Several days later, with active pushing from the Cappet family, the trial of former Garde Captain Charles began.
At this moment, the grand Opera Epiclese was already full of people who came to watch. The sound of loud talk rose and fell again and again.
"The result of this trial was decided long ago. Charles has no chance at all to turn this case around."
"There's no other way. Under the scary power of the Cappet family, he can only admit guilt by himself."
"Sigh, it really is too dark. Only a hero like Rei has the courage to stand up and face them."
"..."
Hearing the talk that kept coming from the back rows, Oldman's face looked grey, and the fists in his hands clenched tighter and tighter.
The Cappet family did have deep ties in Fontaine's political and legal systems, but they were not close to having "monstrous power." They also had to act within the rules.
Otherwise, they would have already crushed Rei to death long ago.
Just as he was thinking, a burst of very loud clapping and cheers suddenly sounded.
Everyone saw Rei, tall and straight, walking toward the plaintiff's side.
He wore a carefully made black slim-fit suit, which showed his strong, well-shaped body. It also made his look feel firm, but gentle and well-mannered.
As soon as Rei appeared, he became the center of the whole place; everyone's eyes were pulled to him.
After he reached the plaintiff's side, he turned to face all the audience and spoke in a clear, loud voice: "In today's trial, we will very likely lose, but we will never give in! Justice will prevail!"
The last line, "Justice will prevail," was almost shouted out with all his strength. His voice, full of passion and force, immediately moved every person there.
Many people were deeply touched and could not help shouting with him: "Justice will prevail!"
From the VIP box on the second floor, Furina also shouted along, her small, fair face turning red.
Meanwhile, sitting in the front row, Oldman felt sick, like he had eaten a fly.
If Rei stood for justice, then of course, he himself had become the biggest evil villain.
Before long, Charles was brought to the defendant's side by two members of the Special Security and Surveillance Patrol.
"Captain Charles, don't worry. I will do my best to help you clear your suspicion," Vice Captain Rei looked at him and said in a sincere tone.
Charles waved his hands again and again. "Rei, I don't need you to help me clear my suspicion. Hiring a killer to kill you was my doing."
"I don't believe that a good leader like you, who cares so much about his subordinates, would do such a thing!"
"It really was me. Things have reached this point; stop trying to clear me."
"No, it was absolutely not you! There must be something hidden!"
"It was me! I already admitted it; why do you refuse to believe it?!"
"..."
Like that, a very absurd scene appeared: the plaintiff wanted to clear the defendant's name, while the defendant was set on taking all the blame.
The audience below the stage watched the back-and-forth between the two, and in their minds, a twisting story formed—Charles, under pressure from evil forces, was forced to admit the crime of hiring a killer; and Rei, for the justice in his heart and for this captain who had cared for him with the utmost solicitude, was making a final effort.
After a while, on the high platform in the middle of the stage, Neuvillette rested his hands on his cane and struck the floor hard.
Bang!
With that loud sound, the whole place became silent at once.
The back-and-forth between Rei and Charles also stopped.
Neuvillette looked across the room and announced loudly, "In the name of the Iudex, I declare the official opening of the trial of the former Captain of the Gardes!"
As his voice fell, this trial that everyone waited for finally began.
First, the prosecutor from the Maison Ordalie read out the charges against Charles. Besides hiring an assassin, the charges also included corruption, paying for prostitutes, and several other crimes.
For these charges, Charles admitted everything without any pause, and he did not say even one word to defend himself.
Right after that, the prosecutor began to list different pieces of final evidence in an orderly way.
Witness statements, transaction records, physical evidence from the scene... one thing after another was shown to everyone. They even brought the mistress Charles kept into the court to testify.
Such strong witness and physical evidence made many spectators, who had doubted Charles's crimes before, start to hesitate. They could not help wondering in secret: Could the person behind this case really be Charles?
This gave the prosecutor a bit more confidence.
With the hint in Oldman's eyes, he pointed his attack at Rei and asked in a harsh tone, "Mr. Rei, about the motive for hiring an assassin that Charles has admitted to, do you have anything to say?"
Rei looked serious, his eyes firm as he answered, "I strongly do not accept Captain Charles's so-called 'motive.' Up to this moment, I still firmly believe that Captain Charles is absolutely not a criminal!"
The prosecutor frowned a little and argued back, "The evidence is very strong. If you do not accept these facts of the crime, then please bring new evidence."
"I cannot bring new evidence for now."
Rei paused for a moment, and his tone became full of passion. "But I will never stop walking on the road to justice. I believe that under the guidance of the God of Justice, Lady Furina, justice will finally come. Like the first light of dawn, it will finally break through the long night of darkness!"
When he finished, the audience felt fired up, and the applause was like thunder.
In the box on the second floor, Furina was so excited that her small face was red. She clapped hard, and her palms were almost red from clapping.
It had to be said that Rei's show hit exactly what the people of Fontaine liked.
This trial, which was dry and boring at first, became, under his words, like a speech of righteousness spoken by justice before darkness covered it.
Just as he said, he really did understand the people of Fontaine.
Meanwhile, Oldman's face was full of trapped anger.
The evidence was clear, and the criminal himself had admitted it, but most people still insisted on believing Rei's show.
After a long time, the applause finally slowly died down.
The prosecutor pushed down the annoyance in his heart and said coldly, "Rei, in the court of law, you must speak with evidence!"
Rei replied calmly, "Yes, I cannot find any evidence. But there are some questions that I hope can get necessary answers. May I ask, why was it members of the Cappet family who supported Charles when he went to turn himself in?"
The prosecutor was stuck for a moment, not knowing how to answer.
After hesitating, he could only force himself to say, "This has nothing at all to do with Charles's trial today and is not within what we should discuss!"
As soon as he said this, the audience there believed even more that Charles was absolutely not the real person behind this case.
"That was because I was panicked and afraid at the time. I couldn't walk, so I asked them to support me."
Just then, Charles spoke up by himself.
He knew very well that Rei was not truly helping him, but only using him as a tool to fight the Cappet family.
Rei gave a soft sigh, and a complex look appeared on his face. "Captain Charles, I respect your helpless choice."
He paused, then turned to face the Oratrice Mecanique d'Analyse Cardinale in the middle of the stage and spoke loudly.
"I will walk alone into the long night to find the fairness and justice hidden behind the power!"
In this moment, Rei was like a lonely but fearless Knight of Justice, about to face endless darkness and evil alone.
He perfectly matched every fantasy the people of Fontaine had about a hero of justice.
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