Chapter 2: The Case

  House Number 10/15, 5th street, Alley Number 5, York City.

  October 11, Year 550

  After arriving in the city, he parted ways with Dirk to search for a place to stay. With the address from the identification card in hand, he followed the street signs for a while before finally stopping in front of a building.

  Nicholas stood before a three-story European-style townhouse in the eastern district of York City. He paused at the front door for a moment before deciding to ring the bell, his mind wondered how he should act if someone actually answered. But after some time passed, no one came to the door.

  The young man pulled out the leather wallet once more and searched through it until he found a small key tucked inside. He slid it into the lock and turned it.

  The door opened. A sigh of relief escaped his lips—if the key hadn't worked, he might have become homeless, just like the old man he had met earlier.

  As he stepped inside, the faint scent of paper drifted into his senses. It was a familiar smell—one that brought back memories of his time as a lawyer. He switched on the ceiling lamps, and warm light spilled across the room. Books and documents filled the interior.

  Though he had never set foot here before, this place felt strangely familiar. It was quite clean and orderly, if one overlooked the books and papers piled high on the shelves and tables.

  Nicholas sat down at the table near the kitchen area and drank several glasses of water, as if he hadn't had any in days. After a long and grueling night, he finally began to feel somewhat rested.

  "It seems I've truly crossed into another world."

  Not only had he woken up in a stranger's body, but he had also been cast into an entirely different world. If only he had inherited even a fragment of Nicholas Parlay's memories, it would have made things a lot easier. But it seemed he would have to survive this unfamiliar world on his own.

  Nicholas collapsed onto the sofa. His eyes were too exhausted to stay open. It wasn't surprising considering the events he had experienced throughout the night.

  Right now, perhaps the best thing he could do was to rest. Maybe this was all just a dream, and when he woke up, everything would return to normal. Nicholas's eyes gradually closed as it led him into slumber.

  .....

  Ring! Ring! Ring!

  The sound of the ringing telephone pulled Nicholas from sleep. He wasn't sure how much time had passed. A strange dream from the night before still clung faintly to his thoughts.

  But when he saw his surroundings, he couldn't help but sigh.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  "It wasn't a dream, was it..."

  Light filtered through the window. Only then did he realize he had slept through the night.

  The telephone continued to ring persistently. He reluctantly got up, dragging his weary body toward the sound. An antique-shaped telephone was placed on a table near the entrance.

  Just as he was about to pick it up, he hesitated, realizing it might not be a good idea as he didn't know who was calling—or how they were connected to him. If the person on the other end knew 'Nicholas Parlay' well, and he acted differently than usual, it could easily arouse suspicion.

  After steeling himself for a moment, Nicholas decided to pick up the phone. Perhaps this call would help him understand more about this new world, as well as his current identity.

  "Hello?"

  "Mr. Nicholas! O Holy Mother! I finally got through to you!"

  The voice on the other end was that of a young woman between 20-30 years old. Her tone seemed slightly anxious.

  "May I ask who you are...?"

  "It's Mary! Don't tell me you've forgotten your secretary's voice?"

  "No... Mary, I'm sorry. I just woke up. Is there something you need?" Nicholas made an excuse before asking back.

  "I'm calling to confirm tomorrow's verdict hearing for your client, Antonio. You'll need to appear before the jury as his defense attorney. I know you prefer a reminder three days in advance, but I haven't been able to reach you these past few days," Mary replied.

  "I see. I'm sorry—I haven't been home for quite some time" Nicholas apologized.

  "Um… You're unusually formal today."

  Nicholas froze, unwilling to believe that he had been exposed in just a few sentences.

  "But I think this isn't bad at all. I actually like it. It seems those etiquette lessons are finally paying off"

  "It seems that way, ha-ha"

  Nicholas laughed it off while quietly breathing a sigh of relief.

  "Anyway, I understand. The verdict hearing is tomorrow, right?"

  "Yes, 9:00 AM at York City Central Criminal Court. I remember you took the case file home with you. If possible, you should try reviewing the case a few more times."

  "Understood. Thank you, Mary."

  " It is my duty, after all." Mary responded

  "Anyway, I like your new style. Have a good day, Mr. Nicholas."

  After that the line was cut.

  'Looks like I managed to get through that.'

  Nicholas thought to himself before hanging up the phone. He took a moment to process the information from the call before compiling it into four key points.

  First, Nicholas's personality was different from his own. From his conversation with Mary. It was clear that their relationship was strictly professional. Although they weren't very close, they were familiar enough with one another for her to notice something amiss after only a few sentences.

  Fortunately, there was a plausible coincidence he could rely on as an excuse.

  Second, this world had an aristocracy, suggesting that it still operated under a hierarchical system.

  Third, Nicholas likely came from common origins and had only recently risen through the ranks. As a result, he was required to attend etiquette classes to adjust to high society.

  Lastly, Nicholas worked in a profession related to law—most likely as a lawyer.

  "Damn it..."

  He had just resigned from that job. Yet even after being sent to another world, he found himself working in the same profession all over again.

  "Tomorrow at 9:00 AM, York City Central Criminal Court, client named Antonio."

  Judging from Mary's tone, this seemed to be an important case. Antonio was probably not an ordinary person.

  …Not to mention it was a criminal case.

  "Mary mentioned that I have the case file with me?"

  He got up and started looking for the case file. After walking around and surveying the interior for a while, he arrived at a room on the second floor that looked like an office.

  A yellow document folder was placed on the desk. On the front was written "Case Number (Black) 445/50, York City District Attorney, Plaintiff - Antonio Marcelo, Defendant."

  Nicholas sat down, opened the file before him and began to read from the first page. If all documentary evidence were compiled together, they would likely be as thick as a large dictionary. And that didn't even include witness testimonies or other forms of non-written evidence.

  To survive what awaited him tomorrow, he would need to thoroughly study the details of the case—including Nicholas's background and his relationship with Antonio.

  After sitting and reading for a while, Nicholas couldn't help but furrow his brow.

  Antonio Marcelo, thirty-five years old, was the son of the Marcelo family patriarch, who was also the head of 'Le Purgatoire', one of the most influential mafia organizations in York. It was said that Don Marcelo, head of both the Marcelo family and Le Purgatoire, wielded immense power and maintained connections with high-ranking nobles—not only in York City, but even in the capital.

  …No wonder Mary had been so anxious when she failed to get in touch with him earlier.

  Antonio was a well-known womanizer and the owner of a gambling den on Noble Street. Though implicated in smuggling and arrested countless times, he had always managed to avoid conviction. This time, however, he was charged with rape and murder. The complainant was a man named David John Paul, who had reportedly been missing for over two weeks.

  By the time he reached this point, Nicholas slumped back against the chair cushion, utterly dejected.

  Did he really get transported to another world—only to end up as a crooked attorney for a criminal?

  11.10.550

  Nicholas Parlay

  Crooked attorney