The autumn wind sighed bleakly, and withered leaves fluttered like butterflies.
Shirem's clothes flapped in the wind, as unsettled as his mood.
"You actually know who I am?"
He was both startled and angry, his already hoarse voice turning shrill.
"Yes. Once I learned that you were responsible for the undead here, I had someone pull your records and investigate everything.
You were an Apprentice Student in Helanus Academy's class of '01. You were accidentally caught up in a forbidden experiment that left you disfigured and disabled.
The person in charge was busy covering it up. He pinned the blame for procedural violations on you and forced you to withdraw from the academy.
You repeatedly appealed and sought compensation, but nothing came of it. You were even beaten until your injuries flared up again.
To pay for your treatment, your father worked desperately to earn money. Within a few years, he died in a mining accident. Your mother also contracted a serious illness from overwork and passed away.
Later, you pledged yourself to an Evil God of the Outer Realm and devoted yourself to taking revenge on the academy and the people who framed you."
"You even know all that?" Shirem was shocked again. Then his expression darkened. "I knew it!
I knew no one understood my innocence better than the people who framed me!"
"As far as that incident goes, you were indeed framed, but that doesn't necessarily make you innocent.
You've committed far too many wrongs in pursuit of revenge. You even joined the Empire's enemies, illegally studied Necromancy, imprisoned souls, stole corpses, and mutilated living victims for materials...
Every one of those crimes is no less serious than the blame you shouldered back then.
So even if you were wronged, you can never have your name cleared