Chapter 95
Their execution took place on a Saturday morning, in the square.
“Ah, all that talk of being a duke and acting all high and mighty… Turns out they’re just beggars after all.”
The crowd gathered in the square couldn’t stop gaping at the sinners walking from afar.
“Is that the guy, Royden? He’s the eldest son of the Rosenvester family.”
“Seems like it, but doesn’t resemble Duke Lexion at all.”
“If he resembled the Duke, would he look like that? They say the Duke’s reputation isn’t good, but he’s skilled.”
“Is that so?”
“It seems like it. A man who treats the battlefield like his own backyard…!”
“Wait… Could you keep it down?”
“Oh, why? Are there people who don’t know that Duke Lexion has been on the battlefield?”
“Behind… Behind you…”
Not knowing who was behind him, the man who had been busy babbling turned his head as if to ask why.
“That… That…”
The man’s face turned pale as if he had seen a ghost. It was understandable. It wasn’t as if the distance was far enough not to hear the words he had just said.
“I apologize… I just… That…”
“Why?”
Lexion replied with a blank face.
“Just as you said, is there anyone who doesn’t know that I’ve been on the battlefield?”
“I… I…”
“Moreover, you said rumors aren’t good but there’s skill. Among all the rumors I’ve heard, that was the most flattering.”
The man seemed like he didn’t know what to say anymore. He trembled, not knowing what to do, and Lexion nudged him on the shoulder, speaking again.
“Continue what you were saying.”
“Yes…?”
“Weren’t you cursing Royden just now?”
By this point, he really didn’t know what to reply. Anyway, Royden was Lexion’s stepbrother, and in a broad sense, they were of the same nobility.
But to tell a commoner to keep cursing. The man looked at Lexion without knowing what to do.
“Whether noble or commoner, if you commit a crime, you deserve to be cursed. Besides, now that Royden is no longer of noble status, there’s even less reason to hold back.”
“….”
“And let me tell you one more thing, from now on, I won’t be on the battlefield. And thanks for letting me know that Royden and I don’t resemble each other at all.”
Thanks…?
…What did I just hear?
The man looked confused, but Lexion wasn’t looking at him anymore. He just stood beside Sereniel, holding her tightly with one hand and quietly looking down at her.
“Belles!”
With someone’s voice, Belles’ figure appeared over Sereniel’s emerald eyes.
“The lackey of Duke Clan! The henchman!”
Plop!
As people shouted, stones flew towards Duke Clan, Royden, and also Belles.
…The executions of the three happened last.
The emperor, who had finished all the investigations, did not immediately call them to the square for execution.
They weren’t dressed as sinners either. They wore ordinary clothes. To be precise, the clothes they wore before starting the rebellion, the expensive, flashy ones.
It was Lexion’s suggestion. So they could feel even more miserable.
Dressed almost the same as when they were nobles, they walked from the south of the capital to the square with soldiers. It took a very long time.
The people crowded like a swarm of bees. Of course, there were those who harbored ill feelings towards them, but there were also many who didn’t.
Everyone threw stones at the three who had become nothing more than common criminals overnight. They cursed, spat, and laughed at them. To some, it was just entertainment, to others, it was a release of frustration.
Anyway, to the three who still had the pride and dignity of nobles, there was no greater punishment.
Duke Clan seemed to have given up on everything. He didn’t show any more anger or rage. He seemed like someone whose energy had been completely drained.
But not Belles and Royden.
“These filthy bastards dare… Aaargh!”
Royden, who couldn’t let go of his pitiful pride until the end, continued to scream like a madman.
And Belles…
“….”
His eyes, already bulging, were filled with rage again as another stone hit his already bursting forehead. He glared at where the stone came from. Like he was about to kill someone.
“Why, do you think you’ll scare them like that?”
But people weren’t afraid of Belles’ anger at all.
“Hit him! Hit him!”
With the crowd’s shouts, stones of all sizes kept flying towards Belles without stopping.
Everyone was right. Their expensive and noble clothes had long turned into rags. Soaked with blood, sweat, and dirty mud.
“These scum. How dare they defy their lords!”
Now the words fit them too well.
“Raise the criminals onto the scaffold!”
Duke Clan, who had completely let go of everything, climbed onto the scaffold without any resistance, while Royden struggled to the end.
And at that moment, right behind Royden, it was Belles’ turn.
“….”
Sereniel’s eyes, which had been directed towards the scaffold, flickered briefly. It was because of Belles, who was staring directly at her.
Belles glared at Sereniel with a grimace, his eyes full of vitality, like someone pouring curses upon her.
Sereniel didn’t avoid Belles’ gaze. She just faced him with a determined expression.
“Don’t worry about it, Sereniel.”
Lexion, realizing her gaze, hugged Sereniel tightly, speaking to her.
“It’s just a last act of defiance.”
“….”
“If you don’t want to see, you can go somewhere else. I don’t mind…”
“No, I’ll watch.”
Sereniel replied firmly.
“I need to… with my own eyes.”
Lexion didn’t say anything for a moment, then he took her hand firmly, responding.
“I’m here with you, it’ll be okay.”
“Yes.”
Over Sereniel’s small voice, a loud voice echoed.
“The criminal Belles is sentenced to the gallows!”
As the words fell, the soldiers roughly seized Belles. Then they wrapped rough ropes around his neck.
“Kill him! Kill him!”
And as the people shouted, the platform on which Belles stood suddenly gave way.
“Whoa!”
As Belles’ face turned pale, the shouts of the people grew louder. Sereniel, without saying a word… just tightly held onto Lexion’s hand with all her might. That’s how she witnessed everything. The sight of Belles struggling like a worm until his body went limp.
“The criminal Royden is sentenced to the gallows!”
“No, no!”
I’m innocent. I’ve been wronged. How dare these lowly… dare to, to me…
Despite his struggles and curses, Royden’s screams went unheard.
Thud!
Once again, the platform gave way with a thud…
This time, it was Sereniel who held onto Lexion’s hand.
Not long after, Royden’s body fell like trash over Belles’ body, and then came Duke Clan’s turn.
‘It’s over now….’
It’s done.
Sereniel looked at Lexion with a face full of emotions, and Lexion, without saying a word, hugged Sereniel tightly.
“Duke Lexion…”
Sereniel, with her face against Lexion’s chest, called his name in a small voice.
“Yes, Sereniel.”
“I have somewhere I want to go….”
“Let’s go.”
Even without mentioning the location, Lexion didn’t hesitate. He just quietly held Sereniel securely in his arms and started walking, pushing through the crowd.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
Lexion brought Sereniel to the place she wanted to go, exactly.
To the cliff.
Where Sereniel’s parents, the former Viscount Earl and Viscountess, died.
“….”
As the setting sun dipped over Sereniel’s face, turning it red, Lexion, who had been sitting next to her at some point, reached out slowly. Then he pulled her shoulder and embraced her.
“You’ve been through a lot, Sereniel.”
“….”
“Everything you achieved, it’s all because of you.”
Lexion’s lips trembled softly with his low and tender voice.
“You must have watched everything. How wisely and shrewdly you handled everything.”
“If it weren’t for you… I couldn’t even dream.”
Resting her head against Lexion’s shoulder and holding onto his arm tightly, Sereniel replied.
“I’m really thankful.”
“….”
“My parents, too… they’ll be also grateful.”
“No, the one who should be grateful is me, not your parents.”
Lexion chuckled softly.
But Lexion was sincere too.
He was grateful that Sereniel’s parents were such affectionate and warm people. He was grateful that despite knowing about his visits when he was tired and troubled to the Viscount’s mansion, they never turned him away. He was grateful that they brought Sereniel into the world.
He was grateful for everything to them.
“….”
And she watched the relentless waves quietly.
Lexion’s big and warm hand gently patted Sereniel’s shoulder… and Sereniel, against the backdrop of the blue sea, continued to gaze endlessly at the brilliant red sunset.
The rough sea breeze was just as chilly as usual, but Sereniel no longer trembled. Neither her body nor her heart.
She just closed her eyes for a moment, leaning against the large embrace that had always kept her safe and comfortable, remembering her parents’ happy smiles.
Everything was over, and with a sense of relief and the release of the tension that had built up until now… Sereniel briefly forgot about the most important thing.
And so, the next day, Sereniel would pay the price dearly… but she didn’t yet know that.
