Azure Scepter

Page 59

Chapter 115 The Referee (Part 1)

The thick, dense smell of blood awakened the old mage.

His head was spinning, and he instinctively tried to open his eyes, but the exposed optic nerve bundles were immediately blasted by the cold air, which made his head tremble.

He was in so much pain that he was almost driven mad. Although he opened his eyes, all he could see was endless darkness.

It took him a moment to realize that he had gone blind, blinded by the intense light of the Yangyan Explosion.

"Am I still alive?" The old mage raised his head blankly. Although his eyeballs were charred, the phantom pain that penetrated deep into his brain tore his attention to pieces.

He struggled to recall his pre-collapse memories amidst the boiling, turbid brain matter, and finally managed to remember that he seemed to have been knocked unconscious by the laboratory's owner.

Feeling lost and helpless—that was the only feeling the old monk had right now, perhaps mixed with some anxiety about the future.

"That old bastard woke up really fast. I wish he had never woken up," a somewhat shrill voice said.

The speaker's tone was strange, as if he was deliberately tightening his throat. The old mage pondered for a moment, then realized that the speaker was not human, but rather a goblin—and if he narrowed it down further, he was almost certain that the speaker was a large goblin, the one in the inquisitor's party that had been tracking his teacher.

The old monk thought he would be angry, but he found himself completely calm, his emotions as serene as the mirror-like waters of Lake Varland in the afternoon.

So the old monk replied in a hoarse voice, "You're right."

The old mage knew that both the Inquisitor and his teacher had illegally intruded into a lich's laboratory. Generally, those who are exposed to negative energy for extended periods develop extremely indifferent and cold personalities. The laboratory's owner would show no mercy to uninvited intruders or those who had discovered his secrets.

Since the laboratory is located above the church, the lich might spare the inquisitor and his human followers. However, from the most basic rational perspective, he and the goblins should have little chance of survival.

A quick and clean death might be a better outcome, since falling into the hands of a lich usually results in extremely terrible torture—especially considering that the lich that captured them was disguised as a paladin, its mental state might be much worse than that of an ordinary lich, which means that the other party might inflict even more horrific and bizarre torture on the victim.

"You're blind, serves you right!" The goblin pressed closer, his provocative words filled with undisguised malice.

The old monk didn't care; both he and the other were about to die, so he simply smiled in response.

He didn't believe his teacher, "The Shadow Man," could stand against the lich in the laboratory. Although his teacher was not weak, both the remaining guards in the laboratory and the astonishing magical research were like icebergs faintly visible on the sea, silently demonstrating the laboratory owner's extraordinary strength.

That's definitely not something they can compete with.

The old monk took out his pipe, snapped his fingers, and magically lit the tobacco. Then he took a deep drag.

Looking back, he had nothing to regret. He had lived a life that was worthy of the reputation of being knowledgeable and well-informed. Perhaps his only regret was that he had not gone very far on the path of magic.

Before he fell into a coma, he witnessed how truly top-tier spellcasters cast spells, a level of skill that captivated him. But now, upon reflection, he realized the jealousy in his heart, and the despair hidden within that jealousy.

Even if I had another hundred years, I still wouldn't reach that level.

"Why can't it be me?" he exhaled a smoke ring and chuckled to himself.

The goblin sneered, "You're not only blind, you're insane."

Suddenly, the old mage heard footsteps—he knew that the lich and its undead minions had returned.

It's time to face his fate, though now his destiny is no longer entirely in his own hands—his life and death are now completely decided by others.

But the old monk did not regret it; he knew that he had brought this situation upon himself.

Silence, repression.

Although he was blind, the old mage's other senses became increasingly acute. The first thing he realized was that no miracle had occurred and his teacher had failed. Secondly, he keenly sensed that the lich's strength seemed to have increased dramatically.

He vaguely heard the priest's whispers to the lich, and then the terrifying lich spoke:

"I swear in the name of Radiance, apprentice of the Shadowless One, have you ever committed any extremely evil deeds?"

This lich is incredibly mad; he's actually seriously playing the role of a paladin. The old mage couldn't help but feel that his future was bleak.

Based on what the other party said, it can be naturally deduced that this lich is playing the role of a paladin of the Oath of Vengeance, and at the same time, the other party will definitely release a spell similar to the Domain of Truth.

Therefore, the old monk answered very frankly: "I have done it, quite a lot. However, I only do it when necessary, and the definition of necessary is when my life would be threatened if I did not do it."

“Please tell the truth,” the Spirit-Binding Priest threatened softly.

“I’m telling the truth. I haven’t hidden anything or made any technical adjustments.”

"Ahem..." The lich suddenly cleared his throat very awkwardly, directly interrupting the topic, "Do you have anything to add?"

The old monk sighed and said quite frankly, "I don't regret most of what I've done, but there is one thing that really makes me feel very uneasy."

“A few years ago, I visited the Great Swamp. It was an ordinary afternoon when I encountered a group of goblins who had escaped from a farm deep in the swamp. I was worried about getting in the way, so I ignored them.”

"Thank you, sir," the goblin who had been making sarcastic remarks suddenly said.

The old mage waved his hand: "That night I encountered the farm guards who were chasing the escaped goblins again. They asked me if I had seen the goblins. I didn't want to tell them, but the leader of the vampires promised me a magic storage stone as a reward, so I told them the location of the goblins and even helped them slaughter all of them."

"You feel guilty for killing goblins?" the lich asked curiously.

The old monk took another deep drag on his pipe: "I don't know, but I've always felt uneasy—I feel much better now that I've said it. Is there anything else you want to ask?"

Suddenly, the goblin asked in a hoarse voice, "Were you wearing a black wool cloak that day?"

The old mage turned his head and looked at the earth spirit with his empty eye sockets.

Were you there that day?

"Are you even wearing anything?!" The goblin suddenly stood up.

"It's obvious."

Chapter 116 Judgment (Part Two)

The argument between the goblins and mages escalated further.

Trier was quite shocked at this moment.

He never expected that the old mage and the goblin, who seemed to have no chance of ever crossing paths, would actually have a feud that resulted in the annihilation of an entire family.

Trier originally intended to spare the old mage's life for two reasons: firstly, the blind old man was very honest and told him about the cause of Fydia's sister's death without reservation; secondly, the old mage's enthusiasm for necromancy also made him quite fond of him.

His question about whether the other party had done anything "extremely evil" was merely a routine inquiry, after all, he was, after all, a paladin who had sworn an oath of revenge.

But now, this casual question has plunged him into a predicament where he may break his vow.

Compared to other paladin oaths, the Oath of Vengeance is quite flexible. Even though Trir tricked the militia into becoming cannon fodder, even though Trir ordered the massacre of surrendered cultists, even though he resurrected and enslaved Noy, he did not break his oath for violating it—however, an oath is still an oath, and if he truly let the wicked go, he would still break it.

"There is no mercy for villains." The paladin's gaze swept over the old mage, then over the goblin, and he couldn't help but recall the words he had spoken at the tomb of Kod.

Whether before or after his time travel, Trier was a person who valued efficiency and rationality. He abhorred moral entanglements that were as vague as the condensation on a window in winter. Therefore, he quickly established a framework for analyzing problems based on his own understanding.

"The question is whether the old mage is a villain. This question can be further simplified to whether killing goblins is reasonable or unreasonable."

“If it’s unreasonable, then the old mage should be executed; if it’s reasonable, then he shouldn’t be put in a difficult position; or, from a risk-avoidance perspective, since they all illegally invaded my laboratory, I can execute them all—this would save me from facing this strange and meaningless judgment problem, and I’d also get extra experience points.”

In the past, Trier would have chosen the option of executing them all without hesitation, but now, he found himself wavering with some helplessness.

He found himself feeling a little reluctant.

"Becoming weak, experiences will eventually affect one's character." The time traveler sighed. "Prolonged exposure to negative energy will distort one's mind, and conversely, prolonged exposure to positive energy will also affect my sanity."

"Let's think about this boring ruling issue instead."

He couldn't help but glance at his bag, which was brimming with magic storage stones—these black crystals, which contained powerful spells, were all formed from the immortal essence of countless goblins.

"The Oath of Vengeance supports all reasonable acts of revenge, but if the entire civilized world is built on the premise that killing goblins is justifiable, then the goblins' revenge should not be considered justifiable. In this case, it is indeed justifiable for the old mage to kill a few goblins."

"But this is just my personal judgment. The Oath of Vengeance should have a standard judgment on this. I haven't received religious and ethical training from the paladin system, so I really don't know..."

Trier fell into deep thought. As the conflict between the goblins and mages escalated, he suddenly realized that his knowledge of ethics might still be lacking.

Suddenly, a loud bang interrupted Trier's thoughts.

"Enough!" The judge, who had been silent all along, suddenly slapped the goblin on the shoulder. "You've disturbed this great... uh... paladin. Paladins are experts in making judgments. Instead of arguing, you should listen to the holy one's decision."

"Your Excellency, I agree with this vampire's view. Your rationality convinces me. I request that you make a judgment." The old mage knelt down solemnly.

The earth gnome Joel reacted for a moment, then knelt down as well: "Holy Sel, Radiance, please grant us your divine judgment regarding our conflict."

At this moment, Trier felt terrible. The pleasure he had just gained from reclaiming his inheritance and receiving a large amount of mental attributes from the Drought Lich had completely vanished—he still had to face this foolish moral problem.

The old mage and the earth spirit were solemn and dignified, their expressions reflecting a trust that struck Trier like a hammer blow to the brain, making him feel even more uncomfortable. When he turned to look at Noe and saw the expectation in the other's eyes, his discomfort reached its peak; he even felt as if he were being tortured...

Suddenly, a brilliant idea popped into Trier's mind.

He pondered for a moment, quickly transforming his immature ideas into a reasonable solution, and then said in a deep voice, "In the name of radiance, blood must be repaid with blood; this is in accordance with the requirements of His divine nature."

A slight smile crept onto the goblin Yole's lips, while the old mage remained solemn.

"Goblin, you're asking for this necromancer's life, aren't you?"

The goblin lowered his head: "This ruthless butcher killed all my loved ones, and I ask for nothing more."

Trier nodded slowly and asked, "Mage, is there anything you'd like to add?"

The old monk shook his head.

Trier took out the glowing holy emblem and announced his verdict: "Revenge is not a frivolous matter; it is a sacred and solemn matter. It is one of the natural instincts of living beings, and therefore, it is also the domain of radiance."

—This is not Trill talking nonsense. As a common saying among players goes, "Radiance is a basket that can hold anything."

In The Azure Scepter, Radiance is the dominant faith in the human kingdoms. Apart from leaving behind three volumes of the Covenant of Radiance as religious texts, He did not leave any additional restrictions, so people are free to interpret the scriptures. As long as these different interpretations are logically consistent, they can enable the reader to unleash divine magic.

The Radiance rarely interferes with the mortal world, and is generally not considered a personal god. According to Trier's understanding, it is less a powerful deity and more a kind of black box that bestows divine magic.

According to the mainstream view of the Holy See, the Radiant Light is considered the origin of the world and the representative of world reason. All laws, including natural and social laws, are its concrete manifestations.

The fact that radiance is not a personal god is an important characteristic and also a major reason why Trier chose to become a paladin.

As a high-ranking clergyman, Noy was a truly accomplished theologian, and at this moment, she smiled and listened with great interest: Trier's method of deification was not uncommon, but what he said made a lot of sense, and revenge did indeed fall within the scope of the Radiance.

"Trier will surely come up with a very convincing verdict," she thought with great anticipation.

But the next moment, she froze—

"Goblin, you demand a death sentence, so you must also place yourself on the scales of justice—my verdict is: trial by combat! Let the radiance decide whether your revenge is just or not," the paladin declared.

Trial by combat? Huh?

Noi stared in shock, his mouth agape.

The goblins and the old wizard were also included.

Chapter 117 Judgment (Part 3)

The ceiling above was cracked, and the air was filled with the pungent stench of burnt flesh and negative energy.

The chameleon-like horde of corpses silently formed a circle about 15 meters in diameter. Scattered on the ground were glowing stones, which cast shadowy shadows on the horde in the dim light.

The goblin and his enemies stood in the circular dueling arena, while the surviving temple guards were blocked on the outside by the horde of undead.

The old mage wasn't short, but standing opposite the goblin, he looked like a stunted child. The goblin undoubtedly deserved the title "great"—he was a colossal figure. He wore the standard armor of a temple guard, and beneath his blood-soaked robes, plate armor covered his chainmail. The steel armor, exuding a cold, metallic aura, was covered with scratches and dents from battle, and where, theoretically, the joints should have been vulnerable, one could vaguely see cotton linings soaked with sweat, and leather armor boiled in boiling water.

Trier stood atop the massive corpse of the Muscular Demon, his gaze slowly sweeping across the rudimentary dueling arena.

Unlike the imagined duel scene, there were no banners of glory fluttering here, no dazzling sunlight to enhance the armor, no excited spectators, and no opponents with noble intentions.

Here, there are only corpses scattered everywhere, dim and cold light, silent ghosts, and two adversaries who can be described as fighting to the death.

Trier ultimately chose trial by combat simply to avoid breaking his oath. This wasn't entirely a spur-of-the-moment decision; in fact, in *The Azure Scepter*, trial by combat has always been an important judicial tradition among the human kingdoms. When faced with unresolved accusations involving murder, the disputing parties can either appear in person or appoint a representative to determine the defendant's innocence through a clean and decisive duel.

"Trial by combat, an advanced medieval judicial tradition," the time traveler thought to himself.

Undoubtedly, the goblin has a high chance of winning at this point, but if the old mage uses his magic appropriately, he may also have a chance of winning.

Trier's gaze swept past the old mage's empty eye sockets and landed on the goblin's neck, which was almost cleaved in two. Although he had received some basic treatment, the goblin Yoler's injuries could still be considered severe.

To be fair, this duel could be described as a battle between disabled people...

At this moment, the goblin's right hand was gripping a dagger. Although his fingers were thick, the sharp dagger spun rapidly between his fingertips, its cold light flashing, the blade reflecting his hate-filled eyes. The old mage, on the other hand, seemed to have given up resisting; he stood there, silent as a statue.

"Old man, you have no chance at all. Yorle is the best among us." The female barbarian outside the horde of corpse demons spat and grinned.

The old mage did not answer, nor did the goblin respond; a profound silence fell like frost on every corner, like a winter plague.

Due to his greatly enhanced perception, Trier could even clearly hear the heartbeats of the old mage and the goblin. Interestingly, the heartbeats of the two mortal enemies were now completely synchronized.

Rapid and disordered.

A corpse demon retrieved a golden horn, and in an instant, a deep sound rang out!

In a flash, the goblin pounced, and the old mage raised his left hand, from which came clear and concise syllables.

“If it were me, my first spell would be Repel Creatures. It’s as simple to cast as magic, and the effect is remarkable.” Trier looked at the old mage and pondered to himself, “In short, I need to keep the spell number of syllables under six.”

The next moment, the old mage finished casting the spell, but strangely, no magical light surged from his fingertips.

"Ha, delicious! This dwarf's thigh meat is firm and oily when roasted."

A sharp, beast-like voice suddenly came from the ceiling, as if someone was talking up there.

The old mage actually cast a modified version of the illusionary sound spell! He seemed to be trying to use magic to recreate the scene when he raided the goblins.