## Chapter 1176 – A Tumultuous Tour of Foreign Lands

There’s a saying that something is so absurd it’s laughable, and this was exactly that.

When I explained the situation to them, they were furious, saying what kind of ridiculous country even exists? Anyway, I told them that I had agreed to the trial, so let’s just wait in this city for a bit.

And then.

Just two days later, I was on my way to the courthouse.

* * *

The inside of the courthouse was clean, decorated with dark brown wood and white cloth, creating a solemn atmosphere. I heard that every city in this kingdom has such a formal courthouse. And that judges and magistrates are required to work in these courthouses.

You can definitely tell that the legal system is well-developed… it’s just utterly nonsensical.

Anyway.

Inside, the judge and magistrates were seated in their places. Bailiffs with gavels guarded the surroundings tightly.

“Normally, things wouldn’t move this quickly… but as soon as I reported it, a seat was immediately arranged.”
“Is that so?”

The squad leader told me this and returned to his seat.

“Then, let the trial begin.”

The judge declared.
I stood up from my seat.

To have to go through this kind of trial for killing a mere murdering robber was a ridiculous farce. But since it’s the law of this country, they say.

I have to respect it.

It’s not like I came all the way to a foreign country to cause trouble. Of course, I have no intention of accepting a guilty verdict. I only came because they said I had to have a trial.

Anyway, the trial has begun.

The magistrates recited various details about the case, and I listened quietly. Then, after a simple identity verification process and whatnot.

The trial proceeded in earnest.

“Our country.”

The old judge said, looking into my eyes.

“Is governed by strict and fair laws. Laws established by the late king over his lifetime. As a judge, I respect that great and wise man. And everyone here will feel the same. The laws he established… transcend the current era.”

It was a kind of legal pride, you could say.

“I understand your point, Judge.”

—Ahem.

He cleared his throat for a moment and continued.

“Certainly. The man you killed, Müller, was a serious criminal. The victim… apparently sustained a rather large wound to his side.”

The robber’s name was Müller.

But this son of a bitch, he wasn’t just stealing money, he was planning to pull out the old lady’s intestines too, it seems.

“But it wasn’t as bad as what happened to Müller. He was, quite literally, split in two from the crown of his head. The cross-section of his internal organs was clean, and his spine was also neatly bisected. Just hearing about it… it’s truly horrifying. Not even a skilled knight or mage could do something like that.”

That’s because it was me.

“Do you admit to doing it?”
“I admit it.”

What I did was not wrong.
And it’s not something I can’t admit to.

Of course, I admit it.

“I split Müller in half.”

The judge nodded for a moment.

“…Müller will be charged with four crimes in this case: highway robbery, aggravated robbery, theft, and fleeing the scene of a crime. That will make him a thirteen-time offender.”

Terrible.

“A thirteen-time offender, you say. Judge, let’s be reasonable. Wouldn’t that warrant the death penalty?”
“We do not have the death penalty in our country.”
“Amazing.”

Very unique.

At least, among the other world countries I know, there is no country without the death penalty.

“Right now, you’re hearing that Müller was a thirteen-time offender. And you probably thought he was someone who deserved to die.”
“Exactly. You see right through me.”

Isn’t that obvious?

“With that in mind, you killed him as soon as you saw him robbing someone.”
“I’m the kind of person who kills any robber I see. I think I’ve killed hundreds of them.”
“Gasp…”

The magistrates gasped at my answer.

“…”

It’s nothing special.

I just kill all the robbers I see.

No mercy, no pity. I don’t give them any consideration.
I just catch them all and kill them with my own will.

It’s as simple as killing a mosquito.

“Not only that, but I’ve also slaughtered heretics and bandits, and whatnot. It was a very proud experience. More than anything, it was proof of a shining achievement. I think it’s only natural, and needless to say, I’m the kind of person who thinks that’s just who I am.”

That is.

Kim Kat.

“…That was outside the kingdom.”

That’s true.

“To get back to the story. Müller was a robber. But…”
“I know. I witnessed it directly and carried out the butchering.”

A moment of silence descended.

“…Even if he was a robber.”

The judge said slowly.

“He shouldn’t have died.”
“What?”
“Müller was not someone who should have died like that.”

I really don’t understand this.
The judge’s face was so serious.

“Just because he was a robber, a person shouldn’t die.”
“What kind of crazy… I mean, Judge. I’m asking out of curiosity. Do you even know what a murdering robber is?”
“It refers to someone who kills people and steals their money.”
“You know it well, so why are you saying that?”

At my words, the judge closed his eyes for a moment.

“…”

Then he slowly opened them and looked at the ceiling as he spoke.

“Even if he is a robber. Even if he killed someone for the purpose of stealing money. He is precious. Very precious and sacred life. Everyone is like that. He committed heinous crimes, but he should never have lost his life in that way.”

This is…

“He should have gone to prison only based on legal interpretation and a fair trial.”
“…”

I could feel a deep madness in the judge’s words.

It was… a genuine madness that was qualitatively different from the way paladins scream and carry out butchering operations when they see heretics. Who else could spout such ridiculous nonsense?

I was culturally shocked by that different dimension of distortion.

“You have an expression that you don’t understand.”
“That’s right. I respect you, Judge, but that’s just utter nonsense.”

The judge was a madman.

And a person with a blind madness that is so incomprehensible that you can’t even see the end of it.

“…”

The judge stared into my eyes with eyes like a gloomy beast submerged in that jet-black other side, and then continued.

“…Even if he is a murdering robber. Even if he is a serial killer. Even if he is a civilian mass murderer. Even if he is a truly terrible criminal.”
“That…”
“Because they are all the same human beings.”
“…”
“They must all be tried under the same law. No one can receive special treatment. Because everyone is equal before the law. Therefore, they must be respected like everyone else, and they have the right to have their lives protected.”

This crazy psycho.

“So, you’re saying that even if they massacre civilians, their lives should be protected.”
“It may be difficult to understand, but that is justice.”

Everyone has their own definition of justice, but this was almost close to the thinking of a heretic. These are the kinds of things that people like Hitler, Leopold II, and Hideki Tojo would say just before they died.

“The law is a social agreement. Not an individual’s standard, but a social standard. That’s why it’s justice.”

The judge overwhelmed the space as he poured out his madness.

“If we kill people without trial just because they are robbers. Next, we will kill them without trial because they are thieves. And then we will kill them for throwing trash on the street.”

What the fuck are you talking about?
What kind of crazy person would do that?

“And then we will kill them for spitting on the street. And then we will kill them for polluting the air by breathing.”
“…”

Moment.

I felt a sticky tar filling the courtroom. That darkness that came out of the judge’s mouth… it felt like it was filling the space.

I felt such a terrible feeling.

“Now you kill because you are a man. You kill because you are a woman. You kill because you are a boy. You kill because you are a girl. You kill because you are an old woman. You kill because you are a newborn.”
“…”
“That’s the kind of terrible world that will come.”
“You’re completely crazy. Judge. I respect you, but I have to say this.”

Personally, I have no intention of saying anything about this country’s legal system. Isn’t this their rule? I’ll acknowledge it as long as they don’t do anything fucked up to me.

“You’ve completely lost it. Go home and get some rest.”

But I can criticize it.

This crazy courthouse was like seeing something from another world.

“What, are people going to die just because I killed a robber? I’ve never heard of such a religion in my life. If you’re going to predict the extinction of mankind, make up something a little more plausible. Judge. Even heretics don’t say such trite things these days.”

How much of a butterfly effect would have to occur to wipe out all of humanity just because I killed a robber?

“It may sound like a bit of an exaggeration. But that’s what happens when you start killing people without trial.”

It’s crazy faith.
This is also in the realm of religion.

“This is the legal system of our kingdom. That’s all I have to explain to you. So, I will now deliver the verdict.”

Of course, I have no intention of acknowledging whatever verdict comes out.

I’m not someone who follows crazy evil laws.

In the first place, they won’t be able to force me.

“This is originally a serious crime that should be sentenced to more than 20 years in prison.”

I’m going crazy.
What’s going on because of a robber?

“Of course, you are a foreigner… and a nobleman. And a paladin. And even a superhuman who can split people in half with his bare hands. We don’t have the power to restrain someone like you.”

So, they knew.

“Therefore, I sentence you guilty of murder and issue an order of deportation from the country.”

—Bang bang.

The judge struck the gavel of judgment and delivered the sentence.
Are they just going to gloss over it because they don’t have the ability to punish me?

“Deportation order, you say. I cannot acknowledge that guilty verdict. But it’s not something I can’t respect. I will leave this country as per the verdict. But that’s not because I’m admitting guilt and receiving punishment for it. It’s just a move according to my schedule.”

I don’t acknowledge anything, but anyway, I have to go to the Dwarf Kingdom. This was just a simple happening.

“You.”

What again.

“Before you leave, pay your respects at the grave of that Müller you killed. You extinguished a very precious and sacred life with your own hands without any legal interpretation or trial. That is absolutely… a terrible thing that cannot be washed away.”

This is worse than Commander Barkerel.
I witnessed genuine madness beyond the Karga Kingdom.

“Let’s end the story there.”

Since our ideologies are so different.

“I respect you, Judge, but I’m not going to pay my respects. It wasn’t a sin.”
“Not a sin… who can decide that?”

That’s.

“I.”

Me.

“I decide, Judge.”
“…”
“I decide what is right and wrong.”

At least as far as what I’ve seen with my own eyes, I can judge what is right and wrong. Therefore, I decide whether there is guilt or not.

“…T, that’s, as expected.”

The judge blinked his eyes.

For some reason, he was sweating and wiping his forehead as he said with difficulty.

“A, a superhuman way of thinking with immense power… Haa… Haa… Your ideology… is not compatible with our… our rule of law… And the same goes for your existence. I hope you leave soon.”

I could read terrible disgust and fear in the judge’s eyes as he said that.

This son of a bitch, he was talking about how sacred and precious the murdering robber was, but he’s showing me that kind of attitude.

It’s just amazing.

“Yes… our laws may not be understandable to a superhuman like you… Our laws may just seem ridiculous to a superhuman like you… Society and equality… everything may just seem trivial…”

The judge muttered those words maniacally and left the courthouse.

—…

“What the hell is this…!”

Only then did I feel like the black tar that had been filling the space had disappeared. The madness that the judge had spewed out was beyond imagination, and it was something that could be said to be that of an absolute madman.

—Like something from the deep sea.

I saw a genuine madman today.

But what was the name of this country again? Innsmouth?