Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 764 - 706

Mr. Shock’s lecture on the spirits of resentment had come to an end. Lyle redirected his attention back to the courtroom. He thought he might have missed a significant portion of the ever-rising and interweaving verbal attacks due to his momentary distraction, but he was wrong. Mr. Dark, as the president of the Andrei Literary Society and a terrorist of public image in Andrei, firmly controlled the pace of the argument. Lyle was surprised to find that Mr. Law was emphasizing the same accusation as thirty minutes before, merely changing a few colloquial expressions and rhetorical styles. Lyle was still able to follow their progress without any hindrance.

Thirty minutes had passed, and nothing had changed except for Mr. Law’s inner turmoil and outward irritability. Even the Dean sitting at the bench showed signs of fatigue. Mr. Jing, the clerk, had already put down his quill; his expression became as uninterested as that of the surrounding audience, falling into a scarcity of amusement and anticipating a surprising turn of events to break the monotony.

"I thought too highly of your Literature Club!" The sound of teeth grinding came from beneath Mr. Law’s mask as he clenched his fists, as if struggling against invisible grips on either side of the desk. "You’re still the same, unreasonable as ever. Do you really think Andrei is still the organization that needed to bow and scrape to the holy light, surviving only with your permission, Mr. Dark?"

Lyle felt that the once noisy courtroom had fallen silent. The murmurs and the petty movements had stopped. The soul fire burned quietly, and Lyle could feel his heartbeats becoming the sole sound.

The silence was broken by Mr. Dark’s movement: his shadow came to life. The shadow at his feet began to spread, eroding the stone beneath, creeping up the table legs, and ascending the carved edges... With the animation of the shadow, a pressure like that of a heart attack descended on Lyle, leaving him breathless. Divine light illuminated the courtroom; some old and worn chambers became instantly splendid with the power of light, overshadowing the dark. It was magnanimous, yet it didn’t bear the oppressive force that compelled one to kneel; Raymond was reminding his overly excited brother.

Mr. Dark glanced at the audience, then refocused his gaze on the stiff Mr. Law, straightening his back, recovering from his feline-like peculiar posture, with a touch of malice, he answered coldly.

"Do not presume to understand a history you’ve never lived through. You are just a brat basking in the glory of a glorified storybook. The changes you see are but minor adjustments in an unchanging world, the migration of a grain of sand will not alter the entirety of the desert." Mr. Dark covered his mouth with a hand and let out an unexpectedly sinister chuckle, "Even though I possess the power to break norms, this time, I am willing to show mercy and partake in this ’debate’ you speak of, one that is not about strength, but rather about rules."

"To prove to everyone that the Literature Club I lead is a perfect society, unmatched in both literary and martial prowess."

"Come out, my team of lawyers!"

The tightly shut doors burst open, and three figures striking strange poses captured everyone’s attention.

"Who’s such a scoundrel to use Illumination Technique in a dim, secretive room..." a mutter arose as the three in unison stepped rhythmically and, amidst the sole clapping from the darkness, ascended to the defendant’s stand. They turned to look at the Dean, revealing beaming smiles.

"Where there is injustice, there we are."

"Invincible in battle, never suffering loss, Andrei Academy’s ever-ready sword."

"I am called War Roar."

"I am called Wind Fury."

"I am called Mockery."

"We fight for the Literature Club!"

Joining hands, they danced in a circle.

"Today, we, the Three Musketeers of Andrei, will be the messengers of justice, restoring peace and order to the world, a clear and righteous realm! We are here to sue Andrei!!!"

Lyle looked at the three in black robes; the Dean looked at them; Mr. Law looked at them; the Andrei Liches looked at them.

Who would have thought that these three Andrei Super Litigators would now be facing their former employer? When I get angry, I even sue myself.

They looked at each other through the holes in their robes, encouraging one another.

"Work hard. After this one case, we will truly, truly be invincible in the world. Who in the realm of law would be our match? We can even beat ourselves!"

The three became agitated for less than ten seconds.

"I object!" Law’s roar was deafening as he climbed onto the plaintiff’s desk, his trembling finger pointing at the three mysterious figures in the black robes, "Gentlemen! Journalists! And Delusion! You three scoundrels dare to show your faces in Andrei’s ultimate court! You still wish to make excuses for the crimes you have committed, Mr. Dean, Andrei’s order will never tolerate these lawbreakers!"

"They are criminal suspects awaiting trial! They do not have the qualifications to defend the Literature Club! Because they are the parties involved!"

Since when do criminals get to exonerate themselves? Such an obvious matter would not escape Mr. Dean’s discerning eye.

However, Mr. Dean smiled, but his face revealed a gloom akin to indigestion.

"I have an objection, Your Honor!" Delusion removed his black robe, and the three from Andrei abandoned their playful disguises to plunge into the work that Mr. Dean knew all too well.

"I wonder if everyone remembers, Andrei has a rule."

"If a member of Andrei has suffered soul damage or is under enchantment control, amongst other abnormal mental states, within the laws of Andrei, his soul in the abnormal mental state and the normal state registered by the Soul High Tower, should be seen as two separate conscious individuals."

Delusion hit the nail on the head with the issue, which left Law’s face ashen, even though he wore an iron mask.

"Could it be..." His tone was filled with reluctance, as his own written code of laws turned out to be a stumbling block for him.

Mr. Gentleman laughed heartily.

"Exactly! Just that ’Could it be!’"

"The four kings of the Literature Club have returned from the Soul High Tower. The ceremonial staff there can vouch for us that, during the Liches’ crisis, we indeed fell into an abnormal mental state caused by the president of the Necromancer Figure Club, the Plague Doctor. Which means that the series of sins you’ve mentioned! None of those were done by me! It was another ’me’ who did them!"

I was mentally ill just now, I myself am innocent!

"The disputes over debts, personal grudges, and other conflicts of interest between two individuals in an abnormal mental state are not inherited, which means the criminal Edward Alphonse, I, Mr. Gentleman, am innocent! Therefore, as someone unrelated to the Liches’ crisis, I can serve as a lawyer for the Literature Club, defend them, and for that reason, our Literature Club! Not guilty!"

Mr. Journalist delivered the final blow. He stretched out his finger, pointing directly at the staggering Law.

"Law! The real reason for your failure..."

"It’s because, you’ve messed with the Literature Club!"

"You’re already dead!"

Under Mr. Dark’s arrogant black wings, the three from the Literature Club utterly defeated Andrei’s enforcer, and amidst the chaotic and haughty sneering, true darkness descended.

"Defense attorney... your defense is valid."

"Literature Club, not guilty."