Only Wisdom Awakened - Chapter 187

Chapter 187: A Friend
“… what is he doing here?!”

“Allow me to introduce you to my dear friend, Hans Richter”

Said Preston bowing.

“W-wait! They aren’t thinking of…

“There’s no way, he doesn’t belong here, he should just stay out of things that don’t regard him!”

“Come on, I’m sure that’s not what he’s here for”

“Are you dumb? What else would he be doing here?”

“But still… they won’t let an outsider interfere right?”

Chaos spread in the courtroom while everyone started talking about Hans, some believed he shouldn’t be allowed to do anything, while some believed that it was the power of the association, and being an association branch, using the power of the association was the only advantage they had, and they should be allowed to do it.

The judge put an end to the chatter by hitting the wooden base with her gavel.

“Silence!”

Everyone shut up, leaving time for Preston to explain:

“This proves that the association Branch had enough power to raid the gate, doesn’t it? Meaning that my opponent’s objection must be overruled.”

The woman cast a furious gaze towards Preston, but he stood proud, sure of his stand.

In the meanwhile….

Inside a house a couple of kilometers away from the courtroom, someone was watching the TV, following what was happening while trying to understand what Hans was thinking.

‘This is no good… the people won’t ever acknowledge the interference of the association.

Hans, I already made it very clear to you…

So what do you have in mind for Preston to be so sure of his choice?’

“What are you watching Clara?”

Asked Christina passing by.

“I’ve never seen your eyes so glued to the screen”

“It’s-”

Before the girl could answer, Christina exclaimed:

“Oh! That’s Hans! What’s he doing on TV?”

Someone else in the house heard that exclamation…

“What?!”

Said Gideon.

“Hans is on TV?

Are you both drunk or something?

I mean he’s pretty good, but even I have never been invited to an interview”

“Yeah yeah… come here and see for yourself if you don’t believe me”

“What the hell are-”

Gideon, as invited to, took a couple of steps towards the TV, and recognized the familiar face on it.

“Woah… it’s really him”

In just a couple of seconds, the whole group had gathered around the TV, curious to know what was going on.

“Hey turn up the volume!”

“Shut up! They’re speaking!”

“Uh! Do you want bee-

“Shut it”

Said Clara.

She had never interfered between the two of them, so the shock made them stop immediately, allowing the others to listen to the conversation happening on TV.

“Hans richer… a mage renowned for his incredible talent, he has achieved the incredible level of a seventh tier…”

“What?! That guy wasn’t even a warrior but a mage?!”

Yelled Gideon.

“And you still lost to him… kekeke”

The girl didn’t lose that chance to tease him.

‘Hans was… a seventh tier mage?’

Even Christina didn’t notice anything.

“Clara-

As Christina turned her head, she saw that no shocked expression had taken over her friend’s face.

“You… knew it”

“yeah I did” she replied in a timid tone.

“Uh?! Why didn’t you tell us then?!” asked Gideon.

“We-well… Hans asked me not to…”

“Great, so you trust more a guy you’ve just met than us who has been living with you for years”

Even if Gideon was just reading Clara, she seemed to take it really seriously, and began stuttering while trying to explain:

“N-no, it’s just, Hans said Master Henry, he said he might’ve been kicked out from the training Hal… And-and”

“Cut it out!”

Christine hit Gideon in the head.

“Can’t you see she’s about to cry?!”

“I was… just kidding”

In the meantime, the judge continued to speak.

…His power surely is enough to clear an A-rank gate… but!

Have you forgotten about the law that prevents the association’s higher-ups from interfering?

It was a law made to prevent the Association from becoming an overbearing tyrant, and to let the other guilds a chance to develop, the only case in which the association’s main forces were allowed to intervene was in case of extreme danger for the citizens.

“I do remember it very well… however, this person does not belong to the association, and he is not here to help out for the association, but to help out as a friend”

“A… friend you say”

“That’s right, Hans is my friend.

And your honor, in case you’ve missed it, the law clearly states that connections, intelligence, and even luck, are all accounted as a branch leader’s strength, meaning this time, It will be my strength, and my connection with Hans to assist me, not the Association”

‘Is this what you were trying to play?’

Thought the judge.

And Preston’s opponent, who had finally recovered from the shock, decided to object once again.

“Objection!”

“Speak”

“With all due respect for Preston’s words your honor, how can we be sure his relationship with Hans is truly that of friends, and that this whole argument isn’t just a farce to permit the Association to intervene?”

“Objection sustained, please Mr. Preston, reply according to the situation”

“Certainly your honor.

If I may, going as low as doubting my relationship with Hans is quite a sinister move, but I guess your concern is founded.

I am afraid to disappoint you though, Hans is a dear friend of mine, he was introduced to me by Caleb, and for the past few days, he has been under my care, even sleeping over at my place two nights ago because his assistant had forgotten to book a proper hotel for him”

The bullshit added by Preston was well-placed to uphold his argument, but what he said wasn’t far off from the truth.

‘Damn it!’

Thought Anderson.

‘We thought he had no power, how could we have missed the fact that he had such a reliable helper on standby?

It seems like I will have to concede this time, if I press the matter anymore then the people’s opinions about me might change.

I’m not dying to control this city, nor do I care so much about power, but I don’t like losing…

This bitter taste of defeat was something I did not want to feel.’

Realizing there was no argument to uphold anymore, Anderson stepped back.

“Your honor… I concede.

Since the Association Branch has the necessary power to raid the gate, I will hope for their success, but in case they were to be defeated worry not, I will defend this city after them.

A suspicious look was cast his way as he said those words, the judge couldn’t believe the way this public debate had turned out but she had no choice but to accept it.

She swung her gavel two times and then declared the end of the debate.

“From this debate, we have concluded that the A-rank gate’s ownership will be granted to the association branch, and in case of a raid failure, the Twilight guild will step up in their places.

Thank you all for your precious time….

Preston, I hope for your success.”

“Thank you, your honor”

The judge scoffed before announcing:

“Dismissed”

A few minutes later…

Back at the association Branch’s building…

Preston’s teary eyes were watching Hans as if he were an angel sent from heaven just for him.

“H-hans…

Thank youuu”

The man was on the verge of tearing up.

“It’s alright, no biggie”

“What do you mean it’s alright, you just saved my life.

I would’ve been fired after this probably”

“Why though? You did nothing wrong, did you?”

“That’s not what the higher-ups care about, they just want a reason to push me off my seat, they do not approve of an unawakened like me meddling in their affairs.”

“Those bastards….”

“I don’t blame them though, I have experienced it firsthand… how difficult it is for a non-awakened to cover this position”

“So? Do you plan to give it up?”

“Obviously… No”

“That’s all that matters then.

Now we just have to take care of the gate, and then it’ll all be back to normal”

“Get rid of… the gate.

Hans… are you sure you can do it alone?”

“Why? You don’t trust my ability?”

“No, no, it’s not that, it’s just… an A-rank gate, you know, I don’t think anyone has ever publicly cleared a gate of this rank alone”

“Whatever…

‘I bet it won’t be half the difficulty of the one in Greenland…’

“I’ll get going then… see you in a few hours, or maybe a few days, it depends on the gate type”

“Alright… see you in a few hours”

Preston bid goodbye to Hans as the boy walked away.

“I don’t know… will he be able to do it?

Let’s just hope for the best…”

While Hans was headed towards the gate, someone he knew very well was finally done with his tedious task.

“Finally… finally…. All these documents!! I’ve got through them all!!”

Exclaimed the half-dead Caleb who had been working non-stop for the last few days.