Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 765 - 707: Justice Is Not Cheap

The dean’s gavel fell heavily, and the result of the trial landed just as heavily as the trio had stated. Law slumped in his seat, facing yet another defeat by the Literary Society, which left the law-chasing Lich in a trance. The crime he was so convinced of had used the laws and regulations he himself had compiled to defeat him in court. It was a despair so profound that it could shatter the obsession of a Lich. At that moment, Law felt he was cold, the iron gauntlets on his hands, and the iron mask on his face were too heavy. He was a complete failure, defeated by the Literary Society in both power and knowledge, just as Mr. Dark had said. Law reflected on himself, realizing he was just a clown flaunting the support granted by Mr. Dean.

The legal system had not brought about any change in Andrey; it could not shake the old hierarchy. Andrey and, by extension, the entire world remained one where might was right, a reality of the survival of the fittest. This notion flashed through Law’s mind momentarily before Mr. Law quickly regained his composure. To deny his own obsession would be foolish, tantamount to courting death, and his efforts were not entirely fruitless. Law, with the cool-headedness of an executor, soon pulled himself out of the quagmire of self-loathing. With a sigh, he admitted defeat and gazed deeply at the jubilant Literary Society.

In the future, he would catch them and double the punishment. Law grew through hardship, and maybe it was just that he couldn’t bear to be weaker than this bunch of wretches.

"Wait!" The Literary Society, having just savored the sweetness of victory, did not rest on their laurels; they chose to bully with their newfound power.

The reporter was the first to twist his body over to Law, poking Law’s sternum under the peculiar gaze of the mirror.

"My dear Mr. Law, the great Executor of Andrey, have you forgotten something?"

"What?"

"Compensation." Mr. Delusion appeared on the other side of Law and both grabbed his arms, their eyes gleaming, "We demand compensation, for we are innocent victims! We’ve been subjected to the merciless accusations of the Executor of Andrey, I suspect you projected your personal grievances onto your work, making an unfair judgment!"

By the time Law regained his senses, his position with the Literary Society had reversed. Law was propped up on the defendant’s bench by the reporter and Mr. Delusion, while Mr. Dark and the Gentleman stood rightfully situated at the plaintiff’s position, the Gentleman jesting and pointing straight at Law.

"Honorable Judge! I accuse the Executor of Andrey of excessive law enforcement! They detained our Literary Society members without evidence and framed innocent victims struggling with the Lich plague as culprits! Our Literary Society cannot defend itself. Though we have not been physically harmed, we have suffered unimaginable mental anguish! To think that our Literary Society is seen by Andrey’s other colleagues as troublemakers, my conscience weeps! Can’t we claim for emotional distress damages? Does Andrey no longer have a king’s law or any law at all!"

The listeners were heartbroken, the hearers wept.

The three-person group from the Literary Society wept for themselves while Mr. Dark lowered his head and pulled his bandage over his eyes.

The Liches remained indifferent; they were Liches, without emotion.

Law once again had a mental breakdown, his body shaking violently, the defendant’s table creaking along with him. Just as Lyle worried Law might crush the table with his bare hands, Law spoke up.

"I accept the Literary Society’s accusations and am willing to offer compensation."

All the Liches turned their gaze to Law, their looks full of reverence as they examined their leader of the Executors.

Why could he be so foolish, was this the stubbornness of an executor, terrifying as such.

Mr. Dean looked down with a concerned gaze, for any clear-sighted person could see that this was the Literary Society being unreasonable. The reputation of the Three Musketeers was not unfounded; they were the monsters that made the City of Wandering quiver, incarnations that Andrey dared not provoke. Almost everyone agreed that reasoning with the Three Musketeers was a sure loss, and Mr. Dean was not surprised by the outcome. He was merely worried that Law, the good child, would not have a meltdown.

"Law, you don’t need to agree to them, these lowly creatures are going too far, I won’t allow such humiliation of an Andrey executor... even if they too are from Andrey." Mr. Dean chose to stand by on Law’s side.

"No, Mr. Dean, the law must be executed impartially, please judge the Literary Society’s accusations fairly and reasonably."

The iron mask regained its calmness, and Law stood there, like a pine that could not be knocked down by the wind.

The Literary Society was clapping on the side, Mr. Dean felt some sympathy for this poor child.

"It’s okay, Law, the Executor Committee is an enforcement agency I appointed, I will allocate funds to you, there is more than enough to cover the compensation."

Law raised his hand to stop Mr. Dean’s humanitarian aid.

"No, Mr. Dean, we don’t need it, in fact, we Executors have just confiscated a sum of illicitly-gained money. Given the current dilemma, using this confiscated money to cover the Literary Society’s emotional distress damages is more than sufficient. Let’s see, one-tenth should be enough."

Illicit money? The Liches were confused, then suddenly realized.

Where did the illicit funds come from? From the literary society. To be precise, it was the literary society’s savings that the Warrior of Light, cloaked as the literary society, turned over in order to expand their victories. That group of righteous-minded Warriors of Light, with their heads full of justice, cast aside the Stench of Money accumulated by the literary society as if it was nothing. With the help of many strategists, they used absurdly generous price differences to pry open the welcome doors of Andrey’s various clubs, widening the gap between their own military force and Andrey’s clubs. The necromancer figure that walked away from the Necromancer Figure Club was acquired in this way.

Spending other people’s money doesn’t hurt, and in this disaster of the Liches, the Warriors of Light spent all the literary society’s accumulated wealth, while the disaster erupted, and the law enforcers of Andrey recovered most of it from the destroyed Liches’ clubs.

The literary society is the wealthiest club in Andrey, and the Executor Committee obtained most of their money in this form.

"That money is ours! The assets of Andrey’s clubs are sacred and inviolable!" The tables turned, and now the literary society’s trio was desperate.

Mr. Law snickered and explained condescendingly,

"As per Andrey’s regulations, members and entities in a state of mental anomaly will be regarded as independent conscious individuals, not inheriting debt relations or personal feuds. What I confiscated is the Warrior of Light’s ill-gotten wealth, what does that have to do with your literary society?"

The literary society fell into silence.

Delusion glanced at his companions and ran over to Mr. Law with a cheerful smile.

"Mr. Law, hello! In fact, our literary society has recently lost a fortune, which must have been stolen by some lowlife! As Andrey’s law enforcement agency, you should be responsible for helping us poor clubs recover our property, right?"

Mr. Law nodded thoughtfully.

"You make a good point! However, the Warriors of Light have not yet been arrested, and we Executors are currently expediting the capture of those shameless rodents who stole your club’s property. Please rest assured, members of the literary society, once we Executors catch the Warriors of Light and bring them to justice, we will return your stolen property in full."

Mr. Delusion couldn’t contain himself; his information processor was running at high speed, weighing the pros and cons.

Delusion offered his hands.

"Mr. Law! Actually, I am the Warrior of Light, please take me away quickly! I confess, I stole a hundred billion Orious from Mr. Delusion of the literary society, please make sure to return it in full when the time comes!!!"

Gentlemen and reporters pounced on him, capturing Delusion and pinning him down.

"No, no, no, I am the Warrior of Light! I stole two hundred billion from the Gentleman! Catch me, catch me quickly!"

"Me, me, me! Three hundred billion! They’re all despicable lackeys, I’m the boss, I am!"

Mr. Law was in a quandary.

"Ah, dear me, I understand the determination of the gentlemen of the literary society to support the enforcement of Andrey’s laws, but how could I make such an unfair judgment over personal grudges? Gentleman sir, Reporter sir, Mr. Delusion, you are all innocent victims, deceived by the Warrior of Light... poor souls. I regret my previous wrong judgment, I am ashamed, I swear, I will not make a mistake a second time, I will never treat you again as those despicable criminals."

The trio from the literary society were close to tears.

"Don’t, Mr. Law, big brother Law! I’m the bad guy, catch me! Give me the money!"

"Can I call you daddy? Give me a hundred billion, and you’ll be my godfather!!!"

Mr. Law tearfully refused the three members of the literary society’s righteous self-sacrifice. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

They were touched to tears, perhaps, that was happiness.

Justice is not cheap.