Elara finally had her first base of operations. After checking all the details about the manor, she was in a great mood as she led Mathias toward her first major goal of the day outside the palace: the public execution of Guard Yang.
Since he dared act like that toward her yesterday, she had to return the favor. Elara had always been vengeful. If someone made her uncomfortable, she would return it double.
As they approached the execution grounds near the city gate, Elara, sitting in the carriage, heard loud scolding and whipping from a distance.
She lifted the curtain and saw that the whipping was not directed at Guard Yang. Instead, it was aimed at the people watching from afar. His men were violently lashing out at curious citizens who had gathered in shock, seeing him publicly hung up for punishment.
Guard Yang had always acted above everyone in Marigold City. Now he was hung like this at the gate, and the commoners who had once been beneath his feet were staring at him. This wasn't just humiliating, it was like having his pride crushed and ground into the dirt.
When he was first strung up, he saw those commoners, not even worthy of polishing his boots, daring to look at him with contempt. His blood boiled. He ordered his men to either drive them away or beat them to death.
But Elara had predicted he would lash out in anger. Would she let him do as he pleased?
Of course not.
Inside the carriage, Elara pointed at the soldiers whipping the people. Uno immediately understood and vanished. In a few seconds, he appeared behind the soldiers. Before they could react, he had already snatched the whips from their hands.
The long whips, now in Uno's grip, moved with even more power and precision.
With a flick of his lean, strong arm, the barbed whips lashed the soldiers to the ground. Then, as if alive, the whip wrapped back around their bodies, tying them so tightly they couldn't move. All they could do was kneel toward the carriage.
Only after being forced to kneel did the soldiers react to the burning pain on their bodies. They cried out in agony, drawing everyone's attention.
Guard Yang, hanging from the city wall, was already seething with rage. When he looked down and saw Elara's flashy carriage, and his trusted men tied up like criminals, he couldn't help but suck in a deep breath. His fury burned even stronger.
He squirmed against the ropes and shouted angrily from the top of the wall, "Your Highness! What is the meaning of this!"
Only then did Elara open the curtain and slowly step out of the carriage. She raised her head and openly admired the sorry sight of Guard Yang hung up in full view. She watched until his face turned red and his breathing became sharp from anger. Then she smiled and tilted her chin toward the soldiers on the ground.
"I should be asking you that, Lord Yang. Was what I said at Lord Gregory's mansion yesterday not clear enough? Or are you planning to disobey Lord Gregory's order for a public execution?"
Even though she had requested the punishment, she made it sound like Lord Gregory had ordered it. She was now accusing him of defying a command.
Guard Yang felt like the anger in his chest was about to explode. It almost made it hard to breathe.
When did this useless princess become so sharp-tongued? She used to be just a foolish flirt.
His chest heaved as he thought of Lord Gregory and Regent Martin in the north. He forced himself to calm down.
Though furious, he'd held a high rank long enough to know when to explode and when to swallow his anger.
Hanging under the wooden frame, he forced a stiff smile. "Your Highness misunderstood. I only feared that the commoners might disrupt today's punishment and spoil your enjoyment. So I…"
Before he could finish, Elara cut him off with a sincere look.
"No no, General, you really misunderstood. For a public execution to be satisfying, the more people the better. I want to enjoy watching you be whipped together with all the people of Marigold City. That's what makes it fun." She even gave him a friendly smile.
"You!" Guard Yang choked with rage again, his chest rising and falling hard.
Elara stopped looking at him and pointed around.
"Remove all the blind soldiers who dared stop me and the people from enjoying the view. If anyone disobeys, arrest them as rebels defying Lord Gregory's orders. I'll personally bring them to his mansion and complain about how disloyal his men are."
Because there were too many soldiers, not just Uno but also Dos and Tres came forward to carry out her command.
Now that she was surrounded by fewer people, Elara waved toward the carriage. Sure enough, Guard Four emerged from somewhere with a small tea table, a rocking chair, and some snacks. He tried to make her as comfortable as possible for the show.
Elara leaned back in the rocking chair, munching on nuts. She watched as Uno, Dos, and Tres punished the disobedient soldiers. She lifted her eyes to the city wall, enjoying the scene.
Her gaze swept over the carriage and saw that Mathias was still inside, silently watching her.
She blinked, then waved at him to ask if he wanted to come enjoy the snacks and the view with her.
But as soon as their eyes met, he looked away like he had been caught. He turned his face aside, fluttered his lashes slightly, and only gave her a distant bow before sitting still in the carriage.
Elara didn't mind. Good nuts were rare these days, and if he didn't come out, she didn't have to share. More for her.
Around her, the soldiers who had resisted started settling down after hearing what she said.
They say a dog is like its master. These guards had followed Guard Yang in Marigold City for too long. They had already lost the basic discipline soldiers should have and had become nothing more than beasts in uniform.
When Guard Yang bullied the people, they would threaten, beat, and rob the very citizens they were supposed to protect. They snatched everything from the people with brute force.
When Guard Yang targeted a certain minister in court, they would turn around and attack that minister's family. They raided homes, killed without mercy, stole everything, and violated noblewomen they once never dared touch.
Guard Yang looked down on Elara, the noble princess. So naturally, they never saw her as someone worth respecting either.
When Elara first arrived, the city guards saw her but pretended not to. They continued following Guard Yang's orders to drive out and whip the innocent people nearby.
But now, the Elara they used to mock had brought up someone they feared even more — Lord Gregory.
These guards who had acted arrogantly under Guard Yang's name knew very well that the true power behind him came from the Gregory family.
Guard Yang's position only stood firm because of that family's support.
So when he was suddenly tied up and publicly punished here today, the guards began to whisper among themselves. Some even wondered if Guard Yang had done something to anger Lord Gregory and was about to lose his position.
Then Elara, the princess they once thought was only interested in good-looking men and knew nothing else, started speaking about Lord Gregory as if he supported her. That immediately changed their view. Their scorn turned into fear. They hesitated and no longer dared to resist.
Once the guards stopped resisting, Uno, Dos, and Tres moved even faster.
Soon, the guards who had whipped the citizens were tied up and thrown aside.
Guard Yang watched from the top of the wall, glaring at Elara. He silently cursed her, then turned his head away. He didn't shout any commands like usual. Instead, he stayed quiet and did nothing to stop her, like he had accepted defeat.
But Elara suddenly changed her mind.
Just driving away those guards wasn't enough.
While Uno and the others were handling the guards, she looked at the citizens nearby. They had been chased and beaten and were now huddled far away, not daring to come close. Some were lying on the ground, covered in blood, too weak to move. In that short moment, they had been beaten almost to death by the guards.
Elara saw their thin bodies, torn clothes, and the deep red marks on the ground behind them. Even near death, they still tried to crawl away without making a sound.
Behind the low walls nearby, some thin children were being held tightly by elderly people, their mouths covered. The children were crying silently, looking at the crawling adults. Elara watched for a while before realizing they were calling out "Father" and "Mother."
She looked away and made a decision.
She pointed at the guards who had whipped the people earlier.
"Hang them on the city wall too. Let them join their leader. This is their punishment for disobeying Lord Gregory's orders and ruining my mood."
Half a minute later, the people watching from a distance saw the guards who had hurt them earlier being tied up and hung on the wall. Just like their leader.
Before the people could react, Guard Yang exploded with rage from the top of the wall.
He saw his most loyal officers tied and hung beside him like slabs of meat, soon to be beaten. He felt all his dignity crushed under Elara's foot.
His eyes turned red with anger. Hanging there, he shouted at her.
"Elara, you!"
Elara didn't give him the chance to continue. Her tone was colder than before.
"Guard Yang, do you think you're worthy to call my name? Or are you already itching for a few more lashes before your punishment even begins?"
"You!"
"Don't forget. Lord Gregory is still waiting for me to calm down. Don't make me lose patience. You have your power only because he allowed it. If you want to ignore his words, then wait until you outrank him. But for now, he's still standing above you. Don't ask for trouble. Compared to him, you're not even worth his toe."
Guard Yang trembled with rage. But because she had mentioned Lord Gregory, he couldn't even talk back.
It was true. He worked under Lord Gregory. But even so, he was still supposed to be someone powerful. Now Elara said he wasn't even worth a foot. It was humiliating.
He nearly choked with fury. Elara ignored him.
After the guards who whipped the people were hung up too, Elara looked around again. She saw the weak men and women finally crawl to the wall, where people helped pull them inside. Only then did she shift her gaze upward.
The sun was bright overhead. It was near noon. A perfect time to punish evil.
Elara raised her hand. Uno, Dos, and Tres began the punishment. They watched closely. If any executioner dared go easy, they would immediately whip the slacker.
After a few such examples, even those afraid of Guard Yang didn't dare hold back. Each strike was done with full force.