A strange metallic voice filled my mind: "New Ability Granted: Eidetic Legal Memory: With this ability, the barrister can recall any legal document, case law, legal precedent, or statute they have ever read, with perfect clarity. This includes ancient and obscure laws that might have been forgotten by others, giving them an edge in finding unique solutions to their clients' problems."

"New Ability Granted: Mystic Calligraphy: This power enables the barrister to create magical legal documents that are well thought out, ensuring that their legal memos cover the full extent of the law. Mystic Calligraphy transforms mundane legal writing into powerful tools of justice and advocacy, enhancing the barrister's effectiveness in court and beyond. This skill combines the precision of legal argumentation with the ancient art of magical inscription, making their written word as impactful as their spoken argument."

I felt a strange sense of power rush over me. A "Wow" escaped from my lips. Zeb just chuckled. "I remember when I first created my core." I could see Zeb drift off in reminiscence. "Now, before you go home for the day, we need to walk through your work here."

The confusion was written all over my face. "What do you mean, go home for the day?" Zeb looked at me. "Well, Barrister Pavarimax, you have been cultivating for the past seven hours. I went to court, had lunch, filed a few legal briefs, talked to my wife, had the entire office come in and see you, and I even answered a few letters." I blinked in utter surprise.

"Oh, don't worry about it. Cultivation does that to you, especially the first time. I remember a few years ago, Barrister Malhone got a cultivation breakthrough in the middle of court, and he was in a cultivation trance for three weeks. They had to just leave him there while he cultivated and closed the courtroom. It was hilarious."

"Ummm... Okay," I manage to say. "So, what's next?"

"First, let's walk through the legal system. We have strict but easy-to-follow legal procedures that are broken into two categories: Criminal procedure and Civil. We will be focusing on Civil Procedure. In order for any case to be heard in the Royal Courts of the Immortal Lords, a Platinff has to first satisfy these claims: First, only those of correct status can bring a case to court. Those people, in this order, are 1. Any Royal, 2. Adventurers, 3. Government Officials, 4. Landowners, 5. Business Owners, and lastly, a group of egregiously wronged commoners with a shared experience. A group, in this context, is nine or more, and they all must be currently living. This is the easiest way to get a case dismissed if the plaintiff does not have the legal standing to bring the case to the courts."

I nod at him. "That's a really horrible system. What legal actions do those who don't have the standing to bring a case to court?" Zeb chuckles a bit and says, "Absolutely none."

"The next thing the plaintiff must prove for the complaint before the court to be valid can be answered by 1. Is there a legal statute that protects the right to this complaint? 2. Are they the proper party to bring the case to court? Lastly, is this a Civil matter? If they are able to establish the first two but the third is a criminal case, we just file for their case to have a change of venue, and it's sent over to the criminal court system and not dismissed. But if they are not able to establish the first two questions, the case is dismissed."

I nod my head along to everything he's saying; it's pretty easy for me to follow along. "After the plaintiff has established the first two requirements, they must establish if they filed within the statutory period; if not, the case is dismissed. The last thing they must establish for the case to be heard is if they have enough supporting evidence to create a prima facie case for the complaint to be heard; if not, dismissed."

"What happens if a case is dismissed?" I ask. Zeb responds, "If a case is dismissed, the plaintiff must pay twenty-five percent of the asked-for amount in the complaint, plus five hundred gold for every day since the filing date. The court gets twenty percent of what is awarded in damages, we get ten percent, and the rest goes to the defendant."

"Now, behind you, all statutes are in gold legal journals; these are established by the Chamber of the Immortal Lords. New statutes hardly ever get decided; the last statute on the books was confirmed five years ago. The green legal journals are for bankruptcy law, the red is contract law, the blue is for property law, and the black journals are miscellaneous areas of law that don't get enough cases to justify their own journals. The books are organized in chronological order; the oldest laws are in book one, and the newest are in larger numbers. Precedent that has been overruled is magically deleted from journals and can never be used again."

"Wow, I wish we had that back at home," I whisper under my breath.

Zeb notices my whisper and smirks slightly. "Yes, our system has its advantages," he comments, then gestures for me to follow him deeper into the intricacies of our legal framework here in this magical realm.

He leads me to a massive, ornately carved wooden shelf that houses the gold legal journals. "These," he says, pointing to the shimmering covers, "are your new best friends. Familiarize yourself with them. The magic within these pages is not just in their ability to vanish outdated laws but in the wisdom they carry. Laws here are not just rules but spells that bind our society."

I reach out to touch one of the gold journals, feeling a slight tingling sensation at my fingertips. The book almost seems to hum with power, and as I open it, the words glow softly, illuminating the dimly lit corner of the office. "Incredible," I murmur, flipping through the pages.

"Indeed," Zeb agrees. "Now, let's discuss your first assignment." He retrieves a red journal from the shelf, indicating it's related to contract law. "You'll be assisting in a dispute between two adventurers over a contract with a dragon. It’s...complicated."

The concept of negotiating contracts with dragons makes my head spin. This was far removed from any case I had ever handled back on Earth. I could only nod, still in awe of the magical world I had become a part of.

As we sit down to delve into the specifics, Zeb outlines the basics of magical contract law, which surprisingly parallels human laws in complexity and nuance, yet with elements that defy logic. "Remember, magic adds a layer of unpredictability. A contract is not just a document; it's a binding spell. Breaches can have...consequences."

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Our discussion is interrupted by a knock on the door. A small, gnome-like creature with an armful of scrolls and parchments enters. "Mail for Barrister Pavarimax," it chirps, depositing the stack on the desk. Zeb gives me a knowing look. "And so it begins. You'll find that being a barrister here involves more than just legal work. Each case is a story, each client a mystery."

As the gnome scurries away, I'm left staring at the pile, feeling the weight of my new responsibilities. "We'll start with the dragon contract after lunch tomorrow," Zeb says, standing up. "For now, familiarize yourself with those. And remember, in our world, the pen is mightier than the sword—because it can rewrite reality. I will see you tomorrow"

He leaves me to my thoughts, the room filled with the sound of my own breathing and the faint, magical hum of the legal journals. I realize that my journey into the heart of magical law has just begun, and I can't help but feel a mix of dread and excitement for what lies ahead. This was no longer just about adapting to a new job; it was about navigating a world where law, magic, and adventure intertwine.

I started to look over the documents of the case that had been assigned to me. Two adventurers were disputing over the contract rights of working with a young dragon as a party member. I was diving through law journals, trying to find the necessary case law, when a knock came at my door. It was a woman Eladrin. "Hi, may I help you?" I asked her.

She smiled back at me. "Hi, Barrister Pavarimax. I am Barrister Ka-Del. I was wondering if you wanted to have dinner with me this evening." I was very surprised by this. She continued, "I thought you might want to talk and have someone to ask questions of since it's your first day in a new universe, and I remember what that's like since I was in your shoes just a few months ago." I blushed a bit and nodded to her.

I started to pack up the law journal to take with me when Ka-Del just laughed. "You don't need to take those home. Someone delivered your own set to your house today." I sighed with relief, not having to carry that heavy book home. Ka-Del looked around and whispered to me, "By the way, you don't have to call me Barrister when Barrister Zeb isn't around. We all aren't sticklers for the rules like he is."

"Well, Ka-Del, it has been a pleasure to meet you. Let's go eat; I am starving."

We walked into the restaurant, which was filled with Eladrin. The host escorted us to a rose the size of my office, and as we approached, the petals bloomed, allowing us to enter. Our seats were atop the flower, and as soon as we sat down, the rose started to float on the lake, next to tens of other flowers. The scene was absolutely beautiful, and the aroma in the air was heavenly. The host handed us each a menu and teleported away with a soft pop.

"Ummm... Ka-Del, can anyone learn how to teleport?" I asked. She thought for a moment before answering, "Well, anyone can teleport, but most have to use some kind of magical item. Very few get the ability to teleport, and almost no Barristers have the skill. There is one Barrister, who is also a private investigator working in the Criminal court system, that can do it."

I looked at the menu in front of me. At first, all the words and letters started to float in my vision, making it feel like I had dyslexia, but I concentrated, and I was able to read the words in English. They had a very long list of honey meads to choose from, and all the dishes seemed to have a fruity and savory honey combination. I looked over at Ka-Del, "I'll order us the mead, and you order the food."

Ka-Del just laughed, "How do you know what mead to order? You just got here." With all the confidence I could muster, I said, "Because I happen to be an expert on honey mead. I brewed my own back on Earth!" Ka-Del burst into laughter, "Back on Dirt? Your planet was named DIRT?" She could hardly contain herself. I blushed hard at this. "Well, we weren't the most original when naming our planet."

"Well, Dirt Man, welcome to AnaKaldroo, the central planet in the Anopia system, home of the King!" "Is that the name of where we are? I've been trying to figure that out," I say. This makes her laugh even harder. "You're telling me you get sent to a faraway universe and you never asked where you were?" "Umm, I was waiting for it to come up naturally," I say with hesitation. She was literally laughing as she spoke. "Come up naturally? Was asking questions illegal back on Dirt?" "No, it wasn't," I stammered out. "Oh, Julius, stick with me, and I will make sure all your questions are answered."

A server came, and we both ordered. I asked for the largest tankard of Strawberry Honey Mead they had, and Ka-Del ordered us a bunch of different dishes. The mead came in a large stein with intricate carvings of fae creatures playing in a meadow. "Julius, there is something you should know before we eat and drink," Ka-Del said. I looked at her, ready for what she had to say. "All the food you will eat at restaurants and at people's homes when they cook, is infused with Mana." "What is Mana?" I asked. "Mana is the processed energy that surrounds us; it allows us to manipulate raw energy into magic. Mana comes in two forms: external mana, which means someone else processed it, and natural mana, which means you cultivated it yourself. External mana has a one-hundred-to-one ratio. It takes one hundred times more mana to equal the same amount of mana you can cultivate for yourself. Each time you use external mana, you build up a resistance, and it becomes three times harder than when you cultivated with external mana before." "So, you're saying that the second time I cultivate with external mana, it will take three hundred times more external mana to equal the same amount of natural mana that I cultivate?" She nodded her head. "That must not be a viable progression path," I add. "Umm, well, some of the more wealthy people and royals use it to help them progress, but for the average person, it's more of a drop in the bucket."

"Is external mana expensive to buy?" "Oh, extremely expensive," Ka-Del replied, "especially beast cores. The lowest-grade beast core is about fifteen hundred gold, while a vial of external mana is about ten silver." "What is the difference in mana between the two?" I ask. She thinks for a second. "There isn't a very good conversion chart, but a vial of mana would be like a sip of water, while an entire low-grade beast core would be like a large feast for a week."

"So, I have another question. What is considered a lot of money, and how does the mercantile system work?" Ka-Del starts to drink her mead as she talks. "So, there are four scales you have to consider. The first is of a normal commoner; they make about a silver coin a month. A common adventurer makes about ten gold coins a month. On the royal side, a Settlement Lord, which is the lowest-ranking royal, makes about a thousand gold a month. A Royal Adventurer can make about ten platinum coins a month, and the high-tier Royals don't even trade in coins; they trade in beast cores. The currency goes from Iron to Bronze to Steel to Silver to Gold to Platinum coins. It takes one thousand of each currency to equal the next higher coin. There are also bars in every currency except for iron; it takes ten thousand coins to equal one bar in that currency, but only business owners trade and use bars."

I let her words sink in as I began to eat the food that was brought to us and drink from my stein. The food all had a very sweet honey flavoring to it, bursting with all kinds of flavors. Everything was wrapped in various lettuce leaves; it reminded me a lot of Asian cuisine. While the mead packed a punch, the sweet strawberry flavor was so rich and vibrant, and my head was instantly swimming after just one sip. I never considered myself a lightweight, but I also had never had magical mead before. I looked over at Ka-Del, who was just in a silent fit of pure laughter. "Julius, you need to channel your mana while you eat and drink," she said.

I did exactly as she said, and mana rushed through my veins. While I was feeling less light-headed, I was for sure already buzzed. But the beautiful thing was, I didn't actually care. I finished my first stein of mead and instantly ordered another.

"So, do you want to talk about abilities now?" she asked in a kind of playful tone.