Proof of the Demon Lord's Innocence - Chapter 2

In the world of Flower Mail, everyone was born with a natural talent called a “Job”.

Take the swordsman, for example. As the name suggested, they were naturally gifted with swordsmanship. They tended to have high physical abilities, and their robust build often made them larger than most, regardless of gender.

Then there were the minstrels. If they didn’t take up adventuring, they usually pursued music. They had perfect pitch, could master any instrument, and their songs could produce effects similar to support magic. While each minstrel had their favorite instrument, the harp was the most iconic, thanks to a legendary adventurer who made it famous long ago.

Other Jobs included black mage, white mage, dragoon, pugilist, beastmaster, summoner, thief, and gunner, to name a few. By now, over a dozen Jobs had been recognized, but many believed there were still undiscovered talents waiting to be revealed.

In this world, no one was without potential. Everyone had a unique talent that helped them find their place, whether as a hero or in some other profession.

But there was one Job that stood out for all the wrong reasons: The Demon Lord. It was the most powerful and yet the most feared. Those born with this Job were destined to be outcasts because, throughout history, Demon Lords had brought nothing but disaster to the world.

“People with the Demon Lord Job are said to be born at a rate of about one in ten thousand. It might be less or more, but many who are born with this Job live in hiding to avoid prejudice and persecution”

Techno explained, casually flipping through a stack of documents. Freya couldn’t help but marvel at his multitasking skills—handling papers while sipping coffee—especially since Techno had a history of spilling coffee on newspapers and turning mornings into a mess.

“However, people with the Demon Lord Job often have physical traits that give them away. For starters, they’re all exceptionally good looking. Most are male, but sometimes female Demon Lords. Interestingly, every arrested Demon Lord was stunningly handsome or beautiful. Pretty enviable, huh?”, Techno said.

“Yeah, they must be popular. Unlike a shorty like you—ow!”

“Sh*t up, or I’ll k*ll you”, Techno snapped, his small figure didn’t match the fierceness in his voice.

Freya grimaced as he rubbed the back of his head where Techno had sm*cked him. Despite his small figure and delicate looks, Techno was anything but fragile. Freya often wondered why someone with his fiery temper ended up as a paralegal. Then again, Techno’s Job was a pugilist, which explained the ridiculous strength behind that slap.

Scooting his chair a little farther away, Freya fiddled nervously with his messy red hair, sweating on his forehead. Getting p*nched by Techno wasn’t exactly on his to-do list today. Life was too short for that.

“Some Demon Lords were suspected just because they were too popular”, Techno said, completely ignoring Freya.

“Secondly, they’re hermaphrodites. They might look male or female, but they’re actually inters*x. It usually comes up during physical exams, though their mental gender tends to match their appearance.”

Freya frowned, trying to process that. “Being a good looking hermaphrodite must make it hard to stay low… So, this one was the same?”

Techno nodded and took a sip of his coffee, not spilling a single drop. Freya tapped the newspaper photo on the table. The article detailed how Demon Lord Trias Marigold had been defeated and arrested by a hero, with a photo of the rumored Demon Lord included. Flower Mail’s newspapers were always in full color, thankfully.

The photo showed a strikingly handsome young man who was obviously a Demon Lord Job holder. He had long indigo hair and matching downcast eyes. His skin was so pale it almost glowed, even by Caucasian standards. At eighteen, he was Freya’s age. As Freya read the article, his frown deepened.

“The charges are conspiracy to overthrow the state, violating public order laws, mass murder, robbery, obstructing official duties, and issuing threats… Basically, he tried to take over the world and caused a ton of chaos. Happens every few years—so annoying”, Techno said, rolling his eyes.

Freya sighed. People with the Demon Lord Job didn’t get arrested for no reason. Sure, they had rights, but applying to the government meant living under constant surveillance. Once marked as a Demon Lord Job holder, you were labeled a lifelong threat to national security. To avoid that, many chose to hide their Job or applied under a different one. Of course, if they were caught, they’d be hit with perjury charges too.

The government’s paranoia wasn’t baseless, though. Demon Lords were ridiculously powerful and had wreaked havoc multiple times throughout history. Yet, no matter how strong they were, they always ended up either dead or captured by heroes. Funny enough, “Hero” wasn’t a Job name—it was more like an honorary title. Whoever took down a Demon Lord got a government commendation, a hefty reward, and the official title of Hero.

“The one who captured him was Keny Cockscomb, an adventurer with the swordsman Job. There’s a photo of him here”, Techno said, tapping the newspaper.

“Ah, yeah, I see it,” Freya replied.

The picture showed a sturdy young man with brown hair standing next to a reporter. Judging by her height, Keny had to be well over 190 cm tall. His broad shoulders and thick neck made him look more like a pro fighter than an adventurer.

“Apparently, Keny and his group stopped an attack on Sunflower City. They tracked down Trias, who was hiding there and stirring up trouble”, Techno continued.

“Hmm”, Freya murmured, glancing back at the article.

“The prosecution’s already working on an indictment. They’ve got tons of witnesses and evidence, so it’s only a matter of time before Trias ends up on trial. Problem is, no lawyer wants to take his case. I mean, who’d want to defend someone who tried to conquer the world?”

Freya thought it was understandable. A happy ending where a Demon Lord is defeated by a hero is almost a given in this world. Even if people know harmless Demon Lord Job holders exist, it’s different when a Demon Lord actually causes trouble. Once indicted, a guilty verdict is almost certain. No one has ever heard of a Demon Lord who plotted world domination, was captured by a hero, and was acquitted.

Defending a Demon Lord in such a case is like taking on a predetermined losing battle. Who would willingly take on such a defense?

Lawyers generally only take cases they have a chance of winning. If the Demon Lord admits guilt and seeks a reduced sentence, that’s one thing—but according to the article, Demon Lord Trias denies the charges. The odds of winning are slim.

“Still, the constitution guarantees everyone the right to a trial and defense. Even if no one takes the case, a court-appointed lawyer will be assigned.”

“A court-appointed lawyer, huh… I doubt they’ll be motivated. The pay for those cases is low, and this trial is almost certainly a loss.”

“That’s true.”

But Techno looked up.

“Freya, you intend to take this case, don’t you? Because Demon Lord Trias is the person you’ve been searching for all these years.”

Freya thought Techno probably wanted to stop him. Despite Freya’s tendency to defy authority and do as he pleased, Techno had stuck with him for three years. He had supported Freya even before the office was established, when they lived in a rundown apartment away from their parents.

Techno claimed he was a paralegal to study for his own law license, but Freya knew the truth. Techno was worried about him. He was there to fight alongside Freya, knowing better than anyone what Freya truly wanted.

“…The Demon Lord Job itself isn’t a crime.”

Freya had shared the general situation with Techno. That was why, despite wanting to stop him, Techno had informed Freya before he even saw the newspaper.

In Techno’s position, stopping him was the obvious choice. Since the defendant denied the charges, Freya would undoubtedly aim for an acquittal, not a reduced sentence. Even if it meant going against public opinion or, at worst, the government itself. Defending someone wasn’t a crime, but it would leave a stain of defeat and likely get him blacklisted in the industry. It was an obstacle he should avoid for his future as a lawyer.

Freya understood that. Yet, he still…

“Despite that, just because someone with the Demon Lord Job is captured, everyone assumes it’s normal. “See, another foolish Demon Lord tried to conquer the world”, they say, pointing and laughing. Even though, as a suspect, they’re not yet proven guilty. Once their face and name are in the newspaper, everyone assumes they’re guilty.”

“Freya…”

“Isn’t that discrimination? No one can change the Job they’re born with.”

When Freya reached out, Techno hesitated before handing over the documents. Freya carefully placed them in a file and stood up.

“I want to change the world. In that sense, maybe what I’m trying to do is world domination too.”

Freya had vowed when he became a lawyer.

He would be a lawyer to save someone. Especially to help those suffering from false accusations.