During the court’s proceedings, Lin Yu undeniably gained the upper hand in her defense. The arguments aiming to brand her a traitor were systematically dismantled, while her own rebuttals remained virtually unassailable.
Beyond casting suspicion on how Lin Yu acquired her knowledge of Ranforce, they found themselves utterly unable to shake her position.
It was clear she had already triumphed in this trial. All that remained was to prove she had diligently dedicated herself to healing the wounded and saving lives during these past days, thereby freeing herself from the terrible accusations levied against her.
The sole impediment, however, was that Nangong and her seniors were all barred from testifying on Lin Yu’s behalf.
Including the lieutenant colonel, their close associations with Lin Yu had led the court to forbid their appearance as witnesses. The only person who could now attest to her consistent performance of duties in the medical tent was the quartermaster himself—who, naturally, sat in the plaintiff’s seat and would offer no testimony to clear Lin Yu’s name.
The wounded she had treated were either dead or missing, leaving only ‘him’.
That face resurfaced in her memory.
‘Please, for all the times I’ve treated you, you absolutely must come and testify for me… If they manage to dredge up any more so-called “evidence” during this recess, all my previous efforts will have been utterly in vain…’
Of all their numerous encounters to date, this was the solitary instance Lin Yu had ever actively wished for his swift arrival.
‘You absolutely cannot die; the lieutenant colonel must find you and bring you here…’
“The court is now in recess!” The judge’s gavel struck once more, and Lin Yu’s taut heart eased ever so slightly.
Behind her, the spectators began to murmur and chat amongst themselves, while the judge directly opposite lowered his head, organizing the documents on his desk.
As for the quartermaster and his accomplices, who sought her demise?
They huddled together, whispering conspiratorially, occasionally glancing up at Lin Yu with insidious, hate-filled stares.
‘I truly don’t understand what they gain by branding me a traitorous spy and assassin.’
Withdrawing her gaze, Lin Yu turned and quietly asked the guard behind her, “Since the court is in recess, may I go to the restroom?”
What had started as a half-full bladder sloshing around had quickly become entirely full during the trial, now threatening to overflow.
The guard exhibited extreme impatience at her question. “Why didn’t you go before you came?”
‘You have the nerve to ask! Would this have happened if you hadn’t suddenly opened the door?!’
Lin Yu’s face flushed halfway crimson. “What business is it of yours? If I can go, take me. If not, I’ll just hold it.”
Only then did the guard move, seeking the judge’s permission for a moment before returning to lead Lin Yu away.
After traversing a long corridor and then an open dirt path, several minutes passed before she was finally led to a small, standalone building that reeked of ammonia.
Lin Yu now understood the guard’s impatience; the distance was considerable, and he would have to stand guard in such an unpleasant-smelling place.
“This is it. Go on in.”
“Mmm…”
Holding her breath, she entered the foul-smelling building and attended to her physiological needs with the utmost speed.
****
Upon her return to the courtroom, escorted by the guard, Lin Yu noticed that the number of people present had unexpectedly increased.
Two figures now occupied the previously empty defense attorney’s bench, both faces familiar to Lin Yu: Lieutenant Xia, who had initially allowed her to leave the trenches, and…
‘That man! He’s alive!’
The faint anxiety that had clouded her face vanished, replaced by a surge of overwhelming confidence. With his testimony, she would surely be acquitted, no longer needing to fear the termination of her life or the burden of those grave accusations!
Noticing Lin Yu, the defendant, had returned, the judge cleared his throat and announced to everyone, “Please be advised, there are ten minutes remaining until the recess concludes.”
While others patiently awaited the ten minutes to pass, Lin Yu began to subtly make eyes at the defense bench, hoping to catch the attention of the two witnesses.
Lieutenant Xia, observing her winks, offered a slight nod. The other man, however, maintained his characteristic aloofness, sitting rigidly upright in his seat with a military bearing, his eyes fixed straight ahead.
‘Following his gaze, she saw it was directed straight at the plaintiff’s bench. So… being unexpectedly subjected to such an icy stare, that fellow must be thoroughly unnerved by him. Excellent work, stare longer, keep staring, preferably until he has a mental breakdown.’
Lin Yu secretly cheered the man on, hoping his visual assault would unsettle the plaintiff’s bench and, in turn, create a favorable opportunity for her in the upcoming proceedings.
‘I should also prepare my own explanation, ideally one that clarifies why I understand Ranforce… Should I fabricate a past life as a Ranforce native? After all, this world has magic, so a soul traveling across oceans to possess a body isn’t some outlandish notion.’
‘No, no, I can’t claim to be Ranforce. I need to find a place that speaks Ranforce but is hostile to them.’
As Lin Yu, seated in the defendant’s chair, let her imagination run wild, she suddenly perceived that the murmuring crowd around her had fallen silent. She looked up, immediately realizing why they had all become so hushed.
Several new figures had appeared in the courtroom, which was a repurposed mess hall: a middle-aged man dressed in drab yellow, and several armed guards clad in dull black.
‘Wait? Drab yellow?’
Fixing her gaze, she saw strange patterns embroidered on the yellow garments, suggesting…
It was the Emperor of the Diacla Empire himself.
“Greetings, Your Majesty!”
Everyone present bowed in unison, save for Lin Yu, who, having never received imperial favor in this life or the last, remained frozen, her head tilted up, failing to bend at the waist.
‘Wow, the living Emperor of Diacla himself! The supreme ruler of my homeland in this life!’
Suddenly, on a whim, she dramatically shouted at the top of her lungs, “Long live the Emperor, long live, long live, and long live for ten thousand years!—”
Only then did she follow suit, bowing at the waist.
Everyone exchanged bewildered glances. Such an item was not included in Diacla’s etiquette for imperial audiences, nor was such an exaggerated form of address.
Yet, the Emperor himself seemed quite pleased; a look of delight instantly appeared on his otherwise expressionless face, and he instructed those around him to record the phrase and promote it as a standard greeting.
“…Rise, all of you. Today, We attend merely as an observer and shall not directly interfere with the trial… However, this medic’s display of etiquette is quite sharp. Is they the defendant in this case?”
“She is the defendant in this case, Your Majesty.”
“Release their handcuffs. To declare allegiance to Us with such fervor, We believe their loyalty is beyond question. Continue with the trial.”
The guards, following orders, unshackled Lin Yu’s hands, filling her with a quiet, surging delight.
‘This is the Emperor! As long as I butter up the old man, I’ll never want for food or drink! Just a few compliments from my past life’s vocabulary were enough to get these handcuffs off. What if I brought over *all* those flattery techniques from my previous life…’
Dangerous, opportunistic thoughts immediately seized her mind, which now brimmed with schemes of becoming a close courtier, showering him with constant, comprehensive, and unceasing praise.
‘What’s so hard about praising an individual? What’s so hard about sucking up? What’s so hard about verbally declaring eternal loyalty to His Majesty and the Empire?’
In that moment, she finally understood the true motivations of those treacherous officials from her past life: as long as you held your nose and uttered insincere words, you would reap rewards and favors. Who the hell would risk decapitation to offer honest counsel?!
‘A medic’s future is far from as expansive as this path! As long as… as long as… as long as…’
‘No, this is too morally corrupt.’
The fervor in her heart gradually cooled, for Lin Yu knew, deep down, that such a path was unequivocally wrong.
Suppressing those opportunistic methods, she focused on countering the attacks from the plaintiff’s bench, while the witnesses, one by one, swore their testimonies before the Emperor, staking their reputations and their very lives.
Finally, the judge delivered the ultimate verdict: “Now, I declare Private Lin Yu’s case of colluding with the enemy and treason—not guilty, and she is hereby acquitted!”
The gavel’s final strike sealed the judgment.
Whether her own defense or the Emperor’s partiality had played the decisive role was immaterial; what mattered was that Lin Yu had been spared the fate of being branded a traitor and dragged off to be shot in ten minutes.
‘It’s finally over… phew… I survived…’
Lin Yu slumped in her seat, only forcing herself to rise when the guard behind her urged her back to the detention room.
‘That quartermaster dared to accuse me of being a spy. Next time I see you wounded, I’ll inject two syringes of air into your veins…’
As she cast a resentful glare at the retreating plaintiff, Lin Yu suddenly noticed the Emperor watching her and quickly averted her gaze, avoiding direct eye contact with His Majesty.
‘…That old geezer is so annoying.’
The ‘interested parties’ who had been barred from entry were now finally allowed in. Nangong and the seniors cheered for her acquittal, while the lieutenant colonel watched from the doorway, offering Lin Yu a firm nod of approval.
As for the witnesses who had played the most crucial roles, Lieutenant Xia waved off Lin Yu’s personal thanks, claiming he had made no significant contribution. The other man, too, spoke his first words to Lin Yu that seemed unrelated to the current situation.
“Welcome to continue serving the Emperor.”
“What?”
“You are also one of the Emperor’s most loyal warriors. It is a pleasure to fight alongside you.”
“…”
‘Tsk tsk… even after helping me as a key witness, he still seems so eccentric.’
Her gratitude dissipated considerably in an instant.