Episode 101: Public Execution
── And so now.
Francia was able to stay by Yohan’s side.
***
Inside the carriage heading from Rozino to the Imperial Capital.
Yohan, who was gazing out the window, turned his head.
“Hmm…”
Francia was sound asleep. A faint smile escaped him as he looked at her peaceful, oblivious face.
‘It’s already been over half a year since I met Francia.’
At first, he never imagined things would go this smoothly.
Eliminating the Crown Prince and the Young Grand Duke had seemed like a far-fetched dream.
‘At the time, I went in with a ‘why not try’ attitude…’
It had been baseless confidence. Yohan was only the third son of a viscount, aware only of his talent for handling mana, but lacking everything else.
But he had proven himself, proving everyone wrong, and protected Francia. The biggest headache, Fedelian, was dead, and Cassis’s execution was scheduled.
Being able to close the Demonic Lair was, admittedly, beyond his expectations… but regardless, it had earned him a title and expanded his influence within the empire, so it was for the better.
‘Now then, what kind of reward will I get for this achievement?’
He had defeated rebels aiming to usurp the throne. He had also captured Cassis, who had escaped from the Tower of Confinement. It was impossible not to expect a reward.
‘A dukedom, perhaps?’
That would make him the second duke of Rozino, granting him the same status as a founding hero.
He already had the title of count and the honor of being called a Guardian, but that wasn’t reason enough to refuse a dukedom.
‘And most importantly…’
It would make it possible to take responsibility for Francia and Rudella.
While being a count was not entirely insufficient, Francia and Rudella were the daughters of a ducal and marquis household respectively. A dukedom would undeniably make things smoother. The weight of such a title carried a different kind of authority.
Although a noble’s power wasn’t solely determined by their rank, a dukedom was an exception. After all, there was currently only one such title in the empire.
“I don’t need to worry about this.”
Yohan nodded to himself.
“We’ve arrived.”
In the meantime, the carriage had reached the capital.
Looking out the window, he saw the Fervache estate.
Yohan gently took Francia’s hand.
“Francia?”
“Mm…”
“We’ve arrived.”
Francia, who had been tossing and turning on the sofa, opened her eyes and smiled warmly at Yohan.
“Mmm… I always feel better seeing you first when I wake up.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. That’s how I feel like the day is starting properly.”
She had dreamt after a long time.
It was a nightmare, a salvation from someone, and Francia’s first love.
It was also a sweetness she would never forget.
“You seem to be in a good mood.”
“Because I woke up and saw Yohan.”
She giggled softly and carefully leaned into Yohan’s embrace.
Burying her face in his broad chest, her smile deepened further.
“I love you.”
***
Several days had passed since then, but the imperial family had yet to announce his reward.
Yohan had to focus on recovering, and the imperial family needed time for preparations.
Thus, Yohan had applied for leave from his official duties and was spending his days leisurely.
However, today, he made a special effort to move.
Step.
Under the faint moonlight of the night, Yohan walked slowly through the dark corridor.
On either side, iron bars coated with mana-sealing properties loomed, and the musty air dampened the surroundings. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to devour everything in the space.
Step.
The chilly, weighty sound of his footsteps echoed through the tower.
Deep, dark shadows lingered under his eyes.
“…”
He stopped in front of one set of iron bars.
This was the prison reserved for the gravest of criminals.
“…Yohan Harsen.”
A cracked voice drifted out from inside the iron bars.
Even in the shadowy darkness, a pair of violet eyes gleamed sharply.
“Cassis Lenokhonen.”
Yohan’s deep blue eyes pierced through him. The cold, deadly intent in his gaze seemed to freeze the very air, sinking the surroundings into a suffocating, heavy silence.
“What brings you here? To mock me, perhaps?”
Cassis sneered.
Yohan stared at him quietly for a moment before slowly opening his mouth.
“Your execution is tomorrow. Do you have any last words?”
“Last words…”
Cassis’s lips twisted momentarily.
“…I curse you. Forever. Even in death, even in my next life.”
Violet light flickered in his eyes as magic swirled within them, and the runes on his shackles glowed blue. Crackle! A small current spread across Cassis’s entire body.
“Gaaah!”
While Cassis writhed in pain, Yohan lowered himself, his face expressionless.
“Spare me the clichéd lines.”
“…”
Cassis finally opened his mouth again after the current had subsided.
“…Make Francia happy.”
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
Yohan’s brow furrowed deeply. What on earth was this man saying? His disbelief was so profound that a curse—something he rarely used—slipped from his lips.
“Make sure she always smiles. You can do that, can’t you?”
“…Are you being sincere?”
“Yes.”
“Heh…”
Could this man possibly lack a conscience? Yohan genuinely began to wonder. Or maybe he was simply unintelligent—that seemed like the most likely explanation.
“I didn’t expect to hear something like that come out of your mouth.”
“Why? Am I not allowed to wish for Francia’s happiness…?”
“No, that’s not it. I’m just amazed at how thoughtless you seem.”
“…What do you mean?”
A look of puzzlement crossed Cassis’s face. He truly appeared clueless. Yohan’s expression darkened in irritation.
“You, who threatened Francia’s safety, have the gall to say such things?”
“I never threatened Francia’s safety. I only—”
“That’s exactly what you did. I’m Francia’s fiancé, after all.”
Yohan shot him a cold glare, his face chilling further. Crackle! Mana rippled through his eyes, fueled by his growing anger.
“If you killed me, what do you think would’ve happened? Would you have approached a grieving Francia to win her heart? If that’s all you had in mind, you wouldn’t have gone so far as to try and kill me.”
Yohan continued.
“You people tried to claim Francia against her will. And because I was the biggest obstacle, you targeted me.”
Crackle!
The blue mana fluctuations grew more intense.
“Am I wrong?”
“…”
“Given all that, it’s absurd for you to say such things. Even you must realize that.”
While Cassis was less despicable than Fedelian, it didn’t make his sins any lighter.
He had actively used mercenaries to kidnap Francia and made several assassination attempts on Yohan in treacherous situations, such as during reconnaissance of the demonic lair.
That wasn’t all. He had even escaped confinement to try to kill Yohan again—all for the sake of claiming Francia by force.
“I’ve always wondered—why were you so obsessed with Francia? You barely even met her, as far as I know.”
It had puzzled Yohan for a long time. Even if it was love at first sight, was that enough to justify his actions? Yohan couldn’t understand such a choice.
“…It didn’t sit well with me.”
Finally, Cassis’s tightly closed lips parted.
“The fact that I had to give up on a woman I wanted because she had a lover.”
“…”
“Doesn’t it bother you, too? Watching someone you desire from afar, unable to have her.”
Cassis continued speaking.
“In that case, it’s better to take her heart by force.”
“And yet you just said you wanted her to be happy?”
“There’s no way she wouldn’t be happy with me.”
“…Huh?”
Yohan’s mouth fell slightly open. Words failed him. Cassis was incomprehensible by any normal standard of reasoning. Perhaps Fedelian was the same.
‘Is this world insane?’
No, it wasn’t.
Yohan had lived in this world for nearly 22 years since his reincarnation. Considering he’d retained his past life’s memories from birth, he had adapted reasonably well.
For Yohan to find him incomprehensible, Cassis must truly be a uniquely deranged individual. Perhaps that’s why he fit the mold of a ruined romance novel’s male lead.
“You’re insane…”
Yohan frowned and flicked his fingers. Boom! A powerful shockwave erupted, and the mana under Yohan’s command struck Cassis squarely on the bridge of his nose.
“Ugh!”
Hit by the mana blast, Cassis fell backward, blood streaming from his nose. His violet eyes rolled upward until only the whites remained.
“…I shouldn’t have come here to talk. It just ruined my mood.”
Yohan let out a sigh and shook his head. He had come here out of curiosity, wondering what Cassis might be thinking in his final moments, but it only served to deepen his frustration.
‘He’ll be executed soon anyway. Worrying about him will only hurt me.’
Cassis’s execution was scheduled for tomorrow, to take place in the central plaza of the capital.
“With the Emperor attending, it seems they’re intent on making this final.”
This public execution was not just about punishing a criminal—it was a warning to all the nobles. No matter how high their rank, they could not escape judgment.
This was possible because the authority of the Rozino Imperial Family was absolute, and the Four Great Houses solidly backed them with undeniable legitimacy.
‘Time to leave.’
Straightening his back, Yohan began walking down the corridor again. Aside from Cassis, there were no other prisoners in the tower’s uppermost cells.
***
The Holy Kingdom of Pantheon.
A nation where mana was called “blessing” and magical power was referred to as “divine power,” ruled by the Pope.
However, the true powers behind Pantheon were different. While the Pope indeed possessed the strongest divine power, the Archbishops and the Saintess wielded greater external influence.
Thus, the Holy Kingdom of Pantheon could be said to be governed by the Saintess at its center, alongside the Archbishops.
In essence, the position of Pope was more like a ceremonial role reserved for a retiring Archbishop.
“That concludes today’s lesson, Saintess.”
The fifth Archbishop, Piriel, closed a thick book with a benevolent smile. The woman referred to as the Saintess let out a sigh and slumped over the desk.
“Finally, today’s lesson is over… It’s so exhausting…”
“Haha, there’s not much left. Please endure just a little longer.”
Piriel stood and began returning the books to their shelves. To lighten the mood, he brought up a topic that he thought might interest her.
“By the way, I heard the Rozino Empire will soon begin operations to seal the demonic lairs after subduing a traitor.”
“Is that true?”
The Saintess’s eyes sparkled. Her previously dull, unfocused gaze now brimmed with life, and her voice grew clearer.
“It hasn’t been officially announced yet, but it’s highly anticipated.”
“Saint Yohan…!”
The Saintess placed her hand over her chest. Her eyes shone with both excitement and reverence.
She closed her eyes calmly. If the day came when she could meet him, she wanted to transcend her current inadequacies and become a true Saintess worthy of the title.
With her eyes closed and hands folded in prayer, she murmured softly.
“O Great Mother Freyja, please grant me the strength not to falter when I meet the Saint…”
Piriel chuckled quietly.
“You seem very eager.”
“How could I not be? He’s a Saint!”
The Saintess eagerly anticipated her meeting with Yohan. After all, wasn’t he the Saint capable of sealing the demonic lairs? She would readily believe that he had been sent directly by Freyja, the Goddess of Healing.
“He’s surely handsome as well!”
“That’s a well-known rumor.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. In the Empire, he’s often referred to as a ‘trophy.’”
“A trophy…!”
Her cheeks flushed red. Her anticipation grew even further. What kind of person was he? Surely, as a Saint, he must be upright and kind-hearted.
“Ah, Saint Yohan…! I, Arbella, will welcome you!”
The Saintess, Arbella, spoke with her voice full of excitement.
To her, Yohan Lahart was the husband sent to her by the gods. How could she not look forward to meeting him?
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Saintess Arabella |