The Achievement Junkie 94 The Verdic

"When the guards' platform fell, it crashed into the side of our wagon, crushing a wheel and an axle. We had to bring another wagon to replace it for our journey while we repaired it," answered Loranzo, not daring to stray from the truth.

"And you never heard anything of our conversation with the other guards?"

"No, not over the ruckus of my party."

"Oh, that's a shame," replied Rydel, glancing at Fronks. "It was a very informative conversation, but I guess I get to that later. How did the damages cost you to fix the wagon?"

"Almost thirty gold in total; we have custom wagons that built to travel between neighboring countries while maintaining the level of luxury my noble house prefers."

"I can understand that; sounds like a fair price to me." Rydel didn't have to ask if the price was exaggerated, because he had already assumed all prices mentioned against them would be. "Since you were also a day late on your journey, how much did you assume that the extra day of travel costed you in the end?"

Loranzo relaxed a little since there appeared to be no trap interlaid in Rydel's questions. "We arrived late for our deal and were charged an extra fifty gold by the other party for forcing them to pay an extra night's stay. It was another family from the Zuran Empire and we always meet in the middle, on the border to save us both the hassle of entering the other's country. I'm sure you understand how difficult that can be."

"Sounds like a smart plan of trade to me." Rydel nodded and stroked his chin. "And you mentioned another party had their wagon damaged as well? I imagine they are also in the room, so could you please point them out to me?"

Without hesitation, Loranzo lifted a finger toward the crowd, at the next witness the Fronks had prepared. "Anything else? I believe you've everything I can think of."

"No, nothing else but in total, the damages caused to you were worth a total of eighty-five gold, right?"

"Right."

"Very well, I have no more questions. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule." Rydel gave a slight bow before he walked back to his seat.

Unsure of what Rydel was hoping to accomplish with his unaccusatory questions, Loranzo stood and left the stand, quickly making his way through the courtroom and out the door.

"Fronks," Arnole addressed the plaintiffs' table, "please bring up your next witness."

Like clockwork, Fronks called for the same man that Loranzo had pointed out and asked the same questions to condemn Rydel and Jack, receiving the same answers from a second source. And again, Rydel stepped up to ask the same questions, figuring out the cost of everything and not refuting any blame.

Next, Fronks asked for no further witnesses and waited to react to Rydel's witnesses.

The first witness called from the defendants was Fronks, who smiled and waltzed up to the stand, eager to answer the questions prepared for him.

"Fronks, why did insist on searching us regardless of the fact that we were members of the Adventurers Association?" asked Rydel.

"Because, just that morning the Royal Court had passed a law stating that everyone must go through search, no matter their origin. In a neighboring country, a capital was invaded by a well-known trader and traveler with a great reputation who was possessed," answered Fronks. "That man was the vessel for a demon to pollute the entire city's water source and summon a small band of monsters within city walls. Since then, we've decided to double down on security."

"And how come the Adventurers Association wasn't informed of this before you acted against us? Or why wasn't it brought up the moment you tried to stop us?" Rydel glared at the stone-faced Fronks.

"Because we had to inform everyone in the city, which can't be done all at once. By the end of the night, we were able to reach the association building, just ask your chief over there." Fronks shrugged, acting like it was just protocol, not daring to reveal the fact that the same law was passed after the incident and quickly dispersed before nightfall. He waited anxiously to refute Rydel's claim against the law's legitimacy.

Rydel shook his head and sighed, "Well, how much have the damages costed the Royal Court?"

Confused by the lack of pushback he was getting, Fronks replied, "About two hundred gold for another door to be commissioned, and another hundred gold for the platform to be remade. Including some minor issues, it came to about three hundred and fifty gold."

"That sounds about right to me," mentioned Rydel acting like he was doing some mental math. "So, it totaled three hundred and fifty gold for the Royal Court to cover the damages caused?"

"Yes."

"Good, then I have no more questions. Feel free to have a seat, unless you feel like questioning yourself in front of everyone," joked Rydel as he stepped back, leaving Fronks plenty of room to exit the stand.

Fronks scratched his head and slowly returned to his seat, curious about Rydel's plan to overcome this.

"I'd like to call Jack to the stand, please."

As Jack neared the stand after Rydel's command, everyone in the courtroom glued their attention to him yet again, especially anxious to see how this would end with Rydel not refuting any blame.

"Jack, recount the experience for all us." Rydel leaned casually up against the witness stand, already sure of Jack's story.

"We were trying to hurry and leave the city but the captain here stopped us, saying we needed to be searched," stated Jack. "When we asked for a reason, he said it was a new procedure and never mentioned a new law being passed. We were in a hurry and he seemed to be wasting our time and forcing his will upon me, so I acted. I drew my bow and shot an arrow, not at him but at the hinge of the door, which I did hit. Then you did the same, shattering the hinges easily and bringing the door toppling down."

"Were there many wagons or caravans around?" asked Rydel.

"Of course, when isn't there wagons and caravans near the city exits?" answered Jack, acting like he was stating the obvious.

"And did you witness any of the damages caused personally?"

"Like I said, we were in a hurry, so I didn't waste time looking back on my actions. All I knew was that the door toppled over and was leaning towards the guards' platform. We were long gone before we could see anything else."

"So, you admit to instigating these damages?"

"Yes, I'm guilty of that."

"And I was also guilty of causing the same damages?"

"Yes, you're also guilty of that."

"Good," replied Rydel, brandishing a large smile for everyone to see.

The crowd, the plaintiffs, and even Arnole were all shocked by Jack's admittance of guilt. As the two adventurers accepted all blame without a single sentence of rebuttal, the courtroom was silent.

"If I may," Zariff stood up and called for everyone's attention. "The association accepts full blame this and offers to pay for all damages and any possible expenses caused by the incident."

Suddenly, a massive leather bag appeared in Zariff's outstretched hand. He unfurled his fingers around it and let it crash to the table. As it hit the table with the thud, gold spilled out and clattered over the table and floor.

"These six hundred gold coins should be able to cover everything, right?" Zariff stared at Arnole, waiting for his reply.

"This is… unorthodox. So, the Adventurers Association is declaring themselves guilty and wishes to cover all costs?" reiterated Arnole. "I can accept the payment and lighten the punishment, but there must be something to stop you from causing you to just act out without reason."

"But we did have a reason."

Jack's sudden statement demanded immediate attention from Arnole and everyone else. Arnole questioned, "Then what reason did you have for this. What was more important than destroying the property of the Royal Court and others, and fleeing before facing the repercussions?"

"Because I had to catch a Hell-flame Fox."

Silence blanketed over the room, not even breathing was audible. Such a statement brought rise to everyone's worst fears, beginning from the tales of their childhood. It was a fear so terrible, that the only way to most accurately depict it and stay sane, was in fairy tales.

"I'll say it again, I had to catch a Hell-flame Fox. I'm sure you'd rather us catch it than fight it off directly, right?" Jack began to speak again, not waiting for Arnole.

"True, but you must have evidence of such a—"

An abrupt heatwave passed through the room the moment Bowzer leaped off Jack's shoulder and expanded to larger than a troll for everyone to see. His flame body mesmerized the crowd, filling them with anxiety, fear, and awe all at once.

Chapter end