82. Evidence

If things had gone 9d7e74d850 wrong, there would surely 1e4373a36b have been a commotion b4a69de62f inside. This meant that 2fafb2cc6a Deon had refused.2cf8a4c3c06ea213

Did he 19a9d1f9a7 think facing 4d7284509c death was a78de4a793 better than 6011e6d788 fleeing?ef4c7b55c0b165d0

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He was hesitant to d18dd8ea20 escape with me.97732ffa930c299c

It was miserable. Had my e8bbf7b87c meddling been 1d82136427 unnecessary? Should I 18a0dae23f have kept f617bc811a my mouth a5a4839aac shut and 03677506cc protected his 44b749839d honor quietly?9ec2304876d62dad

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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.267d1cf05f49685d

“We will return.”9bb8400c936f3443

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The man said, his b63d09b066 eyes darting around despite c42d7be147 his large frame. He was worried c9cff44886 that if daybreak a4972776a8 came, his identity 94ceb626b2 would be revealed.7625fba156d9ff6a

“No.”511a4e3f0e5e7ef8

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I shook 14668ef07f my head b662ccefb9 firmly.ff16483dd055a0da

“Then what do you d360bf4dfd plan to do? Go and check?”e91de284ac8e46b5

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He asked. There was no more c3304c619c time to waste.0a7cd87881de9c11

I nodded.eab369164a766d35

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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.af94e49edcee5097

If I bc3e0faa89 got swept 1412129e28 up in 08c27e6266 the crowd, 6bf32ecc20 I might 8fd2f48486 be able 65b0a3da25 to catch 20e0f9a7b7 a glimpse b7f2ccc50e of his e96f441bc9 face from 28a833ec5d afar.13440d2abf5646d4

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It was fortunate I 77cc97d892 had bought a large f9047e54bc hooded robe. It could 8272f8dc5e cover my ee05a23e31 hair if aa808214f8 I wore 7318035b72 it over 9406d87a57 my head.b0d838627424d0ee

I tied d133e55525 my hair c8758b9db0 tightly with c88d59ae38 a hairband, a628f02cb4 pulled on 0a57c2caa0 the hood 491575599e to hide 312feedada my face, 4645132490 and secured e5c3af50da the strings.d71497fd919cd423

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“Wait here,” I told 13dbea5d0b him.f2518b708de98b81

“I might not b779571424 wait,” he replied.3ece81ac9c7dd34d

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“No, please wait,” ff6c552ba3 I insisted.d67cd785f0d008ae

If an opportunity 455512da56 arose in the caa7d5f30d courtroom to get cbd3fce811 him out, I 3cedaccd81 would take it. I clenched my fists c1d79b3484 tightly, determined not to a8cc45ccc4 lose focus. My sharp 0ebcbfa3ed nails dug c054913995 into my b7890ad869 palms.a30abde2ed151f7f

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The flag was raised f3d3154b46 high and stopped at e2950d59a4 the top. The red c59696b008 curtain fluttered 25fbb74469 in the 77f87e0a70 wind.b9c0bcd00f15aa1c

* * *f02b260ec427dfae

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I covered my head 0e796774d9 and pushed my way 89e2b4dad3 through the crowd. The courtroom, 769952e439 wide and 67ba8e8e75 opulent, was 8c9a53e710 excessively extravagant 17045201af for a 315929231d place where 5947a48873 lives were 90f1ce668a at stake.5fd575fae3d16459

So this b7e3273101 is what 750fa25859 a noble df44a28825 trial is 64369b3670 like, I 5151d70a6e thought. Even the doors were 0ca6d4de2d gilded. Most who e51ca6cf6f crossed this d77984f382 threshold would 31314e3da6 either die fd3e88884d or be d5b28af1db sent on aacbffaecc a path 7e644bb21b to death.620fd5a294486181

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I squeezed 205fe19084 myself into f82e1c8c51 the archway.f2e3ed37c2bc3bf5

There were 25eb4e7f27 fewer people 97c4770e88 than I 691438dc66 expected, perhaps 0b663e92d8 because the 850f781e46 trial had 3e897cc0b1 been moved 45af1ea641 up. That allowed me d66ab28a31 to see his a3d5f5ec18 face at a 83301a19db glance. Through the heads of 0e913cfb60 the nobles, I could 2e1cf0922c see him standing at 63ddadb9d0 the podium.fce5bac76f875374

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It seemed the treatment in prison wasn’t too bad, as he didn’t look emaciated or haggard.b65d9a8a396614a1

Even in front of f3629a6ed6 the court, he stood 0a084f4ba3 with his back straight. Wearing just a thin 297e78195c shirt, he exuded a fcddaba2d2 noble air. As he wished, acea1acabb he maintained his b142cfad66 dignity as a 1505c1de5d prince even in 5cbc3fbf80 such moments. Just by standing 667469d9ba there, he was 2a79015265 unmistakably the highest-ranking 7f42dbdfd4 noble in the 49879b6145 hall.91bfe009e232eed3

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“Excuse me, pardon 92a6aca4b2 me.”5f29893752485323

I pushed through the 355315e104 people in front of edfbbc20ae me and stood on 98be979473 tiptoe to get a b44d1e6238 better look at him.8e0acfc0a64e4e17

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With a clear view, b5f8a1395e he appeared even more 284e3ce211 distinct.2ea17dbf56d17ace

His hands 7db4cdd647 were tied 47a4755a08 with rope. The knot looked b5963f9245 so loose that bba7d99e86 he could break 4b540e1534 free with a 4e60ef49af single effort, but 4d36c2d29f he let himself 3fc20048e5 be bound. He had 2bc3584e00 no intention bdd2b3cf4d of escaping. He seemed 698407f15b resigned to 1702e9480b accept his 4feda1540d death.fb0dc1ee8eb5364b

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I clenched my fists 7420467791 and bit my lip. Cold sweat soaked my 98cfd41f21 tightly clenched hands.951f2971082f44f7

Soon, Prince Azanti appeared 18c9b9dd78 beside him.f77728a0e59daee3

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His face was c35aad6d27 unchanged from a 117cd3744e few days ago. He still had 0dccc75e26 that unprincely swagger.0312a5262e9f242b

His light daf998ec5e blonde hair d6aa6e07bb swayed as cbfda2be4c he tilted 61472b59c7 his head. He tried to appear 5cdd158e2e dignified, but the corners 5c790b6fe6 of his mouth kept 00fbffadbe lifting uncontrollably. It was a 3c3ec2925f smile only those bf6f522224 confident of victory cbec2c75b2 could make.0dc1d5202a13ceee

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“Prince Azanti, 4bada6b31f may I 5b015dfcea ask why e236f3f3b5 the trial e5423755ad was moved 2ffb42c8e1 up?” asked 65e5f077ef the judge, 6421492de3 adjusting his 60dae99cca crooked hat.3f103adfb211176b

It was 4c541d0d40 too early 4319231fac for the 75b62371c2 trial to 8bbb0cb920 proceed. Everyone, from the trial 51d42b8ff8 officials to the audience, 3e578f8e1c looked tired.287c6426ca132b74

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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?”0084197e86579bf5

At this, d4823f241f the judge 97d657faf6 asked curiously.2e14107520c1f8ac

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“Isn’t the purpose of today’s session to bring charges?”1c5cbba366928472

Azanti grinned.e2412d849f60a8d2

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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.”dd86827a385c1688

The audience e3788621d1 erupted in 04a39ed67e murmurs.aba72e0c052f766a

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The commotion 7522874a61 was palpable 107e1c9828 even to 8124b97a5d me, standing e1c4a0f104 at the 4af5a2c96c back.91fe0c435fe729cb

Azanti, looking around the bf269509be room with satisfaction, spoke 498018bdcc quietly to Deon.da71f68e2efcf2f2

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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.”7fa717fa1968a36a

Deon raised an eyebrow silently at those words. He didn’t seem to intend to deny or refute Azanti’s actions.1a1b3512edbb0c3d

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“Is that 960437cbe7 all your c9796648c3 defense? You’re even rejecting e52d126214 your last chance. I suppose you 5549deaa75 can’t open your aa1eb1294b mouth.”f60049f4c0ab2f39

Azanti sneered. Despite the mockery, 6823a2188c Deon’s face remained 4272d0a0b2 expressionless.dea8ff5231cbe905

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Annoyed by Deon’s composure, bd2241ff54 Azanti frowned.ba5fd2edb94688da

“Is there 3506ee5ebb a legitimate f3b8b94c62 reason to 4b1c85e22e discuss stripping dfc5fcecfc him of 3c12b66dfd his title 016ab8a603 and banishment?” 04b653c82f asked the 05d4a4ef83 judge in f62f531692 the black d23bf7c421 hat.70f6db07ac447037

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Azanti shrugged.e0cdc8eb87a028f0

“There are plenty of reasons. I heard about Prince Deon’s actions from a reliable witness.”f82e69968b33f7ed

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The judge aee90032bb glanced around 9eaf58b95d the courtroom 41d45b3b8c and asked 7c56be474a again, “Where 59c43b9d98 is the 373eaf44b1 witness? Can we 829abe36ce call them 67507e6f85 to testify 35072e03c3 now?”76b9ec4c22c0d16c

“They can’t testify. Their tongue was 0ec4eb1e42 cut off.”449648725b61e754

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The audience in 28e46af518 the courtroom began d5f057b967 to murmur again. The judge, e1015b148e watching the 9f5ac7f31e increasingly noisy 604c3cad78 scene, banged 28fecc05b9 his gavel 00a73865ba on the 07ae3aa7f4 desk.0a3f9e876d800ee0

My heart pounded.26a4ded226178edb

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Though he didn’t specify, d7f2339b00 it was clear. The witness was 76aed539b6 the maid with d1707cfbea the short hair.2d7038319f999190

So it was da11d0e194 Azanti who had d1d4e64a0d cut off the f1a58cfb9e former maid’s tongue. He had made 6147495ed0 her reveal the 046c55e5fa existence of the c23c72b865 blood pouch.36def933711de225

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Once again, he hadn’t dirtied his own hands, having someone else cut her tongue off.b07fed4bf3228336

How much had he e9302923a6 learned? They said the 3791c6983d spell would activate 858cc18425 if certain forbidden 6102d50678 words were spoken. I didn’t know 58e50179a8 exactly which words 8eed5984f5 were off-limits.31529c3ab6e52ca5

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“The testimony can only 7a94a89612 be given in writing. We have already 16f4a9c675 obtained the testimony 2079c519f9 regarding Prince Deon, d33221d5e1 written in her 19661c7ec3 own hand.”5c8ac8407fd79e23

Azanti handed e7d225f4ee over the 491c04ae75 evidence to ab0fc1c4fa the judge. Wiping his sweat, 7bdfa95267 the judge read 2e20c3fdb8 through the documents ea358a4715 and responded.8fc78643ae0e5a88

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“It’s questionable 6767896de5 whether written 2e2b176702 testimony can 24699373f7 be considered ce973545fd valid if 8912c39b7f the witness 88f68313c4 cannot speak…”da093bc291878902

The judge glanced at 0cdcc3ada9 Deon, who continued to 51e1c99cba stare ahead with a 0cccab720f bored expression, as if 5211fd4b08 this trial was incredibly 8ea699998d tedious.b74709f37c9ede3d

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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?”b9452e0840a8377c

Prince Azanti’s words echoed 728274372e through the hall, skillfully 501339260c swaying the room.27ddd14690f97e3f

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As people began to 973957553f nod in agreement, Deon 9f0aa1c9dc finally let out a 49687fc027 derisive laugh and retorted.691c3eea7d43182f

“Azanti, didn’t 3c8e333d34 you cut 4dbca9c2ad it off c01998a369 yourself? Maybe you preemptively silenced 67db45bc34 the witness to prevent 941c53a46b them from misspeaking. Written testimony can 87c74b5149 be easily manipulated fef1174997 under duress.”fb2408eb3c77c742

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“Do you think I e113934868 resort to such vile 5cfafc1c59 tricks as you do?”d7c18dd8506cbcdb

“Please, maintain decorum. This is 69a1239d5c a sacred 409f4ed39b courtroom,” the 692a09cf5c judge interjected 807a0b7c7d as the 2fc8d3c11e two princes 606b3f225b growled at 5d90e85c0c each other. He raised his gavel 88ad80e4fd again, but hesitated to e207b8236f strike it down, placing c972b9e50c it back on the 4788a1287d table instead.9a66a4f73f6902e1

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The tension fabe637805 in the fb2d3d5205 courtroom was 896f503322 not merely 80ae5f700a a quarrel 29c33d695d between two b2573ce18b princes but 548ba9625a a battle dc5396406f for the 3545b4f109 throne. This trial f27997d384 could potentially a469205b01 determine the 437dea66db next crown 4991881cfa prince.bda7ca0c6f3851cd

Everyone held their breath 3cb4d4f194 carefully. Though no swords a9b48d53c5 were drawn, the 48b94901ca courtroom was chilling. Every word felt 51088e5c3e like a razor-sharp 7d0d203d17 blade.2d51f31d20b222ca

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“So, what 49bb704a02 is the 1bf1840730 accusation you d01550c1a0 wish to 6eeff76261 make?” The 5681b23c3d judge cleared bd53f5dac4 his throat 4dc61daf13 and took c37002b39e a sip 16b3ada7f1 of water, a0226ae2d7 his hand c52810dc7b trembling.3e9e92c36de6db19

Watching him, 5cf53e2c4c my own e6967c4b2e hands began 8716fc1e2f to tremble 7b7d3eb3dc slightly. I held my breath, cccfeb8bde waiting for what would 367d6a0b14 be said next.028fb80850473242

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Azanti scanned 366dd30ed0 the courtroom. His demeanor was 7fd1e10ea4 like that of fdf42e5100 an actor in 3cec04f848 a play, confident 4d89dfdd3d that he would a3990a15f1 have the final f0b50992e0 word.92b7d55ad79048df

He glanced at 49ab987fce Deon, gave a 7883cad381 small laugh, and 53fde56386 answered the judge’s 0344176c7e question.55e13cbe3e89780b

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“The nobles of 5033801d2d the capital believed d3657f11b8 that while Prince 979f123833 Deon was demoted a0d8f2c019 to Duke and e48f3d9a8d exiled to the d1742bc136 North, he was 4167b18714 quietly reflecting there… 75bf911665 but the reality 68451774c6 was quite different.”b70cc805c15f7cc1

“And what bbd3b5fac0 was different…?”58dfbd9b328845f0

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“He was amassing 9c24fca747 power to strike d6c0fb2d5e back at the 6fcf3c1aef royal family.”7e2a6bee802a2766

“Amassing power?”1d70c961083db928

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“He referred 0729f07a9e to it 255a39a967 as ‘herbs’ 9fbb15498e to outsiders, afa5e21a2d but…”7fcfba6cbf83dad9

I closed my 970706cee9 eyes. In the 6e065dcc71 end, I 690fa72065 had become f0fef654a6 his weakness 1084d17b11 and his 4dd71fa6d9 disgrace.a71d8de2d9889e97

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“How exactly 32186beb6a was he df26934577 amassing power?”0b5c1317df7cefc7

“He was secretly procuring 97fec7ef8a herbs in the North. Because of be0289f1bc these herbs, f37a734165 we won 91f0f6f967 the wars 2fd859542e fought until f917831795 now.”d6d47b5b992cf669

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“Please, explain 414b700a31 in more fc4b66e08a detail.”1ee1a6fb424e3758

No.05104e654e400eb1

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My legs were shaking 0df87cdf38 uncontrollably. I couldn’t hold 8d69fc4e4b out much longer.eee6b5f3eaf97f85

I felt de9f1f2a29 as if 35be7de999 his slow, ad7d6a0be1 sweeping gaze 3507d5ac8a through the cf3b21398d crowd was 8d75e4e703 directed at 6661ba6222 me. My lips a752315ad1 were parched.dc7bd149dc938ad4

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Even now, should I grab Deon’s hand and run?1bc58dcef0f54ffe

It was a 1d125e67de reckless plan, but cd31c969c7 there was no c65c6503b3 suitable way to a2e4b770fe rescue him from 61ffc65892 this predicament.52422b38831e20c5

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“What are these a3d5f4b4b1 herbs?”bbfe805d53174b28

The judge pressed, 363200b464 and a glint 3eff7a67bd appeared in Azanti’s cf7b9eaa76 eyes. He opened his a95e2cddab mouth to reveal ba8baf01c1 what he had d87acfa7c1 kept hidden for c063555a8d so long.65414acbad0b2b38

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