A Hospital in Another World?
The courtroom’s atmosphere took a swift and dramatic turn.
Archmage Carlisle struck with a slap and a stern rebuke, causing Herbert Bradley to wilt like a deflated balloon. He apologized and bowed deeply, meek as a rabbit—or rather, like putty easily molded by a transmutation wizard.
Cirella was delighted. It should be just ! Anyone who insults Garrett is a villain and getting off lightly—they should apologize until their mouths are dry and bow until their backs break!
Archmage Carlisle was also pleased. Unbeknownst to him, Garrett had grown to such an extent. Without relying on his teachers or senior brothers to mediate, he managed to make a great mage bow by himself.
Quite good, quite good indeed.
The female magicians in the audience, previously feeling insulted, were also very happy. Those with filthy minds and scheming hearts deserved to learn their lesson!
Even the judge, the court clerk, and the jury members were happy. The case concluded pleasingly, without anyone clamoring about the injustice of the trial, plus, they got an extra dose of juicy gossip.
After work, they could have a drink at the bar and chat about this amusing incident.
Other than the defendant, who hung his head to the ground and muttered apologies incoherently, there was only Garrett...
Garrett was not happy at all.
He didn’t sue for apologies or because he was angry about the insult and needed to vent.
If it was just about letting off steam, he would have approached his teacher or a senior brother for help, asking a big shot to apply pressure, which would obviously be much more efficient. Making that guy kneel a hundred times at the hospital entrance or hold a sign apologizing for three days and nights would be trivial.
He filed a lawsuit at the council’s tribunal to make a spectacle, to attract as many spectators as possible—he wanted to make a reasoned argument!
He aimed to set a legal precedent in court, showing everyone that women should not be constrained by societal norms, discouraging them from seeking medical help!
His reputation was cleared, but the advocacy he wanted to do was gone! Everyone’s focus had shifted to strange places...
The chaos lasted for a while before the judge repeatedly struck the gavel, herding everyone back to their seats. After restoring order in the courtroom, he looked seriously at Garrett and asked solemnly:
"Master Nordmark, Master Bradley has admitted to defaming you and is willing to compensate. What would you like in terms of compensation?"
As long as it’s not too outrageous, I’ll grant it!
The judge silently encouraged Garrett. Typically, disputes between magicians are resolved violently:
Either a duel until one falls; or one side caves in, offering all kinds of compensations until the other is satisfied; or one retreats far away, returning only when confident; or neither side can finish the other, just glaring at each other.
It’s best to judge cases where one side caves in. Let them pay up their entire fortune if needed!
Unexpectedly, Garrett pondered for a moment, bowed sincerely, and said:
"Insults and defamation have limited resolutions. First, an apology is due, and he has already apologized; we can stop there;"
The entire courtroom fell silent, then erupted into chaos. Archmage Carlisle almost jumped up:
What? Just like that? Little Garrett, don’t be too easygoing! If you let this slide so easily, next time, someone else will step on your head!
Others thought the same. The judge had to strike the gavel several times to quell the commotion in the courtroom, then asked Garrett:
"Next, we need to mitigate the impact. Bad news spreads faster than good. The impact of a single bad word requires a hundred good ones to counter."
Garrett responded clearly:
"He, leading a mourning procession, banged drums and shouted slurs using a loudspeaker in front of my clinic, audible for miles around; he also ranted in court, as you all have heard. To mitigate these words..."
Garrett pondered briefly, considering whether to have the defendant shout apologies across five streets or ten. The defendant’s elder, Master Bradley, quickly took over:
"Then let him lead the original procession, hang a loudspeaker, and circle ten miles around the clinic apologizing! After that, stand at the entrance of the Tower of Heaven, shouting apologies from sunrise to sunset!"
That would be a good resolution. As long as Master Nordmark no longer minds and doesn’t hold a grudge against the whole family, it’s just a simple matter for an older relative who cannot advance further.
He felt he had a good idea. After speaking, he turned his head to see his grandnephew’s face flush and his teeth clench, then slapped him:
"What? Not satisfied?—If you
don’t want to shout, please hire a charm-control mage to force you to repeat the apologies. The cost of the spellcasting will be deducted from your estate!"
"I’m willing to help!" Immediately, a charm-control female magician from the audience shouted. A voice cried out, and the audience rang out in unison:
"I will too! I’m a Level Eight Mage! I can keep him under control!"
"I can do it for half price!"
Archmage Carlisle took a deep breath in and out. He had thought that pacifying Master Nordmark was enough, but the rage of the charm-control sect was not to be underestimated—he had offended a whole group of female magicians!
And not just the charm-control sect, their divination sect also had quite a few female magicians. Lady Endorf, a legendary magician stationed at the Tower of Heaven, was also a woman...
"That settles it!" He declared definitively. The judge looked at Garrett to ensure he had no objections, and the defendant’s family elder proactively agreed to the compensation, nodding and striking the gong:
"The ruling for Master Herbert Bradley is to undertake the responsibility of mitigating the impact, specifically as follows—"
He read aloud the words previously spoken by the Archmage. Then, turning to Garrett, he asked:
Garrett hesitated. Sadly, he realized that he hadn’t paid much attention to the council’s laws over the years. What was the usual sentence for defamation?
Imprisonment for less than three years, detention, restriction, or deprivation of political rights?
Does this world even have such laws?
"I’m not sure if the council has other penalties for this situation, nor am I sure if his actions qualify." He respectfully bowed to the judge:
"If there are, proceed according to council law; if there is no legal basis for punishment, then no further penalties. The disposition is up to you."
Why did he throw the responsibility back to me?