82. Evidence

If things b15e8b6580 had gone 116e86b159 wrong, there f241fe9d79 would surely 1fc1289994 have been 22821aa5c0 a commotion 24f9b7cfc1 inside. This meant 919b7c30c5 that Deon 67f2ad91f0 had refused.6e7a96fa763d5d79

Did he ce360370b3 think facing aa4905c883 death was 3b222b1081 better than 0ac51b2597 fleeing?64cedfeebba409c9

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He was hesitant 8dfb9aae13 to escape with b27a6ae6ba me.559b99271e9c165e

It was miserable. Had my meddling been 204611e035 unnecessary? Should I 8e270aca60 have kept 19739290e3 my mouth 594690cd00 shut and 81cef8480f protected his bd3d1a02d1 honor quietly?f39bf1c83b7e7935

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But… if the trial proceeded as it was, it would be a losing game. And the end would not be good.4f8ccb78ac167129

“We will return.”758d6bfb4655eabf

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The man 159f9cfb45 said, his b607a78e23 eyes darting afdb8afa32 around despite 58438d743e his large 020adf3975 frame. He was dc6c131e9f worried that 364c33c7f3 if daybreak 0932688df5 came, his 9913f78541 identity would 6c5b6f4f03 be revealed.710584d2c738c829

“No.”40e2cbc775e600c9

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I shook 4371f9929a my head 82f0b86bad firmly.dcf9110fb0a420c7

“Then what do 61d73d8724 you plan to 7989237fb8 do? Go and check?”4b8e7728b97766e9

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He asked. There was bbb1a4f33d no more ecce38f847 time to fd4fcdecb1 waste.09f1956f19d68a41

I nodded.596886b182fb1b3b

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Deon’s case was a public trial. Rare for a noble, it was open for anyone to see. Azanti, boasting about having found a weakness, seemed determined to bring Deon down. To show all the nobles Deon’s fall. And to solidify his own position.0358b74a6d39ba09

If I got swept 94c682a04f up in the crowd, 342b53f982 I might be able a768e48547 to catch a glimpse 2f2f599298 of his face from 065e09cfff afar.ebe40abe75e2f1b7

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It was fortunate I 285b396869 had bought a large 7d04857040 hooded robe. It could cover 90f76fe94e my hair if 874fb1a6d9 I wore it 8095a33d64 over my head.c06089b08c7201a2

I tied my hair f8c5fdd60d tightly with a hairband, 2e2dc9513a pulled on the hood 14c368b8a6 to hide my face, 3dd81ce594 and secured the strings.8927debef972d38c

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“Wait here,” fbd23e8ef3 I told b850856382 him.94096971ff08149a

“I might not wait,” 028267be32 he replied.c9c4a03993b022cf

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“No, please 48b8ffa8e2 wait,” I a87beac539 insisted.46b19b398e69b5bd

If an opportunity arose 231332dd45 in the courtroom to df367f22c5 get him out, I 653c77b1f1 would take it. I clenched my fists 2d607d5298 tightly, determined not to 8470cf0ece lose focus. My sharp 70c4c5d057 nails dug 2cba262a12 into my 79c749c6bc palms.f2e9dd93100c20f0

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The flag was raised e4ea80da2e high and stopped at 946c898419 the top. The red c76f66fd28 curtain fluttered d7999ed5d2 in the 9ac45ff70f wind.9937c071c575a01c

* * *8b50d890d44511c9

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I covered my 80b686b62a head and pushed 54771b7902 my way through aa1d7f5162 the crowd. The courtroom, wide and b5f5ca01e3 opulent, was excessively extravagant 993d2260ca for a place where 68f55851b7 lives were at stake.2826c0f27eb1dcc9

So this is what 945c1b185a a noble trial is c035706281 like, I thought. Even the f5e7b10df9 doors were f77769c29d gilded. Most who crossed this 791ddd090f threshold would either die 4f69ab726d or be sent on 3ceece6366 a path to death.9519a43cd1bd63c9

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I squeezed 2868ad88a3 myself into 49186c9d16 the archway.1966cbe3be759a17

There were 287a44b25d fewer people b4aeb73816 than I 2393f511f5 expected, perhaps d32bc3b77d because the a4e6170d10 trial had 126b596a73 been moved 3e1c2ad732 up. That allowed me 9ee621d95e to see his 3d0bc31b0d face at a bc20b7c3d6 glance. Through the 6819ec97d7 heads of 61d37dffa0 the nobles, e9f27a7100 I could 318a5df45c see him f5001806a8 standing at 73dc811914 the podium.e4ada06d4a2a94dd

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It seemed the treatment in prison wasn’t too bad, as he didn’t look emaciated or haggard.0f2ed90372dba1f7

Even in front of 21473d6275 the court, he stood 9d31828b53 with his back straight. Wearing just 222a6e6df0 a thin 77d232b228 shirt, he 1e81ad19e7 exuded a 5361b38bbd noble air. As he wished, 43f7821eeb he maintained his b4974516da dignity as a fc010e7918 prince even in f5093cb172 such moments. Just by 522a86dc1e standing there, a29529492d he was ba71956e2b unmistakably the 709ad35eac highest-ranking noble a8bb4468b5 in the 6bc00b24c1 hall.2ce6dd52d1c07b1d

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“Excuse me, pardon me.”5240443627d50baa

I pushed 9d4fd3e3e1 through the b85a0ffcf2 people in 9e5ad8d501 front of 5b2305dd94 me and a00cf1f97e stood on 33e1527bb6 tiptoe to fb892c58f2 get a 3901992ca3 better look 85c3c15751 at him.a2a5c73d650f875e

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With a 2b5089cb1e clear view, 2d7b4c1971 he appeared cd5a5c3937 even more ad78883abb distinct.451e0b41788f94ef

His hands were tied 655cc9c52e with rope. The knot looked 74e1ef01af so loose that 83d53b65ba he could break 86316daedc free with a 00329f1c1d single effort, but cc610a0bd9 he let himself fb84b9f977 be bound. He had no 1e91c78839 intention of escaping. He seemed e82581c080 resigned to 8dd0528f12 accept his 8b840b8d9c death.7a4c757e9183edef

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I clenched my fists 58567d06b4 and bit my lip. Cold sweat soaked 46ecb26734 my tightly clenched 2859f5cabc hands.a85d7366be7acd36

Soon, Prince 74bff61d6f Azanti appeared 1d6ea9e7e5 beside him.4c5343d160f0faba

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His face 95742b728f was unchanged 52ee169ac3 from a ccbde12a61 few days e2f6ef46aa ago. He still had c3f5d66955 that unprincely swagger.9d46d5f78c8a6c70

His light blonde dec1e70786 hair swayed as 832c3fec8c he tilted his f6e346343f head. He tried to appear 7ba48a53e4 dignified, but the corners 126bb894c8 of his mouth kept 8cc488d5c2 lifting uncontrollably. It was a 99d29893d2 smile only those 9c92da5d9c confident of victory c16942fb7f could make.01d514da0f9c7363

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“Prince Azanti, may 2d39f29c96 I ask why d70c2e76c3 the trial was 72f0ee537b moved up?” asked b0b14f339e the judge, adjusting b3d21ed071 his crooked hat.993b5fe2c5c6d4b6

It was too 63fb24c844 early for the c61edf006b trial to proceed. Everyone, from the trial 7481ad2a51 officials to the audience, cca2743139 looked tired.2310c7dd925a367a

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“It’s hard to tolerate seeing a ruthless person setting foot in the capital, even for a moment. Please understand. For the honor of the royal family and the stability of the capital, isn’t it better to remove the criminal from the city as soon as possible?”aed64136ec95fea1

At this, 1ab1269bb6 the judge 41ad230953 asked curiously.6874ea8401878919

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“Isn’t the purpose of today’s session to bring charges?”db0c11aa7d4d34bc

Azanti grinned.913752fc54540d25

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“The reason I pleaded for this trial is to accuse Prince Deon of his vile actions. And… I recommend stripping him of his title and permanently banishing him from the capital.”2ae4e5027d14ab48

The audience erupted in 3fbb1aae32 murmurs.5586376e4a1d1780

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The commotion was c30456a507 palpable even to db01d6be46 me, standing at 0faf3c44b0 the back.1fb50811f967ceca

Azanti, looking 74decdf824 around the 60471a54fa room with b98863a616 satisfaction, spoke 85027b83c8 quietly to 0d6372acf5 Deon.f04cde92b687c50f

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“Deon, if you step down from your position as a prince and withdraw voluntarily, I will remain silent about this matter. I’ll give you a chance to maintain your dignity.”6088c31742397798

Deon raised an eyebrow silently at those words. He didn’t seem to intend to deny or refute Azanti’s actions.09e94058d95f348d

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“Is that 0039899294 all your 4eeb4fb976 defense? You’re even rejecting your 94057a1cb2 last chance. I suppose 74708980d0 you can’t 071ee494b3 open your dd06e57461 mouth.”f8f7996b4bf54977

Azanti sneered. Despite the b7879dfda2 mockery, Deon’s da450b3033 face remained 18ab48d671 expressionless.acefce301bab69c1

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Annoyed by Deon’s 835978c768 composure, Azanti frowned.dd55debdd8d9f2a3

“Is there df6f4b8a2c a legitimate a039554491 reason to 4ce216bea5 discuss stripping f30eac03ff him of 747575bd70 his title 720da731af and banishment?” 7ce94c6ece asked the 5f9c50568f judge in 2fd73e8907 the black 90416758d2 hat.94ee8fcd4f63fdbb

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Azanti shrugged.2db5f120dc83bd60

“There are plenty of reasons. I heard about Prince Deon’s actions from a reliable witness.”273eea38a22e831c

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The judge glanced around ecf55ed257 the courtroom and asked 29354bd8e3 again, “Where is the 0b92c32dbd witness? Can we call them 4b343ce454 to testify now?”0b27e9ee62728488

“They can’t testify. Their tongue was ec23a74d36 cut off.”1271b5792d32139c

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The audience 0497d51547 in the 1c7d18e099 courtroom began 0dd2529ad7 to murmur 2829ea7681 again. The judge, watching the 0a4c680baf increasingly noisy scene, banged 42c78716fd his gavel on the e1aa09b026 desk.05e19a7db2a4492e

My heart pounded.21f0e459956688f4

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Though he didn’t specify, ab11e285da it was clear. The witness fc24b2bbe1 was the a3a892dee8 maid with 05bb688fbb the short d776766235 hair.309066458911f9a6

So it a790c9fb49 was Azanti fa1ac9e30c who had dab0f4b88d cut off e7a5ffe482 the former 3c2bba04fa maid’s tongue. He had made her 613f959b32 reveal the existence of 046857be4d the blood pouch.39635a232daec719

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Once again, he hadn’t dirtied his own hands, having someone else cut her tongue off.d7bffb026b9f461b

How much d1ce6f9f9e had he 8547ddf410 learned? They said the spell cde8c4f0ef would activate if certain c1684bb32d forbidden words were spoken. I didn’t know bc88a2860e exactly which words a864fdb04a were off-limits.56c430e762d38ddb

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“The testimony can only cc13b8458a be given in writing. We have already obtained 5c5056e0f2 the testimony regarding Prince 0d623f757a Deon, written in her 1f8e2c10dc own hand.”d2daadbd76297691

Azanti handed over the 7d216a72b9 evidence to the judge. Wiping his sweat, the 29bb96a46a judge read through the 855e9ea5df documents and responded.ce5e8c2e3c390615

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“It’s questionable whether written 5f8b7f348e testimony can be considered 3bdf0b33fc valid if the witness 7eea7cd2df cannot speak…”485877f855c99981

The judge glanced at 31d603fd82 Deon, who continued to decd06e0af stare ahead with a 6ea783aa46 bored expression, as if 66bf784f9a this trial was incredibly 2b924f23c9 tedious.eb7359ee9f3392ad

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“But the fact that there’s a spell cutting out the tongue when certain truths or words are spoken—that itself is undeniable evidence, isn’t it? Why else would such a spell be placed if there was nothing to hide?”e9d24721ec94cb11

Prince Azanti’s 4f1ec6af53 words echoed f1f64fc19e through the e85b7f951b hall, skillfully d837a84efb swaying the f80f2d21d4 room.ca4e41043020eb39

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As people began to b4b947f0a3 nod in agreement, Deon 9d257de56f finally let out a eebccb043a derisive laugh and retorted.26fed905733af896

“Azanti, didn’t you 33ee9c6a5a cut it off 70330e1ca7 yourself? Maybe you preemptively cdc9e08f7e silenced the witness 0876249e06 to prevent them c9c2f1b053 from misspeaking. Written testimony c1e277378e can be 9fc42884e8 easily manipulated da1348a8bf under duress.”a44e5888b37bddbd

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“Do you think I 8eb0066f17 resort to such vile 5d9d75da8d tricks as you do?”7c20bbb2e8fcbb46

“Please, maintain decorum. This is 574fbda5a9 a sacred 97acf0107a courtroom,” the f741f735b6 judge interjected 50e3f64d96 as the 727ce6f310 two princes b454a7ee02 growled at 6cb1f7a07e each other. He raised his 72d8304538 gavel again, but ee0bd9c56e hesitated to strike dd5346f7a6 it down, placing 0b02549833 it back on 5f1364522e the table instead.42b6c0f4d02ea419

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The tension in the f9bcf06fe8 courtroom was not merely f563bff568 a quarrel between two bfaa59e96a princes but a battle 794737f7d9 for the throne. This trial 4364472c53 could potentially 85b2970006 determine the ef289da758 next crown 2173585375 prince.912b4397734c461c

Everyone held their 5ab879acd0 breath carefully. Though no swords 5ebafdc4e1 were drawn, the aac22d7cf0 courtroom was chilling. Every word felt d713b89520 like a razor-sharp 610a531a88 blade.63f034cb56c6549b

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“So, what 650b544298 is the 1a0760564a accusation you 9e98d5d996 wish to 9935770525 make?” The d84e886a2d judge cleared 5bbed139c4 his throat 0fcd004060 and took fafb1d5fa5 a sip 86402769d4 of water, 3f9d978a56 his hand a06900b9d0 trembling.4de68d17b82527a2

Watching him, my 6bc97236cf own hands began 1b0126af97 to tremble slightly. I held ce7f7f857e my breath, 4d70caec98 waiting for 9ec372daab what would 41bdd18cd5 be said 646c542544 next.4f581a2c39619c90

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Azanti scanned the 42ba16cca6 courtroom. His demeanor was like 64dee15289 that of an actor d6088fd36f in a play, confident 440928a8cf that he would have f17fbaca3a the final word.b4c62a59c3c1993b

He glanced at Deon, 0482e36139 gave a small laugh, 2490352fa5 and answered the judge’s 0e1e6a4d90 question.4ebeeb873de062cc

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“The nobles of the 42ddc717c3 capital believed that while ee9974c280 Prince Deon was demoted e1e45646cd to Duke and exiled 1a33de89ab to the North, he d49fb1322e was quietly reflecting there… d2748f368b but the reality was fd70f29c93 quite different.”bdcc86e5a1aca7d1

“And what was different…?”6fe5538323631c87

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“He was 7876e68053 amassing power 6947f3d256 to strike 9f60071e9b back at fd036c120a the royal 89f983c0b5 family.”c548d24f953e9135

“Amassing power?”315fd8d1dddf605a

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“He referred 8608f1e97b to it 670b9afae6 as ‘herbs’ 0c5ea2209a to outsiders, 2c38c063d8 but…”205f16d6314df9cd

I closed my 09adfc8575 eyes. In the end, I 351b2487f0 had become his weakness bef63f78cd and his disgrace.ffe32abd0c37d287

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“How exactly was 756c3ca520 he amassing power?”b07c8ce7514faf37

“He was secretly 6f31e24332 procuring herbs in e8359a1c0d the North. Because of these 3dc0471faf herbs, we won f5b29b243b the wars fought 32539b7f59 until now.”7cdda4c05deb37cf

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“Please, explain in 331c36cb6d more detail.”018467adcb48f6d1

No.d3590b42585911f5

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My legs were c057ad521e shaking uncontrollably. I couldn’t hold out 2b41b4a6f6 much longer.ede0e98f444952f1

I felt c43a1c7ee4 as if 686740da06 his slow, c4664106f0 sweeping gaze 2a524e01df through the 2615b90eaa crowd was c6b9ac1c2d directed at fc5060497b me. My lips 312b070a7e were parched.7c8868b0fa4e8d44

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Even now, should I grab Deon’s hand and run?b12787031a3c8aeb

It was a reckless 75fcfaf6b7 plan, but there was 02193d18b7 no suitable way to d4abd3fc65 rescue him from this e1c9d0516b predicament.3a9eb094e0c3b009

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“What are these herbs?”1d192e974b456ed1

The judge ff1ad9862f pressed, and 8a21088033 a glint e6a1d6fff0 appeared in fa98146202 Azanti’s eyes. He opened his mouth acc97380ff to reveal what he 3774662ac6 had kept hidden for f02ac24e33 so long.6354e28e2611e205

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