Betrayal III

The Empire of Zagon and its capital, Maxim.

In the whole part of the Empire, aside from some territories inside the Empire, its capital is the most prosperous and flourishing one, so it is the best choice when finding a job.

The houses of the Nobles in the Noble District were all made of stone bricks, and roof tiles with a mix of a bit of timber, making them strong and stable even if there was a strong wind and heavy rains.

But when we talk about the Merchant District, there are two kinds of shops. The one was made from bricks, while the other was made of pure woods and straw roofs.

The Ordinary District does not have a big difference from the Merchant District. The only thing they differ from each other is how huge and larger they build. Because the houses and taverns built in the Ordinary District were much larger than the shops in the Merchant District. It is made that way to accommodate a large number of people, especially Adventurers who are based on the Maxim or visiting Maxim. huge

All the roads that connected each District were polished and made of asphalt so traveling on foot or in carriages was not difficult.

While at the center of those District is the grand castle of Maxim. The castle was made of pure stones, had a Gothic design, and the spires pierced through the skies. Symbolizing the power and wealth of the capital of Zagon.

While the church was relocated rebuilt to the outmost part of Maxim. Unlike before that, it was standing next to the castle, and it was much grander and had a high spire. The cathedral is like any other cathedral one would see in European churches.

But all that things were only on the upper side. Things are much more different if one would take a look below.

Below the Maxim is a gigantic, heavily guarded underground prison called Insane Prison. In human history books, it is hailed as an inescapable prison.

Insane prison is a type of prison where no sunlight penetrates inside. A pure dark world. And the only time the prisoners get a glimpse of light is when the Imperial Knights go through the prison with the torch on hand.

All you could only hear inside were the cry of agony and screams of other prisoners. At the same time, the squeaking sounds of rats and other insects.

Drip Drip

Reh woke up in the feels the drop of water on his face. He tries to open up his eyes, but only the darkness is the only thing he can see. He tried to move his body, but there was a tingling pain on his entire body, especially on his face.

When he finally succeeds in sitting up, only then does he realize that there's something attached to both of his hands and foot.

"What the hell is this?"

Having no means to see because of the darkness, Reh uses his sense of touch to feel the thing that was placed on him.

"W-wait... Chains?? Handcuff? W-why did these things was on me?!" Reh blurted out when he finally realized that he was handcuffed.

And it was the time when Reh remembers all the things that transpired when they were inside the Dungeon.

From the moment Harvey becomes some kind of monster to the moment when Serth pinned him down, and Dion struck him in the face making him lose consciousness.

"Why... Why did this happen to me?? What I did is to defend and protect myself from someone that has an intention to kill me!"

Reh gritted his teeth as he said those words.

It was at this moment when he heard the creaking sound of the door and saw a light.

"L-light!!!"

"Pleasee!! Let me out!! I cannot take this anymore!!"

"F-food... W-water..."

"G-give me that light!!!"

"Shut up, you vile criminals!"

"Stay where you are and don't stick your arms, you stinking animal!!"

"ARGH!!"

There's the voice of the other prisoners and the voice of the Imperial Knights.

Reh's cell was located further inside the prison. When he saw the light that was coming where he was seated, he immediately stood up and moved near the cell.

"HEYYY!! I'M HERE!! HELP ME OUT!!" Reh shouted.

After a minute of waiting, the light finally stops at Reh's cell. Reh covered his eyes because of the sudden illumination.

"How's your prison? Murderer?"

When Reh heard this, he briefly stopped before talking while his hands were still on his eyes.

"D-Dion!! Help me out! I-I was only defending myself because Harvey was trying to kill me!"

Bam!

Dion struck the metal with his palm. "Trying to defend you say?? We saw how you cut the neck of Harvey, our classmate!! Even if they were bullying you or hurting you, killing him was not an option just to get your revenge!!"

"W-what are talking about?! I'm not taking revenge--."

"SHUT UP!! When Alex and others woke up, they said you put something on their food to make them fall asleep! Then when they fall asleep, you will exact your revenge and fabricate the scene to show that the perpetrator of the murder is the monsters while they were hunting to level up!"

"Eh?? Put something? Wha--."

"You have no conscience... While we, trying hard to level up faster to prepare ourselves for the fight against the Demons so that we could go back home, you, on the other hand, were preparing something hideous!"

"I-I..."

"Shut up, will 'ya? I don't want to hear your voice. I'm getting nauseous whenever I hear your disgusting voice!

I just show up here to let you know that tomorrow, you will face the Emperor's verdict!"

Dion lastly said before he turned around and walked away.

"W-waitt!!!! Dionn!!!"

Reh was once again left alone in the darkness.

***

Clang Clang

The sound of metal chains resounded throughout the corridor.

It was approximately nine in the morning when the Imperial Knights took Reh from his cell. They are now on their way to the throne hall, wherein the Emperor is waiting.

"Walk faster, you damn murderer!!!"

Bogsh

Then a hard kick from the back follows that up.

"HAHAHAAHHA"

The two Imperial Knights laughed while Reh slowly got up. When he was already standing, he received a hard kick again. This happened over and over until they reached the throne hall.

Creak Creak

The large double doors of the throne hall slowly open when. There are a lot of people inside. Reh doesn't know the other people. He guessed that they were Nobles here in the Empire. All of his classmates were now present, including Plume, who right now had a complicated expression on her face. They are all located on the right-front side of the hall.

Five stairs below the throne where Nepotia was standing, and lastly, the Emperor of Zagon, Venantius, was seated on his throne with a grim expression.

"Walked!" The Imperial Knight on Reh's back strongly said in a low tone. Reh walked slowly on the red carpet.

"What a disgusting creature..."

"Ewwwww..."

"A personification of an ugly individual."

"He's not a true companion of the Hero."

"Maybe he's working with the Demons? That's why he killed one of the Heroes?"

"That's... It's good that he got apprehended immediately. I'm scared of what he's going to do next.

There are a lot of whispers from the Nobles, but Reh heard what they were all saying.

At this moment, his white uniform was now red because of the blood, tattered and full of dirt. His pants were also in the same situation. His face was haggard, and it had some kind of grease. Reh shows that he had not slept well.

"Everyone... Keep it down as you are in the presence of His Imperial Majesty." Nepotia said, then the crowd quieted down after that.

Clank

Finally, the sound of clanking metals stops when Reh reaches the front.

"You bastard!! You are in the presence of the Great Emperor of Zagon, so kneeled!!"

Birger hits Reh on the back of his leg, which causes him to get kneel.

"Argh!!"

"Reh Levi, from the other world, a companion of the Heroes who would help us save our world from the Demons, committed a grave sin.

He murders Harvey Hamilton to get his revenge--." Nepotia.

"I didn't murder him... I--argh!!"

Bogsh

"Shut up! Don't interrupt the Imperial Advisor!" Once again, Birger hit Reh in the face.

Cough Cough

"I repeat, this man murdered one of the summoned Heroes, who was supposed to contribute and help Dion, the Hero to defeat our enemy, the Demonic Army of the Demon Emperor.

But sad to say, due to the inner desire of this man to take revenge, he takes the life of one of our saviors.

Then why would he take revenge? To enlighten us, I call to step forward the Legendary Class holder, Alex Clark, to tell us the origin of this.

Alex, with two of his companions and the two Imperial Knights, were also at the scene when the murder happened.

You could start now, Alex." Nepotia.

Then Alex steps forward and turns back to look at everyone present in the hall.

"It dated back when we were still in our world. When we were in 1st-year high school, my group saw Reh getting beaten by some students, so we decided to help him, but after we helped him, we were the ones he blamed and pointed out who hurt him." Alex.

"W-wha--that's nonsense he's lying!! They were the ones who--."

"I said, shut up!" Reh receives another blow from Birger.

"Argh!"

"Then after that, every time he was getting beaten by someone else, we were the ones he always blamed. Until the time when my group and I had enough. We decided that we would be going to train him so that he could defend himself, and by doing so, he would not going to blame us.

But I didn't know that despite all the training he received from us, he was taking it seriously and thought that we were bullying him for years.

Until we were summoned here. He was too upset because he received a slave Class. A Commoner Class.

And the first time we went to the Dungeon, he tries to kill and steal the monster, we risked our lives just to weaken it, and by doing so, he activated the Berserk Mode of the monster risking our lives.

He was also the one who caused why Plume, the Priestess of the Light become unconscious because she tried to save him from a mortal wound.

But the Hero, Dion, as well as His Imperial Majesty, forgave him for his wrongdoing.

And I think, it's gotten inside his head that the two of them got his back, so whatever crime he could commit, he would still be forgiven.

Until yesterday, I think he was too angry because I interfered with the kill steal he was about to make and put something on our food to make us fall asleep and do his hideous crime. Lucky, Harvey didn't take any food and found out what he was going to do.

Harvey tried to save and defend us. He succeeds in doing it, but he paid a hefty price, his life." Alex said with a sad expression and tone.

Reh becomes speechless at Alex's blatant lying. He was hoping that nobody would believe him, but he was wrong...

"What an evil man!!"

"He must be a Demon!!

"Yes!! That's he's a Demon that takes a human form!!"

"Execute him! Put his head on the stake and display it outside the gate of Maxim, then burn his body!"

These are different expressions and words that are being thrown at Reh.

Then Venantius raises his hands to calm the crowd down.

"Do you have something to say, criminal?" Venantius asked Reh.

Reh bites his lips before answering, "I...I...I didn't do it..." Reh said, fighting for his innocence.