CH 1.2

But the grip on Janice and Zoe grew more assertive instead of letting go.

Diana lamented at her helplessness and prayed desperately.

‘Please, just one more! Give me a chance!’

The executioner slanted his lips as he knew exactly what she was thinking. 

Diana’s iron strap, which held her arms, was pulled tight when he raised his hand that he lowered earlier. 

The executioner shouted again without waiting any further.

“It was not enough for her to indulge in luxury and pleasure, but she dared to insult the House of Petrora and deceived the whole kingdom. The crime is very heavy. Therefore, in the name of King Carmine of Petrora, you are to be punished! Execute the sinner!”

“Ugh!”

Diana shook her head, desperately begging for more time.

‘I’m still short of one person! Just one! Even if for a show, I beg you to question my death sentence! Please, please!’

Unfortunately, her desperation was useless. People who wanted her death sentence grew louder and louder.

Tears streamed on Diana’s cheeks endlessly. 

It was tears of anger, not fear of death or sadness.

‘If… there’s still one person out there! Please wait!’

Dum 

The sound of a drum rang in the square, announcing the start of the execution.

If the drum beat five times, the blade would fall on Diana’s neck.

Dum Dum

The drumming continued.

The drummer raised his mallets high to make the fourth drum sound. 

But, a strong wind blew from somewhere.

Then a heavy voice that overwhelmed the audience rang out in the square.

“Hold it. Aren’t all of you too hasty?”

“Who is it? Once you start, you can’t stop!”

The executioner burst out due to the sudden voice. He looked around to find the owner of the voice.

But he couldn’t find the person. The irritated executor took the mallet from the drummer who stopped. And then he hit the drum himself.

Dum

A fourth drum beat from the hand of the executioner.

And when he was about to continue to the last one

“Cassion Richte Petrora!”

The earlier voice was heard loud again from above.

“Though I am supposed to be dead, I am the prince of this kingdom. I don’t think you can defy my words.”

“What?”

Now that he knew where the voice comes from, the executioner raised his head.

Surprisingly, he saw a man riding on a wyvern above the execution ground.

Despite the distance, the man’s eye color was as vivid as if he were looking closely.

His eyes were gold, a symbol of the royal family. And in his hand was the treasure of the royal family.

The man lowered the wyvern’s altitude and jumped to the execution ground.

After he came down to the ground, no one doubted the man’s identity.

Even if it wasn’t the golden eyes or the royal treasure, it was because the prince’s feature remained intact after years of the said man’s disappearance.

“Y-Your Highness?

Diana opened her eyes wide.

Cassion, whom she thought was dead, stood in front of Diana. He looked so gorgeous and healthy that she couldn’t help but stare.

“Long time no see, Diana.”

His broad shoulders, his quiet flexion every time he moved, his black hair that engulfed the sunlight, and his golden eyes that were so deep that she couldn’t read any emotion. 

Diana gulped down.

“A-Are you really Cassion? Y-You are alive?”

“Thanks to you. Rather than that, I feel sorry for you. I’m here to repay you, and fortunately, I’m not too late.”

Diana immediately remembered what Cassion owed her.

“The day I ran away, you saw me and kept it a secret. Thanks to you, the pursuer followed late. In addition, I was able to overcome many crises with the jewels you gave me. You saved my life.”

Even what he showed her was nothing but petty sympathy for her; Cassion seemed to have her in his mind for a long time, enough to appear on her death row to repay her kindness.

Everything was so unreal. Diana couldn’t believe what had just happened.

When she was framed and put in the dungeon, all the sweet-talkers turned their backs on her. Even those whom she believed were family.

But Cassion, whom she only helped once, stood up for her.

“You need help, don’t you?” asked Cassion.

When he smiled with his eyes wrinkled, his cool nature warmed up like the midday sun.

Diana nodded as if she was possessed.

The returning prince stood in front of Diana. As soon as there was a shadow above her, she felt a deep sense of relief for no reason.

“I, Cassion Richte Petrora, cannot accept Diana’s death sentence.”

The prince stepped up to the legend-based formal procedure. To protect Diana, who had been accused as a traitor.

A buzz spread through the crowd. Diana’s face was full of anticipation. 

This fulfilled the conditions according to the legend. This time something great might happen, and she could be saved.

“….”

However, no matter how long she waited, there was no drastic change. 

Diana’s mind, which had been anticipating something, became discouraged.

‘As expected, a legend was just a legend.’

Still, it wasn’t as bad as she thought because three people risked themselves to stand up for her.

“Your Highness, thank you. I will never forget it,” whispered Diana.

She would get revenge even if she died. It wouldn’t be particularly hard to do one more thing in return.

Amid the commotion, voices could be heard to rush Diana’s execution.

Cassion knelt on one knee and made eye contact with Diana.

“Don’t even think of dying. You saved me once, so let me save you once. Now, the debt will be paid.”

“…”

“And you. Isn’t it too fast to give up?” 

Then, he whispered before I had the chance to ask what he meant by that.

“I really wish for you to live.”

Dum

As if laughing at Diana’s hope, the drum rang again, and the guillotine blade was lifted high.

And when she thought it was really over for her this time,

“Don’t worry, Diana. I will save you.”

Cassion’s voice rang in Diana’s head.

‘Is this… magic message?’

The only way to convey words that aren’t in the form of sound was by wizards.

Diana’s eyes got bigger. Diana opened her mouth to answer Cassion.

But she couldn’t speak more of her nightingale-like beautiful voice.

Because the blade fell, and she died.

Funny enough, Diana’s last thought on her death was about Cassion.

‘His Highness… is a wizard?!’