor, the blood of the gods.
Using Eldritch Magic leaves permanent scars on a person.
If someone abuses that power, they risk becoming humanity’s greatest nemesis—monsters they battled during a great war decades ago.
...
...
...
That’s completely wrong, though.
The truth is, such misuse only turns the user into a statue, devoid of mana, similar to the disease that spread in Eclecia.
The markings were different, too. Are they seriously comparing the grotesque, pulsing scars to the well-thought-out tattoo on my arm?
Are tattoos banned in this world now?
—Bang! Bang!
“Silence!” The judge commanded, raising his voice.
“What you’ve said is reasonable evidence. Those markings are classified as 1st degree Taboo Magic and should have led to a death sentence. So why would you object to that, Camellia?” He called out her name. It was our turn to speak.
To prepare herself, Camellia placed her hands on her chest, filled with determination.
She was resolute in her commitment to protect someone like me.
“What you said is right. That is irrefutable evidence—no, the truth that could very well win this case.”
“Ha! So you do understand how foolish this was—”
“But,” Camellia interrupted him, “this is what happened when we injected her with the serum that Trestkania provided us.”
If the greatest piece of evidence has been revealed from the beginning, then she did the same, demonstrating that our situation was equally valid.
—Vrrrr...
A girl wearing a white veil approached, pushing a trolley that held something important.
“…The what serum now?’ I asked Camellia in confusion.
“To confirm if she truly is a Morzen Cultist, we conducted tests to check for any traces of Eldritch magic.”
—Fwip…!
They unveiled the contents of the trolley, revealing several sets of syringes.
“Is that…! How dare you!” Vincent exclaimed, his eyes wide with anger.
“Hoh… Orion, is this perhaps the new weapon that Trestkania has been developing?” the judge inquired.
“Yes, Your Honour,” Orion took over and bowed his head.
“Trestkania has been working on a drug designed to prevent humans from being affected by the corruption from outside.” He held up one of the serums for everyone to see.
“But our miracle drug has two side effects: one good and one bad,” Orion explained as he patted my shoulder.
The more Orion and Camellia explained what this serum was, the more my neck itched.
...There's no way, right?
“The beneficial side effect severs the connection of Miasma, killing the cultist instantly.”
...Hmm.
"And the other is that it uses another Taboo Magic known as [Anti-Magic].” He boldly claimed.
—SLAM!!!
“P-PREPOSTEROUS! How DARE you bring such a vile thing here!” Vincent screamed at the top of his lungs in a fit of rage.
He wasn’t the only one causing an uproar; the citizens were furious and disgusted by this serum, which was expected from a nation steeped in magical traditions.
The mere idea of something like [Anti-Magic] being developed fundamentally contradicts their teachings.
“Cease your foolish prejudice, Vincent. Continue,” the judge ordered, unfazed by the outburst.
“Yes, Your Honour.” Orion nodded respectfully and continued.
“Morzen Cultists are bound by a blood contract. Just a moment’s interruption to sever the connection is enough for them to rot, killing them in the process.”
—Click!
Orion opened a box, revealing a single used syringe.
“Oh god. I knew it,” I muttered, staring at the syringe with my eyes wide open.
It was the same syringe Camellia used to stab me.
"Two days before the trial, Aria was suddenly attacked by Scarlett Penelope in a hospital at night." Camellia took over.
"According to Scarlett’s testimony, she was ordered by an official to kill Aria during the night to prevent the trial from happening. Is this true, Scarlett?" She turned her gaze toward her.
“…Yes, it’s true.” Scarlett nodded in agreement.
A murmur spread through the room.
“…!” Vincent's eyebrows raised slightly.
It was subtle, but I could tell by his reaction that he was the one who had given the order.
All Vincent needed to do was tell them that I, who appeared beside Camellia, was a Morzen Cultist and provide evidence to support it.
Scarlett would readily believe him because of her intense hatred for them.
“After the order was about to be executed, Orion and I came to rescue her. That’s when we injected Aria with the Anti-Magic Serum to prove to Scarlett that she wasn’t one of them.”
Orion handed the syringe back to the lady, who had a cloth wrapped around her head.
—Fwip!
As she revealed her face, the girl had gray eyes and pale white skin, resembling an emotionless doll.
—Voom…!
In the next moment, light began to flow from her eyes, creating a hologram that depicted the events of that day.
“A hologram?” I wondered.
From her eyes, she projected a video that showed the aftermath of what happened between Scarlett and me, all from Camellia's point of view.
You know... the part where I was beaten to a pulp without being able to fight back.
"Whoa, I look like that?” I observed myself, praising myself in great detail.
I look completely different when I look at myself from another perspective—
—Bonk!
“Gwek…!” Camellia hit me on the head.
“—Shh!” she hissed at me. It was clear she wasn’t in a good mood, judging by the dark circles under her eyes.
Seems like I blurted that out loud without noticing…
—Vrrm… Thunk!
After showing the footage, the girl covered her head again, bowed, and then left quietly.
“After the footage and the truth brought up by Scarlett, what do you have to say for yourself?” Camellia looked at him with cold eyes.
“Ha… Hahaha!” Yet out of nowhere, Vincent suddenly burst into laughter.
“…What are you laughing at?” Camellia glared at him as if he were trash.
…The gaze Camellia cast at Vincent reminded me of the old days.
“Everyone, have you ever wondered if the person standing before you is the real Camellia?” he boldly declared.
“What...? What the hell are you even trying to say?” Camellia's veins nearly popped with rage.
His statement was so absurd that she thought he had lost his mind.
—Chatter Chatter…!
Everyone began to murmur among themselves.
Such an assumption was inconceivable, especially since the eyes of the Historias were unique, miraculously handcrafted by God with intricate patterns.
“Miss Camellia is right. Is there any evidence to suggest that she’s not the real one after we have already conducted countless DNA tests?” Orion asked, finding Vincent’s claim completely baseless.
“Hah! You’ll see... Your Honour, may I bring in a witness myself?” Vincent smiled smugly.
“A witness…?” Camellia's eyes widened. There hadn't been any mention of a witness before this.
A witness, huh… I definitely heard a couple of voices when I woke up that day.
—Ving…!
A young girl in her teenage years stepped up to one of the podiums. We had been so distracted by the video that we didn’t even notice she was already there.
“…Alright.” The judge nodded his head in acknowledgment. The witness was already present before he agreed to let her speak.
“Thank you, Your Honour. Now state your name and explain what happened that day,” Vincent demanded.
“M-My… my name is P-Penny…” Her voice was hoarse, growing quieter with each word.
“Louder.” Vincent scowled.
“M-My name is Penny! When… when I found the two of them lying under the tree…!” The girl struggled to express herself.
“L-Lady Camellia had m-markings on her neck!”
“!!!” Camellia turned pale, instinctively caressing her neck as memories flooded back.
The collar that restrained her may be gone, but scars in her neck remained, hidden by the choker she was wearing now.
“My~ by the look on your face, imposter, is this the truth?” Vincent asserted under peer pressure.
“Y-Yes!” Penny bowed her head, tears welling in her eyes, but she fought to hold them back.
“Tch!” Camellia clicked her tongue, realizing she hadn’t considered being enslaved to be a violation when she was the victim.
They were unaware that the slave collars existed because the people who discovered them died before they could report what they had found.
From Camellia's explanation, the collar drained her mana, leaving her unable to use even a quarter of it. If she attempted to use more than that, the collar would shriek, creating an artificial Siren's Call.
“Do you now understand why I sent the Ashen Witch to eliminate the heretics? It was to save you all!” He began a fervent sermon.
“The longer we let these monsters live, the more we, as humans, will be hunted by these monstrous creatures!”
“Y-Yeah…!” The crowd began to cheer.
“We must kill them!” Malice stirred within the crowd, now directing their anger toward Camellia as well.
People were relieved that the heir of Historia managed to return alive, but doubts still lingered about how she had survived.
"So that was his intention..." I glared at him upon discovering the true agenda behind his actions.
It was to brand Camellia as a traitor to eliminate any further irregularities standing in his way.
Vincent understood that to win the people's favour, he first had to give them what they wanted, thereby achieving his own desires.
To him, everyone was a chess piece that could be discarded at will.
His insatiable greed was both his greatest weapon... and his most significant weakness.
...
...
...
—Snap...!
I don't think I can hold back anymore.
“Hey, are you finished with your nasty barking, old man?” I said loudly.
“You. What did you say?” He caught the term "old man" and glared at me.
"A-Aria!" Camellia exclaimed, trying to stop me from acting rashly.
“Leave it to me, I’m tired of this.” I insisted, preventing her from interfering.
It took an unexpected turn, but she chose not to say anything further.
After that, I looked at Orion.
It was suspicious how he only stepped in whenever Camellia needed support and didn't offer any defence other than providing us with the Anti-Magic serum.
'People you trust the most are often the ones most likely to betray you.' I shook my head.
Orion was waiting for me to do this—right from the beginning.
—Thonk!
“You have no right to say that, you heretic!” The crowd hurled objects at me—from trash to leftover food, and even rocks.
—Splat! Ting…! Thud!
Pity, hatred, envy—I had always assumed the worst of people because of my past reputation.
It was so suffocating that every silhouette in the crowd blurred into one; they all seemed the same.
In truth, I hated the fact that Demiurge was the nation where the story took place.
Why not Trestkania? Or even Yorselania? I often wondered why I didn’t choose another nation besides Demiurge.
The Demurgians were so prideful that I was surprised they managed to survive in this broken world.
Again, I'm no hero, and I'm fully aware of that.
So what if I knew about the distant future? What could I truly do except make things worse?
Even the smallest actions I took led to the worst possible scenario, leaving Noah to die.
And it was all my fault.
This won't be a lighthearted tale filled with hopes and dreams,
But rather one where I prioritize myself above others, using every means necessary to survive in this world.
…
…
…
—Voom…!
“…Camellia?” She used [Telekinesis] to stop the crowd from throwing at me.
“Don’t think I’d just let them hit you. Even if the world turns its back on you, I’ll believe in you until the end.” Camellia smiled at me, putting all her trust in me.
Ah… I see now.
Now that there is someone who trusts me, things have changed.
I’m no longer alone.
I looked at Camellia for a long time as the voices of the crowd grew distant... and slowly a smile crept onto my face.
Even if I were to prioritize myself, who would stand with me?
Will I be alone, even in the far future?
It doesn’t matter anymore.
I know what I am fighting for now.
“Hah! That’s the Aria I know.” Camellia said aloud, dropping her elegant persona.
My expression must have looked gloomy for her to react that way.
—VOOM…!
Camellia’s telekinesis sent the things that were thrown at me back at the civilians.
For someone who was supposed to guide them, her disgust had escalated to the point where she no longer cared about their opinions.
The citizens, bewildered by Camellia’s actions, fell silent for a moment, as if they couldn’t believe what had just happened.
“Hey, losers! Shall I show you what happened in Arcadia?” I smirked.
It was the same smile I wore back then when I was fighting the Eldians in the teleportation circle.
“Your Honour, permission to speak?”
Although the crowd was in turmoil, the judge looked at me without blinking and maintained his gaze.
“Permission granted.” He nodded his head.
I have been holding back for so long... so now—
It’s showtime.
“Bald head~! Maybe you should fix your hairline before you speak gibberish, loser♡.”
The tone of my voice changed pitch, something I would've never done if I were a guy.
Seconds later, his face turned red, as if he took great offence to my words.
If I wanted this to be as successful and enjoyable as possible,
Then I'll make sure this man rips his mustache out of pure rage.
