Chapter 57

Rey already knew he couldn’t win—at least, not absolutely.

The evidence stacked against him was substantial, and the reality of his situation was far more implicating than the accusations he was being tried for.

As a result, he settled for a stalemate.

‘The only thing I didn’t expect was the stuff with Lady Vida. She really came at me strongly…’

Fortunately, it didn’t completely derail his plans.

‘In the end, no one can prove I did anything wrong, and there’s no proof I’m guilty.’

That was good enough for Rey.

******

"After carefully examining all the evidence presented and weighing the testimonies provided, along with the defenses put forth by the accused, we have arrived at a decision," announced the head of the Royal Council as they reconvened in the Royal Court.

The Royal Council had been absent from the court for nearly twenty minutes, deliberating on the case at hand.

‘They were gone for quite a while…’ Rey thought to himself as he observed each council member's demeanor, trying to glean any hints from their faces.

In accordance with the judicial protocols of the realm, a majority vote among the five members of the Royal Council was necessary for a verdict to be valid.

‘I guess it takes time for them to reach a reasonable arrangement, even if it’s not a consensus…’

Of the five, Rey only needed three people to take his side. He could already rule out Lady Vida, so he was left with four other options.

Studying their expressions closely, Rey assessed his odds.

‘Lord Conrad seems like a rational person. He should be able to see sense in this…’

He didn’t know much about the other members of the council other than the fact that they were boomers.

As a result, Rey could only cross his fingers and wait for the judgment.

“Rey Skylar will be placed under house arrest and constant surveillance while an active investigation is conducted on the matter.”

The moment Rey heard this, his heart sank.

“This is to determine the truth of what happened, and also to ensure no injustice is meted out.”

The good news was that Rey could return to his old room, and could also enjoy all the benefits of being an Otherworlder.

The bad news was… he couldn’t do much else.

“Per his responsibilities, he will attend Training every morning, but after that is over, he will return to his room and spend the rest of his time there.”

Rey felt a little sting in his heart as he heard that.

“My responsibilities? These guys…!” Rey muttered under his breath, feeling the frustration build within him.

However, he clenched his jaw, keeping his emotions in check.

Showing hostility now would only worsen his situation.

‘It’s not a terrible judgment by any means. It only makes sense that I’ll still be suspected until I’m completely cleared.’

The real challenge lay in the constant surveillance and the strict limitations on his movements.

How was he going to deal with his current prospects?

‘This isn’t good…’

As Rey sighed, Conrad Listrio concluded the verdict in his calm but authoritative tone.

“Rey Skylar… do you have any objections?” He asked.

Rey felt like rolling his eyes.

‘I don’t know how long this investigation will take. It could take forever, and I’ll be trapped without options in that period.’

Not only would he be unable to Level Up, but everything he had built up thus far could crumble in his absence.

‘Damn it… damn it…’

Still, he maintained a calm facade and smiled gently.

“None.”

‘I just need to be patient. If things become unbearable, I can always find a way out,’ Rey reminded himself, strategizing quietly.

“I have an objection!” Unexpectedly, Adonis leaped to his feet, his voice resounding through the massive Royal Court.

Rey’s eyes widened in surprise as he shifted his attention to the rising Hero.

The sudden interruption demanded everyone's attention, including Conrad's.

“What is the matter, Hero?” Conrad asked calmly, though his tone depicted a hint of concern.

“I do not approve of this constant surveillance business! Why are you treating Rey like a prisoner or some sort of dangerous threat?”

As Adonis’ declaration pierced the air, whispers and murmurs began to spread within the court.

"It's a necessary precaution, Hero. You must under—”

“No, I do not understand. Rey is one of us. He was summoned, just like us, to save your world. You can’t treat him like a criminal when you don’t have a single shred of conclusive evidence against him.”

Every supposed proof had either been debunked by Rey’s truthful words or was rendered useless by Adam’s hesitance.

Punishing Rey without a clear justification seemed unjust and rash.

And at the moment there was no such justification.

The members of the Royal Council exchanged meaningful looks, silently deliberating.

Eventually, Conrad spoke again, his tone measured.

"Agreed, Hero. We will refrain from excessive surveillance. However, the house arrest judgment remains in place."

For a moment, no side spoke.

"This decision is necessary for the safety of our entire Nation, as well as for your own protection."

Unless Rey had been proven completely innocent, he couldn’t be allowed unsupervised freedom.

“I understand. Is that fine with you, Rey?”

As Adonis asked this, turning towards the stunned Rey, the latter was speechless for a few seconds.

Finally, he snapped out of his shock and spoke.

“N-no… I mean, Yes! Yes, that’s fine!”

Rey could never have expected Adonis to stand up for him in such a way, but he did so.

‘I thought Alicia would say something and she was about to.’

He had spotted Alicia trying to stand up from the corner of his eyes, but Billy had stopped her from doing so.

He placed his hand on her shoulder and tried to calm her agitation.

Somehow, seeing all of that play out irked Rey.

‘Thankfully, Adonis came through.’

It wasn’t much, but this arrangement was still much better than the Council’s initial verdict.

‘I can still continue my arrangement with Noah, so we can keep making money. I can probably just train my Stats—especially my Mana—and see if I can naturally increase it.

Of course, he would have to make sure he wasn’t being watched. He would also use his Skills to ensure no one could spot him doing anything suspicious if they barged in.

‘It's not the Royal Dungeon, but it's something. I can still get a couple of things done.’

He had no idea when he would be fully released, but knowing Adonis and how he had helped him so many times already, Rey knew he was in good hands.

‘Hopefully, it’s before the whole Dungeon Exploration thing that’s happening soon…’

Rey thought about his treasures, as well as the Hobgoblins he had been nurturing for a while now.

‘I’ve been taking care of them all this time. No one gets them except me!’

It sounded selfish, but Rey didn’t care. He had put in a ton of effort to become stronger, and he wasn’t about to let others reap the fruits of his labor.

In due time, he would swipe his prize.

‘I just have to be productive in the meantime.’

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[A/N]

Thanks for reading!

What do you think of the judgment and Adonis? Let me hear your thoughts in the comments.

Honestly, Adonis is a real MVP!

Also, the Arc is coming to an end soon…