Echoes of the Past

Chapter 21 Non-stick Pans

The opera house next to the governor's residence in Kren was requisitioned and became the venue for today's council trial.

As the protagonist, Suiyue is led by guards through the central garden, which is usually only accessible to nobles.

Walking along the wide passageway and through the arcade, a bright and open space suddenly appears before you.

Inside the magnificent circular opera house, the place was now bustling with activity.

The tiered seating area was packed with elegantly dressed people on each level.

Suiyue sniffed, the air filled with a rich perfume scent. The whispers that followed the gazes of the crowd coalesced into a noisy buzz, like countless bees swarming under the dome.

The opera house was packed, and the noise level was deafening. Nan'an had no idea why hundreds or even thousands of onlookers had appeared at this important trial.

According to Suiyue, everyone was dressed in exquisite makeup and gorgeous clothes, as if a grand performance was about to begin. They came today to go to the center of the stage after the performance and sing and dance.

Clear snippets of conversation could be heard drifting down from Nan'an.

"Is this the girl with the evergreen deer?"

"I heard she summoned something incredible..."

"Are the Eredi deer involved too?"

"Sigh, what a hassle. Do we really have to argue about it? Why not just execute her?"

In the very center of the opera house, the stage had been cleared out and replaced by a heavy, dark-colored long table, where the four senators were already seated.

On either side of the long table, at slightly lower positions, sat more than ten jurors dressed in various robes, their expressions solemn—they hadn't been there yesterday, and they looked like important figures who had rushed over overnight.

Suiyue was instructed to walk a few steps alone and stand in the area below the stage that was overly brightly lit.

A beam of light fell from above, pinning her firmly to the center.

Having weathered yesterday's "siege," Suiyue is now able to calmly face this incredibly stressful atmosphere, which is...

"Bang!"

A high-backed wooden chair was silently pushed behind Suiyue, gently pressing against the back of her legs.

"Uh, what's this?" Suiyue turned around in surprise, somewhat bewildered.

The Raven had somehow moved to her side and behind her. He had changed out of the iconic antler-patterned uniform of the Deer, and in his place was a simple, plain black robe without any decoration.

At this moment, he really did resemble the bishops of the Dawn Church who preached from the pulpit.

His expression was peaceful, with a subtle kindness. If he had a thick book in his hand, he would have been the stereotypical old priest.

While the Senate members on the stage were still waiting for something, the two men on the stage had time to whisper to each other.

"I've also been charged, so now our relationship is that of 'accomplices'."

"Wow, old man, don't get me into this!" Suiyue exclaimed in shock. "I never intended to be released early. You were the one who spoke to Pietron and shortened my probation period... You were definitely prepared, right? They're after you. I'm just the unlucky one caught in the crossfire!"

"This is quite different from your relaxed attitude when we first met."

"Fighting a living eclipse, biting off a piece of her flesh, chewing it while it's still hot, and swallowing it would be a worthy death. Sending me to the stake is a different story!"

"I agree, people should die with some value," said the Raven. "And they should have the freedom to choose how they leave this world."

The crow walked to the vicinity of the audience seats as if no one else was there, picked up a chair and sat down by itself, acting as if no one else was around.

The gavel, carrying a warning tone, only fell gently when Ariel on the platform rose to "accuse" the elders.

"Bewildering Raven," the elder's voice was unreadable, "be mindful of your current status."

In any case, Suiyue didn't hear any criticism from the elders in their words; it was just a purely formulaic reminder.

The lights in the stands dimmed, and silence spread like a tide, swallowing up all other noises.

The sunlight streaming through a stained-glass window high above cast a beam of light, like dust motes floating in the air, as if magically manipulated, giving the rising elder a sacred aura.

"Given that at the initial investigation meeting, Sir Ariel vehemently criticized Vice-Commander Raven's unusual and completely contrary-to-the-nightmare handling procedures, the matter has been reviewed by the highest-ranking elders..."

"I hereby announce that the deliberations concerning the 'Huiyue Abnormal Summoning Item' and the 'Compliance of Operations Related to the Deer' have officially commenced."

Nan'an caught a subtle wording.

Deliberation and trial are quite different.

The elder in charge of the proceedings took his seat, picked up a smaller wooden mallet, and gently tapped the small brass bell beside him.

A clear, melodious humming sound echoed through the silence.

As the representative who initiated the deliberation, Ariel naturally stepped down from the stage.

Suiyue followed Nan'an's advice and used this short time to whisper to Huoya.

"What did I do wrong to deserve being tortured by so many people? Let me die knowing why."

The Raven's tone was full of sympathy: "A lot has happened in Solitz lately, which has stirred up everyone. Everyone wants their voice to prevail, and everyone is putting on a show. You appeared in everyone's sight at a very delicate time, becoming a pawn for everyone to use as a pretext."

With Nan'an providing simultaneous explanations in her mind, Suiyue's slow-witted brain received an epic boost, barely managing to comprehend the core information that the old man had condensed due to overestimating her comprehension abilities.

"What's this?!"

The crow replied, "You're out of luck."

"Silence! The trial is in progress! Why are you whispering to each other?" Arele roared. "Crow! You did not submit your defense statement as required by procedure. Therefore, the tribunal needs you to confirm on the spot what the basis is for your decision to grant Suiyue an exemption from the observation period and to bestow upon her high-purity Windgrass Crystals?"

Bewitching Raven slowly stood up. The folds of his black robe fell with his movement.

"The basis for my judgment is," he said, "that I determined she was not the source of the nightmare contamination."

"What we need is compelling evidence that convinces everyone!"

"I am the evidence," the Raven said casually.

Nan'an was shocked. He could tell from the word "deliberation" that the Senate had decided to de-escalate the situation after a night of deliberation. How could someone of Huo Ya's caliber not understand?

Why are you so tough?!

"This is simply...incomprehensible!" Arele's voice trembled slightly with suppressed anger.

The nobles who were listening in were also discussing it animatedly.

The crow remained unmoved: "If stating the facts is unacceptable to you, let me put it another way... I am 168 years old this year, and I have been fighting against the Nightmare God since I was 19. Most of you have only witnessed a fraction of the Nightmas Gods I have encountered in your lifetime. If you want to question my judgment, you should at least have extensive experience fighting the Nightmas Gods."

He paused, looked around at everyone present, and finally his calm gaze landed on Arele.

"Of course, I know it's hard for you to find someone with enough experience to question my judgment. Whether it's Solitz or Onze, in this era of declining life expectancy after the black fog has spread, there aren't many old guys like me who can still breathe and stand here talking."

Suiyue murmured, "He's a veteran too, but not as old as you, Nan'an."

Faced with this arrogant and condescending opening move, Arele did not back down.

She took a deep breath, her voice growing even colder and sharper: "This is no excuse for disobeying the rules for handling the Nightmare! It concerns the safety of millions of people in Solize; seniority alone is insufficient to convince them!"

"The rules for handling the Nightmare Gods have been evolving with the times since they were officially established." The Raven suddenly chuckled softly, its laughter filled with undisguised sarcasm. "Unfortunately, I am one of the people responsible for providing reference information to those scholars. The advice I give is very lenient, which is all to leave room for maneuver so that those below can be excessively foolish."

He looked at Arele's face, which was twitching slightly from clenching her teeth, and added a sentence in a calm tone, as if he were explaining common sense.

"You must strictly adhere to these rules when you carry them out. As for me," the Raven paused briefly, "I have my own standards."

"The Senate will not support your sophistry; your words and actions highlight the root of El-Lu's arrogance today."

"The trial requires the approval of the Chief Elder and His Majesty. I have cooperated with your conversation, and I can now choose my answers."

Nan'an was shocked.

Goodness, is Lord Raven's background that powerful? He can't even be directly controlled by the Senate; he has to involve the "Emperor" in the Solitz governing system to even have a discussion?

Since it's such a thick steel plate, why did Ariel and her group have to kick it twice?

We couldn't possibly have been completely unaware of his importance beforehand, could we?

Arele was really angry. Suiyue watched her chest heave violently and understood her embarrassment at being watched by so many people.

They deliberately escalated the situation, hoping to create a big news story, but they never expected to run into the formidable Crow and suffer a crushing defeat.

If this stalemate continues, we risk becoming a laughingstock in the whole of Solize.

"Hozuki!"

The shift in focus was as expected.

Since the Raven's mechanics were ineffective and locked the boss's health bar, Ariel decided to clear out the smaller monsters that might be able to damage the boss first.

"Why did the Crow give you Windgrass Crystals?" Her voice was particularly sharp because she was suppressing her anger.

Following Nan'an's suggestion, Suiyue blinked, revealing a confused yet matter-of-fact expression: "Probably... afraid I'll feel wronged?"

"Wronged?"

"I risked my life to save many people and even fought a battle with the Living Eclipse, but I received no reward from the Honors' Court..."

The crow looked at Suiyue in surprise, then nodded repeatedly with satisfaction, its praise evident in its words.

Under Nan'an's instructions, Suiyue really put on a pitiful face and added.

"I won't save them next time... I risk my life and get no reward, and then I'm suspected of all sorts of things. I should let go of my desire to help others and respect their fate."

The previously quiet audience seats suddenly erupted into noise and discussion.

"Silence! Silence!"

The elders struck the gavel together.

One of the older elders couldn't help but remind her, "Suiyue, watch your words."

Nan'an said, "Do as I say, push back."

Suiyue felt a chill run down her spine, but she didn't suspect anything.

"What?" She looked up at the elder who had spoken, her tone filled with innocent confusion. "Elder, did I say something wrong? Since there's no reward for saving them, and they'll be severely punished anyway, it's better not to save them. It's better to avoid trouble. Ask yourselves, if you were in my shoes, knowing that you would be suspected and judged after saving them, would you still rush forward to risk your lives?"

Arele panicked a little.

This topic is also a dangerous and murky area. The Honorary Court originally intended to give Suiyue a corresponding reward, but it was she and a group of people related to her who ruined everything.

The elders looked very grim.

Acts of bravery and courage, and fierce battles that showcase passion and valor, are inherently commendable acts of bravery. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, they have been tainted.

Once this topic loses its momentum and spreads, how will the people of Solize view the Honors Home and the act of charity?

We can't touch on this topic anymore!

Arele quickly changed the subject: "The gift of the Windgrass Crystal has no connection to your own summoned creatures, right? What I mean is, the Raven gave you this special treatment precisely because it's related to that."

Arele produced a report: "Gentlemen, I have information here showing that from the very first day Suiyue entered Windgrass Prison, she has enjoyed high-level treatment, receiving the same meals as the governors. It's like she's been given unparalleled privileges! Could it be that the Crow of Deception had some kind of premonition that the Honors' Court wouldn't issue any rewards?!"

The crow, who had been watching the show from the sidelines, finally spoke.

"Why doesn't Sir Ariel ask the person involved, Consul Pirion, about this?"

Arele sneered: "I was just about to summon him."

An old acquaintance, Governor Pirion, who had been tormented by Suiyue several times, slowly entered the scene led by members of the Elder Guard and joined the two on trial.

Suiyue smiled and waved to him, while Pirion wore an expression as ugly as if his mother had died.

He was doing a good job as governor, but for no reason, in just over 20 days, his territory was attacked by nobles and eroded by black mist. Now, he has been thrown into court and put on public display.

The person who caused him so much trouble was right beside him; it was already a testament to Pirion's remarkable restraint that he managed not to jump out and punch her twice.

Suiyue couldn't help but mutter, "Oh no, oh no, this guy is going to screw us over."

Nan'an, however, was overjoyed: "I think so. Observe the expression on Huoya's face; he must be very relaxed."

Unconvinced, Suiyue looked over and, sure enough, found that the crow had a provocative smile on its face, staring intently at Arele, as if waiting to see her make a fool of herself.

"Governor Pirion, you personally imprisoned Suiyue and provided her with a place to be held in custody. What explanation do you have for the excessive treatment she received during her observation period?"

Arele was confident that this would be a powerful blow to pry open the shell of the bewitching raven.

Pirion cleared his throat: "I greatly admire Suiyue's courageous act. It was her fearless performance that effectively prevented the casualties from escalating during the attack. As the governor of Kren, I feel that this action can effectively inspire and encourage the people of Kren and even Solize. Therefore, I took the liberty of rewarding her with the same meal as a token of my appreciation."