Chapter 127: Turmoil After the Match
[You have won the championship of this year's race!]
[However, before you could celebrate the victory, you fainted from blood loss due to your wound.]
[When you woke up again, your body had been completely healed, no longer in any danger.]
[But, you discovered that both you and Jeanne Alter had been tied up and locked inside the classroom of class France.]
[Even though you won the victory, Jeanne Alter's identity was thus exposed, and she would have to pay the price for it.]
[In France United class, you are about to face a serious and terrifying trial…]
…
One hour after the race ended.
"Defendant Mochizuki Eikou, wake up quickly…"
It seemed as though someone's voice echoed by his ear.
Hearing this sound, Eikou drowsily opened his eyes.
What came into his sight was the classroom of Chaldea Academy, on the high blackboard hung the flag of France United.
"Where is this…"
He turned his head to look around, only to see that the desks and chairs in the classroom had been cleared to the sides, leaving a large empty space in the middle, he and Jeanne Alter were tightly chained to chairs with iron shackles, in front of them placed a sign with the word "Defendant."
He looked toward the people in the class, and it turned out that they were all Servants from France, their faces stern as they sat in the back rows, resembling both a jury and audience seats.
This place had been completely turned into a courtroom!
"My God, where have I been taken, isn't this still within the territory of class Britain?"
Eikou thought to himself, wasn't he participating in the race, at that time was it victory or defeat in the end, why did he wake up only to be escorted to class France like this?
This courtroom, together with those jury Servants, what on earth is going on?
"Hey you, you finally awake?"
Beside him, Jeanne Alter who was also tied up, whispered softly.
"Jeanne Alter, what on earth is happening here?" Eikou asked in confusion.
"The situation is very bad…"
She frowned, a little uneasy as she explained:
"The thing is… after I helped you win, perhaps the ones in the class held resentment in their hearts. Taking advantage of the moment I was careless, they snatched away the Holy Grail Shard of our team, then escorted both me and you – who were unconscious at that time – here for trial."
"Trial? Isn't this an execution!"
Eikou hadn't even had time to feel happy about winning the race when this word startled him.
"Idiot, did you forget, I was originally from class France! And then I went to help the enemy class win, in their eyes of course I am a traitor guilty of the gravest crime, something like this happening is nothing strange!"
"Then why am I also tied up in the defendant's seat?"
"Nonsense, you are my captain, in their eyes you are the mastermind who incited me to betray." Jeanne Alter said irritably.
"..."
Eikou was speechless.
He thought to himself, these guys work fast, don't they, he hadn't even had time to attend the award ceremony, and just by closing his eyes for a moment he already had to go on trial, this is too miserable!
He glanced toward the jury in the back:
Roland, White Jeanne d'Arc, Marie Alter — all of them were those who had once lost under his hands, now even putting on such serious faces, no matter how one looked at it, it seemed like they were just waiting for the chance to settle accounts with him and Jeanne Alter.
"Damn it…"
He knew the France class would not tolerate collusion and betrayal, but he didn't expect retribution to come this quickly.
"Both defendants, silence, you are not allowed to make noise in this sacred courtroom."
The two of them turned their heads to look toward the podium, and there was Charlemagne – the class president of class France – sitting sternly there.
On his head he was even wearing a white judge's wig, striking the gavel down with an extremely serious face.
"From this moment on, I, Charlemagne, together with the jury of class France will conduct the trial for the charge of treacherous espionage against you two!"
Judge Charlemagne looked straight down at the two of them, eyes sharp, declaring:
"Defendant Jeanne Alter, Mochizuki Eikou, one is suspected of treason, aiding the enemy class to obtain the final victory; the other is suspected of being an outside force inciting others to betray!"
"Your actions have caused our France class to lose face completely, in this monthly exam to suffer a disastrous defeat,"
"You two criminals, do you have anything to plead?"
In the jury seats, Roland – the one not wearing clothes – suddenly stood up: "I believe I am innocent!"
"Roland, no one asked you, the charge of running around naked we will judge later." Judge Charlemagne said.
"No problem."
Roland obediently sat down.
"What the hell is this, clearly it's you people who arbitrarily kidnapped others, you're the ones who should be put on trial!" Eikou angrily said.
"If we really committed a crime, then let the school and the homeroom teacher come question us. Losing and being unwilling to accept it, then dragging others into a secret trial like this, what meaning does it have! Even bullying someone has to have limits!"
Jeanne Alter also loudly objected.
Judge Charlemagne completely ignored the protests of the two: "Sorry, just now I didn't hear anything, let's consider that you two have no opinions. Now we directly move to the reading of charges."
"You're too outrageous already!"
The two shouted together.
Charlemagne picked up a document, solemnly reading aloud their charges:
"Criminal Jeanne Alter, you have violated the five great prohibitions of class France United. First article — making unauthorized contact with the enemy class, especially with class Britain, our eternal rival. You even colluded with someone from class Britain, this matter absolutely cannot be forgiven!"
Roland suddenly jumped up again: "I didn't do anything wrong, I just see Eikou as my good brother!"
"I already said no one is trying you, but Eikou indeed is a really good person."
"That's right," White Jeanne in the jury also chimed in, "When I was drunk, he even used a skill to sober me up, truly a very gentle gentleman."
"Indeed, if everyone feels Eikou isn't bad… then let's strike out the first article."
Charlemagne used a quill pen to cross out the first charge.
"You just said it absolutely cannot be forgiven, didn't you?" Jeanne Alter roared, "You people are so biased, is it only me that's hated here!"
"The fourth article is the truly serious one…"
Charlemagne suddenly changed his tone to sharp:
"Jeanne Alter, during the time of inter-class war, you did not contribute to class France, on the contrary, you aided the enemy team of class Britain to win the championship. Your act of surrendering to the enemy fills us with contempt, you've completely destroyed the honor of the class."
"Why jump all the way to the fourth article, where are the second and third? This is clearly you making up the law on the spot!" Eikou said.
Charlemagne struck the gavel on the table, signaling him to be silent.
"In short… Jeanne Alter, your actions not only disappointed your classmates, but also caused your relatives and friends unbearable grief. Isn't that right, Jeanne Alter's family member?"
All eyes turned toward White Jeanne.
She lightly dabbed her teary eyes with a handkerchief, sobbing as though regretful:
"This child Jeanne Alter, at home she was originally very obedient, I never expected she would do such things outside…"
"Why are you speaking in the tone of a parent apologizing on behalf of their child!" Jeanne Alter shouted.
"Gilles back home, after knowing this matter, wept rivers of tears, he still cannot believe that the child Jeanne Alter would follow the Britain side. He said: 'I gave birth to Jeanne Alter (through the Holy Grail) not to witness this scene…'"
"'Gave birth' my ass, don't speak as if he were my mother!" she screamed.
"Sorry, it's me who has let everyone down!"
Roland suddenly stood up, punching the wall hard, tears streaming down: "I always knew… my stripping actions only brought discomfort to everyone…"
"Roland, I already said this matter has nothing to do with you! We are not judging you!" Charlemagne struck the gavel again.
Eikou glanced at the people in the room, unable to hold back a sigh: "Damn it, this place is no different from a mental hospital…"
"Very unpleasant, right? On my first day coming to your class, I felt exactly the same way."
Jeanne Alter said.
"Order!"
Charlemagne struck the judge's gavel again, the entire room instantly fell silent.
"Jeanne Alter, do you have anything to plead for yourself?"
"Plead…"
Jeanne Alter quietly repeated the word in her heart, in the end she gently shook her head.
"I have nothing to plead."
"Then you admit you have committed the crime of treason and collusion with the enemy?" Charlemagne asked.
"To be honest, I have no interest in what you call the war between classes. Even if you begged me, I'd be too lazy to join. If it weren't for my points being completely deducted, and this Napoleon guy scheming to egg me on, then from the start I would never have gone to be a spy…"
Jeanne Alter lowered her head, her voice carrying complexity:
"But… I feel very fortunate that in the end I was able to help him. I don't think of myself as a traitor at all, because from the beginning I never stood on any side, I only fought for others by following my own heart, that's all, nothing more."
"Jeanne Alter…"
Hearing her say this, Eikou couldn't help but be moved.
"So that means you admit it?"
"Yes, yes, whether you want to kill or cut me is up to you." Jeanne Alter deliberately put on an indifferent look, as if she didn't care.
"In that case, there's nothing more to say."
Among the jury, Marie Alter nodded, her ten fingers interlaced, and she smiled:
"At this point, Jeanne Alter, you can only accept the punishment of France law. It's fine, from now on I'll take good care of Eikou in your place…"
"Your side seems even more eager to 'collude' with him than I am, just what exactly are you planning to 'take care of' with him!" Jeanne Alter snapped.
Charlemagne struck the gavel to signal the whole room to be silent.
"Alright, if the defendant has nothing to defend, then we can announce the sentence."
He spread out a large sheet of paper and began to read the verdict:
"Jeanne Alter, you admit to the crime of treason and collusion with the enemy. This crime cannot be forgiven, therefore, after I and the jury have voted unanimously, you will be permanently expelled from the class France United, from this day forward you are never again to set foot into this classroom even half a step!"
"By your command!"
Roland shot up, turned, and walked out of the classroom without once looking back.
As for what the hell Roland was thinking in his head, only God knew, but the hearts of Eikou and Jeanne Alter grew cold by half at the same time.
This sentence was exactly the worst-case scenario they had ever imagined, an extremely harsh verdict.
However, the moment they did those things, they had already predicted this outcome.
The two turned their heads at the same time, four eyes meeting.
Neither of them felt any regret.
Eikou thought to himself, from now on it would be fine for Jeanne Alter to come over to his class, because he had once promised that no matter what happened he would always be by her side.
"Next is the trial of Mochizuki Eikou."
Charlemagne turned to look at him.
Inside, Eikou immediately trembled, what the hell, these France people even want to put me on trial too?
"Trying me isn't really necessary, is it? I am originally of class Britain, fighting for my own class's side is natural. If there really must be a trial, it shouldn't be you conducting it!"
He said with dignity.
"You speak quite logically, we have no right to judge someone from another class…"
Charlemagne nodded thoughtfully,
"However, the trial today for you, strictly speaking, is not about collusion or treason, but about a vile act you committed in the recent race. That is—you committed an unforgivable crime against our Knight Roland… you took the 'Holy Sword Mini' from between his crotch to soak in liquor, making him so drunk that even his brain fermented along with it!"
"..."
The atmosphere at the scene suddenly turned extremely grave.
"We will not accuse you of treason or collusion, but will convict you on the crime of daring to use the 'little brother bird' to soak liquor."
"..."
"Defendant, do you have anything to say in your defense?" Charlemagne asked sternly.
"No… nothing…"
Eikou shook his head.
Indeed, this charge was too serious, he had absolutely no way to refute it.
"Very well, the defendant Mochizuki Eikou has also admitted guilt, the punishment will be carried out immediately!"
Charlemagne produced a bottle of Water of Life and placed it on the trial desk.
"You mean… I have to drink this whole bottle?" Eikou asked cautiously.
At this point, he could already be considered a veteran of drinking Water of Life, draining one bottle by tilting his head back was no big deal.
"Indeed, you will be forced to drink it all…"
Charlemagne's eyes suddenly sharpened,
"Criminal Mochizuki Eikou, you are hereby sentenced to drink this entire bottle with your 'little brother bird', punishment to be carried out immediately!"
Fuck, isn't this basically telling me to go die socially!
Eikou was so terrified that cold sweat poured down like rain, he turned his head wanting to run, but he was chained tightly to the chair, completely unable to move.
"GAWAAAAAAAIN! SAVEEEEEEE MEEEEEEEEE!!!"
"Ha ha ha, now you're scared? It's already too late! Everyone, hold him down, carry out the punishment immediately!"
"Hey, are you guys really serious?!"
Even Jeanne Alter was extremely shocked, her face slightly flushed.
Eikou still wanted to struggle, but his hands and feet were tightly bound, he could only watch helplessly as those people surrounded him.
They started to take his pants off.
"No one's coming to save you~. Come on, stick your ass up~, MUAHAHAHAHA!!"
"KYAAAA!! Y-YAMEROOOO!"
It's over, my lifelong reputation is about to be ruined here!
But the terrifying scene he imagined did not happen. The door suddenly swung open.
Finn and Napoleon walked in laughing heartily, behind them were Gawain, Tristan, and Roland. In their hands, some held champagne to celebrate, others carried banquet tables, along with trays of food indispensable for a celebration party.
The France students in the jury simultaneously popped party poppers, smiling warmly, draping the champion sashes over the shoulders of the two.
"What is going on here…"
Jeanne Alter and Eikou looked at each other, completely unable to understand what was happening.
"Ha ha, got scared didn't you?"
Charlemagne grinned brightly and unfolded the judgment paper in his hand, it turned out to be a small celebratory banner, on which was written:
["Congratulations to both of you, for winning the crown of victory!"]
"Now then…"
Director Finn smiled radiantly, popped the champagne, and raised it high over his head,
"We'll hold a celebration party for you two right here! Congratulations to you both!"