Chapter 34: I Suspect You Have Fallen!

Someone has been harmed, and as the prime suspect, does Herbert need to explain to everyone that he has been framed?

Logically speaking, yes, he does.

But there are many ways to explain oneself.

Cooperating honestly and proactively providing evidence is one way, and also the most prudent approach.

But Herbert won't choose it.

He has no need, and absolutely cannot, spend endless words begging others to believe him.

That would be too humble, too passive—completely handing his own fate over to others to knead at will.

In this world there are far too many people who don't care how many bowls of powder Six-Eats ate; they just want to watch Six-Eats cut open his own belly.

Herbert, who carries too many secrets, absolutely cannot hand the initiative over to someone else's hands.

He cannot gamble.

The ascetics may stand on the side of justice, but that doesn't mean every one of them harbors good intentions.

Therefore, Herbert chooses to strike first.

Don't you suspect me?

Fine.

Then I'll prove it to you, let you see my "innocence"!

So, he raised his hand.

When the sacred mark symbolizing "purity" shone within the great hall of the Tribunal, all the suspicion and slander would collapse on its own.

Some words Herbert did not speak aloud, but everyone could read the meaning hidden within from his gaze, which held mockery beneath its calm:

Come, look.

Open your damn eyes wide, and look!

Look, all of you—am I the desecrator you say I am!?

Especially paired with that final, calmly posed question, the impact was astonishingly great, plunging the entire great hall into uproar.

But this wasn't the end of it.

Having seized the upper hand, one cannot be careless; pressing on in one breath to deliver the finale is the true way.

Important things must be said three times—finish the job! Finish the job! Finish the job!

Herbert looked at the two accusers, whose expressions had stiffened at the sight of the sacred mark, and pressed his advantage to continue questioning:

"Are you suggesting that He has also become a fallen Miss Xie Shen?"

Herbert stared at the two with a solemn expression and said in a low voice: "If that is the case… then I suspect you have been bewitched by Miss Xie Shen."

"I suspect you have already fallen!"

And this—this is the true trump card.

Since you intend to cast me into injustice, don't blame me for striking without mercy.

You doubt my purity, so I'll simply doubt whether your faith is pure!

Since ancient times, only magic can counter magic.

Then bring it on.

Magic duel!

Ivanka, Jeffs:!?!?

The two suddenly accused of being fallen ones panicked on the spot and hurriedly opened their mouths to defend themselves:

"Wait! What nonsense are you spouting!!?"

"I haven't been bewitched! And I certainly haven't fallen!"

But no matter what they said, Herbert no longer responded, merely staring at them in silence—as if carefully observing fallen ones.

Herbert made his stance clear:

You suspect me, that's fine, I don't care.

But you are suspecting the deity who bestowed blessing upon me—that I cannot endure!

"…"

The originally restless great hall fell into complete silence, leaving only the voices of those two defending themselves echoing on and on.

Growing ever more anxious, ever more tense.

"Wait! You all believe me! I really haven't been bewitched!"

"Why… why won't you help us explain!?"

The expressions of everyone shifted slightly; many looked away, ignoring their words, trying to hide themselves.

Facts speak louder than words.

Could there really be "a holy knight beloved by the gods, still bound by oath, who is secretly a desecrator!"?

Impossible.

Even entertaining such suspicion itself is doubt toward the gods and a grave insult!

That is the true desecration.

Therefore, what the truth is… no longer needs any further proof.

Herbert is innocent.

He has been framed!

As for Ivanka and the others, most cultivators still believed they had merely arrested the wrong person, and had not become the "fallen ones" Herbert claimed.

There might be some misunderstanding at play.

But clearly, the wronged party himself had no intention of letting them off so easily.

In the end, most of them silently turned their eyes to the Penitent Nun on the high platform, hoping Father Kaplan could take charge of the chaos at hand.

In this world where goddesses were slightly more numerous, women could also serve as priests.

"..."

From beginning to end, Kaplan had been watching silently, her expression betraying no emotion.

Finally, when Ivanka and the other person also realized the key point and looked at her along with everyone else, she slowly shook her head and said calmly:

"Fellow believers, Herbert has proven his purity. He is not a blasphemer, and there is no need to discuss this matter further."

She ended the topic directly, giving the matter its final verdict.

Then, Kaplan looked at the two with panicked expressions and asked slowly:

"And you two... Ivanka, Jeffs, do you have anything to explain?"

The same words, the same calm—the only difference was the silent change in the identity of the one being questioned.

At this point, both of them had calmed down somewhat. They knew this matter wouldn't be settled so easily, but they could only brace themselves and explain.

"Father, I—I'm truly innocent! I absolutely didn't mean to doubt him on purpose, it's just that he really did appear there!"

"Me! Me too! Please, you must believe us!"

Kaplan looked at them seriously, a golden light gleaming in her eyes. After examining them for a while, she nodded.

"Indeed, I can't see any trace of lying..."

The Penitent Nuns of the Tribunal possessed a special ability, equivalent to a lie-detecting spell permanently residing in their eyes.

Hearing her words, relief flashed across Ivanka and the other's faces, and they were just about to breathe a sigh of relief, when Kaplan shifted her tone and continued:

"But we can't be so careless. You two will first go to the Confession Pool for baptism. If it's proven you truly haven't fallen, then you'll go to the interrogation room, and I will personally interrogate you."

Ah, this...

Upon hearing this, both of them froze, the smiles that had finally appeared twisting into something grotesque.

A trip through the Confession Pool, then the Tribunal's interrogation room, and a personal interrogation by the Father himself... no matter what, they were going to lose a layer of skin.

After announcing this to the two lucky ones, Kaplan turned to Herbert without any concealment and asked: "Herbert, are you satisfied with this outcome?"

Hearing this, the youth who had been so assertive just moments ago immediately lowered his head and said respectfully: "I shall obey Father my lord's arrangement."

Kaplan hadn't asked whether he accepted it, but directly asked whether he was satisfied—this was almost the same as openly asking whether he'd vented his anger.

To put it bluntly, the punishment for Ivanka and the other was the compensation for Herbert being slandered.

Father my lord had already given quite a bit of face, settling the matter on the spot instead of saying something about an internal investigation and asking him to go home and wait for notice.

A way out had been given, and one still had to step down it.

What else could Herbert say?

Of course, only to accept gladly.

Besides, Herbert wouldn't tell everyone his original thoughts.

Actually, he really hadn't thought that much to begin with—he had only hoped to have those two locked up for a bit... ahem.

Whatever, it's a win!

(End of chapter)