"We came here to see you," Galand stated.
"It's about Noir" Lorna added.
Hearing this, Ciara let the both of them in so they could talk in detail.
For them to have heard of the matter, it must have been quite serious. Either that or Noir specifically called for them.
"So, please guys... Tell me what happened. What's going on with Noir?"
***************
It took some time, but Galand filled Ciara in on what Noir intended, and also managed to convince the young girl from taking any action.
In exchange, Ciara also explained the situation to her older friends. She told them of Richard Lawcroft, as well as the Shady man's goal and his showdown with Noir.
"So, you're saying Noir got caught because he was protecting you... I see..." Lorna mumbled.
That's till didn't answer the question of why he allowed himself to get captured. If he was able to teleport Ciara, surely he could have made his escape too.
"We'll just have to trust in his plan." Ciara sighed.
As much as she hated being unable to do anything, she was currently incapable of much else. At least this way she wouldn't get in his way.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that again, Ciara. We weren't even around to help..." Galand added, looking at her pained expression.
"Y-yeah. That's right. I'm sorry too, Ciara." Lorna added, looking guilty.
"It's fine, guys. I can't keep relying on you forever. This last mishap just showed me how pathetic I am, and how much more I need to become stronger." Ciara said, clenching her fist.
Ever since that night, she swore to herself to become stronger. And so, she was certainly going to make good on that promise.
While Noir took care of things on his end, she would do the same as well.
"Well, I have to head to class now." Ciara finally said, getting up from her bed.
Galand and Lorna excused her, though she was given a rune scroll for communication in case of dire straits. There was no way they would allow her to roam the campus unsupervised anymore.
"Alright then. I should get going too!"
***************
"Get up, it's time for your trial." The security guard said to Noir, who sat at a corner in the darkness.
Noir raised his head, tilting it slightly as he stared at the man. The guard kept eyeing him suspiciously, seeming to wonder what was going on in his head.
Noir had not made a peep ever since he got to the cell he stayed in. He only responded when he was asked to, and the only time he made real conversation was when his acquaintances came to visit.
Still, he wasn't acting in any suspicious manner, so there were no grounds to subject him to even more conditions.
Noir stood from the ground and approached the cell gate. He was made to wear special cuffs which prevented the use of mana.
Noir couldn't help but make a slight grin.
'This is useless on me though...'
The cell gates were opened and he was let out. Noir noticed four more guards other than the one who spoke to him, making them a total of five.
pαпdα Йᴏνê|,сòМ He followed the security officers through the hallway as they led him to wherever he would be tried. Judging by their reaction, unlawful entry into the institute happened very rarely. His case was quite peculiar.
Noir made no reaction and walked with them. Two were by his side, two were behind him, while one was leading the way in front of him.
Finally, after a few minutes, they reached the end of the very long hallway and climbed the stairs out of the underground place where he was held and into a building.
'So, the underground cells are somehow linked to this place so that no one gets to see the accused, or criminals being transported. That's quite efficient.' Noir reasoned.
Finally opening the large door leading to the trial room, Noir was told to venture within.
The hall was larger than he expected it to be. There were some pews by both sides, leaving the center bare so anyone entering the hall could pass. Ahead of him was a very elevated stage, ensuring that those who sat there could look down on everything beneath them.
On the stage, there were three high chairs and desks for those who would be judging his case.
'Hmmmn. Impressive.' Noir thought.
His eyes went around the room, and he saw quite a few people within the hall. Whispers and murmurs reverberated across the hall as they all looked at him suspiciously.
"They must be the staff..." He reasoned, whispering under his breath.
It wasn't too strange for them to view him dangerously. For him, an outsider to enter the Institute without triggering any alarms or countermeasures, and even surrender without putting up much of a fight, was quite bizarre.
However, even this was too much for the crime of just breaking and entering. The true reason lay elsewhere.
Walking forward, Noir saw the section where he was to be placed and was told to enter the cubit.
As soon as he did so, a weird buzzing sound was heard, and golden light radiated all around him.
"Tier 9 Trap magic." He stated calmly.
To ensure the culprit couldn't escape, they erected such a structure. They weren't too bad.
'If only they were not so lax with security...'
Now within the trap formation, with seemingly no way to go, Noir awaited his fate.
"We will now welcome the judges." The announcer who had been waiting for his cue stated.
A special door to the right of the hall was opened, and three people adorned quote lucratively appeared. They appeared to be senior staff, most likely the highest-ranked lecturers within the Magic Institute.
Noir recognized one of them. With a smile on his face, he gallantly walked in confidence.
Noir, trapped in a 9th Tier constraint seemed to be powerless, but this person knew otherwise. He knew that Noir could cancel out the magic effect instantly. After all, he had experienced his power before.
"We meet again, Mr. Noir." He spoke in passing as he walked past Noir's cubit, moving to climb the stairs that led to the elevated stage of judgment.
"Trevor Netherlore..." Noire replied, still appearing stoic and unfazed.
This proved Trevor's suspicion. Noir was indeed up to something.
The people who sat on the pews were all standing, bowing in silence as they watched their superiors head to their respective chairs.
Noir sensed that even Galand was seated among the spectators, though Lorna wasn't there.
'That's right. If even serving staffs are present, how will the campus function?' Noir thought to himself.
As soon as Trevor, and the remaining two persons whom Noir could only guess to be the ones in charge of the Intermediate and Advanced Levels of the institute, sat on their seats, the people present sat in their pews.
Well, except the guards, who for some reason were stationed in many places across the hall.
In a place filled with many magic practitioners, Noir failed to see the purpose behind having such tight security.
The staff within were more than enough, weren't they? A few more guards wouldn't really make much of a difference.
However, such was the strange custom of the people he was surrounded by.
"We will now begin the Trial." The man who sat at the center of the three seats stated.
He had a mustache and seemed to be the highest-ranking among the three judges, having a five-star plating on his outfit. The other man beside him had four stars, while Trevor had three.
Normal lecturers had only one star and distinguished ones of the senior caliber had two. That meant Trevor was quite a big deal for someone so young.
He was indeed capable of being a genius, since he was already an 8th Tiered mage, one only a step lower than the highest Tier the Institute recognized.
"Let the accused state his name." The announcer who had heralded the entry of the judges said.
It appeared he was the one who would coordinate the trial and undertake the little details.
"Noir Novo" He stated flatly.
"Where do you hail from?" Another question was instantly fired at him.
"I am a traveling merchant, so I do not identify with any particular place."
"You have been revealed to be a bodyguard of Ciara Versacee Dunroe for a period before she entered this prestigious institute, and also accompanied them on their journey to this Academic city of Artemis. Is this true?"
"Yes. We met by chance and I helped them fend off some bandits. I was hired, paid, and did my job accordingly." Noir aptly responded.
The fluidity of his speech and that calm expression he made while speaking would make anyone doubt that he was lying.
However, that made him even more suspicious.
It was almost as though he had already expected the questions and practiced the answers beforehand.
After asking more questions and getting the same calm response from Noir, the announcer decided to hit the onus of the case.
"Noir Novo... Are you responsible for the death of the esteemed lecturer of the Southern Empire's Magic Institute, a man who goes by the name of Richard Lawcroft?!"
This time, his question was met with silence.
A smile slowly formed on Noir's face, unnoticeable by everyone present.
'Finally, we're getting somewhere!'
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