Chapter 270: The Absurd Truth

Everyone stares at Henwell in stunned silence. South Regions council chairman Wist, finally catching on, shakes with anger, his fingers trembling as he points a finger: “You… you… you madman! Now you suddenly realize Viscount Oyley died unjustly?”

”When you cruelly killed the Viscount not long ago, did you ever think about the consequences? And now you regret it? I’m telling you, it’s too late! Even with your status as a church knight, you have no right to kill a noble of the kingdom on your own!”

Royal Inspector Bondis adds, “And what about the lives of over six hundred soldiers? They’re citizens of the kingdom too! Deserving of protection just as much! Today, Lord of Blood Hill, you owe us an explanation. Otherwise, no one can save you!”

Henwell wears a look of regret as he replies, “I admit my fault. I shouldn’t have listened to Viscount Oyley and left early. If I’d stayed, maybe things would have ended differently. Maybe the Viscount could have survived. I admit I fled the battlefield.”

Chairman Wist is baffled. “What nonsense are you spouting? You’re the one who killed Viscount Oyley! Do you confess?”

Henwell nods gently. “I confess. As a knight, as a noble, abandoning my comrades is an indelible stain. As a warrior, fleeing the battlefield and not fighting alongside the Viscount until the end—I am guilty. Though the Viscount ordered me to leave, I shouldn’t have gone. That guilt weighs heavily on my heart.”

Inspector Bondis snaps, “What are you saying? You killed Viscount Oyley! Don’t you deny that?”

Henwell’s eyes widen. “Of course not! It wasn’t me—it was the bandits in his territory! I was just passing through and happened to encounter the bandit army. Thanks to Viscount Oyley’s timely support, I managed to escape.”

”The ones who ultimately killed the Viscount were those rebellious bandits! I admit I fled, leaving the Viscount to cover our retreat—that’s on me! But if you say I killed Viscount Oyley, then you’ve got it all wrong!”

Duke Kolen speaks up, “Henwell, then tell us, what exactly happened?”

Henwell sighs deeply. “Sigh~! As soon as we entered the Oyley territory, we noticed signs of bandits. But, respecting your kingdom’s internal affairs, we didn’t interfere much. Then, those fierce bandits actually prepared to attack our convoy. Their numbers were overwhelming, and their strength formidable. We couldn’t match them, so we had to fight while retreating.”

”Thankfully, Viscount Oyley led troops to support us just in time. I wanted to join forces with the Viscount to fight back, but he firmly insisted this was his land, his rebellion to deal with. We were merely passing guests, with no reason to get involved.”

”The Viscount insisted we leave first. I tried to persuade him but failed, so I left Oyley territory filled with regret and worry. Later, I learned that the Viscount’s entire army was wiped out. My conscience hasn’t been at peace since.”

Chairman Wist from South Regions stomps his foot, shouting, “You’re full of lies! Not a single word of that is true!”

Royal Inspector Bondis’s face turns red with anger. “Deceitful madman! You slaughtered Viscount Oyley’s army, and personally killed the Viscount himself! We have eyewitnesses and evidence. Don’t think you can escape death by spinning some story!”

Henwell calmly counters, “Were either of you there at the scene? Did you see it with your own eyes? You say you have witnesses? You believe only their words? Not mine—a noble knight?”

Duke Kolen raises his hand to stop the two officials from arguing further.

Then he looks at Henwell. “So you’re saying those rebellious bandits in the territory killed more than a dozen nobles, including Viscount Oyley? And on top of that, twenty-three knights and over six hundred elite soldiers?”

Henwell sighs again. “Exactly. As you can see, our team isn’t weak. I’m no master fighter, but I do have some skills. Even so, our forces were chased down by those bandits. I have to admit, the bandits in your kingdom are seriously formidable!”

“That’s nonsense! Your team has over fifty knights. What kind of bandits could possibly chase you down and slaughter you?”

Henwell shrugs. “That’s why I say those bandits are truly fierce. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have wiped out Viscount Oyley and his entire force!”

“Nonsense! A bunch of peasants and serfs, barely armed, with hardly any armor—just pitchforks and wooden spears. How could such bandits possibly slaughter over six hundred elite soldiers? It’s utterly ridiculous!”

Henwell suddenly drops his smile and springs to his feet. The two kingdom officials jump back a step, startled.

The knight guards in the room immediately grip their sword hilts and take a step closer to Henwell.

Orak, seated nearby, rests his palm near his sword’s hilt, thumb poised on the guard, ready to draw his blade at a moment’s notice.

Henwell seems oblivious to everyone’s reactions, locking cold eyes on the two officials as he speaks in a low, icy voice.

“Ridiculous? Then let me tell you something even more ridiculous. Both my brother and I were specifically assigned by the church for advanced studies, with orders signed by King Ika and tokens from the Holy Spirit Church. No faction along the way is allowed to stop us under any pretext. I myself hold the title of church knight, representing the church’s will and dignity!”

”Yet this Viscount Oyley blatantly ignored the king’s decree, scorned the Holy Spirit Church’s authority. He orchestrated the bandits’ attack on us, then personally led troops to ambush us, planning to kill us and cover up the crime.”

”Tell me, should someone who blatantly disregards the king’s orders and disrespects the Holy Spirit Church’s dignity be spared? Isn’t such defiance far more absurd?”

Royal Inspector Bondis snaps, “That’s just your wild accusation!”

South Regions council chairman demands, “So you admit it, you killed Viscount Oyley?”

Henwell replies calmly, “That depends on how you two want to settle this. Want to put me on trial? Fine. Notify King Vorry, King Ika, and summon the Holy Spirit Church leaders from the Western Federation. Let all three parties be present to thoroughly investigate the truth.”

”I believe the church won’t let the real mastermind go unpunished. If you seek the truth, more facts will surely come to light. So, do you two dare to do that?”

”One version says fierce bandits slaughtered over six hundred elite troops and killed Viscount Oyley. The other says an Ika noble, acting on high orders, deliberately provoked the Holy Spirit Church. Which seems more absurd? Which is easier to accept? To gain your approval? To be accepted by His Majesty the King?”