CHAPTER 65: THE TRIAL...

The weight of it startled her — a resonance so pure, so overwhelming it rivaled the blessings given only to the chosen priestesses of the Moon Goddess herself. She quickly looked away, smoothing her expression to maintain her dignity. Yet as she continued forward, she could not stop her eyes from stealing glances at him — subtle, fleeting, but more frequent than she intended.

Xavier noticed.

His head tilted ever so slightly, curiosity rising as he caught her gaze flickering his way again and again. His lips tugged into the faintest smirk, though confusion lingered in his mind.

Why me?

He had always known his Celestial Patriarch class radiated charisma and subtle dominance, but it wasn’t to the point where a high-ranking nun — one who should have been above worldly distraction — would single him out the very moment she entered.

Strange... he mused, though the thought amused him rather than troubled him. Whatever the reason, her attention isn’t unwelcome. If anything, it shows she’s interested.

At last, the head nun reached the altar. She turned gracefully, raising her arms as the faint silver glow of the moon’s blessing cascaded down through the great stained-glass dome above.

Her voice, soft yet commanding, rang through the hall with divine clarity.

"In the name of the Goddess of the Moon, guardian of truth, nurturer of life, and keeper of divine balance... this trial begins."

Her eyes swept over the bowed farmers, then to Seraphina, and finally to the congregation gathered.

"Those accused of corruption stand before us, their deceit carried into this sacred place. By decree of the Emperor and Empress, and under the watchful gaze of the Moon, we shall weigh their sins and pronounce judgment. Let no tongue lie, let no hand conceal, for the light of the Goddess sees all."

The nuns resumed their chanting, their voices rising in harmony, filling the hall with a holy rhythm. The air itself seemed heavier, charged with the expectation of divine justice.

The trial had begun.

The moonlit chamber was silent, save for the low chanting of the nuns. Their voices rose and fell like waves, echoing through the vaulted hall as the silver runes along the marble floor glowed faintly.

The accused — five farmers bound at the wrists — knelt within the great silver circle carved into the stone. Their heads were bowed low, trembling under the oppressive aura of the Goddess’s presence.

The head nun raised her hand, her white robes glowing faintly beneath the light filtering through the stained-glass dome above.

"Bring forth the first."

The guards stepped forward, hauling a broad-shouldered man closer to the altar. His hair was peppered gray, his skin sun-darkened, but his eyes betrayed his fear.

Name: Garron Dault.

The head nun’s voice cut through the silence. "Garron Dault. You stand accused of underreporting your harvest to avoid your tax. Do you deny it?"

Garron swallowed hard, his voice breaking. "I... I confess, Milady. I feared my family would starve, so I kept back more than my rightful portion. It was greed... I admit it."

The nun’s eyes softened slightly. "The Goddess despises deceit, yet she favors honesty. For confessing, you shall be spared harsher punishment."

She raised her hand, and the runes beneath Garron pulsed faintly. "Your land will remain yours, but a tithe of your harvest for the next three years will be doubled and sent directly to the temple. You will work harder, and prove your loyalty with action."

"Yes... Yes, Milady. I will!" Garron sobbed, bowing low until his forehead touched the floor.

"Bring forth the next."

A younger man was pushed forward, thinner than Garron, his face pale.

Name: Harel Vynn.

"You stand accused of selling grain meant for tax to merchants across the border," the nun intoned. "What say you?"

Harel trembled, his lips quivering. "I... I thought it harmless, Milady. The merchants paid double... and I—I thought to return it next season."

The head nun frowned. "Theft wrapped in excuses is still theft. Yet you are young, and your household is poor."

She paused, then declared, "For two seasons, you will work directly under the oversight of House Valemont’s appointed stewards. Your fields will not be yours alone to manage. Prove yourself honest, and your freedom to govern your land will be restored."

Harel collapsed to his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks. "I understand... I understand, Milady. I will not fail."

"Next."

The third was a stout woman, her frame solid but her face lined with worry.

Name: Elra Marn.

"Elra Marn. You are accused of tampering with the weights at your local granary to lessen your dues."

Elra pressed her forehead to the ground immediately. "I am guilty, Milady. I only wished to shield my sons from hunger. But I know my sin. I beg mercy."

The nun looked at her quietly, then spoke. "Your punishment is this: for the next year, you and your family will work in the Church’s storerooms, maintaining the granaries. You will learn that balance and honesty in weights is sacred. Fail, and you shall lose your claim to land."

Elra’s sobs echoed through the chamber, but she nodded furiously. "I accept, I accept!"

The guards pulled her back, and the fourth farmer was brought forward — a lean, sharp-eyed man who refused to look up.

Name: Derren Kale.

"Derren Kale. You are accused of hiding three full wagons of grain in a neighboring village barn."

The man clenched his jaw, silent for a long moment. Finally, he muttered, "Yes. It is true."

The head nun’s voice rang cold. "The Goddess sees prideful silence as rebellion. You shall be fined — all hidden grain is to be seized and given as offering. You will remain under watch, your lands restricted until trust is rebuilt."

Derren gritted his teeth, but bowed his head. "Yes... Milady."

At last, the guards dragged forward the final man. His face was pale, sweat glistening on his brow. His eyes darted nervously, refusing to meet Seraphina’s gaze.

Name: Albert Bate.

The nun’s tone sharpened. "Albert Bate. You not only lied after being caught, you swore false oaths, spat upon the name of the Moon Goddess, and even attempted to bribe Lady Seraphina of House Valemont. Do you deny it?"

The hall went deathly silent. Even the chanting ceased.

Albert’s lips quivered. "I... I—" He faltered under the combined weight of the Goddess’s statue, the glowing runes, and Seraphina’s cold eyes upon him.

He fell forward, his forehead striking the floor. "Please, mercy! I was desperate! I—I didn’t mean—"

The head nun’s eyes narrowed. "Your tongue drips with falsehood even now. But the Goddess is not without mercy, and Lady Seraphina has already shown leniency by sparing your family."

Her hand rose, the silver glow intensifying. "Your punishment is this: your lands are stripped, your authority revoked. For three years, you will labor directly under the Church of the Moon, your work tied to the temple’s granaries and fields. Your wealth will feed the hungry, not your greed. Should you falter again, your life will be forfeit."

Albert’s body trembled, his tears falling freely. "Yes... I... I submit..."

The nun’s voice grew solemn, ringing through the chamber. "Thus, judgment is passed. May the Goddess of the Moon guide your repentance and purify your souls."

The nuns resumed their chanting, louder now, their voices filling the church like waves of silver light. One by one, the punished farmers were led away, their heads low, their futures bound by the mercy and judgment of the Moon.

At that moment, a sudden beam of radiant light descended from above, pure and silver as moonlight itself. It shot down and struck the nun’s forehead.

Gasps filled the chamber.

Her body trembled, her eyes snapping wide open as they blazed with a brilliant white glow. Her features, already beautiful, seemed to transcend — holy, untouchable, radiant as if she were a living vessel of the divine.

The farmers, the guards, even the nobles present fell into stunned silence. Awe replaced fear, and their gazes lit with reverence. None dared breathe too loudly.

"This...!" one of the lesser priests whispered, falling to his knees. "It’s a prophecy! A rare prophecy directly from the Goddess of the Moon and Fertility!"

The entire church echoed with whispers, voices thick with shock and devotion.

The nun’s body remained still, but inside her mind, waves of divine words poured in. The Goddess’s voice — clear, soft, yet commanding — reverberated through her very soul.

Her heart pounded. So this is what She reveals...

She nearly faltered, but quickly steadied herself, bowing her head inwardly in acceptance.

Her glowing eyes flickered briefly toward one figure in particular. Xavier.

The moment she focused on him, her breath caught.

’So that’s why...’

The feeling from before returned, stronger than ever. That overwhelming concentration of moon energy wasn’t her imagination. It wasn’t coincidence.

***

A/N

Please no one gifts me golden tickets, please I need those. Please support the author by gifting powerstones and tickets this book really needs it... Thanks for following the story so far