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“Witness, Airine Ianette. Please join me.”

The moment the woman’s name escaped the lips of an elf, everyone had no choice but to doubt their ears. The unexpected turn of events left the crowd in shock, all eyes converging on one spot.

Among those closest to the trial parties, sitting quietly on the defendant’s side, was Airine. At that moment, time seemed to stretch on infinitely for her.

All the retainers that formed the backbone of her family shot her incredulous looks. The learned helplessness instilled in her since childhood weighed heavily on her shoulders.

Thump thump.

Her heart began to beat rapidly.

With her mere presence, the public opinion had the chance to shift dramatically. The prestige she should have inherited, the honor of her family, might be dragged down to the depths with her own actions.

Squeeze─

She clenched her hands tightly. Her palms were drenched in sweat.

Squeeze!

Her nails dug into her flesh. Amidst the sharp pain, Airine closed her eyes for a moment to collect her thoughts.

Having heard the truth, she was already resolved to act alone. Moreover, if she were to be swept away with the family, there was a chance they could sink and disappear without a trace in the annals of history.

‘You have particularly keen ears around you.’

‘I want to talk comfortably in the city too, not in such a remote place… but if I don’t do this, it’s obvious the story will leak out.’

‘What are you just standing there for? Aren’t you calling the spirit?’

Once traumatized, Friel Arielte struggled even to envision the place where the well of truth was set. She called her back to the very spot she loathed the most to convey the closest thing to the truth.

‘This is your last chance. If you have a conscience, Airine Arielte, pay the appropriate price along with your family.’

Her voice was rough, but it was filled with sincerity.

“Start over from the beginning with everything that got us to this point.”

After all discussions were done, she had promised to align with Friel Arielte’s words. She could not remain seated like this.

“Airine Ianette…!”

The moment she stood up, one of the many retainers let out a quiet yet firm reprimand.

“I am sorry.”

However, Airine only offered a tiny apology before beginning to walk.

“Airine Ianette.”

“As a witness to support the opinions of the two heroes who visited the Great Forest, and as one of those who will condemn the current inappropriate choices and actions of the Ianette family, I step forward into this sacred courtroom.”

Her thoughts were finally organized. She had already crossed that line. So, was there any reason to hesitate now?

With clear and steady voice, she announced her presence and opinions to the judge, embedding them into the minds of everyone in the grand plaza. Finally, the judge, who had been quietly observing the argument, began to take action.

“Ianette family’s minor head, Airine Ianette. Are you fully aware of what position you are about to stand in?”

Cenya’s eyes narrowed into a frown.

Her mother had changed too much since before taking the position of head, with eyes that looked at her like a dark spirit watching over.

Swallowing hard─

Airine hid her tense heart and spoke to the crowd.

“I am aware. I also swear before the World Tree and all my mana that this is a path I have chosen solely of my own will, not under any coercion from Arielte or Chelness.”

“Hmmm. Then let me ask you. Do you believe the Ianette family acted to instigate a division within the hunting squad?”

“Of course.”

“And the reason?”

“That is─”

As Airine’s lips parted and her beautiful voice rang out, the expressions of everyone on the Ianette side twisted in response.

Unfiltered internal disclosure.

Regarding Cenya, who had been secretly conspiring and holding separate meetings within the hunting squad, an ideological conflict had flared between them, and she had even been urged to commit murder and betrayal to seize public acclaim.

All that had transpired while the hunting squad advanced through the forest was laid bare for the world to see.

Some were horrified. How could such things happen? Was this what the honorable Ianette family had done?

Some doubted. They thought there was no way the Ianette family would behave like that—that this was just the momentary insanity of Airine under the impact of the eastern hunting squad.

And the elves, who had experienced the horrors in the hunting mission, quietly seethed with anger. While they had endured hardships, killing enemies, had those damned idiots been plotting such schemes? Were they truly honorable elves like themselves?

The mixed reactions made it impossible for the Ianette family to remain silent any longer, and they began to raise their voices.

“It’s slander.”

Cenya’s voice was the first to break the silence.

“That’s quite a different story from the truth.”

“The reason I met with the other guardians of the Ianette family was to discuss how to deal with the aftermath after allowing the exhausted Airine to rest.”

“Anyone who has spoken with me, or rather anyone from the Ianette family who survived, could attest to that. Indeed, after our meeting, there were many who received treatment from Chelness and the Arielte guardians.”

Although her voice was tinged with irritation, it seemed she had prepared her lines well, and she spoke as smoothly as the flowing water.

“Also, it seems there was some misunderstanding in the way I advised Miss Airine.”

“What do you mean?”

“The words I shared with Miss Airine were in no way akin to what the minor head mentioned.”

Even the judge seemed skeptical of Cenya, frowning slightly, but he could not interrupt her smoothly evasive words.

As the argument between Airine and the Ianette family intensified, it quickly shifted from the events in the hunting squad to discuss the accusations that the Ianette family had colluded with demons in treachery.

The audience was completely immersed in the verbal exchange. The entangled and increasingly complex debate made one wonder whose arguments would ultimately carry more weight.

“Have you sorted your thoughts?”

“I don’t know what will happen until this is over, but right now, I—”

Even among the refined and eccentric elves, they were beings classified as sentient, akin to humans. They enjoyed sharing gossip and reveling in who was lying at that moment.

Airine, who had been quietly listening to Cenya’s voice, finally opened her eyes wider, scanning the crowd. The formation of this assembly clearly expressed her displeasure.

“Conspiracy with demons, betrayal of the Great Forest, likewise.”

“I am one of the elders representing the Great Forest and the rightful head of the third family. Given the circumstances, how could my family possibly conspire with demons?”

The deep, husky voice of the woman enveloped the plaza.

“So let me ask: Can you dare to prove that we, the Ianette family, have made contracts with demons?”

Having observed the situation from a third-party viewpoint, I couldn’t help but smile as the long-awaited words came out.

That line would surely act as a trap for them.

As if waiting for that moment, I nudged Shione.

“Now.”

“Now?”

“Yes, if not now, when will we have the chance?”

“…I understand.”

As Shione took a moment to compose herself while Friel and Aina engaged in a silent stare-down.

Clap─!

She clapped her hands, triumphantly.

“There is evidence.”

Evidence even more shocking than Airine, no less.

“I shall now present the definitive evidence that will clarify everything.”

I gathered mana.

“First, Cenya of the Ianette family has explicitly stated that they conspired with demons.”

Suddenly, a spirit of wind was summoned in the center of the plaza.

Due to the abrupt appearance of the summoned spirit, the judges attempted to intervene, aware that it could be a wildcard influenced by the caster’s will. However, their efforts were thwarted by the high elf, Edelin.

As expected, Cenya’s words echoed loudly through the plaza.

“Secondly, as it was said, when the forest clan sought aid from the Kalia Marquis, the head of the Ianette family personally met with Marquis Kalia’s heir, Allen Kalia.”

Shione took a breath, pausing.

“Alongside Eunice Kalia’s retainers, the information from the Great Forest’s spies confirmed that Allen had entered into dealings with demons.”

At Shione’s words, Friel pulled out letters from Eunice Kalia and reports from the Great Forest’s spies, which she had previously secured.

“Furthermore, during our investigations, we captured a spy tied to Allen and interrogated them, confirming that he maintained a relationship with Allen Kalia more closely than necessary.”

The documents did not end there.

There was parchment bearing an oath corroborated by mana, with proof from a spy inscribed upon it. The tide began to turn squarely in our favor.

Yet the uncomfortable discoveries did not end there.

“Abel Kalia, heir to Marquis Kalia, worked with our spies to capture and interrogate a woman who had been carrying a message meant to collude with the cultists.”

A second decisive piece of evidence.

“In that message, there were friendly references to the Ianette family, as well as content concerning the planned downfall of the current Great Forest.”

All of this swept through the courtroom like a tempest.

“I entrust the verification of all this evidence to the wise Grand Elder of the Great Forest.”

When it became clear, through the numerous spirits and spells of the elders, that the evidence was undeniably true, the documents were handed over to Edelin.

Before long, after a brief pause, amidst the completely reversed situation.

As Edelin glared at the distressed Ianette, her brow furrowed.

“Do you have any rebuttal to this, Ianette?”

“…Noble High Elf, please do not doubt the innocence of the Ianette family. We merely—”

“Your words are getting lengthy. Aina Ianette, until a hundred years ago, you were indeed a brilliant and capable elder. Using your brilliance for such audacious acts would only lead to you being seen as cunning.”

“Grand Elder…!”

“Aisilia Royal Family’s accolades don’t matter here, for I too possess the ability—though feebly—to discern between lies and truths. The scattered truths have begun to align.”

Edelin stood from her seat. Looking down at the heir who had grown distant, she declared, with the majesty befitting the pinnacle of the elven race.

“You shall receive a fitting punishment and restriction, Ianette.”

 

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