I Suspect You've Fallen!

Someone had been harmed. As the prime suspect, did Herbert need to explain to everyone that he had been framed?

In principle, yes.

But there were many ways to explain.

Cooperating honestly and volunteering evidence was one option, and the safest one at that.

But Herbert would not choose it.

He did not need to, and absolutely could not, waste his breath begging others to believe him.

That would be too humiliating, too passive. It would put his fate entirely in someone else's hands, to twist however they pleased.

Too many people in this world did not care how many bowls of noodles Liuzi had eaten. They just wanted to watch him slice open his own belly.

With so many secrets to hide, Herbert absolutely could not hand the initiative to anyone else.

He could not take that gamble.

The Penitents might stand on the side of justice, but that did not mean every one of them had good intentions.

So Herbert chose to strike first.

Don't you suspect me?

Fine.

Then I'll prove it to you. I'll show you my "innocence"!

And so, he raised his hand.

Once the Holy Mark symbolizing "purity" shone in the Tribunal's great hall, every suspicion and accusation would collapse on its own.

There were things Herbert did not say aloud, but everyone could read the unspoken meaning in his calm, faintly mocking eyes:

Go on. Take a good look.

Open your damn eyes and look!

All of you, look! Am I really the blasphemer you claim I am!?

Combined with his final, calmly delivered question, it was devastating enough to send the entire hall into an uproar.

But he was not done yet.

Having the upper hand was no reason to get careless. The right move was to press on and finish the fight in one go.

Important things bore repeating three times-finish them off! Finish them off! Finish them off!

Herbert looked at the two accusers, whose expressions had frozen at the sight of the Holy Mark, and pressed his advantage with another question:

"Are you suggesting that the deity has also fallen and become an evil god?"

Herbert stared sternly at the two of them and said in a low voice, "If that's the case... then I suspect you've been beguiled by an evil god."

"I suspect you've already fallen!"

And that was his true trump card.

Since you're trying to brand me as wicked, don't blame me for hitting too hard.

You question my purity? Then I'll question the purity of your faith!

Since ancient times, only magic could counter magic.

Come on, then.

Let's trade magical blows!

Ivanka and Jeffs: !!?

Suddenly accused of being Fallen, the two panicked on the spot and hurried to defend themselves:

"Wait! What nonsense are you talking about!!?"

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

But no matter what they said, Herbert no longer answered. He merely watched them in silence-as though cautiously observing a pair of Fallen.

Herbert had made his stance clear:

You can suspect me. I don't care.

But you're questioning the deity who blessed me-and that I cannot tolerate!

"..."

The restless hall fell utterly silent, leaving only the echoes of those two voices defending themselves.

Their voices grew increasingly anxious, increasingly strained.

"Wait! Please believe me! I really haven't been beguiled!"

"Why... why won't you help explain things for us!?"

Everyone's expression shifted slightly. Quite a few people averted their eyes, ignored the pleas, and tried to fade into the background.

Facts spoke louder than words.

Could "a Holy Knight beloved by a deity and still bound by his oath was secretly a blasphemer all along!" actually happen?

Impossible.

In fact, even entertaining such a suspicion was itself an act of doubt toward the deity, and a grave insult!

That was the true blasphemy.

So the truth... no longer needed any further proof.

Herbert was innocent.

He had been falsely accused!

As for Ivanka and Jeffs, most of the clergy still believed they had merely arrested the wrong person, rather than becoming the "Fallen" Herbert accused them of being.

Perhaps there had been some misunderstanding.

But clearly, the victim of that misunderstanding had no intention of letting them off so easily.

In the end, most silently turned their gazes toward the disciplinary nun on the dais, hoping Priest Kaplan would take charge of the chaos.

In this world, where goddesses were somewhat more numerous, women could serve as priests too.

"..."

From beginning to end, Kaplan had watched silently, her expression never changing.

Finally, when Ivanka and Jeffs also realized who held the key and turned toward her with everyone else, she slowly shook her head and said evenly:

"My fellow brethren, Herbert has already proven his purity. He is not a blasphemer. There is no need to discuss this further."

She ended the discussion outright, delivering a definitive verdict.

Then Kaplan turned to the panicked pair and slowly asked:

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

The same words, the same calm tone. Only the identities of those being questioned had quietly changed.

By this point, both had calmed down somewhat. They knew the matter would not be settled so easily, but they could only steel themselves and explain.

"Your Reverence, I... I really am innocent! I never meant to cast doubt on him. It's just that he really was there!"

"Me! Me too! Please, you have to believe us!"

Kaplan studied them intently, golden light shining in her eyes. After examining them for a while, she nodded.

"Indeed, I can see no signs of lying..."

The Tribunal's disciplinary nuns possessed a special ability, effectively keeping a lie-detection spell permanently active in their eyes.

Hearing this, Ivanka and Jeffs brightened and were just about to breathe a sigh of relief when Kaplan changed tack and continued:

"But we cannot be careless. The two of you will first undergo baptism in the Confession Pool. If that proves you have indeed not fallen, you will then proceed to the interrogation room, where I will examine you personally."

Uh...

Both froze at her words, the smiles that had finally appeared twisting on their faces.

A trip through the Confession Pool, followed by the Tribunal's interrogation room, with the priest herself conducting the examination... no matter what happened, they were going to suffer badly.

After informing the two lucky souls, Kaplan made no attempt to conceal her intentions as she asked Herbert directly, "Herbert, are you satisfied with this outcome?"

At those words, the young man who had been so forceful immediately lowered his head and said respectfully, "I defer to your arrangements, Your Reverence."

Kaplan had not asked whether he accepted it, but whether he was satisfied. That was practically an undisguised inquiry into whether his anger had subsided.

Put plainly, Ivanka and Jeffs's punishment was compensation for Herbert having been slandered.

Her Reverence had already shown him considerable respect by resolving the matter on the spot, rather than talking about an internal investigation and telling him to go home and wait for word.

She had given him a graceful way out. He ought to take it.

How else could Herbert answer?

Naturally, he could only accept gladly.

Besides, Herbert was not going to tell everyone what he had originally had in mind.

Truthfully, he had not been thinking anything quite so elaborate. He had merely hoped to get those two locked up for a while... ahem.

Who cares? I've come out ahead!