novelraw Chapter 13 : Chapter 13
Chapter 13 : Chapter 13
Chapter 13
There was no dramatic moment like in the courtroom dramas I had once seen in my previous life, where someone boldly kicked open the door, shouted, “Objection!”, submitted a recording, and turned the entire lawsuit on its head.
It proceeded more quietly than I had expected.
Not only the submission of the recording, but the lawsuit as a whole was like that.
After submitting the evidence, I took a seat in a corner of the courtroom as a key witness. The statements made by the prosecutor and the defense attorneys unfolded calmly, in a quiet and solemn atmosphere.
After the trial had progressed for some time, the attorney representing Mr. Berian’s side took out the recorded magitech disc.
“This is material submitted by Counselor Kain, who was in charge of treating Mage Berian. It is a recording containing Mr. Berian’s testimony from an interview conducted during treatment.”
When the magitech disc was inserted into the dedicated playback device, a familiar voice flowed out.
It was Mr. Berian’s voice.
We decided to rest in that village for a short while. In truth, we had no other choice. At that rate, we were all going to starve to death.
The jury stirred at those words.
Throughout the trial, questions had been raised such as, “Was it truly the case that the Kingdom Army happened to stay in a village of Orc Empire civilians due to a shortage of provisions?” and “Was it not a planned meeting point arranged in advance for collusion?”
At that moment, those doubts were resolved.
Join the Kingdom Army. With your level of talent as a mage, you would be treated well there.
More than anything else, those words carried weight.
Mr. Berian’s voice, earnestly urging Jubik to accept naturalization, echoed through the courtroom.
The Kingdom Army’s leadership had accused Mr. Berian, Sir Dalmon, and Adjutant Sigrid of being spies who had colluded with the Orc Empire Army for a very long time, charging them with treason and rebellion.
That voice proved that such claims were false.
Thanks to the recording, it was also acknowledged that they had been forced to beg for food from Orc civilians due to a lack of provisions.
It was recognized that they had not grown close to them with the intention of rebellion or treason, but that bonds had formed incidentally during the exchange of food.
It was also revealed that Mr. Berian had killed Jubik, a close friend who was no different from a disciple, in order to save allied soldiers.
This, too, disproved the claims of the Kingdom Army’s leadership.
However, the recording alone could not prove the complete innocence of the three.
“It is true that Mage Berian taught magic to Jubik, a citizen of the Orc Empire, and that as a result, several soldiers died. It is also true that Adjutant Sigrid killed a subordinate soldier to conceal the incident.”
From the outset, it was difficult to say that the three were blameless.
The recording could correct misunderstandings, but it could not overturn the facts.
Still, did that mean that the counseling, hypnotherapy, and the recording were meaningless?
“However.”
They were not.
“After listening to the recorded contents, it is difficult to conclude that these actions were carried out with the intent of treason or rebellion. Their visit to the Orc village and interaction with Orc Empire citizens can reasonably be understood as unavoidable choices made under dire circumstances rather than acts motivated by rebellion…”
The recording transformed their actions from “incomprehensible acts of treason” into “understandable actions.”
“Furthermore, even those actions that might appear treasonous are highly unlikely to have occurred if adequate support had been provided. Taking these circumstances into account, it is not appropriate to impose punishments corresponding to rebellion or treason, such as life imprisonment or the death penalty.”
Even the verdict, which had been expected to deliver the worst possible outcome,
“In the case of Mage Berian and Knight Dalmon, partial responsibility for collusion is acknowledged, and they are to serve for five years in the Demonic Border Guard. In the case of Adjutant Sigrid, the crime of killing a subordinate is applied, but mitigating circumstances are recognized as a summary decision, and a sentence of five years’ imprisonment is imposed, with the sentence suspended for three years.”
was changed to the second-best option.
No.
Rather than the second-best… This was practically the best possible outcome.
I was taken aback.
Could the sentence really be reduced this much?
Even with the recording submitted… Was this truly acceptable?
***
That question was answered later, on the day when Mr. Berian, Sir Dalmon, and Adjutant Sigrid visited our counseling office.
“The three of us are scheduled to head to the Demonic Border Guard on the western border now. We came to express our gratitude for everything, and to receive some medicine as well…”
“I see. Please wait a moment.”
Their purpose was to check in and receive prescriptions.
Mr. Berian had overcome his Fire Phobia, but in the process of regaining his memories, he had developed depression and anxiety.
It was not severe, but he did require medication from time to time.
Sir Dalmon and Adjutant Sigrid were much the same.
In particular, Sir Dalmon’s condition was slightly worse than the other two. He had been forced to kill someone who was no different from a lover with his own hands, so it was only natural.
“The trial outcome turned out quite favorably. That is a relief. Adjutant Sigrid did not have to retire either.”
As I took out the prepared medicine, I probed casually.
“Ah, well….”
Adjutant Sigrid trailed off, as if finding it difficult to answer, then glanced at Mr. Berian. Mr. Berian spoke cautiously.
“That is because… I entered into a kind of agreement. With the royal court and the upper military leadership.”
“An agreement?”
“In exchange for serving in the Demonic Border Guard without causing any incidents, Sir Dalmon and I would not serve additional prison time. They also agreed to drastically reduce Adjutant Sigrid’s sentence.”
It seemed they had made a kind of judicial deal.
“Is that allowed? No, is something like that even possible?”
Even so, the sentence reduction seemed excessive.
In response to my question, Mr. Berian smiled bitterly.
“As you know, in the process of overcoming my phobia, my fire magic became stronger.”
I nodded.
“And the Kingdom is currently under threat. To the north and east from the Orc Empire, and to the west and south from the monsters of the demonic regions.”
WHOOSH. A small flame bloomed at Mr. Berian’s fingertips.
Unlike ordinary magic, the flame was blue. Though small, it radiated astonishing heat.
Even from where I sat, I could feel it.
“The situation is not so relaxed that they can afford to let a powerful mage rot in prison. Simply put, our interests aligned.”
Mr. Berian needed a reduced sentence, and the Kingdom needed his powerful magic.
In exchange for a drastic reduction, the Kingdom sent him to the Demonic Border Guard to defend the border.
“This was also thanks to you, Instructor.”
It was not empty flattery.
“No matter how well interests align, such a reduction is difficult without proper justification. The recording you submitted provided that justification.”
A reduction for the sake of practicality requires justification. Without it, opposition arises.
It seemed that the recording I had submitted served that purpose.
“If you ever need help, please contact us anytime. Even if nothing is wrong, we will visit from time to time. It is far, but not so far that we cannot come if we set our minds to it.”
“You said you are departing for the Demonic Border Guard the day after tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow.”
It was Adjutant Sigrid who answered.
“That is quite soon.”
“Since it is a forced deployment, it cannot be helped. Ah, Instructor.”
Mr. Berian took out a bundle.
“Please accept this.”
“No, what is all this…?”
“It is something Dalmon, Sigrid, and I gathered together little by little.”
Inside the bundle were gold coins.
At a glance, there were dozens of them.
“You once said that you dreamed of greatly expanding the counseling office and creating a world where no one suffers from mental distress.”
“…I did.”
“Whether it is expanding the office or developing new medicine, please use it wherever it is needed.”
After a moment of hesitation, I accepted the bundle.
There was no reason to refuse money freely given.
Money should never become the goal itself, but running a counseling office requires a significant amount of it. Even though the number of clients had increased considerably, the budget was still barely sufficient. For that reason, I did not decline.
“Thank you, Mr. Berian, Sir Dalmon, Adjutant Sigrid.”
I met each of their eyes in turn and expressed my gratitude.
Then I handed each of them the medication they needed.
“Here is your medicine. The instructions are written on the enclosed note, so please refer to it and adjust the dosage while monitoring your condition. If you are unsure, send me a message via Gipone. I will reply as quickly as possible. And…”
I looked over the three of them one by one.
“I hope all of you live well.”
It was spoken sincerely.
Yet no one answered.
In the silence, I sensed a briny scent.
The scent of guilt.
Like body odor, the smell of guilt had seeped into all three of them.
“Rather than living well… we should live while atoning.”
It was Adjutant Sigrid who broke the silence.
Sir Dalmon lowered his head deeply at those words.
“We will be going now. Please take care, Instructor.”
“Travel safely.”
I watched the three of them walk away.
Thanks to Mr. Berian’s quick thinking, their sentences had been reduced. However, their fundamental guilt had not disappeared, nor had their punishment.
Though everything was resolved on the surface, they would continue to punish themselves in their own hearts.
I sincerely hoped that they would endure that burden.
***
A considerable amount of time passed after that.
THUD, THUD, THUD….
These days, the counseling office is filled with noise. Construction noise.
Using the gold coins Mr. Berian had given me, I had begun expanding the office.
The plan was to create a ward capable of hospitalization.
Until now, the counseling office had only handled outpatient treatment.
We lacked both the personnel and the space for inpatient care.
But with space like this, clients who required hospitalization could be admitted and observed and treated over an extended period.
There had been several clients whom I had been unable to treat properly due to limited circumstances.
Now, that would no longer be the case.
I looked out the window at the construction site.
A smile was about to form when Erisa looked at me and said coldly,
“Instructor, that is an addiction.”
“What addiction?”
“Expansion addiction.”
“How is expanding when money comes in an addiction?”
“It is not when money comes in. It is every time money comes in.”
“That is…!”
I had nothing to say.
As construction entered its final stages and the ward began to take shape, I found myself thinking of Mr. Berian. And Sir Dalmon, and Adjutant Sigrid as well.
There had been no contact.
Before leaving, Mr. Berian had clearly said that he would visit the counseling office from time to time.
Perhaps that had been mere politeness.
Still, I had expected at least a letter.
Yet there had been nothing. Not even a message asking about medication dosage.
At least they must still be alive.
Unpleasant thoughts crept in.
That they might have died in battle against monsters in the demonic regions.
Or… that they might have taken their own lives, unable to endure guilt and depression.
“Instructor, have you seen this?”
At that moment, Erisa suddenly held out a newspaper.
It was from a publication called Today’s Mage.
Today’s Mage was not a newspaper I particularly liked. It lacked objectivity and focused heavily on entertainment, covering only events within the magical world.
Yet in that newspaper, I saw familiar faces.
Faces that were both familiar and welcome.
“Mr. Berian? Sir Dalmon is there too?”
“Right? The ones you counseled back then.”
“Yes. Oh, Adjutant Sigrid too…?”
I examined the black-and-white photograph of the three more closely.
It appeared to have been taken during a battle. Sir Dalmon, Mr. Berian, and Adjutant Sigrid were working together to defeat a monster that had crossed over from the demonic regions.
Above all, the sheer scale of the flames spreading from Mr. Berian’s fingertips stood out.
Mage Berian, who opened a new horizon for fire magic.
The fire magic towered so high and magnificent that it could be likened to a fortress wall.
The photograph vividly captured monsters being burned away without leaving a trace upon contact with the flames, and the article praised Mr. Berian’s magical prowess.
As I continued reading, Erisa pointed to one section of the paper.
“It mentions the counseling office too.”
The section she indicated contained an interview with Mr. Berian.
Those who know, know this, but I once suffered from Fire Phobia. The place I visited to treat that phobia was Kain Mental Health Counseling and Resolution Office.
A mental health counseling office sounds unfamiliar. What kind of place is it?
As the name suggests, it is a place that resolves mental problems. Whether you feel depressed for no reason, angry, or anxious, they resolve such issues with astonishing ease.
Did you cure your Fire Phobia there, Mage Berian?
Yes. Thanks to Instructor Kain’s kind and thorough treatment, I was able to escape Fire Phobia.
After treating the phobia, the power of my fire magic even increased. The fact that I am now called a hero of the border, and that I can establish a private academy to train mages… all of it is thanks to Instructor Kain.
Even calling it lavish praise did not suffice.
Mr. Berian was elevating our counseling office to an absurd degree.
“No wonder the number of clients has been strangely high lately…”
“Someone even asked if this was a magic training academy. Could this be why?”
“Possibly.”
As the number of clients increased, so did the troublesome ones.
As Erisa said, there were even people insisting that this was a magic academy.
“Should we start hiring staff? It is getting hard for you to handle this alone. At least a guide…”
“There is no money to hire anyone. And no one to hire.”
Once the office expanded further and the ward was completed, I would need to hire more people.
“We will think about that when the time comes…”
I turned my attention back to the newspaper. Alongside the article about Mr. Berian, there was broader coverage of the western Demonic Border Guard. And there were more familiar faces.
Meanwhile, the number of Orc Empire citizens who naturalize into the Kingdom is referred to as the naturalization rate. This month, the western Demonic Border Guard recorded the highest naturalization rate among all military units nationwide…
The article included a photograph of Sir Dalmon standing alongside naturalized Orc Empire citizens.
Adjutant Sigrid has been selected as an outstanding adjutant of the western Demonic Border Guard. The outstanding adjutant is chosen by vote among subordinate soldiers, and the recipient is awarded a cash prize…
There was a photograph of Adjutant Sigrid standing awkwardly among brightly smiling subordinates.
Mage Berian has established a magic academy and is focusing on training mages with fire magic as the core discipline.
There was a photograph of Mr. Berian with his arm around students in front of the academy.
More than anything else, the academy’s name caught my eye.
Jubik Academy.
Below the photograph, Mr. Berian’s interview continued.
I do not know if Instructor Kain will see this newspaper, but I would like to send my greetings. I am sorry that I could not even send a letter after saying I would visit. I have been busy with many things. Hunting monsters, teaching children at the academy… Sigrid and Dalmon have been busy with their own duties as well. Still, you do not need to worry.
It was as if Mr. Berian’s voice echoed in my ears.
We are doing well.
On the final page of the newspaper was a photograph of the three together.
It was taken after they had defeated all the monsters that crossed over from the demonic regions, celebrating their victory.
I stared for a long time at their brightened expressions in that photograph.