After hearing Shakky's question, Derland answered without hesitation.
"After I leave, the responsibility for the city's defense will fall to Knight Commander Arazur. He is a good man and loyal to the kingdom. I don't believe he would ever do anything that could harm it."
Shakky raised a finger slightly.
"But we still can't say for certain who might betray us. That's why you need to return to the kingdom early tomorrow morning and report the coming danger to Father."
Derland stepped a little closer.
"If that's the case, why wait until tomorrow? I can leave right now."
Shakky raised her hand and stopped him.
"No, Uncle. Traveling the snow-covered roads at night is too dangerous. We also can't send a letter to the kingdom — if we do, the one behind this will know we're already onto them. For now, we have to remain quiet and act as if we know nothing."
They continued discussing the matter for several more hours. The room stayed quiet except for their voices, the weight of the situation settling over all three of them.
Then a knock came at the door.
"Princess, may I come in?"
Everyone turned toward the door. Shakky answered calmly.
"Yes. Enter."
A knight stepped inside, holding a spear. He stopped in front of them and bowed.
"Forgive me, Princess. Lord Manice has summoned you to the execution platform."
Ameria reacted immediately.
"What? Doesn't he know the princess is still too young to watch something like that?"
Shakky raised her hand and stopped her.
"That's enough, Ameria."
Ameria fell silent, though frustration remained clear on her face. Shakky looked at the knight.
"Tell Lord Manice I will be there shortly."
The knight bowed again and left. Ameria still looked upset. Shakky noticed her expression and spoke quietly.
"There's no point blaming Lord Manice. If I was the one who gave the judgment, then I should also be the one to see it through."
Ameria stepped forward, still trying to stop her.
"But Princess… letting people see you like that, as if you're cruel — is that what Lord Manice wants to show?"
Shakky gave a small smile.
"If that's what he's thinking, then I'll be quite pleased."
Ameria looked surprised. Shakky continued,
"Besides, I'm already known for this kind of thing in the East. Now it will be the same here. It doesn't matter to me."
Ameria still tried to protest.
"But even so, Princess—"
Derland placed a hand on her shoulder.
"That's enough. You already know the princess won't listen to anyone."
Ameria shot him an angry look and puffed her cheeks. Derland leaned back slightly, looking flustered.
"What? What did I do now?"
Shakky stood up from her seat.
"Let's go. We'll be late if we wait any longer."
---
A short while later, they arrived at the execution platform.
It was built like a large open stadium. In the center stood a raised wooden stage meant for the sentencing. A large crowd had already gathered below, filling the space with restless noise. Some people shouted insults, others watched with eager eyes, and some simply stood in uncomfortable silence. Torches lined the area, casting long shadows across the snow-covered ground. Knights stood in formation around the stage, keeping the crowd from pushing too close. The cold air carried the sharp sound of metal being sharpened.
Above the crowd, in the special seats, Lord Manice sat with his wife, Lady Siyali. She wore a bright red dress that stood out against the dull winter surroundings, her hair neatly tied up. Beside them was another seat, where Shakky now sat.
Derland stood to her right. Mardy stood to her left. Ameria remained behind her. Below them, several of Manice's ministers occupied their designated places.
Shakky's eyes were fixed on the stage and the crowd below. She watched the knights, the people, and the wooden platform without any visible reaction.
Lady Siyali's gaze, however, kept drifting toward the young princess. She clearly did not like seeing a child present at an execution. She leaned toward her husband and gestured for him to listen.
"Why did you call the princess here?" she whispered. "This is an execution platform, and she is still a small child."
Manice kept his voice low as he answered.
"I know. But she is here because she should see the sentence she herself delivered with her own eyes."
Shakky spoke without turning her head.
"Thank you for your concern, Lady Siyali. But my presence here is necessary. I need to see the consequences of my own decision with my own eyes."
Lady Siyali froze for a moment, realizing the princess had heard their private conversation. She quickly tried to recover.
"N-no, Princess, that's not what I meant. You're misunderstanding—"
Manice let out a short laugh.
"Haha. Just as I heard from the East… you really are exactly like the rumors."
Shakky gave a faint smile, about to reply, when Ameria spoke from behind her.
"We don't know what you've heard, Lord Manice, but the princess does not enjoy watching her people suffer. That is exactly why she sometimes has to make decisions that others find unpleasant."
Ameria's eyes briefly moved toward Voldis, who stood at a distance.
Derland shot Ameria a sharp look, silently telling her to stop talking, but she ignored him. Manice took the comment lightly.
"Every person has their own opinion. We can never fully know what is right or wrong for someone else. And as for judgments… the people tend to stay with those who are not cruel."
Shakky raised a hand slightly, stopping Ameria from saying anything more. She gave a small smile.
"I don't agree with that, Lord Manice."
Manice looked at her with mild curiosity.
Shakky continued calmly,
"It is the decisions we make that lead us into the future we choose. If we choose what feels 'good' today, tomorrow may become far worse. Sometimes it is the cruel decisions that allow a kingdom to move forward… because they consider not only the present, but the days that follow."
Manice smiled and clapped his hands lightly.
"A very good answer, Princess."
At that moment, the noise of the crowd grew louder. Manice turned his eyes toward the stage.
"It seems the time has come."
Everyone looked down.
Several knights were bringing the three condemned men onto the stage. The prisoners kept their heads lowered as the crowd shouted at them. Heavy chains bound their wrists. Their clothes were torn and dirty, making them look every bit the criminals they had been judged to be. The sight only made the people louder.
Shakky watched them without blinking.
This was not new to her.
She had given similar judgments before. She had watched the consequences with her own eyes more than once. The weight that most people would feel in this situation simply was not there. Her gaze moved across the three prisoners, then briefly toward Lord Manice.
*(If you stand against the law… this is what waits for you.)*
She was not here out of guilt or curiosity. She was here to make sure the message was clear.
On the stage, a large, strong-looking man stood waiting. He was sharpening a heavy axe, the sound of metal against stone cutting cleanly through the cold air. Derland watched the scene with clear unease.
*(How am I supposed to stand here and let the princess watch this? I should take her back…)*
He glanced at Shakky. She was still looking straight at the stage, completely calm. He already knew she would not listen to him. His eyes then moved to Ameria. She looked pale, her eyes slightly wet.
Derland took a quiet step back and moved beside her. Ameria glanced at him, then returned her gaze to the stage. Derland sighed and gave her a light push with his shoulder. She turned to him with a frustrated look. He raised both shoulders in a helpless apology. Ameria understood what he wanted to say. She also knew there was no point trying to stop the princess. She sighed and shook her head. Derland returned to his place beside Shakky. She noticed him move but said nothing, her eyes already back on the stage.
The executioner continued sharpening the axe, preparing it for a clean cut. The three prisoners watched him with growing fear.
The bald one suddenly shouted in desperation.
"STOP! Let us go! We'll do anything after this!"
The man on the stage only glanced at him once, then ignored him completely and returned to sharpening the blade. The last hope in the bald man's eyes broke. His second companion dropped to his knees, clutching his head as he began to cry.
"We made a terrible mistake…!"
The third one simply stood there. No expression. No reaction. As if something inside him had already shattered, leaving nothing behind.
Shakky continued watching in silence, her posture straight, her face calm and unreadable. Around her, the crowd's noise swelled again, hungry and restless, while the cold wind carried the steady sound of the axe being prepared.