Chapter 415 - 410 — Accusation

Chapter 415: Chapter 410 — Accusation

’Get back inside, you old pervert.’

Zephyrion promptly forced the ancestor back into the rod.

Kons nodded approvingly once everyone had stripped.

"Take a good look at the clothes you’ve discarded. Those worn and tattered garments accompanied you throughout your journeys, bearing witness to your freedom. Now, you have shed them, and with them, the lives you once knew."

He snapped his fingers. Immediately, a neatly folded, pure white uniform appeared before each of them.

"From this day forward, you will be reforged into weapons of the Empire. These are your new uniforms, and from this moment onward, you shall no longer be known as strays. You are Wings of Vaelcrest Bastion. Wear that title with pride. Now, get dressed."

The fabric was much thicker than their earlier robes, but still incredibly light. Once everyone had finished dressing, Kons nodded approvingly.

"Once again, welcome to Vaelcrest Bastion. May the Endless Breath grant all breaths."

Every stray immediately pressed a fist against their chest.

"May the Endless breath grant all breaths!"

"Good." Kons nodded, turning to leave. "The overseer will show you around the bastion and escort you to your quarters. After that—"

"Commander."

Kons frowned, slowly turning towards the voice. Zephyrion followed his gaze and found Lariat standing with one hand raised, her cold eyes fixed directly on him.

Zephyrion felt his stomach tighten.

’So she’s finally making her move...’

"Yes?" Kons asked impatiently.

"Forgive the interruption, Commander, but there’s something rather important I believe you should know."

"And what might that be?"

Lariat suddenly pointed at him through the crowd. Zephyrion did his best to maintain his composure as every eye turned towards him, including the Chief’s imposing gaze.

"That man is not who he claims to be, Commander," she declared coldly. "I have reason to believe he’s a Ferran."

"What?"

"A Ferran? Here? How’s that possible?"

"But Ferrans have black hair. She must be mistaken."

"You do realize hair can be dyed, right?"

"Ah... good point."

The commotion was immediate, and now everyone was staring at him with deep frowns and narrowed eyes. Some even looked at Lariat as though she’d lost her mind.

"Lariat... what in the Breath do you think you’re doing?" Nourald had snapped out of his earlier anger and was now staring at her with a deep frown.

But Lariat ignored him, keeping her head respectfully bowed towards Kons.

Zephyrion felt Kons’s probing gaze settle on him and went completely still, not making a sound. A moment later, Kons turned back to Lariat.

"I trust you have evidence to support such a serious accusation?"

"Of course, Commander." Lariat smiled as she turned to address the other Aerelith. "When he first arrived at our camp, we all assumed he was a Gular because of his muscular build, so naturally, no one thought to question him. But last night, I personally witnessed him beat Lasner and his entire crew without using so much as a gust of air. He even punched straight through Lasner’s air aura."

"What? He punched through it?"

"Wait, is that even possible?"

Several eyes widened in disbelief.

"And that’s not all. Ever since I met him, I haven’t seen him generate so much as a wisp of air. Not once. Even on our journey here, while the rest of us flew, he chose to run the entire way. So tell me, my brothers and sisters," Lariat continued, sweeping her gaze across the crowd. "Since when did an Aerelith possess such monstrous physical strength, yet never bother to use air?"

Nourald suddenly stepped forward with a sneer.

"Oh, really? Then explain the crest on his chest, hm? Or the mark of air? Last I checked, neither of those works for someone who can’t wield air."

"Forged, obviously. Just like that conveniently white hair of his," Lariat replied dismissively. "But I understand your doubts. So why don’t we settle this with a simple little test? One that will put the entire matter to rest."

"Yeah? And what brilliant test would that be?" Nourald narrowed his eyes.

"Have him use air."

"What?"

Lariat walked up to Zephyrion and folded her arms across her chest, regarding him with a smug smile.

"Right here, right now. Just generate a little air, and we can put this entire misunderstanding behind us. Surely that’s not too much to ask? I mean, every single person here could generate air in their sleep. So if you’re truly an Aerelith, this should be child’s play, shouldn’t it? Unless, of course..."

Her smile widened slightly.

"There’s a very good reason you can’t."

So this had been her plan all along. Judging by her confident tone, it was clear she’d reached this conclusion last night.

However, she’d deliberately waited until they reached the bastion, where powerful Aerelith masters were present, to ensure he couldn’t escape no matter what he did. It was one thing to enter the Aerelith Empire as a Ferran. It was another to infiltrate it while pretending to be one of them. The latter meant a swift death, if one was lucky.

Chief Kons wore a deep frown but made no attempt to intervene. Even Nourald had fallen silent and, like everyone else, was staring at him expectantly.

However, Zephyrion’s response was something that caught everyone off guard.

"No."

"What?" Lariat tilted her head. "Oh? So you’re admitting that my suspicions were correct?"

"No. I am an Aerelith."

Lariat sneered. "Then why refuse the one thing that would prove your innocence? Do you think we’re all idiots?"

"Where I come from, we’re taught to treat our brothers and sisters with dignity, respect, and honor," Zephyrion began solemnly, raising his voice so everyone could hear.

"I understand that I’m in a different colony now, but I had always believed those were values shared by everyone blessed by the Endless Breath. Was I wrong? Is this how we treat our own simply because they’re different? Because I’m more muscular than the rest of you, I must be from an enemy empire? Because I fight differently, look differently, speak differently, I can’t possibly be one of you? Since the moment I joined your camp, I’ve treated everyone with nothing but respect, and this is what I receive in return? All because I happen to be a Gular?"