Chapter 6: The Judicial Representative

  "Welcome to the proceedings, Judicial Representative"

  Nicholas felt a surge of power spreading throughout his body. Something within him had changed. He could sense the surrounding atmosphere more clearly, and his vision was no longer the same as before.

  The monster that had been rampaging wildly was not truly mindless. Hidden beneath its madness were deep emotions and thoughts.

  Nicholas saw a red thread linking the monster to himself. The law of karma was truly mysterious. The thread resembled the karmic debt it bore toward the previous ‘Nicholas.’ Although he couldn't do anything before, now he felt that he had the power to untangle this karmic knot.

  The light from the mirror brightened, appearing as text before him once again.

  “...Conditions have been fulfilled.

  You may recite the decree to use your authority as Judicial Representative...”

  The incantation flowed into his mind like a stream, filling the empty spaces in his memory.

  Nicholas immersed himself in the strange new sensation washing over him.

  It was as if the malevolent spirit sensed a shift in the air as it lunged toward Nicholas’s hiding place. Its multiple pairs of arms seized the massive cotton machine and tore it apart, revealing Nicholas standing behind it.

  Nicholas’s mind was calm. His eyes stared coldly at the monster before him. As his eyes ignited with a brilliant crimson glow while his lips moved faintly, murmuring as though reciting an incantation.

  "I am the Arbiter of the blazing primordial ages…"

  A throne of light formed beneath Nicholas, raising him from the ground.

  "The one who wields the scales of merit and sin across the Three Realms…"

  The Scales of Justice manifested from nothingness, ascending high above.

  "The sovereign who reigns above the Crimson Throne of the Eternal Abyss…"

  The monster’s massive, blackened body was seized and shackled to the scale's left plate. It shrieked mournfully, struggling to break free from its restraints, but all its efforts were futile.

  A colossal crimson eye opened within the ether behind Nicholas; its gaze fixed ruthlessly upon the monster.

  The truth of David John Paul’s tragedy surged into Nicholas's consciousness, piecing itself together like fragments of a grim puzzle. The resentment and grief of the man who had been unjustly deprived of his life and his family surged through Nicholas’s mind.

  Perhaps the “fulfillment of conditions” was not merely the completion of a ritual, but the moment Nicholas came to understand the cause and tragic past of the miserable creature before him. This profound understanding became the final key, bestowing upon him the legitimate authority to decide its ultimate fate.

  “…Hearken to the Judgement as witnessed by the Eyes of the Abyssal Void.”

  The final sentence escaped Nicholas’s lips. The verdict he chose would forever determine the fate of the pitiful family before him.

  "...Absolution," Nicholas whispered softly.

  Suddenly, the red eye behind him widened, casting a piercing red light upon the beast. The black ichor cloaking its body began to melt away. Its form slowly dissolved, accompanied by screams that gradually faded into silence.

  When the light that had flashed throughout the factory finally dimmed, the atmosphere returned to normal. The throne of light and the red eye vanished without a trace. All that remained was Nicholas, standing there as the phenomenon unfolded.

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  The monster that had once hunted him had transformed into the translucent figures of an elderly man and his family. The aura of resentment faded, leaving only a lingering sense of longing. The five figures stood locked in one another’s embrace. At last, these pitiful souls had found peace.

  The old man’s aged face turned toward Nicholas. He said something silently, though no sound escaped his lips, Nicholas understood—it was a word of gratitude.

  One by one, the five spirits began to fade into the air. Though their forms blurred, Nicholas was certain of one thing, they departed with smiles on their faces.

  Absolution—that was the Judgement Nicholas chose to pass. This pitiful family was innocent, yet the seeds of resentment had taken such deep roots that they were barred from eternal rest. That bitterness had twisted their very beings into demons, born of the injustice they had suffered.

  Fortunately, Nicholas had been the vengeful spirit’s first target. Had their resentment deepened further—or had there been other victims besides him—he might not have been able to grant them peace as he did now.

  Nicholas let out a soft sigh. His thoughts drifted to the mystical power he had received through the gray mirror. Now it had returned to being nothing more than an ordinary mirror, as if the supernatural event moments ago had been nothing but a dream. Yet Nicholas still remembered the message it had conveyed to him.

  The gray mirror had referred to him as “Judicial Representative.” In that moment, not only he felt power flowing into him, but also understood instinctively how to wield it.

  The chant etched into his mind spoke of the entity behind the Red Eye. By reciting the incantation, Nicholas could borrow its authority to pass judgment upon his chosen target.

  However, this authority was not without limits. To invoke it, certain conditions had to be met. He theorized that he needed a deep understanding of his target’s past and actions—the vital information that, in legal terms, would be recognized as the “Facts.”

  Furthermore, Nicholas could now sense the emotional states and lingering feelings of all beings around him. most notably, the red threads connecting one being to another. These intangible red strings represented the karmic bonds linking individuals together and he named them the ‘Red Threads of Fate.’

  Although Nicholas had sent David John Paul and his family to peace, it seemed his mission was not yet complete. A red thread still bound him, stretching high into the sky. Though he could not see its end, he had a strong suspicion of where it led.

  'Antonio'

  It seemed he would have to take matters into his own hands to settle the vengeance and restore justice to David’s family.

  The sounds of York City’s night slowly returned. Nicholas heard rats and other small creatures scurrying within the abandoned factory, a quiet reassurance that he had truly survived the dangerous events of moments ago.

  But as he was about to take a step, a wave of weakness washed over him. His right leg buckled the moment it touched the ground, and his body collapsed to the floor.

  Thud!

  Nicholas realized that he didn't have enough strength left to even take a single step forward. It seemed that using such extraordinary power was not something he could do recklessly.

  “...Dammit,” he uttered, his voice dry and raspy.

  “...For God's sake. How many times am I going to pass out today?”

  As his consciousness began to fade, he heard approaching footsteps stop beside him. Nicholas tried to lift his gaze to see who it was— but he passed out before he could.

  .....

  The sound of birds chirping and soft sunlight brushing against his face stirred Nicholas from his sleep. He opened his eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling above him—white and sterile, like that of a hospital. Slowly, he pushed himself upright, one hand holding his aching head.

  "Good afternoon, Mr. Parlay."

  The greeting startled him slightly. As he looked toward the opposite side of the bed, he saw a familiar figure watching him.

  "Prosecutor Romero?"

  The name slipped from his mouth, confusion evident in his voice. He couldn’t understand why this was the first person he saw upon waking.

  Prosecutor Romero sat with his legs crossed, composed and solemn. Wearing his spectacles, he held a thick case file in his hands as he stared at Nicholas.

  Silence filled the room for a long moment before Romero finally spoke.

  "How did you survive?"

  That was a strange question, but Nicholas understood its meaning. The person before him was referring to the incident Nicholas had encountered before passing out.

  It seemed that Prosecutor Romero was not just an ordinary district prosecutor as Nicholas had initially thought.

  Seeing that Nicholas remained silent, Prosecutor Romero continued.

  "That day at the court room, I noticed something off about you and I could sense the aura of a vengeful spirit clinging on to you. I thought you might be in danger, so I followed you to that abandoned factory, but I didn't expect to find you already unconscious when I arrived.”

  Having said that, he looked at Nicholas with sharp eyes.

  "Based on the condition of the factory, I’m certain you encountered the vengeful spirit. Yet by the time I arrived, there wasn’t a single trace of it left… So, I’ll ask you again: What happened that night? And how did you survive?”

  Nicholas let the words settle in his mind. The "vengeful spirit" Romero mentioned must have been David John Paul in the monstrous form Nicholas had encountered. It seemed Romero had discovered the abnormality surrounding him and secretly followed him. Fortunately, Romero hadn’t seen everything that had happened.

  Nicholas paused for a moment to gather his thoughts before recounting the events to Romero. Naturally, he concealed his powers and the fact that he came from another world before concluding carefully.

  “After I arrived at the factory, I hid inside the entire time. After passing out, I woke up here. Perhaps I survived simply because I was lucky.”

  Romero sat quietly, listening.

  "Lucky, huh?"

  He tapped his fingers against the chair in a contemplative rhythm. Nicholas could sense the subtle shift in Romero’s expression. Though he appeared to accept the explanation, suspicion still lingered beneath the surface.

  "I understand for now," Romero said and stood up.

  “Mr. Parley, I’ll need you to meet with my superior to clarify this matter further. Are you well enough to walk with me?”

  Superior? Does he mean the Chief Prosecutor—or something else?

  Nicholas kept that question in his mind before slowly getting up from the bed. Realizing that his strength had returned to normal, he nodded in agreement.

  Nicholas followed Romero along the corridor. Initially, he assumed he was in a hospital somewhere, but that soon proved to be incorrect. Once they passed the infirmary zone, the surroundings transformed completely.

  As he stepped out from the hallway, the full view of his location was finally revealed.

  He was standing in a massive hall, with intricate staircases spiraling up several stories. On the ground floor, rows of tiered seating could accommodate hundreds of people. Ornate stained-glass structures, reminiscent of Western cathedral art, adorned the space alongside ceremonial musical instruments. People bustled about, but most shocking of all was the sight of translucent spirits drifting through the air.

  “Prosecutor, where exactly am I?”

  Nicholas couldn’t help but ask. His journey in this new world was becoming stranger by the second.

  Prosecutor Romero paused, as though he had just realized he had yet to offer an explanation.

  “My apologies for the discourtesy. You’ll understand soon. After you meet my superior. For now… just know this.”

  Romero gave a slight nod before continuing.

  “Welcome to the Order of Spirit Mediums.”

  14.10.550

  Nicholas Parlay

  Judicial representative