Chapter 26: The Hall of Judgment

The air was suffocating.

This was not a trial. He had committed no crime, done nothing wrong.

And yet—the atmosphere, those crushing gazes fixed upon him—made Ethan feel as though he stood before judgment regardless.

“Ethan Heart… I assume you understand why you have been summoned, do you not?”

Ethan turned toward the owner of the voice.

It was calm. Measured. The tone of a man accustomed to authority, revealing fragments of his character in the way each word was placed.

He occupied the highest seat among those present. Though one of the ancient elders, he did not appear particularly advanced in age. His long crimson hair flowed down to the middle of his back. Sharp features hinted at the striking handsomeness he must have possessed in his youth.

A single round lens rested over his right crimson eye .. an elegant monocle. He wore black garments remarkably similar to Ethan’s own.

In response, Ethan inclined his head.

“I was informed beforehand, sir.”

He maintained proper decorum. The disparity in strength and standing between them was not something to disregard lightly.

Moon leaned closer, whispering into his ear.

“That is Sir Kevin Heart. A King-ranked knight.”

Ethan gave a subtle nod. It did not surprise him. He already knew that everyone seated above had reached the rank of King.

Sir Kevin Heart stood apart from the others—composed, distant.

Adjusting the report in his hands, he began reciting the information provided by Moon.

“From this point forward, I will recount certain details we have received from your squad leader. You will confirm what is accurate and refute what is not, if necessary. And naturally, I advise against lying. It will not aid you in the slightest—only worsen your position.”

Kevin was sharp. Direct to the point of seeming hostile.

Yet Ethan sensed no hostility from him.

No hatred. No personal grudge.

He was simply doing his duty .. for the good of the Hearts as a whole.

For that reason, Ethan did not resist. He nodded.

“I understand. Please proceed.”

“Very well.”

Sir Kevin shuffled the documents and began listing the facts one by one.

“Ethan Heart. During your squad’s fourth hunting expedition within the Domain of the Curse, you lost your memory. Do you deny this?”

Ethan shook his head.

“I do not. However, for the sake of precision, I must clarify that I did not lose everything. I still retain knowledge of many concepts regarding the Curse and the Eternal Night.”

“I am fully aware,” Kevin replied swiftly, not even glancing at him. His eyes remained fixed on the papers. “The report detailed your expedition thoroughly. Refrain from offering additional information unless it becomes necessary.”

He continued.

“Next. You lost your level entirely and returned to Level One. That is to say, you regressed from an Advanced Knight to a complete Novice Knight. Do you deny this?”

“No. That is correct.”

Kevin nodded. His expression hardened; the gravity of the matter intensified.

“Your leader has provided us with an alarming claim—difficult to believe—that you were cursed by one of the Night Lords. It is suggested this is the cause of the aforementioned events. Is this true?”

There was curiosity in Kevin’s voice. After all, Ethan’s squad had ventured only into the First Region—a place where the appearance of a Night Lord was considered impossible.

Silence fell over the hall.

The other elders leaned forward ever so slightly, their interest piqued. They awaited Ethan’s answer.

He remained quiet for a moment.

Then, after exchanging a meaningful glance with Moon ..

He nodded.

“That is correct.”

The words struck like a detonated charge.

The elders began murmuring among themselves, shock evident on most of their faces.

Kevin narrowed his eyes at Ethan. A dangerous gleam flickered within them.

But it was not he who spoke next.

A different voice rose—gentle, almost soothing.

“Ethan Heart… would you be so kind as to reveal the mark of your curse to us?”

Ethan turned toward the speaker.

An elderly woman sat serenely to one side, hands folded atop her lap. She wore a simple blue dress. Her red hair, braided neatly, rested over her shoulder and extended across her chest.

At first glance, she seemed like a kindly grandmother incapable of harming anyone.

The aura surrounding her told an entirely different story.

“My Mistress…” Moon murmured unconsciously.

Ethan glanced at her. “Who?”

“Vanessa Heart. The Witch of the Forest. She is my mentor—and a King-ranked witch.”

Moon’s words confirmed it. This was the very witch they had spoken of—the one who might suppress Ethan’s curse.

Understanding this, Ethan stepped forward.

He lowered the high collar concealing the back of his neck.

And revealed what lay beneath.

The elders reacted instantly.

“The Mark of the Blood Eclipse… Good heavens…” Vanessa whispered.

A complex mixture of emotions crossed her face.

Curiosity. Fascination. Awe.

“To think I would witness something like this after all the years I have lived… A Fifth-Grade Blood Eclipse, standing before me…”

The Witch of the Forest appeared captivated .. almost entranced. She looked as though she might seize Ethan on the spot and dissect him purely to study this phenomenon that surfaced only once every few centuries.

But unlike Vanessa—

The others regarded Ethan with darkened eyes.

Among them, Sir Kevin Heart let out a long sigh. He placed a hand over his face, then slowly dragged it upward, pushing his crimson hair back into place.

“Ethan Heart… do you truly have no idea where you acquired such a curse?”

His voice was firm.

From his gaze alone, Ethan felt as though the elder were piercing him again and again with invisible blades.

And yet—he did not yield.

He did not retreat beneath the pressure.

Instead, he answered calmly, flawlessly .. his carefully crafted mask doing its work.

“No, sir. I have no knowledge of it.”

His tone. His expression.

Nothing about Ethan suggested deceit.

But he was lying.

There was no possible way he could tell them that the Devil of Balance—a Night Lord—had branded him.

Fortunately, even Kevin Heart could not see through him. And so, he refrained from pressing further.

Still, the elder appeared deeply unsettled. This was the first case of its kind he had encountered in such a form. He sighed repeatedly, the weight of the situation evident in every breath.

As the elders whispered among themselves, casting dangerous glances at Ethan, the tension among the Third Hunting Squad intensified.

“Raiden… this doesn’t look good,” little Chai Heart murmured, clutching the edge of Raiden’s long coat.

Raiden nodded grimly.

“Yeah… I don’t like where this is heading. For now, we wait and see what they decide. Then we’ll try to intervene.”

Chai nodded in response. Alicia glanced between them, then gave a hesitant nod as well.

After Ethan revealed the Mark of the Blood Eclipse, Kevin refrained from further questioning for a time, conferring quietly with the other elders instead.

The discussion lasted only a few minutes.

To Ethan, it felt like hours.

Fortunately, it did not drag on longer than that. All eyes returned to him.

“Ethan Heart. Reveal your left arm.”

The order came from Kevin, catching Ethan slightly off guard.

But he complied.

He removed the long black glove, exposing the dark mechanical arm beneath. Crimson lines flared across its surface like burning veins.

The elders’ interest sharpened.

“This mechanical arm—does it originate from your new blessing?”

Ethan nodded.

“That is correct. I possess the ability to transform souls into weapons.”

Of everything presented so far, this blessing seemed to be the only positive development in the elders’ eyes.

“A unique blessing… and a powerful curse,” Kevin murmured. “Both acquired under unknown circumstances. And within the First Region alone.”

He shook his head faintly.

“Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would not have believed it even for a moment.”

Kevin’s words made it clear to Ethan why he had been summoned. What Moon had reported sounded unbelievable—borderline absurd.

No further questions were asked.

Ethan was instructed to step back alongside Moon while the elders deliberated his fate.

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