CH 33

By Antoinette Vanessa November 21, 2021

By the time I realized it, I was lying in the dark.

Apparently, I had fainted after being blindfolded.

From my side, I could hear voices.

“The time has come.”

After that was said, someone harshly remove the blindfold from me.

Instantly, I was blinded by the light. As my eyes gradually adapted to the brightness, I saw a line of brand-new decapitation stands.

As a result, I immediately understood the situation. I desperately crawled to escape, before finally understanding that it was impossible.

Those who were going to lop my head off were approaching.

“There’s no escape.”

Towards me who was stunned, the executioner ruthlessly spoke.

Then, he proceeded to bring in haggard-looking people. They were thin, full of injuries, and wore rags.

The moment I laidmy eyes upon them, I realized who they were.

Sagius, Brown, …and Mia.

While I was staring at the three people with mixed feelings, the executioner immediately dragged Mia ahead and fixed her neck on the decapitation stand.

Mia didn’t resist at all. Instead, she kept mumbling incomprehensible things, “This must be a dream…”, or “I can just reset…”

It was then Brown’s turn to be fixed to the decapitation stand. His face was utterly deformed. I wouldn’t have recognized him if not for his hair color.

He was no longer the Brown I knew. Most likely, his heart had been broken. Thus, he had remained silent from the beginning to end.

Finally, it was Sagius’ turn. As he approached the decapitation stand, he begged the executioner.

“…I beg of you, I want to be beside Mia, please…”

The executioner granted Sagius’ wish and fixed his neck beside Mia.

As I stared at that scene, another executioner came to grab my neck. Before I could resist, my neck was already fixed to the decapitation stand.

I finally understood—it was the end.

While I was trembling with fear, I noticed that someone had come to my side.

I thought that Aiden had come to laugh at me. But when I saw who it was, I involuntarily smiled—

—Because there stood Violet, the one who I had been waiting for.

***

For some reason, the first prince was happily staring at me.

Honestly, I couldn’t understand why he would have such an expression considering his circumstance.

Did he go crazy in prison?

But he had been locked away for a shorter period than me…

While I was lost in thought, the first prince said something incredible.

“You’ve come… to pick me up…”

“What are you talking about?”

“You came to save me, didn’t you…?”

“Is that a joke? I just came to see if you’d climb the decapitation stand. Grace and Minerva seem to have died from not being able to withstand the torture in prison. I’m glad you guys managed to survive. Thanks to that, you’ll properly understand what it’s like to be beheaded.”

After I had said that with a smile, the first prince froze with widened eyes.

I think we’re finished, here.

I went to my crazed brother. He was grinning as he stared at Baroness Abazn.

“You’re as delusional as always, I see.”

“…Begone.”

“Alright, alright. But before I disappear, let me tell you this much. After you die, I’ll bury your body at the end of Rolaud Kingdom and Mia’s at the other end.”

“What!?”

My brother desperately turned towards me.

I couldn’t help but smile.

That was the best way to speak with the insane.

When I smiled while entertaining that thought, my brother went to say something. As per his wish, I left before he could say a word.

Then, when I approached Baroness Abazn, she immediately noticed and glared at me.

“Next time around, our positions will be reversed, and I will look down on you!”

Baroness Abazn smirked at me, but I only laughed.

“Fufufu, ahahaha! How interesting. Let me tell you something, that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

When I said that, Baroness Abazn seemed surprised.

“What do you mean…?”

“Thanks to you, I was executed. But somehow, I went back in time.”

“…W, what kind of plotline is that? I don’t know… no, isn’t this, the world of the game I used to play? It is, right…?”

“Who knows. However, it certainly isn’t your world. Hence, you’ll be disappearing from here.”

I left Baroness Abazn who had begun to tremble after my last words.

After sparing a glance at Count Kayes who was staring into the distance, I spoke to the four.

“Then, this is my last farewell to you. As it is the last, I’ve reserved the best farewell greeting for you all—

“—Serves you right!”

Thus, I triumphantly left that place.

***

“Didn’t you go to watch?”

When I got into the carriage, Luria asked me that. I shook my head.

“It’s enough. I want to return to the Neonhart Kingdom soon.”

“We haven’t arranged for the wedding, yet. By the way, what about the guests from the Rolaud Kingdom?”

“Then, I wonder if it should be the king, Lord Aiden, the four grand dukes, and their respective aristocrats.”

While saying that, I remembered the former king, his wife, and also my parents.

As of the present, the former king and his wife lived in a remote palace. They were living a fairly modest life.

That was because all the furnishings in the palace were sold, and the number of employees was being kept to the minimum in order to repay the amount that the first prince had squandered for Baroness Abazn’s sake.

Incidentally, the two complained almost every day. But they soon became quiet when the topic of execution was mentioned.

I was sure they thought they’d be executed if something happened.

I wished they’d stay quiet all the time.

After thinking that, I recalled my parent who were living in the territory of Duke Belmand.

The two sold various things to repay the amount that my brother had wasted for Baroness Abazn. In the end, not even their title remained.

They were living under the supervision of my grandfather for the time being, but I wondered how long he would be able to put up with them…

Well, it was alright because my grandfather said that he’d forewarn them simply by showing them the body of an aristocrat who was burned at the stake or hanged in the near future.

When I was thinking about that, cheers erupted from the distance.

I was certain that Baroness Abazn had been executed.

Thus, my revenge drama had come to its conclusion.

“Finally, it’s over…”

After muttering that, I looked outside of the carriage.

Most probably, I’d rarely visit the Rolaud Kingdom. As such, I thought of burning the image of my home country into my eyes.

…It didn’t seem to have much effect.

I looked out and felt relieved. Still, all I could muster was a bitter smile.

Although such a thing happened, the royal capital was still crowded with people.

Some of those people probably thought that the whole condemnation incident was somebody else’s business.

Most of the time, that’s how it is.

After all, it wasn’t like a problem would occur from a lot of moronic aristocrats dying due to their own stupidity. At the very least, they could become serve as the foundation for the lives of others.

I was satisfied. When I took my eyes away from the window, I saw Luria enthusiastically reading a book.

“Luria, what are you reading?”

“It’s a story about a baroness who tried to condemn a duchess in order to become a queen. Of course, in the end, her lies were discovered at the graduation party. As such, she was convicted alongside the prince who was also the duchess’ fiancé.”

Luria gave an enthusiastic explanation. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Are there any more materials like that?”

“Yes. Nowadays, there are a lot of similar works out there. It’s popular. It’s like a cautionary tale to warn people from overstepping their boundaries.”

“…Is it not too farfetched to assume that His Majesty and my grandfather played a role in this?”

“It seems so. After all, the books are officially recognized by the kingdom.”

Luria said that and showed me the book cover.

The kingdom’s official seal was firmly stamped there.

However, I saw something even more worrisome.

The antagonist was a girl with pink hair—

—wait…

I squinted at the title of the book.

I was familiar with a person involved in the making of that book.

Once I return home, I shall cut off Aldam’s long bangs for my viewing pleasure.

While thinking that, I envisioned my life with Aldam starting from there and smiled gently.