Chapter 44: Reassortment

Airelina Frembell

Not Guilty. That’s the judge’s decision.

Actually, I totally shouldn’t be surprised; Amphere is getting ready for the bar examinations a few months ago after he finished his assignment on Duchess Carousel. The opposing prosecutor is his senior on his senior high school. And the judge is his instructor back in law school. The chance of having me executed is lower than zero percent.

Amphere kept his promise to keep me safe. Now I’m living my life normally with him for the past two days. Not normally, I’m sorry. The hatred for me by the humans and the dragonoids are inevitable. I became the apple of the eye of the instructors in a very bad way. Most of my friends in the academy hated me. I have no place to be… Arcadia, Chevalier Unit or the Dragon Knights Academy. They now considered me as hostile entity.

“Death is not your punishment. The real punishment for your evil deeds is to keep living, to endure humiliation and criticisms from each and every person you knew.” Amphere told me. He’s right. Death is a lot easier, and it will just make me escape from my sins. I’m living in hell right now.

Amphere and I were walking down the road to the Pentagram Knight Office, maybe to visit Rudolf and Kyrie. There has been a lot of questions that’s totally bugging my mind which I didn’t have enough bravery to ask my partner. Why? Because he’s acting like he didn’t hated me at all. Amphere continues to treat me like a normal person, despite learning the truth about my dark past.

This time, I mustered the courage inside my heart and asked him eye to eye. “Amphy-“

“Yes?” He replied. I’m surprised that he answered to my call. I thought the nickname ‘Amphy’ is prohibited, but he seems to forgot everything.

“N-Nothing… Totally…” In the end, my resolution is not enough to ask him even one of my questions on my head.

When we finally got ourselves in Rudolf’s office, there was a peculiar guest. He’s wearing a dirty brown leather coat and a hijab to cover his face. He was standing uncomfortably in front of the chillaxed Rudolf and nervous Kyrie who were in the desk.

The mysterious man looks familiar to me. His green eyes and blonde long hair that has been tucking out from his face cover gave hint to me.

“I thought you would never come…Estoff.” Amphere had his tone somewhat arrogant.

So it was Estoff Wraith in disguise as a homeless man. “I know you’re going to get me arrested. That is why you summoned me here, you scumbag. Fine. I’m all yours now.” Estoff revealed his arms, ready to get handcuffed.

“Unfortunately, Amphere summoned you for a small talk.” Rudolf cut impolitely.

“Don’t get so cheeky just because you snatched this office from me.” Estoff have this painful smile and then turned to Amphere. “So now what?”

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“Estoff…Airelina…” Amphere bowed down, shaking, and clenching his hand. “What you did was unforgivable but…I have known you two for three years. You never hurt a fly for that span of time. I know why you hid those information from me, to keep me from trusting the two of you. But now I don’t trust you two at all.”

Those words broke my heart again. Guilt, sorrow, and anger to my past self. I’m such a horrible person… I’m sure Estoff shares the same way too as he curved down. I know there are a lot of reasons on his mouth but he can’t speak.

“I-…We’re totally guilty of that happening.” I said. “That is why I chose you to become my knight. We hoped that we can change this world in a peaceful manner, by having the Dragonoid Rights Bill passed. We needed you more than anyone else…Amphy…”

Amphy revealed his glistening eyes and looked at Estoff, and then to me.

“I won’t be working with Arcadia anymore. But I will make all your wishes come true. I’ll win the tournament, and have the Dragonoid Rights Bill passed.”

“I completely understand your reasoning, Sir Estoff Wraith.” Rudolf included himself in this terrorist forum. “Amphere told me. If what happens to Elumina happens to my Kyrie, I’m sure I would do the same thing. We’re all murderers after all. That is why as the successor of your power in the Alterran Empire, I pledge my whole heart and soul to support the Dragonoid Rights Bill. In a peaceful manner, that is.”

Amphere genuflected in front of me and slowly lent out his hand. There was a dark crimson ribbon, the very same handkerchief that I always use as a hair ornament. “Airelina-…Airi…. I still don’t remember you yet. But I do remember the past three years we’ve been together. You will have to repent for your sins for the rest of your life because of me. I’m sorry… Please be my dragonoid again…and help me win the tournament.”

“Idiot!” Tears ran down on my eyes. “Y-You’re an idiot, totally! You…sniff…You saved me a lot of times from my…sniff…hellish life… I can’t go back to Arcadia now that all humans and dragonoids hate me…but…sniff…You…You’re the only home that I got… that is why I will help you, with all I got!”

I grabbed the handkerchief and carefully tied it back into butterfly wings behind my head. I wiped out my tears and made a bright smile. The same bright smile Amphy used to see me when we were a child. “TOTALLY!!!”

Suddenly, the wooden door creaked open. A set of ruby eyes peeked at the gap. It was Elumina. Estoff was astounded as he got his jaws drop. When Rudolf saw this, he requested Kyrie to lead them to a room so that they can talk privately together. Fortunately, Kyle was out for three days due to his contempt of court case.

Now there are only three of us in this office.  Rudolf pressed a remote on his hand which made the whole room covered with absolute darkness.

“Enough with the touchy moments.” Amphy finally stood up. “It’s my time explaining my side to Rudolf.”

Amphy asked me to project a presentation about the evidences. I used my high-tech platinum wing to make hologram projections which made the young Pentagram Knight in awe.  It showed a lot of videos including the horrific and disgusting dragonoid ‘batteries’ and test subjects in the power plant and in the war factories that the government owns. Rudolf was pretty convinced by Amphere at this point.

After thirty minutes, Rudolf finally had the conclusion. “I really can’t judge you, Amphere. If I were in your position, I will also support Arcadia. Airelina and Estoff seemed to be a good guy, if it weren’t for that Crimson Dragonfly Incident.”

“I told you.” Amphere smiled. “But I think your general is a lot worse than Estoff and Airi combined. According to some rumors, Kyle Leviticus have killed ten thousand dragonoids and tortured them in the last dragonoid war.”

“I already know it just before I joined his unit. I primarily joined Chevalier Unit to get you away from harm, but it seems that it wasn’t necessary.” Rudolf answered. “You’re perfect plan is in action. The only one problem standing in your way is Duke Yuri Dragunov. Reina and Richard might join that side.”

“Yeah. And also…The tournament is tomorrow. I heard I’ll be fighting someone who has a Dracaryx this time.”