BXBX NOVEL Chapter 84 The Table Have Turn
Envy, well aware of the facade of civility, saw through it effortlessly. Having lived far longer than anyone present, she understood that she, as an advocate for harmony, equality, and order, could not reveal her unsavory side for all to witness. Therefore, she had to suppress her violent urges.
Envy closed her eyes momentarily, and when she reopened them, her demeanor exuded greater calm and clarity.
Greed, on the other hand, gazed fearfully at the screen, her face drained of color, trembling with trepidation. Ragnar observed Envy with a concerned expression but ultimately chose to trust Greed's judgment, recognizing her exceptional cunning among the Witch of the 7 Deadly Sins.
"It's impossible! Wrath lacks the power to destroy others' souls, and she possesses no knowledge of spells capable of doing so," Greed countered.
"Miss Greed, do not forget that I am His Majesty Victor Justius' master. I possess his soul crystal, which has now been shattered, indicating the destruction of his soul," Lucien asserted, presenting the evidence to support his claim.
The evidence consisted of the remnants of the soul crystal, although it remained unknown whether this crystal truly belonged to Victor.
"That cannot be considered as evidence. We cannot verify whether it is Victor's soul crystal or not," Greed responded with reason.
Lucien on the screen nodded in acknowledgment. "You are right. That is why I beseech Grand Councillor Cyrus to detain Miss Greed at headquarters until we can have this evidence examined."
Upon hearing this, Envy realized that Lucien's intention was not to implicate Greed but rather to detain her. Envy was well aware that the Hightower Enforcer was controlled by "The Path of Knowledge" faction, which would grant Cyrus permission to extract Greed's blood and magic essence.
The enforcer within the courtroom began to approach Greed, but unexpectedly, Greed, who appeared disheartened, suddenly posed a question.
"Lucien, can you swear upon this courtroom that Victor Justius' soul has undeniably been destroyed?"
Lucien, consumed by greed, did not pause to reflect. However, if he had taken a moment to think, he would have recognized the sudden shift in Greed's fearful demeanor as she made her inquiry.
Lucien, still consumed by greed and filled with overconfidence, contemplated the memory of the black slime that he had expelled from Victor's body when he unsealed Satan from the seed of sin within Victor's original body. He had subsequently incinerated the room, firmly believing that Victor had perished in the ensuing flames.
"Yes, I swear before this court that my words are true," Lucien proclaimed with unwavering confidence. However, as soon as he uttered those words, he felt a sense of detachment, as if something had left him, and the greed that had consumed his heart suddenly diminished.
Greed's face brightened with a satisfied smile as she confidently made her way toward the podium. With deliberate intent, she produced a small jar from within her suit, containing a writhing mass of black slime.
The sight of black slime struck Lucien with a wave of shock and horror, as he finally realized the true extent of his folly. It became clear to him, Cyrus, and all the members of the "Path of Knowledge" faction present in the courtroom that they had fallen right into the trap set by the Witch of Greed.
Unbeknownst to Lucien, Victor, though devoid of a physical body and reduced to a slime-like state, had managed to survive by slithering into a secret compartment that connected to the basement where Yuki had taken refuge.
Yuki, designed as a homunculus to serve Victor, recognized his trapped soul within the black slime. She retrieved Victor from the basement and fled, seeking assistance from Klause. Together, they approached Daniel and struck a deal.
"Your honor, allow me to introduce you to Victor Justius, the former King of Tessia Kingdom and one of our esteemed councilors. This is all that remains of him," Greed declared, her satisfaction evident in her smile.
Envy and Cyrus, upon witnessing Victor's current form, immediately recognized the source of his misfortune. While Cyrus muttered curses at Lucien's foolishness under his breath, Envy's smile grew wider, knowing that this would bring about Lucien's downfall and serve as evidence of Wrath's innocence.
Envy swiftly cast a spell to amplify Victor's soul within the slime, freeing him from its deformed confines.
Victor's soul emerged from the black slime, escaping the glass jar and adorning a white royal gown—the very garment he wore during his encounter with Lucien. He cast a hateful glance in Lucien's direction before turning his attention to Envy.
"Thank you, your honor," Victor expressed, bowing before the judges.
Greed inquired, "Can you tell us what truly transpired?"
"Yes, your honor," Victor responded, proceeding to recount the events without deceit or misleading information.
As Victor continued his testimony before the court, Greed couldn't help but wear a triumphant smile as she gazed at Lucien, patiently awaiting the conclusion of Victor's account.
Following Victor's detailed account, Cyrus's expression became conflicted. Unsure of how to proceed, especially with Envy present, he pondered his next steps. In any other circumstance, outside the confines of the courtroom, he would have immediately eradicated Victor's soul himself, silencing him once and for all.
However, Envy's presence acted as a deterrent for Cyrus. He couldn't take any drastic action, as it would likely lead to a full-blown war between factions, and Envy, being one of the Witch of the 7 Deadly Sins, possessed powers far surpassing those of a normal mage. Even though he had confidence in his ability to hold Envy off, her utilization of her demonic form could potentially sink the entire Hightower HQ into the depths of the sea, given that England was an island nation.
Now, everyone from 'The Path of Knowledge' faction in the courtroom realized that both Klause and Greed had merely feigned weakness, intentionally fueling Lucien's overconfidence. Lucien, not being present in court, thought that he would be unaffected by Envy's or Greed's powers, which incite their respective aspects of sin. However, Greed was an exception.
Due to her relatively weak raw power, Greed had dedicated her efforts to honing her other aspects, especially the abilities associated with her identity as the Witch of the 7 Deadly Sins.
This enabled her to incite greed in anyone who laid eyes upon her, regardless of the medium used to observe her—be it through a camera or from a distance. As long as Greed recognized the other person, regardless of their proximity, she could amplify their aspect of sin and even manipulate their actions, much like what she had done to Lucien.
Cyrus could do nothing but seethe with anger as he locked eyes with Greed, who detected his dark and malicious intent. However, Greed paid him no mind, knowing that Envy's presence restrained him within the court.
After Victor had entered the soul containment prepared by Klause, Greed resumed her merciless assault on Cyrus and his faction.
"Furthermore, there are two more matters that require the court's attention. First, this," Greed announced, producing a parchment from her suit. It was the favor contract between Wrath and the Willow family, outlining their agreement.
She presented the contents of the parchment to the court, allowing everyone to see.
"According to the old law, the Willow family failed to honor their agreement, and to this day, Mr. Magitek, also known as Daniel, has not received his identification. I implore the court to enforce punishment upon the Willow family in accordance with the old law!" Greed declared.
"And also..." She revealed another stack of documents and placed them on the podium.
"These documents serve as evidence of Lucien Blackscar's attempt to expose the existence of the Curtained World to the masses. He signed this document, instructing the Willow family to modify the 'Mana Blast Bomb' into a weapon that surpasses the mundane world's understanding. This is a grave crime against our society!" Greed emphasized the severity of the offense.
Cyrus's face turned an alarming combination of green, black, and red as anger consumed him. If it weren't for Envy emanating her power, cautioning Cyrus against any reckless actions, he might have immediately reduced Greed to ashes.
Both accusations held great weight, but the charge against Lucien for breaking the taboo was especially severe. Everyone in the courtroom sensed the unmistakable Lucien magical trace emanating from the documents, confirming the authenticity of the evidence.
"Do not overstep your bounds, Greed! You do not want to witness my anger!" Cyrus roared in fury as he rose from his seat.
"Sit down, Cyrus! Maintain order!" Envy commanded, her glare intensifying as her eyes transformed into slits reminiscent of a snake's. This subtle shift revealed her readiness to unleash her demonic form should Cyrus dare to act recklessly.