Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 174: Zora’s Counterattack (Part-1)

"I just can’t stand how you twist black into white," Reesa shot back coldly. "What’s wrong, huh?"

She didn’t give Clarissa the slightest courtesy. "Aren’t you only acting so arrogant in the academy because of your illegitimate relationship with Gabriel? Take a good look at yourself!"

"Reesa!" Clarissa was so furious that she nearly choked. "Don’t go too far!"

A crowd of students had gathered around. Although many already knew about her relationship with Gabriel, Reesa’s words tore away that last fig leaf in public.

Raphael and Alaric Von Seraph exchanged glances, both inwardly sighing. Reesa’s tongue really was ruthless.

Baldwin’s eyes shone with admiration. This was the first time he’d seen Reesa so fierce, and it was oddly impressive.

"Too far?" Reesa sneered. "I can go even further if you want!"

She pointed straight at Clarissa. "Even after you used underhanded methods of using a fake name to buy the Elixir, Zora still sold you Elixir of Tranquility, and you repay her kindness by seeking revenge and ruining her reputation? Truly, the most vicious heart belongs to a woman like you!"

Clarissa was rendered speechless, her chest heaving violently. She could only turn her gaze toward Silvan and Adrian in desperation.

But Silvan and Adrian were just as helpless. Asking them to argue with Reesa would only invite disaster.

"Zora," Clarissa forced herself to speak after a long pause, "we’re discussing the issue of Elixir of Tranquility. You shouldn’t let Reesa interfere!"

Zora’s lips curved slightly, her smile enchanting yet chilling. The words she spoke were calm, but utterly domineering.

"And who do you think you are," she said softly, "to tell me who I can or cannot let speak?"

The moment those words fell, the surrounding crowd drew in a collective breath.

No one had expected Zora to be this overbearing.

And yet, standing there with her arms folded and her gaze unwavering, she made it seem not only natural... but absolute.

Clarissa was completely stunned by Zora’s attitude.

No matter how fierce their past conflicts had been, she had never seen Zora like this before.

This development was completely beyond her expectations. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Under such circumstances, shouldn’t Zora be flustered, anxious, or at least defensive?

Why was she instead standing there so calmly, even pressing them step by step?

Silvan and Adrian exchanged uneasy glances. Zora’s composure made them instinctively uneasy, yet there was no way to retreat now.

"Zora," Silvan said coldly, forcing himself to sound confident, "the Elixir of Tranquility you auctioned was fake. Are you refusing to compensate us?"

Zora laughed softly, a faint sneer lifting the corners of her lips.

"Fake?" Her brows lifted slightly. "On what grounds do you claim my medicine is fake?"

Her voice rose just enough for everyone present to hear clearly.

"As everyone here knows, there is deep hostility between us. You say my medicine is fake, yet you offer no proof. Why should anyone believe you?"

She swept her gaze across the crowd, unhurried and composed.

"You have no evidence. You claim it’s fake, I claim it’s real. By your logic, whose words matter more?"

The words were clear, sharp, and perfectly structured.

For a moment, Clarissa and the others were left completely speechless.

"Then what about Morgana?" Clarissa blurted out. "She also said your medicine had no effect!"

"Oh?" Zora chuckled, her eyes gleaming with mockery. "And you think that helps your case?"

She continued calmly, "Morgana and I also have grievances, as I taught her a lesson in the Association. Now the two sides join forces, naturally hoping to ruin my reputation together. Isn’t that obvious?"

As her words fell, murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Many students knew about the conflict between Zora and Clarissa, but few were aware of any feud involving Morgana.

If that was true...

Then this really did look like a setup.

"I told you!" someone suddenly laughed. "There’s no way the goddess in my heart would do something like this! This has to be Clarissa framing her!"

"Exactly. Miss Zora doesn’t lack cultivation resources. Why would she ruin her own future for this?"

"Clarissa and her group are clearly greedy. They wanted the Elixir of Tranquility but didn’t want to pay the price, so they resorted to such a despicable trick!"

In an instant, the direction of public opinion flipped.

The earlier one-sided accusations dissolved, replaced by growing suspicion toward Clarissa and her companions.

Reesa and the others listened quietly, admiration flashing in their eyes.

Zora hadn’t raised her voice, nor argued excessively. With just a few sentences, she had dismantled a dangerous rumor and stabilized the situation completely.

What terrifying persuasion.

Only Black, White, and Shihtzu exchanged subtle, guilty glances.

Because they knew the truth.

The medicine Clarissa and the others received... really was fake.

Yet their master had spoken with such righteous conviction, such flawless logic, that even lies sounded like truth.

Lying without blinking. Turning black into white.

Truly terrifying.

Naturally, none of them would ever say a word about it.

After all... their future meals might be affected.

Morgana stood up abruptly, her delicate face frosted with cold anger.

"Your medicine is fake. Why would we need to be jealous of you?" she snapped. "Zora, I don’t lack money. I have no reason to frame you using such despicable methods!"

Zora’s gaze turned icy as it fell upon Morgana.

From the very first encounter, she had known this woman was no simple character.

"Is that so?" Zora said calmly. "Then tell me, why did you try to win the Elixir of Tranquility in the first place?"

Her eyes swept across the surrounding students as her voice rose slightly.

"From the moment I held the auction, just like your friends there, you believed that I would not sell Elixir of Tranquility to you. That was why you deliberately used a fake name to bid successfully."

She paused, letting the words sink in.

"If you claim now that there was no prior collusion, yet you did the same thing as those two, then let me ask everyone here. Do you believe that?"

Gabriel’s expression stiffened.

He knew better than anyone that the medicine Zora sold was indeed fake.

Yet the way she framed the situation made it sound as though they were deliberately scheming and framing her.

If he hadn’t known the truth himself, even he would have believed her.

As expected, the surrounding students began murmuring, their gazes turning increasingly suspicious toward Clarissa’s group.

Given how chaotic Clarissa’s actions had been earlier, the idea of collusion suddenly seemed extremely plausible.

Morgana grew anxious.

She hadn’t expected Zora to be this sharp.

They had spent so much effort spreading rumors, only for them to be dismantled by a few calm sentences.

"Zora!" Morgana shouted, forcing herself to steady her voice. "Elixir of Tranquility benefits all cultivators. Who wouldn’t want it?"

"Because of the hostility between us, I was afraid you wouldn’t sell it to me. That’s why I used a false name. Clarissa and Silvan thought the same way."

She clenched her fists. "But what we’re saying now is still the truth. Your medicine really is fake!"

Clarissa finally exhaled in relief.

As long as Morgana held her ground, they still had a chance.

Zora smiled faintly.

"Since you insist on that," she said, unhurried, "then I’ll ask you a few simple questions."

Her composure was absolute, as though she were already certain of the outcome.

Fight her head-on?

What a joke.

She was more than happy to show Morgana what it meant to dig her own grave.

"You’re an alchemist, correct?"

Morgana hesitated, then nodded. "Yes."

"You claimed my Elixir of Tranquility had no effect," Zora continued. "That means you must have taken it."

"Moreover, as an alchemist, your sensitivity to medicinal properties should far exceed that of ordinary cultivators."

She crossed her arms, her expression relaxed yet oppressive.

"So tell me."

"What were the medicinal components of my Elixir of Tranquility? Not asking all the components. Just a couple of them. You shouldbe able to tell that much, right?"

The confidence in her posture was overwhelming, as if she were already holding victory in her palm.

Seeing this, Raphael, who had been unconsciously tense, finally relaxed.

It seemed his worries had been unnecessary.

With Zora’s capability, she didn’t need anyone to protect her.

Clarissa, Silvan, and the others all looked toward Morgana expectantly.

Surely she could answer such a question.

Yet Morgana froze.

Because the truth was—

She hadn’t taken the potion at all.

"I..." Her lips parted, but no words came out.

She didn’t dare to make something up.

One wrong sentence, and Zora would seize upon it without mercy.