Chapter 23: False Accusation

Zhe Zilin closed the door. Griet, who had been guarding the entrance, was already gone. Only one guard remained, lying on the ground and snoring.

Just as he was about to head downstairs, footsteps echoed from the stairwell. Gareth Leon was walking up.

Zhe Zilin looked around. If he killed Leon here, no one would know. One sword stroke could sever the other party’s throat, and Leon would not be able to make a single sound.

He habitually reached for his waist. Osha had not ordered anyone to take away his sword. His hand gripped the hilt. The moment Leon passed the second floor, he would slash the blade across the other party’s neck.

“Has the princess fallen asleep?”

Suddenly, the guard behind him woke up and climbed to his feet.

Zhe Zilin leaned out and glanced at the approaching Leon. He sighed, then turned around and said, “Yes.”

The guard rubbed his sleepy eyes. “Sir Griet instructed that you must stay with the half-orcs. You are not allowed to go anywhere else.”

Leon reached the second-floor landing. He glanced at the guard and Zhe Zilin’s back, then scolded in a low voice, “Don’t disturb the princess’s sleep.”

The guard quickly bowed. Zhe Zilin also gave a symbolic bow.

The sound of Leon’s footsteps climbing the stairs echoed once more. Zhe Zilin turned and watched him ascend to the third floor.

He could only wait for the next opportunity.

Zhe Zilin also felt a bit sleepy. He walked downstairs. The servants in the castle had already retired for the night.

It was freezing outside. He took the chance to grab a brazier and carried it to the backyard.

The half-orcs huddled together, using each other’s shoulders as pillows as they slept soundly.

They could actually sleep in this kind of cold. No wonder half-orcs could be found in forests all over the world. Their vitality was truly tenacious.

Zhe Zilin sat beside the brazier. The warm firelight chased away the extreme cold of the snowy night. Drowsiness crept in, and his heavy eyelids slowly closed.

“Ed, what are you doing here?”

Before he could fall asleep, a familiar voice reached his ears. His eyelids reluctantly opened.

“Ailia?”

In his hazy state, he could only make out an outline. The petite figure and the overly developed chest — there was only one person who matched that in his memories.

“Aren’t you supposed to leave the King of the North’s room in three days?”

Zhe Zilin stood up and patted the dust off his pants.

Ailia explained, “Leon told me to leave. He said the North is under his command now, so there’s no need to continue praying.”

Zhe Zilin recalled that Leon had gone to the third floor. It must have been for this matter. But why had the other party gone crazy in the middle of the night and driven Ailia out of the room?

“Why did he do that?”

Ailia shook her head slightly. She did not have mind-reading abilities and could not see through Leon’s thoughts.

“Lady Snow has been with me the whole time praying for the King of the North. Perhaps he was dissatisfied with his mother’s actions.”

“The mother and son don’t get along. They had a big argument this morning over the welcoming ceremony for Osha.”

The cold wind howled, sweeping snow and ice through North City without restraint.

Ailia hugged herself and rubbed her arms. She had stayed inside the room the entire time and was dressed too lightly.

Zhe Zilin quickly took off his plain robe and draped it over Ailia’s shoulders. He instructed, “I have some firewood I picked up this morning. Take it back quickly to keep warm. It’s cold outside.”

“You went outside the city this morning, didn’t you, Ed?”

Ailia was wearing the Contract Ring. She could sense Zhe Zilin’s location. That was why, even though she had stayed in her room the whole time, she still knew his movements.

“It’s dangerous outside the city. Don’t take risks again next time.”

Zhe Zilin nodded. “I promise you.”

“Go back quickly. It’s cold here.”

Ailia turned her head and looked at the half-orcs huddling together for warmth. She asked in surprise, “What about you? Aren’t you coming back with me?”

Zhe Zilin gave a bitter smile and recounted everything that had happened that day.

After listening, Ailia took a step forward, her voice agitated. “Osha only looks fragile on the surface. She’s not actually like that. I already witnessed how terrifying she can be back in the Royal Capital. Ed…”

She realized she had lost her composure and lowered her head again, her fingers tightly twisting the fabric of her dress.

“Ed, have you decided to leave with her?”

Zhe Zilin straightened the wrinkles on Ailia’s clothes and chuckled. “Not yet. What if her personality is even worse than yours? Then wouldn’t I be jumping from one fire pit straight into another?”

“Besides, would you even let me leave?”

A faint light flashed in Ailia’s eyes. She excitedly lifted her head, then felt her emotions were too obvious and tried to suppress the smile on her face.

“Ed, you’re going too far. Ailia is not a fire pit. She won’t drag you down.”

Zhe Zilin glanced at the sky. The snow had gradually stopped. The clouds in the east were beginning to turn pale.

Dawn was approaching.

“Go back and sleep. You’ve worked hard with the prayers.”

Ailia was silent for a moment. She took off the plain robe and draped it back over Zhe Zilin’s shoulders, instructing, “Don’t catch a cold, Ed.”

The two of them looked at each other. Ailia reluctantly turned around and walked away, glancing back every few steps.

Just as she reached the exit, a group of armored guards suddenly appeared and surrounded the entire backyard.

“Seize the witch!”

Dozens of guards encircled Ailia. Zhe Zilin drew his sword and stood in front of her.

Airigo walked forward. The guards parted to make way. Behind him stood Leon.

“The witch killed Lady Snow. My father has only just passed away, and now even my mother has been murdered by someone.”

The moment Leon spoke, the guards were shocked. Airigo frowned and glanced back, then lowered his head thoughtfully.

Zhe Zilin gripped Dragon Slayer and stared straight at Leon. “There is no evidence. How can you be sure that Ailia is the one who killed Lady Snow based on your word alone?”

Leon’s face instantly darkened. His gaze turned vicious. “Are you saying that I killed my own mother?”

“My mother raised me, and you actually suspect me of matricide. The only people in the room were the witch and my mother. If she didn’t do it, then why did she leave the room?!”

“The three-day prayer tradition states that the witch must not leave the room. Everyone knows this!”

There was no third person who could prove that Ailia had only left because of Leon’s order. Furthermore, Lady Snow was Leon’s birth mother. Unless there was solid evidence, no one would suspect him of being the killer.

Everything pointed to Ailia as the murderer. Only Zhe Zilin knew that Ailia had been framed.

Finally, Zhe Zilin understood the meaning behind the system issuing the task.

The other party had probably been planning since the King of the North died, using this false accusation against Ailia to achieve the goal of matricide.

But why kill his own birth mother? Zhe Zilin did not know, and he did not want to know for now.

Right now, Leon’s scheme had succeeded. As the eldest son of the King of the North and the future King of the North, he could command all the soldiers in North City. Zhe Zilin and Ailia had no way to escape.

“Ailia, let’s break out. As long as we leave North City, they won’t be able to catch us.”

There were no more than fifty people around. Ailia possessed the power of Words Become Law. He believed they still had a chance.

If they were thrown into the dungeon, they would truly become lambs waiting to be slaughtered.

Ailia raised her hand and pressed down the sword in Zhe Zilin’s grip. She said to Leon, “This has nothing to do with him.”

Leon raised an eyebrow and snorted coldly. “Even a cold-blooded and heartless witch wants to protect this person. There must be something fishy going on. Throw them both into the dungeon!”

Ailia’s expression turned grave. She wanted to argue, but Zhe Zilin grabbed her hand. She turned back, her face full of apology.

“It’s fine, Ailia. This isn’t your fault.”

Zhe Zilin knew Leon’s little scheme. The witch had revealed her weakness, and the other party would definitely not let it go.

If Ailia were alone, fewer than fifty guards would not be able to stop her. But Zhe Zilin knew that because he was here, Ailia had not taken the risk.

When they passed by Leon, Zhe Zilin stopped and issued a death notice.

“You will die last night.”

……

At the window on the second floor of the castle, Osha had woken up at some point and quietly watched for a long time.

Watching the backs of Zhe Zilin and Ailia, she extended her hand and crushed the broken Contract Ring into powder, then casually scattered it into the air.