[Chapter=18] Witness

"For this situation, I shall grant your request once, Sword Hero." Aultcray approved, before looking at Naofumi. "Minister, if you please?"

"Yes, your Highness." One of the ministers nodded, before walking to Naofumi.

"Shield Hero, his Highness desires for you to recount the events that have transpired, from your summoning to this afternoon. Do not omit any information that would be important to the case." Naofumi nodded, being serious for once, as he began his tale.

Ake, who was watching on the sidelines, felt a hint of dread creep into his stomach, listening to the events unfolding.

"When I was summoned, it was true that I was a beggar. One who hasn't eaten, drank or bathed or slept in a decent bed in a long time, countless years to be exact. So I wasn't able to climb myself out of the summoning room downstairs just yet, but eventually I did. However, I couldn't present myself to the O wise king of Melromarc, just yet." Naofumi recounted. "I mean, would you wanted me to come in here with a smell worse that a sty?"

"Ohh... right, I guess that would make some amount of sense." Motoyasu clamped his nose, imagining that the situation, that did not happen, would have created disastrous results.

"So, I needed to get myself cleaned up in the inn. So I went in, asked them to let me use their facilities, and let me tell you, it felt heavenly!" Naofumi smiled with satisfaction writting on his face, making an 'OK' sign with his hand. "The way I scrubbed off all the dirt I accumulated over the years, cutting off all the hair off my chin, face and head, and relaxing in a bed for once."

"Ugghhh! That's enough!" The loud obnoxious sounds of Myne interrupted his testimony. "You are clearly trying to derail the testimony, Shield Hero!"

"King Aultcray." Naofumi began. "Why is your daughter of yours braying? It's annoying everybody."

"W-What?! B-Braying?!" Motoyasu interjected with a raised eyebrow. Naofumi only smiled as he spoke out the punch line

"She sounds just like an ass." That got Myne to be red in the face she's been slapped.

Motoyasu was feeling the same kind of rage, but none were as angry as King Aultcray.

"SILENCE, CRIMINAL SCUM!" The King himself got up from the seat, showing his own 'domineering stature'.

"With clear disrespect in my courts against my daughter, the evidence is as clear as day. And seeing as you continue to waste time, then I would have you sentenced to death!"

"But you're not. Are you?" That stopped the King in his tracks. Naofumi smirked before continuing.

"Even after all the false charges your daughter continues to call for me, you can't actually do the deed and kill me, can you? What would the world say if they hear about you murdering a hero? What would neighbouring countries say about you murdering a hero? What would your wife say about you murdering a hero?" Naofumi's voice sounded more taunting than ever as he drawled on and on.

The silence seemed deafening and heavy, but the answer was clear.

"W-Wait, what will happen?" Motoyasu asked, clearly not kept up to speed. Naofumi shook his head and answer for him.

"War."

That got people going into distress.

Some of the nobles were chatting, worried about the result if the sentencing went through. Others even fainted from that.

The knights felt on edge at the proclamation, and the Heroes looked at each other, wondering why everybody was acting so worried about a war.

But a bang on the armrest of the throne silenced the people.

"SILENCE!" The man yelled out a second time, and that stopped everybody from talking. "Indeed, killing the Shield Hero would be detrimental to us all. However, the imprisonment for life, except for combating the Waves, shall prove fitting for scum like you."

"But that's not going to stop the other kingdoms now, will it?" Naofumi challenged, with Aultcray narrowing his eyes in response, almost as if he's taking the challenge.

"W-Wait, why can't we just kill him? I mean, we can get another Shield Hero, right?" Motoyasu inquired.

"Of course you would think it like that..." Naofumi spoke offhand, as if Motoyasu would actually be okay with killing a fellow hero.

Aultcray looked a little bristled about it as well. "You can't kill the Shield Hero, unless you kill the other three Cardinal Heroes as well. That way, they would be able to get another Shield Hero, after years of preparing for another ritual. Feel better about that, dumbass?"

"U-Urgh..." That got Motoyasu to grimace, and Ren and Itsuki looked at him with an odd look.

Was Motoyasu actually okay with killing the Shield Hero?

"It's clear that your false sentence is going nowhere, Your Foolishness." Naofumi waved his hand dismissively, while shaking his head in mock disappointment. "No matter what bullshit sentence you give me, it's going to backfire on you hard."

"Why are you so flippant about this? You're not above the law!" Itsuki demanded, with Naofumi shaking his head.

"You're right. I'm not above the law, since there isn't any law in this sham of a trial in the first place." That got people to gasp a second time.

"What?! Didn't you hear the minister saying that they're going to jail me anyway? Pretty dead giveaway that my words don't matter in a 'court of law and fair trial'." Naofumi used his fingers to emphasize the last five words.

That actually got the other nobles muttering to them, wondering if it's true or false.

"Of course this is a court of law!" Aultcray corrected harshly, still frustrated that Naofumi has been in control of the court for far too long.

The King actually walked up to Naofumi and grabbed his collar with surprising strength. "It's MY court of law. Do NOT mistake that, Shield."

"Try your worst, and keep Princess Donkey of yours on a leash." Naofumi responded with a taunt, eyeing , and Aultcray snarled, enraged that he would just call his daughter that.

He let go of the Shield Hero and stomped back to his throne, to the point of throwing the man back a couple of feet. 'He's got strength, I'll give him that.' "So what now, you old bag? Gonna imprison me? Set me free as a bird?"

"N-Naofumi, please... Don't dig your hole any deeper..." Ake mumbled, enough for Naofumi and the knights to catch. The Shield Hero turned around and smiled.

"Don't worry, I'll get out of this. Don't you worry." Naofumi responded with a sincere smile. Aultcray seemed to catch it though.

"Shield, who are you speaking to?" The King demanded.

While one would expect Naofumi to stammer, he actually smiled and played along.

"A witness of mine. C'mon Ake." Naofumi outstretched a hand towards him, who shook in his armour.

But slowly, Ake reached out seeing as Naofumi intended no harm, but one particular man did not want to play along.

"Y-you! P-Private! Don't you dare take his hand!" The Captain harshly snapped at the young knight, who stopped him stiff. "Y-Your Highness! This is clearly a waste of time!"

"I stand by that as well! Your testimony is null and void, as you rather spend time disrespecting the rulers of this kingdom!" Aultcray announced, but Naofumi wasn't having it.

"You keep saying the same things over and over again, yet you said that this was going to be a fair trial. Besides, you're trying to break the rules yourself by ignoring the fact that it can't be proper trial without a witness or hard evidence, your Lawlessness. So you can just shut up and listen, as I'm trying to show that I'm innocent, the right way." Naofumi deflected back, before looking back at Ake.

"I'm not going to force you, Ake. Do what you think is right."

****

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