Inheritor Of Magic: The Magi King

Chapter 593 593 Failed Challenge

593 593 Failed Challenge

An advisor leaned over to whisper in the young King's ear, and the boy's eyes lit up in excitement.

"A species of elemental magic users? Magi sound really cool. How long can I keep him?" The boy asked.

Wolfe cleared his throat. "That was what I had hoped to speak with you about, your highness. You see, I have duties and obligations in my home realm, but the Fae decided to toss me into your castle as a prank. I will gladly visit with you for a short time, but my home is under attack, and I simply must return in a timely manner."

The advisor gave Wolfe an intrigued look. "They're still at it, then?"

Wolfe sighed and nodded. "They calmed down for a while because they believed that we were all dead, but now that they've realized that they were wrong, they've come back to try to wipe out the entire population of the continent I am from. It's all quite barbaric, but I did promise that I would look out for the people in my care, and I'm not sure that I can do that from here."

The Demon King was about to say something, but he was shushed by his advisors, who were obviously the ones actually running things with such a young King on the throne. They were about to speak when an Elderly Demon in long black formal robes glided into the room using [Levitation].

"It seems that our messengers are a bit lax these days. Would you believe that they didn't mention to me at all that we had a trespasser?" The old demon asked in an airy voice that was obviously a threat to someone else in this room.

A number of the advisors paled at the comment, and the old demon continued.

"As the Supreme Court Justice, I can take care of this issue for you, your Highness."

The young King seemed satisfied with that answer, but the other advisors definitely did not.

"Might I remind the Justice, that he has been voted out of his position by the council of advisors?" One of the other demons announced, in the most annoyingly smarmy tone that Wolfe had ever heard.

"I would remind the castle affairs advisor that a vote by advisors is nothing more than meaningless posturing? Until the King comes of age and removes me from office, or another Justice successfully challenges me for my position, the rank that I was granted by the previous King remains valid." The old Justice retorted.

Wolfe smiled at the old man's assertiveness in the face of political pressure.

Like the Witch Saints, the Justice was aging, but powerful. He was not quite a saint, as he had only six mana cores, but it felt to Wolfe like the last of them was actually complete and there was something holding him back from beginning the seventh.

Wolfe was brought back from his momentary lapse in attention by an announcement made by one of the Advisors.

"If that is the case, then I challenge for the position of Supreme Court Justice." One of the demons in the back announced, before stretching to his full height and flexing all six of his arms.

The young King took out a sceptre and a book from beside his cushion on the throne and carefully flipped through the pages.

"Ahem. On the matter of challenge for the position of Supreme Court Justice, I find the grounds to be valid. The Challenger is of equal rank to the current position holder, and possesses the other qualifications necessary for the challenge to take place."

The young King paused as he flipped the page.

"The Challenge must take place within twenty-four hours, during which time the challenger must prove their ability to enforce the law against a captured criminal. Do we even have one of those? I don't remember us taking any prisoners since our most glorious father passed away." The boy King asked.

"He hasn't been formally charged yet, but we have the Magi." One of the guards suggested.

Wolfe didn't miss the smirk on the Justice's face, but the old man was looking at him and away from the crowd.

"While the Magi are well known for their pacifism, surely a training bout won't violate your oaths? There is no need to seriously injure anyone. It's just to prove that the incoming Justice has the ability to keep his courtroom under control." The old Demon announced.

"You want me to spar with the challenger? I suppose it is possible." Wolfe reluctantly agreed, unsure what the plan was here.

"All you need to do is try to escape, and he must capture you before you leave the building. If you make it outside, a decade will be taken off your sentence, and he will be unable to continue his challenge. But if he can keep you inside the building for one hour, the challenge will continue on time.

I pick one hour after noon tomorrow, by the way. I wouldn't want a challenge to get in the way of my midday meal." The old Justice informed the room.

The King clapped his hands and giggled. "Now that's settled. Begin the test."

The Demon who challenged for the position began to draw mana to cast [Binding Ropes] and Wolfe activated [Levitation] and the air spell [Flight] both at maximum power, headed for the window.

The sound of swearing followed him out, and a sonic boom shook the throne room, rattling pictures from the walls as the ropes struggled to gain purchase on Wolfe's leg before being burned to ash by a quickly cast [Nether Lightning] spell.

The childish voice of the King echoed through the entire castle, amplified by magic.

"The target is outside the castle. The Challenger has failed to secure his right to attempt for the position of Supreme Court Justice. Will the volunteer kindly return to the throne room?"

Wolfe circled the building once, then returned through the same window that he had exited.

The staff was already cleaning up the throne room, and the pictures were being placed back on the walls. The window was repaired as soon as Wolfe returned, and the old Justice regarded him with a fond smile.

"I had expected that you would simply sit under a barrier. The chance that a single demon of equal rank would be able to break through a Magi's array in under an hour when they were both focused on the task is fairly low. Flying out the window was brilliant."

Wolfe smiled back at the old Demon. "Sitting under a barrier, an argument could be made that by enclosing the barrier, I had been restrained. But once I was flying outside, it should have been clear that I had escaped."

The expressions in the room were fairly split. The old Justice was a stickler for rules, and they did want him gone, but none of the advisors who wanted his job would be any more tolerable. At least the old man wasn't corrupt or biased as the others would be.

That was why none of the others had challenged him in the recent past.

The Justice nodded in agreement with Wolfe's words. "Now that is settled, I will bring the Magi with me, as is my duty. Thank you all for your patience today."

With his announcement finished, he turned and pulled Wolfe toward the side door with a flicker of magic, leading them both out of the throne room without another word.