Proof of the Demon Lord's Innocence - Chapter 11

The second incident Trias was accused of—the devastation of the Iris Region by wind magic—was mostly based on eyewitness testimony. Freya and Techno were in Iris Town, the first town hit in the Iris Region.

“It’s only been a month since the incident… the place is still a mess”, Freya observed.

Most buildings in Flowermail were made of wood. Stone structures existed, but they trapped heat, making summers unbearable, and were expensive. Since Flowermail wasn’t heavily populated, towns were mostly in temperate regions. There were a few small farming villages in colder areas, but most people settled in warmer areas.

Towns were connected by monorail. Mithril-powered electric vehicles existed, but strict speed limits and high costs made them less common. Long undersea tunnels connected islands and continents. Ships were an option, but Flowermail’s dangerous seas made travel difficult, and air travel wasn’t much better.

Travel between towns was by electric vehicle, train, or bicycle. Electric vehicles were uncommon and noisy, unsuitable for night travel. Bicycles were limited by unpaved roads and deserts. Thus, most people relied on trains. Adventurers, with their physical prowess, often traveled long distances on foot.

“Iris Town was a designated historical site,” Techno said, observing the weary construction workers. “It had famous reliefs and architecture. Most of it was destroyed or lost in the disaster… the damage is unreal.”

Mages levitated heavy woods that were difficult to move manually. Mages were common on construction sites. Building relied on the teamwork of mages and physical job classes, especially since large construction machinery was still rare and expensive.

Workers carefully used magic to take apart damaged walls and pillars. A family wept nearby. An old man stared blankly. The weight of the loss was undeniable.

“It was definitely wind magic,” Freya said. “There’s still a faint magical residue. With all the reconstruction, it’s hard to say what it looked like right after. But judging by the tornado’s speed, it probably wasn’t just one person’s doing.”

“Everyone’s working so hard… They’ve made good progress… some buildings are still standing.”

“Yeah. And the construction magic is interfering with the magical traces. It’s harder to detect Trias’s magic here than at the village.”

They headed toward a crumbling inn near the town entrance. Only a dangling sign indicated its former function. The roof was caved in, walls crumbled, pillars exposed. Without prior knowledge, they might not have recognized it.

“This is where Trias was supposedly turned away,” Freya said.

Despite the damage, the inn’s cheap quality was clear. An overturned bed, a moldy painting… these things probably existed long before the attack.

“Trias was really broke. I can’t imagine him staying in a place like this. It probably would have collapsed in an earthquake even without the tornado.”

“Don’t say that. But… it doesn’t seem like he chose this place out of necessity.”

Techno glanced across the street. A solid stone hotel stood tall, mostly untouched. Stone construction was expensive, especially for a building of ten or more stories. It was likely luxurious and expensive.

“I’m not sure about the rates, but that hotel seems more like Trias’s style. Like a prince in a small castle.”

“It does look like a small castle.”

“He chose this ruined inn over that hotel. He really was broke. How does someone who just committed robbery end up broke? It’s obvious.”

“Yeah…”

Trias had likely tried to stay here and been turned away after they recognized him from the wanted poster. His account and the witness testimony matched on that point.

The problem was the next part. The witness who claimed to have seen Trias summoning the tornado was also from this town.

“There’s a gap between when Trias was turned away and when the attack happened. The tornado started here in Iris Town and moved north, destroying several towns. But Trias’s supposed actions don’t make sense.”

This was one of Freya’s biggest issues. The tornado had hit Iris Town, then Rezer’s Tail City, then Corn Moss City, moving north. Trias had been seen traveling north after being turned away from Iris Town, also being turned away at other inns. The tornado followed his path. The last sighting of Trias was in Genshan Town, at the northern edge of the Iris Region. The date of this sighting matched Trias’s account.

But the tornado hit Iris Town, at the southern edge of the region, three days after Trias was seen in Genshan Town.

“Why would the attack start in the south after he traveled north? He could have made it back to Iris Town in three days, especially if he pushed himself. That’s probably why the sighting didn’t give him an alibi. But it’s ridiculous. Just because he could’ve made it back doesn’t mean he did. It would’ve been an exhausting journey with hardly any sleep.”

“Exactly!”

“And if Trias was the culprit, it would have been more efficient to start the tornado in Genshan Town and move south. There’s no reason to start in Iris Town. It’s inefficient. And after being turned away from multiple inns, why would he draw attention to himself by destroying the region? It’s like he wanted to be blamed.”

Of course, the government would argue that he did want to be blamed, especially since he later released a declaration of war.

“The witness was a merchant woman, a Black Mage, visiting Iris Town on business. She’d be sensitive to magic. She says she saw Trias summoning the tornado from a hilltop overlooking the town. They confiscated a red robe that matches Trias’s description and that he admits to owning. But why would he wear something so obvious while committing a crime? Plus, similar robes are sold everywhere. It’s not enough to call it conclusive evidence.”

Freya stopped. Beyond the construction site, he could see the hill next to the town. A white stone platform on top of the hill was a popular scenic viewpoint. From that distance, it would be possible to identify someone’s general appearance, even if facial features were unclear. Hair color and clothing would be visible.

—The merchant identified him based on his hair and magic, not his face. A Black Mage could identify someone by their magic…

“Excuse me! Don’t stand there!”

Freya jumped back as two women carrying a large wood rushed past. They were muscular, probably Fighters or Swordsmen.

“S-sorry!”

“We’re busy rebuilding! Don’t block the way!”

Freya suddenly felt of shame. He hadn’t been paying attention. Then he noticed where the women were carrying the wood: a tall, damaged wooden building that appeared to be a hotel. It was less grand than the stone hotel, but the entrance porch, still intact, was painted a vibrant light green, with elegant rose reliefs.

“Techno, a favor?” A thought hit Freya. Techno was less noticeable, and his youthful appearance made him less intimidating.”

“What is it?” Techno asked, tilting his head.

“I need you to check something for me.” He might have stumbled upon something important.