Chapter 390: A Trial and A Harbor (2/2)
A dozen spirits were surrounding him, each of them equivalent to a powerful awakener of the Astra-rank. He wished no harm to them or the seekers around them, so Arthur simply presented his hands.
”I will stand trial,”
His words shocked the guards and the office worker, who paused before beginning to shapeshift back into a woman. It looked at him with surprise and asked again to confirm.
”You yield?”
”I'm innocent, so why shouldn't I? Unless your trial does not bring justice, then I have nothing to fear.” Arthur shrugged. If he were imprisoned or delayed, he would simply fight his way out. He needed to make use of his abnormal spiritual energy, after all.
”I understand,” the woman's gaze toward him softened, and he was sure this would help with his plea. ”Take him away.”
Another spirit rushed forward, carrying spiritual chains that it threw over Arthur's hands. However, as if jealous and offended by the existence of another, his chains attacked on their own, and the spiritual chains flew away.
”I'm not resisting!” Arthur hurried to explain. ”However, these things don't listen to me, and they don't like other chains. I'll follow after you without resisting.”
The woman seemed suspicious as she squinted her eyes at Arthur. However, she nodded eventually and raised her hand for the other guards to stand back.
”Take my post. I'll oversee this case myself,” the woman commanded another spirit who looked like a living armor. ”As for you, follow me.”
Arthur nodded and walked behind the woman. He turned to his two companions to ask them to wait for him. However, they were already walking beside him, and the woman simply glanced at them before ignoring them.
”What are you two doing?” Arthur shook his head. ”Wait for me in the city until I'm done with this matter.”
”And miss the fun? No way,” the monk shook his head. ”I want to know what your crimes are, hehe.”
”I will tell them that you are a good person!” Hana interjected, making Arthur smile.
”You don't know if I am.” Arthur shook his head, but Lin Zhao raised his arm to block his view of the short girl.
”Don't teach her your cynicism, boy,” the monk talked as if it was contagious. ”Let her believe in the goodness of people.”
”And wait for her to be betrayed?”
”Now you talk like that bookkeeper,” the monk said, and it was the most brutal slap to Arthur's face. He closed his mouth as he couldn't refute the words.
”You guys act as if you are on a picnic,” the woman glared at them. Arthur looked at the countless guards surrounding them and shrugged.
”Is it better if I try to run away?”
”Not for you, for sure,” she scowled with a threat. ”Lord Rain doesn't like such a lax attitude, so make sure to wipe it off when you see him.”
”The Lord is the one judging me?” Arthur was surprised. ”I thought it would be a trial.”
”It is a trial, and the Lord is the only judge in his domain,” the woman glanced at him as if he was ignorant. ”You will be seen when the Lord is free. So, you will spend the next few hours in the Ethereal Prison.”
”What about my friends?”
”They can wait for you in the Witnesses Abode,” the woman said as she led them through the city, surrounded by countless guards, into a giant mansion.
Arthur was surprised to see that the mansion was filled with countless spiritual plants and flowers. As soon as they passed through the gate, they found ever-stretching gardens on each side of the pathway.
”This doesn't look like a place for trial,”
”Most criminals resist, so we simply kick them out of the Realm and give their spiritual energy to the gatekeeper to ban them. Thus, cases such as yours are a rarity, so we didn't bother building them a court of their own.”
As she said that, the woman's clothes shapeshifted into a flowery dress. Arthur could tell that she was trying to appeal to Lord Rain, who seemed to love flowers a lot.
”Wait in this room,” they arrived at a room, and the woman pointed toward the chair in the middle. ”The Lord will meet you in a few hours.”