“However, I have a question that I need the Lord Arbiter to answer for me!”
Ain suddenly raised his voice, ensuring his words reached the ears of everyone present.
“Was everything that happened tonight, all the disasters we suffered, truly caused by Lillian Knight?”
“Why did those monsters go wild? Which unknown forces infiltrated the academy? Aren't these the true sources of tonight's disaster?!”
“As for Lillian Knight, did anyone see what she did tonight? Did anyone get injured because of her tonight?”
“Is the justice upheld by the Titan Prosecution Office really just about focusing all its energy on a student who barely survived a disaster?”
【Note: 【Word Spirit: Prayer】 is continuously affecting all target characters in the current area!】
【Hope value in this area has increased by 30%!】
Just these few sentences plunged everyone present into deep thought.
“That's right, the ones who distributed the potion are the real enemies, aren't they?”
“The monsters going wild really didn't seem to have anything to do with Lillian...”
“But she's a witch...”
Ain continued speaking.
“If we deprive someone of their freedom without any evidence just because they are a 'potential threat,' then no one sitting here will be safe!”
“Some people are skilled in fire magic, which could burn down an entire building if it goes out of control! Others are skilled in mental magic, which theoretically can influence other people's minds. Should we lock them up too, just in case?”
“Shouldn't the true judgment of one's guilt be based on their true intentions?”
“Lillian has lived in the academy for so long. Why did something happen tonight of all nights? Was any of this truly of her own free will?”
“She didn't want to hurt anyone at all! She would rather run into that unknown forest all by herself to bear all the dangers than let any of you be affected in the slightest!”
“Can anyone stand up and say that the injuries they suffered tonight were because of Lillian? Was any of the damage tonight caused by her?”
“Now that she has finally managed to control her power with great difficulty, must she face such accusations and endure so many strange looks?”
“Are we going to keep using these prejudiced and suspicious eyes to scrutinize a student who was willing to die for us?!”
Many students hung their heads in shame.
“The Goddess of Light once spoke an ancient secret phrase...”
“‘Do not do unto others what you would not have them do unto you.’”
【The God of Light is displeased with you! He never said that!】
Ain chuckled disdainfully.
Shoo, shoo, go play somewhere else.
Who cares about you?
You were the one who told me to convey your guidance. Isn't it enough that the message got across?
Whatever I say goes.
Ain continued, “The meaning of this phrase is...”
“‘Do not force your own discomfort onto others.’”
“Having experienced the darkest hour, we should understand even better who the real enemy is! We shouldn't just be here victimizing a victim who actually protected everyone!”
“The Goddess of Light has always guided us to embrace every kind soul! To be lenient with every pitiful person! As long as our hearts are united, hope will never die! The hardships that failed to break us will eventually turn into stars that light our path, guiding us toward a brighter, warmer tomorrow!”
Ain said everything he wanted to say in one breath.
Did I say a bit too much...
【Note: 【Word Spirit: Prayer】 is continuously affecting all target characters in the current area!】
【Description: All of your words will be filled with light and hope. If 【Blessing of the God of Light】 is active, all verbal output will automatically carry the "Mental Soothing" and "Positive Suggestion" attributes, forcing a 30% increase in the target units' hope value.】
“What he said... actually makes a lot of sense, doesn't it?”
“At least Lillian really is just a victim...”
“And Lillian should go to Persephone to receive treatment first. Even if she has to be taken to the Prosecution Office, that should be something for later...”
“Exactly! How can we blame all of this on her!”
“That guy is absolutely right!”
The tide of public opinion shifted abruptly, and applause even began to ring out from the crowd for Ain's speech.
Seeing this, Ain couldn't help but marvel in his heart.
This brainwashing skill is pretty handy.
【The God of Light is displeased with you! He is highly unsatisfied with your choice of words!】
Ain let out a soft snort, not caring in the least about the Goddess's opinion.
Cyril looked at him in disbelief. He had never expected that Ain could stir up such a massive storm with just a few misleading words and suggestions!
What was the point of all the atmosphere he had painstakingly built up for so long, only to have it barely rile anyone up?
But Ain had no intention of letting him off the hook.
“Cyril, things must be quite difficult for you right now. If Sevis suddenly resigns, what do you think everyone here will think?”
Ain's voice was extremely quiet, but his smile remained unchanged.
“If such a great hero suddenly chooses to leave, will they think Sevis suffered some injustice in the Prosecution Office and was forced out?”
“He made a significant contribution tonight. You originally planned to kick him out, but given his current reputation and value... you must be very reluctant, right?”
“You...”
Cyril stared at Ain in disbelief, his previous composure completely vanished.
Was the person in front of him really just a student?
How did he know all of this!
Cyril still remembered the Chief Arbiter's command.
Sevis had to remain in the Prosecution Office!
“Do you like the gift I sent you?”
Ain smiled as he threatened, “If you don't want things to get ugly, keep your little schemes to yourselves.”
“Under... stood?”
Lola had already told him in advance that she would handle all the aftermath for him.
In that case, he only needed to focus on dealing the verbal damage.
Ain raised his hand and patted Cyril on the shoulder, then turned around and walked away cleanly.
Suddenly, a strong force shoved Ain's back. Before he could turn around, a woman's voice drifted right into his ear.
“Well said, hole-in-one kid!”
Turning his head, he saw an elderly lady wearing the white uniform of Persephone.
Who was this?
Ain had absolutely no idea.
And what on earth was 'hole-in-one'? It couldn't be what he was thinking, could it...
“Ain!”
Grimm and Violet appeared behind Margaret, the young girl waving her hand at him.
“Look at that, isn't that Teacher Margaret? How is she so close with Ain? Is Ain actually a member of Persephone?”
“How is that possible? She probably just thought what that guy said earlier was really good.”
“Oh! I remember now! Lady Margaret mentioned tonight that the potion capable of lifting the monsters' mania was made by a student! Could it be him?”
“No way... Isn't he from the Arcane Department? How could he double-major in both fields? Besides, no matter how you look at it, that potion doesn't seem like something a student could make.”
Ignoring the suspicion of the surrounding students, Ain was about to ask about Margaret's identity when his attention was drawn to another figure.
“Sevis!”
Sevis responded and quickly made his way to Ain's side, with Rosalind following beside him.
“That's Senior Sevis, right?”
“Yeah. You have no idea how wild the rumors about him tonight have gotten...”
“But isn't that because he helped so many people tonight?”
“That's true.”
Looking at the approaching Sevis, Ain asked with concern, “How is your recovery going?”
“It's fine. Today was really... I fell asleep so many times...”
Sevis shook his head in distress; his condition today was truly worrying.
“Thank you for doing so much for me.”
Ain, of course, knew what he was referring to.
“I don't think this honor should be borne by me alone. I want to...”
Ain slung an arm around Sevis's shoulder, leaning his face in close as he laughed. “Hey, we're brothers, aren't we? You're my boss! Helping you is helping myself!”
“If all else fails, you can always pledge your love to me as repayment.”
“...”
“Y-You... why aren't you saying anything? Is it not funny?”
“N-No, it's fine.”
Sevis was about to be scared to death.
He thought Ain had figured out his true identity.
Meanwhile, Ain was highly satisfied with his own words.
It seemed that in the plot of Act Five, he would have someone to work for him.
Hehehe!
Suddenly, a figure lunged forward out of nowhere, throwing her arms tightly around Ain.
“L-Lillian?”
Ain was startled by this sudden intimate gesture.
The surrounding students also began to chatter.
“Whoa, look over there. That Lillian actually...”
“It's probably because Ain was just speaking up for her...”
“I see. This Ain is incredibly calculating!”
“How so?”
“Think about it. If he really gets close to Lillian, who's next? His true ambition is clearly aimed at Erylin! He wants to use this relationship to get close to her!”
“What? He actually thought that far ahead?!”
Lillian buried her head in Ain's chest, leaving him feeling a bit lost.
“Thank you...”
Lillian whispered.
Was she... too scared?
Ain guessed, completely unaware that a trace of playfulness had already surfaced at the corner of Lillian's lips.
“Hey, didn't you say before that you wanted some practical compensation?”
Ain blinked, a sudden chill running down his spine.
He had never known that Lillian actually had a bit of a little devil in her personality.
“Hey, you wouldn't...”
“Thank you!”
“Wait!”
“My...”
“Master!”
Lillian laughed happily.
She wanted everyone to know that Ain belonged only to her.
The moment those words left her mouth, Ain's mouth fell open in an 'O' shape. Not just Sevis, but everyone present instantly shot shocked looks in their direction.
Do you two... play that wild in private?
Violet covered her mouth in shock, subconsciously glancing to the side, only to find Grimm quietly staring at her with an extremely bizarre expression.
“Vi...”
Before the words could even be spoken, Violet guessed what he was thinking.
It's definitely the same as last time, wanting me to do the same thing!
“No, no, no! Professor, what are you thinking! How could I ever say something, something like that...”
Violet's face flushed red instantly.
The crowd immediately went wild.
“That Lillian, what did she just say? I didn't hear wrong, did I!”
“Wait, that Ain, what right does he have!”
“No, no, no, your focus is all wrong! Shouldn't the question be whether he really is going to make a move on Senior Erylin next?”
“Nonsense! Senior Erylin is clearly a sacred being who cannot be defiled!”
“Oh heavens, just thinking about that scene makes me feel like my life is over!”
“I won't allow it! How can we let a guy like him get close to Senior Erylin!”
“Speaking of which, didn't that guy get really close to Erylin back on the combat platform?”
“Settle accounts! We must settle accounts with him!”
In the distance, Loretta handed a document to August.
“Give this to him later.”
With that, Loretta turned and left.
August opened the document. It was a roster of the members of the Typhon Chain.
The name on it happened to be...
Ain Aldric.
Rate on N.U.
