The Max Level Hero Has Returned!-Chapter 1247

While the ancient artifact Veil of Truth wasn’t widely known, even within the Central Academy, those who needed to know, knew of it well.

Shaped like a small set of weighing scales, the artifact carried no noble symbolism. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a suicidal artifact.

Resembling a long, thin strip of fabric, the Veil of Truth looked like nothing more than a mana-infused cloth at first glance. Once activated, it’d twist into the form of two scales on its own.

“You can’t! The Veil of Truth?! Even if there are suspicions strong enough to hold a hearing, using that is no different from suicide!” shouted Professor Ryuda, representing the Seven Star Professors and other faculty.

“I have no other way to prove my innocence,” Mit insisted.

“Student Mit Chyde! If this goes wrong, you’ll die!”

He calmly replied, “I know. That’s why I became a 3rd Circle mage.”

“Just because you reached the 3rd Circle doesn’t mean you’ve mastered every truth that comes with it! You do understand that the Veil of Truth demands your life in exchange for lying, don’t you?”

As Professor Ryuda explained, the student council president stared at Mit in shock as well.

“And if I walk away here, do you think House Chyde has any future left?”

Professor Ryuda had nothing to say to that.

“Bring the Veil of Truth.” After a long pause, the presiding senior professor had finally given the order.

Professor Ryuda’s face twisted in horror. “We can absolutely trust everything you say under its influence, sure. But all it takes is one small mistake, and your heart will ignite. Are you still going through with this?”

“I already told you, this is what I became a 3rd Circle mage for.”

Becoming a 3rd Circle mage was the bare minimum to even attempt using it.

Though the odds weren’t good, he was someone who had risen from the 1st to the 3rd Circle in just over a month. Whatever happened next, it couldn't possibly be more surprising than that fact already was.

After a moment of silence, someone entered the hearing chamber carrying a large box. “It’s here.”

When the box was opened, a thin strip of folded cloth was revealed inside.

The senior professor gazed at it with a complicated look, then slowly reached out and activated it with mana. “Before we proceed... In the past, one student died using this recklessly.”

Silence fell over the room.

“That’s why I never wanted to use this cursed artifact.” Exhaustion weighed heavily on his face.

* * *

Prince Vasilion looked grimly at Josiah and spoke again, “You still have time; go stop him.”

He stared at her almost threateningly.

“What? Are you scared?”

“Hah! What are you saying? Even if he’s proven innocent, nothing changes for me. I’m innocent of all crimes.”

“Sure you are.” Josiah smirked as if she’d expected that answer.

One of the boys around him instinctively reached for their sword, but Vasilion held up a hand to stop him.

“If he fails, he dies.”

She curtly replied, “And?”

“Isn’t he your disciple?”

“Hah. That’s funny, coming from someone who tried to get my disciple killed not too long ago.”

Josiah shrugged lazily, then smiled. “Cut the crap, would you? Unless you think a 6th Circle mage is a complete moron who can’t do anything.”

Vasilion’s expression twisted slightly at her quiet threat.

The hearing intensified as the Veil of Truth finished forming into a set of scales. Mit Chyde calmly channeled his mana, attuning it to the artifact. The moment he did so, the Veil of Truth began to resonate with him.

Mana structures began weaving together in a complex, entangled structure. It was so chaotic that even a 2nd Circle mage wouldn’t dare attempt to control it.

Mit nervously let out a small, focused breath before his eyes abruptly widened. He then chuckled and surged his mana forward.

He had been unsure at first, yet once he interacted with the artifact, he knew that he couldn’t fail. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The resonance with his heart was complete!

Surrounded by countless eyes, Mit began operating the scales to prove his innocence at the potential cost of his own life.

There were many ways to use the Veil of Truth, but Mit chose the most straightforward method of questioning.

“Senior professor, sir. The detonated exploding mana stone found at the scene... You said my mana was detected on it, and that it was the deciding piece of evidence, right?”

“That’s correct. Traces of your mana were discovered on it, and that became the basis for this hearing.”

“Then if we compare the mana within me with the one embedded in the stone, and they don’t match... would that not prove my innocence?”

It was the simplest, direct, and clearest way to test.

The senior professor gave a slow nod. “Permission granted, I'll allow it.”

“Professor! Even with permission, one misstep and—”

“That’s his burden to bear, Professor Ryuda.”

The Veil of Truth was undeniably accurate, but even the smallest slip in control would cause it to backlash and incinerate the user’s heart.

Professor Ryuda was visibly conflicted.

Then, the scales began to tremble. The exploding mana stone, long stored away, was placed on one side. On the other, a condensed orb of mana taken from his heart.

If the flows matched, the scales would remain level.

Everyone held their breath as the trembling increased. Some students scoffed.

“The professors already confirmed it! Does he think waving around some weird old relic will change that?”

To most students, the Veil of Truth wasn’t exactly considered trustworthy.

Even so, the trembling began to slow. The scales finally reached a balance.

“It’s... still,” someone murmured, and all eyes turned to the professors.

“This is absurd...” Professor Ryuda’s face turned pale. “The mana structure is so similar... There’s no way they should be different!”

She rushed forward, double-checking the artifact with frantic hands.

“Professor Ryuda. What is the result?”

She looked back at the scales, then turned around and gave her answer. “The residual mana left in the exploding mana stone... does not belong to Student Mit Chyde.”

Murmurs erupted instantly. The commotion practically sent a shockwave through the entire hearing chamber.

Dozens of leading experts had confirmed that the mana was his. However, the Veil of Truth said otherwise.

“There’s no way... We tested it over and over back then. Not just me, but every professor in the department!”

“The uniqueness of mana is still not fully understood by us. The Veil of Truth has sensory precision tens of times greater than any human.”

If the mana wasn’t Mit’s, then his innocence was as good as proven.

Professor Ryuda tried to stay calm. “However... if another’s mana was embedded in the stone, doesn’t that reduce this artifact’s evidential reliability as well?”

If someone else’s mana had been mixed in, it could still appear similar, yet different.

“If there was another mana, the professors would’ve noticed it. Professor Vara, did you detect any trace of mixed mana?”

“No, we didn’t,” one of the Seven Star Professors responded.

“Then we have our answer—the residual mana in the exploding mana stone can no longer serve as conclusive evidence against Mit Chyde. As such, this hearing will temporarily defer judgment on his case, citing insufficient evidence.”

With no real culprit identified, complete innocence couldn’t be declared. Still, the one critical piece of evidence had just been disqualified. There was now no way to convict him based on what remained of the prosecution’s case.

The academy hearing was meant to corner him, presumably under the circumstances that he was the certain culprit. While it resembled an actual criminal trial, it was not entirely the same.

“Given that this hearing and the case have lost their validity, I hereby declare it closed.” Having delivered his judgment, the senior professor rose from his seat and walked out.

The stunned students stared for a moment, then began filing out quietly.

* * *

“That fucking bitch!”

Crash!!

Prince Vasilion stormed into his room and swept aside a row of wine glasses, shattering them against the floor. “Everything was going perfectly!! She just had to ruin it!”

Grinding his teeth, he replayed the events of the hearing in his mind.

- Don’t touch him. If you do, I’m not taking responsibility.

She had said it in such a lazy tone while putting on a deceptively cute face.

Despite her childlike appearance, her name was already a topic of awe within the Magician Guild.

A genius mage unaffiliated with any tower, known as the successor to Elder Yulis. She had yet to receive the public title of being the youngest 6th Circle mage, simply because so few even knew she had reached the 6th Circle.

Prince Vasilion was no exception. He didn’t know her exact level, but he understood instinctively that she wasn’t someone he could afford to disregard.

“At this point, we can’t label him the culprit anymore.”

If Mit Chyde wasn’t guilty, then House Chyde had no reason to pay any damages. As such, they wouldn’t be forced into desperate choices out of financial ruin.

Count Chyde, known for his unwavering principles and neutral stance, couldn’t be manipulated anymore. It was even worse since he was a man without skeletons in his closet worthy of blackmail.

“Your Highness, just give the order. Forging more evidence won’t be difficult.”

“Request denied. If we get caught, we’re the ones who’ll be finished.” Vasilion analyzed the situation coldly. Everything had been going well until Josiah Francos ruined it all.

“What should we do about her, then?”

“What?”

“She’s a high-level mage, yes, but she’s no 6th Circle. With the right assassins—”

“Are you insane?” His face twisted in disgust.

“Your Highness, you’re being too cautious. She’s just an assistant professor at Heins Academy, nothing more.”

True, Heins Territory was known to retaliate fiercely when provoked. Yet to be afraid of one assistant professor seemed absurd, especially from a foreign kingdom’s standpoint.

Their doubts were understandable, but his subordinates were missing a key fact.

“Josiah Francos isn’t just some assistant professor. She’s the damned disciple of the Saint, you fools!” he roared.

The subordinates in the room glanced nervously at one another. They weren’t just guards—they were trained assassins and mages who had been planted as students.

“You don’t get it. The Saint of Tionis isn’t the gentle, benevolent man the books make him out to be,” Vasilion insisted.

“But even so...”

“Do you have any idea how many disciples he’s taken under his wing? Plenty have been made public, but Josiah Frances is the only one he took the time to personally raise. On top of that, she’s from Class F at Shakuntala.”

In other words, if they made a wrong move against her and caught that man’s attention, they’d be burned alive in the wake of his wrath.

“Damn it! Why the hell is Josiah Frances involved with that bastard in the first place...?” He let his rage pour out, but there was no clear solution.

All his plans were collapsing.

Then, his eyes flashed.

“If we can’t touch Josiah Frances directly...” He bit his thumbnail. “That maid you found in the slums. The one who used to serve Mit Chyde. You’ve got her locked up properly, right?”

“Hmm? Ah, yes. We’ve already secured her.”

“Then contact the royal court, and tell them I want to proceed with the engagement to Berah Chyde.”

If he couldn’t pressure Count Chyde through Mit, there was only one option left.

Take a hostage.

A dangerous glint flickered in his eyes.

* * *

At the very moment Mit Chyde had managed to prove his innocence, Davey and Al Hajat were locked in a fierce standoff, eyes fixed on the item in their hands.

“What do you think you’re doing, bombarding someone else’s daughter with gifts? Are you insane?” Davey solemnly asked.

“Coming from the guy who’s bringing gifts because he doesn’t trust his own daughter? That’s rich.”

Al Hajat was holding a massive catalog. It was as if he was telling the world that he was rich. He’d prepared an absurd amount of gifts, then neatly organized them for presentation in a grand catalog.

In contrast, what Davey held was a beautifully crafted bracelet, the kind that could leave anyone speechless at even a glance.

“My little Eva’s got simple tastes. She’s not into that flashy stuff,” Davey argued.

“This isn’t just throwing money around.” Brimming with confidence, Al Hajat unfolded his catalog.

Unlike the one he showed before with yachts and luxury goods, the one he held was filled with charming, adorable dolls.

“These are handcrafted character dolls, made stitch by stitch by Italy’s finest artisans. You can’t even buy these with money!”

Evangeline loved dolls.

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Davey’s cheek. “Ahem! I just remembered that I have something coming up...”

“Hold up, no backing out now. We agreed to the same prep time, remember?”

“J-Just give me a sec! I need to use the bathroom, just real—”

“Yeah, no.” Al Hajat nodded his head, and his secretary Antonio, who was holding a bucket full of chicken, activated an artifact.

Space tore open with a crack, revealing Evangeline’s lair in the dimension beyond.

“Uncle!!” Evangeline appeared, running toward Al Hajat with a bright smile.

Davey immediately stepped in front of him, spreading his arms wide. “Eva! Come to me instead?”

“Huh? Dad, you’re here too?”

“Just dropped by to see your face.”

She was still confused. “I thought you were busy? Uncle Al Hajat said he’d take me to the amusement park, so I was waiting for him.”

Davey shot him a glare.

Alhazard cleared his throat, playing innocence.

Davey suggested, “Eva, how about you go to the amusement park I own?”

“Now hold on. I gave you that park as a gift, remember?” Al Hajat remarked.

“Shut it, you old fool! It’s mine now. You handed it over,” Davey said with a puffed-up chest.

“Unbelievable...” From behind Evangeline, Perserque emerged, watching the childish back-and-forth with a mix of pity and exhaustion. “Seriously... You’re both grown men...”