Arata stands in the courtroom. The court trial had resumed with an opening statement from Cayden’s lawyer, “I can prove my client had been attacked in self-defense. While Mr. Velmore was in the wheelchair, we have the proof that he faked it! I call upon Tobin Steward!”

  Tobin enters, explaining, “Sir Edwin Velmore had walked into the library beforehand, I can recall clearly because he pointed me to another room which he wanted cleaned.”

  The crowd appears shocked, Cayden’s lawyer pulls out another weapon, a bloodied heavy book, and proclaims that it was the murder weapon.

  Arata simply had to take a moment to think to himself.

  Shit, why did nobles have to be given such a legal advantage! The violation, the violence, horrible harassment and coercion… all of them are demoted to being minor offenses in this world as long as it’s a noble doing it.

  Clemence then decides to ask, “If I may ask the defense, what do you claim the intent of Mr. Velmore to be?. He had a loving daughter he’d do anything for and wouldn’t want to abandon. Even in a successful attempt, he’d likely be given the death penalty.”

  “Mr. Velmore’s room had a document. I present to the audience, Mr. Velmore’s diary.” Cayden’s lawyer opens up the book.

  The diary reads:

  “Dear Selena, I am sorry for what I am about to do, I should never have trusted this man, Cayden.”

  “I have plans, to confront this man. He won’t get away with what he has done”

  “Run, burn this letter, our family lawyer Clemence shall serve to protect you further from this man if my attempt proves to fail.”

  “Papa loves you, stay strong, Selena.”

  Arata glances over at Selena, she begins to cry, covering her mouth. Despite her talking last night. These kinds of things take time. She thought she burned the document, she did burn the document, yet not before a butler had already gotten a curious glance at it. The actual document reads slightly differently, slightly differently in that it was better written, more specific and not completely fabricated by the defense.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Clemence isn’t going to like that-

  “You guys forged that! What’s your proof of that being the original-” Clemence is interrupted.

  *Bang!*

  “ORDER IN THE COURT!” The judge slams his gavel, shouting before clearing his throat.

  The judge continues, “The court has reached a verdict, defendant Cayden Noble is found innocent!”

  Dirty bastards… it’s quite a sight, not too unlike some of the trials in my world. Justice can sometimes feel like the lapdog of those in power. What can you really do? Arata hides his wrists away deep into his pockets.

  Cayden lets off a sickening smirk, a smirk of a man who did the crime yet feels unreachable, the audience begins to clap, all except Madam Kovalenko, Clemence, Arata, Selena and Morgan. A moment of silence is shared between the five, all peer to Clemence next who’s hands begin to splinter the wood in the table. She is enraged, summoning forth a rapier.

  Arata and Morgan both run, Arata grabs her from behind, holding her arms.

  Arata, distressed, shouts, “I get how you feel but you’re giving him the reaction he wants! We can’t!” I was just about to leap over and beat the shit out of him myself.

  Arata feels her same rage, Morgan luckily is in time. She grapples with Clemence as people begin to depart from the venue.

  Selena then finally shouts, “Please stop Clemence, I- I can’t lose you too!” She’s exclaiming, choking back tears, this result hurt her more. However, she managed to maintain enough composure to talk sense into Clemence. She had grown stronger when looking at the situation through a bittersweet lens.

  Clemence peered back, Selena’s words had gotten to her, now she was tearing up too. Meanwhile, someone else was watching, Cayden.

  “Ha… that’s quite unsightly of the losing party, don’t you think?” Cayden sighs, leaning his shoulder on Arata.

  Who does this man think he is? He let everything get under his skin but now that he’s got the win, bastard’s back to feeling better than everyone.

  Arata’s arm moves on his own, directly into Cayden’s face. The knuckles are rough against the haughty noble’s refined skin. The cartilage of his nose begins to buckle under the force of the impact. Arata had new strength coursing through his veins at that very moment.

  a loud crunch of bone sounds throughout the courthouse. Cayden falls back, his nose is bent into a right angle and he’s missing a tooth. He grabs his face, trying to shout through the disfigurement. Shit! I got a little bit too emotional, well, I’ll take my leave then.

  Looking back, there’s someone to cover Arata’s escape, Cayden’s lawyer, his face lit up at the sight of Arata’s emotions flowing out.

  Coincidentally, Morgan was too busy with Clemence as Arata runs away on his own once he’s confirmed that Madam Kovalenko is bringing Selena back home.