Garius rested his chin on his knuckles, amusent in his eyes.
"So, enemy princess."
His golden eyes locked onto Zania.
"Tell … during your fight with this idiot here—did you win?"
The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Zania. She clenched her fists, her lips parting slightly, but she remained silent because everyone already knew the answer.
Javier began to panic.
"E-Esteed father…"
Garius raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm?"
Javier forced a grin.
"How about… another duel?"
Garius's smirk widened.
"Oh? You're suggesting another fight?"
Javier nodded quickly.
"Y-Yes! Esteed father!"
Then, after a short pause, Garius leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming.
"Interesting… But know this, my idiot son."
Javier felt a cold chill down his spine.
"Yes… esteed father?"
Garius's next words shook the entire hall.
"If you lose…" He paused slowly, a deadly smirk forming.
"Forget about marrying Liana and Gloria."
Javier froze, his brain crashing as his soul seed to leave his body.
"EHHHH?!"
His face turned pale.
(HOLD ON. WAIT. WAIT. WAIT. THIS ISN'T FAIR?!)
He turned frantically toward Liana and Gloria.
"Y-You two won't let this happen, right?!"
Liana tilted her head.
"Hmm? But Young Master, weren't you planning to lose intentionally?"
Javier flinched. Gloria adjusted her glasses.
"Ah… how unfortunate. To think the Young Master would lose his future wives over a single duel."
Javier felt dizzy. His father had completely trapped him.
Then, Garius clasped his hands together, smiling.
"So, Javier… do you still want to fight?"
Javier fidgeted nervously, searching for an escape.
"Umm… no… but…"
But Garius's smirk didn't fade. His golden eyes shifted back to Zania.
"So… enemy princess."
Zania's shoulders stiffened.
"Do introduce yourself to us, properly."
She froze as Garius rested his cheek against his knuckles.
"Didn't you see you were in front of the ruler here?"
Zania's hands trembled slightly. Her gaze remained locked on the floor as she refused to lift her head.
Slowly, she parted her lips and spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
"I… am Zania Arkanak… youngest princess of Amazarak."
Her words held no pride, no confidence. For the first ti in her life, she felt powerless.
Garius smirked.
"Good. Now we can talk properly."
Javier exhaled in relief.
"Alf."
Garius's voice cut through the hall. Alf stepped forward imdiately, responding,
"Yes, my Lord?"
Garius extended his hand.
"That thing."
Alf reached into his coat and, with precise movent, pulled out a small, dark object. A binding seal—a symbol of ownership. Without hesitation, he placed it in Garius's hand.
Garius tossed it lightly toward Javier. Javier instinctively caught it, looking down at it with wide eyes. It was a collar attachnt—the kind used in slavery contracts.
"W-Wait, father, this is—" Javier stamred.
Garius's eyes shone with amusent.
"Put this on that girl."
Javier froze, and Zania tensed, her breath hitching. For a mont, she thought she had misheard.
"Ehhh?!" Javier turned to his father in panic.
"W-Wait a second! This is too—!"
Garius leaned back on his throne, smirking.
"Or… should I assign Liana or Gloria to handle this instead?"
A heavy silence fell over the hall, and Javier's stomach twisted. Slowly, he turned to look at Liana and Gloria, who smiled—but not kindly. It was the smile of predators.
Liana cracked her knuckles. Gloria pushed up her glasses, her eyes glinting.
Liana spoke.
"If Young Master hesitates… I would be more than happy to do it."
Gloria nodded in agreent.
"Indeed. We will make sure it fits… perfectly."
Javier shuddered.
anwhile, Zania felt her blood run cold. She gritted her teeth, her body trembling with anger and humiliation.
(A collar…? A SLAVE COLLAR?!)
Her breathing beca uneven. This was worse than execution; it was stripping her of her very identity. She was a princess, a warrior, of a ruler's blood. And now—she was being treated as a prize, as property.
Then Garius spoke again.
"Well, Javier?"
Javier swallowed hard, looking at the collar attachnt in his hand, then at Zania, then back to his father, and finally to Liana and Gloria's sinister smiles.
Garius watched his youngest son hesitate, the silence stretching like a noose. Then, without a word, he turned toward Alf, his voice cut through the hall like a blade.
"Alf."
Alf stepped forward imdiately.
"Yes, my Lord?"
Garius's expression remained unreadable.
With absolute authority, he commanded.
"Prepare the Gallow."
Javier felt a chill crawl down his spine.
(Wait… What?)
Garius's next words froze the entire hall.
"We have an execution in three days."
Zania's eyes widened. Alf nodded, unphased.
"Understood, my Lord."
Then Garius delivered the final blow.
"Everyone will witness this enemy being hanged in the public square."
Javier's heart slamd against his chest, and his mind scread.
"EHHH?!"
Liana and Gloria remained silent, watching. Zania's body trembled slightly, but she refused to show weakness. Even if her heart raced with terror, she was a warrior, a princess. If she was going to die—she would die with pride.
Then Javier snapped his head toward his father.
"E-Esteed father! Hold on a second!"
Garius slowly turned his gaze toward Javier. His expression was completely calm.
"What is it, my idiot son?"
Javier flinched, then forced a grin to stay calm.
"I-I an… isn't this a bit much?"
Garius raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" His voice remained eerily composed.
"She intruded into our lands. Brought chaos. Led an attack on our people. And threatened my family."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Should I have her executed imdiately instead? How about behead her right now?"
He flicked a glance toward Alf, his voice smooth as a drawn blade.
"Alf… how long do you think you can prepare the guillotine?"
Alf didn't hesitate. "Perhaps in two or three hours, my Lord." A pause. "But if you wish… I can prepare the sharpest sword instead."
Javier broke into a cold sweat.
(OH SHIT. HE'S SERIOUS?!)
He frantically turned to Alf.
"A-Alf! You don't really think this is necessary, right?"
Alf remained completely neutral, answering in his calm voice.
"If my Lord commands it, it shall be done."
Javier felt like his soul left his body. Then he turned to Fransesca.
"M-Mother?! Surely you—!"
Fransesca only smiled softly.
"Oh, honeybun~ I trust your father's judgnt."
Javier felt dizzy. Finally, he turned to Liana and Gloria.
"You two! Back up here!"
The two won smiled—but it was not a kind smile. Liana tilted her head.
"What's wrong, Young Master? You were the one who brought her here."
Javier stiffened. Then Garius leaned forward slightly, shattering Javier's final fragnts of sanity.
"Of course, Javier… there is one way to stop the execution."
Javier snapped to attention.
"Y-Yes?! Anything!"
Garius smirked—a slow, knowing smirk.
"Make a choice."
Javier's stomach dropped.
"H-Huh?"
Garius's next words sealed his fate.
"Either she dies…"
He paused slowly.
"Or you collar her."
Javier stopped breathing. Zania, still kneeling, bit her lip. She could feel it—her fate was no longer in her hands.
"You, enemy princess."
Zania's breath hitched.
"You have two choices."
A heavy silence fell over the hall as everyone waited. Then Garius delivered the sentence:
"Submit."
Zania gritted her teeth, her body tensing. But then Garius's next words crushed her.
"Or Execution."
The weight of his words pressed down on her chest. Garius's gaze remained firm—unshaken, absolute.
"It's up to you."
Garius continued in an eerily calm voice.
"Even if your kingdom protests… it will an nothing."
Zania froze.
"We have enough evidence against you."
His words pierced straight into her core. With absolute confidence, he added.
"Surely, King Edmund will file an official decree justifying your execution."
Zania's stomach twisted. She understood what that ant. Garius wasn't just threatening her; he was ensuring her death would be legally justified—no war, no retaliation, no sympathy from neighboring kingdoms.
Her death would be forgotten, and her kingdom wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Her hands trembled, and her heart pounded violently. She had to answer. She had no choice.
( End of Chapter )
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