Valentine was definitely up to sothing. It wasn’t actually anything shady. He was just trying to get Ruben to see his perspective.
The book he passed detailed so actual cases where the Circle of rlin brute-forced their way through proceedings. They overruled hearings by invoking the Code of First Combat.
This was barely relevant to the case at hand. That didn’t matter to Valentine. He was just trying to get Ruben to see they were not as diplomatic as he might have thought.
He knew Ruben was a rookie and, as such, would definitely be uptight and stuck on rules. He planned on taking advantage of that very fact.
Ruben read the bookmarked page. It featured recently cited examples of Solomon being used to instantly overpower the combat forces of the opposing party by getting them to partake in the First Combat.
Ruben thought it was wrong, but it didn’t bother him as much. After all, Lot was the one who called him, not Solomon.
Valentine was good. Ruben thought he would be disappointed that he wasn’t backing down, but in truth, that wasn’t Valentine’s goal. He simply walked away. In his mind, he had achieved what he originally set out to do.
He t up with the council mbers. They were looking for him.
"Where did you head to?" Elsa asked.
"Nowhere," he responded.
"Seriously, where did you go to?" Morgana followed up with the sa question.
"I just went over to talk to the kid," Valentine replied.
’So you reply when it’s her but not .’
Elsa pouted. No one noticed.
"Why exactly?" Morgana needed confirmation.
"Oh, you’ll see. Just watch."
anwhile, Lot was confronted by his father. He wanted to make a quick call away from the crowd, but it seed that wasn’t going to happen.
Ten minutes passed, and they were all reassembled in court.
The van’s occupants noticed them appear and disappear. The mages inside made no move. Lot had made himself clear when he said they shouldn’t move without orders.
Even an upstart like Sigman knew Lot wasn’t playing when he said so.
"Who would like to continue?" the Wise n spoke.
"After you."
Valentine gave Ruben the honor.
What they said mattered, but not in a winning-or-losing kind of way.
You could think your points were valid, but that didn’t matter. It was the Wise n who determined who was actually winning.
They would be the ones to give individual verdicts.
The scholars only existed to state their cases and help sway the decision.
The points mattered more than whether they were right or wrong.
Presentation of the facts was also important.
It’s why Valentine maintained his cool.
This wasn’t the only reason, though.
He knew sothing else.
He knew how to lead soone...
"The SSS-rank mage may never reach the heights of rlin," Ruben said.
"There’s really no certainty he does."
"There’s also the notion that the God-Tier System Wielder was a C-rank mage before he was recruited."
"I bring this up strictly because I believe I have completely negated any argunt that requires him to be present before this court in the here and now," Ruben added.
"Or don’t you agree?"
He was going all in.
Val struggled to answer. It wasn’t obvious to those present. It was just clear. He had to answer.
A light enveloped Zach, and he was teleported.
Zach was teleported out.
He was no longer before the court.
Roe and Ursula still had their cases yet to be proven.
Zach’s case as the God-Tier System Wielder could easily be linked to cultivated power made possible only because of the circle he joined.
’If I play this well, we could go ho with these two as well.’
Ruben thought.
’If it cos down to picking one, however, they can take the S-rank. I’m guessing that’s what Lot would want.’
’He wouldn’t want to lose the SSS-rank after all.’
The Wise n turned to Valentine for his counter.
The council mbers were getting increasingly scared. Their faith in Valentine was at an all-ti low.
Everyone’s faith in him but Morgana’s.
She remained steadfast in her belief for whatever reason.
"Well, since these are the two yet to be analyzed, why would one circle then obtain both mages of the sa rank?" Valentine said.
"You’re barely making any sense," Ruben responded.
"You heard ."
"I’m asking you if the SSS-rank isn’t enough," Valentine said.
’Oh, he’s conceding.’
Ruben thought.
’They know they’ve lost. Now they’re trying to take Ursula sohow.’
’I see. I see.’
He smiled.
Really, it was the first genuine one.
He was gaining confidence.
He began to think about his conversation with Valentine outside.
He didn’t understand where it had actually been leading.
’That part is what I don’t get.’
’Why say all that? Why try to paint them as the bad guys?’
’Wait, it doesn’t matter. Let’s just win this.’
Ruben ended the thought.
He didn’t want to stray.
He still had so many cards he was willing to play.
He turned to Lot, ready to give him a signal.
They had this all in the bag.
He turned to Lot, noticing he wasn’t taking it all too well.
He was angry.
The veins on his forehead were visibly irritated.
Ruben didn’t understand.
Eight minutes earlier.
Lot was stopped by Vlad and soone else when he wanted to make a call.
This other person had been sent over by Valentine.
Sent over after his talk with Ruben and the council.
This other person was Morgana.
They told him sothing, and whatever it was, it was enough to get on his nerves.
Eight minutes later.
’Was it sothing that happened outside?’
Ruben thought.
That’s when a voice from the prosecutor’s side shouted,
"Let’s do combat via the First Code. I challenge you."
It was Arthur.
Lot imdiately accepted.
There was no ti in between.
"What?"
Ruben was shocked.
’That talk outside. All that talk.’
’rlin’s side winning thanks to the Code.’
’Why was I so stupid?’
’That doesn’t an they were necessarily the ones initiating the Code.’
’This was their plan all along.’
’But why? Why hint at it?’
’Could it have been to trip up?’
Ruben thought.
’I second-guessed, but I was never going to back out.’
’All my actions were still bounds behind his.’
’I guess he’s a veteran for a reason.’
All these thoughts were running wild through his head.
He knew he would have to calm himself.
He moved to do just that.
’There should still be no problem. It’s Lot we’re talking about.’
’He can handle a council mber no problem.’
Ruben thought.
Valentine smiled.
"I guess it’s ti Daddy holds up his end of the bargain. Don’t you think, love?"
He said to Morgana.
A man stood, walking to the center as he did so.
"Vlad, S-rank mage, representing the Council of Mages in this First Combat."
Vlad said, ready to let loose.
’It’s Vlad?’
’He’s their representative?’
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