"Well, it's a good attitude to plead guilty, and we can consider reducing your sentence."
Seeing that Rurushi Ru had confessed, Noa nodded with satisfaction.
Then, he said in a completely serious tone:
"But the death penalty can be avoided, but the living crime cannot be escaped."
"Considering the negative impact of your series of actions, I hereby sentence you to life imprisonment."
"For the rest of your life, you will stay here and reflect on your actions."
"Ah?!"
When Rurushi Ru heard that she had been sentenced to life imprisonment, her first reaction was that she was truly finished.
But almost immediately after, she heard the continuation—she would remain in Great Tree Village for the rest of her life.
And that statement…
She hesitated.
This didn't feel like punishment at all.
In fact… it sounded strangely like something else.
Was she supposed to be afraid right now? Or was this actually a serious punishment she was misunderstanding?
Rurushi Ru's thoughts became completely confused. She could not tell what exactly Noa meant anymore.
"Ah, right. In order to prevent you from escaping, I will have you sign this contract first."
Noa said this while maintaining a perfectly serious expression, as if everything was proceeding according to official procedure. At the same time, he activated a contract and presented it to Rurushi Ru.
Rurushi Ru lowered her gaze and carefully read the contents.
However, the entire document could essentially be summarized in one sentence:
"Rurushi Ru cannot betray Noa."
That was it.
There were no additional restrictions, no harsh conditions, no punishment clauses beyond that simple binding rule.
Because of that, her already confused mind began to spiral further.
This… was really a punishment?
Or was it something else entirely?
Her thoughts became increasingly unstable. If this was truly a sentence, then it was the strangest one she had ever heard of.
But if it wasn't a punishment…
Then what exactly was it?
Rurushi Ru's cheeks suddenly turned red without warning.
The realization she didn't fully understand hit her all at once, too fast and too overwhelming to process properly. A strange sense of happiness she could not explain rose up inside her, almost making her feel light-headed.
On the other side, Noa watched her reaction quietly.
Seeing that she still hadn't responded, he slightly frowned.
"What? You don't want to accept the punishment?"
"No! I do!"
Rurushi Ru snapped back to reality almost instantly.
Without hesitation, she quickly agreed and signed the contract.
The moment her signature was complete, she lowered her head, refusing to meet his eyes. Her fingers fidgeted nervously as a small, almost foolish smile appeared on her face.
"Then… please take care of me for the rest of my life."
"…?"
Noa paused.
He stared at her reaction for a moment, clearly unable to immediately process why the atmosphere had suddenly shifted in such an unexpected direction.