Baator Hell Promotion

After all, perfect beings don't care whether their followers are honest, as long as the target of the accusation is not human.

Judging from Rachel's expression, Mencius' words also made her realize this. She gritted her teeth in hatred and said:

"I'm not the only devil in Emerald Harbor!"

Chapter 199: Judgment V

Her words were like a stone that caused a thousand ripples. The presiding judge had to strike the small bell in front of him hard to control the situation and stop the excited nobles from shouting and cursing.

When the court fell silent again, Lord Gray first looked at the small clock on the table, then made a gesture, and the headband began to ring pleasantly - this meant that the devil was not lying, at least she was convinced in her heart that there was another devil.

"Whether there is a second demon is beyond the scope of this case," the presiding judge said coldly. "After the hearing, we will report this matter to the Council of Nobles for professional verification. I once again warn the defendant not to stray from the subject."

The presiding judge's response elicited boos from several nobles in the audience. Zoe looked over and saw that they were all young nobles, still immature and cunning, yet to learn the wiles and foresight of their fathers. They found it difficult to accept the knowledge that a demon existed beside them.

"But it's indeed related to this case," Rachel retorted unyieldingly. "I didn't kill the Archbishop. The bow-wielding devil is the real murderer. She was commissioned by Tira Hearthheart to attack the Archbishop, and even her bow was prepared for her by Hearthheart."

"That's nonsense!" The one who couldn't stand it anymore was the representative of the Hearthheart Family. The gray-haired dwarf jumped up and pointed at Rachel. "The defendant fabricated facts and spread rumors. The Hearthheart Family demands that they be reprimanded."

The presiding judge agreed, and this time they whipped her three times instead of once. When the guards stopped, Rachel was almost entirely held together by the chains, and blood dripped down the stone platform, making her look particularly tragically beautiful.

Zoe felt a twitch in her brow. She didn't understand what the nobles and the church were doing. She felt that Rachel might have reached an agreement with more than one party. If she continued to interfere, the nobles' attention would be entirely focused on each other. Or perhaps, the important figures were already focused on the struggle for profit in Emerald Harbor and didn't care about the life and death of a devil.

"You can verify the truth of what I said by investigating the bow's origins. That way, everything will be confirmed," the devil wept. Her plight and cries evoked much sympathy. Zoe could see that several nobles in the gallery and even the jury had expressions of pity on their faces. "You have no actual evidence to support the crimes you accuse me of. You cannot execute me for this."

Don't be anxious, Zoe and Igor exchanged glances, squeezed the evidence in their hands, and decided to remain unmoved for the time being.

"I ask the jury to delete the defendant's statements that are irrelevant to this case." The presiding judge had seen enough to remain unmoved. "Emerald Harbor does not tolerate demons. Your presence is a stain on the city's laws. If it weren't for your efforts to uncover the circumstances surrounding the Archbishop's murder, you would have been executed by now."

"Many of the matters the defendant mentioned are irrelevant to this case, but he also denies and refutes all current charges." The presiding judge did not dwell on Rachel and moved directly to the next stage. "The current evidence in this case is insufficient to constitute an irrefutable accusation against the defendant. Do the accusers have any further supplemental evidence?"

"Yes!" Three voices rang out simultaneously. The gray-haired dwarf, the Monte scholar, and Zoe exchanged glances, confirming that all three parties had conclusive additional evidence. After some deference, Lady Hearth's representative spoke first.

"We have three pieces of evidence. One is the head of an orc warlock. Each head has a unique mark hidden in the brow. Mages have verified that these marks can be linked to the defendant. Five of the beheaded warlocks appeared on wanted warrants jointly issued by the Council and the Church of Perfect Man. This is sufficient to prove that the defendant, the Archbishop, and even the entire Church of Perfect Man have extremely strong control over the orcs of Eagle's Nest."

Miss Mencius, the church representative, flung her robe and was about to stand up to refute, but was stopped by Lord Gray's timely cough.

"The second is a testimony," the gray-haired dwarf's tone was filled with ill intent, "from Ms. Niya Iron Ring. She has admitted that she was instructed by the defendant and the Archbishop to spy on Ms. Furnace Hearth and the secrets of Hoop Town, and to sabotage the resistance movement against the unjust oppression of the Golden Dome Church."

The whole place was in uproar. Even Zoe hadn't expected Niya Tiehuan, who appeared to harbor such deep hatred for the Church, to betray Lady Luxin. It was no surprise that the Archbishop had learned of her meeting with Luxin the very night she met with him. But how had Lady Luxin known that? Zoe didn't believe Tiehuan had said it himself. Professor Yuti, no matter how arrogant he was, couldn't have signed the contract without restricting Niya from leaking information.

If the others were surprised, Mencius was furious. She practically jumped up, shaking with anger. "Are you saying the Golden Dome Church would use a dwarf spy?"

"Did I mention Niya was a dwarf? How did you know that?" the gray-haired dwarf asked swiftly. Mencius froze in his tracks, her arrogance instantly waning. By the time she could come up with a response, the best opportunity had already slipped away.

Ms. Luxin's agent naturally didn't give her time to react, but quickly interrupted her train of thought: "We have a third piece of evidence: a copy of the magic contract signed between the defendant and Niya Tiehuan, with both parties' signatures on it."

These words stopped everything Mencius was about to say. She bit her lip and looked at Bishop Navon for help.

The old man's face, with its deep wrinkles, remained calm as he spoke calmly, "Thank you for your evidence. However, you may not have noticed that the so-called contract you mentioned only bears the defendant's signature. As a demon, it is her nature to sign evil contracts and seduce mortals. I warn you, if you continue to use such innuendo to imply that the servants of the Perfect Man were involved in the defendant's actions, I will petition the court to discipline you."

The presiding judge banged his gavel in dissatisfaction and said, "I respect your authority, Mr. Bishop. But this is not the Golden Dome Church. I do not want you or your agents to make any unauthorized remarks again."

The accusation just now did not make the bishop lose his composure, but the presiding judge's blunt rebuke made him grit his teeth, his face clouded with gloom - no one had ever dared to offend the servant of the perfect man in this way.

"Tira Hearthheart, please provide the court with all the written evidence." After upholding the authority of the law, Lord Grey turned to the gray-haired dwarf. "The court will then examine the authenticity of the additional evidence with the jury."

The Hearth's agent nodded, bowed, and withdrew. Zoe noticed he and the Monte Scholar exchanged a glance as they passed each other.

"Zeven Monte has submitted new evidence." Scholar Monte's voice was steady and profound, sounding quite pleased with himself. "A collection of letters from the defendant. The contents are..."

He paused deliberately, enjoying the audience's attention, before speaking before the presiding judge rang the warning bell. "The content is the details of the agreement between the defendant and Archbishop Eichmann regarding their cooperation with the Orc Chieftain. It bears not only the defendant's signature, but also Archbishop Eichmann's own."

Zoe patted Igor and received an affirmative nod in response.

"So that's how it is," Zoe thought to herself. "It seems that Luxin and Monte are closely collaborating. I remember that these two pieces of evidence were brought back by Inquisitor Igor, and now they are in the hands of two noble agents. It seems they intend to gradually strangle the Church."

While the nobles present didn't have as much information as Zoe, they didn't need to know where the evidence came from. Monte and Luxin, the two sharks, had already torn wounds into the church's perfect golden body. The remaining sharks only needed to follow the scent of blood and hunt to their heart's content.

As for the unresolved relationship between the second devil and Lady Hearth, we can wait and consider it after the nobles have eaten up the golden armored guards on the table.

Bishop Nafon obviously also figured out the key points. He gripped the table in front of him tightly, his face ashen.

"Please state the purpose of your testimony." The only person present who remained calm was the presiding judge. The pastor of the convicted man had no intention of getting involved in these worldly power struggles.

"The primary purpose of this evidence is to prove that the defendant was indeed actively involved in controlling the Eagle's Nest orcs' attack on the caravan," Scholar Monte said, suppressing his arrogance. "Therefore, this is sufficient to sentence her to death."

The presiding judge nodded, and when he finished speaking, he motioned for Zoe to come forward. However, at this moment, Rachel shouted urgently.

"I plead guilty! But you can't sentence me to death. I'm the only tainted witness!"

Chapter 200: Judgment (Part 1)

The presiding judge's eyebrows were almost flying into his hairline. He raised the hammer high, and the guards below had already taken off their whips, waiting for his order.

Finally, Lord Gray gently put down the hammer, spoke to the clerk behind him, and after a moment of silence, said, "Considering the special circumstances, this court allows the defendant to make additional remarks."

"Thank you, wise Inquisitor." Rachel lowered her posture, bending even lower, revealing the blood-red whip marks on her snow-white skin even more thoroughly. "I plead guilty. I admit that I participated in the criminal acts of contacting orcs to attack the caravan and oppressing non-humans."

"I request to invoke Section 402 of the Rhayarden Code, Witness Protection." Rachel's voice became strong and powerful. Zoe had no doubt that she could recite the Rhayarden Code in its entirety—the devils had an almost obsessive love for the law.

"'If a guilty person confesses before the court to an equally or greater crime not previously disclosed, and testifies as an 'unclean witness' and makes a valid accusation, the penalty for that crime may be reduced by one level.'" The presiding judge slowly recited the code, his eyes fixed on the devil without blinking. "Defendant, are you sure the crime you have revealed is equally serious?"

"I'm sure!" Rachel's words aroused Zoe's interest. She was now as curious as the nobles. What other crimes could be compared to the many serious sins committed by Rachel?

"What I want to expose is that Lord Chancellor Verinster is colluding with the devil and attempting to use the power of the church to weaken all other nobles." The corners of Rachel's mouth were bleeding, but she was smiling heartily. "As for the devil who colluded with me, it was me. Among the crimes I just confessed to, there are not only two criminals, Eichmann and I, but the third one is your Chancellor Verinster!"

"Guards! Guards!" Peter Willinster was furious when he heard this. He shouted and tried to pounce. The nobles around him rushed over and almost couldn't stop him.

“A clever move, Professor Uti,” Zoe commented. “Who did you make this agreement with, the Church or the Hearth? Or both?”

Zoe even wanted to applaud Professor Yuti. She was more inclined to believe this move was a direct result of the Golden Dome Church's request. If she could drag Verinstaff into the fray, the situation would be completely muddied, significantly alleviating the Church's pressure. And by using herself as a tainted witness, she could already evade the charge of collusion with the orcs. As for the charge of murdering Eichmann? Since she had already cooperated so well, the Golden Dome Church wouldn't have to raise a finger.

"Aurathyss!" the presiding judge roared, and the sound of the bells swept through the entire hall, making Zoe's eardrums buzz.

Seeing that everyone had fallen silent, the presiding judge finally spoke. His eyes were displeased, and he spoke in a businesslike manner, "Witness Rachel, you must understand that you are accusing the supreme ruler of Riyadan, the Speaker. Without sufficient evidence, not only will you be unable to escape the charges, you will even be executed immediately. Your body will be hung on the city gate as a warning to all those who would try to play tricks."

Hearing this, the furious Peter calmed down a little and sat back in his seat. But Rachel's next words almost made him jump again.

"The collection of letters that Zevin Monte just used to prove my guilt contains more than just correspondence between Eichmann and me. If you unroll the scroll, you'll find correspondence between Verinster and Eichmann, detailing how they conspired to exaggerate the threat of an orc invasion and how they collaborated in parliament. Every time Eichmann made a request, Verinster pretended to be reluctant, but ultimately fulfilled it. They even staged a dark elf attack, using the thief crying thief, just to make the other nobles feel threatened by the alien race and thus pass the bill."

Rachel was definitely hiding something. As a fickle devil, Zoe knew all too well the ways of her kind. The Inquisitor's magic could stop Rachel from lying, but it couldn't stop her from hiding something.

For example, Zoe didn't believe that there was no rift between the two parties. If that were the case, the church wouldn't have placed Judith under its protection, and Rachel wouldn't have hidden the secret letters.

"That's enough," the presiding judge glared sternly at Peter, who was about to jump up again, secretly grumbling at the impetuous heir of Verinster. "Because the defendant has invoked witness protection and presented new evidence, this court believes that a reasonable and effective judgment cannot be made before the case is fully investigated. Regarding the defendant's charges of misleading clergy, colluding with orcs, and infringing on trade routes, this court makes a preliminary ruling that the defendant will not be sentenced to death for the time being. The specific punishment will be announced after the defendant's circumstances are clarified."

"Regarding the murder of Archbishop Eichmann, this court presents to the jury... Bishop Navon, do you have anything to say?"

The presiding judge was interrupted in the middle of his ruling by a raised arm, which looked quite displeased.

"The accuser, Bishop Navon, believes," Miss Mencius' voice was brisk, far from her recent dejected demeanor, "that given the defendant's statement, it is highly likely that another murderer was involved in the murder of Archbishop Eichmann. Therefore, the accuser has filed a petition with the court requesting a new investigation period to verify and consolidate the evidence in order to ascertain the full facts."

"If the accuser insists, this court agrees to postpone the trial of Eichmann's murder from today until the day after the next white moon rises."

"Bishop Navon?" The presiding judge was about to bring down the hammer when he noticed that Miss Mencius had raised her hand again, so he had no choice but to ask helplessly.

"The complainant believes that the deadline is too short and requests that it be changed to the day after the next March Glorious Night."

"Wow," Zoe exclaimed. "This young lady is truly fearless. She's pushed a deadline that shouldn't last more than fifteen days to at least ninety." She glanced at Lord Gray. The presiding judge's expression was already grim. This was a direct denial of the court's authority.

"Please do not challenge the authority of this court, Bishop Navon," the presiding judge said coldly. "This court has the authority to determine the length of the trial. Please note, the jury, that due to the complexity of the case and the strong request of the prosecutor, this trial is adjourned until the next day of the red moon."

Most nobles familiar with the rules of court had anticipated this outcome. The convicted man and his priest were, of course, respected by all. However, when it came to the interests of the lords, this respect had to be compromised.

After all, the authority of the convict also depends on everyone's joint efforts to maintain it.

In reality, this was the outcome everyone wanted most. They had been subjected to a tremendous amount of shock during today's meeting. Whether it was collusion, bribery, threats, peacemaking, or simply self-preservation, it would take time to execute. Although they hadn't secured the ninety-day deadline, there were still at least thirty days until the next red moon vanished, barely enough time. As for whether the demon lived or died, that wasn't a particularly crucial issue; that was a matter of concern to the Church of Perfect People and the court. The most important thing now was how to maximize the benefits of the information gained today.

"We have objections." Just as all the nobles were thinking about it, another clear female voice reached everyone's ears.

Author's Note: I still haven't finished this volume on May 31st, at Chapter 200.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Chapter 201: Judgment (Part 2)

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a second lady in a white mask standing up in the darkness. She was the Inquisitor's spokesperson.

The presiding judge's heart trembled. He was accustomed to the rivalries between the nobles. He knew from the moment he took over that no matter how fair the prosecutors claimed to be, the outcome of this case would ultimately depend on the nobles' open and covert struggles.

Osius can only convict, but he cannot make those short-termists who are obsessed with their own interests understand the necessity of following justice.

However, the Inquisitor was not a noble; he was an outsider. More importantly, he was an outsider with the power to stir up this mess.

"This court allows the prosecutor's attorney to speak." The presiding judge narrowed his eyes at the masked woman who walked into the white light and struck the gavel.

"Respected Judge and fellow jurors," said Miss Zoe, a slender woman with a resounding voice. "Although the defendant has invoked witness protection, the provision is limited to 'this crime.' That is, the crime of colluding with orcs that the defendant is accused of."

"However, our case is that the defendant is accused of 'blasphemy'. Therefore, unless the defendant invokes this provision again, he will still be tried for 'blasphemy'."

For a moment, Zoe thought she saw the presiding judge's lips curl up. But before she could confirm, the presiding judge spoke, "Prosecutor, you have already made the charge of blasphemy, and the defendant has refuted it. The remaining verdict will be made by the jury in closed session. Please trust in the jury's professionalism and impartiality."

"The prosecutor naturally believes in the fairness of the court," Zoe said with a slight bow. "However, as we have just mentioned, there is still some evidence that has not been presented. We hope to submit it to the jury so that they can make a fair judgment."

This time she was sure that the presiding judge did smile, and now she understood that the convicted man's pastor probably also wanted to end the case as soon as possible.

Lord Gray did not hesitate and said directly: "Then present it.

Zoe unclenched her clenched fist, revealing a delicate ribbon in her palm. A smile, unseen from behind her mask, spread across her face. "We present this evidence: the defendant's garter, provided by the deceased, Trisler Cain. We've already interviewed Little Theo, the jeweler from the Twinkling Star District. The garter was ordered by Lord Eichmann and provided as a reward to his maids. We only need a mage to cast a sympathetic spell to verify whether this evidence belongs to the defendant."

After saying that, she added, "Although little Theo is a jeweler, he is indeed a member of the Austin family. As a noble, his testimony cannot be excluded unless there is evidence to the contrary."

The presiding judge straightened up and nodded with satisfaction. He glanced at the crowd and finally announced, "Since the prosecutor has presented new evidence regarding the charge of blasphemy, and there is no reason to postpone the trial of this crime, I request a closed-door meeting with the jury. The courtroom will be closed until the meeting is concluded. Please be patient."

Then, without waiting for anyone to raise any objections, he rang the small bell in front of him, announcing the end of the first trial, and quickly disappeared into the channel reserved for the presiding judge.

As soon as the presiding judge left, the entire hall became like a jar of boiling water with the lid opened, and words of different pitches and depths gurgled out like bubbles of different sizes.

The devil frowned at the noisy environment. Even after living in the material plane for quite a while, Hopper still felt a little uncomfortable with the unruly nature of mortals.

Igor patted her shoulder and motioned her to follow him. Only after they were both standing in the shadow of a pillar, away from the crowd, did Igor speak cautiously but directly.

"I don't understand. Why would the presiding judge agree to your request? He's already prepared to postpone the case. Did you sign a mutual assistance agreement with him?"

Hopper chuckled. Igor's words reminded her that while Nemeaede's primary allegiance was to Nemesis, the goddess of vengeance, a statue of Ossius the Condemner was also in the headmistress's office. In a sense, she and Chief Inquisitor Gray could even call each other "colleagues."

"You are well versed in religious studies, so you naturally know the Condemner's duties," Hopper complimented him habitually. "But the Condemner himself is not like the Blood Father. His core purpose is to seek judgment on sinners in order to maintain social order."

"I believe you've already seen it after the trial. At least three factions are attempting to manipulate this trial. Their goal isn't to judge the criminals, but to use it to obtain more information and evidence to crack down on dissidents. To this end, they've even stopped caring about trying Ms. Rachel. Or rather, they simply haven't cared about Ms. Rachel's crimes; they're focused on greater interests."

"You can't say they're wrong. The presiding judge naturally knew that the nobles had this very purpose in holding such a grand trial. It's just that the powerful were too arrogant. They calculated themselves and their opponents, but forgot that the presiding judge of the chess game is not the one who convicts the criminal. He doesn't have an infinite lifespan or patience to play the game under the table with the nobles."

Igor's frown relaxed, and he looked at Hopper in surprise and said, "So you gave him a reason to uphold the authority of the convicted and to crack down on the nobles?"

Unexpectedly, Hopper shook his head and said, "It's not that easy. I have never worked with Lord Gray. Today is just a risk. I don't know if he can convince the jury. I can only pray for the favor of the God of Fate."

Igor nodded, and seeing other nobles approaching, he ended the conversation and led Hopper back to his seat. Hopper looked from a distance and saw Edimu and Yaron standing next to his seat.

When she got closer, she found that she had misunderstood. The two knights were looking for Bishop Navon. Hopper only heard the last half of the sentence.

"....This is disrespectful to the Perfect One. You should not doubt the authority of the Church, Knight. Don't forget the teachings of the Perfect One."

Bishop Nafon clearly didn't need to hold back his temper when facing Edim. His tone wasn't just filled with impatience, but also with a thick accusation of "you don't know what's good for you."

A muscle bulged in Edim's cheek, and Hopper saw that his stubborn temper was rising again. Knight Aaron saw it too, but he took a step forward and stood loyally with his friend.

Instead, Edim took a deep breath, shook his fist vigorously, turned around and left.

"Well, there's truth to the saying," Hopper said to himself. "When it comes to shaking faith, the devil's diligence is no match for the church's sudden inspiration."

The succubus wisely didn't bother the knight, understanding that he needed to be alone. However, considering that Edim had never been very smart, Hopper felt that he would probably be stuck in the dilemma of morality, conscience, and faith for a long time.

In contrast, the presiding judge did not let them wait for long. Before the sun rose to the middle of the sky, the door of the small conference room opened and the jury, looking tired, filed out.

Lord Grey walked in last, his steps heavy. With his appearance, the court fell into silence again. Everyone watched with bated breath as he took his seat on the high seat.

"In accordance with the relevant provisions of the Ryadan Code, regarding the case in which the accuser Igor accuses the defendant Rachel of blasphemy, this court, acting in accordance with the authority granted by the convict, the law, and the Council of Nobles," he paused, his eyes resting on Hopper for a second. "I render the following verdict: The defendant Rachel is guilty of blasphemy. The evidence is irrefutable, and the crime is extremely serious. She is sentenced to death according to the law."

Rachel didn't react to the verdict, but Hopper suddenly felt uneasy.

"This judgment is final and there is no commutation of sentence. The execution method of the death penalty is..."

"Burning"

Author's words: I may not be able to update tomorrow, so I will update it today.

Everyone eats and drinks well during the festival.

Chapter 202 Burning at the Stake