Episode 227- I am Eugeneia Veria
Eugene felt incredibly grateful to the old man. Her eyes slowly closed and she commanded, 'Heal enough to speak.'
It didn't take a second for her to feel herself growing visibly weak. She had expected this to happen so she wasn't particularly surprised.
"Well…" Her voice was hoarse and sounded parched when she spoke. Already, many people were taken aback because, despite the fact that this was her trial, this was the first time they had heard her voice let alone heard her speak. They had asked her questions previously only to find that she was asleep. And when they were introducing her crimes to everyone, she appeared sleepy.
The person in charge of Eugene in her cell, no, all the soldiers who captured Eugene, including the Lieutenant, was surprised that she spoke. And after that surprise, they were overcome with relief. The Emperor's edict mentioned that Exitium's children only followed the organization's orders. Hence if Eugene was to speak of her own record, this would prove that she wasn't from the organization.
'... What am I supposed to say?' Eugene was blank. Her head was seriously blank because she used her Occul but also because she didn't know what she was supposed to say in this situation. No matter what she said… wouldn't it seem like she was trolling everyone?
"..." Eugene's eyes lowered for a brief second. But saying something was better than saying nothing at all.
"I…" Her voice was hoarse, but she pushed past her hoarse voice and confessed, "I am not with Exitium." Her voice was powerful and determined and her determined eyes shocked everyone in the execution arena to silence.
But because no one was speaking, this made Eugene incredibly nervous. She didn't even hear a single intake or exhale of breath. It didn't take long before this silence was broken and someone questioned the authenticity of her claims.
"How do we believe you?" Because no one was speaking, this voice was very clear and loud. The moment this person finished, many people began whispering to each other, agreeing with the man's words.
Another person questioned her, "Even if you are not from Exitium, you have sinned by taking another person's life."
Eugene guessed that healing her throat must've healed her body a bit as well, because her head was able to sharply turn to the person who spoke. Her gaze was locked on the guy who spoke, sending shivers down his spine as well as the people who sat beside him.
"I am not a common citizen."
This time, the whispers got louder. They were whispers of mock, mocking that Eugene was lying in order to not be executed.
"Criminal, you should stop lying or we will rush this execution trial." The voice that spoke was from the knight beside her. He appeared to be in his 60's, however unlike the old man who gave her the opportunity to speak, his face was villainous and he kept glaring at her.
'What execution. No way!' Eugene greeted her teeth as he glared at the knight! That's why she said she would sound like someone who was trolling with the knights and the soldiers even though she was speaking nothing but the truth. But was she going to give up? No way!
Her eyes glared murderously at the knight.
"What's wrong child? Go on. Speak your truth." The buff old man who stood next to Commander Guang's seat spoke up.
"Eu, -cough-" She felt her throat burn and coughed. Her throat was most likely clearing whatever was preventing her from speaking, but this was clearly not the best time to do so!
"What? Say it louder" The old knight with a sleazy face was annoyed and kicked her forward. This caused her to fall from the sticks spreading her arms apart, and go into a kneeling position. Fortunately, she propped her arms in time, preventing her from collapsing face first.
'That f-cking b-st-rd.' She cussed as she inhaled. Making her jerk forward, or move her limbs suddenly is bad for her current state okay? Instead of helping, the knight was making her condition worse!
-Cough-
Red came out from her throat as she coughed blood to the floor. Her eyes blinked rapidly as she tried to calm her mental and physical state.
'Wait a minute.' Eugene paused and did many small coughs.
'... What the flip. Her throat felt better.' Did… jerking forward made the blood that coagulated in her throat come out? Was this what blocked her throat?
"Hey! Get down and listen to what she's saying!" The sleazy man ordered the other knight to crouch down. Possibly because he heard her mini coughs and thought that she had said something.
"Say what you want to say. I will relay it." The knight who crouched down was a younger knight. Though he appeared to be annoyed at the sleazy old man, he didn't rush for Eugene to speak and made it appear as if he was fine with Eugene speaking at her own pace.
"The crisis." Eugene's voice flowed out from her throat smoothly.
"Excuse me?" The knight tilted his head.
"I am Eugeneia Veria. I was at sight to save my sister, Euria Veria." Eugene said very seriously as she stared straight into the knight's eyes.
"Child… This is not the t-" He paused before he finished his sentence. Eugene had a serious look on her face. The Commander of the Military specifically mentioned that Eugeneia La Veria's eyes were grey, but despite the fact that the girl in front of him had red eyes, there was something instinctive in him that made him believe Eugene was telling the truth.
"Alright. I will… I will relay it…" The knight nodded, and he got up slowly. The moment his back straightened fully, his pale face was shown, inciting curiosity from everyone who was waiting for him to relay what Eugene told him. The reason why the knight was scared was that if the girl really is who she claimed she is… everyone in this execution arena would probably be executed in charges of capturing a noble lady and interrogating a noble lady. Oh, not a normal noble lady. A noble lady with the most power in Xenperia following the Empress and the Princess.
"Why? What did the child say?" The sleazy guy asked the younger knight. His eyes glanced at Eugene's crown which was covered in mud-like substance before turning to the new knight for answers.
"... Eugene" The younger knight mumbled, looking very out of it. His face looked dizzy as his eyes turned to the audience.
"What? Say it properly!" The sleazy knight raised his voice!
'This is my first day on the job! What the heck is this situation?' He wanted to cry so badly! He glanced at the child with red eyes again before swallowing back his saliva and turning back to the audience.
'Why me!!!' He shouted in his mind.
He swallowed his parch throat and with his back straightened, he shouted as loud and as clear as possible. As if announcing that everyone here was going to die.
"REPEATING AND REPORTING!" The important crisis Xenperia was dealing with was here right in front of his eyes! The blessed Paladin of Xenperia! The missing eldest twin daughter of the house of Veria whom every single soldier and knight in this country was searching for today!
The knights and the soldiers all had a bad premonition the moment the knight began. This was because they could see the emotions the knight was going through, as though the world was going to end.
"HOUSE OF VERIA! MISS EUGENEIA LA VERIA HAS BEEN FOUND!"
His loud voice echoed and punched into the souls of stunned soldiers. The two esteemed figures, the commander of the military and the knight who allowed Eugene to speak stood up from their seats immediately!
There was a knowing look on the old knight's face as if he recognized the person in front of him. Immediately, he rushed out of the execution arena to report that Eugeneia Veria, the missing blessed twin, paladin, and lieutenant to the military had been found!
Commande Guang walked closer and leaned against the railing that separated him and the ground below. There was speechlessness in his eyes as he observed Eugene carefully.
The other soldiers and knights felt their souls leaving their bodies at such a plot twist! Everyone was stunned as they were struck frozen when suddenly someone shouted!
"Paladin Eugeneia Veria has grey eyes! You have red eyes! How dare you lie with such a brazen face!" The person who shouted was a knight.
Eugene raised her head and stared at the knight, 'Of course it's a knight who would refute her. Ever since the beginning of the trial, it has always been knights. Knights who believe that because they have status, they have the right to condemn everyone below them.'
"Wait a minute. My eyes?" Eugene muttered.. Because Eugene was free from the sticks of pain, she switched positions and touched the corner of her eyes using her free palms.