Ch 15.4

 The court session resumed with the cross-examination phase.

Nosmos was summoned back into the witness box. The shackled guildmaster took his place as countless eyes followed him. The atmosphere in the courtroom had shifted noticeably since the testimonies. Nosmos and Wallus had managed to plant seeds of doubt within the jury, and Rugbert knew that if those doubts were allowed to grow unchecked, the Pavilion girls could quickly lose whatever ground remained beneath them.

That was why the old monkey insisted on conducting the first examination.

Rugbert slowly rose from his seat and approached the witness box, stopping directly before Nosmos.

The contrast between the two was striking. Nosmos towered over him by nearly three heads, yet somehow the older adventurer seemed to occupy more space. Years of experience, authority, and reputation radiated from him without effort.

Rugbert stroked his mustache before speaking.

"So, let us begin with something simple. You admitted under oath that you deliberately disobeyed the Warlord's summons. Not only that, but you sent a substitute in your place without informing anyone of your intentions. Are you aware that ignoring a united Warlord's order is a crime severe enough to warrant capital punishment?"

Nosmos met his gaze without flinching.
"As I already stated, I was acting on suspicion. The Church envoy left behind armed personnel who were supposedly sworn to protect him. Any reasonable person would find that suspicious. I chose to remain behind and investigate."

"A noble sacrifice," Rugbert replied dryly. "One would assume such an important investigation required assistance. Surely you informed trusted allies."

"I worked alone," Nosmos replied.

"No witnesses?"

"No."

"No guild members?"

"No."

"No reports filed?"

"None."

The jurors began scribbling notes.

Rugbert nodded slowly.

"So, let me understand this correctly. You undertook a secret operation involving potential foreign espionage, ignored a Warlord's summons, informed nobody, documented nothing, recruited no assistance, and expected everyone to simply trust your word afterward."

Nosmos frowned. "I knew the risks."

"No," Rugbert corrected. "You expected us to believe you knew the risks."

A few jurors exchanged glances.

Nosmos folded his arms.
"You can phrase it however you like. The truth remains the same."

"Perhaps." Rugbert slowly paced before the witness stand. "The issue, Mr. Nosmos, is that your reputation does not particularly support the image you are trying to present."

That finally earned a reaction.

Nosmos's eyes narrowed. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that nobody in Barville knows you as a selfless patriot." Rugbert shrugged. "You and your guild are notorious for brawls, intimidation, territorial disputes, and causing trouble. Yet today, you would have us believe that you secretly became a guardian of the continent and chose to sacrifice everything for the greater good."

Several chuckles escaped from the jury benches, causing Nosmos's expression to darken. Rugbert merely smiled beneath his mustache, realizing that he had found an opening.

Nosmos glared at him. "My guild may be rough, but we care about our people."

"I am sure you do."
Rugbert's tone made it impossible to tell whether he was agreeing with Nosmos or mocking him. The old monkey stopped pacing and turned toward the jury.

"It is also well documented that the Tooth and Nail Guild and the Tranquil Pavilion have been involved in ongoing disputes for years. There has been competition for influence, competition for business, and competition for local support."

His gaze returned to Nosmos.
"And then there is your brother."

The room grew noticeably quieter.

Nosmos's jaw tightened, and Rugbert immediately noticed the reaction.
"Recently, a human girl publicly defeated your younger brother, Pilos. The incident became the talk of the town, and witnesses reported that members of the Tooth and Nail Guild began searching for the girl afterward. Would you deny that?"

Nosmos remained silent for a moment before answering. "No."

"Good." Rugbert nodded. "Because numerous witnesses can confirm it."

Behind the defense benches, Pilos looked as though he were ready to leap from his seat.

Rugbert continued. "That same girl later turned out to be Chloe Worth, the very Abbess whom you now claim was the mastermind behind this entire affair."

Several jurors leaned forward, their attention fixed on Nosmos.
"You expect this court to believe that your pursuit of Chloe was entirely motivated by patriotism and had nothing to do with what happened to your brother?"

Before Nosmos could answer, Verdant raised a hand.
"Objection, Your Honor. Counsel is inviting speculation regarding motive."

Judge Nendalf considered the objection briefly before responding.
"Sustained. Rephrase the question."

Rugbert clicked his tongue but nodded. "Very well."

He turned back toward Nosmos.
"When you learned that Chloe was the same woman who had defeated your brother, did that knowledge influence your actions in any way?"

Nosmos answered immediately. "At first, yes. I was angry."

The admission surprised several jurors.

Nosmos continued, "But after learning what actually happened, I concluded that my brother deserved the beating."

A few snickers spread through the gallery, and even Pilos looked visibly offended by the remark.

Nosmos ignored the reaction and continued. "I never pursued Chloe because of that incident."

Rugbert stared at him for several seconds before slowly changing direction.

"Interesting."

The old monkey stroked his mustache as he studied Nosmos. His expression remained calm, but there was a noticeable glint in his eyes. He had just found another thread to pull.

He picked up a document from the evidence table. "Then perhaps we should discuss something else. Specifically, the injuries suffered by the Pavilion girls."

The old monkey held up the report.
"Medical examinations show extensive burn injuries consistent with your mana signature. The majority of the serious wounds suffered by the victims originated from fire-based attacks."

The courtroom grew quieter as the jurors listened.

Rugbert lowered the report and looked directly at Nosmos.
"If Wallus was truly the primary aggressor during the Pavilion incident, then where are the injuries inflicted by his attacks on the victims?"

Nosmos glared at Rugbert. "Well, if I could jog your memory, the girls were affected by curse spells. That should be enough evidence."

"You know what I am trying to ask, Young Nos," Rugbert replied. "During the battle at the Pavilion, where are Wallus's injuries on the girls? From what I witnessed, you were the one attacking them."

Nosmos maintained a stern expression and answered in a calm voice.
"As I stated earlier, I lost my temper when the girls interfered with my plan. I had to fool Wallus by attacking them so that I could expose the real mastermind. I have already stated that I regret injuring those girls, and I should have chosen a different course of action.”

Rugbert stroked his mustache thoughtfully.
"So, you deliberately beat those girls nearly to the point of death simply to play the villain and deceive Mr. Wallus into believing that you were working against them, all for what did you call it again? The 'greater good'?"

Nosmos glared coldly at Rugbert but remained silent.

Rugbert then retrieved another document and presented it to the court.
"Here are the medical records of the Pavilion girls. This particular report concerns Kazyak."

He handed the document to a young court attendant, who immediately carried it over to Judge Nendalf. The judge accepted the report and began examining its contents while Rugbert continued.

"Kazyak picked a fight with Wallus, but Nosmos punched her directly into the floor. Her head struck the ground, and the metal gauntlet melted against her face. Her skull was fractured, and she suffered a severe blood clot. She remains in a coma and is still fighting for her life."

Nosmos could feel the eyes of the jurors turning toward him.

Rugbert's expression hardened.
"You were so committed to playing the villain that your actions nearly cost that girl her life. Were you truly acting, or was that simply your nature showing through?"

"Objection, Your Honor," Verdant interrupted. "Counsel is mischaracterizing the testimony. The defendant has already explained the strategic purpose behind his actions."

Judge Nendalf considered the objection before nodding.

"Objection sustained."

Rugbert sighed and lowered his gaze briefly.

"Very well. What I am trying to clarify is the extent of the damage caused by Mr. Nosmos to the Pavilion and its occupants. The medical records indicate that the injuries inflicted upon the girls were considerably more severe than those caused by Wallus during the incident. The records clearly show that Mr. Nosmos used overwhelming force against them."

Nosmos remained silent. For several seconds, neither side spoke. The silence itself began working against him.

Rugbert allowed the silence to linger before finally returning to his seat.
"I have nothing further at this time."

The old monkey sat down calmly, but a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. For the first time since the cross-examination began, the jury no longer looked completely convinced by Nosmos's heroic narrative.

Nosmos was escorted back to the defendant's bench.

Verdant rose from his seat.

Unlike Rugbert's direct and forceful approach, the Horus elder moved with a calm confidence that immediately drew the jury's attention. He descended from the elevated counsel seat and walked toward the center of the courtroom.

"I would like to summon one of the city guards responsible for investigating the defendants," Verdant announced.

A few moments later, a beastman clad in city guard armor stepped into the witness box. His metal plates clinked softly with each step. After taking the customary oath before the Holy Book of Lord Zarnok, he turned toward the court and waited.

Verdant folded his hands behind his back. "Please explain to the court what information was obtained during your investigation of Wallus and his associates."

The guard shifted uncomfortably before answering.
"After extensive questioning, Wallus and several of his men confessed to participating in the curse operation. Their testimonies were largely consistent with one another. All of them claimed they were acting under the orders of Abbess Chloe Worth."

The jury immediately became attentive.

"They all gave the same statement?" Verdant asked.

"Yes."

"And these statements were obtained separately?"

"Correct."

The guard nodded. "Their stories matched on most major details."

Verdant slowly paced in front of the witness stand. "Please continue."

"The investigation revealed that Chloe Worth was last confirmed to be in Barville before the incident. She was originally supposed to continue toward the newly established Church branch near the Withering Woods. However, for reasons unknown, she remained in the city."

Several jurors scribbled notes.

"Interesting." Verdant stroked his chin. "So, instead of continuing to her assigned destination, she stayed in Barville and eventually became associated with the Pavilion."

"That is correct." The guard hesitated briefly before continuing.
"There was also the matter involving Pilos."

The room grew quieter.

"The records indicate that Chloe Worth was involved in the altercation that injured him."

Several jurors glanced toward Pilos.

Verdant nodded. "I see."

Before he could continue, Rugbert immediately raised a hand.
"Objection. Counsel is drifting toward speculation."

"I have not speculated," Verdant replied smoothly. "I am merely establishing a timeline."

Nendalf considered the objection for a moment.
"Objection overruled. Continue."

Verdant thanked the judge with a slight bow before returning his attention to the witness.
"Now then. Did the city guards attempt to question Chloe after the Pavilion incident?"

"We did."

"And?"

The guard looked somewhat embarrassed. "We were denied access."

A murmur spread through the courtroom.

"Denied by whom?" Verdant asked.

"The Pavilion girls." That answer caused even more discussion among the jury.

Verdant tilted his head. "The Pavilion girls prevented an official investigation?"

"They claimed Chloe was unconscious and severely injured. They refused to allow us to move her to the city medical facilities."

"And despite multiple requests, they maintained that position?"

"Yes." The guard nodded. "They were very protective of her."

Verdant allowed the statement to linger. "Protective?"

The guard immediately realized how his words had sounded.
"I mean... they believed she had helped them. They considered her a savior."

The jury exchanged uncertain looks. Verdant appeared genuinely surprised. "A savior?"

The guard swallowed. "That was the word several of them used."

Verdant nodded thoughtfully before consulting his notes.
"There was another incident involving Chloe prior to the Pavilion attack, correct?"

The guard sighed. "Yes."

"Please explain."

"She severely injured a high-profile client, Mr. Gother, during his visit to the Pavilion for their services. He appeared to be widely disliked for some reason, and the incident drew considerable attention after she seriously injured him during his visit. She subsequently became relatively well known since then. Mr. Gother’s case was largely handled internally by the Pavilion, so we have very little information about the matter.”

More whispers spread among the jury.

Verdant slowly turned toward the assembled representatives. "So, despite arriving in the city only recently, this woman became involved in an altercation with a prominent client, gained the unwavering loyalty of numerous Pavilion members, and became so trusted that city guards were denied access to question her."

Rugbert immediately interrupted. "Objection. Counsel is editorializing."

"Sustained."

Judge Nendalf pointed toward Verdant. "Ask questions. Leave conclusions to the jury."

Verdant smiled apologetically. "Of course."

The jury, however, had already heard the implication.

Aisha felt sweat forming on her palms. Tevu looked ready to explode, while even Fina's composure was beginning to crack.

The narrative was shifting again. Not because Verdant was presenting lies, but because he was carefully arranging facts in a way that encouraged the jury to connect them for themselves.

Verdant returned his attention to the witness.
"One final matter. During your investigation, did Wallus explain the nature of the curse?"

"He did."

The guard's expression darkened.
"The curse involved parasitic centipedes inscribed with mana. They were implanted into the victims and used to inflict extreme suffering. Afterward, their memories were altered, and portions of the experience were erased."

The courtroom fell silent. Several jurors visibly grimaced.

The guard continued. "Wallus admitted that the process was repeated numerous times. He and his men showed little concern for the girls' well-being. According to their statements, the victims were considered expendable."

Disgust spread throughout the room. Even some of Nosmos's supporters looked disturbed.

"And who did Wallus claim ordered these procedures?" Verdant asked.

The guard hesitated only briefly. "Abbess Chloe Worth."

A heavy silence settled over the courtroom.

Rugbert's brows furrowed. Aisha and the other girls exchanged worried looks.

Meanwhile, Nosmos leaned back in his seat and allowed himself a small smile.

For the second time that day, the focus of the trial had drifted away from him and settled squarely upon the absent girl who could not defend herself.