"Please! I will give you anything! Everything you want! Women! Golds! Even the secret of Healing Magic! Please spare me!"
"Kill my family! But please spare me! You can have all the things in my territory! Spare me!"
"I damn you! You are nothing but a barbarian! I condemn you! I am the chosen of the Gods! You are nothing but a Heretic!"
I ignore the scream of the people in front of him. Today is the judgment day for all the nobles who decide to disobey the king’s order and rebel against the South. They are people who think they can get away with anything because of their wealth and status. They think they are above the law and can get away with anything they do, including inciting a Civil War between the nobility of the kingdom.
They are now standing on a platform in front of the capital city, and around their necks is the noose that will soon be their executioner.
The only people who do not get executed are those under a year old. I don’t like it, but the king and my father want to make an example out of them. Children under one year old will be given to an orphanage, and their titles will be stripped from them. They are commoners now.
As for the rest of them, their punishment is death.
I look at the king standing up from his makeshift throne, and look at the criminal underneath us. He looks at them with disgust and contempt. However, I can see satisfaction behind those emotions. According to Jonathan, who spies on them, the King and the Duke want them gone because they have become too arrogant.
It looks like they are not only hated by the Southern people but also by the Northern people.
Having so many people hate your guts at once is rather impressive, especially when those people also dislike the Southern people.
"We, Hernandes Murian Thomas Gipan, declare you as traitors! You who think above the law! You who think above the King! You who think above the word of the Divines! You who think to rebel! We shall give you the proper punishment for your sins and crimes! We sentence you to Death!"
The executioner ignores their plea and pulls a lever. A second later, the platform underneath them opens up, and the chair underneath them falls to the ground.
I watch them struggle and feel a bit unsatisfied with their ends. The dark side of me wants them to suffer more for what they have done to me and my people. However, the logical part of me is glad that they are dead.
There is no point in delaying their death. If we torture them, we will be seen as tyrants or worse, cruel lords. The South is flourishing, and I don’t want to prevent the rest of the people from growing just because of small satisfaction.
"Gwyn? Are you okay?"
I look to the side and see Silva looking at me in confusion and concern. I smile at her and say.
"It is hard to be the bigger person, Silva."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I want them to suffer longer, but if we delay their death, it will do us worse than good. Not only for our image but also for the rest of our people."
She looks at me for a few seconds before she understands what I mean. She puts her hand on my cheek and says,
"I understand your feelings, Gwyn. However, this is for the best. This is among the reasons why I love you. You think ahead and always think of us. That is what makes you a great leader."
I smile and kiss her. Sometimes it is hard to be the bigger person, but with my loved one with me, it is not bad. There are people behind me who are proud of what I’ve done.
"Gwyn."
I turn around and look at Hilda.
"Hmmm? What is it, dear?"
"To cheer you up, Silva and I have great news waiting for you. We want to tell you when we return to Shadowfall City, but I think this is a perfect chance to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Later! We will tell you when we return to the mansion."
"Then, let’s go. We are done here."
I can see that even my parents look at Hilda and Silva with curiosity. That means the two of them have yet to tell them—the same with Jonathan and Julian. I wonder what kind of news they will tell me about.
=== Line Break ===
"Right! Here we are."
My mother smiles at Silva and Hilda as we arrive in the meeting room in the mansion we own in the capital city. It is the mansion my father purchased when he stayed in this place to talk about something with the king in the past month.
It is not the biggest, but not small either. It is a combination of modest and noble at once, the definition of Southern Nobility.
I shake my head and look at Silva and Hilda. The two of them enjoy the tea the servant serves us, and when they put the tea down, Silva looks at me with a smile, and I say.
"So, what do you want to tell us, Silva? The two of you look like it’s something big."
"It is big news, Gwyn."
"Yup! It is even bigger news than the previous war."
I look at the two of them in confusion and say.
"What is it? Don’t get us hanging like this."
Silva giggles, looking at Hilda for a second before looking back at me.
"Hilda and I are pregnant. We check it in the church, and they come back positive. We are pregnant."
Her words travel through my ear and go to my brain. However, for some reason, my brain takes time to process what she is saying. Pragennante? Preggnannt? Right! Pregnant.
"Pregnant?!" Latest content published on novel★fire.net
I shout and jump off my chair, looking at the two of them in shock. I can see the others also look at them in shock, and after a few seconds, all of us explode in happiness.
"Oh my~ I am going to be a Grandmother! Yay~ Grandbabies~ Two of them~ Yay~"
My mother takes Silva and Hilda to do a small dance. A huge smile on her face will be hard to replace. My father also smiles and looks at me.
"We need to celebrate this!"
Right! I look at Julian and Jonathan and say.
"Buy anything we need to celebrate! Drink! Food! Buy the best of the best! Use as much money as you want! I want the best for this celebration!"
"Yes, my lord!"
"I understand!"
The two of them dash away from the room, and I look at my wives. My mother releases them from her embrace and pushes them to me. I hug them tightly, and I can feel them also hug me tightly.
My family is growing, and I need to do my best to protect them. I will not let anyone harm them. Even when they are Godlike beings, I will kill them all if they dare to try to harm them.