"Paladin Fortin, do you have anything to defend yourself?" Uther asked Tirio calmly.

Tirio stood up and said sternly to the court. "My people, I know this must sound ridiculous, but the orc saved my life. In return, I give my word, as a paladin I will also protect his life. The orc's name was Itrege, and he valued honor as much as the opponents I had faced before. Mockery and gasps erupted from the gathered onlookers. Tirio didn't weaken and continued. "When I speak to you, you must understand that I have betrayed my honor as a paladin in order to obey my commands. That's something I can't do. That said, I will accept whatever punishment you see fit. ”

Uther strode over to the four jurors and knelt beside them. He argued with them for a while, his fingers standing on his fingers, as if emphasizing a point. After a while, it seemed as if the jurors had become more lenient, and then Uther walked back to the pult, looking as if he had triumphed.

"Paladin Fortin," he began, "the Tribunal is fully aware of the credit you have made for years in the defense of Lordaeron and its allied kingdoms. Everyone here understands your guts and courage. Nevertheless, it is a very serious crime to associate with an enemy who is human but not in common, without taking into account their sense of honour to be speculated upon. In order to grant the orc pardon, you took a big risk, risking your personal willfulness on the safety of Hearthvale. In consideration of your merits, the Tribunal is prepared to grant you a complete pardon if you revoke your oath to the creature and reaffirm your obligations to the Alliance. ”

Tirio cleared his throat. Simple concessions are so easy, and then go home to see your wife and son. He turned to see Arton with his hands wrenched in anticipation.

"Please, sir. Promise them, and it's over," Arton whispered anxiously. Tirio saw Dasohan take a step forward, as if urging him to forget about the orc and clear his name.

"Let's get rid of all this nonsense, Tirio," Dassaulthan shouted in a low voice of excitement.

"Paladin Fortin, what's your answer?" Uther saw Tirio's hesitation and asked suspiciously.

Tirio steadied himself and faced the court members boldly. "What will the orcs do with it, sir?" This question seems to have taken the Grand Paladin by surprise, but it seems that there is nothing wrong with answering it anyway.

"It will be executed, just like any other human enemy. Whatever personal dealings you have with that creature, it is a savage, murderous beast that cannot be allowed to live. ”

Tirio lowered his head and thought for a moment. With the eyes of his consciousness, he looked imaginatively at Tyran's innocent face. He wanted to go home, so much......

He looked up and saw that Da Sohan gave him a happy smile; The commander looked confident that Tirio would make the right decision. Tirio looked at his courtroom nonchalantly. He will make the only decision that honor allows.

"I will continue to promise the Alliance until the day I die. There is no doubt about that," Tirio said confidently. "But I can't reverse my oath. To do so is to betray me and to cherish us as people with a sense of honor. ”

At this point, the entire gathered crowd erupted in anger and shock. No one could trust Tirio's cheeky and tough decision. Even the aristocratic jurors were dumbfounded at Tirio. The tired paladin felt his heart sink even more when he heard Alton crying behind him. Dasohan sat heavily in his chair and shook his head in frustration. Buthras looked like he was about to leap out of his seat. Many of the gathered warriors began shouting lewd words at Tirio, calling him a traitor. Some of them spat on him, and he stood motionless in front of the platform.

Rubbing his eyes wearily, Uther motioned for the courtroom to be quiet again. He was a little frantic about what he had to do, but Tirio had made his attitude clear.

"In that case," Uther said ominously. "Tirio Fortin, from now on, you will no longer be welcome in the Knights of the Silver Hand. You are no longer fit to bask in the grace of the Light. I hereby expel you from our ranks. ”

The audience gasped at Uther's words. Expulsion from the ranks of the Holy Light is a rare and harsh punishment, which robs the Paladins of the power bestowed by the Light. Despite only being used a few times, every paladin is as fearful of death as the living. Tirio couldn't fully understand what was going to happen. Before he could utter a word, Uther made a sweeping motion with his hand. Immediately, Tirio felt a shadow pass by him, extinguishing the divine power of the Light. Panic overwhelmed him, and the grace and enhanced power of the Light vanished from his body in an instant. The energy of blessing, which had been such an indispensable part of him for so long, had faded and disappeared as if it had never been. Although the light of the temple never flickered, Tirio felt as if he was wrapped in darkness and cast into oblivion. Unable to withstand the despair and loss that raged through his body in waves, Tirio bowed his head in a miserable despair.

Uther continued. "All of our Order's armor and clothing must be removed from you," he said, as the two paladins stepped forward, tearing the silver armor from Tirio's painful body with hostile intimacy, "and personal titles and controls. ”

Tirio struggled with despair. He had never felt so empty and weak in his life. The figures of Tyran and Calandra drifted into his tormented consciousness. He had to hold on to himself. He had to think about his dignity. Bracing his shaky legs, he stood facing the courtroom again.

"You will be exiled from these kingdoms and spend the rest of your life in the wilderness of the world. May the Light have mercy on your soul," Uther finished.

Tirio felt dizzy. His head was dizzy, and anxiety overwhelmed him at the same time. He could barely clearly hear Uther's next words to the entire attendee:

"Contrary to my better verdict, it is the will of this Tribunal, and Paladin Bathras takes over as regent of Hearthvale with immediate effect. Bathras remained here to watch the morning hanging, and then returned to his hometown to fulfill his duties. As for the exile, Tirio Verding was to be escorted back to the castle of Madenhold. There he will pick up his family and be escorted to the borders of the Union territory. The proceedings are now over," Uther said, slamming his armored fist into the pultrum. He stared at Tirio with a sense of defeat, visibly disgusted by the outcome of the trial.

"My, I have one last question," Tirio squeezed out the words. Uther paused to listen—a gesture of ending respect and friendship for his former comrades. "My wife and son...... They're going to be exiled too, and my sin will ruin their lives as much as they have sinned?" Tirio asked, trembling.

Uther bowed her head sadly. The man in front of him was a good man. That's not the way a hero should be treated.

"No, Tirio. They could stay in Lordaeron, if they thought so. It's your crime, not theirs. They don't deserve to be punished for your arrogance," Uther said. Then he turned around and left with his back to Tirio. Lost in a sense of despair and grief, Tirio could barely realize that the guards were dragging him out of the temple. (To be continued.) )