Chapter 19: Accusations

She sat with her legs crossed, one over the other. Her thick thighs rested gently against each other, the grey fabric drawn tight across them.

Veyron could not help but feel amazed. Another goddess, on his aunt’s level, though with the opposite personality. Yet her charm was not a single bit less.

Feeling Veyron’s intense stare on her, Eleanor snorted and said coldly, "Stay in your limits, brat!"

Veyron understood at once and pulled his eyes away. Aveline chuckled awkwardly and quickly said to him, "Quick, Veyron, greet her properly. She is Grand Elder Eleanor Rime, and also the leader of the disciplinary hall."

He followed his aunt’s words. He had not greeted her before. He bowed a little and spoke with proper politeness. "I greet Grand Elder Eleanor."

Veyron smiled as he looked at her. Her face did not change at all. It was as cold as ice itself. Internally, he thought that this one was going to be very hard.

[Told you... your aunt Aveline and senior sister Xialyn were already affectionate with you to begin with, so those two were easy to handle. Now you will feel the real challenge.]

Veyron understood the System’s words. It was right. He would need to do things that made her interested in him, even if only little by little.

Eleanor did not answer him. She turned toward Elder Beric and said, "What do you have to say about this incident? As I am hearing, you did something that is unbecoming of the vice leader of the disciplinary hall?"

Every eye in the hall went to her. Elder Beric’s expression broke. He bent down and spoke in a trembling voice.

"I would never, Leader. This boy beat up his fellow disciples brutally, without mercy, in front of everyone, until all four of them became unconscious. As I heard, Disciple Jason was begging for mercy, but he did not stop. He kept punching his face until he was unconscious."

"This proves how cold-blooded he is, and that he needs a proper punishment."

"You... my Vey—!" Aveline trembled with rage as she heard Elder Beric’s words. Eleanor cut her off, her voice calm. "Aveline, please don’t interfere. And don’t worry. I won’t make an unfair decision. You already know what type of person I am."

"Hmph!" Aveline snorted. Anger sat on her ever-so-happy and breathtaking face, a rare sight in the sect. Veyron took her hand and pressed it warmly. She calmed at once, if only a little.

Eleanor saw it and sighed heavily. What sort of sorcery has this brat done on her, she thought, for her to be so overprotective of him. She set the thought aside and continued, turning toward Veyron.

"Do you deny those accusations made by Elder Beric?"

Veyron spoke calmly. Talking to Grand Elder Eleanor was not easy. Her cold tone made most disciples tremble until they could not speak. Veyron was not like that. He met her gaze and was about to answer when a notification appeared.

[Do you want to establish the bond with Eleanor Rime?]

[Yes] [No]

Veyron thought seriously. Now, of all times. He pressed yes.

[Third bond established.]

Before he could think it was over, another line came.

[Do you want to choose the bonding slot now or later?]

Fuck. I’ll do that later. Let me say something now, or they will think I’m just a pushover who can’t defend himself.

Seeing Veyron silent, Eleanor was about to speak. Before she could, Veyron started speaking, and said something that dumbfounded everyone.

"I do not deny those accusations."

"Oh." Eleanor was surprised. She thought he would deny it, as everyone did, even if they lied to her face. Of course, she made them pay later. Aveline did not say anything.

She understood her Vey must have thought of something. He was not strong, but he was not dumb.

But others thought he had gone insane. Elder Beric and William were overjoyed. Before Eleanor could make another statement, Veyron received a notification.

[Eleanor’s bonding increased by 2%.]

[Eleanor’s current bonding: 2%.]

Veyron was surprised. Seriously, so low. But he then sighed internally. He understood he did not have any prior connection with her, and why would anyone be interested in a cripple, even if they were handsome. Anyway, he spoke further.

"I do not deny those accusations, but I did all that in order to defend myself."

"Don’t lie, you bra—!" Elder Beric shouted, but he was cut off by Eleanor. "Don’t interfere, Elder Beric. Let him speak. I too have done a little investigation, and I found a few things you didn’t mention. And do you think I can’t detect if anyone is lying?"

Eleanor’s voice was cold and scary. Elder Beric trembled as he felt her aura a little. His words had offended her, and he knew he had made a mistake.

"N... No, I won’t dare."

Eleanor turned toward Veyron and said, "Continue." Veyron thought she did not seem to be making an unfair decision. Let’s see if she is really that righteous.

"Elder Beric must have not mentioned this, as they did not even investigate this matter properly. Jason and his group often target me and my friends Benny, Jack, and Will, and many other weaker and commoner disciples of the outer court."

"They beat us, take our spirit stones, and even contribution points forcefully. But I have never seen your disciplinary hall making an investigation about it, even after filing complaints against it."

"I didn’t tell my aunt, as I felt ashamed. I was weak and couldn’t defend myself." Aveline’s heart trembled.

"But now that my spirit veins are repaired and I can cultivate properly, I broke through. They came at me again and ganged up on me, and talked bad about my dead parents.

And when I defended myself and beat them up, your disciplinary hall suddenly decides to come and detain me."

"Sigh... I thought you all were better than that... especially considering the leader is such a beautiful and righteous goddess like yourself, Grand Elder Eleanor."

Eleanor was silent for a moment. She did not say anything. The whole hall was deathly silent. Aveline looked at her Vey.

Even she was surprised at how domineering and daring he could be, to talk to a grand elder other than herself like that, on top of that with Eleanor.

She was feeling so much proud and love for him. She wanted to hug him now. And others’ jaws were on the ground, though they were also trembling, as whatever Veyron said was not a lie. Not a single word.

Eleanor also did not detect any lie from Veyron’s words, and she did not care how he talked to her, as he was speaking the truth.

She turned her head toward Elder Beric. "Why didn’t I get any information on those incidents?"

"I... I..." Elder Beric could not say anything. As he was in charge of the outer court, and he had removed all those complaints on the words of the Ignis clan.

He did not think this matter would reach this far, and that Veyron would have the guts to speak it out loud.

As he had never said that in the past. And he was even more surprised to know his spirit veins were repaired, as were others. So that was why he could beat them up. Still, it did not explain his strength.

Eleanor understood everything. Her blood boiled. Something like this was going on under her leadership, and she did not know anything about it. She only oversaw inner and core sect matters.

And nothing significant happened in the outer court. And if she did not receive it, or know anything, it must be because this guy had removed all the complaints.

She also understood why, as she had investigated. Jason was a part of the Ignis clan.

Crack!

Her blood boiled again. She put too much force on the armrest of the chair, and it broke. All the disciples standing in the hall felt the cold energy rising up in the surroundings.

She looked up at Veyron again and said, "Anything more you want to add?"

Veyron understood. So she really did not know. And it must be because that guy must have removed everything related to it.

"Not much is left to add. And the disciples didn’t talk about it, and didn’t hear, as you can understand. They feared the Ignis clan would come after them..."

"Alright," Eleanor said.

**

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