[Radiant Edge Ring A

A golden ring that can conjure a blade of light. The conjured weapon acts like a normal dagger that can glow. It does a flash of radiant damage when it crits, consuming the knife and dealing additional damage. It can only be "consumed" three times a day.

Base Damage: +20% of Dexterity

Crit Damage: +100% of Dexterity instead. The damage type is changed to Radiant]

Rob snuck the ring to me as the enforcers walked away from the alleyway even though it would suit him better. The enforcers arrived a little after I slid the boneless body of the assassin into my mansion for either Dylan or Khan, whoever got to it first. I considered whether or not I should claim that I killed him and the body was destroyed or lie and claim he ran away. I'd rather not explain why the assassin is a limp boneless jacket.

I went with the first option since it's easier that way. I didn't mention his "confession" since I don't think head movement with no witnesses under the effects of mental magic is admissible in court. That doesn't mean I'll forget about this or not use it later. If anything, I must thank the Ken family for being a special kind of incompetent.

If the body holds information that may be pertinent to me, beyond that the Ken family is behind the attack, Dylan will find it for me. I don't think Khan likes cyanide-infused meat.

The ring is pretty good if I had dexterity unlocked. I realized something. Only rank A items have stats or skills that use a percentage rather than a static increase. Is that a requirement to be considered A? I guess it would be an item that would get stronger as the user progresses as well.

The only item that comes to mind that breaks this idea is Rob's gloves, which grant him a spell rather than a skill. Since I'm magic illiterate, I don't have an answer for this outlier. Speaking of, I examine the scrolls I found in his body. There was nothing else.

The scrolls on him were named [Flash Step] and [Cinder Strike].

The first lets the user teleport up to fifty feet away to a place they can see or an open flame within double that range. The other is a single-target short-range fire spell that should do roughly five hundred damage. With a fire resistance stat of 750 total, it would do nothing. There were three [Cinder Strike]s but only one [Flash Step].

The scrolls do static damage, but the spells imbued into magic items don't. Hmm. One grants an ability to be used by a user, and the other reflects the creator. So does that mean the difference between a rank A item and the others is the ability to attune to the user rather than just echo the creator?

I don't have many books on this topic. I'll think about it later. I double-check that my clothes are in order and my appearance is back to normal before I leave the alleyway and return to the courthouse.

I can't believe one of the most noteworthy trials (in the civil court) in the last one hundred years had such sloppy security that not only would the opposing party be implicated in an attack, but also a [Lawspeaker] and one of the representatives of the human race.

Would it be "future representative" since I haven't done anything yet, or because I was already granted this empty title, it's already in effect? I haven't seen benefits from my title besides the institutional training I could get within the walls of the Auroran Institute, so I rationalized that either I'm still technically a candidate or it hasn't completely gone into effect.

Maybe the title is empty, as I said, and I get nothing but a state-mandated pass to the elvish territories when the time comes.

I slip the ring on as I lament the irony of an assassin using a blade of light and slinging fire scrolls. I wonder if there is an assassination organization with "flashiness" instead of concealment in mind. This chump had a rank A item but still fumbled an assassination.

He would've gotten everyone if it wasn't for my skillset, so maybe he's better than I thought. Free Chains might have survived with injuries, however. Also, the Ken family should know about my freakish durability if they paid any attention or did the bare minimum of research. So a low-level assassin for a low-level family. Stingy mother fuckers, huh.

I would be worried for the family if I didn't leave them Flash Gordon. He can handle any situation if one arrives.

I walk past the clamoring reporters and pass the security into the building. Once inside, I walk around until I find Free Chains. He's standing in the middle of the corridor amidst a crowd of enforcers cordoning off an area.

I look past his shoulder and see a dead enforcer with seven different wounds on his body. Flash Gordon is also there.

"What happened, Free Chains."

"Oh, Ellis. Almost didn't notice you there. That enforcer and I use that term loosely in this situation, attacked. Perhaps another assassination attempt. Your tamed beast instantly killed the man."

"That's fucked."

"The death?"

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"No. The corruption of the enforcers runs deep enough that they are willing to kill innocent civilians for the benefit of the great families. I hope this is a man in disguise rather than a true enforcer. I don't need another reason to hate them."

"Alas, Ellis, the men surrounding the body seem to recognize that enforcer as one of their own. Luckily there were many witnesses, so your beast isn't in trouble."

"Where is the family? Flash Gordon should be protecting them."

"They are already in the courtroom. They will be safe there as breaking the law in the direct domain of the god of law would be tremendously stupid."

"I wouldn't put it past them."

"Also, there are enchantments and wards. They are safer than we are."

"Are all courtrooms under the direct domain of the god of law?"

"If it's a courtroom involving a [Lawspeaker] or a follower of Ibere, then yes, otherwise no. Other courts can involve other powers, whether a different god or society."

"What's the E.T.A. for the trial?"

"As soon as the owner of the tamed beast claims said beast. So the enforcers could begin their investigation without hindrance. Give or take a few minutes. There won't be a jury for this case, so we only need to wait for the judge."

I walk up, grab Flash Gordon, and walk away. Free Chains follows in tow. I ask him a final question as we enter the courtroom doors.

"What's the law on looting somebody?"

"Complicated, just don't say where you got the "loot" without a lawyer present."

The courtroom is a grand chamber with magical glyphs scrawled over the walls, floor, and ceiling. Wards to prohibit any tampering with the proceeding, mystical or not.

I can tell that this place is different. I thought Free Chains used a metaphor when he mentioned being in a god's domain. The room is filled with a feeling of divinity and order. Not justice, but law. A statue of a vaguely humanoid figure with blank features is situated at the back of the room. Its lack of characteristics is done masterfully, as it seems intentional rather than a rushed product. The statue "watches" the proceedings.

I can see an orb embedded in a podium in front of the judge's seat, a large [Liar's Orb]. The Aleveritas family sure did make an excellent product. I wish not to recall that vampire or his family.

Free Chains whispered when he noticed me looking at the [Liar's Orb].

"That's a special one. In permitted trials, not only can it detect lies, that orb can read thoughts and broadcast memories. Unfortunately, the Ken family vehemently fought against using that relic, and the judge had to relent. It's technically not necessary for this case, and some statutes and laws would prohibit the use."

"Would it be better to use it?"

"Not necessarily, but it would make everything faster. The judge can discern simple lies without the orb, and the Ken family can use it against us. I don't think they could do much, but I'd prefer not to give them the opportunity. Plus, I have the ability to have this trial be trivial, at least one part of it. He he."

We take our seats in front of the judge's left, not that the judge is here yet. The startled family is already here.

The mother talks to me as soon as I sit down. "Thank you. Thank you. Without you and your beasts, my family wouldn't be alive. This is all too much! Maybe this was all a bad idea."

I respond, "Don't worry about it. I'm glad you and your children are alright. And sorry. It's a little too late to back out now. Your life would still be in danger, and it would be all for nothing."

Free Chains inputs, "When we win, we can put you in a protection program. The government will not want to see you hurt. Not for any moral reason, but because if anything happens, it will be serious ammunition against them."

"I don't feel relieved that the death of my family can be used as ammunition. We'd be dead."

I whisper to Free Chains, "What kind of ammunition?"

"The man in charge of "witness protection" is General Harlan Blackwood, the man in charge of the enforcers. Ironic, huh? If that family gets hurt under his command, it would be the final nail in the coffin to deal some devastating damage. Although the system is corrupt in some places, there is an ever-rational god the government officials have to worry about more than anything."

"I thought that god was... you know..."

"I insinuate that Iberes is dead, but regardless it wouldn't matter. If General Harlan Blackwood isn't punished appropriately for his crimes at that point... Have you ever seen divine punishment?"

"I think?" I've been threatened by it unless Mertita was only joking.

"...well, it wouldn't be General Harlan Blackwood on the receiving end but any government official protecting him. That would open him up to the system blind to his transgressions. I'm sure there are stronger, more influential [Lawspeaker]s than me who have gripes with that man."

"Iberes is allowed to do that?"

"Gods can do anything and the officials that can do anything to help General Harlan Blackwood underwent an oath to get their power. It takes a lot for anything to happen, but things can happen. If not, our society would be nothing more than the mightiest rules over the weak, and everyone but the top 0.1% will suffer."

"No comment."

The defendants finally arrive. Four people, three in color-coded masks, and the old lawyer I had the "pleasure" of meeting in the precinct. The main target of this case, "Kendall Ken," still dons his blue fox mask as his brother, and what I presume is another sibling flanks him.

They are armed with swords, even the lawyer, but so am I. Before we could exchange colorful words, a golem wearing a laminated I.D. with a lanyard wanders in from the back room. It sets up a little machine before standing in a designated spot.

From the I.D. I can see that this is our bailiff, and I assume the machine is some automated stenographer.

The lawyer approaches me, ignoring Free Chains. "It's not too late to change lawyers, Ellis Vincere. The stench of fur will only hinder the proceedings. By the way, I heard about what happened. Are you and the family okay?"

The fakeness of his pleasant tone cuts into me.

"If you honestly can say that you or your clients do not own fur coats or equivalent clothing, then I will consider it."

"..."

"The one with the scrolls confessed."

I get no response to my words. Without changing his expression, the lawyer went to sit down with the fox masks. I wanted to psyche him out, and I guess it worked. I purposely didn't say words like "assassin" or insinuate that he had to do anything with it to avoid "slander."

We awkwardly sit in silence. The three fox masks stare in our direction as I stare back. I'm between the Kens and the family trembling next to me.

The golem breaks the silence by speaking, something I didn't expect it to do. "All rise for the honorable judge Lucinda Grayson."

As we stand, Free Chain's furrowed brow catches my attention. He whispers, "That's not the judge I've been in contact with to do the preliminaries for this case. In fact, I haven't heard about this person at all."