Dear, it’s time for your medicine! 61

Chapter 61: Is There Any Justice in This World?

“Ekaterina, you raped me!”

The words hung in the air, silencing the entire courtyard.

Everyone, except for Nikles, the other guards, and Angelica, stared at Qin Chu, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief.

Had they heard correctly?

Was he claiming that Ekaterina, the Crimson Valkyrie, had raped him?

Hah! That was impossible! A woman… committing such an act… well, perhaps not entirely impossible.

After all, this was Ekaterina, the Crimson Valkyrie. And she had been drunk. Anything was possible.

Augustus’s expression was unreadable. Both parties were claiming to be the victim. Who was telling the truth?

Loseweisse was stunned. This situation was full of twists and turns. She hadn’t expected another reversal at this point.

Ekaterina, however, was speechless. Then, her body trembled with rage, her fury threatening to consume her.

“What… what are you talking about?” she sputtered, her voice laced with disbelief.

She had thought he was merely a shameless opportunist, but it seemed he was also a coward, unwilling to take responsibility for his actions.

And to make matters worse, he was blaming her, claiming that she had forced herself upon him?

That was impossible! Even she, Ekaterina, wouldn’t stoop so low.

In her eyes, Qin Chu was lower than the maggots feasting on a rotting rat carcass in the sewers…

Qin Chu, however, remained calm. “Am I lying?”

He didn’t care about his pride, his reputation. He just didn’t want to be falsely accused. Besides, Nikles and the others had witnessed the events of the previous night. And they were known gossipmongers. The truth would come out eventually.

“You said you were going to train me, but then you left, claiming you had important business to attend to.”

“And that ‘important business’ involved drinking yourself into a stupor. I had to carry you back from the tavern. I tried to take you to your room, but you barged into mine…”

The crowd’s gaze shifted to Ekaterina, their expressions skeptical.

Her anger and hatred were replaced by a flicker of embarrassment… To abandon her duties as the Hero’s instructor to indulge in alcohol… it was indeed irresponsible.

She sensed their disapproval but couldn’t help but defend herself. “Yes, I went drinking. But that’s no excuse for you to take advantage of me…”

“Take advantage of you?” Qin Chu scoffed. “You were the one who was acting like a wild animal!”

“Nikles and the others are right here. Ask them what happened last night.”

All eyes turned to the guards standing behind Qin Chu.

Nikles, uncomfortable under the scrutiny of so many important figures, blushed, clearing his throat. “Lady Valkyrie…”

“Have you truly forgotten? Perhaps you should… reconsider your recollection of events…”

“The Hero carried you back from the tavern…” He hadn’t witnessed that part, but if the Hero said it was true, it must be.

“And then you barged into his room. He tried to leave, but you dragged him back inside. You surely haven’t forgotten that, have you?”

“We all saw it with our own eyes.”

“Yes, yes, the captain is right. We all saw it.”

“You were the one who dragged him in. He struggled, but you were too…”

“It was… violent. We could hear his screams from outside…”

“The poor Hero, subjected to such brutality… I imagine he’s traumatized.”

“Gods, it’s too painful to even think about…”

The guards, over a hundred of them, chimed in, their voices a cacophony of embellishments and exaggerations.

In reality, only Nikles and his five companions had witnessed the scene. But as the story spread, details were added, the narrative becoming more vivid, more dramatic. And each person, recounting the tale, insisted: “It’s true! I saw it with my own eyes!”

Somehow, the story had morphed into this.

“I heard the Hero screaming for help…”

“You tormented him for seven hours…”

“He was covered in blood when he escaped, his back covered in scars… he looked like he had been… well… you can imagine how badly he was treated…”

“How brutal…”

Qin Chu stared at them, speechless. Was that truly what had happened? They were making him blush.

The crowd, except for the guards, fell silent, their gazes shifting between Qin Chu and Ekaterina. Who was telling the truth?

Ekaterina’s face burned with anger. She was about to retort when a sharp pain, like a needle piercing her brain, made her gasp.

Fragments of memories, disjointed and confusing, flooded her mind.

She remembered…

Drinking with a group of men at the tavern, mocking their weakness as they succumbed to the alcohol after only half a barrel.

She remembered Qin Chu approaching her, her fist almost connecting with his face. He had paid for her drinks and carried her home. She had clung to him, her hands roaming his chest, groping… something…

Her head throbbed.

She massaged her temples, trying to ease the pain.

More memories surfaced…

She had been lying on the bed, her mind hazy. Qin Chu, seemingly unable to support her weight, had unceremoniously dumped her onto the mattress.

And then… then… he had turned and walked away.

He had just… left?

The memory sparked a strange sense of irritation. She wasn’t unattractive. A beautiful woman, lying drunk on his bed… and he had simply walked away?

Was she truly that unappealing?

Her pride, her sense of feminine allure, was wounded.

No, this wasn’t the time for such thoughts.

If he had left, then he hadn’t touched her?

She shook her head, trying to clear the fog in her mind. More memories emerged.

She had been lying on the bed, watching his retreating figure. She had seen Jie Luo, her beloved, in his place. And as he walked away, a wave of panic had surged through her. She had scrambled off the bed, rushing after him…

She had dragged him back into the room, slamming the door shut.

And then…

Her face burned with shame.

Gods, what had she done?

She had forced herself upon him? And then she had accused him of taking advantage of her? She remembered him struggling, her forcing him to… to… and then… her mind had fabricated those images of him abusing her, her subconscious protecting her from the truth.

And she had attacked the Holy See, publicly accusing him?

“Aaaaaaaaaaah!” She covered her face with her hands, crouching down, her cry a wail of despair.

Everyone understood now. The Hero wasn’t a predator. He was the victim.

They glared at Ekaterina, their gazes filled with judgment.

How could she do such a thing?

She had violated him, both physically and emotionally, and then she had tried to kill him?

And didn’t she know her own strength? He had only arrived a few days ago, his power still weak. Could he withstand her brute force?

It was a miracle he had survived.

This reckless woman had almost destroyed the Heavenly Continent’s only hope.

Was she worthy of being a member of the Hero Squad, a comrade, a teacher?

Qin Chu approached Ekaterina, who was now a huddled mess, her pride and arrogance gone.

“Ekaterina…” he said, his voice filled with sadness…

And a hint of… resentment.

Spending the night with her had been… unpleasant.

“I didn’t want to reveal this, to protect your reputation. I was trying to be considerate. But you blamed me… You ruined my reputation!”

“You violated me, and then you tried to kill me…”

“Is there any justice in this world?”

His voice cracked with emotion. He was almost believing his own performance. After all, a good actor had to immerse themselves in the role.

Ekaterina flinched, looking up at him timidly before quickly averting her gaze.

The tables had turned.

The ferocious Valkyrie was now a trembling mess. Her voice was barely a whisper.

“I… I’m sorry…”

Sorry?

One of his most hated enemies was apologizing to him?

It felt… incredibly satisfying.

After all, ignoring her personality, her future actions, she was undeniably attractive, her athletic figure more alluring than any delicate, fragile woman.

And his hatred for her had fueled his… enthusiasm… the previous night.

His Star Flame Battle Qi had even broken through to the second layer, his power increasing significantly.

He had benefited from this situation in every way.

And now she was apologizing to him, her voice trembling. What goes around comes around, Ekaterina.

He savored his victory, but his expression remained neutral, his true emotions hidden.

Ekaterina, remembering her actions, her aggression, lost her remaining defiance. Her hatred for him faded. She had no reason to hate him anymore. He hadn’t taken advantage of her. She had forced herself upon him.

If this were to become public knowledge, he would be ridiculed.

“Why… why didn’t you fight back?” she mumbled.

“Are you serious? You’re levels above me, your strength far exceeds mine. How could I possibly resist?” Qin Chu said, his voice exasperated.

She fell silent. He was right. To expect him to fight back was unreasonable.

The judging stares of the crowd made her squirm.

“The poor Hero…”

“Subjected to such brutality…”

“That woman… acting like a wild animal when she’s drunk… she’s not worthy of the Hero! He’s too good for her…”

“She made a mistake and then blamed him, even tried to kill him! He’s the Heavenly Continent’s hope…”

“Is she truly a woman, or is she some kind of savage ape?”

Ekaterina, her head bowed, her teeth digging into her lower lip, endured their whispers, their condemnation.

Augustus decided it was time to end this farce. This spectacle was damaging to everyone involved.

He cleared his throat, silencing the crowd. “Well, it seems this was all a misunderstanding…”

“Everyone, please disperse.”

His gaze swept across the courtyard, a silent warning to keep their mouths shut.

The nuns, priests, Holy Knights, and even Qin Chu’s guards, obeyed, filing out of the courtyard.

Only Augustus, Qin Chu, Ekaterina, Loseweisse, and Angelica remained.

“Lady Ekaterina, we’ll let this matter rest. You have no objections, do you?” Augustus said, his voice cold. After all, his Holy See had been attacked. He was still displeased.

“I won’t punish you for attacking the Holy See…”

Ekaterina’s face brightened.

“But as a member of the Hero Squad, the Hero’s instructor, you abandoned your duties to indulge in alcohol. You acted recklessly, jeopardizing the Hero’s safety, even attempting to kill him…”

“I don’t believe you’re fit to remain a member of the Hero Squad, nor are you qualified to be his instructor.”

Ekaterina’s face fell. She had made a grave mistake. To lose her position in the Hero Squad, without any further punishment… she was fortunate.

Augustus was trying to preserve her dignity, allowing her to resign gracefully. Otherwise, he would join forces with Wadsworth and Saint Monique, stripping her of her titles and authority.

She accepted his judgment, but Loseweisse panicked.

The Hero Squad had to remain united. Replacing a member would disrupt their plans.

“Pope Augustus, that’s… unfair. Ekaterina made a mistake, but she deserves another chance…” Loseweisse pleaded, hoping to sway his decision.

But Augustus was resolute. “One mistake almost cost the Hero his life. Can you guarantee that she won’t lose control again? Can you guarantee that the Hero will be safe next time?”

“The Hero’s safety is paramount. We can’t allow such a threat to remain by his side.”

Unable to change his mind, Loseweisse turned to Qin Chu, her eyes pleading.

He considered his options. “Pope Augustus, perhaps we could give Ekaterina another chance…”

“She’s a skilled warrior. Though her training methods are… unorthodox, she’s effective. As for her drinking… well, we just have to make sure she doesn’t overindulge. And in the current situation, we need every capable warrior we can get.”

Augustus frowned, surprised that Qin Chu was defending her. “Hero-sama, are you concerned about the Hero Squad losing a member? There’s no need to worry. I can arrange for another warrior, someone just as skilled as Ekaterina…”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant. The Hero Squad has been together for years. They’re accustomed to each other’s fighting styles. Replacing a member would disrupt their synergy, weakening their combat effectiveness.”

The truth was, he wasn’t ready to let go of this… toy… just yet.

His revenge had just begun. To lose Ekaterina now would be… disappointing.

He wouldn’t let her go until he was finished with her.

Augustus, his brow still furrowed, studied Qin Chu, then Ekaterina and Loseweisse, his gaze sharp and calculating. After a long moment, he sighed. “Very well. If Hero-sama believes it’s not an issue, I won’t object. However, if you encounter any further problems, please don’t hesitate to contact me…”

He would have preferred to replace the Hero’s entourage with his own people, but he couldn’t force the matter.

Ekaterina, her despair lifting, felt a surge of gratitude.

This man… he had initially tried to protect her reputation, even though he had been the victim.

So many people had condemned her, even Augustus had wanted to strip her of her titles and honors. Only Loseweisse and Qin Chu had defended her. Loseweisse was her friend, so her support was expected.

But Qin Chu… she had attacked him, almost killed him, without even understanding the situation, and yet he was willing to give her another chance.

Perhaps… he wasn’t such a bad person after all?

She looked at him, seeing him in a new light. He wasn’t handsome, but he had a certain… charm… the more she looked at him, the more appealing he seemed.

It was a shame she had lost her purity, but giving it to him… well, it wasn’t the worst outcome.

…