"Exactly! Do you dare swear a Sacred Oath?!"
"That's right—if you're innocent, swear it!"
"He can't just be framed without reason!"
The crowd erupted into chatter as the accusation spread like wildfire. Gareth's words struck a chord. Many disciples began whispering among themselves, their gazes shifting back and forth between Adrian and the corpse on the ground. To them, the situation seemed obvious. The wounds on the Winged Sunhawk matched sound-based techniques. And Adrian was known for using them. For a moment, the pressure tilted dangerously against him.
That was when Evan finally stepped forward.
"I believe my brother," he said loudly, his expression filled with sorrow and concern. "Adrian would never kill my contracted beast out of jealousy. Master values me, yes, but Big Brother wouldn't do something so cruel." He turned toward Adrian, eyes glistening faintly. "Big Brother… what do you say?"
Adrian nearly laughed. If anyone didn't know better, they would've been moved by such a heartfelt defense. But he knew the truth. Every word Evan spoke pushed the blame onto him while pretending to absolve him. Adrian lifted his gaze slowly, concealing the storm of hatred beneath calm eyes.
"Evan," he said quietly, "we are brothers. Blood-related. We should be standing together." His voice sharpened. "Yet you bring outsiders to my door, accuse me with vague words, and then claim to believe me. Tell me—are you defending me, or condemning me?"
A ripple went through the crowd.
"Yeah… that makes sense."
"They're brothers. Why bring people here like this?"
"Feels strange…"
Evan's pupils shrank slightly before he quickly masked his reaction. He hadn't expected Adrian to remain this composed. In his memory, Adrian should have been panicking by now. Flustered. Desperate. Begging. But instead… he was calm. Too calm. Evan forced a sigh and shook his head sadly.
"Big Brother, I don't want to doubt you. But the Winged Sunhawk was a gift from the Academy Head. I treasured it deeply. Now it's dead, and Senior Gareth saw you near the scene. How can I not be heartbroken?"
Every word sounded reasonable. Every sentence pushed the blame deeper.
Gareth seized the moment.
"Exactly! Adrian, you're jealous and vicious! You killed the beast, and now you're playing innocent!"
Adrian didn't even glance at him. Arguing with a dog only lowered one's own status. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Liana Frostveil. She stood at the front, cold and aloof, her silver robes fluttering slightly in the wind. Her expression held neither sympathy nor anger—only distance. Adrian's heart clenched. In his past life, he had loved this woman blindly. Trusted her. Defended her. And in the end, she had been the one to cripple him with her own hand.
He took a slow breath and spoke calmly.
"Senior Sister Liana."
Her eyes flickered faintly.
"Since the day I entered the academy at age four, I have trained under the same banner as you for twelve years. Even if we are not close… surely that counts for something." "I do not ask you to protect me." "I only ask that you investigate the truth before passing judgment."
For a brief moment, uncertainty flashed across her face. Then annoyance replaced it.
"Adrian," she said coldly, "do not try to appeal to sentiment. Whether we share seniority or not is irrelevant. What matters is right and wrong." She gestured toward the corpse. "Gareth witnessed the incident. Evan's beast is dead. And you have no proof of your innocence." Her gaze sharpened. "Until proven otherwise, you remain the prime suspect."
Adrian felt his chest tighten. So this was it. She hadn't come to judge. She had come to condemn. Just like last time. His fists clenched slowly at his sides. In his previous life, he had still believed in her fairness. He had been wrong. Painfully wrong. She had never trusted him—not once.
Suppressing the storm in his heart, Adrian lifted his eyes.
"Senior Sister," he said evenly, "you refuse to let Gareth swear an oath. You refuse to investigate further. Tell me—are you protecting him?"
A hush fell over the crowd. Gareth's face twitched. Evan subtly stepped back, watching carefully. Liana's eyes hardened.
"Enough," she said coldly. "You're twisting words."
Then, without hesitation, she declared:
"Adrian Veyne, you are sentenced to three years of guard duty in Storm Valley."
The crowd erupted. Three years. That place was notorious—harsh winds, unstable mana, constant danger. Yet Adrian merely smiled faintly. Three years. In his previous life, it had been five. And he had been crippled before even arriving. This time… things were already different. He lowered his head slightly.
"I accept."
Liana's tense posture relaxed a fraction. She had been prepared to strike him down if he resisted. Seeing his submission, the gathered spiritual energy around her dissipated.
"Good," she said coldly. "Reflect well on your actions."
Adrian raised his head again, his eyes sharp and unwavering.
"Then let me ask one final question." "If one day it is proven that I had nothing to do with the Winged Sunhawk's death—" "What will you do?"
Liana frowned slightly. After a brief pause, she answered with detached indifference.
"If that day ever comes, I will compensate you. Choose any artifact or medicine from my personal storage."
Adrian stared at her for a long moment. Then he smiled faintly.
"Very well."
Because by then— Compensation would not be enough.