Although Fran now appeared no different from an ordinary young girl, even more enticing… he hadn't forgotten how she had wielded the circular saw and pulled the trigger without hesitation. It was hard to imagine such a bizarre soul lay hidden beneath this seemingly youthful face.
Escape from here first, deal with the rest later…
Arriving at the door of Tamesis's guest room, a flicker of a smile appeared in Fran's amber eyes.
This was a long-awaited "reunion."
The moment she arrived at Hanover Manor, Fran had noticed Tamesis sitting at the banquet table and had seen through her disguise. This was the surgeon "Themis" who had built the jigsaw maze during last year's house call.
Clearly, Tamesis had also noticed her. After all, she hadn't made any disguise for this house call.
Hmm… Tamesis's current identity is a lawyer? Indeed, this profession suits her better than a doctor. But she's still using the name Tamesis, which is somewhat surprising.
"Dr. Fran, Ms. Tamesis's door isn't locked."
Davis checked the door, confirmed it was open, and looked at Fran with a puzzled expression.
Generally, a woman staying alone in a strange guest room would lock the door… Yet now it was the opposite.
Could it be that a change similar to Krul's had also occurred in her room?
"She would welcome visitors gladly; why would she shut us out?"
This time, Fran didn't let Davis open the door. She lightly turned the silver handle, opened the door, and swiftly entered Tamesis's room.
Inside the guest room stood a solemn and imposing courtroom.
Elm-carved benches were neatly divided into various sections: plaintiff's bench, defendant's bench, gallery, jury seats… And at the very center of the court stood an ancient, majestic bronze statue.
She wore a thin robe, her eyes veiled in shadow by silk. In one hand she held scales, in the other a sword.
Lady Themis, the goddess representing primordial law and natural order.
And the "verse" for this guest room was inscribed on the copper law codex beneath the statue.
[That mortal, mundane human, donned the deity's gauze robes;]
[Ah! All are apprehensive; will tomorrow's dawn arrive as when the old master still presided?]
[The once-beautiful old order, the formerly lush and prosperous garden—will they become legends buried in tomes?]
[Yes. The law shall no longer be a plaything in the hands of power—]
[That deity brings iron law and blood.]
"Hmm~ She still loves Themis so much."
Fran examined the exquisitely carved statue, her gaze carrying a touch of softness.
Davis observed the surroundings, wary of any sudden developments. He also pondered Fran's earlier words.
Her tone suggested Dr. Fran knew Ms. Tamesis before? Well… that's not so strange either.
After all, no one said participants couldn't know each other privately; he and Krul had also known each other beforehand.
Thinking this, Davis's expression darkened slightly, and he reminded Fran with some concern.
"Dr. Fran, there's… a smell of blood here."
He was somewhat worried about Ms. Tamesis's safety, as her room was the last to be explored. If her contact with Corruption was brief, like Father Gorn's, it would be manageable—injured but salvageable.
But if she had become part of the manor like Krul… then even Dr. Fran might be powerless.
"No need to worry. I know where she is. Davis, have you noticed something missing from this courtroom?"
"Missing something?"
Hearing this, Davis began searching for inconsistencies in the surroundings.
Soon, a flash of realization appeared in his eyes; he had evidently found the answer.
"The statue has replaced the judge's bench."
"Correct. The judge's seat is missing here."
As she spoke, Fran opened her medicine case and reached inside to search.
Watching her action, Davis couldn't help but narrow his eyes. It seemed this doctor only retrieved normal medicine from the case that one time she gave him stomach medicine; other times, she pulled out strange things.
Like a pistol, a circular saw… things like that.
And this time's retrieval didn't disappoint Davis either: it was a rather hefty medical bone hammer. And it was even larger than the highest specification he had imagined; it was hard to believe this thing was for human use.
"Need any help, Dr. Fran?"
Sensing this doctor didn't seem to enjoy physical labor, Davis offered assistance on his own initiative.
"Thank you very much, Mr. Davis. But this time, I'll do it myself… If I miss, she probably wouldn't be too pleased."
Saying this, Fran lifted the medical bone hammer in her hand and walked towards the bronze statue of Themis.
The next moment, she raised the bone hammer and struck the deity's torso. Spiderweb-like cracks immediately spread across the entire statue, as if the huge sculpture were merely a thin shell.
With Fran's second strike, the entire statue shattered, revealing Tamesis within.
The lawyer now held her hands out unnaturally flat, a set of scales placed in them. On the left and right of the scales rested two masses of rotten, dissolving flesh, faintly recognizable as… a heart and a brain.
Her body was twisted unnaturally, like a puppet.
Looking closely, one could see several metal hooks inside the bronze statue, passing through her arm joints to lift her up.
This posture… was also like a scale constituted by a human body.
"What's on those scales… a heart and a brain?"
Seeing this scene, Father Gorn, who had just stepped into the room, felt the blood in his body run cold.
He began to doubt whether following these two was a good choice. Perhaps if he had gone alone, he might have already escaped by now…
"Don't worry, they're not hers."
Fran calmly let out a light laugh, then reached out to unhook the locks from Tamesis's arms and shoulder blades, setting her down.
She extended her palm, gently stroking Tamesis's cheek.
"Good evening, Tamesis. If you're not truly asleep, you don't need to keep your eyes closed, you know?"
The latter immediately opened her eyes. Her expression showed none of the exhaustion or languor of someone who had just regained consciousness. She seemed to have been awake all along, merely waiting.
"Teacher Fran, it's a pleasure to see you again. You look… much younger than last time."
Tamesis didn't seem bothered by the pain of the copper locks piercing her joints. She slightly bent her arms to perform a bow to the young girl before her, her demeanor respectful and humble.
"I don't recall teaching you such cumbersome etiquette."
As she spoke, Fran lightly pinched Tamesis's cheek. Then she took out a handkerchief to wipe the crimson plasma from the other's clothes.
Beside them, Davis scratched his cheek with his index finger, his expression subtle.
If one had to describe it, this doctor's current expression was like a kind elder… but paired with her appearance that looked no older than ten, it created an indescribable, strange sense of incongruity.
Moreover, Ms. Tamesis called Dr. Fran "teacher." So they actually had a teacher-student relationship?
"That… Dr. Fran, was Ms. Tamesis once your student?"
Though it felt somewhat inappropriate, Davis still voiced the question.
"The word 'student' isn't entirely accurate."
The one who answered wasn't Fran, but Tamesis beside her.
Logically, having been trapped inside a copper statue and suspended for a long time, she should be very weak. But now she seemed to have no issues with her mental state.
"It should be 'disciple.'"
Tamesis corrected Davis's question.
Just then, Father Gorn, who had been waiting on the side, spoke up.
He had clearly lost patience, unable to bear the others wasting time on conversations of uncertain significance.
"Whether you're a student or a disciple, does it really matter? Why should we expend energy on such questions… Dr. Fran, you've seen all the rooms now; shouldn't we think of a way to leave the manor?"
Looking at the emotionally unstable priest, Fran didn't respond, merely glancing at Tamesis beside her with a smiling look.
Seeing Gorn, this lawyer's eyes suddenly lit up with a certain gleam.
It was excitement, the thrill of finding a target.
"Hmm… Teacher Fran, you even brought a 'gift.'"
Tamesis slowly walked towards Gorn, her steps steady and measured, completely unlike someone who had just been injured. The sound of her high heels on the marble floor produced a rhythmic, crisp tapping.
For some reason, Father Gorn felt an unprecedented sense of dread towards this not-very-tall lady. Even when faced with the corrupt monster that had latched onto him, he could still try to save himself by instinct.
But now, he felt his body stiff as cast iron; even the thought of escape couldn't arise.
"Old Calendar year 1024, Gulinse Church. Victim: Bailey Minnis, age 8. Crime: Forcible molestation."
"Old Calendar year 1025, Gulinse Harbor. Victim: Fenlini Della, age 6. Crimes: Rape, intentional homicide. Her remains still float in Gulinse Fjord to this day."
"Old Calendar year 1027, Molini City. Victim: Evan Cliff, age 9. Crime: Rape."
"Old Calendar year…"
Tamesis's recitation was cold and solemn. Case after long-forgotten, unappealed past events were brought up again.
"Enough!"
Gorn's emotions were suppressed to the limit. At the moment of near collapse, he finally roared out.
"Enough? But your trial is only just beginning. Even without a plaintiff, without a lawyer, without jurors, without law enforcement… this trial will not end."
"This is 'Primordial Law'—to reclaim 'justice.'"
No emotion could be seen in Tamesis's eyes. As if veiled, leaving only a shadowy gray coldness.
"Without a doubt, Father Gorn, you are guilty."
Thud!
The sound of a gavel striking rang out abruptly.
Unnoticed, Fran's medical bone hammer had found its way into her hand.
—
After the maze encounter a year ago, Fran taught Tamesis three skills and corresponding knowledge.
First, from the field of psychology: Read Thoughts.
Under spiritual catalysis, this skill could reach a near mind-reading level—of course, only against ordinary people. True mind-reading was an occult taboo; this skill could only make guesses infinitely close to the "truth."
Second, from the field of alchemy: Biological Alchemy.
Alchemy was an ancient discipline whose origins are difficult to trace through literature. It allowed Tamesis's previously held medical knowledge to ascend to a whole new level, making her more efficient both at saving lives and taking them away.
Third… was Spirituality, which allowed mortals to step onto the secret ladder.
"Spirit" was a complex concept, itself born from intangible thoughts and consciousness, yet able to affect the material world through certain methods. Under the secret cult system, it manifested as principles and aspects; in the Warhammer worldview, it was called "psychic power."
These three skills corresponded to the three elements required by a judge upholding the law.
Namely, the "insight" to discern truth, the "secrecy" to maintain one's own existence, and… the "violence" sufficient to execute judgment.
This was an impulsive attempt by Fran… or perhaps an experiment.
She wanted to see: if such a judge upholding primordial law walked the world, would she ultimately stray onto a wrong path and self-destruct… or climb all the way to the point of touching the principles of law itself.
—
"Father Gorn, your crimes need no elaboration."
"Flesh for flesh, blood for blood. Now, it is time for you to pay the price…"
Tamesis's declaration was cold and majestic, so much so that the entire courtroom seemed to faintly echo with its lingering sound.
"No, this isn't fair, you can't kill me…"
Gorn retreated with difficulty, while feeling an inexpressible panic.
But he didn't understand where this icy dread originated. The person speaking before him was just a woman who seemed to have nothing special about her, yet that intense shadow loomed over his heart, impossible to shake off.
"There is no judge here, no jury, no lawyer to defend me… You don't even have any substantial evidence!"
+++
T/N: Hey readers~! New Translator here! Before I say anything, I'd first like to thank the original author for creating this wonderful story. Without them, I wouldn't have the chance to share this adventure with you. I hope my translation does justice to their work, and that together, we can enjoy this story.
With that said, I'm happy to let you know I'll be uploading daily chapters. And for those who wish to support my work and gain early access, I've set up a Patreon where advanced chapters will be available.
[email protected]/PeakTL