A Fair Trial
*Rumble!*
Faint fluctuations travelled over, and for there to be so many undulations despite the long distance allowed the people in the carriage to ascertain their identities.
âTheyâre Magi, official Magi! It looks like theyâre battling. Do we still proceed?â A peak rank 1 Magus guild master approached Leylinâs carriage and bowed, asking for further instructions.
âOf course!â Leylin spoke indifferently. With the power, they held when they banded together, they could easily go on a rampage in the eastern region. Thus, they were fearless.
The guild leader seemed to have the same thoughts and, after a moment of pause, they continued to advance.
The rest of the party noticed the energy fluctuations as they closed in. One of the two seemed to have reservations with approaching them, while the other hesitated for a moment before heading in their directions.
âTrying to use us to block the enemy?â The Magi in the group of carriages silently waited while smirking.
*Xiu!*
Seconds later, a red streak shot over from afar, and a young Magus appeared.
This Magus looked quite ordinary but for the black ring on his right index finger and his resolute eyes. After seeing so many official Magi, his eyes widened and he tried to take a long way around them.
âYou canât escape! How dare you steal our familyâs treasure!â a womanâs voice sounded out. The young man quivered, bit his lips, ground his teeth, and then dashed towards the group of carriages.
âSave me! Iâm a wandering Magus, and for some reason, this mad woman is chasing me. She keeps slandering me and saying that I stole her treasure!â
This young Magus was naturally Aaron. After recuperating from his injuries, he had been unlucky enough to meet with the Magus from the Mambo Family, and had been chased all the way here.
As for blocking this groupâs path, that was naturally Merlinâs idea.
âWill they save me? After allâ¦â Aaron worriedly communicated with Merlin in his mind.
âDonât worry! Iâve already completely concealed the aura of the Teardrop Gemstone. That crazy woman behind us wonât find anything!â Merlin promised confidently.
As for that confidence, it was definitely due to a certain someone within the carriages.
âHehe⦠Young man, youâre pretty good to have actually helped me gather the Teardrop Gemstone. I didnât even know the Mambo Family had this in their collection!â Leylin smiled lightly, a cold glint in his eyes.
*Xiu!* At this moment, a pink ray shot into this area, and the female Magus who had been chasing after Aaron appeared in their midst.
After seeing the group of carriages with so many Magi, she felt her chest tighten perceptibly.
âI am Ophelia of the Mambo Family! My apologies if I am offending you, but please do not stop me from pursuing this vile thief!â
The group was arranged haphazardly, with a few small scale guilds in front. Opheliaâs tone was therefore not that polite.
After all, the Mambo Family was quite famous in this region.
âHow dare you! Who do you think you are?â
âThe Mambo Family? Never heard of it before.â
Although those in front were a just few small scale guilds, their higher-ups were watching on from the back, and even the legendary rank 2 Magus in charge of Natureâs Alliance was present. They were naturally unrestrained in their answers.
âYouâ¦â Opheliaâs voice lowered, and a faint aura of danger emanated from her body.
How many people in her family dared to speak to her like this?
At this point, however, more carriages had arrived, and the markings caused Ophelia to swallow the words she was planning to say, making her dumbstruck.
âThe Lost Clock, Twisted Black Clouds, Infernal Blood, and⦠Natureâs Alliance!â
Opheliaâs eyes widened. These were all medium scale guilds, and each one of them was powerful enough to pressure the Mambo Familyâespecially Natureâs Alliance, which had a powerful rank 2 Magus in charge.
The moment they were provoked, they would squash her like one would an ant.
On the other end, Aaron gaped, stunned. âSo many! So many Magi and acolytes! Are they migrating?â
âOphelia had no intentions of offending anyone; please forgive me!â Cold sweat rushed down Opheliaâs spine, and she immediately dropped to the ground and bowed.
âHavenât you dealt with this yet?â At this moment, Leylin opened the door and descended from the largest and most luxurious carriage in Natureâs Allianceâs group.
âLord Leylin!â All the Magi there immediately bowed.
âLey-Leylin! The legendary rank 2 Magus said to have heavily injured a dark elven Sovereign Mother! Why is my luck so bad?â Ophelia was snarling on the inside, but she wouldnât dare to even break into a cold sweat in this manâs presence.
âWhatâs going on?â Leylin furrowed his eyebrows, asking even though he knew the situation.
âMy- My apologies, my lord!â A Magus from the Alliance was frightened so badly he couldnât even speak clearly.
âWhatâs going on?â Leylin repeated once again, but the atmosphere had frozen. The entire group was quiet, and even some guild leaders of medium-scaled guilds, who were peak rank 1 Magi themselves, did not dare to make a sound.
âMy lord, itâs like thisâ¦.â Ophelia tried her best to make herself sound calm, narrating the whole story.
âOh! Is that so?â
Leylin turned, and Aaron was pressed to the ground by an invisible force.
âIâll give you one chance. You said you used your familyâs secret method and found him. Do it again in front of us! If the Teardrop Gemstone is on him, then he shall be judged by us all. If notâ¦â Leylinâs dangerous gaze landed on Ophelia, causing her head to tingle.
âIf it isnât, then Ophelia is willing to accept punishment!â Ophelia grit her teeth and forced out an answer.
âNot only that, those of us here are responding to summons from the central region to engage in battle. If you are proven to be wrong, you shall be prosecuted by the war council for obstructing military affairs.â
Leylin smiled to make up for his harsh words. âWell then, begin!â
âWhat do I do? What do I do?â Aaron watched Ophelia who had already begun to use her familyâs secret method and the official Magi who were preparing to watch a good show. He repeatedly asked Merlin in his mind, while not even daring to look at the legendary rank 2 Magus at all.
âDonât worry. Iâm the legendary great Magus Merlin. What is a little rank 2 Magus to me?â Merlin boasted shamelessly, âWith my spirit force concealing it, this girl definitely wonât find anything!â
âThen why didnât you use it previously?â Aaron felt like he had been conned.
âA lot of my spirit force has been used, and it hasnât been replenished,â Merlin explained vaguely, causing Aaron to immediately begin reproaching himself. How could he not trust Grandpa Merlin, whom he had grown up with?
âYouâre dead meat!â Ophelia snickered while lowering her head, pointing at Aaron with the ring.
âThere is a tracking spell formation on the Teardrop Gemstone passed down by my ancestors. As long he has it on him, my ring will emit red rays of light. Look, my lords!â
Ophelia pointed the ring at Aaron, and shouted a word, âMambo!â
Aaronâs heart was at his throat, and he almost closed his eyes to wait for the judgment of destiny.
âEh?â âOh!â âAh?â
All sorts of sounds resounded by Aaronâs ears, but none of them were the accusations he had expected.
He secretly chanced a glance at Ophelia, who was now looking lost and dejected.
âHow is this possible? How is this possible? It wasnât like this the last few times!â She lifted the ring and scanned him a few more times.
The ring had no response, as if it were just an ordinary ring.
âHaha! How is it? Arenât my concealing methods powerful?â Merlin chuckled heartily in Aaronâs mind.
In reality, all of this was Leylinâs work. If not for him being there, Aaron would definitely have been seen through.
âHow?â Ophelia shrieked, unwilling to give up as she took off the ring and inspected the formations within.
Moments later, she yelled out, âIt must be you! You must have hidden the Teardrop Gemstone somewhere along the way!
âNo! It must definitely be on your person. Hand it over!â Blazing pink flames appeared on her body.
âEnough! What a farce!â Leylin was still playing the role of a fair, altruistic judge.
âNo! My lord, you need to believe me!â Opheliaâs voice cracked, sounding a little hoarse.
*Bang!*
A resplendent, silver light flashed, and the flames on her body were extinguished. She retreated a few steps and fell to the ground, her expression still full of stubbornness.
âHaha, that girl actually dares to resist. Sheâs in trouble!â Merlin rejoiced in Aaronâs mind.
âWhatâs happening?â Aaron immediately asked.
âThat Lord Leylin is a rank 2 Magus! His solidified spiritual force is not something a little girl like her can withstand, but she actually dared do so. What should have been a light injury will now become more serious, and might even affect her sea of consciousnessâ¦â
âAh? Then whatâs going to happen to her?â Aaron began to blame himself.
âWhat else can happen to her? If a rank 2 Magus wants to discipline her, sheâll still need to endure it even if sheâs not in the wrong. She canât complain either,â Merlin continued taking joy in her pain, and took the opportunity to educate Aaron, âThis is the law of the Magus World!â
âLeave this place and never appear in front of me again! It seems like you just made a mistake this time. I wonât report it to the war council!â
Leylin hummed lightly and returned to the carriage.
âThank you for your mercy, my lord!â His actions elicited words of gratitude from the female Magus.
Ophelia left the area in a daze. Although she was in despair, were she to continue staying here, a few peak rank 1 Magi would make short work of her without Leylin even lifting a finger.
âWhat are you looking at? Weâre leaving!â
Soon enough, the carriages continued their journey.