THIS IS WHAT BETRAYAL FEELS LIKE [1]

Judge Thorne's voice echoed in the grand hall as she delivered the final verdict.

"Ravan Zenith, you are found guilty of illegal possession and use of human mana cores, and accessory to the murder of tower workers. You are sentenced to dungeon row.

Laila Frost and Rina Hawke, although your involvement was less severe, you will not be facing the same punishment. You will be subject to disciplinary actions as deemed appropriate by the blacksmith department."

A murmur rippled through the courtroom as the verdict sank in.

The expressions on the faces of the prestigious family members ranged from satisfaction to barely concealed disdain.

Ravan's father, Lord Zenith, stood stoic, his disappointment palpable, while Rhett and Riker smirked in the background.

Ravan was led forward to be cuffed again, the mana-sealing restraints clamping around his wrists.

The weight of the cuffs felt like the final nail in the coffin of his freedom.

Suddenly, Rina's voice broke through the tension.

"Ravan, I'm so sorry!" she cried out, tears streaming down her face.

"I never meant for this to happen. I... I didn't know it would end like this."

Ravan looked at her, a mixture of confusion and pain in his eyes. As he was being taken into custody, he couldn't help but ponder Rina's words.

What was she sorry for?

What had she done?

His mind raced back to the blacksmith department, just before they had departed.

He remembered seeing Rina talking to Rhett and Riker. She had looked nervous, on the verge of tears, fidgeting uncontrollably.

At the time, he hadn't thought much of it, but now, the pieces began to fit together.

That's when it clicked.Rina was the one who had led Rhett and Riker to find the beast mana cores in his bag.

She had betrayed him.The realization hit Ravan like a punch to the gut.

'So this is what betrayal feels like,'the thought echoed in his mind, a bitter, harsh truth.

He felt a surge of anger and despair.He thought of the lessons his mother had taught him, about trusting people in this world.

"People aren't always what they seem, Ravan," she had warned him.

"Be careful who you place your trust in."

And now, he understood.Inwardly, he seethed.So this is what it feels like to be weak and betrayed.His first betrayal.

Ravan cursed silently, his mind filled with dark thoughts.He felt a deep, gnawing rage.

This world was harsh, and he had been naive.He vowed never to let himself be so vulnerable again.

As the officers led him out, he cast one last look back at the courtroom.

The faces of the prestigious family members, the disapproval of his father, the smirks of Rhett and Riker, and the tear-streaked face of Rina—all of it burned into his memory.

This was his reality now.

Dungeon row awaited, and he would face it alone.

But one thing was certain.

He would never forget the lesson learned here today.

As he was escorted away, Ravan's heart hardened.

His trust shattered, and his spirit bruised, but somewhere deep within, a resolve began to form.

He would survive, and he would never be so easily broken again.