As soon as Ashton got to the podium, the minister once again started speaking something. However, his voice was too low for Ashton to make anything out. Still, a couple of seconds later, he got to know exactly what the minister had said.
All of sudden, every single juror present there walked out of the courtroom leaving Ashton, the mistress and the director stunned. They were the ones who were supposed to help him out of this mess and without them... he was screwed.
In the podium opposite to the one Ashton had occupied, Amaira stood in with a smug look on her face. She was careful that only he got to see the look on her face while to the rest of them, she appeared to be normal.
"Professor Amaira, since you were the only adult present in the room when the previously mentioned incident happened would you like to shed a light on it?"
'Sure... ask her whatever you want. Hell if you had even asked her why is the sun burning up, she would have found a way to accuse me of that as well.'
His trial had just started and Ashton already knew these bastards were trying to make his situation even worse than it already was.
"Of course, Mr minister," Amaira mumbled and took a deep breath before telling everyone what had conspired in the training room.
Ashton listened to her carefully as well. Initially, he wanted to make sure she did not make up some tale, accusing him of something he had not done. Instead, he finally got to know about what had happened after he lost himself.
Apparently, the bald guy who was stomping on Nikki would not be able to stomp on anything ever again because he was in a coma due to severe blood loss. Just like the rest of his teammates. Apparently... in his 'berserk' state, Ashton ended up activating [Aggravate] skill and attacked the seniors giving them incurable wounds.
As a result, they lost too much blood and ended up in a coma. Thankfully, they weren't dead because the bleeding stopped once Ashton got knocked out.
The moment Amaira mentioned that Ashton had the [Aggravate] skill, everyone in the room started murmuring. It was a skill that Lycaon was said to have and had helped him win countless battles against the humans and the other foes like the night creatures.
Countless werewolves had tried to obtain the skill but had failed. Yet this kid had such a fabled skill even though he was yet to receive his first class? What kind of sorcery was this?
The minister asked Amaira whether she was sure about it and she replied in affirmative. There was no mistake about it. The skill was just like she had read about.
By this time, the bored expression on Jonathan's face had disappeared. He now knew why this kid was so important to Mera. Well, she still might know a couple of other secrets about this kid, but the sole fact of the kid having the [Aggravate] skill made Jonathan want Ashton in his elite force.
"So you're saying this kid turned into a blood-monger and single-handedly took down not one but three students who were capable of partial transformation?"
"As unbelievable as it sounds, he did. Also, the accused, Ashton is also capable of partial transformation. Actually, his transforming ability is better than most of the second years."
Amaira continued with a straight face, "However, he appears to have no control over himself when he transforms and this I would request his highness to make him accountable for all the harm he had caused."
At this moment the Director shot a dirty look at Amaira. The director was already aware that Amaira was more or less a puppet working for the nobles. Whatever she was saying had been thought out to paint Ashton in a poor light.
However, before she could say anything, the king raised his hands, instructing everyone to settle down. He then turned towards Amaira who immediately bowed before him.
"According to the reports I received regarding this matter, this isn't the first case this kid has defeated a senior, is it?" Jonathan asked her while smiling faintly.
"Y-Yes, your highness." Amaira replied, "a few days before the accident in the arena, he had knocked out another second-year student called Jason."
"Interesting... so you're telling me this first-year student who hadn't even attended the academy for a month can defeat students who had spent a year there?"
"That... your highness... I mean-"
Before Amaira could even form a proper sentence, Jonathan gestured her to stay silent as Rick, the minister handed him a huge file. The file wasn't an ordinary file either. It contained the reports from the rest of the professors of the academy regarding Ashton.
All of the professors who were teaching Ashton had only praises for him. Even Kakaroff, the professor who hated every student with passion had only good things to say for him. All of them, except Amaira.
That report itself was sufficient for Jonathan to revoke Ashton's expulsion. However, doing it would not fulfil any of his intentions for overseeing this trial himself. He wanted Ashton to be grateful to him, only then would he be able to use the kid for making his dream of dominating all of the werewolf kingdoms become a reality.
"What do you think, Rick? What should we do to someone who can defeat people who are supposed to be far superior to him?" Jonathan asked the minister.
"That person should be considered as an asset to the kingdom, your highness. With proper training and careful mentorship, the kid would certainly become an even bigger asset to Lycania."
Hearing the minister say those words baffled the nobles present there. They were there to see the mutt get his ass handed to him. Instead, they ended up watching the king praise him? What the hell was going on in his mind.
"But your highness, the accused had injured a lot of students-" One of the high-ranking nobles tried interjecting but was quickly silenced by Jonathan.
"If they ended up getting injured means they were weak and thus did not belong in the academy in the first place," Jonathan said with a serious look on his face, "Either that or this kid is too strong and I for one appreciate strength over blood purity of their blood. So tell me which is it, are the second-years are weak or this kid is absurdly strong?"