After the final verdict was interrupted, the case was postponed to a later date. Although I was still being held responsible for crimes I did not commit, nothing more could be done that night. By nightfall, just as the guards were preparing to leave their posts for the night, they received a letter ordering them to bring me before the clan head.
The room was enormous. Not a speck of dust could be seen anywhere. I stood there dirty and with my torn clothes, the only thing out of place in that spotless chamber was me.
The clan head spoke calmly. "You have been accused of numerous crimes since the moment you entered our clan's gate."
His words felt like judgment itself. I was terrified, powerless and hopeless against everyone in that room. Slowly, I began to accept my fate.
"You have been found innocent of all charges," he said.
Relief washed over me instantly. A smile I couldn't suppress began to show on my face. I was so glad and grateful that I wasn't going to die.
To compensate me, the clan head offered an all expense paid stay within the Clover Clan for as long as I needed. I accepted without hesitation since I had nowhere else to go. And just like that, I was free of all charges.
They gave me a large room with its own bath. I bathed immediately, washing away the dirt and exhaustion, then I jumped onto the bed and slept.
The next day…
I decided to take a break from training and explore the Clover Clan, hoping to familiarise myself with the clan. It was exhausting, the clan grounds were massive, filled with trees so similar that it was easy to get lost.
As the day went on, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching me. Their gaze followed me almost constantly. I ignored it, assuming the clan leaders were keeping an eye on me, wary of my presence.
Eventually, I stumbled upon the clan's training grounds.
It was unlike anything I had ever seen well organized, equipped with a majority of tools and wooden weapons for combat training.
That's where I saw the green sword swordsman. He was seated quietly by the stands. I approached and greeted him, and he responded warmly.
"You were in a tight spot back there," he said. "If I hadn't arrived when I did, you'd be dead. But let's not dwell in the past."
"You're right," I replied. "But I should be asking you if you are okay, what happened to your arm?"
"When I was close to the clan entrance, I was struck by a poisoned arrow," he said calmly. "The poison was spreading quickly. I had no choice but to amputate my arm to stop it from reaching my heart."
"I see… then why did it take you so long to get here?" I asked.
"I had to throw the attackers off" he explained. "If they discovered the Clover Clan's location, we would have probably lost a lot of people."
He paused, then added, "You usually call me sir or the green sword swordsman but from now on call me Stork"
We talked for quite some time, until nightfall. When we finally parted, I headed back to my room.
On the way, I ran into the girl who had accused me during the trial. She wasn't angry, she looked embarrassed and sad. When I approached her she bowed and apologized.
She explained that Stork was her father and that when she heard that someone had returned with his four leaf pendant, she feared that I had killed him. That fear drove her to do all that.
We resolved everything during that chat. We then continued on route to our rooms.
And from that moment on, you could say we became friends.