The Trial (Part 1)
The floating island of Nihilum shone even more majestically under the light of the full moon. The special mana emanating from the full moon was a blessing to everyone on the surface of Triia, and the witches of Nihilum welcomed it just as warmly. But today was no day to bask in that moonlight. Today marked the opening of a trial in Nihilum itself. Countless witches were converging on Nihilum's central square to attend the proceedings.
And amid the crowd, two figures stood out especially. They were none other than Carmine Dahart, one of the Seven-Colored Witches, and the smiling woman with hair like melted gold and eyes like the deep blue sea—Luine Asphodel. While those around them strolled leisurely, chatting idly, Luine moved with quick steps, barely restraining the urge to break into a run.
Finally, unable to stand it any longer, Carmine grabbed her shoulder. "Luine, calm yourself a bit. The trial won't begin for quite some time yet."
Caught off guard mid-stride, Luine stumbled slightly before whipping her head toward Carmine. "......Lady Carmine......"
"Even if you hurry, the trial won't start any sooner. Let's take it easy."
"......Yes......"
At Carmine's words, Luine seemed to relax a little, her shoulders slumping as she replied.
Luine Asphodel—the official heir to the prestigious magical house of Asphodel and Nihilum's greatest potion-maker. The title of "Nihilum's greatest" meant there was no one in all of Triia who could surpass her. The Asphodels were called a magical dynasty because their children displayed innate talent for magic from a young age, going on to earn fame not just in Nihilum but across Triia.
Luine was one of them, but her reputation had only recently taken off. Born 190 years ago into the great house of Asphodel, she had been dismissed as mediocre at best in her family and at the Witch Academy, unable to wield more than basic spells. But she had one singular gift: alchemy. Her potion-making prowess astonished even the professors at the Witch Academy. Yet, worn down by endless criticism and mockery, her confidence had crumbled.
That was when Rose approached her. Rose Crimson, who had always questioned the witches' traditional roles, reached out first, and Luine gradually opened her heart in response. In time, she regained her self-esteem, immersed herself in her specialty of potion-making, and eventually earned the title of the world's finest.
Still, her obsession feels a bit extreme. It's worrying, Carmine thought. As Rose's classmate, she had watched their relationship unfold. To put it simply, Luine was in love with Rose. In Nihilum, where only women resided, love between witches was commonplace, and no one interfered. Witches lived long lives, and if they wanted heirs, they could use lab-grown artificial sperm for IVF. So, whom they loved was their own business.
A famous example was the primordial witch Vain Crimson, said to have loved herself so much that she used artificial sperm. Luine's feelings weren't wrong, then... but they bordered on pathological. She used to inquire about Rose's whereabouts daily, her gaze upon Rose dripping with honey like a waterfall. When rumors spread that Rose had vanished, Luine reacted most intensely of all.
For a full month, she scoured Triia searching for any trace of Rose—but found none. Carmine had dragged her, nearly a shell of her former self and weeping in her mansion, back to the world. As someone who loved Rose more than anyone, she had been summoned as a key witness for this trial.
# Nihilum's central square resembled a conference hall for academy research presentations, with a stage-like platform separated from the spectator seating. The seats were already packed, and some witches hovered overhead, peering down from the air. It was no exaggeration to say every witch in Nihilum had gathered.
"The trial will now commence."
At the presiding judge's words, the restless atmosphere fell silent in an instant.
Nihilum's trials followed the empire's basic procedures: the plaintiff filed a complaint, the council accepted it and announced the date, then issued a verdict based on testimonies. Normally, the council would determine punishment or acquittal based on the crime's severity. But Nihilum had a unique twist. Acquittals followed imperial protocol, but if guilt was confirmed, the plaintiff could dictate the penalty—from seizing all assets, to enslavement, even execution on the spot.
This extreme system served as a stark warning: don't commit crimes. Most disputes were thus settled privately. It had been fully fifty years since the last such trial.
"Confirming the presence of the parties. Plaintiff: White Crimson. Defendant: Sonia von Trigrad."
The two women before the judge: White Crimson, youngest of the Crimson sisters and Witch Academy professor, and Sonia von Trigrad, of ancient wood elf lineage. They gave brief affirmations and returned to their seats at the judge's direction.
With confirmation complete, the judge proceeded. "Let the trial begin in earnest. Plaintiff White Crimson, please state your case."
White remained still at first, struggling to maintain her composure before finally speaking. "It was a month ago, during the war with the gods—Ragnarok. My sister Rose Crimson, who faced the Sky God, vanished amid some incident."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd—
"Quiet! Silence!"
The spectator area, growing noisy, quieted again at the judge's command.
"After investigating her disappearance for a month, I concluded it was linked to her comrade, the defendant Sonia von Trigrad."
"Ridiculous. What nonsense is this?"
Sonia, who had shown no reaction until now, spoke in a highly irritated tone. "I was summoned from recovery for this? To hear such drivel?"
"The defendant will speak in turn."
"I'm innocent. By the time I returned to the battlefield, Rose Crimson was already gone. With prolonged searches proving impossible, I rejoined the others."
Sonia spread her hands, shaking her head with a regretful expression, as if it had been unavoidable. Glaring at her, White produced something from her robes.
"Sonia, let's see if you can keep saying that after seeing this."
"? What's that?"
"First, you claimed that right after the battle began, you fled the field and knew nothing of what followed."
Unlike her sisters' eyes, White's were a deep green—but they burned as if about to turn red. "Yes, that's right. Embarrassingly, I was taken out by the Sky God the moment combat started..."
"Then why was your mana signature detected at the Sky Plateau? And at very high levels. What I hold is a report quantifying the residual mana sampled from the Sky Plateau. For the record, I've already submitted samples to the forensics team to rule out forgery."
With irrefutable evidence presented, the spectator area erupted once more.
Sonia's reputation among Nihilum's witches wasn't great. She usually acted politely, but like a two-faced coin, rumors swirled of her vile side—racist remarks, even hidden acts of violence.
"The plaintiff's report has been submitted and verified."
"That... was from spamming search spells to find Rose."
"No. You cast exactly one spell. A very powerful attack spell."
"Ha! You think you can discern that from mana a whole month old? Even the usage count? White, you should've been a novelist, not a professor."
Sonia had a point. Residual mana was like smoke—fading and distorting over time. But White was meticulous.
"True, judging that from month-old mana would be a stretch. So after the war, while searching for Rose, I sealed the entire Sky Plateau in a barrier to preserve the scene. One that absolutely prevents mana leakage."
A perfectly preserved crime scene was a goldmine of evidence.
"And among them, the most recent residual mana was yours. In massive quantities."
"Fine, say it was my spell, the last one cast there. How do you know it was an attack spell, not a search? Even mana-reading artifacts can't tell that much, I've heard."
Still glaring, White replied confidently. "You're right. No such artifact existed. So I made one. One that reads that kind of detail."
"................What?"
For the first time since the trial began, Sonia's composure cracked.