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The judges around Ryuusei all made quite… uncomfortable expressions. They exchanged looks before coming to the conclusion that they were most likely thinking about the same thing.
”Hey Ryuu—“ Dushi spoke up ”—you’ve got any thoughts on this particular topic?”
The boy snapped out of his thoughts once he was adressed, turning his gaze towards the judge with the serious look in his eyes.
"Well, since my lords already stated that only something with a high grade could curse demons to such extent, would it be possible to have been done by someone from the High Court…?"
He knew full well he was proposing treason but right now, it was the only option that seemed valid to him
(Okay, this is just my bad. I thought I’d already replied to this, sorryyyyyyy~~)
The smile the seventh judge gave to Koki was similar to that of a parent to a child. Perhaps Koki was bringing some memories for her.
”Yes, that are somethings you’re definitely allowed to do” she mentioned.
She soon looked down, as if she was thinking of something or… perhaps someone."Are you alright Miss?" Koki was very excited, but she did look pretty concerned for the Seventh Judge. Her leg was bouncing and she put her hand on her knee to make it stop, all while keeping her eyes on the judge.
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”That…” Dushi was a bit taken back by the answer he received. Ryuusei was being logical with the situation; to beat a judge, you’d need a judge.
”Then we have nine suspects…” Dushi said, scooting over to beside Ryuusei and looking at the two other Judges in front of him.
The Sixth and the First Judge nodded, knowing full well that they couldn’t get away with not being one of the suspects.
”Let’s start interrogating, shall we?” Dushi asked his apprentice.
”Hm—?” the Seventh Judge looked up again and gently wave her hand.
”I’m fine dear, I was just… thinking of someone from my past” she claimed. She then stood up.
”Well, there’s no use loathing around—“ she stated ”—let’s go see your abilities in action, shall we?”
Ryuusei looked at the judge as he scooted next to him, seeming slightly surprised. He knew the man was taking the logical course of action, but in his mind, no one was safe from being a suspect, not even Dushi.
Of course he felt bad for thinking such things, but one can never be too weary.
Koki bounced up, nodding energetically. "Heck yeah!" She cheered, pumping her fist, subject change successful. "… How do we do that?"
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Dushi noticed Ryuusei’s subtle reaction right off the bat.
”As I thought, none of us are save from being a suspect… which is understandable” the Eighth Judge gave out the idea, pacing around before bringing up.
”How about this? Tomorrow we’re having a Judges’ meeting anyways, perhaps we can start there” he mentioned.
The Seventh Judge chuckled softly at the actions Koki were preforming. Oh how it reminded her of… him.
”We can go to my backyard and I’ll teach you the basics”
As much as he would have wanted to rule out Dushi as a suspect, he had to abstain from any decision until the meeting was held.
"That would probably be for the best." he nodded, looking back at Dushi and the other two, then at Kaito, hoping the other male agreed to this decision. The sooner as the source of the cursed demons was discovered, the sooner they could rest easily
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Kaito nodded as he turned to Diancheng.
”Would it be alright if Ryuusei and I were to not rest at your places? I’m not trying to say that I don’t trust you all but it’s only for our best… I hope you understand” the man stated in a low voice.
The Sixth Judge nodded.
”Don’t worry, I understand” he said as he turned to his fellow Judges.
”Well, should we leave them be?” he asked his comrades as they answered with a soft smile.
”Sure, it’s getting kind of late after all” the Eighth Judge mentioned before turning to Ryuusei.
”Well, see you at my court tomorrow after you’ve had your breakfast”
”You too, at my court” the Sixth judge said to Kaito as the Judges all turned and left.
Kaito soon sighed heavily.
”What was I dragged into…” he started to complain.
The Seventh Judge chuckled softly at the actions Koki were preforming. Oh how it reminded her of… him.
”We can go to my backyard and I’ll teach you the basics”
Koki nodded eagerly. "Sounds good to me!" She laughed, smiling widely. She was just so excited at the thought of magic, like she knew everyone else had magic, but her??? It felt so weird!
Ryuusei too was ok with Kaito's suggestion of not resting at the judge's place - he had really appreciated the hospitality and the nice treatment, but until things were solved they had to keep away.
"We understand. We shall meet you tomorrow then." he nodded as well, before the judges parted ways with them. Left alone with Kaito, he gave him an understanding look when the other complained. Neither he had anticipated that once he'd pass away and arrive in the afterlife he'd find himself in an environment very similar to the one he'd left behind. Seems that not even the spiritual world was free of drama and deep secrets.
(bump)
(Yoink)
(bump)
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(Ah! Ah!! Ah!!! Sorry!! I had too many notifications to clear ;-;)
The Seventh judge smiled widely as she guided Koki outside.
The backyard of the court was quite large, almost as large as the court itself.
”Here, please have a look around first” the judge stated.
The backyard had a white marble pavilion, several small batches of flowers of many different kinds, a small waterfall, and some other decorations.
Kaito raised his hand to his chin and started to make a humming sound.
”Now that I think about it—“ the man started ”—why do I feel like the person behind this ‘cursing’ thing might be someone else we don’t know yet. If I remember correctly, the judges are under another person’s ruling… right?”
"Well, yes. Though what reason would they have?" he asked back, considering the option.
One judge doing some hidden ju ju behind everyone's back seemed something pretty standard - after all, thats what happened all the time in the human world; there was no government or leading power that did not have at least one corrupt individual in it. But if the problem lay with the person who was all the way in the top of all things, then it would be like puppeteering everyone beneath. And if uncovered, that person held the power to pull the rug from everyone's feet and do heaven knows what.
The whole prospect was very grim and pretty scary, but all options had to be considered.
"Hah…, so many options, no one is safe here" he sighed, massaging his forehead, feeling slightly tired from all the pressuring options. They did not even know most of the people of the heavenly court, other than the judges
(meep)
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”Indeed…” he agreed with a soft sigh.
”Well, we can’t do anything at the moment, let’s just return to the mansion… hopefully the fourth judge will be somewhat trustable” he said before setting foot towards the structure in the distance. He’d been thinking and narrowing down the choices so that he could make the smartest decision. However, it would seem like there were too many options at the time, and all had to be considered thoroughly. What Ryuu said was right—no one is safe here.
The boy nodded as he followed the other back towards the mansion, inwardly praying his suspicions were unfounded. So far, the judges had been extremely kind to all of them - with the exception of the ninth one of course, that guy was already very similar to what he was used to see in life - and the thought that one of them could be dipping their finger in dark ju ju tarnished that kind image.
Personally, he prayed Dushi was as innocent as he hoped he was, not wanting for the man to fall in disgrace. He believed with all his heart the judge was on the good side, but doubt still managed to creep in like a rodent in the wall
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Kai wasn’t exactly fond with the thought of one of the judges being a bad person. Sure, the ninth judge was cruel to them but perhaps that was just his nature. The other judges were… questionable in their personality though, he thought.
The first judge, Qinguang, was nice when Kaito first met him. He acted like that of an elder brotherly figure. However, it was clear that he was strong, possibly even stronger than the sixth judge.
The second, Chujiang, though undoubtedly not as friendly as the first, was still a great person to hang out with. Added to that was the fact that the sixth judge, the one Kaito chose to train him, was great friends with him.
The third judge, Songdi, seemed suspicious to Kaito. The reason being the fact that he seemed secretive yet incredibly smart and strong. It was as if plans of actions were preformed in his head at all times.
The fourth, Wuguan, the mistress of the mansion. Kaito wanted to trust her, that was for his own safety as well. He needed to live in her territory for who knows how long… he needed to persuade himself into a sense of security, even if it was a false one.
The fifth, Yanluo, was undoubtedly a strict man. However, it was because of his strict personality that Kaito believed he wasn’t the culprit. He looked like he had a soft spot, one that Kaito wanted to find out soon. Perhaps he might even be one of the better ones.
The sixth, Diancheng, Kaito’s ‘teacher’ per say. Dian was not out of the list. True, Kaito was around him at all times but as shown in previous situations, he was a master at multitasking. Who knew what he was capable of?
The seventh judge, Taishan, one Kaito was not exactly familiar with. Diancheng had shown him some pictures of her but he had not met her fully yet. Hopefully, she’ll be as friendly as the photo taken of her best.
The eighth, Dushi, he really hoped this judge wasn’t the culprit. Ryuusei seemed like a man who wouldn’t let something of injustice control him. Honestly, he didn’t know much about the eighth judge himself other than from what Diancheng had told him… perhaps he’ll ask Ryuusei when he has time to.
The ninth judge, Pingden, already Kaito’s least favorite judge. He was a jerk, hopefully that was it and that he was nothing else but that.
Lastly, the tenth judge, Zhuanlun. Kaito had a rough time dealing with Zhuanlun’s trial. It gave him the idea that perhaps Zhuan was the strongest of the judges… he kept this idea to himself though.
Upon stepping into the mansion’s area, Kaito turned to Ryuu.
”Do you have time to spare after we’ve dealt with our personal routines? Perhaps fifteen to twenty minutes? I want to talk to you about some things”
Whilst Kaito reviewed each judge in particular in his mind, Ryuu had walked beside him quietly, calmly gazing at the scenery, minding his own thoughts.
The possibility of a traitor was already as stressful and intimidating as it was, thus Ryuu was trying to settle his thoughts in order to not get lost in them. A clear mind was still needed to tell the truth.
"Hm?" he hummed lightly as he turned his head around to look at Kaito. "Ah, after the daily routine? I believe so, unless something else comes up. Is there a place where do you wish to meet at?"
Now that he was an apprentice of a heavenly judge, he really did not have much else to do in his spare time, unlike his previous life, when pretty much all of his time was occupied by work, training and running around to fulfill various tasks. His current schedule felt like a pleasant breeze
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”Hmm… perhaps the garden at the back of the mansion. I heard Wuguan talking about how no one can hear you while you’re in the garden, it just sounds like a great place to talk about something this sensitive” Kaito answered.
He was the one to open the door to the mansion. It was getting late so naturally, most people would be awake. The two officers who worked for the fourth judge, though, were examples of exceptions.
They did not acknowledge Kaito’s and Ryuusei’s presences yet as they were cleaning the kitchen someone made a mess in.
”Sorry to bother you two. I really shouldn’t have tried cooking” the judge clothed in an emerald robe apologized with a nervous laugh at the end. Somehow, he’d made a mess in the kitchen so bad that it had gone up in flames… parts of it at least.
"Mn, the garden it is then" he agreed, as the other opened the door. He wasn't sure what the sensitive matter was, but the recent events gave him a small clue.
In the kitchen, he was momentarily amazed by the mess, looking the room up and down, asessing the damage. He wasnt even sure how one could set the kitchen on fire, but then again, his old home did not even have a proper kitchen to begin with.
"What happened here?" he questioned, frowning upon the scene and not forgetting to give a polite head bow to the judge when he turned towards them
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”Uhm… well first, hello again—“ the second judge greeted the two non-heavenly figures ”—and… I was going to try to make some grilled skewers but I forgot how strong the fire was in Wuguan’s place. So, instinctively, I ignited the stove with my own powers instead of using the matches and all hell broke loose as you can see…” he gave a really, really nervous laugh.
[Cue Character Introduction Page]
(Chujiang, The Second Judge)
(Magic : Natural Reaction — The judge is able to create and combine natural substances. Meaning, he can create chemicals, flares, electricity, etc. from tips of his fingers. However, it must be taken into a count that he cannot do this forever. He requires a lot of energy to do such things)
(Wielded Weapon : Alchemist’s Gae Bolg)
(Weapon’s Signature Magic : Chemical Pierce)
Ryuu bit his lips in a "oHo" face as he continued to look around the room, impressed by the damage. On one side he was actually quite impressed by everything, but he also hoped the damage wasnt too great, and that the other judge would not be too angry.
"Do you need any help?" he asked the two officers busy with cleaning the mess
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Tanaka and Ayumi both denied the kind offer. They were quite fond of their job it seemed. The fourth judge came running down the stairs, still his her robe.
She gave a disappointed sigh when she saw Chujiang.
”You… are no longer allowed in the kitchen” she said with a stern voice.
”Not even for snacks?”
”Not even for snacks.”
The second judge made a small pouting face before making his way out.
Somehow, the two officers finished cleaning right after Chujiang closed the doors to the mansion. They worked fast, that was for sure.
It was roughly 4 hours until midnight would strike so Wuguan invited the two back to their rooms where they could take a rest after certain daily routines were completed.
Ryuu felt slightly sorry for the banned judge, not daring to think of the funny side of the situation in case it might get him into trouble - old habits die hard it seemed.
He slightly hurried himself to complete the daily routine, wondering what Kaito wanted to talk with him about. In his room, he changed clothes again, switching to a more relaxed simple robe and sending the others to be washed. It felt very odd to have several new pairs of clothing he could switch between, but it was a very nice feeling regardless
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Kaito hurried to do his own as well. Though honestly, he did not need to hurry at all. After bathing himself in a bathroom similar to that of his own back when he was alive and after he finished changing clothes, he walked silently towards where he remembered Ryuusei’s room to be located at.
He knocked on the door twice, expecting an answer. He, though, sensed something along the lines of a dark lurking figurine down the other side of the hallway. He turned, yet nothing was present. He was confused but he brushed it aside as just a false sense of a danger. Hopefully.
Just as he'd finished drying his hair, the knock at the door came thus, with silent footsteps he made his way to the wooden door and slid it open, only to be met by Kaito looking along the hallway. He tucked a wild strand behind his ear before speaking.
"Ah, Kaito. You're here"
He only wore a simple kimono held together with a dark obi, though it was opened slightly to reveal some of his chest
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Kaito wasn't exactly surprised by how Ryuusei was dressed. To be perfectly honest, he was expecting the man to be dressed somewhat like what he was presented with. After all, all he was wearing was a simple clean t-shirt with the words '取り戻す' (Torimodosu) which roughly translates as “When life knocks you down, dust yourself off and get back up again” written in black on its front and a drawing of a boy holding a floating lantern on its back along with a long pair of black training pants. Though… the cleavage Ryuusei shown did catch him by surprise, just a bit though. He'd cleaned his mind of the feeling of uncertainty he felt earlier regarding the hallway and focused on Ryuusei and the task at hand between them.
"Indeed I am" he replied plainly to what Ryuu had said. Now to the difficult parts.
"Shall we head down to the garden?"
