Angelina glided over, her touch tender as she wrapped her arms around Kenny's neck from behind, leaning in to plant a gentle kiss on his forehead. "Fear not, my love, I do indeed possess a means to liberate you. Moreover, my actions aim to sever the final ties binding you to Milia. Without this, you'd struggle to muster the resolve."

"And is this current predicament what you desired?" Kenny snapped up a slice of bread, his frustration evident. "The High Priest had already interceded on my behalf regarding the charade of my demise, yet here I remain, unable to return."

"Fret not, for I still hold a stratagem," Angelina's gaze gleamed with cunning.

"Didn't anticipate your audacity in visiting me," Liam remarked from his seat in the tribal council's chief's office, Kenny seated across from him. Once, they would convene here for matters of import, but today marked a complete reversal of their roles.

Kenny removed his hood, revealing his countenance, now oddly alien to Liam. The erstwhile air of composed confidence in the leader had somehow morphed into a shade of malevolence and distrust. His strained smile and aloof demeanor melded into a facade of deceit. "You've just ascended to chieftaincy, burdened with myriad concerns. Rather than you scouring for traces of me, it's prudent for me to come forth and elucidate matters with you."

"Hah, truly magnanimous of you. So, enlighten me, how did you dispatch Joseph?" Liam's disbelief dripped from his words, observing Kenny's performance with a derisive sneer.

"I swear by the heavens, I am innocent of such deeds. Thomas had me in his grip, threatening harm to my wife, thus I relented," Kenny's earnest demeanor, tinged with a hint of sorrow, carried weight. Had it not been for Liam's prior knowledge, he might have been swayed by this erstwhile leader.

Liam cast a skeptical glance toward Kenny, propping his feet up on the table and reclining in his chair. "It is alleged that Mrs. Ann surrendered that vial of the Death Oath. How do you account for this? Though High Priest Osha has since seized it, it still exists. How could Mrs. Ann have acquired it? And who uttered this Death Oath? How do you rationalize these?"

Kenny persisted with his sincere countenance, as if bearing a slight grievance. "Indeed, I have been ensnared by another's machinations. Thomas had me in his thrall, employing his son, Burke, as a messenger to summon Joseph to meet him at the cliff's edge within the forest. When I laid eyes upon Joseph at the threshold of the olive tree courtyard, he was already inebriated. I merely administered a tonic to clear his wits. I had no inkling of who bore witness to this scene and falsely accused me of poisoning Joseph."

"Shifting the blame to Thomas? A convenient recourse, isn't it?" Thomas harbored no belief in Kenny's words.

"At the time, I found myself bound by a considerable debt to Thomas, and he threatened the lives of my wife and me. I succumbed momentarily. It was only upon hastening with the carriage and arriving at the forest's edge cliff that I discovered Joseph's demise."

"And then you feigned your own demise with his body?"

"Aye, 'twas a lapse in judgment," Kenny asserted with unwavering confidence.

"Isn't it rather convenient that you happened to carry a forged moonstone ring with you to put on Joseph?" Liam scoffed.

"You're aware of the lengths the Cheno tribe, led by Thomas, will go to. I've always been on the lookout for an opportunity to escape. As for the fake moonstone ring, it's true that I always had it with me," Kenny's baritone narrated eloquently, his hand brushing against his forehead in anguish. "Although it may seem too coincidental, I trust that time will prove the truth of my words."

"Moreover, when I discovered Joseph's death, I did indeed place the fake moonstone ring on him. However, I departed immediately afterward. I didn't throw him off the cliff. After my departure, I can't say whether he truly passed away or if someone else came and pushed him off the cliff while he still had breath in him. Anything is possible," Kenny continued, his gaze unwavering as he addressed Liam, who sat stunned before him.

Liam lowered his legs from the table, leaning forward, his eyes widening as he observed this man, brimming with falsehoods yet presenting them with such conviction. Kenny continued, "That night, Thomas also had his men in Lawrence Castle. One of them, Ethan, saw me take Joseph onto the carriage. Perhaps he followed me, and then, after I left, pushed Joseph off the cliff while he was still alive. Ethan is one of Thomas's trusted men, and mercenaries like them have no scruples."

Kenny looked at Liam, who remained speechless. With an air of self-satisfaction, Kenny rose from his seat. "As a conscientious citizen, I have fulfilled my duty. Your Lordship, it is now up to you to ensure justice is served. Rumors are rife in the city, which is highly unfair to me. Please, plead my innocence with High Priest Osha, and swiftly restore normalcy to my life. Thank you." With that, Kenny donned his hood and swaggered out of the tribal council hall.

A few days later, High Priest Osha convened a council of elders in the temple and announced Kenny's restoration of citizenship, allowing him free access to Lawrence Castle and returning all his personal property. Upon hearing the news, Kenny swiftly returned to Lawrence Castle and visited several of the closest elders to the former leader, including Elder Gabriel, garnering their support. Kenny, now under the guise of the leader of the OLVE New Alliance, held a charity banquet in the city, promoting the philanthropic deeds of the OLVE Alliance. Transformed from a dishonored deserter, he became a benefactor who cared for the welfare of the wandering in the realm of rivers.

Meanwhile, Milia found herself unable to return to the Olive Tree Courtyard. Her belongings and the few personal items she possessed were hastily packed and sent to Heidi's priestess residence. The newly hired maid politely informed her not to return to the Olive Tree Courtyard. Public opinion on the streets underwent subtle changes once again. People began to doubt more about how Milia, a member of the Elf tribe, came to marry into the Wolf clan of Lawrence. Some even mentioned that Milia's orphan status was due to being expelled by the Elf tribe.

Milia paid no heed to these matters. She still held her head high, living confidently within Lawrence Castle. Embracing her identity as an Elf, she continued to gather herbal plants, brew potions, and now resided in a small house near the temple in the outskirts of Lawrence Castle. There, she opened a small clinic and led a self-sufficient life.

One morning, as she ventured alone into the forest to collect rare and precious herbs, she unconsciously wandered near the canyon close to Mrs. Ann's villa. A faint rustling emanated from the woods, prompting Milia to glance around cautiously. To her surprise, she spotted the old man claiming to be Mrs. Ann's father. He clung to a tree trunk, struggling to move forward, his hair disheveled, and his clothes torn by branches. Milia was taken aback; she had always believed this old man, paralyzed from head to toe, couldn't stand up, let alone encounter him here.

"Sir, are you feeling alright?" Milia hurried forward to assist him. "And who might you be?" The old man's feeble voice quivered with uncertainty.

It was understandable that he didn't recognize her; the old man seldom ventured outside and rarely crossed paths with others. "Please, lend me a hand. I seem to have lost my bearings. Where exactly am I?" The old man's plea carried a note of desperation. "I can't seem to find my way back. How do I return?"

A peculiar feeling washed over Milia as she observed the old man's demeanor; his consciousness seemed somewhat clouded. "Sir, could you share your name with me? And where is it you wish to return to?" "I... I am... I am your deity."

Milia's heart skipped a beat. Taking a closer look, she noticed the unkempt tangle of white hair and beard upon his weathered face. Gently parting the strands on his forehead, she was astonished to find a faint, golden diamond-shaped mark. Though faded and incomplete, it unmistakably bore the signature of a divine being.

Seemingly offended by her intrusion, the old man swatted her hand away, fixing her with a stern gaze. Though Milia was inclined to press further, a rustling sound from behind the trees caught her attention. Swiftly turning, she sought refuge behind a nearby bush, concealing herself from view.

Sure enough, emerging from the foliage were Angelina and several attendants. Spotting the old man, they hastened to his side. Peering through the foliage, Milia observed their interactions. Angelina addressed the old man in soothing tones, "Great Lord, we've located you at last. Our concern for your well-being has been profound." The old man stood motionless, his gaze momentarily dimming as if lost in confusion. Emitting incomprehensible sounds from his throat, he seemed to respond to Angelina's inquiries. Assisting the old man, the group then turned towards the villa nestled deep within the canyon.