CHAPTER 60: CHAPTER: 60, TRIAL

After Dainsleif was captured by Harold, He dragged him towards the great hall. The Blessed also followed him as they all guessed there would be a trial.

After making sure Azaria was completely dressed, she left her to Penelope and quickly followed Harold. She got close and blocked Harold’s path, saying urgently, "You can’t arrest him Harold."

"And why is that if I may ask, Hero Hestia?" he asked coldly. He couldn’t understand why Hestia would protect someone who almost assaulted one of her Friends. Are they really friends or is there something else?

"You just can’t! I know them the best, even more than their parents. And I can say if Dainsleif was the one initiating, Azaria has given her consent. Otherwise, Dainsleif was drugged." She calmly explained.

Harold frowned, unable to believe that she could accuse her friend because of Dainsleif. At that moment, a voice rang out accusing Hestia.

"Hestia! Don’t defend this bastard just because he is your cousin. You can’t use your influence to clean up someone’s mess! If he didn’t want to be blamed, he shouldn’t have even tried this." Hestia looked to the side with shock, clearly in disbelief as to who could’ve known their secret.

She looked over to see Aldric looking at her with a cautious expression. He had known about this secret of hers when he accidentally saw their medical records from the school medical health program. Hit gut told him to do an Ancestry DNA Test between them.

Obviously he couldn’t do it in any of the city Hospitals since Hestia’s Family had donated money to all of them. So he sent it to a faraway place for the test. And the result shocked him.

Hestia and Dainsleif were direct cousins with the same grandparents. He was shocked at first and wanted to tell this to her, thinking she didn’t know about their blood relation and fell for him. But one conversation he accidentally heard made him helpless.

*

"Hestia, why do you like him so much even when you know that he is your cousin?" Azaria asked, eating her cup of ramen while bunking class and staying at Hestia’s private room inside the Academy. The room was neatly decorated with countless pictures taped on every wall.

The pictures all showed the figure of a single boy, all from different angles. These were the pictures Hestia and the others took within the most enjoyable five months of theirs.

Hestia sat on the bed right beside the door of the private room, reading a thick diary that she wrote within the five months.

This diary recorded everything Hestia knew about him. Every inch of his body including every arm, legs, every curve of the muscles, every visible bone and nerves she has seen thus far. She even recorded everything he liked from dishes, snacks, shows, styles, drinks. Every habit and every preference in girls that he likes or feels sexually attracted to.

Most of them were from the malware she installed in all of Dainsleif’s devices, from which she saw the type of corn he searched on the internet once a week. (Bro has self-control!!)

And everytime, Dainsleif somehow detects it and quietly deletes it. He never knew who it was -she was sure of it- and just deleted them without even checking.

She didn’t move her eyes from the pages and replied calmly, like she was talking about the weather, "Nothing much, it just feels natural."

"Are you holding back because of your blood ties? I mean it would’ve been better if he didn’t have any connection to you, right?" Azaria asked again.

"That would’ve been worse! We wouldn’t even have known each other in that case."

"So, why are you holding back? I can’t because I’m too shy, Penelope is afraid because of her weird fetish. What’s holding you back?"

"The blood tie we don’t have."

"You mean?" Azaria asked, her eyes widening as realization dawned on her.

"It would’ve been much better if he was my actual brother. He would’ve loved me enough to never leave me even when he catches me flirting or doing any underhanded tactics. That would’ve given me unlimited chances to be with him, and try my luck. But..."

"...Now, there is a slight chance that he might distance himself with a wrong move. I don’t dare to think of a second chance. I either win at the first try, or keep waiting for the right time."

Azaria nodded, this explanation was pretty valid in her eyes. (Like Hell It WAS!!!)

Outside the private room, a plastic medical file slipped from Aldric’s hands as he couldn’t believe what he just heard.

Hestia Knew! She knew about both of their relationships from the very start and still fell for him. Just what did Dainsleif do for them to be so attached to him?

*

Reality, in the Imperial hallway, the Blessed were all standing, shocked at what Aldric just revealed. Dainsleif and Hestia were cousins! So why did nobody else know about it? And by the reaction of Hestia, she knew about it, but stayed quiet. What is happening?!"

Harold looked at Hestia with disbelief. This noble Hero who everyone in the palace revered and respected, was now abusing her influence to save her relative? His eyes turned colder and said icily,

"Hero Hestia, I don’t care if this whole thing was consensual or not, Dreamer Dainsleif was caught red handed and will go through the Trial like anyone else would. Even His highness the Emperor can’t change this. So, please step aside." After saying this, he walked past her, ignoring the desolate expression on her face.

After that, everyone quickly moved to the grand hall. Harold had already asked someone to inform the others and they would begin the trial in about half an hour.

Harold placed Dainsleif’s unconscious body in the middle of the grand hall where he would be during the trial.

After half an hour, everyone was present at the grand hall and Dainsleif was also awake. He looked around a bit and understood the situation. That’s how he found himself in this situation...

To be continued...