Free Web NovelChapter 5: I Entrust My Life to a Goddess I Don’t Believe In!
Aurelion Divus Auremont.
Or as I called him in my last life,
The Chosen One of the World and my natural enemy.
In my last life, before everything went south, I used to consider him a friend, a genuinely good person and maybe he even was.
But who cares, really?
I didn’t spare him more than a glance now. After all, this wasn’t the time for some useless nostalgic reunion.
My steps carried me toward the centre of the chamber as I felt the gazes of countless nobles fall upon me.
"Look how shamelessly he is walking."
"For the son of a former Cardinal of the Holy Church to commit such a vile crime, he truly is the stain of the Ruinbringer family."
"Why is he even allowed such a grand trial? He should have already been executed by now. Even the Duke doesn’t care about him."
"Well, his mother was... the Cardinal when she was alive. So the Church intervened."
The low-ranking runts did what they could best and that was chatter about my misfortune.
Though they weren’t wrong.
Even an heir of the Ducal Family would have been instantly hanged for such a crime but the Holy Church, which held almost equal authority to the Emperor himself, had intervened and granted me this fair public trial.
Though that was as far as the Church’s help went and the rest was up to me.
With those thoughts and the constant buzzing of the nobles, I finally came to a stop upon a square wooden platform at the centre.
"Zenith Von Ruinbringer, the seventh son of Duke Raymond Von Ruinbringer and the only son of Cardinal Olivia El Rosaviel, accused of the repulsive crime of stealing the undergarments of the Twelfth Queen, is present!!!"
"Although such a crime should have been met with an immediate execution, given the background of the accused, he has been granted a chance to explain his side before the Holy Court."
The announcement echoed and almost immediately, even more gazes focused on me as a tall woman wearing a pristine light pink robe stepped out of the crowd before walking towards me. She had a serene expression on her face but the muscles beneath her robe were clearly visible.
She was one of the Cardinals of the Holy Church of Velthira and the person who had made this trial possible.
Althia El Rosaviel.
She was my mother’s sworn sister and had known me since childhood. When the incident happened, she was the only person who trusted me enough to hear my side.
"Are you alright, Zen?" She asked the moment she arrived, quickly checking me over before enveloping us in a transparent golden barrier, blocking sound and vision.
Nobody reacted as this was part of the procedure to ensure there was no foul play, such as mind magic being used on the accused of the Holy Trial.
A priest from the church was always present during such trials. However, having a Cardinal oversee something like this was far from normal.
"Don’t worry, Aunt. No matter how neglected I am, I am still the Duke’s child, so they wouldn’t dare do something strange."
She looked up at me, probably surprised by how calmly I was speaking especially when I was so close to death but I interrupted before she could spiral into unnecessary worries.
"I am not going to die, Aunt, so you can rest assured. And please don’t let Amyra interfere no matter what happens from now on. I am sure despite what I said, she is still here with Father, isn’t she?"
She nodded before her expression hardened.
"If only I could have done more." She shook her head. "How am I supposed to face Senior Sister in the afterlife if something happens to you, Zen?"
I gave her a bright smile.
"Like I said, Aunt, you don’t need to worry about me at all. I already have a way out of this situation."
She didn’t seem convinced but she nodded, having no other choice.
After having a few more words and scanning my body with her divine magic for any abnormalities, she pulled her barrier back.
"There is no trace of any foul play. I, Althia El Rosaviel, the Representative of the Church of Passion, announce the Trial to be fair."
With those words, she closed her eyes, a pale pink glow engulfing her as the whole hall fell completely silent.
"The Scarlet Flame that kindles longing,
The Rose beneath moonlit veils,
The Whisper between entwined souls,
The Crimson Pulse within every yearning heart,
Mistress of Desire, The Sovereign of Devotion,
Velthira.
I invoke Your sacred gaze, descend upon this hall of judgment and preside over the Trial to weigh the heart of the accused beneath Your crimson flame."
As soon as she said those words,
Nothing happened.
I mean, what would one even expect to happen?
Unlike these fanatics in the hall, I knew the true colours of the Velthira they worshipped and she absolutely didn’t care about any of them.
At least not unless she needed something. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
The incantation was merely a tradition followed throughout the Empire ever since that stupid narcissistic Goddess established it. Though the others knew none of that and looked at the ceiling reverently, mistaking the passing breeze for her will to commence the trial.
"With the blessing of our Goddess, the trial shall commence immediately."
And just like that, the announcer’s voice echoed once again as Althia walked toward me, stopping right behind me as the representative of the Church.
"Zenith Von Ruinbringer, as the accused, how do you wish to plead?"
The words echoed as a smile threatened to appear on my face while I looked at all these fanatics gathered within the hall.
"I plead not guilty, Your Radiance!!" I spoke without a single trace of hesitation in my voice. "I am being framed by the true culprit who committed this crime. I was in my room at the time the crime took place."
"Do you have any proof of what you claim?"
This time, the voice did not belong to the announcer. Instead, it came directly from the third floor. The head of the fanatics, the Emperor himself, had spoken.
"I do not have any proof except my own words and even if there were witnesses, I doubt they would testify."
I paused briefly before continuing.
"But we, as followers of Goddess Velthira, are the ones who inherited her passion. She who is supreme and above all things, the Mistress of Desire and the Sovereign of Devotion... I wish to prove my innocence through her will."
I put on the most devoted expression I could muster at the moment as I looked straight at Solarius instead of the current Emperor.
"Since childhood, I have been cursed with the weakest physique in the world. A curse which made my body weaker than a Goblin but I, Zenith Von Ruinbringer, am ready to endure a single attack from anyone a whole major rank higher than me at their full strength, an attack enough to kill me with ease."
"If I am innocent, if my passion and devotion are true, then I believe the Goddess will surely save me."
"And if not..."
"I will be dead anyway."
The entire hall fell silent.
This had been my goal from the start anyway.
Last time, Amyra’s sacrifice had saved me as she brought hell upon herself but in this life, I didn’t want to leave with regrets.
That also meant I had no other way to prove my innocence. Unlike me, Cedric had strong backing and my father favoured him more. I mean, it was kinda obvious when comparing a boy with immense potential to one with a literal H-Rank physique.
So accusing him wasn’t going to solve my problem either. Even if I survived this trial, death would have followed me anyway.
That’s why, using the faith of these fanatics against themselves was the best option. As for surviving the attack, well I had a way even if it could burst my body apart if I didn’t time it well.
But well...
That was a risk I was willing to take.
Just then, a holographic screen appeared before me.
[TALENT INSIGHT HAS BLOCKED PROBING FROM A TALENT OF SIMILAR RANK]
My eyes naturally shifted toward the only person I suspected would pull something like this in a situation like this.
Aurelion.
And just as I had expected, there was a frown on his face.
Now, now, golden boy. Don’t get too impatient.
