Chapter 28: The Price of Truth

“Chloe, what are you saying?”

Xina gasped, covering her mouth with a hand, her gaze flitting between Chloe and Jack.

Everyone present was stunned by Chloe’s outrageous accusation. Only Alice stretched languidly, narrowing one eye as she watched Chloe, her lips beginning to murmur a spell.

“My beautiful lady, I don’t know what you are talking about,” Jack said, his voice steadying, as he adopted a bewildered expression.

‘Oh no!’ Chloe inwardly cried, realizing she had accidentally blurted out her thoughts.

It was merely a conjecture, perhaps born from her grief and indignation over the events in Pearbrook Village, which had led her to speak without thinking.

Chloe blinked her beautiful eyes, feeling the weight of everyone’s gaze upon her. ‘Never mind,’ she decided. ‘Activate ability: Bluster!’

Pointing a finger at Jack, Chloe declared loudly, “There’s a contradiction in your words!”

The onlookers stared blankly at her.

Alice stomped hard on Chloe’s foot, making her almost cry out. Alice then shot Chloe a significant look, urging her to get to the point.

Chloe cleared her throat awkwardly twice before continuing her statement.

“You just said that Olga’s group stormed in from the village entrance, didn’t you?” Chloe asked.

“That’s right. Is there a problem with that?” Jack replied calmly.

“But earlier, in Pearbrook Village, we saw a group of dead warriors. Their bodies were found in the granary, quite far from the village entrance.”

“Yes, that’s true!” Xina suddenly realized. “If they had charged directly from the village entrance, the warriors’ bodies should have been found near the entrance as well.”

Uncle Lan’s face paled. He quickly interjected to diffuse the tension. “Couldn’t the warriors have fought and retreated, falling back to the vicinity of the granary?”

“Let’s leave this question to an expert. Xiao Nuoqi, if you were one of those warriors, what would you do?”

Chloe looked at Xiao Nuoqi. He scratched his cheek, reluctantly stepping forward.

“I’m not like Brother Norria; I haven’t experienced so much. But if it were me, I would stand my ground and fight,” he explained. “They were cavalry, so a hasty retreat would only lead to us being easily overtaken.”

Miko stepped in front of her brother, confronting Chloe. “Are you suggesting my brother is lying, you little girl?”

Chloe took a deep breath, then declared, “I believe Olga’s group was hiding inside the granary. Once night fell, they emerged to attack. The warriors rushed to the granary with their weapons to provide support, but unfortunately, they were no match for the enemy, and their bodies were left before the granary.”

“You mean… Jack truly lied?” Xina exclaimed, turning to Jack in shock. Jack hung his head, silent.

“The granary was the primary battleground,” Chloe stated unequivocally. “And aside from their accomplice, no one could have hidden inside the granary and emerged unscathed.”

Her gaze swept over Miko and Jack, and Miko’s face turned ashen.

“Why would you do this?” Xina cried, grasping Jack’s hands tightly. Jack looked up, tears welling in his eyes.

“They captured our parents,” Miko murmured, “and used them to threaten us, forcing us to hide them in the granary.”

“So that’s it! I’ll have the two of you hanged!”

Baron Mosin Bruen roared, spitting curses and unleashing his fury upon the siblings.

“Hanged? Baron Mosin, you didn’t say that before…”

Miko cried out to Uncle Lan.

“Guards! Seize them both at once!”

“Wait!”

Xina’s sharp command halted Uncle Lan, who looked at her blankly, his eyes still burning with rage. Chloe quickly turned to Miko. “Wait, who are ‘they’ referring to?”

“Th-they are… Olga…” Jack stammered hesitantly.

Miko, however, lifted her head with newfound resolve. “Enough, Jack,” she declared. “They’re planning to hang us anyway. What reason do we have left to protect them? It was Baron Mosin who captured our parents and incited us to do this.”

Suddenly, a cold arrow streaked across the sky, aimed directly at Miko.

Chloe, however, flashed forward, shielding Miko with her body. Blood slowly seeped from Chloe’s throat.

Uncle Lan’s face was contorted with fury, almost unrecognizable. He roared, “Kill them!”

Suddenly, archers swarmed onto the rooftops, while soldiers with swords and shields kicked open the main gates, appearing before everyone. Xiao Nuoqi quickly gripped his spear, but a burly soldier instantly shoved him to the ground. Their own guards were heavily outnumbered.

It was at that very instant that Alice finally completed her lengthy incantation, slowly uttering a few syllables from her lips.

“Hypnos’ Kiss!”

Uncle Lan’s soldiers collapsed one after another, their weapons clattering to the ground with metallic thuds.

Seeing this, Uncle Lan desperately tried to flee, but Xina gripped his clothes tightly. With a sharp rip, his blue garment tore completely, revealing his bare body. He stumbled and fell to the ground.

When Baron Mosin looked up again, Xiao Nuoqi stood over him, a spear pointed at his head, his face contorted with anger. Baron Mosin lay on the ground, resembling a flayed salted fish.

Alice let out a long breath and sank to the ground. Using such a powerful, wide-ranging Elder Magic was immensely draining, even for her.

All eyes were now on Chloe. Miko cradled Chloe, while Jack hastily tore off a strip of his clothing, fashioning a makeshift bandage to try and staunch the blood flow.

However, the wound across her throat was too long and deep; blood continued to gush. Chloe found herself unable to speak, unable even to whisper for help.

‘Am I going to die here?’ Chloe thought weakly, her gaze fixed on the sun. The sunlight, meant to bring warmth, now seemed to drain her remaining heat as her consciousness steadily faded.

Xina rushed to Chloe’s side, clinging to her body, murmuring something incessantly. Chloe, however, could no longer make out the words.

Tears streamed from Xina’s eyes, soaking Chloe’s clothes. ‘Why are you crying, you fool? After I die, you’ll be the sole master of Avros.’

‘Is this my end?’ she mused. ‘Conquer the world? Don’t be ridiculous; I can’t even leave the starter village. Save the world? I couldn’t even save the people of one village, so what world could I possibly save?’

The shouts, the scent of blood, the sunlight, the embrace, the fragrance—all five senses rapidly faded. Darkness enveloped her world.

Chloe saw what seemed to be her sister, tying on an apron, preparing dinner for her.

“What do you want to eat today?”

Chloe’s lips moved. Her sister cast her an exasperated glance, then tapped Chloe’s head with the spoon she held.

“Instant noodles again? You’re not allowed to eat them anymore; they’re so unhealthy. So, what *do* you want to eat?”

Her sister crossed her arms, shaking her head in resignation.

“Then let’s have this: ‘Chloe Ice Cream.’ I made it especially for you, big brother.”