The sun was scorching, the sky clear.A brown armored horse galloped across the plains, carrying upon it a figure that embodied both justice and crime. Lloyd gazed around, taking in the vast green fields stretching for dozens of miles. He realized that escaping his predicament would require nothing short of a divine miracle.
The silence around him was broken by the knight's voice:"You're not as terrifying as people make you out to be. You couldn't even protect yourself—you just stood there, paralyzed with fear."
In his previous life, Albert had never fought a battle or even been in a brawl, so it was natural that he hesitated to face someone wielding a flaming sword. Lloyd replied:"Honestly, when I saw your sword ablaze, I couldn't process anything around me. I've never seen anything like that before."
The knight in front of him looked shocked and responded with a surprised tone:"Are you drunk or what? The powers of Nerval are known across the entire world, and you're seriously asking what my sword is? Just so you know, I am the left hand of King Hynex. My name is Theodore Roosevelt, a first-class Enhancer... And here we are—almost there."
In the distance, Lloyd could see the massive gates of the capital, Vakushin, known as the Steam Capital. A towering wall surrounded the city, which had a diameter of 30 miles. Lloyd knew that his end was drawing near.
After an hour of travel, the horse finally passed through the eastern gate, following the shortest path to the royal palace. It stopped at the steps leading to the palace courtyard. Theodore dismounted first, followed by Lloyd. The knight then took chains from his bag and bound the criminal before him. Lloyd didn't resist and was shackled. The knight, a symbol of justice, dragged him forward like a slave.
They entered the grand palace, which shimmered with luxury and intricate decorations at first glance. Lloyd looked around, seeing expensive furniture, wide halls, and suits of armor standing proudly along the walls.
Suddenly, Theodore came to a halt. In front of them stood a man, apparently in his thirties, with a short beard and wild yet handsome hair. He held a filthy book in his hands and greeted them with a wide smile:
"Welcome, cold-blooded one. You've long been the talk of the people. You've killed countless innocents for a handful of coins and enslaved women to satisfy your vile desires. This is an unforgivable crime. I will verify something, and then you'll be executed publicly in the city square—an example to scum like you."
The king paused, then lifted his book and said:"The Scale of Chaos."
Suddenly, Lloyd's surroundings began to change. He seemed to be transported into a parallel realm—a dark, grim world where he could barely see anything around him. A crimson moon, the color of blood, appeared in the sky and lit up the area. Lloyd looked around and muttered:"What's happening? This man is truly dangerous. It seems there's no way out of this."
Lloyd's spirit was completely crushed. This was even harsher than his previous life. He would rather die than remain trapped in this hellish realm. All around him was an endless pool of blood.
Then, a black monster appeared, holding a scythe, and said in a terrifying voice:"It's time for judgment."
Lloyd was clearly in deep trouble—facing a trial from which he could not escape.