I understood that now I would undergo a trial. The officer immediately escorted me to the table that directly faced the judge's bench. Many people from the press were apparently trying to cover this trial process, visible from the flashes of photo cameras and live broadcast video cameras. I did not show any expression and only continued staring at the chief judge. One of the officers attached a special bracelet to my right wrist. I only then realized that people I had long known, such as Gruzhnil and the others, were not here.
The trial was opened, and the main prosecution group read the details of the incident at that time and the charges filed against me. The chief judge immediately asked me to explain the chronology of my actions from preparation to execution. I could actually explain the truth, but they would certainly not believe how I could did that. I then explained with realistic logic that I had carried the bombs in a suitcase which available there and I entered David's house by breaking through the back door using wire. The judges looked as though they didn't believe my words. The chief judge even removed his glasses while furrowing his brow.
"Is what Mr. Johann said about carrying the explosives in a suitcase really true? The plaintiff's side has surveillance camera footage from that weapons warehouse..." said the Judge.
I immediately fell silent. Indeed there was no point in making up stories now.
The Judge asked one of them to replay the video recording. Everyone immediately watched it where I walked to the bomb storage room. However, when I stood for a moment in front of that cabinet, the recording suddenly turned into static video. I felt that at that moment my interface slot suddenly appeared and I put the bombs into it. After some time, the camera returned to normal and showed me walking away from that room without carrying anything.
Suddenly my memories on Earth flowed back as I witnessed how Hellraider had been captured by a reconnaissance aircraft camera while carrying out his actions. When he left the nuclear power plant area, the camera video suddenly turned to static, and when it functioned again, he was no longer there. At first I thought he was carrying Mendicore, but after seeing it for myself that Mendicore had never been with Hellraider, I felt there was a similarity with me regarding the cause of that, namely our interface slots. This made me even more convinced that David actually still possessed it, but the form was very different from mine. Once again, I didn't understand at all what kind of entity this interface slot was.
"Mr. Johann was not carrying anything when leaving the crime scene. Please tell us honestly how did you do that!" said the Judge.
I then honestly explained the true chronology from beginning to end. I used the reason that I had done this because I had a dream that David hated all of this and asked me to destroy it. Everyone present looked dumbfounded in disbelief again when I mentioned my interface slot. One of the plaintiffs immediately stood up and glared at me angrily.
"Liiiaaaarrr...!!! He can do that because this person still has remnants of that demon king's power! We all know that you should have died after being eaten by that monster! Somehow you survived afterward if not because Great Lord David saved you! The thing in your dream was that demon king! You must be destroyed before that power completely takes you over and dangers Grivendal agaaaiiinnn...!!!" shouted the man.
The chief judge immediately struck his gavel several times and asked the man to sit down. The Judge asked something to assistant who was operating a certain device. The chief judge shocked in disbelief again when the assistant told him of something. He then looked at me again while letting out a long sigh.
"I have already looked at the lie predictor graph that came from that bracelet, Mr. Johann. Your statement at the beginning indeed showed that you were lying, but this time we see that you are truly telling the truth. I will not ask again how you obtained that power, perhaps it was acquired when you nearly died in that war. However, because you committed a serious violation based on the destruction of the empire's great symbol, I will impose a punishment in the form of..."
As the chief judge raised his gavel to strike again, the main door of the courtroom suddenly swung open and many elite Graendall soldiers entered. I was shocked and even more surprised that those who arrived were Gruzhnil and... David.
Everyone in the courtroom, including the judges, stood up and bowed when they saw David. Accompanied by Gruzhnil at his side, he walked directly toward the judge's bench. The chief judge raised his head slightly and looked at David.
"My Great Lord, what can we do for You?" said him.
David immediately turned around and faced all the visitors, including me. What was he going to do here??? Would he finally admit everything in front of so many people and 'save me'???
"I will handle this person myself... in the Arena of Judgment..." David looked at me. My body immediately stiffened, my eyes widened, and my mouth fell open after hearing his words.
Everyone present immediately rose and cheered joyfully, breaking into enthusiastic applause. The flashes of camera lights sparkled in front of David. I still could not comprehend what he was going to do to me. I desperately wanted to call him a bastard, but my mouth was still unable to speak.
David, Gruzhnil, and the others hurried out of the courtroom again while the noise from the visitors and the plaintiff group continued. The chief judge stroke the gravel and ordered the guards to take me directly to the colosseum. They immediately escorted me out and once again roughly shoved me into that police vehicle.
I already understood where I would be thrown again to the place where Hellraider had first come here while his rage was still at its peak. I remembered again when I first saw the Arena of Judgment; I had been afraid that there I would have to fight Hellraider and now I would truly face it. Somehow I could not think of whatever plan he intended to carry out next. I had truly surrendered and wanted all of this to end.
I arrived, and after such a long time the magnificent colosseum could be seen again. I still held unforgettable memories together with David there. The guard soldiers escorted me inside, and sure enough, I was taken to the underground prison cells. I was thrown into one of the cells. I stared the empty cell across mine, and my eyes immediately visualized the memory of Hellraider, still covered in wounds and blood, growling angrily at me when I had tried to communicate with him for the first time.
I had to end up at the lowest point of my life once again, but this time in Grivendal. I thought that if I had truly ignored that nightmare and assumed there was no problem with David, perhaps I would have avoided something like this. But no matter how peaceful things might have been if I had not caused trouble like this, the plot of that game would surely happen to both of us in a way I could never have expected.
As I lay curled up on the floor atop that burlap sack cloth, I suddenly heard someone walking in. Who else was going to visit this time? Could it be Grelmure, who had not met me since this shocking incident? I was startled when I saw who was standing in front of my cell.
"P-Princess Glynpatra...?! Why has Your Highness come here alone...?!" I approached the iron bars. Glynpatra held both of my cheeks and began sobbing again.
"I don't have much time here, Johann... Now please tell me honestly, what was your main reason for doing this?"
It seemed that I had to tell the truth about that nightmare. I then recounted the entire contents of the dream to her. Glynpatra's expression looked somewhat unconvinced by what I was saying.
"Johann, it's not that I don't believe the reason for you doing all of this. But remember this, even though Lord David may seem like that, I feel that He would never simply abandon you. I have seen how Lord David truly behaves when you are by His side. Let me tell you that the event will be held tomorrow morning. Everyone is preparing the arena right now. One important message from me to you is this: just face all of this!" said Glynpatra.
I closed my eyes, bowed my head for a moment, and looked at Glynpatra. She was like a mother figure visiting me in prison.
"Your Highness, I believe that Sir David will never destroy me again. Thank you for visiting me yesterday. Please convey my regards to Commander Gruzhnil and the others as well..." tears began to stream down my face.
Glynpatra then left me, and I lay down once again on that hard and rough bedding, hoping for whatever miracle David would perform tomorrow.