Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Judgment Square (2)
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Stis City was the city where the Stis Court, the judicial body in charge of war crimes trials, was established.
Since the founding of the Stis Court, countless heroes of Francia had been branded as war criminals and vanished like morning dew on the execution ground.
And today, yet another star was fading away.
The execution date had been publicly announced a full month in advance.
As a result, Stis City was currently teeming with crowds of people.
The star setting this time was none other than Lordr Heiser.
But the strange fervor permeating Stis City wasn't solely because of that.
Lordr Heiser's execution was already a settled matter.
The extraordinary attention of the people was focused on whether the White Lion would make an appearance.
"Will he really come?"
"How could he get here? With soldiers blanketing the place like this. Even if he showed up, he'd turn tail and run."
"I hear the Special Task Force is here too."
"The Plains Jackals got taken down, so of course they'd bring that level of force. There's even rumors he's a Sword Master."
"But what about the Special Task Force?"
"They say it's the 'Royal Knights.'"
"They're really prepared for anything."
"That's how much of a threat he is."
"I'd rather he didn't come...."
"For the future of Francia, that might be better. Lordr is done for anyway...."
Whenever two or more people gathered, they chattered about the White Lion. But despite all those mouths, they were all saying the same thing.
Whether the White Lion came or not, Lordr Heiser would be executed.
To them, the outcome was as good as decided.
Seeing the reinforcements steadily pouring into the city, it was only natural to reach that conclusion.
I had arrived in this gloomy city four days ago.
It would have been ideal if I could have extracted him before the execution, but in reality, that was impossible.
No matter how capable I was, I couldn't approach him without causing a commotion.
Sure, I could raise hell, but if he died in the process, it would all be for nothing.
So, I had no choice but to wait until he ascended the execution platform.
And that's what I did.
Thanks to that, I'd enjoyed some leisure time and roughly mapped out an escape route.
The already somber atmosphere of the city grew even heavier as the execution day approached.
That was how much weight Lordr Heiser's death carried.
It was only natural.
He was Francia's last star.
The people would feel the empire's overwhelming power once more in the face of his death and ultimately resign themselves completely.
That was the true purpose of the public execution orchestrated by Halent Barrein.
And so, I had come here to stop it.
"Alright, time to head out."
Having filled my stomach solidly from early morning, I set off with light steps.
Even though there was still plenty of time until the announced execution hour, people were already flocking to the Judgment Square where the execution platform had been set up.
I followed the crowd and slowly entered the square.
"......"
I paused, lost in thought as I gazed at the execution platform towering in the center of the square.
The Judgment Square was as vast as the Tenasta Square where I had been executed.
I couldn't help but recall the end of my previous life.
"That's the 'Grave of the Stars.'"
I looked at the flat space on the topmost part of the execution platform.
Raised high so it could be easily seen from anywhere in the square, it resembled a small stage.
It was there that countless stars of Francia had...
Ended their myriad tales in death.
For that reason, people called it the 'Grave of the Stars.'
"When does it start?"
"Not much longer now."
"I see. Let's pray for his final moments."
The people in the square murmured among themselves as they awaited his execution.
Some shed tears here and there, but compared to the symbolism of his death, the overall mood was calm.
Most citizens had already accepted Lordr's death.
It had been ten years since the annexation by the empire, but considering the enemy forces now in Stis City, it was inevitable.
"Those must be the famous Crow Knight Order."
"Didn't you see them last time?"
"First time for me. They're incredible. Just looking at them makes my legs shake."
"They say every member has reached Expert level. With them all gathered like that, it's suffocating."
People conversed while eyeing the Crow Knight Order encircling the execution platform.
Watching roughly three hundred knights lined up in jet-black armor, a heavy pressure descended like the sky itself was falling, weighing down on my entire body.
"Damn. If they're that formidable, just how strong are the Royal Knights...."
"You can't even compare. The Crow Knight Order was formed by combining the commander-level forces of the regular knights. Even their lowest ranks are mid-level Experts."
"It's monstrous."
"And that's not all. I hear the combat mage unit 'Yers' made up of wizards has come too."
"Mages as well?"
"Not only that, but all the troops scattered throughout the city are handpicked elites, not ordinary soldiers."
"...Halent's gone all out this time."
"He lost the Plains Jackals, so he has to. No matter how strong the White Lion is rumored to be, there's no way...."
Halent had not hidden the troops deployed to Stis City; instead, he had openly displayed them to the world.
It was a show of confidence—come if you dare—and a way to crush even the faintest glimmer of hope among the citizens.
Indeed, things were proceeding exactly as he intended.
* * *
A balcony overlooking the entire city.
"Hoo."
A plump man was smoking a cigar.
A woman in a suit approached from behind him.
"Lord Ripord, it's time to go."
"Already?"
Ripord exhaled a puff of smoke and stubbed out his cigar in the ashtray as he stood.
"If I could quit this damn job, I'd be able to smoke in peace."
"You always smoke in peace anyway."
Reina, standing straight, adjusted her glasses and replied.
"That's true. But that's not the point. I just can't stand playing independent army leader anymore."
Ten years of running around for independence.
Francia hadn't changed a bit in that time.
And today was the day even that final star would fade.
It was unavoidable that he felt more cynical than usual.
The people were growing accustomed to imperial rule, and the empire's power showed no signs of weakening—in fact, it was flourishing.
Realistically, the hope for independence was drifting further away.
Patriotism and resistance toward a fallen kingdom could only sustain them so far before the strength ebbed.
"You've been saying that for ten years now, you know?"
"Have I?"
"Yes."
At Reina's firm response, the corner of Ripord's mouth twisted.
"Damn. I didn't know I was such a spineless guy."
"You're not as spineless as you think."
Reina comforted him with a warm smile.
Everyone knew that despite his childlike whining every time, this man cared for Francia more than anyone.
The leader representing the Eastern Independence Army, called the 'Blazing Sun,' 'Gatekeeper of the East,' or 'Human Fortress'—Ripord Areus.
That was his name.
"Thanks for thinking that way."
"No problem."
The door burst open, and a new man appeared.
"Let's get going."
The man had a small vertical scar at the corner of his lips.
Looking to be in his late twenties, he was Sarpe, known in the east as the 'Red Fang.'
Ripord nodded and started walking.
"Yeah, let's go. If I have to watch old man Lordr die, it might finally force me to make the decision I've been putting off."
"But you won't."
Sarpe smirked slightly, and Ripord shot him an incredulous look.
"Am I that unreliable?"
"You said the same thing last time and still didn't decide."
"Damn it. What a bunch of idiots. Following a guy like me all the way here—have you all lost your minds?"
Reina grinned at him and said,
"If you were smart, would you have volunteered for the independence army?"
"Khahaha!"
Ripord threw his head back and laughed heartily.
"You're right, spot on."
As usual, they bantered as they headed toward the Judgment Square.
"What will you do?"
On the way to the square, Sarpe whispered.
His question precisely meant, 'What if the White Lion shows up?'
Ripord pursed his lips and answered.
"What can I do? Just watch. This isn't our fight. Stepping in now would be suicide."
He paused briefly before adding nonchalantly,
"He probably won't come anyway. Unless he's suicidal, no one would crawl into this trap."
The exposed forces alone were enough to drop jaws.
They'd gone all out.
Even seeing through Halent's scheme, there was no way to counter it.
That bastard.
He intended to crush the new spark before it could even ignite properly.
"So many damn people."
Ripord grumbled as he pushed through the crowd.
Thinking of Halent already made his blood boil, and the packed square, blocked by the backs of the crowd, only made his chest feel tighter.
"But is it true?"
Reina, walking beside him, whispered.
"What?"
"About the Plains Jackals."
"It's bullshit."
"I was just suddenly curious what you think."
They had only properly heard the rumors about the White Lion after arriving in Stis City.
Before that, it had just been vague, floating gossip.
Of course, the stories here weren't much different.
Overwhelming the Plains Jackals single-handedly? What nonsense.
Probably his men from the Northern White Lion joined in to clean them up. There were other rumors saying the Western Sword or Dragon Hunter was involved too.
Of course, if he was a Sword Master, taking out the Plains Jackals alone made sense.
But a Sword Master in a crumbling nation?
Even dreams weren't that far-fetched.
"It's wildly exaggerated. You think so too, right?"
"Yeah."
Reina smiled.
But her smile had a meaningful edge.
Because the circumstances made her think the rumor might actually be true.
"Damn it. Does that even make sense?"
Ripord shook his head emphatically.
Sarpe chimed in from the side. It was something they both sensed but hadn't voiced.
"Given the level of security, it might be real."
"Cut the crap."
Ripord shut down Sarpe's suspicion outright. But truthfully, he felt a twinge of doubt himself.
The security in Stis City was like that.
For blocking just one guy, the forces assembled were disproportionately massive.
With this scale, they could handle the entire Northern White Lion force charging in.
Sarpe pressed on undeterred.
"If they were just trying to stop you, Lord Ripord, would they deploy this many?"
Ripord's face twisted fiercely at the pointed remark.
"I know, damn it. But does it make sense?"
Sword Master?
Bullshit.
Was that even plausible?
There were only four on the continent, and one popping up out of nowhere, like it fell from the sky?
It'd be more believable if the Dragon Hunter suddenly got lucky and reached Sword Master realm.
Ripord growled as he continued.
"I won't believe it until I see a dragon eating an orc with my own eyes."
It was then that murmurs began spreading through the square.
Trapped in the surging crowd, they all turned toward where the gazes converged.
The small murmurs had swelled into a massive roar shaking the entire square.
The troops lined up behind the execution platform parted in two, revealing an emaciated old man being dragged out in chains.
Ripord gazed at him and murmured softly.
"...Long time no see, old man."
Francia's last star, Lordr Heiser.
He was ascending the 'Grave of the Stars.'