In that moment, the entire room seemed spellbound.
Every single person had fallen completely under the charm of Cassius's tale.
Their hearts softened, their defenses melted, and the once-accused man standing before them now looked more like a tragic figure than a criminal.
Whispers of sympathy filled the air.
"Oh, the poor man…"
"He was so alone…"
"To think someone like him suffered so much…"
Even the nuns, women who prided themselves on being unshakable in the face of sin, now found their faith in judgment wavering. They looked at Cassius with pity in their eyes, wondering if perhaps they had all made a terrible mistake.
'Maybe the Goddess was wrong.' One of them dared to think. 'Maybe he truly is innocent.'
Perhaps this was all just a colossal misunderstanding—rumors and false stories twisted by those jealous of his wealth or charm.
Maybe, in their zeal for justice, they had condemned a man who was merely misunderstood.
