The moments felt like hours.Lloyd slowly began to regain awareness. He lifted his head cautiously to confirm what he had seen earlier—It was real.A monster, flying in the sky, wielding a scythe. It raised one of its shadowy hands and conjured a small court suspended beneath the crimson, blood-colored moon.
Then, in a deep voice, the creature declared:"Suspect number 193."Lloyd was stunned. Apparently, others had undergone this ordeal before him. The pool of blood he stood in likely belonged to them.
The monster continued:"You are under trial. Your record bears witness to atrocities and disasters beyond denial: theft, murder, the enslavement of women for personal gain, blackmail, and persecution. These are unforgivable crimes."
Lloyd heard these words and realized there was no escaping judgment. He said:"I don't remember committing any of these crimes. I don't recall ever being a mercenary… In fact, I don't remember anything at all."
Before he could say more, something interrupted him—a massive rift opened in the sky, and King Hynex descended through it, intent on delivering justice personally.He wiped his bloodied hands, stained by the crimson ground, and said:"This may come as a shock… Welcome to the Scale of Chaos. It's the weakest of my techniques, but the most tormenting. Do you know why? If you cannot prove your innocence, you'll remain trapped here, bleeding endlessly until your death."
Lloyd was overwhelmed with fear. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind:How do I escape?How can I find a way out of this?He looked around as panic clouded his thinking. Hynex continued:"You said earlier that you remember nothing. Are you serious, or just trying to avoid responsibility?"
Lloyd fell silent, searching for a way to explain himself. After a brief pause, he finally said:"Yes… I don't remember anything—except for my childhood."
Hynex then ordered the monster to inspect Lloyd's memories. The creature placed its shadow-like hands on his head.Chaos. Struggle. University. Nonsensical thoughts.It became clear that Lloyd was sincere—he truly had no recollection of the crimes.
Hynex was taken aback for a moment, then muttered:"Then who committed these acts?"
What he didn't know was that Albert had taken possession of Lloyd's body.Since no evidence could be found, Lloyd was cleared of all charges.They returned to the real world.
Theodore was stunned to see Lloyd alive and unharmed.Could he really be innocent?Even Hynex himself struggled to believe that someone had emerged from the Scale of Chaos unharmed.
The king sat upon his iron throne at the center of the grand hall and shouted at Lloyd:"I never want to see you here again. Leave the kingdom—and never return. That is my final order."
Lloyd agreed eagerly—he had just survived a catastrophe. Now, he needed to find a new homeland and begin a new life.
He was given a horse and a month's worth of provisions. Holding a map in his hand, he thought to himself:"I'm currently in Illeria. The two nearest countries are Sybero and Casten. But Sybero is caught in civil war and lacks stability. I need to stay out of trouble—I'm in no condition to deal with anything like that. The decision is made. I'm heading to Casten."
He mounted his horse and began his long journey toward the Land of Flames—Casten.