The Principal Offender Cannot Be Returned

"Return Garling."

As the voice came from behind the Black Gate, the wooden cup in the Foosha Village Tavern was gently swaying on the edge of the table. Lin Qi's finger, which was about to press confirm, stopped on the keyboard, and a little wine spilled from the cup, flowing down the table to his hand.

Makino looked at the Sky Screen and whispered, "It finally spoke on its own."

Lin Qi wiped the wine off the back of his hand, staring at the Throne Mark. "It's not here to reason; it's here to steal the corpse."

Upon hearing this, Garling's bloodied face showed an even greater relief than before. "Question setter, you've finally gotten it right this time."

Sabo's flames spread along the edge of the Chief Adjudication Platform, blocking the Throne Mark pressing down from the Black Gate. "Don't let the door touch him."

Kizaru raised his hand, and Kouroki appeared behind Garling. "Oh dear, today I'm actually going to have to protect this Commander-in-Chief. The job is getting weirder and weirder."

Bonney backed away, clutching Star, her eyes filled with disgust. "Don't let it take him away; it'll tear him apart."

Lumi held up the Name Card, her hand trembling, but she didn't put it down. "He's a bad guy, but he has to finish what he said."

The voice from behind the Black Gate came again, "Figarland, Garling, belong to the Holy Land."

Lin Qi typed out the question, "You guys really don't get tired of using the word 'belonging'."

The golden characters on the Sky Screen unfold.

[Throne Recycling -Garling Question]

[Question: Now Figarland Garling has been identified as the main culprit and key witness in the destruction of evidence, does the Empty Throne have the right to unilaterally reclaim and dispose of him based on his internal affiliation?]

[A. Has the right; those within the Holy Land should be dealt with by the Throne.]

[B. Has the right; Garling belongs to the Figarland Family]

[C. Can be temporarily retrieved, with records submitted later]

[D. No right; the party suspected of being involved in the joint crime may not unilaterally retrieve key witnesses and principal offenders. Garling must be detained and interrogated in the presence of multiple witnesses, and his life must be spared.]

Garling looked up at the question, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with the tip of his tongue. "Save my life?"

Shanks stood on the outer edge of the Chief Adjudication Platform, his sword still drawn. "You'd better not laugh right now."

Garling looked at him, "Red-Hair, are you going to vote to protect me?"

Shanks said, "I can't vote for the Pirate Seat on this question, but I can state the facts: the Throne will take you away, and you won't live to see it spoken."

Buggy, sitting at his makeshift seat, yelled, "Stop putting on that nice act! Disgusting as it may be, we can't give this old geezer to them!"

Marco continued, "Pirate Joint Seat, D."

Jinbe said, "The ringleader can be interrogated, but we can't let the accomplices be silenced, D."

Buggy raised his hand and pressed down. "D, let's get this straight, I'm not saving him, I'm just worried he'll die and then renege on his promise."

Akainu looked at the Throne Mark covering the restraint badge, and his voice came from Marine Headquarters, "Navy Seat, D. Garling still needs to undergo public scrutiny. Any recovery will be treated as evidence destruction."

Longdao: "The Revolutionary Army Seat, D. Throne, is one of the subjects of investigation and has no authority to dispose of witnesses."

Lumi emphasized each word, "Victim Seat, D. He wants to know who ordered our arrest."

Makino glanced at Lin Qi without asking for his opinion. "Civilian Witness Seat, D. The main culprit cannot be taken away by someone whose trial hasn't finished."

The voice from behind the Black Gate showed no anger, simply repeating, "Return Garling."

Lin Qi pushed the voting interface to the screen, "Stop talking, answer the questions."

There was no response from within the Black Gate, but the Throne Mark pressed down even further, and the black light from the crack in the Chief Adjudication Platform climbed up from Garling's feet, trying to drag his shadow inside.

The bear raised its paw and pressed it to the ground, its paw pads pushing the black light aside. "It's bypassing the vote."

Vegapunk shouted, "It's disguising the retrieval command as life protection! The system is determining a conflict!"

Lin Qi immediately changed the subject, "Then let's dismantle its name."

The new question is placed below the original question.

[Verification Questions on the Name of Life Protection]

[Question: The Throne demands its return under the pretext of protecting Garling's life, but the party seeking the return is suspected of complicity in the crime and has not publicly disclosed a preservation plan. Is this pretext valid?]

[A. Establishment, Throne Declaration suffices]

[B. Establishment, with priority given to the protection of the Holy Land's interior]

[C. Partially true; can be removed first and explained later]

[D. Not valid. Protecting one's life cannot be a reason for the secret disposal of witnesses; the preservation plan must be made public to all parties.]

Akainu didn't wait for anyone else, "Navy Seat, D."

Longdao: "Revolutionary Army Seat, D."

Makino said, "The Civilian Witness Seat, D."

Lumi said, "Victim Seat, D."

Buggy slammed the button in frustration. "Pirate Joint Seat, if D. really wants to protect us, he should close the door first."

[Answer: D]

[Rejected in the name of protecting the life of the Throne]

[Main question still under investigation]

The edge of the Black Gate was pushed back by the Golden Light, and the Throne Mark pressing down on Garling cracked open. His body was pulled back from the direction of the Black Gate by the restraining golden mark, and his shoulder bones made a dull sound.

Garling gritted his teeth and didn't make a sound.

Shanks looked at him. "If it hurts, remember it. Don't hold back when you speak up later."

Garling stared at Shanks, "Are you teaching me?"

Shanks said, "I'm reminding the witness."

The voice from behind the Black Gate spoke for the third time, "Return it."

This time, a notification popped up directly in the Sky Screen.

[The Throne refused to answer]

[Default: Oppose public censorship]

[Answer: D]

[Garling must not be unilaterally reclaimed by the Throne]

[Strengthened Multi-Binding Review Procedures]

On the Chief Adjudication Platform, golden restraint chains were fastened layer by layer from Garling's wrists, shoulders, and chest, and the black markings of judgment that were originally embedded in his body were peeled off one by one and sealed into the temporary evidence box in the Sky Screen.

Glen watched the scene and whispered, "The commander is being restrained."

The other knight, who had laid down his weapon, remained silent, only pushing his spear further away.

Garling suddenly laughed. Locked in place, he still looked up at the Black Gate. "Throne, did you hear that? They want me alive."

Lin Qi frowned. "Don't let him provoke us."

Robin immediately said, "He's guiding the way the Throne is being upgraded."

The voice from behind the Black Gate stopped, then was replaced by a more specific prompt.

[Change of Throne Disposal Order Detected]

[Target: Figarland, Garling]

[Handling method: Silence retrieval failed, and the transferred testimony became invalid]

Vegapunk's expression changed. "It wants to invalidate what Garling said."

Garling looked down at the chains binding his chest, his voice hoarse with laughter, "See? You may have protected my man, but you can't necessarily protect my words."

Lin Qi stared at the newly appeared black question, "Then let's continue asking."

The voice from behind the Black Gate revealed a clear name for the first time.

"Garling, shut up."

A black crown pattern appeared around Garling's throat, and just as he was about to speak, blood gushed from his mouth.

Lumi cried out urgently, "It's preventing him from speaking!"

Xing grabbed Bonney's sleeve. "Don't let him close it."

Lin Qi's hands were already on the keyboard.

[Question on the legality of the Silencing Order]

[Question: Does the Throne have the right to Silencing Order on Garling, who has been listed as a key witness, rendering his testimony invalid or preventing him from speaking?]

Before the options were even fully revealed, Garling had already uttered two words.

"Imu."

The Throne Mark tightened inward, and blood trickled from between his fingers.