2.4

The crowd broke into incoherent mutters, the air around the throne room became thin, it was getting harder and harder for John to keep his breathing calm, he could feel himself tearing off the helmet off the elf that make the announcement.

Once the word demon came from the elf’s mouth, unease began to spread among the crowd. Even the bystanders who was glaring at John earlier now took a few steps back from him.

John Sarvod was a pure bred human, that was the end of it, if his inability of using other magic other than [Heal] was not proof the numerous appraisal tests that he did to check whether it was possible that he could use magic other than [Heal] had clearly marked him as a human.

The queen herself had verified those results herself when the court mages ran their tests on him. If he was a demon, then Queen Veissa had been lying to him all this time.

How could this be...

“Keep your accusations to yourself, soldier,” an ice-cold stare from Queen Veissa found its way to the elf that made the baseless comment. “I, the queen will decide on what crimes the had committed.”

Even the crowd that was stirred by his words no longer made a noise when the Elven Queen spoke with such authority.

“Forgive me my Queen,” the elf lowered his head.

“If you are, you two would have let go of him by now. Do you perhaps belittle the court mages that I have by my side?”

“…”

“Stand down, soldier.”

The two elves reluctantly removed their hands and backed away from John. No longer restrained, John stood up slowly, casted [Heal] under his breath, allowing his injured knees to recover before he stood with a straight back in front of all of A’vetheas.

“Very well, the trial for John Sarvod shall now take place,” Queen Veissa announced when the knot of pain on his face untied. “A few hours prior, an earthquake visited the grounds of A’vetheas. Though it had not cause direct harm to anyone, it proved to stem from a crime that John Sarvod has committed. That is, dabbling in demon magic.”

John unwilling swallowed the spit that accumulated in his cheeks.

“It is my understanding that John Sarvod dirtied his own hands in order to save a royal elf. Hence, my daughter, Princess Raina Valindra Eridi shall bring forth her testament regarding the incident that led to his supposed corruption.”

She raised a hand and Raina appeared from the velvet curtains from behind.

John’s heart jumped at the timely arrival of the girl, his savior who would clear this misuderstanding had arrived.

“Raina, it was my understanding that the both of you had teleported to a human settlement the night before this, correct?” the queen asked, eyes gentle towards her daughter who stood by the throne.

“Y-yes…” Raina’s reply was soft

“What were your activities before the boy was corrupted by such power?”

“W-we explored around the town a-anonymously… No one had noticed us until… W-we encountered three thugs, and we tried to escape before anything had happened…

“But I was caught, I-I couldn’t use my magic… A-and then John tried to save me by charging at them with a knife… Just when we he saved me from them, he got injured,” Raina, who appeared to be traumatized, stuttered as she spoke of the incident with distant eyes. “O-one of the man got furious at him a-and…tried to r-rape me… He stabbed J-John at his neck, and...I saw him dying.”

Though her voice was struggling, Raina’s face was one that lacked fear nor on the verge of breaking to tears. It was one of the calmest expression that she could have ever put up, even her usual emotive eyes remained still as she spoke.

“T-the next thing I saw… He came back. He came back to me…from death. T-the thugs were defeated by him using that dark energy coming from him… A-and then we returned to A’vetheas…a-and….he….caused...the...e-earth….quake…”

The room became unusually quiet. The sounds of heavy breathing became more and more obvious to anyone who was present. All the elves had the same doubts running through their mind.

Even with the Elven Princess’ statement on the matter, even if they considered that John who accidentally stumbled upon demon magic. It was impossible for any human to defy the rules of death, it was the natural rule of all living beings. Even the gods of old were no exception to such a natural law, let alone demons.

To dispel the unease that was building up among her subjects, the queen waved her hand and the throne room dimme.

At the very middle forefront of the throne room was a screen projected by a crystal device, it started to play a recording that took place in the teleportation grounds.

“The rest was as what was shown to all elves earlier this morning through an unexpected broadcast from one of the Elven Elite Squad. I believe this very scene was viewed by all of you through the household projection crystals.”

“No…this…” John uttered dejectedly as he watched the scene played before him. Recounting the events that had him screaming in pain before passing out cold.

What made it worse was that this recording was known to all of A’vetheas before he knew of its existence.

Even if he tried to excuse himself, or even claim that he had been avoiding all knowledge regarding the existence of demons like the plague, none of that would help to serve his case.

The elves already made up their mind about him.

It did not matter that throughout his years of upbringing in A’vetheas not once John had touched any texts that spoke of the nature and evil deeds done by demons. All that matters now was that he is already one in their minds.

He hopelessly watched the full recording until the clip had ended.

I did that? I lost control?

“It can’t be… I...I saved her b-because…” words choked John.

All he understood before passing out was to ensure that Raina would be safe, that she was her priority.

He wanted power, he wanted power to protect the one he loved.

If it meant that his mind was destroyed from using that dark energy, it was a price that he was willing to pay.

As long she is safe.

To John, that pain that he experienced thereafter using the immense was a fair exchange. In fact, he if he died as the result of it, he was sure that his soul would return to the Elven Princess with that Soul Oath that they made.

But never in his life he’d imagine that by doing so it would...

“Punishment by death.”

“This is unforgivable, his healing abilities aren’t enough for him so he contracted a demon on his own?”

“There’s no need for traitors in A’vetheas! Off with his head!”

“And to think the Princess and the queen held him in high regard, Lower Races will always remain as such because they lack gratitude.”

“Silence!”

Queen Veissa’s voice boomed, the chatter between the elves immediately fell into nothingness. “For John Savod’s crime of inviting demonic magic into the Elven Tribe and exposing the Princess to such corruption during the process, the punishment for will be none other than banishment. From this day onwards, John Sarvod will be exiled from A’vetheas and to never return.”

…cause him to be ostracized by the very people that he gave his all to.

“What!? What do you mean by exile?” John shouted in reflex, he could not believe that his punishment was decided so quickly.

The Elven Queen who gave him many opportunities to better himself in the elves’ eyes, someone who he obediently followed and respected have decided to cut him off from everything he knew. His home.

“I saved Raina, I did nothing wrong. What part of a fair trial is this, my Queen!?” his breath seeped with cold contained rage.

“Do you deny that the person shown in the recording having a dark aura connecting straight to his forehead was not you? The voice, the face and body structure, are you willing to deny that knowing that you are the only human living in A’vetheas?” Queen Veissa probed.

I don’t even know what demons are to begin with, I spent everyday of my life here avoiding even the word ‘demon’. I have dedicated my entire life to serving A’vetheas, the queen knows this, everyone know this… Yet...

“How is this even fair?” his voice became small, the ray of hope that he was clinging onto slowly slipped from his heart.

“It is a fair trial where one who invited demonic magic into A’vetheas receives the mercy of being exiled instead of being executed,” the sharp words from the queen flew straight at John.

“But I placed my life on the line… I did the right thing...”

John shifted his eyes around, the elves that he had spent all his time and effort assimilating into, all had their faces away from him. Whenever he find himself looking at a familiar acquaintance to believe his words, the individual looked away or had their head downcast.

No one believed a single word from his mouth.

“Ever since I was here, I have avoided entertaining the word ‘demon’ in my head. I would beat myself up whenever my curiosity became fierce. I made extra sure that I will never learn even about their origins or how they came to be. All because I wanted nothing more but to be a part of this tribe...”

Regardless of how good a reason that he had kept himself ignorant of all things demon related, in the eyes of the elves, John Sarvod was a user of demon magic.

“But all of that means nothing to any of you here, doesn’t it?”

“…”

In their eyes, he was a traitor.

John’s trembling eyes looked at Raina, the Princess had been exceedingly calm throughout his whole trial.

According to elven laws, if Raina would give him her pardon this moment, John would still have a chance of redeeming himself. He would work harder, he would do everything he can to restore the trust between him and the elves.

He was sure that she would support him, this was all just a minor setback. Yes, only a minor setback where a series of unfortunate events had happened to him.

“Raina, you know me ever since I got to A’vetheas. Even when you told me that it was okay to learn about what demons are, I held my convictions true and remained my distance towards those subjects.

“…”

“And I protected you didn’t I? I did it all to save you, all because I care. That’s why please…tell them...tell them I am innocent...”

The princess was silent. Tears shed across her face as she struggled to pressed her lips together, the unnaturally calm expression that she wore earlier was now slightly scrunched and wrinkled.

As subtle as it was, John picked up on the pained expression in her as she wept, not speaking another word to him.

“Raina, why are you crying? You believe that I am innocent, don’t you? T-that power, it was…it was all because...”

Even Raina who was his beacon of hope, the only person would plead for him to stay, had agreed that his actions could only be repented by eternal exile.

It was all over.

In the eyes of the elves, he was a demon.

John fell to his knees, his voice no longer had the strength to speak of his innocence.

“The Princess does not view you innocent as you have boldly claimed before all of A’vetheas. And as such, your banishment remains unchanged and is final,” the queen interrupted at John’s devastation.

“...It’s not my fault… I don’t even know what is going on…” his pathetic voice echoed throughout the still room.

For patiently allow the merciful Queen Veissa to reach to a just conclusion that befits his innocence, this was the reward John will receive.

Exile...

He would be sent far away from A’vetheas, to never set foot to here again. Everything that he knew and lived for would be stripped away from him, leaving him bare and alone.

This was his price to pay for his valor.

After all this time of him building up his relations with the elves, the fickle trust that John had established from ground zero, the efforts he had cultivated into being a part of a good citizen of A’vetheas, at the very least his innocence should be made clear.

It was illogical for him to even consider doing something as rash as learning demonic magic.

“Why don’t you believe me...”

This was reward that he was bestowed for enduring everything all this time, for playing the ever tolerant fool, for having faith in the elves to believe that he was merely trying to protect their future Queen…

He was ostracized in less than a fraction of a second the moment he was suspected of being a demon.

Queen Veissa stood from her throne, the trial had come to an end, every retaliation from John did nothing but further propel the other elves into believing that he was more guilty than he had proclaimed.

In the very end, none of them would bother to believe a story as his.

Forgive me...

Pausing a moment before she ordered for the boy’s presence to be removed, the Elven Queen gestured at the soldier that accused John and relived him from his statue-like stance.

This is the least I can do. Stay strong, if not for the untimely arrival… Veissa cut her thoughts short and gave the soldier an order.

“You shall be escorting John until he has reached a human settlement. Do everything you can to ensure that he exits Reperane Woods safely. In fact, lead him to the nearest human settlement.”

“But my Queen, being exile from A’vetheas means—”

“When you have returned, make sure you come up with a proper excuse for the incident earlier,” the queen cut off the armored elf, her eyes narrowed.

“My queen… You must be—”

“Is that understood, Alwin Zinrelle?”

“Yes.”

The name brought John’s lifeless eyes wide open. His friend, the only other elf that John would consider someone who was close to him.

When he had turned to look up at his escort, the elf removed his helmet and stared down at him with rancorous spite.

“Alwin?”

A shrewd smile cracked on Alwin’s handsome face as he spoke with his chin up high.

“Surprised? My dear Johnny— Or should I say, demon spawn?”