Tale of a Hedonistic wizard

Some called for Jaegar's immediate release, while others demanded even stricter confinement in light of his clearly immense powers.

Amidst the chaos, Gawter Mersius rose from his seat, his commanding presence drawing all eyes to him. When he spoke, his voice cut through the din like a knife through butter.

"I believe," he said, his tone measured but carrying an undercurrent of excitement, "that we have just witnessed something truly extraordinary. Something that goes far beyond the scope of this trial."

The room fell silent once more, hanging on every word of the Blade Sovereign. "It seems, my esteemed judges," he continued, "that there is far more to young Jaegar Ambrose – and to this case – than any of you initially believed."

As Mersius's words sank in, the atmosphere in the courtroom shifted once again. The earlier shock and disbelief gave way to a tense anticipation. It was clear to everyone present that this trial had become about much more than a simple accusation of magical misconduct.

In the midst of it all, Jaegar stood calmly, his eyes meeting those of Gawter Mersius across the chaotic room. There was a moment of silent understanding between them, a recognition of the momentous nature of what had just transpired.

As the judges huddled together, urgently discussing how to proceed, and the members of the magical council argued amongst themselves, Jaegar allowed himself a small, grim smile. He had taken an enormous risk in revealing the extent of his powers, but it had been necessary. The truth, or at least a glimpse of it, was now out in the open.

Jaegar stood before the council, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and frustration. He tried to recall the events that had transpired, but it was as if he was grasping at smoke. The memories he sought weren't just vague or unclear.

A cold sweat broke out on his forehead as he struggled to piece together the fragments of his recent past. Something was terribly wrong. It wasn't that he couldn't remember; it was as if there was something blocking it.

Suddenly, a flash of insight cut through the fog in his mind. The bracelets. Those cursed, metallic bands that had been clasped around his wrists.

Even now, long after their removal, their insidious influence lingered. Jaegar's jaw clenched as he understood the depth of their power. These weren't mere restraints; they were sophisticated tools of magical suppression.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Jaegar addressed the assembly before him. His voice, though tinged with a hint of uncertainty, carried the weight of truth.

"As you all saw," he began, his eyes scanning the faces of those gathered, "those men were the ones who kidnapped me. And the bracelets they placed on me—" He paused, his gaze dropping momentarily to his wrists, where phantom sensations of the cold metal still lingered. "They were bracelets of anti-magic. They prevented me from using any form of magical ability."

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Jaegar pressed on, determined to make them understand the implications of what he was saying.

"So, I was present there when the barrier was being broken," he continued, his voice growing stronger with each word. "But I don't have any link to the broken incident. I was as powerless as any non-magical being at that moment."

As he finished speaking, a heavy silence fell over the room. The judges, stern-faced and inscrutable, turned to one another. Their hushed voices barely carried to where Jaegar stood, leaving him to wonder about his fate. He watched anxiously as they conferred, their expressions giving no hint of their thoughts.

The hushed deliberation of the judges seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Jaegar stood still, his heart pounding in his chest as he awaited their decision. Finally, the head judge, a stern-faced woman with silver hair, raised her hand for silence.

"Mr. Ambrose," she began, her voice echoing through the chamber, "while your explanation is plausible, we find it difficult to believe that you were entirely uninvolved in the barrier's destruction. The timing is too convenient. Unless you can provide more substantial evidence, we may have no choice but to find you guilty of complicity in this grave matter."

'Fucking damn it!!' Jaegar cursed inwardly. What in the hell are they doing here? Isn't the evidence they showed similar to the one that I showed now? Then former evidence shouldn't also be considered.

Jaegar's mind raced. He knew he was innocent, but how could he prove it? Suddenly, an idea struck him. It was risky, but it might be his only chance.

"Esteemed judges," he said, his voice steady despite his inner turmoil, "I propose a test that will prove my innocence beyond any doubt."

The head judge raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"The anti-magic bracelets suppressed my abilities completely," Jaegar explained. "But they also had another effect – they left a unique magical residue on my skin. This residue interferes with certain types of spells for days after removal. If you have your court wizards cast a simple Reveal Aura spell on me, you'll see the interference pattern typical of these bracelets."

Jaegar, right after removing the bracelets, had faced his magic being failed and wasn't able to wield it to full efficiency. And after a period of time, he learned that, it was because of the residual effect of the bracelets. As the barcelets had been stuck on his hands for a longer time, they had a certain effect on his magic even after removing them.

There were still faint imprints on his wrists if one observed closely.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. The judges exchanged glances, clearly intrigued by this unexpected turn.

"Furthermore," Jaegar continued, seizing the moment, "this residue has a very specific half-life. A skilled wizard can determine exactly how long ago the bracelets were removed. I propose that you do this test. If the time matches my story, it proves I was indeed restrained during the barrier incident."

Arhtur, who was watching along with Gawter, then said, "A clever suggestion, Jaegar. We will proceed with this test."

This chapter upload first at NovelBin.Com