Chapter 35
The next day, I woke up to the sound of birds chirping.
She stared at the ceiling as memories of last night flooded her mind.
Victor kissed her and smiled softly, making her heart beat.
I smiled like an idiot.
She ducked under her blanket in embarrassment and called her maids.
“You are awake, ma'am.”
“Oh?”
I blinked.
Mary was standing next to the bed holding water, looking pale and tired.
The other maids also had hard expressions.
“Is something going on?”
Despite her doubts, she first washed her face and combed her hair.
Then something strange caught her attention.
Her room was still dark.
Usually, as soon as her maids entered, they drew the curtains and opened the windows, but they didn't do that today.
She got out of bed and walked to the window.
She can open it herself
“Ma’am, wait a minute...!”
Before Mary could stop her, Omarion opened the curtains.
Their bedroom was on the fourth floor of the castle, so the garden and the village center were clearly visible from it.
Usually, the central square was full of rogue merchants, street vendors, and travelers.
But today, things seemed different.
“What is that thing on the square?”
I asked with a frown.
None of her maids responded.
I looked at the arena again.
“It looks like a wooden structure...no.”
“It is an execution platform.”
A shiver ran down her spine.
Suddenly, Sir Raoul entered her room and stood there silently.
I asked hurriedly.
What happened? Who will be executed today? "
“His Highness the Grand Duke has ordered us to remain silent.”
“Raoul.”
Raoul sighed deeply.
He was Victor's knight, but they became very close.
She bit her lip and looked at the large ax on his back. She saw her sever the necks of the Fire Wolf with a single swing.
Finally, the hesitant knight opened his mouth.
... “Some of the followers will be executed this morning, and His Highness personally requested it.”
“What is their crime?”
“Embezzlement from the budget and disdain for the master’s family.”
She clenched her teeth.
An ominous feeling swept through her body.
There were not many vassals who could obtain budget funds.
So it was clear who would be executed today.
They must have been the henchmen she had seen in the hallway yesterday.
She couldn't believe it. She thought Victor would definitely be merciful, so why did he decide on such a harsh punishment?
Punishment and execution were often necessary, but should not be overused.
It was not because she came from a land where human life was more precious than gold, but because if she were a lady, that is what she would do.
This is what I learned.
She walked across the room.
“I need to see Victor.”
As she approached the door, the apprentice knights blocked her path.
“The Grand Duke ordered the Grand Duchess to remain in her room.”
She opened her mouth, closed it, and turned to Raoul.
Raoul was standing to the side with a gloomy expression.
She couldn't believe it.
“Is this an order from Victor himself?”
... “Yes, ma’am.”
“What if I want to leave?”
Raoul was silent.
The apprentice knights did not move away from the door, even though they noticed her protest.
They were truly loyal knights.
But now was not the time to praise them.
“Raoul.”
I spoke slowly.
“I have a sword.”
“…”
Raoul's eyes darkened.
She didn't like threatening others.
I learned fencing to protect people, not to scare them.
Especially to protect the weak, like these knights.
But now, she was in a hurry.
The apprentice knights guarding the door looked confused. They didn't understand. She had nothing in her hands!
But she wasn't lying.
This was Victor's bedroom, so the walls were covered in weapons. Moreover, the sword she used every night was lying next to the bed.
At most, it would take a few seconds for her to hold the sword.
Raoul let out a pained groan, realizing this fact.
She didn't want to punish them for following orders, but she said again.
“Please don’t make me hold my sword.”
“Ma’am, I have orders.”
“Then he broke it.”
Exhale quietly.
Raoul's eyes widened.
“Gold is more important than orders, and life is more important than gold. You know that, right?”
... “Yes, that's true.”
“Then break it.”
Raoul understood her term immediately. It was a term often used by mercenaries.
It was also a warning that she had no intention of going easy on him, and that she was prepared to use force.
As he struggled internally, she picked up a long ribbon to tie her hair.
Mary came quickly to help.
When her hair was fixed, Raoul pointed sternly at the knights.
“Get out of the way.”
“But sir”…
“Do you want your head to roll? I'm doing this to keep you safe. Get out of the way.”
Raoul said sadly.
But his tone was firm. Finally, the knights who were hesitating moved out of the way, making way.
Omarion left her room and looked at him apologetically.
“I'm sorry, Raoul.”
“No, ma’am, forgive us for our impudence in daring to stand in your way.”
Sir Raoul placed his hand on his chest, like a knight.
“I'll have to apologize again later.”
She smiled bitterly as she walked down the hall.
***
Victor was the only one in his office when I arrived.
She deliberately walked loudly as she entered.
Victor looked up from the document he was reading.
His voice, which had whispered sweet emotions last night, spoke softly.
“I thought you would stay in your room.”
“Are you serious? Do you really think that these weak knights can stop me?”
Victor nodded calmly.
“You care about the weak, so I thought you wouldn't be able to refuse them.”
... “You're mean, Victor.”
Victor's eyes widened, but he quickly laughed. It was bitter.
She looked at him with a difficult expression.
In front of her, Victor felt unfamiliar.
He was calm even after ordering an unjust death, and admitted that he used his knights to stop her.
He was not like a knight or a lord.
Even though they had been together for months, it was as if she was seeing him for the first time.
Her boiling anger subsided, and she asked
“Were the followers you spoke about yesterday executed today?”
"Yes".
“Are their sins a felony worthy of death?”
Victor answered dryly.
“The Murti law states that anyone who insults the master’s family must be hanged.”
“You know the law is harsh.”
She replied to him.
“You know, didn’t you hide it from me? Isn’t that unfair too?”
Birds chirped outside the window.
The brightly lit office was like a temple's prayer room.
Victor, sitting there, was as beautiful as ever, but anger weighed heavily on her heart, so she didn't feel anything.
If she knew that someone's death was a reward for being honest with Victor, she wouldn't have spoken.
She clenched her teeth.
“Tell them to stop, Victor. Stop and be merciful.”
“They insulted you.”
“I'd hate it even more if you were doing this because of me!”
Her voice rose.
Victor looked at her confused.
She clenched her fists and spoke more forcefully than before.
“I don’t want anyone to die because of me. It’s the thing I hate most in the world.”
“Victor.”
Silence fell. Neither of them looked away. They maintained eye contact for what seemed like centuries.
After a while, Victor called the butler.
“Dedric.”
“Did you call for me, my lord?”
She could feel Daedric's presence behind her.
Victor looked her straight in the eyes as he asked.
“Tell the guards that the Grand Duchess has ordered a halt to the execution. Send the prisoners to the dungeon.”
“I will follow your orders.”
There was a click, and the sound of the door closing.
You didn't avoid his gaze.
She didn't even say thank you.
There was no reason to be grateful for common decency.
In the end, it was Victor who walked away first.
She rubbed her eyes.
“You know what? I could hide this if I wanted to.”
“Why didn't you?”
“Because you told me to be honest because I wanted to trust you.”
He approached her and held her cheek with one hand.
His hand was caressing her face tenderly.
“I want to protect you, Marion. That's all.”
“But this was the wrong way.”
She shook her head.
No matter how much she admired Victor, she couldn't agree to his methods.
Death was the end of life, the end of the future.
For this reason it was necessary to be very careful when inflicting death.
Her life and Victor's life were different.
Since her birth, she has fought monsters to protect people, while Victor has fought humans on the battlefield.
So, to some extent, she was able to understand their different values.
But even for her, there were some things that were unacceptable.
She removed Victor's hand from her face.
“I've suffered enough death. I don't want to see anyone die anymore, ever.”
Victor didn't answer.
Without hesitation, she turned on her heel and left.
The scent of musk, which had always fascinated her, gradually faded away.
• End of chapter •
[This is where the story begins 🥲].
To be continued •••
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