CHAPTER 88: CH 88: BLAME - PART 7

The night before the trial came far too quickly.

Kana sat on the cold stone bench of her new cell, her hands curled loosely in her lap.

Unlike the private, room-like cell she had been held in before, this one was bare and unforgiving —iron bars to the front, damp stone to the sides, and nothing to hide her from the watchful eyes of whoever passed through the prison corridor.

The guards had said it was for her own protection, that keeping her in a "normal" cell would avoid revealing her as someone of importance.

She supposed they were right.

But sitting here, under the dim flicker of a single lantern, with the distant echo of boots and the faint stench of damp air, it was hard to feel protected.

At least her cell door was locked. At least no one could just walk in.

She hugged her knees closer, trying to convince herself of that.

Then the system stirred.

[New skill acquired: Corruption Value Detection.]

[Displays the level of wrongdoing accumulated by nearby individuals.]

Her vision filled with faint, glowing numbers—hovering over the heads of people she could barely see.

[112]

[348]

[297]

They were everywhere.

Kana blinked, heart skipping.

She had no idea what a "normal" value was supposed to look like, but she was certain triple digits couldn’t be good.

The numbers were oppressive, a constant reminder that she was surrounded by people who had done terrible things.

The guards pacing the corridor. The prisoners muttering in the shadows. Even the man sleeping three cells down.

All of them marked.

She tried to close her eyes, to shut it out—but the numbers stayed, glowing faintly even through her lashes. Her stomach twisted.

When she shifted to press her back against the wall, she realized she wasn’t alone in her immediate space after all.

Across from her, in the cell directly opposite, someone was watching her quietly.

"You look terrified," the stranger said, voice smooth and unhurried.

"Do you want me to help you break out of here?"

Kana froze. The first thing she noticed—before the face, before the tone—was that there was no number above their head. Zero.

Not low. Not barely anything. Just 0.

Her brows drew together. How could someone with no corruption at all end up here?

"I... appreciate the offer, but I think I’ll pass."

Kana said cautiously.

The stranger tilted their head, unfazed.

"Suit yourself. Most people would at least pretend to think about it."

She hesitated, curiosity outweighing caution.

"What are you here for, then?"

The person’s eyes didn’t waver.

"They say I killed someone."

The words landed heavily, but Kana couldn’t reconcile them with what she saw—or rather, what she didn’t see. Zero corruption value meant no wrongdoing at all. Even if the skill was new to her, it didn’t feel wrong.

"That... doesn’t make sense. Are you sure? Maybe you should look into your case again. Maybe it’s not true."

Kana said after a moment.

For the first time, the stranger paused. A flicker of something—sharp, calculating—passed through their eyes before it smoothed away into a relaxed smile.

"You’re too kind to think that way."

It didn’t sound like a compliment.

Kana didn’t press further. The conversation drifted into silence, the steady rhythm of the guards’ boots filling the void between them.

She shifted, curling back into her corner, wishing she could block out the lingering gaze from across the corridor. The system chimed again.

[Would you like to disable Corruption Value notifications for 24 hours?]

She didn’t even think before answering.

"Yes."

The glowing numbers winked out instantly, leaving her staring at the plain shadows of the cell. Relief washed over her in a strange, almost dizzying way.

Maybe she was losing her mind. Maybe that had already happened hours ago.

Sleep came in restless patches.

The cold floor, the constant trickle of water somewhere in the distance, the occasional sharp bark of orders from guards—it all kept her suspended between waking and dreaming until the faint light of dawn finally broke through the barred window high above.

The sound of a key turning jolted her upright.

Sergeant Delran stepped into view, his face as impassive as ever.

"Time to go. The trial starts soon."

Her heart hammered, but she didn’t let it show.

As the door swung open, Kana stepped out quickly—almost too quickly, her legs carrying her forward before her thoughts caught up.

She glanced to the cell opposite hers, searching for the stranger, but the space was empty.

The iron door hung ajar.

Whoever they were, they were gone.

The heavy wooden doors of the courtroom swung open, and Kana was ushered inside by Sergeant Delran.

The air was thick with tension, the kind that made her pulse quicken despite her best efforts to remain calm.

The room was vast, its walls lined with intricate carvings of saints and battles long past, all meant to remind those present of the weight of justice.

A raised platform at the far end bore the high seat where High Priest Rudy sat, his ceremonial robes draping like flowing rivers of gold and white.

His eyes found hers almost immediately, and he offered a reassuring smile—a subtle, calculated gesture that only deepened the unease curling in her chest.

Kana’s gaze flicked across the crowd. On one side sat Evaya, posture straight, eyes sharp as if ready to intercept any trouble.

Beside her, High Priestess Jenna sat with her hands folded, her face carefully schooled into composure, though the faint crease in her brow betrayed her concern.

Kana’s attention swept the benches further back until she spotted Lysera, watching intently, arms crossed.

But no matter how she searched, she couldn’t find Irielle.

The absence sent a brief pang of worry through her, but the thought was quickly stolen away as Sergeant Delran nudged her forward.

The witness stand rose in the center of the room, an isolated space surrounded by an ornate wooden railing.

The moment she stepped into it, she could feel dozens of eyes on her—measuring, judging, waiting.

She tried to steady her breathing, though the sound of the courtroom’s silence pressed in from all sides.

"State your name."

A voice commanded from somewhere near the front.

Kana lifted her chin slightly. Whatever happened next, she would face it head-on.

"My name is Kana."