Tale of a Hedonistic wizard

The courtroom fell into a hushed silence as Jaegar's words hung in the air, their implications rippling through the assembled crowd like a stone cast into still water. "I will show my memory of that day. Memories can't lie, can they?" His voice was calm and assured, a stark contrast to the charged atmosphere that permeated the room.

As soon as the words left his lips, a wave of murmurs swept through the courtroom. Witches and wizards turned to their neighbors, voices low but urgent as they discussed this unexpected turn of events. Continue your adventure at empire

The extraction and viewing of memories was a complex and rarely used magical procedure, typically reserved for the most serious of cases due to its invasive nature and the potential for misinterpretation. If the one whose memories would be extracted, has a weak mental constitution, they would have a strong impact on their psyche, leading to instability.

And Jaegar was saying that he would show them his memories. What stupidity!

At the back of the courtroom, Gawter Mersius's lips curled into a smile for the first time since his arrival. It was a subtle expression, easily missed by most, but it spoke volumes. The Blade Sovereign's interest had clearly been piqued by Jaegar's bold proposition.

Jaegar stood firmly in the center booth, his posture straight and unwavering despite the weight of scrutiny upon him. His eyes swept across the room, taking in the reactions of those present.

Some faces showed skepticism, others curiosity, and a few – particularly among the older, more experienced magical practitioners – displayed a hint of admiration for the young wizard's daring move.

The lead judge, Amelia Blackthorn, tapped her gavel sharply, the sound cutting through the buzz of conversation like a knife. "Order!" she called, her voice ringing with authority. As the murmurs subsided, she fixed Jaegar with a penetrating stare. "Mr. Ambrose, you do realize the gravity of what you're proposing?"

Jaegar met her gaze steadily. "I do, Your Honor. I'm fully aware of the implications, and I stand by what I have said."

Judge Blackthorn's brow furrowed, her expression a mixture of skepticism and scorn. "While I appreciate your willingness to cooperate, Mr. Ambrose, I'm afraid we cannot simply accept memory extraction as evidence in this case."

A ripple of surprise went through the courtroom. Jaegar's eyebrows rose slightly, a question forming on his lips, but the judge continued before he could speak.

"Memory extraction, while a powerful magical tool, is not without its flaws," Judge Blackthorn explained, her tone measured and deliberate. "First and foremost, memories are subjective experiences. They can be influenced by emotion, perception, and the passage of time. What one remembers may not always align perfectly with objective reality."

She paused, allowing her words to sink in before continuing. "Furthermore, there have been documented cases of skilled wizards and witches manipulating their own memories, either to protect sensitive information or to create false memories. While I'm not suggesting this is the case here, it does raise questions about the reliability of extracted memories as evidence."

Jaegar listened intently, his mind racing to formulate a response. Jaegar was now sure that these judges weren't on the rightful side and were only bent on a conclusion where Jaegar ended up as the culprit.

The whole time, Ewen and the judges seemed to be in sync as if they had planned everything beforehand. And Jaegar couldn't help but doubt the whole ministry.

As the judge finished speaking, his voice was clear and confident. "Honorable Judge, I understand your concerns. However, I would argue that the potential benefits of examining my memories far outweigh the risks you've mentioned."

He took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts before continuing. "Firstly, while memories can indeed be subjective, they provide a far more comprehensive and nuanced view of events than any external observation could. If I was truly present at the scene of the barrier breach, my memories would contain details that no fabricated evidence could replicate."

Jaegar's eyes swept across the courtroom, meeting the gazes of the other judges and assembled council members. "Secondly, regarding the manipulation of memories, I am willing to undergo any magical scrutiny this court deems necessary to verify the authenticity of my memories.

Surely, a panel of expert magic users could detect any tampering or inconsistencies."

"And the implications of me using the memory extraction, would be mine to bear alone." He then looked towards Gawter and said, "With Lord Mersius being present here, I wouldn't dare lie or fabricate anything of any sort."

Jaegar didn't know why Gawter came to his hearing, but he thought, maybe he could use his name too. And Jaegar looked at him, looking for any reaction.

Gawter smiled inwardly, amused at him, but didn't show any reaction.

Judge Blackthorn's expression remained stern, but there was a glimmer of consideration in her eyes. "Your arguments are noted, Mr. Ambrose. However, there's also the matter of precedent to consider. If we allow memory extraction in this case, it could open the floodgates for similar requests in future trials. The implications for magical law and individual privacy are significant."

As the debate between Jaegar and Judge Blackthorn continued, the atmosphere in the courtroom grew increasingly tense. Other members of the magical council shifted in their seats, some nodding in agreement with the judge's concerns, others looking thoughtful at Jaegar's rebuttals.

The judges' reasoning became increasingly absurd as he continued to speak. Jaegar couldn't understand their motivation, no, at this point, it was more like they were desperate to put him behind bars. Lorcan or whoever was behind this, they were determined to see this to an end.

And they weren't even fazed in the presence of Gawter. Jaegar's frustration mounted as he realized the gravity of the situation, feeling the weight of the council's bias against him. Despite Gawter's intimidating presence, the judges seemed unwavering in their resolve.

Ewen, who had been watching the exchange with growing unease, finally spoke up. "Your Honor, if I may," he began, his voice carrying a note of urgency. "While Mr. Ambrose's offer is... interesting, we must not lose sight of the substantial evidence already presented. The magical signature at the scene, the eyewitness accounts, the recorded images – all of these point clearly to his guilt.

Allowing this unorthodox approach seems unnecessary and potentially misleading."