The battle between Rigel and Stella continued.
Stella unleashed a fierce barrage of consecutive strikes, but none of them landed effectively.
（He's strong…）
A look of impatience appeared on Stella's face. Even though she believed her sword skills were superior, she couldn't see any path to victory.
"Ugh! Haah… haah… haah…!"
Before long, Stella's breathing grew ragged. She had been fighting at full strength for a long ti. In contrast, Rigel wasn't even sweating.
"Hmm… It was a little entertaining, but I'm starting to get bored. Let's wrap this up."
Rigel sheathed his sword and lowered his stance.
"Wh-what are you planning to do?"
"Like this."
In the next instant, Rigel's figure vanished.
"Wha—!?"
Stella's eyes widened in shock. The very next mont, Rigel appeared behind her.
"This is the end."
"Guh!!"
Stella was kicked in the back and slamd into the ground. The impact forced all the air out of her lungs, leaving her gasping for breath.
"Ka… ha…!!"
"Hey now… Don't pass out yet."
Rigel stomped down on the fallen Stella. The force was so strong that she could no longer move.
"Guh…! Uuh…!"
"Aaah, how pathetic. A ducal daughter looking this miserable! Getting all beaten up in a fight of this level!"
"Sh-shut up! Be quiet!!"
"Frustrating, isn't it? How miserable! A weakling like you could never even dream of landing a scratch on !!"
"Ugh…! It's not over yet!!"
"Oh!?"
Stella kicked Rigel's leg away and forced herself back to her feet. However, her face was twisted in pain. The accumulated fatigue and damage had pushed her body to its limit.
"Heh… You can still keep going?"
"Of course! Don't think I'll submit from just this much!"
"What a pain. I'm not really into bullying the weak, but…"
"Shut up! I'll defeat a coward like you right here!!"
"You sure talk big."
Rigel shrugged his shoulders and attacked Stella once again.
"Ugh!!"
Stella t his attack, but she could no longer keep up with Rigel's movents.
"Here you go."
"Kyaa!?"
Rigel's kick landed squarely in Stella's abdon. The force sent her flying several ters backward.
"Ugh…! Cough… Cough…!!"
"Hmph… I wasn't planning to kill anyone except the royal family, but… I guess it can't be helped. You chose this path of death yourself, noble lady. Accept it gracefully."
Rigel approached Stella. She was coughing painfully but still managed to stand up.
"Hey, don't push yourself."
"Shut up! The proud Kingdom of Valestain will not be defeated! We will never yield to filthy invaders like you!!"
Stella shouted. To anyone watching, the difference in combat ability between her and Rigel was obvious. Even if Rigel were in danger, sterica and Kaine would surely step in. Turning the situation around was impossible.
Yet Stella refused to give up. Perhaps inspired by her unbreakable spirit, a faint light began to return to the hearts of the people whose will had nearly been broken.
"Tch, what a stubborn woman. Even I'm starting to get sick of this."
Rigel had slightly miscalculated. He had thought that crushing Stella instantly would completely break the people's spirit. But the reality was different. Even now, she continued to stand and challenge him.
At this point, killing her outright could be a poor move. The death of a ducal daughter who bravely stood alone against the leader of the invaders might beco the spark that ignited a popular uprising.
"…Guess this is the only way. It pains to do this, though…"
Despite what he said, Rigel's voice was mixed with clear pleasure. He grabbed Stella by the neck with his left hand and lifted her up.
"Ka…! Ah…! Guh…!"
"I won't kill you quickly. I'll make sure to thoroughly teach all these fools what happens when soone dares to oppose ."
"Ah…! Guh…! Gah…! Aah…!"
Stella desperately struggled, but she couldn't escape Rigel's grip. Being held up by her throat made it extrely hard to breathe.
But Rigel had no intention of stopping there—
"Ora ora ora!!"
"Pugo! Buba! Gah! Gube!"
Rigel repeatedly slamd his fists into Stella's face. With every blow, blood poured from her mouth. He then drove his fists into her stomach as well.
"Obu! Gebo! Gaha! Oeh…!!"
"Hahahaha!! You've got a nice voice when you scream!!"
"Oee…! Geho…! Oeeee…!!"
Stella vomited and shed tears, yet she never lost consciousness.
"You're tough. But how long can you last?"
"Ugu…! Guh…! Gaha…! Gaha…!"
Rigel's violence continued. It was a completely one-sided trampling. Stella's resistance was in vain as her body was beaten like a ragged cloth. No one ca to help her.
Those who had harbored any resistance had already been restrained during the preparations for the public execution. Even those whose patriotic spirit had begun to rekindle after witnessing Stella's proud resistance completely lost their will to fight upon seeing the overwhelming violence unfolding before their eyes.
Powerless and crushed, all they could do was watch Stella's defeat.
---
Rigel was unleashing one-sided violence on Stella.
By doing so, he was breaking the hearts of the citizens. And of course, he was also breaking the heart of Stella herself, the one being beaten.
（Ah… I'm going to die…）
In her fading consciousness, Stella ca to that realization.
（Is this… where my life ends…?）
mories of her past life flashed through her mind.
The days she had lived without any hardship as the daughter of a ducal house.
But she had hated that. She wanted to be recognized by her own strength, not by relying on her status as a duke's daughter. That was why she had walked the path of the sword. To prove that she was superior to others as soone carrying the blood of the Valestain Royal Family.
（In the end… I couldn't accomplish anything…）
She was confident that her swordsmanship ranked among the top in the kingdom. However, opportunities for a ducal daughter to participate in real combat were extrely limited. Because of that, Stella had never been able to gain real battle experience. As a result, she was now confronted with the harsh reality that she was completely powerless against soone stronger than her.
（How frustrating… But I can't put any strength into my body anymore…）
The pain throughout her body had disappeared, and her senses were growing numb. At this rate, she would die in just a few minutes.
"Kukuku! Looks like you've finally realized how powerless you are!"
Rigel grabbed Stella by the hair and lifted her up.
"Ugh…! Guh…!"
"Hey! All of you, watch closely! This is what happens to those who dare oppose ! Kukuku!"
Rigel called out to the citizens. Stella's appearance was horrific. Her face was swollen, blood flowed from her nose and mouth, her clothes were torn, and her beautiful skin was covered in dark bruises.
"Haha! How miserable! Frustrating, isn't it? Does it hurt!?"
"..."
Stella said nothing. She no longer had the energy to speak. Ignoring her silence, Rigel continued speaking one-sidedly.
"But don't worry. I'm not going to kill you yet."
"…Not… yet…?"
"Yeah. There's still sothing I need to do first. —Oi, sterica! Proceed with the execution!!"
"Understood."
At Rigel's command, sterica moved. She led the Queen and Princess Nina to the guillotine.
The guillotine — a device for decapitation, commonly used for executions in this country. For this public execution of royalty, an especially sharp and heavy blade had been fitted.
"「...」"
Even in front of the ominous guillotine, the Queen and Princess Nina showed no sign of fear. Had they already accepted their fate? With the King, First Princess, and Third Princess already executed, it was understandable to feel despair in this world… Even so, their complete lack of expression was unnatural. While the distant citizens might not notice, even Kaine and the Silver Moon Squad showed no reaction to how strange they were acting.
The Queen and Princess Nina were placed on the guillotine without any aningful resistance.
"Looks like preparations are complete."
"Yes. All that's left is to drop the blade. Cutting this rope that holds the blade in place will carry out the execution."
"Kukuku… With this, the Kingdom of Valestain is truly finished!"
Rigel laughed. He drew his sword and stood in front of the guillotine. He wasn't going to cut their heads off directly. The chanism was that cutting the rope holding the guillotine would release the heavy, sharp blade to sever the heads of the two condemned.
"Now then, Stella. If you have any last words for them, I'll let you say it."
"…Ugh. P-please stop… You don't have to kill them… If you just let them retire to so remote place…"
"Hahahaha! If I did that, idiots like you would just rebel again, wouldn't you? Royal blood needs to be thoroughly wiped out."
"If you do sothing this cruel, the people's hearts will turn away from you…"
"Don't worry. I'll make them all submit through violence. Besides, without a royal family to rally behind, the common people can't do anything."
Rigel paid no heed to Stella's warning. In truth, deciding whether to exterminate the forr royal family was a major decision. But when considering the disadvantages of leaving them alive, most invaders would choose total extermination. Rigel wasn't particularly more cruel or evil than others.
"Ugh… P-please stop. I'm begging you."
"Shut up already. I specially gave you ti for a final ssage, and you use it to complain about … So you have nothing to say to those two, huh."
"Uuu…"
Hearing Rigel's words, Stella hung her head in frustration.
A final farewell — there were countless things Stella wanted to say to the Queen and Princess Nina, whom she had known since childhood. But saying those words would an accepting their deaths.
They were already set on the guillotine. All that remained was to cut the rope holding the blade. Even in this situation, Stella still refused to accept that the two of them would die.
"Well, whatever. See ya."
Slash!
With a light remark, Rigel swung his sword down. The rope holding the guillotine was severed, and the heavy, sharp blade fell.
"Wha—!? W-wait—!"
Stella's voice trying to stop him didn't make it in ti. Even if it had, Rigel wouldn't have cared. The blade plunged toward the necks of the Queen and Princess Nina. With unstoppable montum, it severed their heads from their bodies.
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