In the midst of the breathless silence, Leni stared fixedly at the prince’s purple cloak.
She had to focus her mind on something—anything.
She had to stay conscious and think of a way to escape this situation.
Polished boots stopped a few steps in front of her.
“You aided someone who carried the enemy’s seed. That is treason.”
“But the princess did nothing wrong. You’re trying to kill an innocent—”
Smack!
A soldier’s rough hand struck the back of her head.
Leni collapsed forward.
As her exhausted body hit the stone floor, the faces of the people she had tried to save flashed through her mind.
Father… I failed to protect the princess.
What do I do now?
“The punishment for treason is death.”
“Take her away. At first light tomorrow, she will be beheaded.”
“I am not a traitor!”
Leni shouted, lifting her head.
“I only tried to help the princess. She is not the enemy. She’s not a traitor!”
She pleaded through tears, but no one stepped forward to defend her.
“Your Highness! The King supports my father. Where is my father? Please let me see him!”
“Silence. Do you want your father dead too? His Majesty was willing to spare him for your sake.”
Kalian signaled the soldiers with his eyes.
“Throw her in the dungeons.”
The soldiers bowed their heads and seized Lenny on both sides.
As she was dragged away, she struggled desperately.
“I’m not a traitor! Please believe me, Your Highness! Where… where is His Majesty? He will prove my innocence!”
Tears blurred her vision.
Everything melted into a haze.
The cold, indifferent faces.
The towering platters of food.
The flickering candles.
The footmen and soldiers standing like statues.
The tapestries and the mounted animal heads decorating the walls.
The violently flickering torches.
This place was too unfamiliar.
Everyone who had loved and protected her was far away now.
Father.
Uncle.
The comrades and friends who were like family.
And our patrons…
“You are the one who tried to kill the princess! You just needed an excuse to brand her a traitor so you could stop her marriage, didn’t you, Your Highness?!”
Lenny screamed the accusation, and a sharp clatter echoed through the hall.
In her tear-blurred vision, a dazzling glint flickered—an ornate dagger had fallen to the floor.
As murmurs spread across the tables, a deep voice cut through the noise.
“Let’s carry out the execution now.”
Startled, Lenny turned her head.
Blayden stepped out from behind a pillar and approached Kalian.
“Why wait until morning, Your Highness?”
His rugged face, framed by tousled blonde hair, looked like a mask.
Though the captive was about to be executed, he showed not a trace of sympathy.
So this is what they meant… that even demons would flee from him in fear.
“Behead her? Right here?”
Blayden picked up the dagger from the floor.
“I don’t know about beheading, but I can certainly make a cut.”
His gloved hand drew the dagger from its sheath.
As the finely honed blade gleamed, a shiver ran down Lenny’s spine.
“The neck is soft, and the blade is sharp—my hand will enjoy this.”
“Really?”
At Kallian’s gesture, the soldiers released Lenny’s arm and stepped back.
Blayden, who had been admiring the blade on his glove, walked toward her.
With slow steps, as if tightening her breath, he closed the distance and knelt down on one knee.
His cold blue eyes stared at her.
The warrior known as the Red Wolf.
A monster that even demons fear and run from.
Who would have thought you’d end up entangled with someone like him?
His large hand reached behind her and grabbed the braid of her hair.
“Ugh!”
Her head jerked back from the forceful grip.
Seeing the blade coming toward her neck, Leni gritted her teeth.
The blade touched the nape of her neck, exposed above her dress.
Her body trembled.
Even the slightest movement would draw blood.
For a knight who had fought in wars, a young girl would be an easy target.
He could kill her with his eyes closed.
But the blade didn’t move.
Neither did the hand holding it.
For a long while, the cold, merciless gaze remained locked on her while the sharp edge only pressed against her skin.
In the stillness, as if the world had stopped, her heart raced wildly.
This was torture.
Unable to bear it, Lenny inhaled deeply.
Her chest heaved, and a soft moan escaped her lips.
Blayden’s lips twitched, and the blade withdrew from her neck.
“Ha.”
She could breathe again.
“Now that I think about it, my appetite seems to have vanished. After finally ending the war, I thought I could enjoy a proper meal.”
Releasing her hair, Blayden stood and turned to face Kallian.
“If the banquet is ruined, everyone will blame me, won’t they, Your Highness?”
Kallian, with his hands behind his back, smiled cruelly.
“In that case, Sir Lehart, do you have a better idea?”
“Instead of making him trash, give her to me.”
A rough laugh echoed from the corner of the table.
“It seems Sir Lehart was hungry, Your Highness.”
“The king’s hunting dog looks like it’s going to roll around like a dog.”
Lewd glances flickered all around.
“Better than trash, I guess dog food would be better.”
“Yes. Throw a dry bone to the dog.”
“Destroyed royalty and a traitor… They suit each other.”
Amid the harsh laughter and mockery, someone slammed the table and shouted.
“Right!”
Soon, everyone joined in the filthy game.
“Right! Right!”
Thud, thud, thud.
The sound of the table being hit grew louder and spread like a wave.
Kallian, leisurely scanning the banquet hall as if watching an amusing spectacle, raised one hand.
All eyes turned to him.
Kallian, expecting perfect silence, slowly closed his eyes before opening them again.
When all mouths were shut, he lowered his hand and faced Blayden.
“I hereby grant the traitor to Sir Blayden Lehart as a slave. Sir Lehart, the laws of Echilion’s…”
“According to the law, slaves are the property of the lord. Enjoy.”
“Ugh!”
The table was struck again.
Louder than before.
Like the sound of war drums heating up the battlefield.
“Sir Lehart, I’m sure you won’t be bored tonight.”
“Jealous. I have neither a wife nor a mistress.”
“You’re better off. I have neither a wife nor a mistress.”
“Maybe you should snatch a slave somewhere.”
“Maybe. Now that my stomach is full, shall we go check on the prisoners?”
“Hahaha. Let’s go together.”
With the intoxication, the crude banter grew more vulgar.
In the noisy banquet hall, Blayden, who had caused the scene, remained calm.
He stood silently without reacting to the aristocrats’ mockery, only lifting Leni and carrying her over his shoulder.
“Let go of me! I am not a slave!”
Leni hit Blayden’s back with her fists.
His rock-like body didn’t react.
Blayden, like a hunter capturing his prey, carried her silently out of the hall.
Lenny felt her blood rush to her head, and everything went white in front of her.
“I am not a slave! I am not an object!”
As she struggled, when Blayden tried to leave the banquet hall, Kallian’s voice flew at them from behind.
“Where are you going, Sir Lehart?”
Blayden merely turned his shoulder and glanced back.
“To have a meal. As a nobleman said, “I’m hungry.”
“Don’t have all the fun to yourself. Why don’t you provide some entertainment for the soldiers who fought in the war?”
Leni felt his hand tighten around her waist.
Kallian’s voice carried strength.
“Take the slave here.”
As soon as the order was given, the sound of the table being struck erupted like a storm.
“Take her! Take her!”
“Here! Here!”
Beasts.
“Let go! You devil!”
Leni’s cries were drowned out by the rough roars of the men.
Kallian, twisting his lips into a grin, raised his hand to quiet the noise and spoke.
“Sir Lehart, you lost the enemy’s heart in the battle of Merang. Today, you desecrated the royal corpse. To atone for your sins, entertain the noblemen gathered here.”
Blayden, looking around at the aristocrats with faces flushed with barbaric excitement, shrugged his shoulders.
“If you wish.”
Lenny’s body was lifted.
Blayden threw her to the ground, took off his cloak, and threw it on the floor.
The black cloak spread out on the floor.
“Then let’s see how it goes.”
Leni grabbed the front of her dress with both hands and glared at Blayden.
“Touch me, and I’ll kill you.”
“Oh dear, my prey has frozen up. Should I melt it, or should I break it?”
His blue eyes sneered as he approached.
“You’re cute. Burn it with your hot body!”
A shout from the table made her stomach turn.
Blayden removed his gloves, threw them on the floor, and shoved her shoulder.
This couldn’t happen.
As she collapsed onto the cloak, Leni raised one hand to her head.
The steel pin lodged behind her ear brushed her fingertips.
Her eyes.
Or her neck.
She only had one chance.
She had to kill him with one strike.
As soon as she grabbed the hairpin, her body was pinned down.
Rough lips trailed up her neck.
When humiliation gripped her, hot breath brushed against her cheek.
“…Pretend.”
The sound passed by her ear.
His hand was already moving toward the target.
Leni, seizing the chance when Blayden’s face lifted slightly, swung the pin.
“Ugh!”
With a sharp gasp, Blayden’s head turned to the side.
The pin, missing its target, cut her cheek.
Failure!
Seeing the blood seep from her skin, Leni felt her world crumble.
It is over now.
It would be worse than death.
Blayden’s head slowly turned.
His rugged face met hers directly.
There was no sign of pain in his gaze.
The calm, terrifyingly calm blue eyes.
Blood streaked down her scratched cheek.
When the blood dripped from her chin, his red lips slowly parted.
“Solenia.”
Leni shuddered.
He remembered my name.
Blayden Lehart.
The scene of the forest flickered before her eyes.
Spring sunlight and fresh green leaves. Luscious apples and sparkling gold coins.
And the warm hand that had rested on her head.
He told me to live long.
He promised to grant my wish when we met again.
And now, this.
Hot tears welled up in her eyes.
The gaze watching her from beyond the vision darkened.
“Solenia Radelion.”
A drop of blood that had gathered at the tip of her chin fell, unable to bear its weight.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.