LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 27
Chapter 27: The Marquess Wields the Blade of Revenge (5-1)
On the day of the execution, I sat in the seat set up next to the execution platform, waiting for the moment.
On either side of me were Argus, now the Karmais Viscount, and Carmine, now the Edior Viscount, both with dark expressions. They knew full well what was about to happen before their eyes, and they were gripped by fear.
Argus is thirteen, and Carmine is ten. Witnessing death at such a young age would undoubtedly cause significant psychological distress, but I had no intention of showing any consideration. On the contrary, I wanted to instill fear of me by forcing them to watch the execution.
Casually shifting my gaze, I noticed Leon standing at the front of the execution platform, his face pale. Walter and Cain stood on either side of him, clearly there to prevent any escape attempts.
After a while, the sound of ugly screams approached from a distance.
“Hmph… They dance exactly as I planned.”
My mutter must have reached the ears of Argus and Carmine beside me. They glanced at me with puzzled expressions.
“Lord Giorg…”
“What is it?”
“What exactly… are your plans, Lord Giorg?”
Argus asked in a voice tinged with fear. It was only natural, given that not only he but his entire house could be wiped out by my decisions the very next day.
In that sense, Argus understood his position well.
“I want those two to meet their end in the most disgraceful way possible. That’s what suits me best. Why don’t you think about the reason yourself, Viscount Karmais?”
“Ugh…”
Argus reacted with frustration to my words. Well, only those of my kind can truly understand my thoughts. Both Argus and Carmine were far too young to inherit their titles. They lacked the strength and experience required to live as nobles.
“Someone like Lord Ace is hard to come by.”
My words were soft, but they seemed to reach Argus’ ears. I could tell from the slight twitch in his demeanor.
It seems he’s arrogantly upset that he’s been ranked below Lord Ace. If you ask me, he’s not even in the same league as Lord Ace, but Argus, who has only lived in a small world, wouldn’t understand that.
And then, the two were dragged to the execution platform, screaming all the while.
“Let me go!! Do you know who I am?!”
“Release me!! You insolent fools!!”
Gazel and Almada were dragged onto the execution platform. The men who dragged them glanced at me, and I stood up, walking over to the platform.
Seeing me, Gazel and Almada knelt before me.
“Giorg, please!! We’ve reflected on our actions. Please, stop this execution!!”
“Giorg, we’ve truly reflected!! We apologize, see?!”
Their groveling apologies stirred no mercy in my heart. I ignored their pleas and began to read aloud the document I had received.
“Former Acting Marquess of Zafing, Gazel, and his wife, Almada. You are hereby sentenced to death for the crime of poisoning the previous Marquess of Zafing, Elphil. This verdict was issued following a trial held at the Zafing Residence in the Royal Capital. While nobles are typically judged by the kingdom’s judiciary, with my formal succession as the Marquess of Zafing, Gazel and Almada have been stripped of their noble status and are now commoners under the jurisdiction of the Zafing Marquessate. As such, I, as the Marquess, hold the legal authority to judge them.”
“That’s right!! The Marquess is just!!”
“Yes!! Yes!!”
“Poisoning the former Marquess?! You monsters!!”
Angry shouts rose from the crowd of subjects, growing louder and louder.
Of course, these shouts weren’t entirely spontaneous. I had members of the Darkness Demon Group mingle with the crowd to stir them up. My mother had ruled with benevolence, earning the love of the people. Gazel, on the other hand, had misused taxes meant for the people for his own pleasures, breeding discontent. Even so, it took courage for the people to openly condemn Gazel and Almada. The Darkness Demon Group’s role was to fan those flames of discontent.
“Furthermore, the execution has been approved by His Majesty the King.”
With that, I turned my gaze to Gazel and Almada.
“G-Giorg, are you really going to kill your own father?!”
“We apologize!! We truly regret our actions!! Please, don’t execute us!!”
Gazel and Almada pleaded with me in increasingly pitiful voices. But no one in the crowd spoke up to beg for their lives. Naturally, I paid no attention to their pleas.
This was the culmination of their lives. The lack of opposition was simply because there was no benefit in opposing. In other words, no one saw any value in saving them.
“L-Leon!! This isn’t what you said!! You told us Giorg was hesitating about the execution!!”
“That’s right, you said so yourself!! Do something!!”
Seeing that I was completely ignoring them, they turned their anger toward Leon. Of course, Leon couldn’t save them. In fact, he knew that speaking out could cost him his life, so he wore a pained expression but remained silent.
“Leon!! Why are you silent?!”
“Giorg!! You’re a monster for killing your own father!!”
“Giorg!! Please!! Forgive us!! Save us!!”
“Leon!! Quickly, beg Giorg for mercy!! That’s what you said, wasn’t it?!”
I watched their ugly screams with a smirk, silently observing. Their outbursts only served to justify the harsh punishment I was about to deliver.
“Hey, bring me a chair.”
Instead of reprimanding them, I ordered Roy to bring me a chair. Roy quickly obeyed, placing the chair on the execution platform. I sat down, resting my elbows on the armrests, and watched their spectacle.
My attitude only provoked them further.
“You bastard!! What kind of attitude is that?!”
“You have no heart!!”
They screamed at me, but I ignored them as usual. I didn’t even see them as human, let alone family, so their words meant nothing to me.
The crowd seemed confused by the exchange on the execution platform, but as I maintained my cold, mocking demeanor, their laughter began to turn toward Gazel and Almada.
“Ugh… Argus!! Carmine!! You two, say something to Giorg!!”
“Leon!! What are you doing?!”
Realizing that pleading with me was futile, they turned their anger toward Leon and the others, but no one responded.
After about five minutes of screaming, their voices gradually grew weaker as they realized no one was listening.
Once their energy had waned, I stood up and spoke again.
“Now, everyone. You’ve all seen the disgraceful behavior of these two. They have not faced their crimes at all, only begging for leniency to save themselves. They even act as if executing them is some great injustice. It’s utterly incomprehensible.”
I continued to ignore them, addressing the crowd instead.
“Everyone!! Should their crimes be lessened simply because they are of noble blood? Is that justice? The answer is a resounding no!! And where in their despicable behavior is there any reason to show them mercy?!”
“That’s right!!”
“They’re utterly disgraceful!!”
The crowd’s voices rose, this time not orchestrated but genuinely spontaneous.
“From their attitude, it’s clear they feel no remorse for their crimes. Such individuals must be punished severely!!”
I smirked inwardly as I made my declaration.
“Therefore, I sentence them to death by disembowelment!!”
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