Chapter 94: Broken Sword Fragments, the Truth is Confused

““They asked me where I was from.”

““I said I have no hometown.”

“They did not believe me and asked me where I was born.”

"I couldn't stand their relentless questioning, so I confessed."

"A farm in Terryville."

“In Noxus.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall, which had been silent a moment ago, was filled with the sound of people inhaling in unison.

"I see," the judge continued. "Why don't you call that place your hometown?"

"Can a place that wants you dead still be called a hometown?"

"So you were exiled?"

"This statement means I still want to go back."

"You do not want it?"

"Noxus has changed." Riven was a little impatient. "Next question, okay?"

"Well."

The judge said calmly, "You came here with the Noxian fleet, right?"

"I guess."

"You're not sure?" the magistrate asked in confusion.

"I don't remember," Riven said. She shook her head. "Is it important? There was a war. Many people died. That's all I know."

As soon as Riven finished speaking, the painful memories of the war in people's hearts were instantly ignited.

They pushed and shoved each other and shouted loudly.

Someone yelled, "You bastards of Noxus, you killed my son."

A moldy egg fruit flew over and hit Riven on the neck, and the sour juice and pulp flowed down the back of her collar into her clothes.

A foul stench came.

Riven tightened her lips and nose and closed her eyes silently.

She knew her answer was ill-considered and made people feel that she had no sympathy or compassion for the dead.

This is what she deserves.

Just as the crowd erupted.

boom! !

The gavel fell again.

The villagers were frightened and immediately fell silent.

The female judge looked at Riven with deep eyes, "I remember that disaster, almost all Ionians and Noxians died, but why did you survive?"

Riven fell silent.

This problem has always troubled her.

Yeah, why was she the only one who survived?

Everything.

She can't remember anything.

Or--

She didn't want to think about it.

"I don't know." Riven shook her head blankly.

The female judge continued to ask, "How long have you been in this land?"

"Can not remember."

"How did you come to this village?"

"Can not remember."

"Have you been here before?"

"I" Riven hesitated, "I can't remember."

"Have you ever met Elder Suma?"

After saying this, Riven suddenly fell into a brief daze.

The name seemed to touch something deep inside her, vaguely yet sharply.

The gap in my memory is now filled with anger and anxiety.

"I told you, I can't remember!!" she snapped in frustration.

"The war destroyed so much," the judge said softly. "There are things we can't see."

"Someone may be able to answer for you what you don't remember."

soon.

Old man Asa was brought before the judgment seat.

"Asa Conde," the female judge said patiently, "thank you for testifying for us today."

"Do you know this woman?"

"Yes," the old man said, "she came to our house just as the wet season began."

"Did she go to your house?"

"No, I found her in our field," Old Ben confessed. "A calf was lost at night, and I went out to look for it in the early morning, and I found her."

The crowd was in commotion again.

They whispered to each other in shock and worry.

"spy!"

"It must be up to no good."

“There will be endless troubles.”

The judge placed his hand on the gavel, and the room fell silent again. "What was she going to do?"

"She wanted to die."

The old man narrated calmly, "She was soaking wet and had a high fever. She was basically a bunch of Noxian bones connected by mud and sinew."

The judge leaned forward slightly. "You knew she was Noxian?"

"She carried a huge sword on her back, with their language engraved on the scabbard."

The judge pursed his lips and said, "Uncle Asa, you suffered heavy losses during this invasion, didn't you?"

"Yes, Judge," Asa said, looking at his wife. "Both of my sons died in battle."

The judge nodded slightly, and said sympathetically, "So how did you deal with this woman at that time?"

Asa took a deep breath, "I took her home and left her in the care of my wife."

"Why do you do this?"

"There had been so many deaths, I couldn't bear to leave it alone. So we cleaned her up and took her in."

The magistrate nodded expressionlessly.

“When she regained her strength, she asked to work in the fields,” Asa continued. “My wife and I are old, and we are glad to have her help.”

"Aren't you and your wife afraid of losing your lives?"

"This girl wants nothing to do with Noxus anymore. She hates Noxus."

"Did she tell you that?"

"No." Asa shook his head, "We speculated."

"If she didn't say anything, how did you know her feelings about her country?"

Asa sighed. "Feverish talk, Judge."

He continued: "The night she arrived, something very dear to her was destroyed, and so she cursed Noxus."

"Do you know what it is?"

Asa thought for a moment and nodded slowly, "Her hilt was tangled with the scabbard. I saw her untying the straps four days ago. The sword was broken."

There were laughter coming from all around, and they whispered about the quality of Noxian weapons.

The magistrate continued, "What did you do after learning this information?"

"I took the sword to the temple."

"What are you going to do?"

"I hope the priests can repair it. If the sword can be reforged, I think she will be able to get rid of the haze of the past."

As soon as these words came out.

The crowd erupted again.

"You actually want to repair the weapons of our enemy country. Do you know how much blood of our compatriots is stained on that sword?"

"traitor!"

"Catch this collaborator as well!"

However, Asa ignored all these doubts and insults.

He looked at Riven and the shackles on her hands with pity all the while, "I just hope that she can find some peace right now."

Riven's eyes gradually became moist.

"Thank you, old man Asa."

The judge said solemnly, "We sincerely thank you for your testimony. Your speech is over."

Then the judge glanced at the parchment record on the table, turned to the clerk and said:
"Present evidence!"

"I am in tears~"

"Uncle Asa!"

"How great! His two sons died at the hands of Noxians, but he was still willing to take in a female warrior from an enemy country with whom he had a blood feud."

"Moreover, in order to fill the psychological trauma she might have, I even took her broken sword to repair it."

"Reminds me of Morgana."

"I suddenly remembered that when Shava first pointed the finger at Yasuo, she probably wanted to use the public's anger to clear Riven of suspicion."

"Alas, the kindness of the old couple is engraved in their bones. Riven, you must not let them down."

"When they brought out my great sword, it took my breath away."

"Especially, the butler discovered that vacant corner."

"That's the corner I've been looking for, but I'm most reluctant to face."

"Does this weapon belong to you?"

The judge looked at the huge sword, which was wider than the kite shield, and the scabbard was engraved with crude strokes of Ur-Noxian.

Riven nodded.

"I think it's a bit difficult to use it in combat in its current state," the judge said to himself.

There were a few chuckles from the crowd.

The warrior priest said uneasily: "Sir, this weapon is imbued with magical energy. The Noxians cast a spell on the sword wound."

The female judge watched carefully.

Today, it is no longer a complete sword, but has been brutally broken into many pieces.

There are five largest fragments, each of which is powerful enough to kill a person on its own.

"There's a piece missing from the sword."

Noticing the empty corner, the judge looked at the temple attendant nearby with a questioning look.

The duty of the temple servants is to collect and dispose of the remains of the elders after their bodies are sky buried.

He took out a silk bag from his robe, opened it, and took out a metal fragment from it.

"I found this when I was dealing with Elder Su Ma's remains. This piece of metal is the same as the broken sword."

(End of this chapter)