Chapter 354 255: Trial by Combat

"You'd best watch your mouth!"

Penny snapped, then pointed to the noble Knights all around them:

"These are all Vassals of the Southern Territory. All of them were loyal to and respected my father. Every one of them is willing to sacrifice their life for the Isely Clan."

"If something unfortunate happens to me, my sister will make sure all of your loyal Knights get their wish!" Onaya was completely disdainful of this. 'If they were really loyal to the Old Duke, why did they oppose him letting Liya inherit the title? That's what led to this whole situation.'

The surrounding Southern Nobles fell silent, offering no rebuttal.

At this point, it was simply a fact. Otherwise, they wouldn't have summoned Onaya here.

"Lady Onaya, we're not here to discuss the title or anything of the sort. We brought you here because we want you to write a letter to your sister."

The slightly plump Panto stepped forward. His full face made him look kindly, but his tone was flat. "Don't be so quick to refuse."

"Because this letter will be mutually beneficial."

"What do you want me to write?"

Onaya asked calmly.

"A trial by combat!"

"We demand that this war be decided by a trial by combat," Panto said emphatically.

Hearing this, Onaya almost couldn't help but laugh out loud. She just sized up the surrounding Southern Nobles. "What makes you think my sister, who's holding all the cards, would play this ridiculous game with you?"

"Lady Onaya, believe me, she will." Panto gave Onaya a deep look, then his gaze shifted to the bright moon outside the tall French windows.

"The Three Gods of Justice are fair. They will not allow the just to be humiliated or the innocent to be wronged. They will stand on the side of justice and intervene in the outcome of the trial."

After speaking, Panto piously clasped his hands together in the direction of Milan Cathedral, only then turning back to Onaya. "If we lose, it will prove that we were all wrong. We will release you and declare that Liya is the true heir to the Southern Territory. And if your sister loses, her army need only retreat."

"Duke Fulina will be able to take White Castle without losing a single soldier, and it will also completely solidify your right of inheritance."

"No ruler would pass up such an opportunity."

Hearing this, Onaya's brow furrowed.

Trial by combat was an ancient custom in Debei, or rather, on the entire Middle Ages Continent.

People believed that the just Gods would stand on the side of justice and intervene in the outcome of the trial.

Therefore, the victor in a trial by combat was considered just and innocent, and should not be subject to any blame or sanction.

To dare punish the victor of a trial by combat was a grave act of blasphemy.

Back in the era when the Gods readily revealed themselves, trial by combat was once the universally accepted way to determine justice across the Middle Ages Continent.

Because the Gods would, in fact, truly interfere with the course of the combat.

Even nations would use trial by combat to determine if going to war was just.

But as the Gods faded away, trial by combat lost its former glory and became just an ancient custom. Now, it was Knightly duels that were all the rage.

Onaya hadn't expected them to come up with such a method to save the current situation.

But after some thought, she realized their proposal was indeed beneficial for both sides.

This would allow Liya to completely solidify her status as heir. If anyone dared to object, it would be a blatant act of blasphemy against the Three Gods of Justice. Even the King could not bear the crime of blaspheming the Gods.

"Penny, is this your decision as well?"

Onaya looked up at Penny on the Duke's throne.

"That's right." Penny wore a pious expression. "I believe the Earth Mother Goddess will not allow any of Her faithful to suffer injustice."

Just as these Southern Nobles assumed, Onaya also believed the Ice and Snow Goddess would not allow her, a child of the Northern Lands, to be treated unfairly. Otherwise, She wouldn't have let Liya escape Kolon and arrive safely in the Northern Territory in the first place.

"I will write it. But whether my sister agrees in the end is not for me to decide."

she said coldly.

The Red Poison Snake, Ororen, watched all of this unfold quietly in the great hall, his eyes flickering.

He was half responsible for Kolon falling so quickly. The western wall, which he was in charge of, had fallen too fast, causing the entire line of defense to collapse and forcing a retreat to White Castle.

'But it wasn't entirely his fault. Who could have expected them to have someone like that… a monster.'

'One swing of a sword, and his brothers-in-arms were cut down like weeds by the roadside. SWOOSH—a whole row of them gone.'

'He'd been scared witless by it and had taken his men to flee in the chaos.'

'He hadn't told the nobles about this, because it would only make them realize that the collapse of their defenses was largely his fault.'

Now, hearing them talk about some trial by combat, the demon-like figure from that morning appeared in his mind again.

He couldn't help but shudder. 'If that person participates in the trial by combat, we don't stand a chance.'

'These damn Southern Nobles just don't get it. An enemy this powerful isn't someone whose fate can be decided by some bullshit Gods.'

'He was an orphan who had grown up in the slums, so he didn't believe in any Gods. He was a non-believer.'

'That's why he could see things more clearly, his eyes weren't clouded by stupid faith.'

'Now that things have come to this, he finally understood that the Southern Territory is a ship about to sink. Whatever he is going to do, he'd better start planning now.'

'Excluding losses and deserters, he'd thankfully managed to gather two thousand Mercenaries in the end.'