Chapter 68: Desperate Resistance
Sean’s questioning struck like an unsheathed sword directly at Ardur’s throat. The entire judgment hall fell into brief silence, then erupted in wave after wave of discussion.
“If the Saint truly conspired with the cult, why would Ardur stand by and watch her die while hiding in the shadows to record? This makes no sense at all.”
A scholar wearing gold-rimmed glasses pushed up his spectacles, his voice carrying clearly throughout the hall.
“And with Lady Agatha suddenly falling gravely ill, acting head Lady Edith immediately declared Lady Cynthia a traitor… isn’t that too convenient?”
A nearby elderly woman added in a trembling voice.
“Could it be… this is all a conspiracy?”
“I also think there’s something fishy about this whole thing, like it was all planned in advance.”
Ardur’s face instantly turned iron-blue, cold sweat beading at his temples. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the sword hilt as his lips pressed into a tight line, clearly racking his brains for a countermeasure.
“Mr. Ardur, do you have anything else to say?”
Sean rested his right hand on his chin, watching him with leisure, that infuriating slight smile still playing at his lips.
Just as Ardur was about to be cornered, from the main seat of the judgment platform, Edith, who had remained silent, finally spoke.
“Everyone, does this young man of unknown origin think he can turn black into white with just a few words?”
Her voice was cold as ice, her gray hair gleaming with a metallic luster under the lights.
“Cynthia’s collusion with the cult is proven beyond doubt, and this young man—he claims to be a light attribute mage, yet has no magical power whatsoever. Does this make sense?”
Edith slowly stood up, looking down at Sean from her elevated position, danger flickering in her eyes.
“Who can prove he’s not an undercover agent from the Ouroboros Cult? Light attribute magic may be rare, but within the cult, there might well be those who have mastered similar abilities?”
As soon as she finished speaking, the judgment hall stirred again.
“That’s right… what if he’s fake?”
“But the light element’s effect really doesn’t seem like evil magic…”
“But he really does give off the feeling of having no magical power. Is he using some magic to hide it?”
“Then why hide it? Could it be he has a guilty conscience?”
Seeing her words take effect, Edith’s lips curved slightly upward as she continued pressing.
“Moreover, Cynthia’s mother—my sister Agatha—lies gravely ill and unconscious to this day, yet Cynthia not only shows no concern for her mother’s condition but maintains close contact with this suspicious young man…”
She deliberately paused, her gaze sweeping over the crowd before her voice suddenly rose.
“Don’t you all think this is far too coincidental?!”
“Lady Edith, your acting skills are quite impressive.”
Faced with Edith’s accusations, Sean merely sighed softly and shook his head. He spoke leisurely, raising his hand to snap his fingers crisply.
“Unfortunately… you overlooked one thing.”
“Snap—”
The great doors of the judgment hall burst open, and a familiar figure walked in slowly, supported by the butler.
The entire hall instantly fell silent.
“Mother… Mother?!”
Cynthia shot to her feet, her shackles clanging, her ruby-like eyes filled with incredible light.
Agatha Celeste—the current head of the Celeste family—now stood in the center of the judgment hall. Her face was somewhat pale, but her eyes were sharp as knives, her red hair impeccably arranged, her posture still straight as a pine.
“This… impossible!”
Edith’s face instantly turned deathly pale as she staggered back two steps, knocking over the chair behind her.
“You were clearly already—”
“Already what?”
Sean coldly interrupted her.
“Already killed by your poison?”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it struck like a heavy hammer against Edith’s heart.
“Lady Agatha… has awakened?!”
“Wait, poison? Could it be…”
The judgment hall instantly exploded as everyone’s eyes focused on Edith.
Just as Edith and Ardur were left speechless, Sean lazily stretched, his slender fingers casually brushing the hair from his forehead.
“Since you two have nothing to say, let me sort out the whole story for everyone.”
He spoke unhurriedly, his voice not loud but carrying clearly throughout the judgment hall.
“Lady Edith and this ‘Chariot’ Ardur from the Ouroboros Cult have been conspiring together for years.”
Sean walked with his hands in his pockets, strolling leisurely before the judgment platform, his black boots clicking crisply against the marble floor. He suddenly stopped, his sharp gaze piercing straight at Edith.
“They used the cult’s newly developed ‘Black Sleep’ poison to secretly harm Lady Agatha, then orchestrated bringing Cynthia back to Celeste City, all for the purpose of—”
“You’re lying!”
Edith slammed the table and stood up, several silver strands falling from her carefully arranged hair, her face contorted as she interrupted.
Sean remained unmoved, a cold smile curving his lips.
“All for the purpose of completely controlling the Celeste family and turning this thousand-year-old city into a stronghold for the Ouroboros Cult.”
The entire judgment hall instantly boiled over.
Before the magical projections in the square, citizens erupted in thunderous gasps; at the judgment seats, nobles whispered among themselves, and several elderly councilors had already angrily risen to their feet. Sean’s identity as a light mage, his methodical accusations, combined with Agatha’s sudden appearance, had completely turned public opinion to their side.
“This is impossible!”
Edith shrieked hysterically, her carefully maintained elegant image completely shattered. Her trembling finger pointed at Agatha.
“You should be dead! That drug clearly—”
Before she could finish, she suddenly lashed out, condensing a mass of dark purple magical power in her hand and hurling it viciously at Agatha.
The magic passed right through Agatha’s body and blasted a charred hole in the wall. Edith’s eyes widened as she watched ‘Agatha’s’ figure waver and dissipate like a reflection in water.
“An illusion?!”
She whirled toward Sean, her nails digging deep into her palms.
“You dared to trick me!”
“Just a little test. I didn’t expect you to confess so quickly.”
Sean spread his hands innocently, tilting his head with a sly smile.
“It seems you’re admitting to the charge of poisoning your sister?”
“Lady Edith, you really should have killed all of us back then. You haven’t forgotten that my specialty is refraction illusion magic, have you?”
The old butler beside ‘Agatha’ looked at Edith with a light chuckle.
He snapped his fingers, and a group of people poured into the judgment hall from outside. They were originally the most loyal members of the Celeste family. After Agatha was framed by Edith, their faction had been imprisoned somewhere in the Celeste dungeons.
Last night, Skadi had not only discovered Cynthia’s location but had also accidentally found them. Following Sean’s instructions, she had quietly freed them, all for this very moment.
“Young Miss, you’ve suffered. It was our failure that allowed you and Lady Agatha to fall into danger.”
The old butler’s eyes reddened as he bowed deeply to Cynthia.
Seeing these familiar faces, Cynthia’s tears finally burst forth.