13:0
The Houdie family’s master had personally left for Shilolin in order to attend the Supreme Court of the Star Alliance. Hints regarding this matter could already be found on Xingyou as well as other platforms on the Star Network.
However this was not a leak, but due to Houdie family’s exclusive work. The purpose behind it was to pave a way for the following events once they win the trial and take the cub back. At that time they intend to take advantage of the fact that the cub had developed a variant ability and showcase this to the public in order to boost their reputation and status.
Xie Tao calmly sat down in his seat. The interstellar court was very different in many aspects when compared to the court of the 21-century earth. However, for the past few days, he had frantically studied and exhausted himself to the bone in order to mend this part of his common sense regarding this world.
The sound representing the beginning of the trial had already echoed throughout the building and from now on everything happening in the court was being recorded. After the trial, a permanent recording would be kept and filed at the Supreme Court of the Star Alliance.
The recording would also be shared with all the courts of the races who were part of the Star Alliance. If a plaintiff was not fully confident, they would generally not dare to stand here directly.
Of course, the same went for the advocate who would fight their claim and present evidence on Xie Tao’s behalf. Once the trial began, the people sitting opposite Xie Tao on the platform were the first to speak.
Tapping the black cane against the floor, the Houdie family’s master seated at the table appeared very collected and did not make any remarks. The man standing next to the other presented the case and gave an overview of their standpoint.
Not thinking of this trial as especially difficult, the man stated and pressed the simple core points once he finished presenting their stance, “In this case the evidence clearly shows that the cub belongs to the Houdie family, but despite this, the other side still insisted on refusing to cooperate. This behavior is absolutely unreasonable according to Star Alliance law. In other words, it’s a violation of the laws of the Star Alliance itself.
The evidence was sufficient to prove the other side’s standpoint. After confirming that the documents presented as evidence did not contain any signs of forgery, the 11 judges seated above in the circular venue had a slight bias in their hearts.
The trial required fairness, however, even though the trial had only just begun, the judges present already also felt that the trial would not have any suspense. It was a very simple and direct case.
On the Houdie’s side, the man who had spoken felt that there was completely no need to listen to the other side’s speech. No matter how much the other debated, it was impossible to dispel his rational explanation.
Although the judges and the grand judge had not yet made any statements, their attitude could faintly be seen from the inadvertent nodding of several judges, as well as the change in their expressions.
But either way, both sides still had the right to speak. When they received the indication that it was their turn to speak, Xie Tao stood up from his seat.
“A nursing club needs to be responsible for all cubs in the club. Based on this principle, I can not let the Houdie family take the cub back.”
Xie Tao sincerely and calmly declared this. Standing upright under all the judges’ scrutinizing gaze, he did not show an ounce of hesitation.
If only by looking at his expression, the judges really could not say that the other appeared to be in even the smallest of disadvantage. The young man on the right side of the hovering platform appeared very calm from beginning to end. Very calm and convincing.
After simply stating his standpoint, Xie Tao entrusted the rest to the defendant by his side and shifted his eyes to the closed wooden door below the hovering platform.
There was more than one witness behind that door who had followed them to Shilolin.
“According to Star Alliance law, families who intentionally abandon their cubs will lose custody of their cubs. This action also violates Article 39 of the Star Alliance Law and is a vile deed requiring punishment.”
When the defendant said this, not only did the faces of the other side slightly change, but all the judges present also suddenly became more serious when they heard the two words “intentionally abandon”.
Realizing that there unexpectedly might be some more to the situation, the eleven judges took back their previous weak biases.
However, the defendant had not submitted any substantial evidence to support the claim. His words alone did not hold any power and would not hold up as a defense.
Just as if hearing what the judges were thinking, the defendant standing beside Xie Tao made a request for a witness to appear in court.
Witness? There were several people from the Houdie family present in the court and when they heard the other party wanted to call a witness, the hearts of the ones who knew the truth speed up. They had finally begun to feel a little unsettled.
At that time, they had handled the matter very neatly and had not left anything behind for others to find.
There was only “that one” who had been paid off in order to complete the task for the family and after the work was done they had agreed that that person would hide far away.
Even they couldn’t find where that person was now, it was even more impossible for the other party to find that man… Convincing themselves with this, the few people in the courtroom had barely settled down when they caught sight of the person waking out of the dark brown door and were thrown into disorder. They forgot themselves for a split second and their faces became incomparably stiff in an instant.
Even the Houdie family’s master, who even before the trial started had acted as if they had already won, now had no choice but to tighten his grip on the cane.
They were in the Supreme Court of the Star Alliance, even though the Houdie now wanted to kill the one who walked out of that door, they could do nothing but throw threatening glares at the other.
The middle-aged man, who entered the courtroom under their eyes, trembled in fear as he walked up to where he was supposed to stand. He did not dare to have any eye contact with the Houdie family.
As a witness, Ogie first stated his identity and then told his previous experience of working as a servant for the Houdie family. This directly pointed out the connection between the two.
“About two years ago, my master gave me a lot of money to abandon the cub on a distant planet and told me to never return to Hailumite after I finished the task, preferably that I stay as far away as possible.”
Ogie told the group of judges seat above about the incident. One could tell from his voice that he was still in a state of panic, “I was blinded by money at that time, and I regretted it many times throughout the past years, and… And that is why I’m willing to testify today.”
“Our family has never hired such a servant.”
The Houdie family’s master seated at the prosecutor’s table struck his cane against the ground, making a dull noise. His eyes were fixated on the person who had just spoken.
The wittiness seat was very close to the prosecutor’s table. As soon as Ogie lifted his eyes a little, he came into contact with the oppressive stare of the Houdie family’s master, the power behind it almost made him feel like it would poke a hole in his body.
“The cost of perjury is very heavy. I advice you to not harm yourself on impulse.” [1]
He did not know how the other party managed to dig up a witness which even their family was unable to find. But the Houdie family’s old master basically did not have any intention of admitting that the other side had once worked for their family and insisted that the other was perjuring.
Mentioning the word “cost”, the Houdie master was clearly making a threat. As long as the other was not an idiot, he would be able to catch the hidden implication of revenge in that sentence.
Hearing the threat, a chill went down Ogie’s back. Under the old man’s sharp eagle-like eyes, Ogie swallowed down his saliva and with difficulty just barely managed to stop himself from running away before the battle. His forehead had long been dotted with cold sweat due to excessive fear.
If asked if he was not worried about the Houdie family’s retaliation- of course he was afraid of it. If he hadn’t been caught by those Star Alliance investigators and learned the identity of the one who caught him which gave his courage a boost of 10 000, he would never have dared to appear in court as a witness.
Those who caught him assured him that he would not suffer retaliation from the Houdie family and said that if he was willing to attend as a witness, they would slightly lighten his punishment as an accomplice in the abandonment of the cub.
“First of all, should the witness be unable to prove that he has in fact worked for the Houdie family, then this is merely a groundless accusation. Under this premise, the witness’s testimony holds no validity. “
The prosecuting attorney next to the Houdie family’s master immediately killed his claim by directly accusing the middle-aged man standing at the witness stand of perjury.
How could the other party possibly come up with evidence that proved he had once worked for the Houdie family? After thinking about it for a while, the Houdie people were sure that the other side would not be able to find any.
What evidence can there be for that kind of thing? Everything was cleaned up a few years ago. It was simple, they only needed to insist that he absolutely hadn’t worked for them, and then he wouldn’t have.
At that time, they shouldn’t have given the other money in order for them to hide themselves. They should have gotten rid of all connections to this matter from the start. This was the only thing the Houdie family regretted now.
A man had all of a sudden appeared saying that he had a relationship with the Houdie family and that he was a man who had disappeared completely a few years ago after handling their dirty work. As a witness, the credibility of his statement was indeed limited.
But just as the judges were about to acknowledge the prosecutor’s remarks, the middle-aged man in the witness stand once again opened his mouth.
“I have proof.”
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Translator’s note:
Many thanks to those who complimented my pitiful drawing, haha. It might not be worthy of your praise but I’m super satisfied because it has served its purpose— I received fan art!!!! ><
Guys, check out this adorable drawing made by Eithran!
Btw, on another note, my editor has survived her exams and is back! ^^
[1] – Perjury is when you lie or make a misrepresentation in court when you have promised to tell only the truth.