When Cecilia left Bianka's room, her hands were already full of empty bowls and plates.
Gently closing the door, Cecilia raised her hand and clenched it a few times before regaining some sensation.
The temperature around Bianka was lower than she had imagined. In just this short while, her hands had become numb. If she had stayed any longer, she might have actually suffered some damage.
Shigure Kira stood at the door of Bianka's room, holding the Seven Thunders of Retribution like a sentry.
When she saw the empty plates and bowls in Cecilia's hands, Shigure Kira knew that Cecilia's persuasion had worked.
"How is it, did she say anything useful?" Shigure Kira handed her a hand warmer. This thing was not common in the City of Sighs. The one she handed over was her own.
She took great care of her hands and eyes. Things like eye patches, eye masks, and hand warmers were never lacking.
After all, she was a sniper, and these were her livelihood.
Oh, and her voice. This was one of her two big dreams.
Cecilia took the hand warmer from Shigure Kira and nodded. "I have a basic understanding of the situation at that time. There has been progress on the Herrscher's information, but..."
She paused for a moment before continuing with some difficulty, "Bianka said that the Herrscher was originally a person, but after being attacked by her, she turned into a mass of black mist that kept expanding, and her only attack method was a black chain..."
"That's... that simple?" Shigure Kira's eyes widened. "That's not right... the wounds on that girl's body don't look like they were caused by something like a chain. Those are penetrating wounds."
"So the Herrscher has information we don't know about... Siegfried entered the scene earlier than Bianka. If he can wake up, he might know something."
"And that child," Shigure Kira added. "That child might know something, but her condition is not much better than Siegfried's..."
A total of four penetrating wounds, as well as the dense wounds all over her body, massive blood loss, and so on...
That child's situation was the same as Siegfried's. It was a miracle that she was alive. The only way to make her recover was for Cecilia to use the Black Orchid & White Lily on her.
But using the Black Orchid & White Lily was very draining for Cecilia. She had already used it twice in the past few days. If she used it a third time, her condition would definitely not be good.
Most importantly... Siegfried's awakening was already a certainty. Except for that arm, Cecilia had already healed all of his injuries. It was just that his body was too weak for him to fight anymore. Even if he woke up, it would be difficult for him to join the subsequent punitive expedition.
Perhaps she should ask the Fire Moths for help on [Stardust].
Thinking of this, Cecilia couldn't help but laugh at her own thoughts.
The Fire Moths were in Shenzhou. Did they have any large-scale air transport tools at this time? Even the Captain... no, the strongest person who should be called [Dawn] now had to rely on a train to move. What was the use of her asking for help?
"Let's just send a request for help to the Fire Moths," Cecilia said, looking at her hand, moving it, and making a decision.
At this moment, the door of the villa rang.
A somewhat flustered voice sounded.
"Senior Cecilia, are you there?! I have a few guests here who say they are from the Fire Moths and they know you!" It was Susannah.
...
The seventh day. It was Sunday, the beginning of the week, but most people considered it the last day of the week.
Today, the wind in the City of Sighs was particularly strong. The sand that was kicked up stung people's faces.
Since the establishment of the City of Sighs, its sky had always been black, but this was not its eternal state.
For example, today, when the familiar night faded, the residents of the City of Sighs raised their heads and looked at this unexpected change.
The sky showed a boundless expanse of yellow sand. This was the norm here, the hardship that life here had become accustomed to. Perhaps the only anomaly was the few figures standing on the yellow sand, and the crooked cross standing in the yellow sand.
The crude wooden cross did not look like an object of prayer in faith, but more like a crooked grave, indicating an impending burial.
What was this? Except for the people present, no one knew. Everyone only saw many familiar figures, including members of the Snow Wolf Squad, and the well-known higher-ups of this city.
In front of the cross was a small cage. Its crude appearance made it difficult to believe that it could hold what it was meant to imprison.
And below the cage, opposite the cross, were two rows of chairs. The members of the Snow Wolf Squad and the higher-ups sat on these two rows of chairs.
This scene, which was both like a church and a courtroom, had an unexpected sense of solemnity, even though it was crooked everywhere and had the word "crude" written all over it.
"Sinner, Bianka Ataegina Kaslana," In front of the cross, the old man with a long beard was dressed in full regalia. It could be seen that he had taken care of every single one of his beard hairs, as if he were attending a grand banquet.
Looking down, everyone was dressed in their finest clothes. The higher-ups had all changed into their most expensive formal wear, and the members of the Snow Wolf Squad were also in full combat attire.
A small nun with a veiled face, carrying a huge cross, led Bianka, who was wearing shackles, forward, and then opened the door of the cage for her under everyone's gaze.
Bianka lowered her eyes and looked back at the Snow Wolf Squad, only to see that everyone had avoided her gaze.
Lowering her head, Bianka laughed softly, then stepped into the cage.
The old man with the long beard's face showed no expression. He lowered his head like a machine and looked at the thin document in his hand. He glanced at it perfunctorily and then spoke again.
"The charges—malicious injury, attempted murder, crimes against humanity, anti-social, and anti-civilization," the old man read out these charges in a flat tone, but it caused a huge uproar in the city.
"What's a crime against humanity? Is there such a serious crime?"
"I don't know, but it must be a very serious crime, otherwise they wouldn't use such a terrible charge."
"Didn't they say malicious injury and attempted murder? Could she be some kind of perverted serial killer?"
"Maybe it's the Herrscher that the higher-ups announced a few days ago?"
No one cared about Bianka's youthful appearance. Everyone was discussing what constituted a [crime against humanity].
After all, as an absolute group animal, although there were always mediocre people who were unwilling to be mediocre and considered themselves unique, when the crime involved the group of "humanity," most people's opinions would be quite unified.
After all, humanity represented "oneself."
"Do you—plead guilty?" the old man put down the piece of paper in his hand, and then looked at Bianka below him with bright eyes.
Bianka lowered her head and made no rebuttal.
A crime against humanity?
The monster inside her should be considered one... to have so much malice and killing intent towards humanity, this charge was really... fitting.
Bianka closed her eyes.
"I have no..."
"Do you have any objections?"
?
Bianka's train of thought was suddenly cut off. She raised her head in a daze and looked at the old man in front of the cross in confusion, only to see him let out a disdainful sneer with emotion.
"It seems you have an opinion," the old man raised his hand and waved it slowly. A bruised and swollen person was carried out from the side by several people, rolling and crawling. Although he was wearing a suit, anyone who looked at him would say that he was in a miserable state.
"Isn't that the team leader at the gate?" Even so, someone still recognized him.
"The team leader at the gate... oh, I remember him. I'm from the transport team. I can see him on duty there every time I leave the city. He's still there when everyone else is on a different shift."
"So dedicated?" someone exclaimed. "So he's a good person?"
"How could a good person be beaten like this? Could it be that this guy..."
Not only were these people dumbfounded, but Bianka was also at a loss when she saw this person. She remembered that this was the person she had seen at the gate when she had just arrived.
But why had he become like this, and why was he here...
The bruised and swollen team leader turned his head and met Bianka's gaze through the cage, then guiltily retracted his gaze. Suddenly, a bad premonition arose in Bianka's heart.
"I want to identify!" a shriek made everyone pay attention.
"This girl was selling uninspected and uncertified items on the street. I just took some people to remind her, and I was beaten up like this by her!" the team leader shrieked, saying something unexpected.
Did I do it?!
Bianka's eyes widened in disbelief as she recalled every detail of that day.
"I didn't do it!" Bianka was eager to take a step forward and explain, but as soon as she opened her mouth, the old man raised his hand and raised the gavel in his hand.
"Thud—"
"Silence, it's not your turn to speak yet," the old man glanced at Bianka. It was a casual glance, not like looking at a person, but more like looking at some object he detested, full of sharp edges.
This glance was even more painful to Bianka than the team leader's piercing shriek.
But this was her trial! What he said, she clearly hadn't done! She could admit to the monster inside her, she could admit that she was guilty of entering the city with a fluke, but...
She really hadn't done it...
Only Bianka could hear her own defense. What others could hear was the team leader's vivid description and his indignant accusation.
Finally, he was probably tired... so he stopped. The old man once again placed his gaze on Bianka.
"Please state your opinion."
"I really didn't do it!" Seeing that she finally had a chance to speak, Bianka quickly defended herself. "I don't know who beat him, but it really wasn't me!"
"Oh?" the old man responded meaningfully. "Are you saying that someone else impersonated you and beat up our righteous team leader, who has dedicated himself to the people of the City of Sighs, into this state?"
Was it... someone impersonating her?
No, it wasn't her at all! He said it was when she was selling flowers, but on the day she sold flowers, she definitely hadn't touched anyone other than the Herrscher...
"Bianka, do you have any evidence?" On the screen in the city, the picture focused on the old man's face. He showed Bianka a kind, encouraging smile, but said something that made Bianka's heart turn cold.
Evidence?
Did she have any evidence?
At that time... there were a lot of people watching, right?
Just as Bianka was about to open her mouth and say that there were a lot of people around who could testify for her, the old man once again opened his mouth first, interrupting her impending defense.
"We also have evidence," a trace of mockery that was not easily noticed by others appeared in the old man's eyes, but Bianka saw it clearly.
He even used the word "also." He knew that Bianka could produce evidence, but he just didn't give her a chance to defend herself.
The old man clapped his hands, and two somewhat timid figures walked out.
It was the young man with glasses and the round-faced girl, two more people that Bianka was familiar with.
The two of them walked forward, looking a little nervous under everyone's gaze, but the old man just nodded at them. The two of them seemed to have made up their minds and turned to look at Bianka with indignation.
"It was her! She was hitting people on the street! She just grabbed the team leader and beat him! A lot of us tried to persuade her, but she wouldn't listen. She even said something like..." The round-faced girl faltered for a moment, and the young man with glasses helped her finish the sentence.
"My father is Siegfried, none of you can touch me."
Bianka's pupils instantly shrank. A breath was stuck in her chest, making it ache.
"I didn't..." she subconsciously wanted to speak, but the gavel fell again, shattering her thoughts.
"I told you, silence," the old man said sternly, then frowned and looked at Bianka with displeasure. Even the people in the city could see the strong disappointment in the old man's eyes.
Why was he disappointed?
Everyone's first thought was—he was so supportive of Bianka, but he was interrupted twice by her, so he was disappointed.
This Bianka really didn't appreciate his kindness.
Everyone was indignantly accusing Bianka. No one saw the guilt in the two people's eyes, or the playful smiles of the higher-ups that were not captured by the camera.
This was an unfair trial from the beginning, a ceremony that was played with in the palm of their hands.