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Join the ServerYun Que had just secured a new job from a merchant: weaving bamboo baskets.
Carrying a sizable pile of raw materials and tools, she made her way to her small hut.
There, she began to weave, one bamboo basket after another.
“One basket, five crystals. Ten baskets, fifty crystals. A hundred baskets, five hundred crystals…”
“What a bamboo-tiful drive I have!” she mused.
Yun Que murmured to herself as her hands deftly wove the baskets.
She seemed to envision a bright, prosperous future unfolding before her very eyes.
Yun Que did possess some funds, but most of it had been spent on medicine.
Only a few hundred crystals remained, barely enough to afford a few days’ stay at an inn if she were to try her luck in town.
Therefore, Yun Que was diligently toiling away, saving every crystal she could.
As Yun Que continued weaving her bamboo baskets, several hours slipped by unnoticed.
She looked up, suddenly noticing many villagers heading in a single direction.
“What’s happening?” Yun Que wondered, a hint of confusion in her voice.
She grabbed a middle-aged man who was hurrying past, asking, “Uncle, what’s going on? Why are the villagers rushing over there?”
“Ah, it’s Yun Que, lass,” the middle-aged man replied. “I heard some important figures from the Judgment Court have arrived outside. Many people want to catch a glimpse of them.”
“The Judgment Court…? Impossible! How could such grand figures come to a desolate place like this?” Yun Que’s confusion deepened.
She, of course, knew what kind of power the Judgment Court wielded; indeed, there was no one who didn’t.
Within the Isoria Empire, the Judgment Court represented the Emperor’s will. It was rumored that the Grand Inquisitor, who commanded the court, held a status equal to the Emperor himself.
‘If that Grand Inquisitor ever harbored thoughts of rebellion, he could very well depose the Emperor,’ Yun Que mused.
Yun Que followed the crowd to the village entrance. After all, she had lived here for several years, and this was the first time she’d heard of anyone from the Judgment Court visiting.
She couldn’t help but feel a certain curiosity, as her understanding of the Judgment Court was limited to a few books she’d occasionally acquired from villagers returning from Inter Town.
The villagers gathered at the entrance, almost completely blocking it. Standing at the back, Yun Que stretched onto her tiptoes, peering at the few individuals outside.
These people, both men and women, were cloaked in white robes adorned with intricate golden patterns. Yun Que felt dizzy after just a few glances.
Behind the white-robed figures stood a Holy Knight wielding a greatsword. This, she recalled from her books, was said to symbolize ‘Judgment.’
Each of them also bore a distinct emblem on their chest. Some had a pristine white snowflake, while others displayed a delicate pink flower.
Many more wore a cerulean pattern, resembling a gentle breeze.
Yun Que didn’t quite understand the meaning behind these symbols. She hadn’t seen them before, perhaps they indicated a hierarchy or ranking?
She had to admit, she felt her guess was highly accurate.
“Why would those above send us to such a godforsaken place?” a male member of the Judgment Court frowned, his voice laced with disdain.
“The smell of these villagers almost makes me want to vomit.”
As he spoke, he waved a hand in front of him, even though there was nothing there, his face contorted into an expression of utter disgust.
The villagers were conversing among themselves, their collective chatter preventing Yun Que from hearing everything the male member said.
However, she caught the fleeting look of disdain that flashed across his face.
“…” Yun Que’s expression turned grim.
“…I don’t know either, it might be related to *that* matter,” another female member said. “In any case, it’s not just you and me; even ‘that adult’ will be arriving soon.”
“‘That adult’? Could it be…!” The male member froze for a moment.
Then, as if a realization struck him, his eyes widened in disbelief.
“You and I are both members of the Execution Tribunal. And ‘that adult’ I mentioned, who else could it be but the one who leads the Execution Tribunal?”
“…That’s impossible, isn’t it? Could such a matter truly disturb ‘that adult’?”
“You’ll have to ask our esteemed Grand Inquisitor that question; I wouldn’t know,” the female member retorted, rolling her eyes.
“All right, children of your mothers, quiet down,” the female member stepped forward, waving a hand.
In the next instant, the noisy crowd fell silent. Clearly, she had employed a spell, rendering the villagers unable to speak.
“Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Wumi. As you can see, I am from the Judgment Court. Oh, and my rank within the Judgment Court is quite high, I might add.”
“Of course, even if I told you all this, you wouldn’t understand. And I’m not one for long-winded explanations, so let’s get straight to the point.”
Wumi clapped her hands, and another member of the Judgment Court brought a mirror, placing it on the ground.
“Each of you will come up and look into this mirror. If there’s nothing unusual, you may leave.”
“Did you understand what I said? I believe you should have, as my words are quite simple and clear.”
“Alright, you, come forward.” Wumi randomly pointed to the villager closest to her.
The villager was quite bewildered but, as it was a request from a high-ranking member of the Judgment Court, he did not question it.
He stepped forward and looked into the mirror.
The mirror revealed his true reflection, just like any ordinary looking glass.
“All right, you may go. Next one.”
One by one, the villagers approached the mirror and looked into it. However, just like the first villager, they only saw their own reflections.
In a matter of minutes, almost all the villagers had looked into the mirror, with only a few remaining at the back of the line.
“I knew it, how could a talented individual possibly appear in such a godforsaken place?” The male member who had been speaking with Wumi stepped forward, standing beside her.
“Let it be known, I would never dare to question the great Grand Inquisitor, but this time, I truly believe the Grand Inquisitor might have made a slight error…”
“You’re overstepping, Haikong,” Wumi interrupted the man. “You and I are both ‘Snow’ ranked members, even supervisors. You know the consequences of criticizing the Grand Inquisitor.”
“Given our friendship, I can pretend I didn’t hear that this time. But there won’t be a next time.”
“Understood, understood.”
“Only one left, right? Come quickly.” Haikong pointed to the sole person who hadn’t been tested yet, which was Yun Que.
Yun Que stepped forward, looking into the mirror just like everyone before her.
However, this time, something changed. The mirror did not show her reflection, but a fiercely burning flame.
“!” Yun Que reacted swiftly. The moment the image appeared, she instantly recognized it.
This was her magic.
Yun Que’s magic was fire; she had used it before to light torches and, notably, to ignite bandits.
“…I retract my previous statement. I didn’t expect to find someone even remotely decent here,” Haikong muttered, taking a full two seconds to process what he saw.
Yun Que, at a loss for what the two were about to do, stood rooted to the spot, utterly silent.
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