Chapter 191: False accusation
Hye Yang could not speak with her face pressed to the floor by a foot.
Mira wanted to burst out laughing, she had contained her laughter for way too long but the evening just kept getting better and better.
"Take your foot off her Shu Hua, do not meddle in this matter till you are asked to." Mira said aloud softly. She did not want to show her sister mercy by her words, she simply wanted Ming Tao to handle this on his own because she knew he could.
Shu Hue twisted her foot harder at the back of Hye Yang’s head before taking it off. "Forgive me for overstepping boundaries, wife of the Mighty Cheetah." Shu Hua said with a bow. "But this woman had spread a lot of hateful words towards you and I could not contain it anymore. All she spreads are lies to her favour and she cannot even cook meat! She cannot do the things that you have done." Shu Hua stated her dissatisfaction. "She cannot cook delicious meat too and she dared slander the wife of the Mighty Cheetah." Shu Hua voiced.
Mira bit her lower lip to hold herself from laughing out loud. Shu Hua was taking her side but for a completely different reason.
[ It seems that your cooking skills have blinded the masses to be in your favour, host! ]
The way to a woman and man’s heart is their stomach, Mira said to system in her mind. This display was the comedic relief Mira did not know she needed.
Mira stretched her hand up then gestured that Shu Hua blends into the crowd which Shu Hua obeyed. Now, Hye Yang was on the ground, knelt down with her face still to the ground.
"What do you have to say for yourself, Hye Yang?" Mira asked. Hye Yang shot her head up, her eyes were reddened and watery and fury was written across her face. Sand was smudged on the portion of her face that met the ground and she dusted it off with a messy brush of her palm across her face.
"These are all lies!" Hye Yang barked. Now she turned around to look at the beast people who surrounded her. For a second, Hye Yang’s face dropped. They had a look on their faces that she had known way too well because all her life, she had watched them give that look to her sister, but now, it was directed towards her.
Hye Yang saw doubt. She saw pity. And she saw condescension on their faces. She noticed disgust too.
No, this could not be! They could not be doubting me and believing any of this! Not when I have worked my entire life playing miss right so they could all love me! Hye Yang said to herself. Her mind was a chaotic mess and she began to lose herself. "HOW COULD ANYONE BELIEVE SUCH A THING THAT I ASSOCIATED MYSELF WITH DARK MAGIC?!! I have lived with you all since the day I was born!! I have helped every single one of you and your tribes and I have NEVER ONCE DONE ANYTHING TO HARM ANYONE OR ANYTHING!! I have never spread rumours too and these are all false!!" Hye Yang barked.
The tears that ran down her face looked real. She swung her hand forward then pointed it to the side to meet her sister. "It IS HER! My own blood sister the demon of the forest MUST HAVE manipulated her husband and that beast woman to come at me, I would never!!" Hye Yang sounded genuine, like someone who had been wrongly accused and wanted to prove innocent. Her voice carried the weight of betrayal and hurt.
This woman was so used to pretense that she thought it was this easy to manipulate everyone around her. Mira could not help but feel sad. It must have been so sad to be this woman and live like she did all because she lacked contentment.
Hye Yang was beautiful and Mira knew that there were so many beast men who would die to line up to be her husbands but the girl threw it all away because she wanted what did not belong to her. It was such a waste of youth. She kept on fighting battles and faking when she never needed to. Hye Yang chose this path for herself so Mira could not even feel empathy or sympathy. It was just sad watching her sister be this way when it could all have been avoided.
"Speak, demon of the forest! TELL THE TRUTH ON YOUR EVIL DOING AND I MAY JUSY FORGIVE YOU!!" Hye Yang blurted out. She had done this before for the old owner of this body and the old Mira caved, every single time something similar happened but that Mira was dead. This Mira was not a fool or a goody too shoes and she would not be letting this shit happen.
"What exactly did I do?" Mira asked.
Hye Yang was sobbing violently now and taking short, heavy, deep breaths as her angered eyes stared at Mira.
"What is it you accuse me of exactly?" Mira asked calmly.
Hye Yang swallowed. "For everything I have been blamed for today."
"And what exactly have you been blamed for, sister? Say it and I will say the truth you want me to." Mira said.
Hye Yang felt trapped. She was unsure if this was Mira being her old self or Mira trying to make her admit it. She took the chance regardless as there was not much that she could do at this moment.
"For destroying the farm. For using banished art and risking the lives of our beast brothers and sisters and cousins to achieve it." Hye Yang sobbed, recollecting all that Ming Tao said and trying to sound disdained. "Practicing dark Magic and being in contact with our enemy tribe." Hye Yang stated. She used a hand to wipe the tears off both her cheeks then looked down. "And spreading false rumours in my favour. I would never do any of those. I know you hate me sister, but please, do not cause people to lie!"
Ming Tao felt his fist clench, he wanted to give a resounding slap to the woman kneeling before him, one that would leave her deafened for the rest of her days but he contained his rage. He took a deep breath in then let out an exhale. "And you claim to be innocent of these things while I am under manipulation?" He asked.
Hye Yang looked at him then nodded. "Yes, my lord." She blurted out.
Ming Tao stretched his hand forward. "Let them in."