Proof of the Demon Lord's Innocence - Chapter 12

Based on the records, the merchant’s daughter who saw Trias’s alleged crime in Iris Town was Matilda Rosemoss. She was a key witness for the prosecution. Matilda was seventeen, with freckles and reddish-brown hair tied in pigtails. Instead of going to school, she helped her parents. They weren’t rich—the Balanberry harvest had been bad because of the heatwave. To make money, they did magic-based repair work on the side.

“We were selling berries in Iris Town that day. Sales… weren’t good. We were struggling.”

Her testimony was a bit hesitant, but still clear.

“It was a sunny day, very windy, and there was a bad sandstorm. The town has a barrier, so even with strong winds, we don’t usually get much sand… but the north side of town is right next to the desert. My father and I were worried about traveling to the next town since we had to sell all our berries. Then, out of nowhere, this strange, powerful wind started blowing—without any sand.”

Towns in Flowermail had barriers—walls that gave off a scent to keep monsters away, while Barrier Mages maintained a protective field against harsh weather. These mages were either Mages or Summoners. Iris Town should have had that kind of protection too.

“I use Black Magic for work, so… I’m pretty sensitive to magic. Right away, I knew someone was using it. I looked up toward the hill… and there he was. Standing on the platform. A tall figure in a red robe… with long, indigo hair. I couldn’t tell if it was a man or a woman, and I couldn’t see their face… but when the prosecution showed me the interrogation recording… I recognized the magic. The magic I felt that day… and the magic from the man being interrogated… were the same. So… I’m sure it was Trias who attacked Iris Town…”

“Interesting,” Freya said, holding a box of Balanberries he’d bought in Iris Town and had shipped to his office. They were too big to carry himself. He’d never seen the Iris Region’s specialty fruit before and had expected them to be smaller—especially since a young girl had been carrying them. But just one berry was almost too big for him to hold with both hands.

“How did Matilda and her father carry these? Just one is heavy.”

“That’s what makes Balanberries special.”

Techno took the berry and carefully placed it back in the box. It looked even heavier in his small hands. Freya had bought them for a reason, but he wasn’t sure they’d fit in the office fridge.

“They’re about the size of Flower Baseball balls. Dense, nutritious, and they stay fresh for a long time if refrigerated. Want some?”

“Sure. You too, Techno?”

“Yes. I’ll get some plates.”

Matilda and her father had apparently been carrying the berries in a cart. With that much weight, traveling through a sandstorm would have been difficult. Had they used the train, or shipped the berries ahead?

“They were selling berries the day before too. They had decent sales then. Here you go.”

Techno, always efficient, peeled the purple skin off, showing the pale green flesh inside. Freya cut a piece and took a bite.

A firm, jelly-like texture and a burst of tartness filled his mouth.
“Whoa, this is good! Really sour, but addictive. I need a beer.”

“We’re still working.”

“Alright, alright.”

The berries were indeed nutritious. Only a piece was surprisingly filling. He’d have to fit the rest into the fridge.

“About what you asked me to check… you were right.” Techno carefully trimmed the berry clusters with scissors. The branches, despite the berries’ weight, were surprisingly thin. They were apparently flexible, absorbing the weight.

“If that’s true… we can discredit the testimony. And we might be able to establish an alibi for Trias.”

“We’ll need to verify. It’ll be a pain, though.”

“But there’s still a problem. Proving Trias couldn’t have done it isn’t enough. We need to find the real culprit.”

“I know.”

They managed to squeeze the remaining berries into the fridge. Balanberries for snacks for a while, Freya thought, as they considered their next move. Trias’s guilt was practically ruled out. But who had committed the murders and destroyed the towns?

—And there’s probably a mastermind behind it all… This trial is going to depend on our next move. We need to find some witnesses who can help us…

A mastermind. Someone who wanted to frame Trias, to frame a Demon Lord.

The government had a motive. They’d been dealing with Demon Lord incidents for a while. They’d probably want to monitor and control all Demon Lords from birth.

But current law didn’t allow detaining people without cause. Not all Demon Lords were criminals, and the potential for future crimes wasn’t exclusive to Demon Lords.

To change the law, they needed public support. They had to create a climate of fear that would justify restricting the freedom of Demon Lords, no matter their actions. Freya knew there were people out there who would make that happen.

“There are two leads,” Freya said, holding up two fingers. “The declaration of war video, and the stolen valuables from Anemone Village.”

The video was part of the evidence. He’d need to examine it carefully. If Trias didn’t make it, someone else did, or it was fabricated.

“Trias couldn’t have made that video. Sphere cameras and computers are huge and expensive. Trias could barely afford an inn, let alone a camera and a computer to edit the footage.”

Only a limited number of people had access to such equipment. It wasn’t something an ordinary person could afford.

“We need to talk to Trias again.”

If the video was edited, Trias might recognize parts of it. That could lead them to evidence.

And there was the thieves’ settlement. If they truly accepted Trias without prejudice, they might be willing to testify.

But they needed to trust Freya. He needed to convince them he was on Trias’s side, that he was there to help. He’d have to find clues in Trias’s story.

And since Trias was accused of robbery, the prosecution knew what was stolen. Trias didn’t have it. The real culprit likely still had it, or had sold it. Finding the stolen goods could prove Trias’s innocence.

—The thieves might know something about the real culprit. I need to get information from them.

Even against powerful opponents, you could still win if you didn’t give up.

He wouldn’t break. Freya renewed his resolve. This was no longer just about proving Trias’s innocence.