Minamoto Tamako hadn't actually witnessed many trials; she only went to court when someone she knew was involved in a case. Until now, the trials she'd seen could be counted on one hand.

This time was a regular formal trial, quite perfunctory. The clerk read through the case details, and according to procedure, let the prosecutor, plaintiff, and defendant speak in turn.

Minamoto Tamako thought it would be a battle of words, but to her surprise, no one's speech lasted more than a minute.

The prosecutor regarded this as manslaughter. Yakai Mutsumi had objectively committed an assault, and subjectively, she knew it could result in death yet still stabbed with a knife. As for Kuroda Kotaro striking first, this was entirely Yakai Mutsumi's one-sided story. In fact, after analyzing the blood spatter direction, the police leaned toward the idea that Yakai Mutsumi struck first.

Given the couple was in a state of quarrel, it didn't count as intentional injury.

After speaking, the prosecutor sat down.

Next, it was the defendant's lawyer's turn to speak. He did not deny this statement but, on this basis, asserted the fact of 'Yakai Mutsumi's long-term domestic violence,' hoping the judge would consider a lighter sentence.

Then it was the plaintiff's turn to speak. Seated were Kuroda's parents, who burst into tears, saying their son was a kind person who could never engage in domestic violence, and even if such a thing happened, Yakai Mutsumi was to blame...

The judge promptly interrupted their speech and returned the floor to Yakai Mutsumi, asking if she had any objections to the aforementioned content.

Yakai Mutsumi hesitated for a minute, finally nodded anxiously, and said:

"No."

Thus, the judge hammered the gavel, announced the verdict, Yakai Mutsumi was deemed as mutual assault, guilty of manslaughter; considering various reasons, the judge sentenced her to three years of probation.

The entire process took less than twenty minutes, over ten minutes of which were spent waiting for the tardy judge.

Kuroda's parents were dissatisfied with this result. They wanted to shout and curse but were dragged away by the lawyer and court police.

Yakai Mutsumi didn't need to go to jail, was released in court, and went to complete the formalities.

However, her future life would be affected. A probationer must accept supervision from the Ministry of Justice's protection oversight, regularly submit thought reports, participate in at least 8 hours of community service monthly, and abide by prohibitions, such as no contact with specific people, and no entry into certain places.

Moreover, probationers cannot leave the country without approval, or else they risk revocation of probation. In the next three years, Yakai Mutsumi shouldn't even think about traveling or visiting relatives; she can only live in Tokyo.

Minamoto Tamako didn't know whether she should support Yakai Mutsumi. From the standpoint of legal principles, she couldn't help but ask, "Isn't this a bit... light?"

No matter Kotaro's character, he was still a human life.

A while ago, he was alive and well, scolding his wife in front of Minamoto Tamako, but now he had become a corpse, with no future ever again.

And the price Yakai Mutsumi paid for it was three years of probation.

Fushimi Roku shrugged and said, "This is plea bargaining. The defendant's lawyer certainly made a deal with the prosecutor, allowing Yakai Mutsumi to plead guilty in court in exchange for a lighter sentence... That lawyer at least maintained professional ethics, at least didn't take money for nothing."

"What do you mean?" Minamoto Tamako couldn't understand, how would a lawyer take money and do nothing?

"Some unscrupulous lawyers will discuss with the defendant's family, falsely claiming to have a way to do a plea bargain. As long as they give him a huge retainer, he can ensure to lower the defendant's sentence. If the family naively pays the money, then the unscrupulous lawyer will ask the prosecutor for another sum, letting the parties plead guilty and get sentenced right away."

After Fushimi Roku finished speaking, he used his pinky to clean his ear, as if talking about a commonplace thing.

Minamoto Tamako exclaimed, "Oh," and asked, "Then what?"

Fushimi Roku was a bit surprised, "What do you mean 'then'? I already said they are unscrupulous lawyers, they certainly take money but do nothing!"

Minamoto Tamako was shocked; she had long heard of the reputation of litigation hustlers, but never thought bad lawyers could be so sinister, "Isn't that just fraud?"

"How is that fraud? Plea bargaining is illegal; the money given by the family can only be considered a lawyer's fee, it can't be sued in court."

Fushimi Roku made an analogy to help Minamoto Tamako understand better: "It's similar to a client seeing a flyer for home service on the ground, getting impulsively excited, pays the money, but no lady comes to the door... In such a case, there's naturally no way to call the police."

"Oh, oh, I understand, but I still feel it's like fraud," said Minamoto Tamako.

"If you really want to say it, you can describe it that way." Fushimi Roku blew on his pinky, "At least Yakai Mutsumi didn't encounter an unscrupulous lawyer, so she should be commended, congratulated."

Minamoto Tamako didn't know where the joy came from, nor what was to be celebrated; she watched Yakai Mutsumi leave from afar, her heart was a complex mix of emotions, not knowing what kind of mood to adopt.

Fushimi Roku was just about to comfort her, but Minamoto Tamako anticipated his words and spoke first: "I know the world is not just black and white, I just... sigh, forget it, let's go home and have lunch."

They had the day off today, no work.

Fushimi Roku sensed Minamoto Tamako's low spirits and, on the way home, planned to entice Minamoto Tamako into a dessert shop, and wanted to treat Minamoto Tamako to some high-end desserts to cheer her up a bit.

Unexpectedly, Minamoto Tamako refused this time: "No, no, I can't eat desserts anymore, otherwise the calories will be over the limit."

Although she was into sports and weight loss, she was also aware of the harm of high oil and sugar. Even if not on a diet, those high-oil and high-sugar foods should be consumed sparingly—at most once or twice a month, or even once in six months, to stay within a normal range.

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