Chapter 185

"What did you do?!"

Topaz sensed something was wrong,

and her expression suddenly changed.

"Under the light of Harmony, all sins have nowhere to hide. I beseech Him to shine His radiance down, and on His behalf, I put this question to you."

"Next..."

"You have 113 seconds to prove your innocence and earn my trust."

Sunday explained calmly.

"What if I refuse to answer?"

Topaz frowned.

"Then try it — see whether Harmony will refuse you."

Sunday already had Topaz in his grip, unafraid she wouldn't comply.

"..."

Sunday's naked threat made Topaz's expression very ugly.

"Tell me: do you possess a cornerstone?"

Sunday paid no heed to Topaz's feelings at this moment; he went straight to his questioning.

"Yes."

Topaz dared not be careless and could only answer honestly.

"A very concise answer."

"You also understand the principle that the more you say, the more you err."

Sunday was very satisfied with Topaz's attitude.

"When you entered the territory, did you hand the cornerstone over to the Family?"

Sunday posed his second question.

"Yes."

Topaz answered without the slightest hesitation.

"Does the cornerstone you handed over to the Family belong to you?"

This was the third question.

"Yes."

Topaz admitted it.

"At this moment, is your cornerstone in this very room?"

Sunday pressed with one more question.

"Yes."

Topaz was sparing with her words.

"Has your memory undergone any form of tampering or deletion, including but not limited to the Family's technology?"

Sunday's questions were extremely cautious.

"Yes."

Topaz nodded.

"Do you come from the Euvonian Avgin clan?"

Sunday asked a question that caught Topaz off guard.

"Yes."

"You even know this?"

Topaz was quite astonished.

"Do the Avgin people possess no ability whatsoever to read, tamper with, or control their own or others' thoughts?"

Sunday rephrased his earlier question from a different angle.

"No, does that matter?"

Topaz found it baffling.

"Do you love your family more than you love yourself?"

When he asked this question, Sunday's expression was oddly unreadable.

"Yes."

To this question, Topaz did not hesitate in the slightest.

"All of the Avgin people perished in a massacre, didn't they?"

"No."

Topaz shook her head in denial for the first time.

"Are you the sole survivor of your clan?"

Sunday's tone was flat.

"..."

"Perhaps."

To this question, Topaz could not confirm. Nor did she wish to.

"..."

"—Do you hate, and wish to personally destroy, this world?"

Sunday paused for a moment, then posed a question that was, in some ways, rather absurd.

【...】

【I don't know.】

Topaz hesitated for a moment,

but could not come up with an answer.

【Interesting.】

【Then one last question...】

【Can you swear that, at this very moment—Topaz Stone is lying safe and sound inside this casket?】

Sunday posed one final, crucial question—one that was fatal for Topaz.

【....】

Dr. Ratio heard this question and silently closed his eyes, no longer looking at Topaz.

【...】

【Of course.】

Topaz was silent for a moment,

then uttered those two words.

【It seems we can reach our answer now.】

【Open it, Mr. Topaz...】

【This is your last chance to defend your honor.】

Sunday pushed the casket on the table toward Topaz,

wanting him to prove his words were not false.

Topaz glanced at the casket,

then turned his gaze toward Dr. Ratio.

But the latter, for some reason,

deliberately turned his head away,

avoiding his gaze.

【Please.】

Topaz's small movement was noticed by Sunday.

So he urged him once.

Topaz had no choice,

and could only reluctantly open the casket.

However, inside the casket—!