A Core Ship From The Start-Chapter 890 - 625: Stupid Justice

With Dessel’s destruction and the retrieval of the cure, the plague in Neverwinter City finally came to an end.

Following that, everyone lived a happy and peaceful life... how wonderful, how wonderful...

Alas, this is not the game END.

The truth is that the atmosphere in Neverwinter City remained extremely tense.

Dessel’s betrayal had already been spread through every street and alley of Neverwinter City, and his actions in spreading the plague had been confirmed, naturally enraging the populace. Of course, Dessel himself had been taken out by Duanmu Huai, and his followers were either killed or burned to death in Heim Fortress, but there was still someone on whom the public could vent their anger.

That was Vanswick.

As Eribeth’s right-hand man and lover, Vanswick had provided Dessel with considerable assistance throughout the whole affair, including the warehouse incident that Duanmu Huai and the others had investigated, and similar cases had been found in no small number afterward. According to his own statement, he believed Dessel had done nothing wrong, so he had been helping him all along, hoping to prove that Dessel cared about Neverwinter City just as much as anyone else—at that point, all Duanmu Huai could do was sneer.

In other words, dumb as a rock.

So, up next was Vanswick’s trial.

Vanswick himself did not offer a defense, instead it was Eribeth who argued vehemently, trying to prove that Vanswick had not committed treason.

"I know that Vanswick is no traitor! He is not guilty of treason! I can vouch for the fact that there’s not a hint of such intention in his heart!"

But Duanmu Huai obviously would not accept such a plea.

"I don’t care about what Vanswick himself thinks! The fact is his actions led to the spread of the plague within Neverwinter City and the death of thousands! This is an undeniable truth! The Tribunal does not care about motivations, only consequences. Regardless of Vanswick’s intentions, it was ultimately his actions that led to the spread of the infection, almost pushing the entire city to the brink of destruction! Therefore, I believe Vanswick must be executed!"

During the entire trial, Duanmu Huai and Eribeth were at loggerheads, arguing incessantly. Eribeth insisted that Vanswick was merely upholding his justice and had been deceived by Dessel, therefore even if he was at fault, his crime did not warrant death.

As the Judge, Duanmu Huai countered directly. He didn’t care whether Vanswick was striving to uphold his own justice, was foolishly deceived by Dessel, or had other ulterior motives. His actions were a textbook example of deceit and manipulation, exemplified by the time when Dessel had Vanswick manage the warehouse transfer procedures without informing Eribeth—his right hand—of it. This was dereliction of duty!

Anyone who associates with the heretics of the Evil God deserves only death. Does the Tribunal appear to be idly sitting by?

By the way, Lord Nasher on the bench at the court also looked disturbed, for a simple reason—he was also one of those who trusted Dessel, and bore the greatest responsibility. Furthermore, just before, Duanmu Huai had even forced him to undress for a thorough examination to ensure that Lord Nasher had not been corrupted—if there had been even the slightest sign of corruption, Duanmu Huai would have acted on the spot and taken him out.

This was an immense humiliation for Lord Nasher, who had once been a great Adventurer, but Duanmu Huai could not have cared less—the Judges have never been concerned about how others perceive them; they do what they want, how they want. How others see them is their business and has nothing to do with the Judges.

"This...

And in the audience, Amelia, who had been present for the entire trial, was also greatly troubled.

As a follower of Tyler, she knew she should be supporting Eribeth. Yet, when Amelia followed Duanmu Huai to Heim Fortress and saw the mutated abominations infected with the plague along the way, she couldn’t help but acknowledge Duanmu Huai’s argument—if Dessel had replicated all this in Neverwinter City, it would only bring about a destruction more terrifying than a nightmare.

The debate between Eribeth and Duanmu Huai was fierce, but both stood justified from their own perspectives—Eribeth was a Sacred Knight of Tyler, a Tyler Believer, and first and foremost, she upheld justice. To judge the heart and not the deed, thus in Eribeth’s eyes, even if Vanswick was wrong, his intentions were good and hence his punishment should be mitigated, at least not to the extent of death.

On the contrary, the Tribunal’s stance was completely opposite. The Tribunal does not care about justice or evil; they only care about the continuation of humanity. Therefore, in the eyes of Duanmu Huai, the Judge, Vanswick’s actions had made him an accomplice to the deaths of Neverwinter’s citizens. No matter what his considerations were, his deeds threatened the objective of the Tribunal, and thus the Tribunal would certainly not spare Vanswick—if Neverwinter City did not sentence him to death, then Duanmu Huai would be forced to act himself.

Once again, the Judges never care about the opinions of others.

They may not understand, but they must obey.

"You make him sound like a murderer! It wasn’t Vanswick who caused the plague, nor was it Vanswick who destroyed the city! He just trusted too much, focused too much on his duties!"