enroute to the town square, I observed townspeople already congregating around the square; the majority consisted of farmers and miners, while a few minorities included innkeepers, bartenders, butchers, and street vendors. Curious gazes were fixed upon us, particularly Valcy, who had opted not to wear her hood. In addition, I spotted a robust man in handcuffs and chains. He bore the resemblance of a barbarian from the outlying regions of the Karter kingdom, a race renowned for their formidable physical attributes such as impressive strength and endurance, albeit lacking in intelligence. Other races frequently trick young barbarians into signing deceitful blood contracts for labor or colosseum battles.
The Karter kingdom avoids forcibly enslaving the barbarian tribes residing on its periphery solely because it fears provoking the demi-human council. This council unites diverse demi-human lords of various races to protect themselves against aggressive humans who relish conquering and subjugating other races.
Apart from the barbarian, the individuals who stood out the most were those atop a podium, adorned in vibrant attire and extravagant jewelry. Among them was the portly city lord, accompanied by his attendants and two blessed bodyguards. Strikingly similar to an Earth YouTuber named Nickocado Avocado, the only distinction was his lengthy hair and the absence of a miniature scooter to chauffeur him.
both of the blessed individuals were female. The one adorned in armor, with a large blade hanging from her hip, resembled an Amazonian tribal woman. Her tan, brown skin and imposing height exuded an air of fierceness, matching that of any male bodybuilder from Earth. I'm confident that if she were to compete, she'd effortlessly secure the "Ms. Olympia" title. It's possible that she hailed from the Amazonian tribe, a society where females predominated. Their gender birth ratio was remarkably skewed, with one male child for every five female children, forming a matriarchal community with women at the helm.
The other blessed woman appeared as if she belonged to the desert tribe, with her dark skin and curly hair – both well-known traits of the desert dwellers from Hera Desert. She held a voodoo staff, its top adorned with an animal skull. Both of them wore revealing dresses, and their faces bore constant frowns, suggesting their apparent displeasure in accompanying the city lord. The occasional glares they cast towards him, and his henchmen conveyed a clear message. It seemed evident that the portly man had likely coerced them into an unfair contract to serve as his bodyguards against their will. His lecherous demeanor was hard to miss. Already, I was contemplating ways to exact retribution upon him if I managed to escape this ordeal alive.
A middle-aged man with brown hair, clad in a blue judge overcoat and the official uniform of this kingdom, stood next to the city lord. I assumed he was here to preside as the judge for the day. Only he and the city lord enjoyed the privilege of sitting in comfortable chairs, while their attendants stood behind or beside them.
While I was calculating our odds of escaping without any casualties, the judge's wooden gavel knocked on the table. "I am Chancellor Jonathan from the Judge Council, Serial No. 6969, a faithful servant of King Martin the Second," he declared. "As a judge, I must preserve the law and punish the guilty on behalf of His Majesty. With the authority vested in me by Lord Sacmo, I hereby call this Absolution Council to order. Let this month's trials commence; bring forth the criminals!" His announcement echoed loudly.
Immediately following that, a young helmetless knight in complete body armor strode to the forefront of the judge's podium. He sported the typical appearance of a Karterian: unkempt brown hair, and an elongated chin. "Your honor, I am Caster, the knight captain of the fifth battalion. We've captured a savage barbarian who was hunting within the borders of the Karter Kingdom. I have faith in your wisdom to administer his rightful judgment," he conveyed with respect.
Upon seeing him, the barbarian emitted furious noises and attempted to shatter his restraint. He directed death glares at the guards, focusing particularly on the knight.
"I've never trespassed through your lands for hunting; it was you who trespassed onto my territory and attempted to assert ownership. I belong to the mighty Olga tribe. If you do not allow me to leave immediately, my brother and sister will come to demand justice on my behalf," the barbarian bellowed in the Barba language, his gaze filled with resentment toward the knight.
This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
I released a sigh. This appears to be a situation where the Karter Kingdom unjustly accuses demi-humans of crimes they haven't committed, a sadly common occurrence of land appropriation.
In a world where the justice system exhibits bias and power/status reign supreme, acquiring and maintaining land ownership can prove challenging. Anyone stronger than you have the potential to forcibly seize it based on their whims.
"Please maintain silence. While we all uphold mutual respect for each other's boundaries, it is crucial to understand that venturing within the confines of the Karter kingdom for the purpose of hunting, if you are an outsider, is an offense that cannot be forgiven. I firmly believe that Knight Captaincaster possesses full awareness of the kingdom's territories and its boundaries. Thus, I hereby pass a verdict, sentencing you to a two-year term of labor within the Stainhera coal mines. Your sustenance will be limited to bread and water, contingent upon your mining efforts. Knights, I request your assistance in escorting him to the contract hall," declared the judge, his expression devoid of amusement. Evidently, he is well-versed in handling situations involving demi humans and barbarians. Standing beside him, the city lord wore a satisfied grin, clearly pleased with the prospect of acquiring unpaid labor."
Five guards struggled to drag the barbarian away from the podium, all the while the barbarian hurled loud curses and attempted to break his restraints, but the judge didn't even flinch as if it was an everyday occurrence.
The judge ordered, 'Bring the next criminals,'" and in response, the guards began pushing us forward from behind, guiding us toward the judge's podium. Once we reached the center of the crowd, we were positioned."
The judge, with a hint of amusement on his face, said, "Valcy Moonheart and Gray, I am already aware of your attempted burglary crimes in Astan Ruin. Just so you know, Master Mage Lord Kon found the entrance to the ruin 30 days ago. According to Karterian law, he holds rightful ownership of the ruin and has designated Lord Sacmo to regulate entry, permitting only those with his authorization. Now, what say you in your defense?"
Your honor, we possess evidence that someone had discovered the entrance to the ruin before Lord Kon. If you return our belongings, we can present the proof to you," Valcy responded calmly. She alluded to the map I had uncovered in my parents' room.
The judge categorically rejected the idea, declaring, "We have meticulously assessed your possessions and Lord Sacmo himself has already verified their contents. We harbor no doubts about his integrity, and even if you have come across the entrance to the Astan ruins, foreigners are prohibited from owning anything in this realm according to the prevailing laws.
I clenched my fist in anger, knowing that this would happen. I also knew that the map would pique Lord Sacmo's interest, given its numerous markings of undiscovered ruins.
Standing next to my elf companion once more, I came to the stark realization of just how tall she truly was. Her shoulder towered above my head, my left hand barely brushing against her as I subtly conveyed my intent to proceed with our plan. Despite the obvious folly of summoning magic before an entire crowd, our options had run out. The malevolent grin on the portly face ahead already hinted at the words that the judge would soon be uttering.
The justice system of this kingdom is more rotten than a dried fish, and it heavily favors those in power. I firmly believed that the founding kings of the kingdom established the justice system solely to suppress potential uprisings, by deceiving the commoners and middle class with a fake semblance of equality.
Despite my nervousness, I closed my eyes and softly uttered, "Summon."
I underwent a comparable experience to the first time, yet this time my spiritual form relocated to a distinct place. I surveyed my surroundings, attempting to discern my location. Several individuals dressed in suits came into view; it appeared that I was now within a vehicle showroom. It was evident that these suited individuals were the salesmen. After a brief period of observation, I identified my summoning target.
“I am sorry, guys. I'll be borrowing this for a while," I told them. However, it appeared that they couldn't hear or see me, despite my floating right in front of them. I genuinely didn't know if summoning objects from Earth to Tera was akin to teleporting them; if it was, then I could become a real menace to earthly society.
This time, as I approached my summon target, I witnessed a floating blue window indicating a requirement of 800 mana. With approximately 900 mana still at my disposal, I touched it without any hesitation.