Murder? Wolf’s jaw went slack. His head spun like a Rockcrusher slammed it with its tail.

Headmaster Smith didn’t wait for Wolf to gather his bearings. “We shall start with eyewitness testimonies. Leadra Turrin, step forward.”

An elderly lady ascended the stairs and trembled before the imposing judge. Wolf glanced towards the side stairs she climbed and saw a long line of witnesses.

“You are the caretaker of the apartment building seven in Peer street. Correct?” Headmaster Smith asked.

“Aye,” Leadra Turrin answered. Her mouth moved further, but she failed to voice words.

“Did Tina Goodwin, Samantha Elas and Bonny Thatcher rent an apartment in the building under your supervision?” Headmaster Smith barraged her with words, rushing to get this over with.

“Aye.” Leadra nodded.

“You allegedly witnessed their murder and personally saw the crime. Did the accused perform the deed?” Headmaster Smith pointed his gavel towards Wolf. “Make sure to take a good look.”

Leadra bobbed her head like a chicken and scrutinized Wolf’s face before nodding. “Aye.”

“Thank you. That was all I wanted to hear. You may leave.” Headmaster Smith dismissed her, while Wolf gaped.

What shitty justice is this? Someone could’ve altered her memories. Someone might have used a potion or a spell to assume my appearance. They could’ve induced hallucinations! There are countless ways to tamper with witnesses!

Wolf wanted to shout, to rage, but couldn’t. The item’s effect bound him just like Leadra.

“We have multiple witnesses willing to testify they encountered Wolf without-a-surname rushing towards Peer street. Come up in batches of ten, so we can save time.”

Wolf’s fury surged. This parody trial made him want to scream, however, two words forced his anger to lurch. With delay, he realized something. Peer street? The Den is two streets away!

Wolf believed those whores lived near The Den by coincidence. Apparently, there were no accidents.

A quarter of an hour passed with Headmaster Smith pointing his gavel at Wolf, asking, “Was this the person you saw heading towards Peer street?” Each time a chorus of ayes answered.

What are you trying to prove? I went to a brothel nearby. Why don’t you summon the brothel workers? The half-assed display turned Wolf’s rage into annoyance. As his head cooled, he saw two dozen nobles wearing sinister smiles, nodding in approval.

Most remained impassive, but a handful of exceptions existed. The Duke seemed bored, struggling not to roll his eyes. Matilda’s father, Marquess Thonburi, clenched his fists and grit his teeth at the travesty, but until the judge addressed him, or the item’s hold disappeared, he could only sit and watch.

Finally, the parade of random pedestrians ended, confirming that Wolf moved towards Peer street when the murder happened.

Wait! Fuckers! I went over there using Merge With Wind! How the fuck did you see me walking down the road? Just as Wolf’s anger died down, this thought fanned it back to life.

“Except for the first testimony, the rest is just circumstantial evidence. So, I will move on to solid proof.” Headmaster Smith then waved his hand and three naked corpses left his Ring of Holding and thudded onto the platform.

Wolf gazed at the familiar pale, lifeless faces twisted in fear and pain. The victims had multiple puncture wounds on their torsos, hinting a crime of hate and passion. The youth’s mind spun. They killed them?

Almost everyone here was a Mage. Catching a glimpse of those bodies allowed the gathered to see their state and the brutality with which the murderer committed his crime.

Headmaster Smith remained silent. He allowed the students and the staff to murmur, then curse and shout in rage and hatred. The momentum built until the Duke finally looked at the judge and sighed. This was the biggest misrepresentation of justice he had ever witnessed, and he rigged a bunch of trials.

Unlike the Duke, dozens of people enjoyed the show. They suppressed delighted laughter, but couldn’t hide the joy in their eyes. Nine of them were the most elated. After attempting so many times, after facing such pressure, they finally succeeded.

Wolf grit his teeth. He clearly saw them, and he wasn’t the only one.

“The most informed ones, and the best eyewitnesses are the victims themselves.” With that introduction Headmaster Smith chanted Commune With Dead. The hair-raising hoarse arcana echoed, chilling the audience.

It stopped.

An oppressive silence befell the square. Abruptly, the scholarly woman’s corpse twitched. Then its head turned towards Headmaster Smith, popping like wet wood as her stiff neck vertebrae broke or dislocated.

“When you were alive, you were known as Samantha Elas?” Headmaster Smith didn’t blink at the sight, but almost everyone below the stage paled. Some people with weaker stomachs covered their mouths, trying to keep their breakfast down.

“Aaaayeee,” air passed through the cadaver’s larynx, birthing a raspy noise which barely resembled an inhuman voice.

A female student screamed and fainted. Hundreds of others trembled, horrified by the unnatural gasp of the dead.

Wolf didn’t blink. Neither did most of the nobles. Interrogating the dead was sometimes necessary, and they experienced it multiple times.

“Order!” Headmaster Smith warned the crowd before continuing his interrogation. “Were you murdered by your lecturer, who held the class on Combat Casting, called Wolf without-a-surname?”

“Aaaayeee.” The spine chilling wind from the netherworld blew through the cadaver’s throat once more, instilling terror into the minds of the living.

Headmaster Smith nodded, not one bit surprised. “What punishment does your murderer deserve? You may speak freely.”

“Deeeeeaaath!” The faint netherworld wind became a raging gale, shaking the whole cadaver as the corpse shrieked.

Dozens of observers collapsed, and even some nobles were shaken. Amongst the seated nobility, the deathly wail disturbed the grinning men the most. Their hearts quivered as icy spectral hands gripped them. Five of them simultaneously loosened their collars, but it didn’t help the sharp sensation of a knife pressed against their throats.

“Thank you. I wish the Judges have mercy on you, and I hope you lead a good life in your next incarnation.” Headmaster Smith dismissed the spell. The body rattled and gasped, releasing one final, unwilling wheeze.

“Next, we shall summon Tina Goodwin’s remnant will to bear testimony…” Headmaster Smith interrogated the remaining two corpses. He asked the same questions, got the same answers and scared the life out of almost everyone present.

Soul-chilling cries for vengeance shook the audience and unhinged the true perpetrators.

Wolf discerned their unease, but he wasn’t allowed to speak. Bound, unable to circulate Soul Force properly, he could only clench his teeth and fists.

“And there we have it. The condemning words of the eyewitnesses, victims and now I will read an excerpt from the interrogation of the accused’s flatmates.” Headmaster Smith produced a stack of papers. “The above-mentioned parties are detained and unable to attend the proceedings. However, we have a written account, the voracity of which I guarantee with my good name. When the investigation started, they gave heartwarming, but irrelevant information about how Wolf without-a-surname is innocent. Since their words lack facts or evidence, we shall skip that part of their testimony.”

Wolf stared at Lord of Steel. His eyes burned with hate, he clenching his teeth so hard his jaw hurt, erupting with murderous intent and soul pressure. Bastard, if you really did something to them, I swear I’ll tear you to pieces.

Wolf felt chains form and shackle his soul. He didn’t mind. If Smith really was crazy enough to hurt Anna or Mandy, he would risk his life to kill the old loon. He had two more scrolls from Lonely Eagle, and Wolf was positive either of them could slay Lord of Steel on the spot.

Headmaster Smith countered Wolf’s outburst with his own presence. Headmaster Smith’s soul outstripped Wolf’s both in power and control, making the young man’s waves of rage crash into impregnable rocks before fully forming. Other than them, nobody felt a ripple.

Smith didn’t spare Wolf a glance as he casually flipped through papers, before stopping and shaking a single sheet. “Here’s the important part. Ahem. ‘Wolf notified us he would visit a brothel rumored to have virgins.’ Later they insisted that the victims, lying lifelessly before us, colluded with someone to frame the accused of rape. They claimed that after finding out about this, the accused solved the issue. However, they knew nothing about the means the accused used to ‘solve the issue’. When asked to provide an alibi for the accused, both women attempted to lie, allowing us to find convenient blanks in the accused’s schedule. One of which potentially overlapped with the estimated time of the murder.”

You’re lying! Wolf caught Smith using vague words to frame him.

Master, I don’t sense any ill will from him. Silver interrupted Wolf’s mindless rage.

Wolf inhaled, then held his breath to regulate his breathing and state of mind. You’re right. But if that’s the case, what’s this crazy old bat pulling?

“Finally, we will hear from the accused. You may speak freely. What do you have to say for yourself? Why did you do it? You had a bright future ahead of you. Why did you do it? Why did you have to destroy the lives of three young women? Why?” Lord of Steel screamed, absorbed in his role.

Wolf observed the crazy Headmaster in silence. His mind raced, but no matter how much he thought, he only found one way forward. Wolf exhaled, then drew a deep breath.

I have already experienced student life; he assured himself, then opened his mouth.

“I, Wolf Hillman, True-Namer of the First Order, son of Duke without-a-land Archibald Hillman, am being framed!” Wolf’s Soul Force empowered voice exploded, shaking the gathered crowd. “I did not murder these three! I did not force them into a relationship of any kind! Earthmother is my witness that I have stated no falsehoods! If I have, may gods shatter my soul!”

As Wolf spoke, Soul Force surged out of him, absorbed by the world, drawing its attention. A moment later the earth rumbled, and Lord of Steel’s lips stretched into a barely perceivable smile. As expected.