I Raised A Black Dragon (Web Novel)

“Well… it’s possible to substitute community service hours in prison for 500 hours. Should I see about that? Of course, the number of replaceable years is 10 years maximum.”

While the audience was still, only the voice that continued without hesitation was clear. Even after spilling that explosive declaration, the woman with soft-looking light brown hair gathered on one side of her head calmly rummaged through the documents in her hand.

The audience members mumbled their confusion.

“How in the world? Sending minister Rossinell to the slums?”

“Don’t tell me this must be a joke. A 20-year sentence?”

“But no matter how many times I look at that black-haired child, I think it’s… A long time ago, the breaking news of Laurent's imperial family was on the front page. The dragon that broke the spire. Then that woman…”

The astonishment of the audience was more than before. They couldn't stand up or scream astonishingly with their noble faces, couldn't cover up their gradually pale complexions. The Secretary of Treasure mumbled in a puzzled way, “How can he do 400,000 hours of community service for the poor… in prison?”

400,000 hours was well worth a lifetime. If it’s split up by 12 hours a day, that’s 90 years. On top of that, the sentence was 20 years. A combination of 110 years. It was actually no different from a life sentence.

Adrian Rossinell hadn’t been born from a noble family, but he was a big shot who had immediately taken the post of the minister after entering the Imperial Academy and securing the top position in the year he graduated with the support of the renowned Duchess Hergen.

Considering the royal noble family who were close to him and the high-ranking government officials of the Ministry of Justice and the administration who were closely connected to the Ministry of Magic, he was definitely in the top five when citing Laurent's main public figures.

The behavior of the general of the Protection Bureau, who had demanded the death penalty for him, would also cripple, but at best, the emperor had reduced his sentence, and, the woman who appeared as the new dragon master this time had interfered.

Her calm voice ignited their astonishment and nervousness.

“How about that, Your Honor? I really like that.”

The dragon master, who had gentle eyes and a slender physique, smiled brightly and looked around the observation hall. All the nobles, who had invested in the secret business of the Ministry of Magic during the short time, trembled with the same fear. The dragon master nodded satisfactorily after getting a glimpse of their reactions.

“If you all have no objections, then shall we end the trial of former Minister of Magic Adrian Rossinell here?”

The Minister of Justice, whose breath was trembling from the seat behind Noah, hurriedly lifted his gavel. Clack. Clack. Clack. As the silence had sunken in the courtroom, it was even cheerful to hear the echoing sound.

“This c-court is adjourned.”

The final sentence could be replaced by 20 years in prison, 400,000 hours of community service, and 500 hours of service per year in prison for the entire assets held by the imperial family.

Adrian heard the final sound of the gavel that determined the rest of his life. His gaze didn’t fall on Noah even for a second. She was nodding her head sluggishly, perhaps it was very pleasant to suddenly invade and reverse the direction of the trial.

Frankly, Noah didn’t intend to butt in. Through his connection made by the Ministry of Magic, he would avoid the death penalty or life imprisonment anyway. Noah wanted to do as much as she could, but why sudden community service all of a sudden? Even worse, it was twice as much than what he had demanded when he stormed in during her trial.

Adrian turned towards Noah, who was approaching him, and said, "Is this the big direction of my life that you said you'd decide for me?”

“Frankly I still think it’s a light sentence.”

Noah, who had approached the front of the defendant’s seat he was sitting in, reached out to check if the chains were securely locked. Adrian smiled somewhat confidently.

“Oh, Noah. 400,000 hours of community service isn’t even enough to fill one lifetime. That’s a light sentence?”

“Of course it is. I am here for your death penalty! Even if you shouted one thing, you would already have been taken to the gallows.”

“Actually, you just wanted to give me a taste of my own medicine, huh?”

“N… no.”

Noah made a prickly face before quickly straightening it; then she shook her head. Even if Adrian pretended not to be, he must have felt it extremely unfair about the 200,000 hours of community service he had overwritten at the time.

“I just thought it was a waste for you to rot because your mind is uselessly genius. It will benefit Laurent to use your abilities and return you to society at the lowest point for the people there. That would be better for you,” Noah said. “From now on, you are not the only genius in the world, but you live for the poor and weak who have been laid down by that genius. That is the big direction I decided for your life. If you live that way, you will learn to let it go.”

Her voice was stern and full of conviction. Concluding there, Noah turned her head and made a gesture to someone. Anyone could tell who it was without turning.