CK's eyes flickered with wicked light. "Don't be shy, Ms. Dulia," she tilted her head as she smiled disturbingly, "Come on, admit it!"
"I have nothing to admit! If this trial is over, I'm taking my leave!" Ms. Dulia said. Professor K'Thal frowned when a sigil illuminated above Ms. Dulia's head and responded to the magic circle in his hand.
"Stop her," he commanded. Ms. Dulia tried to get up, only to find a few lavender-colored vipers slithering around her chair, a few of them draped over the backrest.
Ms. Dulia's eyes widened in horror. Madam Yanyan looked at her coldly, "Professor Kitmar has yet to dismiss us. Besides…no one said the trial is over."
The vipers flicked their tongue threateningly, unafraid to strike should the seated woman make a wrong move. Ms. Dulia gritted her teeth and glared at CK, "What are you trying to pull here?!"
"The truth, and nothing but the truth," CK answered and turned to the rest of the seated faculty members, "Everyone knows about the sudden appearance of the Juris Vindicator during the graduation rites a few hours ago. You must also have been aware that a Juris Vindicator also appeared around the same time I did at the lowest floor. I assure you, they are one and the same. But the biggest question is, how did they manage to enter the school without anybody knowing about it?"
No one said a thing, prompting CK to continue with a smile. "The answer is right here," she produced a bloodstained envelope pinched between her fore and middle fingers. Ms. Dulia's eyes widened in shock while Professor Kitmar pursed his lips.
"That…"
"Yes. This is an invitation card given out to selected factions to watch the graduation rites. Excuse the bloodstains; I was injured in the middle of taking this from the Juris Vindicator that breached the lowest floor two nights ago," CK said, "This means only one thing: the Juris Vindicator was one of the invited audience members and had been in disguise to avoid suspicion."
"There is a fixed amount of people invited to watch. You can try to confirm later, but I will guarantee you that although you've given out a fixed amount of invitation cards, the number of people present earlier at the rites will not be the same number. You will find one letter missing from the invitees because the letter was with me," CK continued.
"That doesn't mean it was I who gave out the invitation. You're spouting nonsense!" Ms. Dulia said. "I don't think so," Professor Zeke said and approached CK, "I was in charge of handling the invitation cards. CK is correct in a sense that we can monitor who were invited."
Zeke extended a palm to CK. "May I see the letter?" he asked. "Sure," CK grinned and handed the letter to him. Zeke hummed as he opened the bloodstained envelope.
"Each letter has a corresponding information tracker connecting to the faculty databank. This way, it is easier to confirm whether the letter had safely arrived at its destination," Zeke said and cast a magic circle upon the letter.
"It also traces information on how it was delivered and who brought it to its destination," Zeke said. He pursed his lips as a panel of information appeared before him.
"It says here that…Ms. Dulia was the one who handed it over to the recipient. It's strange because the recipient information has been tampered, and the code is not in the databank," Zeke stated grimly.
"Wasn't Bishop Fedorov's entourage lacking one vicar?" Madam Yanyan raised an eyebrow. "Yes. It was a health-related concern so he was sent back, but the invitation card sent to him could not be traced. This letter must be the one sent to the absent vicar…" Zeke looked at Ms. Dulia in dismay, "Ms. Dulia…"
"You're wrong! Absolutely wrong! How can you accuse me of even working with the Juris?! Even if I did, what would be the reason?" Ms. Dulia contested resolutely. She tried to get up, but the vipers guarding her chair hissed dangerously.
"Simple. It's to hand master's thesis to the Juris," CK said, "Right after master fell into a comatose, there have been incessant attempts to raid his office and one certified incident of a Juris Enforcer trying to steal the thesis. Professor Kitmar can attest to this. However, they could not easily breach the school without alerting the defense system. That's why an insider like Ms. Dulia was needed. She gave them the opportunities to enter and do their business. It's all to take away master Erzem's thesis."
CK's eyes twinkled with information. "If I could guess, Ms. Dulia has a shared interest for doing this. Master Erzem was supposed to submit his thesis as soon as the school year ended, but the members of the panel who will read his works was never known," she said, "Ms. Dulia attempted to prevent this from happening, so she tried to stall for time by having this trial against my master and I!"
"You have no proof!" Ms. Dulia snarled, making CK giggle. "You're right. I can only assume without enough evidence to support me. A deduction is not enough especially if it comes from the defendant," CK smirked and took out her glass pen, "In that case, allow me to bring forth a witness with absolute impartiality to give us the truth."
Professor K'Thal's face contorted with shock for the first time that day as an intricate book of indiscernible patterns manifested and floated above CK's palm.
Madam Yanyan gasped and Professor Kitmar sat up on his seat as a surreal glow was emitted by the book in CK's possession. The entire courtroom fell silent in shock.
"T-The [Maiden's Manuscript]!" Ms. Dulia's voice wavered in shock before she resumed to glaring, "You abhorrently disgusting thief. It was you, all along!"
"Surprise~! Yes, it's me," CK grinned amidst the horrified professors. Professor Kitmar might've been the only one hardly surprised. There was only a thin trace as he pursed his lips, but he said and did nothing else.
"So it was CK who was behind the sealing of the Maiden's Tower," Professor Zeke said. "And the real reason she entered the lowest floor of the school is so she can take the key," Professor K'Thal muttered in surprise before regaining composure.
Professor Kitmar hummed. She did all of this in preparation for the trial. Well played, CK. Well played.
"The [Maiden's Manuscript] is a piece of the [Maiden of Prayer] herself and is capable of many things concerning knowledge. This must also include being able to tell apart distortions of absolute information in the world: to be able to tell apart truths and lies imperative to what we all know," CK said and opened the book with the key.
She placed the key card against the empty space on the book's cover, letting it click together. Indiscernible geometric patterns appeared and surrounded CK as the book vibrated. The faculty members shielded their faces as an influx of light shuttered in the room momentarily.
CK's eyes glimmered in awe as the [Manuscript] successfully opened. It levitated before CK, its pages hardly translucent and its inscribed texts continuously moving.
Her lips curled into a noticeable smirk. Perfect. Everything is going as it should be. She turned to the professors.
"Professor K'Thal is a master lie detector, but I don't think he can tell whether I am right or wrong since I myself don't know the 'truth'. The [Maiden's Manuscript], on the other hand, is a fragment of absolute truth," CK said and placed a hand on the opened pages, "Let's test it out, shall we?"
The energy radiating off the book embraced CK's hand with foreign warmth. Intoxication was beginning to seep into CK's mind, but she immediately regained focus. The influx of power is dangerous.
"Ms. Dulia has intentionally and deliberately tried to prevent Master Erzem from submitting his thesis. Is this an absolute truth?" CK spoke. The book was silent. CK's eyes widened when her other palm holding the glass pen jerked forward, writing a single word in the air.
'Veritas.'
Professor K'Thal stared at this warily. "It means 'truth'," he stated, causing the rest of the professors to feel uneasy. Ms. Dulia gritted her teeth.
"Lies! CK must have tampered with the [Manuscript] so it will follow what she wants it to do!" she said. CK's hand wrote against her will once more.
'Falsus.'
False. Ms. Dulia paled in horror to see this while CK pursed her lips. "I can't move my other hand," she muttered. The [Manuscript] has used her body to be the lie detector. Incredible!
"Ms. Dulia has intentionally allowed a Juris Vindicator to enter the school using an invitation card she gave herself. Is this correct?" CK asked. The book responded with her hand to write.
'Veritas.'
"This can't be… This can't be…" Ms. Dulia muttered, her hands grasping the sides of her head. "You insolent woman. You would dare act against the Nonaphrontistery and work with the Juris?!" Madam Yanyan yelled at her.
"This trial was not held to truly convict me. Correct?" CK asked again. Her other palm wrote involuntarily: 'Veritas'.
"Ms. Dulia is responsible for Theodore Erzem's comatose. Is this correct?" CK asked again. Her palm wrote again, but she frowned at the word written: 'Falsus'.
'Ms. Dulia wasn't the cause for his comatose?' CK frowned. "Theodore Erzem's comatose is intentional. Is this the truth?" CK asked.
The book immediately replied: 'Veritas'. Her frown deepened. That doesn't make sense. What is the reason behind his comatose, then?
"This is getting out of hand again," Professor Kitmar grunted, "The [Maiden's Manuscript] cannot be subjected to influence. Therefore, all that has been verified to be true will be taken into account, and Ms. Dulia shall be taken in for questioning."
"Lies, lies, it's all bloody LIES!" Ms. Dulia shrieked, "You don't fucking understand what it means once Theodore Erzem gives his thesis! I won't allow it! This school shall not be a part of the Empire's schemes!"
"What does she mean by—HEY!" Madam Yanyan yelled when Ms. Dulia reappeared before CK, "Stop right there!"
CK's eyes widened when Ms. Dulia appeared right in front of her, eyes bloodshot hostile as she shoved CK backward, "You filthy brat just had to ruin everything!"
"Ow!" CK said and tripped over her own heels. She braced for impact, only to feel as if she landed on a large pile of feathers. CK looked at this confusingly. Feathers?
Ms. Dulia grabbed the opened [Manuscript] and hugged it in her arms, caging it with a crazed look in her eyes, "This book is fake… The Archetypes won't dare attack a member of the Radiance Church… Fake…"
But she froze upon seeing the crow perched on CK's stomach, staring straight into her eyes with its intense golden eyes. Her lips shook as she frantically began shaking her head, seemingly in terror.
<...Watch closely, little mistress. This is what will happen if you try to touch an Archetype's artifact without their blessing.> Malphas spoke in CK's mind. The young woman frowned, "What…"
"Ah… AHHHH!"
CK's eyes widened as foreign geometric patterns climbed from Ms. Dulia's hands up to her arms. The glowing patterns appeared on her face, and Ms. Dulia let go of the book to claw at her face, "Stop! I can't see!"
CK stared in horror as Ms. Dulia's eyes shone intense lights as she screeched. The rest of the faculty got up alertly and tried to approach, but a surge of energy forced them back as the [Maiden's Manuscript] dropped against the floor.
"AHHHH!"
"The artifact's power will kill her!" Professor K'Thal frowned. Professor Kitmar got up in alert and extended a palm, causing a large surge of water to engulf Ms. Dulia in a water bubble.
Professor K'Thal activated the magic circle in his palm. "Somnum!" he spoke. From within the water bubble, the sigil appeared above Ms. Dulia's head and shattered into pixels. Soon, the screeching stopped, and Ms. Dulia lost consciousness.
The water bubble dissipated, and Ms. Dulia fell against the floor limply. Professor Zeke immediately rushed to pick Ms. Dulia up while Professor Kitmar rubbed his forehead tiredly.
"What a mess. Take Ms. Dulia to the hospital and perform the restriction protocol. As of now, she is to be considered a criminal by association with the Juris," he grunted. "Understood," Professor Zeke nodded.
CK watched him leave the court while carrying the fainted woman, being accompanied by the peace officers standing by the door initially. She looked at the [Manuscript] on the floor next, and she forced herself to get up.
"Ouch… She didn't have to push me that hard," CK grimaced as she bent down shakily to pick the book up. She carefully examined it and dusted the cover, pouting slightly, "She might not like me, but she should have treated the [Manuscript] with a little more respect. Jeez…"
Professor Kitmar sighed and returned to his seat. With another sigh, he regained calmness and adjusted his necktie.
"With the recent developments, the previous charges against CK Vincenzo has been lifted. However," Professor Kitmar glared sternly, "Due to her upfront confession of owning the long-searched [Maiden's Manuscript] and clear evidence of its corresponding key in her possession, new charges of deliberate trespassing unto prohibited areas such as the Maiden's Tower and the Nonaphrontistery's restricted zone and illegal possession of an Archetype's artifact will now be pressed against her."
CK groaned in response. "Come on! Can't you let it go this once? Compared to Ms. Dulia's doing, mine is the lesser evil," she complained.
[The lesser evil, you say?]
CK froze in shock. This sound... It resembles the choirs in the early mornings while incense was burning. It felt like that. It sounded like that.
[Knowledge has its own corresponding gravity. There is no such thing as a 'lesser evil' in the path to knowledge.]
CK shuddered as a faint choir of voices resonated inside the courtroom. Professor Kitmar and Professor K'Thal both looked up in alert, feeling a sudden surge of incomparable aura blanket the room. CK's stifled a gasp as the book flew out of her hand, letting countless pages rain around her.
This overwhelming presence…and it's coming straight from the book! That can't possibly-!
"You…you don't say…" CK muttered out loud, falling into a trance as intense rays of sunlight rained from the ceiling lights, the slow-falling pages in the air a hypnotic scene as a translucent barrier fell on CK, rendering her deaf from the calls outside the barrier.
CK's gaze fell on the woman seated on a pile of books, a veil weaved from countless letters and inscriptions falling on her face and hair. In her hands was the [Maiden's Manuscript], her back turned to CK as she slowly flapped each page.
CK was getting sleepy, hypnotized by an invisible radiation washing all over her body the longer she stood close to this mysterious woman. Eventually, CK was noticed by the woman, who still did not face CK.
[Countless rituals made by lower civilizations play upon the idea of summoning those who are higher. Some did for power, some did for wealth, while some did for wisdom and knowledge.] the same intangible, choir-like voice spoke. The woman looked over her shoulder, but the veil still continued to hide her face.
[You came for the last reason, yet you held no ritual of any sort to invoke this self. Instead, you chose to compromise. Your elders are upset by this due to your culture, and this self understands well.] the woman spoke. CK looked at her curiously.
"You…are the [Maiden of Prayer], aren't you?" she muttered. The woman was silent for a moment.
[This self is the human counterpart of what you call 'Knowledge', the same Archetype whose piece of self lies within the pages of this book your peers come to treasure deeply.] the woman's words were not easy to understand, but CK held her tongue.
[This self has answered your unspoken intentions. Applaud yourself, child. Your schemes have bore you the fruit you wished for, but you have yet to know its taste. But this must be the reason you call for this self, for 'Knowledge'.] the woman spoke disinterestedly, [Have you come to know what the taste is like at a price?]