As usual, I don’t sleep well. Between fragments of conversation from nearby cells and the footsteps of patrolling demon guards, the nerve-wracking noise wakes me up at regular intervals. Hibiscus is nowhere to be found when I wake, so I assume she’s wandered back to Sinensis. I can’t honestly believe a dragon would want to stay with me of all people.

The same demon from last night comes back around. His green eyes go wide at the state of the lock, and he watches me curiously. “Looks like someone tried to bust you out.”

“I don’t believe in running away when I’m innocent.”

"Your lawyer will help us decide that. Come on.”

“We’re being given a lawyer?”

“The charges may be indisputable, but we demons aren’t the bad guys here.”

“Uh huh.”

I shrug and follow him out of the cell and through the building. We meet up with officers Rosemary and Sage (or Sage and Rosemary), bringing Izumi and Mamoru respectively.

Next, it’s time for us to get situated in the courthouse. They unbind our arms and lock us in a room with a new demon in a sharp suit. She has horns, too, but that’s not how I know she’s our lawyer. It’s the incredible air of seriousness and the huge tomes she’s going over.

“Sit,” she says absent-mindedly, adjusting her glasses and flicking back and forth between different reference points in her current book. “Ceylon.”

“Say what?”

“My name. It’s Ceylon.” She glares. “I thought humans were all about introductions. Or are you bereft of manners? That won’t look good in front of the judge.”

"Hiyori,” I answer. “And my companions are Izumi and Mamoru.”

“Thank you. Now take a seat and keep quiet. I have a lot to research and not much time.”

“We’re not working with you,” Izumi says, though she does sit down as instructed.

“I don’t need you to work with me,” the lawyer says. “I just need you to sit down, shut up, and let me work for you.”

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“You want to help us?” Izumi asks suspiciously.

"Of course. I would love to champion the cause of adolescent human upstarts who dare to disturb the peace of my beloved city.” She pushes her glasses up her nose. “I think not. But I’m a public defender, so that’s what I’ll do.”

"What exactly have we done wrong?” Mamoru breaks his silence to ask.

“What haven’t you done wrong? Listen, the most we can hope for is a plea bargain of some kind. Maybe they’ll let you off with some community service. Lord Sinensis has been trying to build a better system of roads and there’s always a shortage of hard labor.”

“I’m not working for him,” I say firmly, but I’m sure I still sound like a petulant child. “I absolutely refuse.”

“You may not have a choice, young lady.” Our lawyer slams her current book shut, stirring up dust. “The new laws as they pertain to adventurers are strict, and not without good reason. It’s a dangerous profession. You were adventuring without a registered party. Adventuring without a permit. Poaching endangered slimes. Trespassing in a privately-owned forest. Disturbing the peace. Don’t get me started on the petty larceny."

"The petty what?" Izumi asks.

"I think she means looting the monsters," I explain, putting my own knowledge of the law to work.

"Between you three, I could probably list another half-dozen crimes."

“Please don’t,” Izumi says.

Ceylon’s mouth forms a hard line. “It’s best to be prepared.”

She’s really committed to making sure we have a fair trial. I can see that in her eyes. This demon is a dedicated professional who will do her job for our sakes. Maybe, if there were more demons like her, they could rise up against the Demon Lord’s unlawful rule—

“Let’s get you looking presentable,” our lawyer says suddenly. “We don’t have much time before the trial, but those dirty clothes won’t do you any favors in court. Do I have your permission to cast a cleansing spell?”

“Cleansing spell?” I echo.

“Let me give you a magic shower,” she enunciates slowly. “Are all humans this slow?”

“Just Hiyorin.” Izumi casually throws me under the bus.

“Excuse me!” I protest.

“A shower, magic or otherwise, would be lovely.” Izumi has clear priorities. I don’t blame her.

Ceylon snaps her fingers and, at once, purple energy goes to work around each of us. It swirls around my head first, sending my ponytail flying in all directions, then neatly readjusting it so no hair is out of place. Then it spirals down my arms and torso, straightening out the creases in my oversized shirt. Next, it bleaches out the slime stains on my pants and even repairs the soles of my shoes. I can almost feel the stench of the past few days evaporating!

“Woah!” I exclaim.

Izumi looks great once she’s cleaned up, a pleasant tavern-girl ready for anything. Her enthusiasm is written all over her face. I almost want to smile. Mamoru, too, seems reinvigorated despite his scowl. His own clothes, once they’ve been shown some care, appear to be of a nicer quality than ours. What a spoiled adventurer!

“There you go,” Ceylon says. “Now you look respectable. The judge might even be able to take you seriously.”

A knock at the door is the signal that they’re ready for us in the courtroom. We get up and follow Ceylon out in a single-file line, flanked by Rosemary and Sage.