The recess ended quickly.
When Aisha returned to the courtroom, she immediately noticed it—an icy hostility in the air.
The nobles were whispering louder than before. The merchant guild scribes were frantically taking notes. And the noble who owned the enchanted stallion… sat smirking, as though he already knew the verdict.
The prosecution rose with exaggerated grace.
"Your Honor, before we proceed, the noble Lord Varian himself wishes to testify. Surely his word holds greater weight than that of mere peasants."
The gallery erupted. A noble testifying directly? Almost unheard of.
The Magistrate hesitated, then nodded. "Lord Varian may step forward."
Aisha's pulse quickened. This is their move. They're tightening the net.
Lord Varian descended with the elegance of someone used to being obeyed. His robe shimmered with enchantments; his signet ring glowed faintly, pulsing with magical energy.
"I am Lord Varian," he declared, voice smooth as silk. "That farmer stole my stallion. I saw it with my own eyes. And when I confronted him, he fled like the guilty wretch he is."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Aisha clenched her jaw. This wasn't just testimony—it was the final nail in the coffin. A noble's word outweighed ten peasants in this world.
The Magistrate turned to her. "Defense. You may cross-examine."
Her heart pounded, but she straightened her jacket and stepped forward.
"Lord Varian," she began coolly. "You say you saw Elric stealing your horse. From what distance?"
"Twenty paces. Clear as day."
"And when exactly was this?"
"Dusk. Just before nightfall."
Aisha narrowed her eyes. "Strange. Your stable boy testified he saw it at sunset—when it was already dark enough to mistake shadows. Your guard claimed twilight. And now you say it was clear as day."
The gallery murmured louder.
"Which is it, Lord Varian?" Aisha pressed, her voice sharp. "Sunset? Twilight? Or broad daylight? Three witnesses. Three versions. Someone is lying."
Varian's smile didn't falter. Instead, he raised his glowing signet ring for all to see.
"This ring bears the **Seal of Truth.** When I speak, no lie may pass my lips."
The crowd gasped as the ring flared, casting golden light across the courtroom.
The Magistrate's eyes widened. "A Seal of Truth? That changes everything…"
Aisha froze. This was bad. Magical proof carried more weight than any cross-examination.
But then she noticed something.
A faint flicker in the rune's glow. The tiniest crackle, as though the magic wasn't… stable.
Her lawyer's instinct screamed.
This wasn't the real Seal of Truth.
It was a forgery.
She smirked, her confidence returning.
"Your Honor," Aisha said, her voice cutting through the noise, "that ring may look like a Seal of Truth… but I can prove it's a counterfeit."
The courtroom erupted. Nobles shouted. Commoners leaned forward. Even the Magistrate's staff trembled against the marble floor.
Lord Varian's smirk finally slipped.
And Aisha? She stood tall, eyes blazing.
This wasn't just a trial anymore.
This was war.