Chapter 437.3: It Was The Will Of The Gods

"... We should negotiate with the Army. There's nothing that can't be resolved by sitting down and talking."

"The Lion Kingdom’s Royal Family is too crude. If they hadn't harbored the heirs of the Honey Badger Kingdom, they wouldn't have been targeted by the Falcon Kingdom!”

"I actually think... It wouldn't be bad to be like the Falcon Kingdom. The Army gave them a lot of aid, and that oasis would have been desolate without the Army's help."

"That's for sure, those big noses may be bad-tempered and scary towards slaves, but they're generous to their vassals, giving whatever is needed."

"Whatever the case, just don't go to war. Petra Fortress can't grow our own crops, and if trade is affected by war, those poor people will starve."

The ministers in the court discussed fervently, including the powerless nobles, wealthy merchants, and guests...

Some suggested negotiating with the Army.

Some even hinted subtly that it might not be bad to be like the Falcon Kingdom. Not only were they still sitting securely on their throne, but their national power has multiplied compared to ten years ago.

Sien was extremely annoyed, but he couldn't lash out at those people despite his irritation. He had to maintain a serene facade.

He was about to wave his hand to dismiss them when suddenly, footsteps came from the entrance and the heavy wooden door opened.

The captain of the guard stood in front of the door, performing a military salute. "My lord, I've brought the person."

The ministers and nobles in the hall ceased their discussions, curious about who was at the door.

Sein gestured for the guard to bring the person forward.

The guard captain bowed respectfully, stepping out briefly before returning with a female not of their kingdom.

Seeing her, the hall buzzed with whispers, curious about what the lord intended to do.

Ignoring those voices, Sein scrutinized the woman below the steps, shooting her a look that seemed like he could see through everything. Eventually, he spoke, "Do you know why I called you here?"

Knowing that feigning ignorance was useless, Sisi simply nodded in denial. "Yes."

Seeing her unchanging expression, Sein's eyes showed a hint of admiration.

Those cowards who might as well kneel before the Army should be ashamed of themselves. They weren’t even as courageous as a young lady!

However... As much as he appreciated her,

The law is the law.

Looking down at her, his eyes cold yet seemingly amused, he said, "In the Camel Kingdom, those who spread rumors and cause chaos will have their tongues cut."

"Using the name of the gods for deception will result in being buried in the sand under the scorching sun for ten days, with no food or water."

"Giving alms to the suffering can reduce your sentence by three days; you may choose the order of your punishment."

"Do you plead guilty?"

His solemn and cold voice echoed in the vast hall.

All eyes were focused on her, some showing surprise, others a sense of inevitability, and still others remained expressionless.

No one expected that the uproar in the city was caused by a young girl. It seemed somewhat unbelievable.

But looking at the lord's expression, it seemed he was not joking.

The crowd gradually started to show interest in her fate. Regardless of whether she was being made a scapegoat, they were curious about how the foreign girl would respond.

Sisi remained silent.

She knew that whether she nodded or shook her head, the outcome would not be good.

Speaking of which... Wasn’t he just mentioning exchanging her Camel Coins for the Lion Coins everyone considered trash?

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

She didn’t consider that giving alms. She was just getting what she thought would appreciate in the future.

However... The lord seemed to know what happened in the city, and the depth of his control seemed to shock her... It seemed like she had underestimated the NPC’s intelligence once again. Thinking back, she wondered if she should have given those mercenaries a sum of money right after handling that matter and had them leave the region immediately...

The only consolation now was that she hadn't implicated anyone else from the Order of the White Bear.

It seemed the lord wasn't interested in their small fortune, or perhaps he disdained to rob in such a manner.

Staying calm, Sisi started to think of how she should break out of the strange situation.

Admit that she fabricated those rumors?

That was the truth.

However, she hadn't made up the parts about the gods. Those exaggerated rumors were born from distortions when they were spread.

However, such sophistry obviously wouldn't help. The other party wouldn't engage in word games with her. As long as that mercenary confessed, her confession would be meaningless.

Bringing up the New Alliance would be even worse.

If the Camel Kingdom considered her a spy at the behest of the New Alliance, the outcome could be even more spectacular.

Not to mention whether it would decrease the administrator's favorability of her, such a move would turn a special case into a diplomatic dispute. The already wavering Camel Kingdom, like a wallflower, might just switch sides entirely after the incident.

Their faith might not be as strong...

Wait, faith!

Catching a clue for breaking out of the strange spot she was placed in, Sisi’s eyes lit up, and her boiling brain quickly cooled down.

Recalling content from two books, she organized her thoughts for a moment, then looked up at the lord sitting on the throne. "Respected Lord, the rumors in the city are indeed related to me, but I do not believe I am guilty."

A murmur spread through the hall.

The lord slightly narrowed his eyes, shifting to rest his chin on his left arm. "Oh?"

Though the pale defense wouldn't change her fate, he still wanted to hear what she had to say to absolve herself.

"Those rumors did start because of me, but they were not unfounded." She held her head high.

She could feel the numerous eyes on her, most of them not well-intentioned, and the rest mostly watching the spectacle, she didn’t feel the slightest bit afraid.

She was very clear that showing any weakness, even a hint of hesitation, would mean all was lost.

Her expression remained unchanged, and she raised her voice, which carried a trace of piety, or perhaps righteousness. Her confidence came not only from the fact that what she said was true.

But also because of one thing...

"It was the will of the gods."