Chapter 124: Ivory Tower’s Council Meeting (1)
“Please enter.”
The 10 high ranking sorcerers have entered the Ivory Tower’s Assembly room. ‘Albert,’ one of the younger sorcerers, recited. The first item on the agenda for the council was the trial of ‘Haileyy Greenriver’, the princess of the empire, who was illegally trained in sorcery.
“This way.”
The Ivory Tower was not an institution for processing the empire’s legal matters. There was no interrogation, confinement, or was there even any complicated process. There was only the unveiling of the truth or falsehood through cooperative inquisition magic of the high sorcerers.
“Please take the center seat, your majesty, and all of you who are relevant in this case may take your seats in the back.”
Following Albert’s instructions Princess Haileyy, Kevin- a palace sorcerer who had illegally trained her in sorcery, and the princess’ servant girls who were like her friends, all took their designated seats.
“Alright. Now then…..”
“Wait.”
Ian cut Albert off as he stood up from his seat. Then he walked towards Kevin and the servant girls and took a seat among them. Ian spoke in a dry voice as no one understood Ian’s intentions.
“I, too, am relevant in the charge against the princess. I should not be allowed to participate in the trial process. I’d look to Sir Ronan and Sir Deckard to conduct the trial in my place.”
It was a sudden confession by Ian. Ronan, the high sorcerer, asked.
“What, What are you implying?”
“I am also guilty of teaching sorcery to the princess.”
The high sorcerers’ faces turned darker upon hearing such a thing so suddenly. Although the entire story must be heard, the fact that they heard the confession, itself, was a perplexing situation. To simply put, the situation would be put in the following context.
‘He wants us to put the Tower Lord of the Ivory Tower to a trial?’
It would have been tough enough even for an ordinary Tower Lord of the Ivory Tower. Even worse, he wants us to put Ian Page to a trial? After all, he has reached the level of sorcery, which made us all wonder, whether he was even a human, he even travels on a white dragon. Put such an entity before us and conduct a trial? Can a verdict be competently reached? On top of that, even the trial method was problematic. The interrogation magic will not even work. That is because Ian would easily be able to neutralize such magic.
‘Is he saying that knowing this or not?’
The high ranking sorcerers were just curious whether this young Tower Lord of the Ivory Tower, standing before them, was saying such things because he really didn’t know better or not. By simply assessing the situation based on only his age, the former case would be highly likely, but then based on all the acts that were witnessed, the latter case seemed to be more likely.
“Ahem!”
After having observed the dynamics of the high sorcerers, Deckard, the most senior member of the Ivory Tower, cleared his throat and spoke in his old voice. He thought that it was time for him to take control of the situations like this.
“My Lord. As you know, the Ivory Tower’s trial is entirely dependent on the cooperative interrogation magic of the high sorcerers.
“Yes, I do know it as so.”
“However, my lord, your case is different. Although I do not know it for sure in my old age, I can guess that you will be able to neutralize the interrogation magic quite easily. Of course, I am not insinuating that you would intentionally do so.”
It wasn’t necessarily because he wasn’t afraid due to his old age. After all, it was Ian Page, rather than some ordinary Ivory Tower’s tower lord, that he had to face. Yet, he brought himself up to continue. Deckard did not age or spend his long life in vain.
“I understand what you mean. I have not thought it through that far. As a far distant junior member, I will remember it as a lesson well learned.”
Ian replied with courtesy. Whether it was in his former or in present life, Deckard has always been the model sorcerer. Even though he wasn’t the greatest of all characters, he was an elder who certainly commanded respect.
“I believe that I can certainly neutralize the cooperative interrogation magic that you speak of. Although I have no such intention, I do not have a way to prove it either. Hmm, how should it be addressed…..”
Ian fell into deep thoughts as he massaged his chin. Perhaps, he was just putting on an act of showing that he was troubled.
“Well, wouldn’t it make sense to first hear the whole story?”
Ronan, the high sorcerer, spoke out at that time.
Re-edited by FlawFinder May 29th 2020