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This cup represents a bountiful harvest.

I offer this wine made from nourishing grain to Kjeragandr, so that we may be blessed with a bountiful harvest next year.

The Great Elder receives the wine and drinks it in one gulp.

As head of the Paleroche clan, I, Arctosz Paleroche, pay the highest tribute to Kjeragandr.

Your prayers will surely reach Kjeragandr.

Kjeragandr gave Her own hide to the Browntail clan, making the forests lush and full of beast-life so that the people of Kjerag would no longer succumb to the cold.

Yucatan.

Matriarch.

Yucatan respectfully brings forth a scarf.

This scarf represents comfort and good health.

I offer this cloth knit from warming fur to Kjeragandr, so that we may be blessed with comfort and good health next year.

The Great Elder takes the scarf and drapes it across the Saintess.

As head of the Browntail clan, I, Ratatos Browntail, pay the highest tribute to Kjeragandr.

Your prayers will surely reach Kjeragandr.

Finally, Kjeragandr gave Her own bones to the Silverash clan, making the mountains rich with metal so that the people of Kjerag could forge tools and weapons.

Matterhorn.

Sir.

Matterhorn respectfully brings forth a small knife.

This small knife represents peace.

I offer this weapon of refined ore to Kjeragandr, so that we may be blessed with peace next year.

The Great Elder takes the knife and hands it to the Saintess with both hands.

As head of the Silverash clan, I, Enciodes Silverash, pay the highest tribute to Kjeragandr.

Your prayers will surely reach Kjeragandr.

Next––

Master, the perpetrator has been found.

Great Elder, now that the perpetrator has been found, I know not whether to continue the ceremony or interrogate the perpetrator.

This perpetrator must be brought to justice!

That's right! The perpetrator must be punished!

Since the people worry about this matter, bring the perpetrator.

Very well.

Come.

(Monch?!)

(What's going on? Why is Monch in custody? D-Does this have something to do with the assassination attempt?!)

(Dammit, that idiot!)

(Wait, Rus, what are you doing?!)

Assassin who dares disrupt the Holy Hunt, state your name.

Why... *could* *cough*... would you seek to take Sir Enciodes's life?

I kill what needs to die.

Assassin, keeping your mouth shut will not spare your life.

Your sacrilege against Kjeragandr during a sacred ceremony is a sin that must be punished accordingly.

Know that if you persist, then by the Commandments, I can order your execution on the spot!

Fine. Then you shall be dealt with according to the Commandments.

Even if you choose not to speak, your identity will not be difficult to uncover.

Wait, hold on!

Sciurus!

Yucatan, what are you doing? Let go of me!

Monch is one of my people! I won't let you hurt her!

Is this true, Sciurus?

...Sciurus! You get back here this instant!

This isn't the time or place to be fooling around. Yucatan, get your wife under control!

...Rus, you don't understand the situation. Let's not make a scene here, alright?

Come, over here, by me.

What am I not understanding? And I am not making a scene!

They're all like that. If I didn't speak up, they would've condemned Monch as an assassin!

I—

Silence!!

Ratatos, I...

Looks like that saves us the trouble of identifying the assassin.

Detain Sciurus.

W-Wait, why are you arresting me?!

I'm telling you, I never had Monch do anything of the sort! Someone must be trying to frame us!

Great Elder, surely it cannot be appropriate to use force against a member of the Browntail clan solely due to the words of an insignificant person who knows nothing of the situation.

As you can see, my stupid little sister could not possibly seek to assassinate Sir Enciodes, for she clearly lacks the brain cells to do so.

Hey, what are you trying to say?!

I told you to shut up!

(...Sciurus, know your place.)

What, you mean to say that your sister has been deceived, Ratotos? Do you not find something unusual about that?

Very perceptive, Great Elder.

*cough* *cough*... Enciodes... *cough*... What do you think?

Ratatos has always treated me kindly. and I have always trusted her. Even if we have our differences, I believe she would not resort to such drastic measures.

Ratatos, I have no reason to believe you to be of so little faith as to behave in such a manner during a celebration of Kjeragandr.

While my well-being is of little consequence, this disrespect to Kjeragandr cannot be tolerated.

What do you mean by that?

Now that we know that the perpetrator is a member of the Browntail clan, no one will believe the empty rhetoric that the Browntails have nothing to do with this matter.

Without providing some concrete evidence, or turning over the real perpetrator, even if I am willing to turn the other cheek... I'm afraid that the house of Browntail will be hard-pressed to convince the public.

Ratatos feels that she can understand the man's meaning, but the buzzing of those words inside her ears... is far too thunderous to bear.

The entire ceremony is awash with turmoil. She has never once felt the gaze of the surrounding people in such a way before - full of distrust and hostility, like barbs in her back.

Sciurus also seems to be saying something to her, and not in her usual sharp shouts, her lips are silently quivering.

Ratatos can tell from a glance what her voiceless words are. In the past, the two of them played similar tricks without the notice of adults.

Her sister says:

'But, I just wanted to do something for the Browntail clan!'

Great Elder, what is your opinion?

*cough*... Your words ring true, Enciodes... *cough* *cough*...

Great Elder, is there something wrong?

I'm fine... *gurgle*...

Great Elder, what's happening?!

There's some green liquid coming from the Great Elder's lips... He's been poisoned!

Someone poisoned the Great Elder!

Let me see.

Stay back, Saintess! There may be other poison!

I'm not afraid.

No... the poison is too potent and is suppressing my healing Arts. I can only barely maintain the Great Elder's life for a while.

Who would poison the Great Elder?! And, when...

Wine! It must've been that cup of wine that Arctosz offered to the Great Elder!

Bring the cup!

H-Here it is!

Without a doubt... there are traces of poison.

That's impossible!

...So that's your game.

Arctosz, I never could've imagined that you would dare poison the Great Elder in your bid to take over Kjerag!