Mr. Lawyer – The Advocate With A Demon Inside.

*Warning : Excessive amount of info-dumps and expositions…*

The fated day has arrived. And Pattinson arrived at the court earlier than forty minutes. They were allocated hall number 313. It was a vast hall, with two columns and a total of sixteen rows of seats, having eight rows for each column. And a separate bench accommodating two seats for the judge and a special member. The judges sat in their respective seats, surrounded by guards. To assist them, two junior management officials (officers given the duty to do court-regarded works) were appointed and present.

Fresh out of the treatment to fix his addiction issue temporarily, Varghese sat beside his dad in the court, accompanied by their bulky bodyguards.

Dressed in a blue floral gown, Helen took oath as the special jury, her first duty as mayor. She was given a special seat, along with the judge. The judge was Ms Swetha Jasmine, a 60-year-old magistrate with 30 years of experience as a successful criminal lawyer and also a womens activist.

Jessica was given the last seat in the audience chamber to watch the trial, but surprisingly, it was not because of her race, this time. It was simply because she was late for securing a pass for the front seats.

Raguel walked into the court wearing a black blazer with a long silky black overcoat, which was mandatory for lawyers. But all his efforts to look cool and stylish became useless in a second because of a court procedure.

”What? I bought the costliest suit worth 10,000 gold coins, for this trial. And you are saying the trial is a closed-combat procedure… Who approved that? ” Raguel raged towards the management officer, Rashid.

Closed-combat Procedure is a procedure for trials, where the cases will be treated with utmost privacy and the details of the case won be up for the public eyes, except for the verdict. But the secrecy will vary according to the respective parties. If both parties are okay with the details of their case being shared with the public, then the case will be officially entered into the public domain for others to see and study.

Now Raguel never assumed there will be a closed-combat procedure for the trial. Because one of his reasons to represent Pattinson was free publicity and a big chance to establish his name in the law field. Rashid, the court-appointed management officer for this trial, shrugged off Raguels complaints and excused himself to carry on with his other duties.

”My hopes are all crashed, Mr Shaman… ” Raguel sadly lamented to his assistant, who was not even the least bothered by all this. He, too, left his employers side and went to the audience chamber, sitting next to Jessica, another outcast like him.

With a sad face, Raguel walked towards his seat. His plans for a stylish entrance went down the drain and worse was there was no audience for him to charm or entertain.

Screw the management officers! Aren trials supposed to be entertaining? his messed up thoughts ran fast. A wooden chair and a big table were allocated for him and Raguel sat down on it, placing the documents on the table.

”A freaking wooden chair? Mr Pattinson! Can you arrange a comfy chair for me? This shit will break my back, ” he called out to his employer. But Pattinson panicked and gestured him to be silent, as Raguels behaviour was open and out for all the judges to see. And they were not impressed. Heck, he didn even bow to them, the usual sign of respect, lawyers usually show to the judges.

”Is he the one? The one with questionable academic records? ”

”I think so. Hes not from Gehenna. ”

”He was denied to practice law back in his homeland… So, he got a license from a poor performing district somewhere… ”

The murmuring and silent exchanges flew between the judge and her personal assistant, discussing the problematic rumours about Raguel. But Raguel simply shrugged them off, even though it was blatantly obvious and clearly audible that they were talking about him from a bad perspective. Instead, he was busy checking out the other lady lawyers talking outside, by peeking through the windows.

I should get a girlfriend soon, I guess… he sighed, thinking.

But the murmurings were also audible enough to Helen, and it clearly had an effect on her. She clenched her fist and sat tight, bothered by all the trash talks about her ex-friend.

Then the chorus of footsteps arriving echoed all around the court hall, as the infamous lawyer and his clients walked into it. The infamous lawyer was Randoll Rattinson, the attorney with a hundred percent success record—And also the former personal lawyer for Pattinson, who was appointed because of a dumb reason such as their names sounded similar.

In simple words, Rattinson was an opportunist who simply chose to represent the victims this time for clout.

”He worked for me all these years and now he ditched me and my son for his Magistrate promotion! ” Pattinson vented out, whispering to himself.

While Pattinson and his team were allocated the entire right column, Rattinson along with the girls seated in the seats in the left column.

As a first thing, Rattinson and his pack of show-off assistants bowed in front of the judges, paying their respect. And then they sat down in the front.

The majestic presence of Rattinson and his command over his juniors swooned the judges immediately, starting with a good impression—Unlike Raguel.

”Good morning, dear magistrates. and good morning Ms Jasmine… ” Rattinson chuckled.

”Oh, good morning, Mr Rattinson… Its really an honour to be a Magistrate for your case. ” The Judge gleefully praised him, much to Raguels annoyance.

As the representative for the victims, Rattinson presented his side of the case first. He read the complaint letter, and each girl was called to the stand, where they spoke out of their traumatising memories at the hands of the violent molester.

The girls, Stephanie Cruz, Vaishnavi Krishna, Maggie Maddinson, Kiyomi, and Natalie, all came to the stand and spoke out about their experiences in detail.

Vaishnavi stepped to the stand. A trio of middle-aged men, entered the hall, carrying a round stand with a white-coloured rock placed in the centre. They lit it on fire and showed it to Vaishnavi.

It was the ice-crystal, the crystal used for oath-taking purposes where the oath-takers can possibly lie for another 45 minutes after touching it or inhaling it. Vaishnavi placed her hands above the flames of the crystal and her peach-coloured palm, turned greyish and pale, a sign of ice-crystals effect.

”I was working as a waitress in a restaurant. And one day, that guy… Varghese, came to the restaurant at night when we are about to close. We pleaded with him to leave the restaurant, but he yelled, screamed and threw a big chunk of gold coins and ordered us to bring food.

But when I, the waitress who brought the food, he… grabbed my hands and pulled me— ” Vaishnavi covered her ears as she covered down, recounting and reliving her experience.

Varghese, watching everything from his seat, was clenching his fist hard and was clearly fuming in anger. That Bitch! I shouldve ripped her mouth…

”I decline! ” Raguel said aloud, declining to cross-examine her. He didn even wait for the Judge to call out for him nor for the girl on the stand to finish.

Helen can help but wonder why. What happened to him, exactly? This was not the Raguel, I remember…

Not wanting to inflict more pain on the victim, the Judge allowed Vaishnavi, to return to her seat, as what she told already matched with her written confession.

And Stephanie was called next to come in front of the stand. But much to everyones shock, Raguel stood up and raised his hands.

”What is it, Defense attorney, Mr Raguel? ”

”Hmm… I think we don want to inflict any more pain on those traumatised girls… We are done. Whatever was written on their confession letters was true and my client wholeheartedly agrees to the incidents that were detailed in those letters… ”

That took a complete 180-degree turn for Rattinson. He had no clue whether he should be happy or to be cautious. Because everything Raguel said not only strengthened his case but also destroyed Raguels own case.

”Seems like our lawyer straightening the nails and making the move… ” Pattinson nervously said to himself, anxiously waiting for Raguel and his cases trump card.

All the instructions Raguel poured into his mind, were flashed in front of Vargheses eyes. Come on, asshole… Just say it!

Raguel raised his hands upwards, but this time was to stretch as an exercise. He cracked his neck, disrespecting the court further and further.

”Defense attorney, you can do your little exercises in your home. But could you elaborate on what you were saying first? ” Judge, Jasmine snapped at Raguel but Raguel replied with a chuckle.

”Mam… Your honour. My lord. My client… ” he gave a little pause, to pique interest in others, especially the high and mighty, Rattinson.

”Go on… Say it. ”

”My client pleads guilty. But under… DEMONIC POSESSION… ”

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A very strong silence swallowed the entire hall.