Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: Death Sentence
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Ransien soon received the report.
“The Lukamin knight commander is still alive?”
“That’s what we’re assuming. Circumstantially, no one else could have killed him.”
She flipped through the documents. They were densely filled with Lekant’s thoughts and facts.
“You’re right.”
Unlike the others, if he had simply been listed as missing and presumed dead, there would be no room for doubt. She made a troubled expression. A powerhouse like him still being alive was a headache.
“What do you plan to do?”
“No matter where he is, we need to lure him here.”
“Do you have a method in mind?”
“I’m thinking about it right now.”
Lukamin was cautious and secretive. The fact that there was no trace of his movements over the past three years only added to it. She pondered how to draw that man out.
“Why is he hiding?”
“Pardon?”
“If he had been processed as dead somehow, couldn’t he have created a new identity and lived? Why stick by Canibella’s side and move like that?”
“That’s...”
Lekant couldn’t answer her question. He had learned that Lukamin was Canibella’s ally, but he didn’t know why Lukamin had acted that way. He hadn’t even thought about it before.
“Is it to uncover our identities?”
Lukamin was a knight with strong loyalty to the former queen. He would surely want to know who was behind the unsolved arson case. But because of his and Canibella’s circumstances, he had no choice but to hide.
“That’s highly likely. It’d be best to lure him out and eliminate him.”
“Then how about we subtly leak our identities?”
Lekant jumped in shock at her words.
“That’s dangerous! If we’re not careful, our identities could be fully exposed! If that happens...”
“I’m well aware of the risks. But we need to make him move.”
To deal with the enemy, she had to take risks herself. And Lukamin was dangerous enough. She decided to gamble.
“Shouldn’t we consider the possibility that he won’t take the bait?”
“Absolutely not. If his loyalty was genuine, he’ll bite for sure.”
She was certain. If they subtly leaked information about the arson culprit, he would definitely come here. Then they could capture and kill him.
“Very well, we’ll do as you say.”
“Good. I leave it to you.”
She never avoided a fight that came her way. She was already looking forward to how she would make him kneel before her.
* * *
Lukamin was caught more easily than expected. As soon as they leaked the information, he moved. But the problem was that he went to find the queen.
‘No. I need to kill the queen before they meet.’
The queen was already starting to slip out of her control lately. There had been several times when her mind cleared despite the tea. If Lukamin made contact with the queen, it would be dangerous.
“Go kill the queen first.”
“Yes, understood.”
She had Dunkun assassinate the queen. Then she arranged for Lukamin to encounter him, buying time. Swiftly, she took Muira and the soldiers to raid the queen’s palace.
“Kyaaak!”
She screamed. In the meantime, the soldiers overwhelmed Lukamin with sheer numbers and subdued him.
“You dare kill the queen?”
As she had instructed, Muira interrogated Lukamin with a dignified expression. But he said nothing.
“Throw this man in prison. We’ll execute him.”
Lukamin’s expression twisted at Muira’s words. At that moment, she felt his gaze piercing her. Cold sweat trickled down her back.
‘Could he... have figured out who I am?’
No matter how bold she was usually, she couldn’t stay calm under killing intent aimed straight at her. Her body trembled slightly.
“What are you doing? Drag him away!”
The hesitant soldiers quickly dragged Lukamin to the underground dungeon at Muira’s urging. She shivered at the sight of him staring at her even as he was hauled off.
‘I need to kill him quickly.’
She didn’t know what he might say during interrogation. But she had to make him spit out where Canibella was. To that end, she filled the prison with her own people as guards.
“Make him confess where Princess Canibella is, no matter what.”
“Yes, understood.”
Time passed like that.
The nobles were reluctant to believe that Lukamin had tried to kill the queen. But with clear evidence, defending him rashly could mean death for them too. So she was able to push her claims easily.
“He still hasn’t confessed?”
But it was a headache for her. They had been interrogating him for months. His lips were sealed tight; he never spoke of Canibella’s whereabouts.
“I’ll go see him myself.”
“I’m sorry.”
“We’ll get it next time. Just show me the way.”
She said that, grabbed a fur coat, and headed to the underground dungeon. There was Lukamin in a wretched state. She smirked mockingly.
Creak!
The prison door opened. His eyes blazed anew. Even after months, his killing intent hadn’t softened at all.
“...What do you want?”
He growled. She chuckled.
“Have you thrown manners out the window?”
“If you’re saying it’s because you’re a princess, save it. You’ve never been a princess to me, not once.”
“Funny. Whether you say it or not, the world acknowledges me as such.”
She had made the world acknowledge her. And she would continue to do so. Who was he to deny it?
“What do you want? If it’s to mock me, get out.”
“Your fate has been decided.”
“Execution.”
“Oh, you knew?”
“I’ve expected it since I was captured.”
She chuckled at his calm words. It would have been great if this man were her subordinate. It was truly a waste that someone with such integrity served Canibella.
“I have a question.”
“I have no obligation to answer.”
“Where is Canibella?”
He shut his mouth at that. Even under repeated questions, he gave no reply. She snapped in anger.
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know.”
“What?”
“I don’t know. Contact was cut off long ago, so I don’t know.”
She bit her lip at his steady voice. Soon, she spoke in a voice laced with murderous intent.
“Then you’re even more useless.”
“...”
“Get up.”
“Someday, Your Highness the Princess will have her revenge on you.”
“...What?”
“She’ll block your path at every turn and shatter everything you’ve built with all your might.”
“Hahaha, that’ll never happen.”
“I believe she will.”
“I hope your faith comes true.”
She laughed coldly. His resolute gaze, even in his broken state, irritated her, but she shook her head. No need to heed a loser’s words.
Lukamin Takirai met his end without a proper trial. On a cold but unusually bright sunrise day, his execution took place. Crowds gathered, but he stared piercingly only at the spot where Muira and Ransien sat.
“Criminal Lukamin Takirai. For secretly infiltrating the palace and assassinating Her Majesty the Queen, you are sentenced to beheading.”
“...”
He said nothing. He had so much he wanted to say, but couldn’t put it all into words. His only regret was that he lacked the strength to speak.
In the meantime, the calm death sentence was pronounced.
“Execute the criminal!”
With those words, he was executed. His head was severed and hung atop the palace walls. The commoners cursed him as a traitor to the nation, throwing stones or spitting at his severed head.
She watched the scene indifferently. That was the fate of criminals. She must never forget it.
“May I enter?”
“Come in.”
Lekant appeared. He handed her documents. She closed them with a bored expression upon seeing that all of Lukamin’s informants had been dealt with.
“Good work.”
“It’s nothing. It’s our duty.”
Watching Lekant speak as if it were no big deal, she raised the corner of her mouth, then wiped the smile away and said,
“There’s more you need to do.”
“What is it?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
At that moment, Lukier entered. He bowed to her. She gazed at him softly and said,
“Lukier, knight commander.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Knight commander, we’ve executed a traitor, but it’s not over yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“This nation is still unstable. We need to cultivate talent. You are now the kingdom’s finest knight. So you must train more knights.”
After Lukamin’s death, he was truly Rasoni Kingdom’s greatest warrior. But since the position wasn’t originally his, he wasn’t thrilled. He was curious and uneasy about why she was saying this.
“Train the soldiers at the northern border.”
“...”
“No one else can do it. If you love this kingdom, I’m sure you’ll heed my words.”
“...Yes, understood.”
He had no real choice. Her words weren’t wrong. Rasoni Kingdom wasn’t militarily strong, but skirmishes were constant near the borders. Without proper structure, they needed someone capable to organize it.
Having been deployed in various wars, he was skilled at strategy, and given the location, it wouldn’t be hard for him to establish order there. So her request wasn’t unreasonable.
“I’ll... sacrifice this body for Rasoni Kingdom.”
A few days later, Lukier departed with the elite knights Ransien had selected to organize the northern border forces. Watching his procession, she said to Dunkun behind her,
“Are preparations complete?”
“Yes.”
“In a few days, they’ll head to the old lands of Kasir Kingdom.”
Mentioning Kasir Kingdom, she wore a wistful expression. She was the ghost of Kasir Kingdom, forever yearning for her homeland.
“Father Emperor...”
She looked out the window at the swirling snowflakes. It was bitterly cold. Soon, they would lie in this frozen snowfield. Her gaze then drifted to Lukamin’s head mounted on the castle wall.
“Pretty sharp one.”
“We nearly had a big problem.”
“It’s fine. It was necessary.”
With the headache named Lukamin gone, it was time to start in earnest. Like that, the dormant will began to roll forward after six years.