Dusk fell, and the sun began to set slowly, while the cawing of ravens filled the empty execution square before people began gathering there, waiting for the sentence to be carried out.
The guards approached, holding the criminal as they led her toward the execution platform. Suddenly, Adrian appeared in his dark royal attire and ascended the platform with steady steps.
The bound Empress looked at him in shock, unable to comprehend why he was there.
Adrian turned toward the gathered crowds and spoke in a powerful voice. "I am a prince of the Aetheris Empire, and I shall pronounce the sentence upon this criminal myself."
He turned his gaze back to the Empress, his eyes showing no mercy.
"The Empress has committed heinous acts, including fabricating evidence and attempting to murder one of the princes. Her involvement in manipulating the Empire's economy has also been proven… In addition, she exploited Prince Kieran and forced him to do things against his will, causing him psychological trauma and a loss of confidence."
The Empress turned her face away, consumed by hatred and rage.
Adrian fell silent for a moment before continuing in a cold, murderous tone. "Accordingly, her rank shall be completely stripped from her. Second: her tongue, which she used against the royal family, shall be cut out."
The Empress screamed hysterically. "What nonsense is this?! Are you enjoying—"
Adrian interrupted her. "Third: her hands, which she used in her attempts at murder and economic manipulation, shall be cut off. Fourth: an equivalent execution shall be carried out… by burning."
He took a step toward her and spoke sharply. "If you believe this sentence is unjust, then let us ask the people."
Angry voices rose from the crowd around them:
"Does she still think she's an Empress after everything she's done?"
"What a disgraceful woman!"
"This sentence is too lenient for her."
She lowered her head in shock and terror. Adrian gestured to one of the knights, who handed him a sword. Adrian took it and spoke coldly. "Cut out the criminal's tongue."
The Empress screamed in terror. "No! Wait! Don't—"
But her scream caught in her throat after her tongue was brutally severed, and blood splattered chaotically. She collapsed, crying and screaming in muffled, unintelligible cries.
Adrian raised the sword again and said coldly, "Hold her hands."
Despite her desperate resistance, she was restrained. Adrian severed her hands with such brutality that the onlookers trembled in terror. Blood gushed forth in torrents, while his expression remained rigid and unmoving.
He threw the sword to the ground, then gave an order in a suffocating voice that carried not the slightest hesitation. "Carry out the equivalent execution… now."
The guards quickly bowed and tied her to the wooden stake. They lit the firewood beneath her feet, and the flames spread with deadly slowness, gradually consuming her… until nothing remained but ashes.
Afterward, Diana's innocence was proven before everyone, and the people bestowed upon her the title of Saint.
~~~
The advisor spoke hesitantly as he stood before the Emperor. "Your Majesty… the nobles object to Prince Kieran. They say he is unfit to be Crown Prince, and they are also demanding that Prince Adrian take his place."
The Emperor remained silent for a moment before answering calmly. "Kieran has already been appointed, and I have no intention of reversing that decision. Besides, Adrian refuses to stay, so there is nothing we can do."
The advisor swallowed and asked cautiously, "Your Majesty… perhaps I am exaggerating, but we must be wary of Prince Adrian."
A cold smile formed on the Emperor's lips as he replied, "I know that."
~~~
Meanwhile, Adrian had departed for the city of Celesian to meet Albert. He did not travel as a prince, but instead chose to journey as an ordinary person.
He boarded one of the public carriages, which was traveling peacefully along the road… but suddenly, the carriage jolted violently and came to a halt after one of its wheels broke.
Adrian fell to the floor inside the carriage. He got up, breathing in annoyance, and quickly stepped outside.
"Driver! What's going on?!"
The driver hurried down and bowed apologetically. "I sincerely apologize, sir! It seems one of the wheels has come off… I'll repair it immediately. Don't worry."
Adrian gestured toward the driver and said, "All right, hurry up…"
He folded his arms and muttered to himself irritably, "Damn it, it's so cold outside."
He looked at the sky and whispered inwardly, "Perhaps it'll snow soon…"
As he stood there, he caught sight of a red light at a bend in the road. He blinked in surprise, then turned his gaze toward the driver, who was still repairing the carriage.
He whispered to himself, "What was that light just now?"
He looked around and continued, "The fog is already thickening, but it's still morning… Perhaps I'll just take a look."
He walked toward the bend and entered it. He continued along the path toward where he had seen the light, but found nothing.
"Strange… It was definitely here. Could I have imagined it?"
He stopped and turned around. "I think I'll head back now—what?"
He looked around in astonishment. "Were there always this many turns when I came here?… How am I supposed to find the road now!"
One… two… Snowflakes began drifting slowly down from the sky.
Adrian raised his hand and held out his palm, letting the snowflakes fall onto it.
"It's started snowing."
He looked at the winding paths and continued walking down one of them. "I have no choice but to keep walking. Perhaps I'll reach the main road if I do."
He continued walking through the fog, the cold, and the snow, which grew heavier by the moment. He did not find his way back. Instead, he arrived at a very old place where the poor commoners lived.
He wanted to ask someone for directions, but the houses were closed and the streets were empty. Who in their right mind would leave their home in weather like this?
"It's… been a long time already. It's starting to get dark…" he whispered inwardly, utterly exhausted, his veins frozen and his eyes on the verge of closing.
Just a few final steps… before he collapsed onto the ground amid the snow and bitter cold.
~~~
In the palace…
Kieran sat in his room, looking at the small mirror in front of him. His eyes were dull and lifeless, and his soul was coldly shattered.
"She's… really dead," he whispered to himself in bewilderment.
"What did I gain from that?"
"I… only wanted to save my brother, but why did she have to die…"
He looked at the book on the table, and random memories began returning to him.
—
"Kieran! Did you write all of this? You're truly amazing!" the Empress exclaimed in astonishment and delight.
Kieran laughed and asked, "I'll always do my best for you, Mother! So… will you be happy when I do that?"
The Empress patted his head with a tender smile. "Of course. I'll always be happy."
["My mother used to love me… but things changed at some point. It was the day my father told my mother that Adrian would grow up to become someone dependable. My mother, who had feared that the Emperor would favor the First Prince… changed completely."]
"Kieran!! Why does your performance never improve?! Didn't you promise me that you would truly do your best?"
"Mother… I really am doing my best, but holding a sword is very difficult… I also heard that people begin learning swordsmanship at the age of seven, while I'm learning it at four… Why?"
"That's because you're different!! You're not the first son! You're the second son! And if you don't do things properly… you'll be abandoned!"
["That was the first time I had ever seen my mother angry and crying bitterly. I thought I must never let her be sad again… I had to surpass my siblings… but…"]
"What are you doing?! Kieran!!"
"Mother… I…"
"You brat! You're truly useless… Why were you playing with them? Didn't I tell you to focus only on your lessons?"
"Mother… they're kind… They're my siblings, after all! What's wrong with playing with them for a little while…"
["I never imagined she would slap me… but she did."]
"Kieran… from now on, if you fail to earn the Emperor's favor… I'll kill myself."
"Mother!! How… how can you say something like that…"
"Hahahaha… You don't care about your mother anyway. What does it matter if I die and leave you all alone?"
["Her words were cruel… even crueler than her slap. How could a mother say something like that to her own child? I… I was shattered."]
"Kieran, is that all you can do?"
"Kieran, do it properly."
"Kieran, you're embarrassing me!"
["Even though I did everything she asked of me… she was never satisfied. I thought to myself: What if I did the opposite of what she wanted… What if I became stupid and useless… Would my mother stop doing this, I wonder?
That was what I thought… but I never expected her to go to such lengths to make me the heir to the throne."]
"Kieran, you're regressing instead of improving… but if this is the limit of your abilities, then that's fine. Your mother will help you a little…"
["Getting rid of Adrian was her first step. She sent him to the front lines to meet his end. But what she hadn't expected… was that Diana, not Adrian, would become the heir to the throne."]
"Hahahahaha… It seems I'll have to get my hands dirty with blood after all. Just wait… Diana, I'll send you to your mother soon."
["But she didn't stop at killing my sister Diana. She also tried to kill my brother Adrian. I can't really blame her… because I'm the reason all of this happened. She wanted me to be the sole heir. And in the end… I was the one who stabbed her in the back."]