The Heroines Who Framed Me Are Clinging to Me

Chapter 3 - He’s Not a Traitor

In the corner of the assembly hall, the appearance of the elf caused a stir.

Her presence alone was enough to draw attention, particularly because she was an elf with a severed ear—a distinctive symbol that only heightened the impact of her shocking declaration.

"The hero from another world was a good person?"

"But didn’t he commit all kinds of atrocities?"

"This is just the word of someone who dropped out of the Hero Party. It lacks credibility!"

The hall, which had been buzzing with excitement and praise, suddenly grew cold.

Chaos filled the space.

Serena drove her point home.

"I swear on the honor of the elves. Lee Han would never betray humanity."

The murmurs grew louder, more intense.

Some people glanced at Aina, their eyes now filled with doubt.

If an elf was willing to swear on something so serious, surely there must be a reason behind it, they thought.

Aina\'s lips trembled uncontrollably.

Keuk.

She bit down hard on her lower lip, trying to steady herself. She barely noticed the taste of blood filling her mouth. This was completely unexpected.

\'Why... Why is Serena doing this?\'

Serena.

She was the representative of the elves who resided in the central forest. With her exceptional archery and precise tracking abilities, she had been a key member of the Hero Party.

That was until a certain incident.

In that incident, Serena lost the tip of her ear, a symbol of elf pride. The cause was connected to Lee Han, and Serena had nearly killed him in her rage. It took the combined efforts of the entire Hero Party to separate them. After a fierce fight, Serena left the party.

So why now?

Why was Serena defending Lee Han, the one she had fought with and left the party over?

Aina, who had prepared for countless variables in anticipation of this speech, had never predicted this scenario.

"Th-that’s..."

Aina’s voice wavered.

Sensing an opportunity, Serena pressed on.

"Even though we didn’t always agree, Lee Han was a good man. He was always thinking about how to protect the weak on this continent. Isn’t that right, Claire? Aria? Say something!"

The sudden call-out.

Flinch!

Aria’s hand trembled violently.

Claire, standing beside her, squeezed Aria’s hand tightly.

Tch.

Serena clicked her tongue and continued.

"You heartless people. Did you want to claim all of Lee Han’s achievements as your own? The secret passage to the Demon King’s castle! The way he turned the Demon King’s officers against each other, causing them to destroy each other without a fight! His accomplishments were so numerous that I could talk about them endlessly, even though I left halfway through! But you... you executed him! You beheaded him! Have you humans no conscience?"

Serena’s outburst was raw and filled with emotion.

The crowd grew even more restless. Despite her impassioned tone, her words rang true. And she was an elf. Elves, known for their pride, were not prone to lying. Plus, she had made a vow.

"...Could she be telling the truth?"

"But surely the three heroes wouldn’t lie."

"I knew Lee Han personally. He didn’t seem like the type. He was a young man of remarkable character."

Doubt began to ripple through the assembly.

More and more people started to waver.

Some looked to Aina, expecting an explanation.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Aina’s heart pounded in her chest, harder than it had even when she had plunged her sword into the Demon King.

This was an unprecedented crisis.

If things continued like this, her chances of securing the throne would slip away.

It would be her downfall.

She had to say something... anything!

"Serena... you..."

Her voice came out shaky, surprising even herself.

This was not the calm, dignified, and authoritative voice of the princess that everyone was used to.

Even Aina seemed shocked by her own faltering words, trailing off as she hesitated. It was the worst possible outcome.

She took a few unsteady steps backward.

"The real demon isn’t Lee Han, it’s you!"

Serena’s voice rang out like a final nail in the coffin.

Now, all eyes were on Aina, not Serena.

Aina’s mind raced.

But no solution came to her.

This was an elf’s vow.

How could she counter such a declaration with something equally convincing?

Should she invoke a ‘vow of truth’?

But that was impossible.

The words Aina had spoken were not true.

"Th-that’s..."

Her legs gave out.

As Aina stumbled, about to fall, someone caught her.

"Are you alright, Princess? You must be exhausted after thinking so much about standing here since yesterday. You must have overexerted yourself."

It was Claire who had caught her.

With a sweet smile, Claire leaned in and whispered in Aina’s ear.

"I’ll help you this time. But you’ll owe me a reward."

Without the strength to even nod, Aina stepped back.

Claire, still smiling brightly, stepped forward.

"The princess seems to be tired, so I will speak on her behalf. First, let me introduce myself. I’m Claire, the mage of the Hero Party and vice-chief of the Harold Trading Company."

With a graceful motion, she lifted the hem of her dress and bowed.

Her greeting was textbook-perfect, capturing the attention of the high-ranking officials.

Then she turned to face Serena.

"Serena. Do you remember why you left the Hero Party?"

"Because it was madness! You were all too cruel! You drove Lee Han to his death without a second thought! It was utterly..."

Clap.

Claire clapped her hands.

Serena’s voice was abruptly cut off.

Effortlessly redirecting the attention to herself, Claire spoke in a voice tinged with sadness.

"You said it yourself. You were driven mad."

"...What?"

"You just admitted with your own mouth that you went mad."

Claire’s gaze was filled with pity, as if she were looking at a troubled soul.

She skillfully used her voice and gestures to manipulate the emotions of the audience.

"That’s not...!"

Serena tried to shout in frustration.

But Claire no longer met her gaze. Instead, she addressed the high-ranking officials.

"The journey to defeat the Demon King was fraught with dangers. Along the way, it’s not uncommon for people to lose their sanity. No matter how intelligent someone may be, they’re not immune. It’s a tragic thing."

Several war-hardened knights nodded in agreement.

Their nods quickly spread through the crowd.

Claire expertly guided these emotions, as if it were second nature.

"Unfortunately, Serena was too pure. Those of you who have been through war will understand. Some sacrifices are always inevitable. Serena couldn’t endure that process. It’s a tragic thing, really.

Look at her. Does she still look like an elf to you?"

The audience was easily swayed.

Especially when emotions were involved.

Claire knew this well.

As expected.

The gazes that turned back to Serena were filled with pity.

"C-Claire... you..."

People nodded at the words of someone they pitied. But that pity only served to render the target’s own words as hollow echoes.

"Poor Serena. I deeply regret not taking better care of you."

"I’m not mad!"

"I sincerely apologize for that. I’ll be sure to take better care of you from now on."

"Claire! How dare you! Let go of me! It was you! You framed Lee Han!"

Serena’s enraged voice filled the hall.

A voice torn with anger, so unlike what one would expect from an elf.

"Such coarse behavior from an elf is unheard of."

"I’ve never heard of an elf being this rough."

The crowd’s gaze grew colder.

Despite this, Serena continued to shout in frustration.

"You humans! You’re so narrow-minded and ungrateful!"

"...Please remove her."

"Let go! Let go of me! Lee Han would never do that! Who was it? Who framed Lee Han...!"

Thud!

"......"

As she was dragged out, the hall fell into a heavy silence.

With a graceful bow, Claire acknowledged the crowd’s gaze. Then, she stepped back, positioning Aina in front of her, as if to signal that her role was done.

Chancellor Reinhardt broke the silence.

"Causing such a disturbance at a welcome banquet. It’s a rather troublesome incident. She’ll have to be punished."

The icy stare from Reinhardt made Aina flinch.

The veins bulging from his tightly clenched fists were a clear warning.

Gulp.

Aina swallowed hard and spoke up.

"No, Chancellor Reinhardt. Serena’s mind is simply unsteady. As her comrade, I beg for your forgiveness."

Aina looked up at the chancellor, holding her breath.

Was this the right move?

The chancellor’s clenched fist relaxed.

"It can’t be helped. I’m moved by your magnanimous heart, Princess Aina. This old man can only be grateful."

Reinhardt bowed his head.

At his gesture, the previously tense atmosphere in the hall began to ease.

"If the chancellor is so moved..."

"Indeed. There’s no way the heroes could have lied."

And so, the incident was brushed off as a minor disturbance.

But a seed of doubt had been sown.

The banquet in honor of the heroes concluded successfully.

...And then.

— Foolish ones! You have not faced the trial correctly! The Demon King shall be resurrected, with a greater darkness!

A divine revelation descended upon the assembly hall, now empty except for the three heroes.