Jurgen was visibly enraged, and Garcia showed an uncharacteristically excessive reaction.

Escal watched the two with interest.

It wasn’t particularly surprising that mentioning Vanessa would get on Jurgen’s nerves, as he had somewhat expected.

However, he didn’t expect Garcia, that untamed wild animal, to growl like a dog whose master had been insulted.

And not even for Jurgen’s sake, but for Vanessa Roengreen’s.

‘Interesting…’

Looking closely, not just Garcia, but the other knights also had displeased expressions. As if they were getting angry on behalf of Vanessa, who wasn’t even present.

It seemed Vanessa’s position in Valencia had changed quite a bit in the meantime.

‘I thought she’d remain an eternal outsider. Whatever she did, that princess is impressive.’

Chuckling, Escal met Jurgen’s cold golden eyes. Jurgen looked extremely displeased.

However, he wouldn’t try to kill Escal right away. Rather than beheading him here, it would be more effective in appeasing public sentiment to drag him to Valencia and have him publicly executed there.

“Keep your mouth shut and stay quiet until we reach Valencia. If you utter one more word, I’ll cut out that tongue.”

“I’ll cut it myself if His Grace doesn’t.”

Before Escal could respond, Garcia interjected, approaching with a rope.

He bound Escal’s hands and upper body tightly with ruthless movements devoid of any consideration. Escal’s mouth itched to probe if Garcia had developed feelings for Vanessa, but fearing the loss of his ‘tongue’, he merely grinned.

“Count Frambert, and Countess.”

Having restrained the felon Escal, the next in line was the Frambert family.

There was a high possibility they had aided in the plague outbreak Escal had orchestrated, so they too needed to be taken in for questioning.

But… whether they had participated in Escal’s crimes or not wasn’t the important issue. They had lost in the territorial battle anyway, so it wouldn’t be strange even if they were beheaded here.

Nevertheless, Jurgen decided to give the Frambert family one last chance. Whether they would straightforwardly confess their crimes and beg for forgiveness, or stubbornly cling to their pride until the end and be beheaded… The choice was up to them.

“I ask you. Did you knowingly assist in Escal Drake’s criminal plans?”

The former countess of Frambert, with her eyes wide open, remained as silent as if her mouth was coated with honey. The Count was the same, not uttering a word. He still looked frightened, glancing at the former countess and watching her reactions.

‘What a sight.’

Clicking his tongue, Jurgen drew his sword from its scabbard. The Frambert family was the epitome of incompetent nobility, possessing only bloodline and status.

Today, hundreds of soldiers had lost their lives fighting for such people. Lamenting those lives lost in vain, Jurgen moved his feet slowly, one step at a time.

“Oh, don’t come near! You evil spirit! You wicked beast!”

“……”

As Jurgen drew closer, the former countess of Frambert screamed with a pale face. Jurgen stopped in front of the Count’s family with an expressionless face. His merciless, ruthless gaze was as cold as frost, without a hint of warmth.

“This is your last chance. Count Frambert. And former countess.”

His frosty voice resonated softly.

“Will you repent your sins and live out your remaining days in a monastery? Or will you die here like this?”

“Sins…?”

The former countess of Frambert, who had suddenly asked back, started laughing out loud. As if she couldn’t bear how funny it was.

Soon, a neurotic roar burst from her mouth.

“The one who committed sins is you! Jurgen Drake! If you were born as a lowly bastard, you should have died grinding away as a slave all your life, how dare you sit in the seat of the Drake family head? And not content with that, you even cruelly killed my daughter and grandson! You deserve to die a thousand deaths! How long do you think you’ll be so high and mighty! You’ll surely pay for your sins!”

Even as she hurled curses to his face, Jurgen didn’t bat an eye. Having lived his whole life hearing every curse imaginable, there was nothing new to be surprised about no matter what he heard now.

“Is that all you have to say?”

Jurgen placed his sword against the former countess’s neck. Gulp. the former countess’s throat moved as she swallowed dryly. Her eyes were full of fear of death, yet still contained vivid hatred.

“Kill me, you devil. I’d rather die than beg for my life from the likes of you.”

At the fierce spirit of the crazed old woman, Jurgen merely raised the corner of his mouth in a crooked smile. As if he found it somewhat amusing.

“If death is your wish, I should grant it.”

The next moment, the blue blade sliced through the air. With truly ghostly skill, Jurgen beheaded the former countess in an instant, shook the blood off his sword once, and turned to look at the Count.

“Hii… Hiiic!”

As if the man before him was truly some evil spirit, the Count stepped back with a pale face.

He trembled like an aspen leaf, glancing sideways at Jurgen who was quietly observing him. Then, his eyes rolled back and he fell to his knees, crawling towards Jurgen. He looked like someone who had entrusted everything to his survival instinct.

“Pl-please spare me. I’ll do any-anything… Confess! I’ll confess! And, and I’ll repent too. Pl-please… just my life…”

“……”

He was a cowardly man who didn’t know how to maintain the dignity of a lord, but he seemed better than his mother. At least in the sense that he didn’t put up useless pride.

Jurgen, who had let out a short sigh, withdrew his sword. Immediately, relief washed over the Count’s face, thinking ‘I’m saved.’

He soon began to spill everything he knew.

✦ ✦ ✦

Count Frambert’s testimony wasn’t much. It wasn’t useful information, and it was all things that had been expected.

In any case, since he had confessed honestly, Jurgen showed mercy by sparing his life. From now on, he would have to live in a monastery without territory or title, but…

For a lord who had lost in a territorial battle, there were only two options: to die, or to live on miserably with just their life intact.

“My dear Valencia, it’s been a while. There’s really no place like home.”

Escal chattered as he was dragged out of the iron cage, bound by ropes. Garcia looked like he desperately wanted to kill that guy.

Jurgen patted Garcia’s shoulder a couple of times, then walked past him and ordered the knights.

“Lock Escal in the underground prison. The execution will be carried out tomorrow at 2 PM in the square, with all the territory’s people gathered.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Despite tomorrow being his execution day, Escal just kept grinning, seemingly pleased about something. Vanessa, watching this scene from afar, couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was suspicious.

‘It should be alright by now.’

Two hours after the master of Rivadel Castle and his knight order had returned. It was around 11 AM.

She thought this would be a good time to visit, as the knights would probably be resting comfortably after washing up, treating their wounds, or having a meal.

Vanessa headed towards the knights’ quarters with Vincent and Renee. She felt slightly anxious yet excited.

‘When I saw them briefly earlier, it didn’t seem like anyone was seriously injured…’

The knights’ quarters were a 4-story building in the northeast annex. It included a large outdoor training ground and an indoor sparring arena.

“…Huh? Your Highness?”

As soon as they arrived at their destination, a knight who recognized Vanessa greeted her with wide eyes.

Perhaps because he had just returned from battle, there was a fierce light in his eyes, but Vanessa tried not to be intimidated. When she imagined the knight before her as a hungry and lonely stray dog, she felt more sympathetic than scared.

Vanessa smiled kindly, arbitrarily filled with compassion, and said,

“I came to check if anyone was injured. I thought I might treat you…”

“Ah…!”

The knight, seeming to understand now, smiled with his dark brown eyes curved like crescent moons and nodded repeatedly.

“For Your Highness to offer to look at our wounds, it’s a great honor for us!”

Then he volunteered for the potentially troublesome role of gathering the other guys, saying he would go to the dining hall.

Vanessa felt grateful to him, so she smiled even more brightly as she thanked him.

At that, the knight suddenly stiffened, then bowed like a wooden puppet and ran away in a hurry.

“……?”

Tilting her head, Vanessa muttered as if talking to herself.

“Why did he do that? Is he uncomfortable somewhere?”

While Vanessa was puzzled and Vincent was standing dazed with a red face, only Renee laughed helplessly.

A little while later, the entire knight order gathered in the dining hall where Vanessa had gone ahead to wait.

Although there were women in the knight order too, it was mostly filled with tall men, making the dining hall feel cramped and bustling.

“Your Highness!”

As Vanessa was looking at the knights’ wounds, Garcia, who had just entered the dining hall, came running like a dog excited to see its master.

It was as if a tail could be seen wagging behind his back. Vanessa smiled slightly and asked after him.

“Sir Garcia, have you been well? Are you injured anywhere?”