Luca, unaware of their quiet exchange, continued to prove his innocence.
"As for what Julius said earlier, about me killing women." He began, his gaze sweeping across the crowd. "I don't need to make a big demonstration for that. It's very simple."
He folded his arms loosely and looked around the gathered elves.
"Just because someone is a woman..." He said evenly. "...doesn't mean she's innocent."
The words made a few elves stiffen. But his tone wasn't aggressive; it was simply matter-of-fact.
"Tell me." He continued. "If a woman held a knife to your throat, trying to rob or kill you...would you let her go just because she's a woman? Or would you fight back?"
He paused for a moment, then answered himself.
"Of course you'd fight back. You wouldn't care about chivalry or some ridiculous notion of gallantry. In that moment, gender doesn't matter. Survival does."
The elves listened quietly, some nodding slowly.
