Due to Taishi's loud publicity, the incident of the Shin'o Academy genius student assaulting a noble soon became widely known and caused a great stir.
By the day the case went to trial, many nobles had come to watch, eager to see Shin'o Academy or the Kasumioji Clan make a fool of themselves.
Seireitei, Central 46's Courtroom.
On the massive circular judge's bench, the forty wise sages and six judges sat high above, looking down upon the hall below.
Light filtered through stained glass windows, casting mottled patterns on the stone floor. The atmosphere was so heavy it felt almost tangible.
Setsuna stood in the center of the hall, his expression calm.
Beside him, teachers from Shin'o Academy and students summoned as witnesses stood in a row.
Opposite them, Taishi's face was covered in bruises, flames of anger burning in his eyes.
"Chiaki Setsuna, currently a first-year student at Shin'o Academy," A judge read in an emotionless voice. "You are accused of assaulting the high-ranking noble and Kasumioji Clan's son-in-law, Sato Taishi. Do you admit to this charge?"
Setsuna gave a slight bow. "I deny it. Sato Taishi rolled around and harmed himself on the training ground. It has nothing to do with me."
"Nonsense!" Taishi slammed the table and stood up abruptly. "How could I possibly hit myself? Did these injuries just magically appear?"
"Silence," Another wise sage spoke coldly. His voice wasn't loud, yet it instantly silenced the entire courtroom. "Sato Taishi, this is the Central 46, not a place for you to make a scene."
Taishi's face paled. He sat down grudgingly, but the fire in his eyes didn't diminish in the slightest.
The judge turned to the academy teachers and students. "Witnesses will come forward and testify one by one."
The first called up was Kisaragi Shusuke.
He bowed nervously, his breathing somewhat hurried. "I... I saw with my own eyes Sato-sama suddenly fall to the ground and start hitting himself. Setsuna-senpai stood in place the entire time and didn't move at all."
Next was the history teacher. "Yes, I can testify. Setsuna-kun politely refused the conscription. Then Sato-sama... well, suddenly lost control of his emotions."
Students were summoned one after another. The testimonies of everyone were astonishingly consistent: Taishi hit himself, and Setsuna merely observed throughout.
"They conspired together!" Taishi couldn't help but stand up again, pointing at Setsuna and the Academy's teachers and students. "Shin'o Academy is colluding with him! Their testimonies are completely invalid!"
On the judge's bench, the wise sages exchanged low murmurs.
Their expressions were unclear in the shadows, but a subtle change in the atmosphere could be sensed.
Of course, they were more inclined to believe Taishi, a fellow noble. After all, Taishi had gone to conscript Setsuna under the orders of the Central 46.
Naturally, they were displeased internally about Setsuna refusing the conscription.
But judging from the testimonies of all the witnesses, the situation was extremely unfavorable for Taishi.
"Quiet," The presiding wise sage slowly spoke. "Chiaki Setsuna, do you have anything else to say?"
Setsuna looked up, his gaze calmly sweeping over the judge's bench. "Since both parties insist on their own version, perhaps a more objective method of verification should be used. If I assaulted Sato Taishi, then his body should bear the residual imprint of my Reiatsu. Conversely, if he did it himself, then the imprint should be his own Reiatsu."
A murmur spread across the judge's bench. The proposal was reasonable.
But there was also a small complication: Several days had passed since the incident. If Taishi had undergone treatment during this time, or taken other actions that might destroy Reiatsu traces, the investigation might find it difficult to yield a definitive result.
"I agree!" Taishi shouted loudly.
He thought to himself triumphantly: 'Hmph, this kid probably thinks I, valuing noble's honor, would have sought treatment first, or changed clothes. Ha, I'm not stupid enough to value honor over substance.'
Then, he looked at Setsuna with a challenging gaze, only to find Setsuna returning a look of pity, giving him an ominous premonition.
"Granted," Since Taishi had agreed, the wise sages naturally nodded. "Summon the Reiatsu trace examiner."
Soon, an examiner in a white robe with a bird-beak mask entered the hall.
He held a faintly glowing crystal wand, slowly walking around Taishi.
The crystal wand paused one by one over the bruises on Taishi's face and chest, the tip emitting a soft halo.
Everyone held their breath.
After a moment, the examiner put away the crystal wand and bowed to the judge's bench. "Examination complete. All wounds on Sato Taishi's body show no traces of Chiaki Setsuna's Reiatsu. On the contrary, the Reiatsu imprints remaining on these wounds... are completely consistent with Sato Taishi's own Reiatsu Fluctuations."
The courtroom erupted in uproar.
Many nobles felt it was unlikely for Shin'o Academy to collude and bully Taishi. Yet, seeing Taishi's confident and determined demeanor, they also thought he couldn't possibly be that stupid, could he?
"Impossible!" Taishi's face turned deathly pale. Then he looked at the examiner with fury. "You must have been bribed by Shin'o Academy..."
"The result is quite clear," A wise sage interrupted him, his voice carrying unquestionable authority. "Sato Taishi, you have falsely accused a student and disrupted the judicial order of the Central 46. Considering you were acting on behalf of the Central 46 this time, no further action will be taken for now. Now, step down."
Taishi's eyes nearly popped out of his head in rage, 'It's too corrupt! The Soul Society is just too corrupt!'
Many nobles watching couldn't help but laugh.
"Haha, a son-in-law is just a son-in-law. Truly foolish."
"The Kasumioji Clan has lost a lot of honor this time."
"What was he even trying to achieve? Just because his conscription was refused, he could do something this stupid?"
Hearing these jeers, Taishi's blood rushed to his head. He pointed at the judge's bench and the spectator gallery, shouting, "You fools! It's you who have been deceived by that despicable bastard! I never made a false accusation!"
"Insolence!" A wise sage slammed the table hard. Reiatsu pressed down like a tangible force. "Remove this man from the court!"
Two white-clad guards swiftly stepped forward, grabbing Taishi from left and right, unceremoniously dragging him out.
Taishi's furious curses gradually faded down the corridor, eventually disappearing.
The courtroom fell silent again. The wise sages' gazes turned to Setsuna.
"Chiaki Setsuna," the presiding wise sage spoke slowly. "Although you have been proven innocent this time, the fact remains that you refused a conscription from the Central 46. The Soul Society needs soldiers who obey orders and maintain order. Those who do not obey the Central 46's commands are not qualified to become Shinigami. This is something you should bear in mind."
Setsuna wasn't angry. In his eyes, the Central 46 were merely forty-six stupid pigs waiting to be slaughtered.
He shrugged and calmly turned to walk towards the main door.
This dismissive attitude made the high and mighty wise sages and judges' faces turn somewhat dark.
"Arrogant!"
"Hmph, let's see how he refuses conscriptions after he becomes an official Shinigami!"