Story Time! Shiora - Who Was Guilty

Naraka had made the two Human kneel in the center of the room.

One was an old man—hunched, dressed in tattered clothes, his face marked with scars.

The other, a young woman—elegantly dressed, soft-eyed, her pale skin almost glowing.

Both had their wrists bound, their eyes fixed on the ground.

Naraka spoke without moving from her place:

> "Find the guilty one."

"No use of power. You will decide only with your thoughts."

No explanation was given.

No names were spoken.

No evidence was offered.

Herinhard locked his eyes on the woman.

Her fear was familiar—not begging, just quiet.

So delicate, so fragile… how could she be guilty?

His heart believed it.

> "If she's this quiet, this shaken… she must be pure."

Vercurius looked at the man.

He was filthy, exhausted—but there was no anger in his eyes.

Only the tired acceptance of someone who had stopped resisting.

He wasn't standing tall, but he wasn't trembling either.

> "He's not trying to run," Vercurius thought.

"If someone doesn't run, they're either innocent… or have lost everything."

Both gave their verdicts.

They didn't look at each other's answers.

Then… light footsteps echoed in the chamber.

Nujah entered.

He silently walked to Naraka's side.

Stood before the two prisoners.

He said nothing at first.

His gaze shifted to the woman—

Her tears flowing silently, fragile but calm.

Then to the man—

Hands shaking, yet eyes steady and brave.

No one spoke for a long moment.

Then Nujah gently lowered his head…

and with a simple, clear voice, he said:

> "They are both innocent."

"Neither of them is trying to run. Neither of them is trying to defend themselves. They're just… waiting."

"The guilty one trembles.

The innocent accepts."

"These two didn't hide in silence—

they became silence itself."

"Even when they looked at each other…

they weren't looking to be saved—

they were trying to understand the other."

"This isn't guilt shared.

It's loneliness… recognized."

Naraka smiled.

She leaned down and lifted Nujah into her arms.

Gently stroked his head.

And in a soft, warm voice, she said:

> "Correct."

> "This test wasn't only for the two of you… there was a hidden participant as well," she says.

Herinhard and Vercurius feel upset, knowing they lost to a child in something important.

But out of respect, they sincerely congratulate him.

Vercurius, turning to Nujah with a faint smile:

> "I won't lose next time… little Nujah," he says, and walks out as a friendly rival.

Seeing this, Herinhard smiles, throws his arm around Vercurius's neck, and walks out with him.

Raising his hand, he calls out to Nujah:

> "See you, little brother.

Next time, we'll be serious.

You better be ready," he says with a smile.

Naraka continues smiling as she looks at Nujah:

> "You've made two wonderful enemies, Nujah," she says.

Nujah, with a frightened face:

> "I didn't want this," he says, and hugs his mother in fear.

Naraka held Nujah gently in her arms as he trembled with fear, clinging to her. She looked down at him with warmth in her eyes and spoke softly:

> "The difference between a good enemy and a bad one... is the soul they carry within."

She glanced briefly at the doorway where Herinhard and Vercurius had left.

> "And both of them... possess two of the purest souls you will ever witness."

Her hand moved slowly through Nujah's hair, comforting him.

> "You should be proud, Nujah...

Because they've accepted you not only as a rival...

but also as a brother."

And with those words, everything fell into silence.

The test was over.

But something far greater had just begun.