I always win whether as a demon or a human, it doesn't matter.
"Objection! I call upon my right to cross-examine the defendant's testimony of the fight before we move on into the sage of the balance verification," Adrien snapped.
He adjusted his posture, eyes still glowing faintly blue, and pointed his finger at Jareth in defiance.
"Objection sustained. You may proceed with the cross-examination of Jareth Corvin according to the rules of Orion," the Inter-Ruler announced.
Jareth moved reluctantly, stepping slowly into the center of the tribunal, bracing himself to give his testimony.
"I am Jareth Corvin, a E rank soldier from the town of Hasbcura. The Dragon of the West reduced it to ashes. My family, my friends—everyone I knew—were slaughtered. I survived only by sheer luck, fleeing just before the beast's flames could consume me."
"Why did you choose to borrow the power of Lilithra Veyrisse?"
"For revenge. Because I heard whispers of the Ruby Demons Guild and the powers they wielded. When I learned of Lilithra's strength, I sought her out. Ten years of my life meant nothing to me—everything worth living for had already been taken. To slay that monster, I was willing to give even my life."
"Were you present in Hasbcura when the dragon first unleashed its fire?"
"Yes," Jareth replied firmly, his pale gray eyes steady and unflinching.
Adrien leaned forward, his voice low but sharp, slicing through the tense courtroom air.
"Then tell this court—what proof do you have that the burn scar on your face was inflicted during the fight against the dragon itself, rather than in the attack of fire in Hasbcura?"
Adrien lifted his hand, and the dossier flared to life. A burning town unfolded across the chamber in violent projection—homes collapsing, towers reduced to rubble, fire swallowing everything.
Jareth remained impassive in front of the images.
His expression was unnervingly calm for a man who had lost everything to the dragon's flames almost as if he were quietly savoring the memory of the fire.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"What is he claiming?!"
"Adrien, you're going too far with your accusations!" the jury protested, voices rising in a chaotic murmur. "The man lost his home and his face—how can you be so heartless?"
"Order in the court!"
The Inter-Ruler slammed his gavel down with a resounding crack, sending a shockwave through the chamber. The room fell instantly silent.
"The proceedings may continue."
"Objection!" Tavren snapped, slamming his palm against the podium. "These images are traumatic enough without being shown again! You cannot accuse my client without solid evidence."
Adrien's blue eyes gleamed coldly. "And yet, you cannot accuse mine without proof either. Jareth Corvin claims he fought the Dragon Beast on the day he borrowed the power. But what if he didn't? What if this burn is merely the mark he received when his town burned? In that case, he never truly engaged the Dragon Beast, and my client still has the right to claim ten years of his soul—according to Clause 6 of the contract."
Jareth's fists clenched tightly, his teeth gritted in anger.
Then a voice cut through the tension—Lilithra's."Wait… I remember now. When he first came to the Ruby Demons Guild, his face was covered in bandages. That was the first time I ever saw him."
Jareth's eyes blazed as he shot her a glare. "I was recovering from my burns. That's why the bandages were there."
Adrien's smile curved like a razor. "Ah… so you confirm that your face was hidden from the Ruby Demons. Or perhaps… you were deliberately hiding it from everyone."
"Objection overruled. The defense must provide proof that Jareth Corvin actually fought the dragon. As the prosecution argued, that burn could have been inflicted during either event."
A murmur rippled through the chamber.
"That bastard…"
The Inter-Ruler added, "My second question, then—do you have any witness who can testify that you truly fought the Dragon Beast?"
"Yes, I do. I even had two," Jareth replied. "One of them fought by my side. He was an A-rank fighter, while I was only an E-rank who had borrowed the power of a demon. Unfortunately… he died because I couldn't protect him!"
Protests erupted across the court.
"Because of your lies, a man died!"
"Lilithra should be accused of manslaughter!"
The Inter-ruler silenced the uproar again with a wave of force, his voice like thunder.
"Silence! If the claims are true, then Veyrisse will be tried as a fraud and as one whose actions caused manslaughter."
"Haha! You should have accepted defeat. You could have walked away as a free person, my Lilithra. But now—because you chose the worst attorney—you'll end up in jail for life, you bitch!" Jareth spat, venom dripping from his words.
The Inter-Ruler's eyes narrowed, and he slammed his gavel.
Adrien's blue eyes glimmered coldly, his voice calm but lethal. "Objection! This is a verbal assault agaisnt my client. Save your theatrics, Corvin. Attacking Lilithra achieves nothing. Let the witness speak, and let the facts decide this case."
"Objection sustained. Contempt of court! Verbal assaults against the accuser will not be tolerated. Jareth Corvin, you are hereby sanctioned for your misconduct. Control yourself, or face further penalties."
A chilling silence fell over the courtroom, broken only by the faint murmur of the crowd, all sensing the icy authority of Adrien Veil.
"Very well," Tavren declared. His voice echoed through the chamber. "I call upon Dairus Monir I summon him to testify."
A vague ripple of power swirled in the air, and a portal split open. From its glow, Dairus stepped forward, already prepared for the trial. He was tall, with sharp brown eyes—yet within them glimmered a faint green hue that gave his gaze a reptilian, snake-like quality.
Adrien rose. "State your name and background for the court."
"I am Dairus Monir," the man replied, his voice low but carrying. "A soldier of rank C, born in the same town as Jareth. I was there. I witnessed the fight with my own eyes."
"Then tell us what happened, everything you know about the fight." Adrien commanded.
Dairus drew a slow breath, his tone heavy.
"At first, everything went well. Jareth and Viego—the A-rank soldier—fought side by side, striking in unison. For a moment, it looked like victory was within reach. But then… Jareth began to falter. The power he had borrowed, the demon's strength, it wasn't enough. It shouldn't have been like this. The dragon's might was greater. It pressed him back until its massive jaws loomed over him, fire kindling in its throat. The flames burst forth, burning Jareth across his face."
Gasps rippled through the hall.
"Viego tried to save him," Dairus continued, his voice tightening, "but in that instant… the beast struck. I saw it—saw the dragon's maw close around him. He was devoured before our very eyes."
The chamber fell deathly silent.
"I did what I could," Dairus added, his tone quieter now. "I used my healing spells to keep Jareth alive. But we were outmatched. There was nothing left of Viego. We ran… we had no other choice."
A grim smile tugged at Adrien's lips as he rose to his feet.
"Ate him? Objection, Your Honor. Here are the official statistics of the Dragon of the West, confirmed by the Inter-Realm Bestiary."
The projection screen flared to life, filling the chamber with floating glyphs:
[S-Rank Beast – Dragon of the West]
[Appearance: Emerald green scales, folded wings, molten jade eyes]
[Type: Magical Beast / Dragon]
[Size: Colossal]
[STR: 98/100 – can level buildings with a swipe]
[SPD: 85/100 – agile despite size]
[END: 95/100 – endures prolonged combat]
[INT: 90/100 – cunning, anticipates moves]
[Breath (FIRE): 100/100 – can ignite entire towns]
[Aggression: 90/100 – highly territorial]
[Behavior: Destructive, non-carnivorous toward humans]
[Weaknesses: Coordinated magic attacks; overexertion slows mobility]
[Loot: Rare scales, claws, teeth with latent magic]
[Notes: Extremely dangerous. Solo attempts without magic likely fatal]
Adrien lifted a finger, circling one glowing line of text. Making it zoom.
[Behavior: Destructive, non-carnivorous toward humans]
He turned back toward Dairus, eyes sharp.
"So, tell me, witness—how exactly did you see this dragon devour a man whole when its very nature rejects human flesh?"
Dairus's lips parted, but no sound came. His gaze darted to the floor. His breath caught in his throat.
"You—Your Honor… I swear I saw—" Dairus stuttered, his voice cracking, sweat glistening along his brow.
The chamber buzzed with whispers, doubt spreading like wildfire through the crowd.
"Objection!" Tavren roared, his fist slamming against the bench. "There are documented cases where the dragons displays irregular behavior in combat—sometimes seizing its prey to weaken or terrorize opponents. This witness's claim cannot be dismissed outright!"
The Inter-Ruler's eyes narrowed. "Objection acclaimed. The testimony stands, for now."
Adrien's jaw tightened. His advantage slipped like sand through his fingers.
This isn't good. At this rate, we may end up losing this case. This witness is a really problem.
Every stats I showed should have crushed his argument, but instead Tavren twisted them into doubt.
I still have no proof—no solid ground to show Lilithra wasn't lying about her power. Unless, I can make some proof.
"If the prosecution has no more arguments to offer, nor witnesses to call, then I shall make my verdict," the Inter-Ruler declared.
"Your Honor."
A sudden chill spread through the chamber. Blue shadows coiled behind Adrien like living smoke, his eyes burning with resolve.
"I would like to call upon a witness."
"Who?" the Inter-Ruler asked.
"The S-Rank Beast—the Dragon of the West."
Gasps tore through the court.
"This is outrageous! It's a monster!" Tavren barked.
"By the law of Orisar," Adrien countered coldly, "I may summon even a monster if it will help me prove my case."
Tavren sneered in disbelief. "And how do you plan to make a dragon testify? No one alive speaks their tongue. And he is dangerous! He will kill us all."
I will never lose. I will use every means at my disposal to force my way through!
"Simply. In combat. Before the eyes of this court, I—Adrien Veil—will sign a contract with Lilithra Veyrisse, borrowing her full power to face the Dragon. If I fall, the defendant wins this trial."
The Inter-Ruler's expression darkened as he considered the matter, then he raised a hand decisively. "Accepted. The chamber will be expanded. The jury, crowd, and defendant shall be shielded by reinforced glass walls."
Tavren's eyes blazed, his voice cracking as he shouted, "Objection!"
The Inter-Ruler's expression turned stone-cold. "Overruled," he intoned, each syllable heavy, leaving a deafening silence in its wake, the courtroom frozen under the weight of his judgment
A deep, resonant hum filled the chamber, vibrating through the stone floors and sending tremors up the walls. Ancient runes flared to life along the courtroom's pillars as the very structure seemed to stretch and shift, expanding into a vast arena. Dust swirled in the air, caught in the ethereal energy that thrummed like a living heartbeat.
Adrien's piercing blue eyes locked onto Lilithra's, his voice calm but edged with determination.
"The time of the fight. If I win, I owe you nothing. If I lose… you take my life."
Lilithra's crimson lips curled into a sharp, predatory smile.
"Perfect."
The contract materialized before Adrien, hovering midair in a swirl of ethereal light. Lines of arcane script glowed across its surface, each clause shimmering with power. He leaned forward, eyes scanning every word with meticulous care, verifying that every term, every condition, was precisely as agreed.
Satisfied, Adrien took a deep breath and pressed his hand to the hovering parchment, the sigil of his mark burning faintly into the magical contract as his signature etched itself in radiant blue.
Lilithra's clawed fingers followed suit, tracing her own mark across the contract. Sparks of blue inferno flickered with each stroke, sealing their pact in unbreakable magic.
The moment the ink dried, Adrien staggered, his veins igniting with monstrous blue fire. He felt her power surge through him—colossal, monstrous, divine.
"It's impossible!" Jareth screamed, panic splitting his voice. "Make him stop!"
"What are you afraid of?" Adrien's voice thundered. "If Lilithra's power is truly weaker, I cannot win. But if it surpasses the dragon's… then you have already lost this case."
The portal vibrated, expanding into a spiraling abyss of emerald and flame. The Dragon's presence pressed into the court like a storm.
Adrien clenched his fists as the glass walls sealed around the onlookers. His aura roared.
The portal blazed. The Dragon of the West stepped through.