Antagonist Protection Service-Chapter 220 Execution (1)

220: Execution (1)

220: Execution (1)

Staring at the bowl of grey slop on the tray sitting on the floor in front of me, I sighed.

“―Haaaaaah…”

Exaggeratedly so.

Ever since I had been left in this quiet cell, at first I was fine, but as they continued to leave me here without a word, even sending the occasional tray of slop my way like this, it only began to feel more and more like something was majorly, majorly wrong.

No, something was definitely wrong, and at this point, my worries were such that the only way to disperse them, even if only temporarily, was to heave a great sigh like so.

As far as I remembered this was not the first time I had been imprisoned, but it was definitely the longest duration I had been imprisoned for, and by a long shot at that.

Rather, other than that third Contract, was there even another time…?

‘No, that’s right.

This is only the second time.’

As for the first time, could it even be called proper imprisonment?

I spawned in that cell as part of my disguise, after all.

On the other hand, this was real, unadulterated incarceration.

‘It’s damn boring…’

I tried using as much of the free time I had to practice my internal visualisation training, but how could I focus properly when I was in this situation?

At first I thought I would only be here for a short while before Lucretia came to free me with her authority as Imperial Princess, but it’s already been a few days and I’ve heard nothing.

Not from the knights who occasionally came by to drop that disgusting slop off at the door before immediately leaving, not from anyone.

No matter how many times I asked, they didn’t even utter a sound.

At this rate, I could be in here for weeks with nothing happening, or even longer.

Was Lucretia even aware that I was being held here?

‘Tch…

I was willing to play along and wait patiently for a while, but this is just getting out of hand.’

Whether it was related to the plan itself, or whether there was some sort of miscommunication somewhere, something went tremendously wrong.

If this continued for any longer, I might just have to screw the plan and break out myself–

Ka-chunk-!

At that moment, the sound of the dungeon entrance door resounded.

‘Someone’s coming…?

But they just delivered the food like thirty minutes ago, so who…’

Hastily changing my position to sit on the edge of the bed, I straightened my back and perked up my ears to listen carefully, hearing multiple sets of heavy footsteps thudding down the corridor.

‘There’s a group!

That means they’re taking me out, right?’

[Oh, yay!

Enki, you should tell them off for making us wait so long!]

‘Don’t you worry, I’m definitely going to have a word with Lucretia, that’s for sure.’

A relieved smile naturally lifted my face with the Librarian’s simultaneous celebration, and as I saw the orange light of their lanterns slowly illuminate more and more of the corridor and even the inside of my cell as they got closer, I waited rather enthusiastically.

Before long, the group of six Imperial Knights appeared in front of my cell.

“Come here.”

For the first time since I was jailed here, one of them spoke and beckoned me with a finger.

Approaching as he said, I had my arms grabbed through the bars by two of the knights.

‘Oh, are they cuffing me again? freeωebnovēl.c૦m

You don’t need to be that rough, though…’

Just like what had happened when I first turned myself in, I had my hands cuffed with black metal manacles.

I didn’t know why they needed to do it when I was on their side, but maybe it was just a procedure.

Alternatively, I had already been told beforehand by Joádin that it was only him and the other ex-love interests, as well as Lucretia of course who knew about my innocence.

Ah, the emperor, too, since I talked to him to get his permission last time.

Anyway, because of that, it was almost certain that none of these Imperial Knights actually knew I was a good person, so they treated me like a regular prisoner or whatever because that’s all they saw me as.

That would also make sense as to why I was only provided such an awful excuse for “food”.

Incidentally, I never ended up eating any of that slop.

Obviously.

I just ate whatever I had in Storage.

After all, even if I wanted to save it as much as possible, I simply wasn’t someone capable of eating something like that even if my life was on the line.

Anyway, because of that, I could understand why they would see the need to shackle and restrain me.

It was fine.

Lucretia probably had a key to release me when they led me to her anyway.

I…

was being led to her…

right?

‘Uh…’

As the Imperial Knights pulled me out of the cell and restrained me, one of them held tightly onto each of my arms with the other four escorting me in pairs at the front and back.

“Say, can I ask where we’re headed…?”

Feeling just a tiny bit of nervousness creeping up my chest for some reason, I squeaked out that voice tentatively.

At that, I was half not expecting any response at all, but surprisingly, one of the knights leading the convoy turned halfway to face me.

Opening his mouth, the answer was curt.

“The gallows.”

At that moment, I paused.

“…What?”

❖─────★★☆☆☆─────❖

A quintessential summer day, the sky was a perfect azure, dotted with just the perfect amount of white clouds and with the revered Holy Sun hanging radiantly overhead.

“The perfect day for a hanging, is it…

”

At one end of the venue, strangely taking place just outside the Imperial Palace as if to ensure easy access for citizens to come and observe, the best seats in the house were present.

Naturally, they were filled with none other than the imperial family themselves.

“Not that this is one, but that’s what your father used to say, you know?”

“I’m not taken by surprise.”

Just beside the Ruling Sun of the Empire, Emperor Doran de Drakon-Rasa, sat the Archduchess of the North, Imperial Princess Lucretia de Christina-Drakon-Rasa.

The princess gazed out onto the wooden foundation that was the dreaded gallows, including of course the single sharpened guillotine taking up the very centre of the raised platform.

Lingering for just a moment, her attention moved further beyond to sweep across the steadily gathering crowd, growing larger and larger with each tension-filled minute that passed.

“…They are all too thrilled.”

Hearing her muttering such a comment under her breath, the emperor simply laughed.

“They are merely excited to finally be bringing the man who brought so much suffering upon our empire to justice.

Your efforts these past nineteen months have also contributed to their vitriol towards him, and their protectiveness over yourself.”

His words rang true.

Lucretia had indeed worked very hard since being named as the emperor’s successor.

Not just to prove herself to him who chose her that she was worthy of the ‘Imperial Empress’ title, but more importantly, to prove herself to the many citizens of the empire that they could trust in her, that they could believe in her, and that they could look up to her as their leader.

Perhaps she had worked a little too hard in that manner.

“So is it my fault then?

That even going to this extent is necessary.

You know well how he saved us.”

Turning her head to face him, the emperor could only give a bitter laugh.

“Indeed.

I do.

That doesn’t make things any simpler now though, does it?”

Glancing at her, he put on a smile that was half warm, half uncertain.

“You would likely know more than I that public executions are not nearly as common down here as they are up north.

That is exactly why they are seen as such an infrequent spectacle, something to behold…”

The emperor did not continue the second half of his sentence, but Lucretia already knew what he was going to say.

‘…and that is also what makes them so effective.’

And in more ways than one.

The Archduke of Christina-Rasa applied the usage of brutal punishments like execution well, and he did so without hesitation, resulting in Lucretia herself growing used to the sight.

Of course, even if it was something like execution, overly frequent enforcement of such high-octane punishments would only diminish their effectiveness with time, as with anything, and it was common knowledge that the northern territories were beginning to implement various new forms of punishment in recent times.

However, just because they were not used as commonly in the metropole of the Drakon-Rasa Empire, did not mean their use was nil, not at all.

The less frequently public execution was implemented, the higher the social impact it would have once it was inevitably used again.

As such, it was only used when a number of key criteria were met, including a most vital criterion of increasing public morale among the populace.

For example, executing a man who betrayed the trust of the beloved Imperial Princess.

For example, executing a man who had assassinated the former crown prince.

“‘Today, a villain would be brought to justice whose existence was nothing more than a blight on our great history’.”