Chapter 2 – Eye Contact (2)

That year especially had a lot of bloodshed.

It began with the horse-riding unit that came in the blazing sunlight.

Blood fell from the sky instead of the rain.

Piercing shrieks and the sharp sounds of swords hitting one another.

The knights of Neinstein hurriedly came and fought against the enemy. But everyone already knew.

Resisting was pointless.

The more they fought back, the more obvious the difference in their skills were. Whether they will win or lose, became more obvious.

It was the wolf of Schwarhan, Cabelenus von Schwarhan Blanche, who led the horse-riding unit in iron armor.

He has never lost a battle.

Cabelenus lifted his sword up into the sky.

The sword shone golden under the sun.

Even though he had swung his sword countless times, there was not a drop of blood on his sword.

The soldiers’ shouts rose.

Wherever Cabelenus passed by, the enemy’s presence will vanish.*

Blood was smeared everywhere. One would not be able to tell if it were their’s or someone
else’s. Alicia’s nose had gone numb after having to smell blood for a long period of time.

The corpses that piled up was the only way you could tell time was still passing by.

The battle was more like a massacre rather than a fight.

The king of Neinstein saw his helpless soldiers get killed one after another. He took treasures and gold and fled alone, abandoning his people.

However, the king was caught because of a maid and was soon after beheaded by the wolf of Schwarhan.

The king who was clinging onto his life, had his head hung at the top of his castle.

It was a futile end for a king who ruled an entire country.

The Neinstein royal family, who ruled over the country for over 500 years, was erased from history in the span of a single day.

A bell rang to announce the execution of the remaining Neinstein royal family members.
“Execution-!”

Whenever the executioner’s cries were heard, a head would roll under the guillotine.

The survivors were silenced by the fear of death.

They were all well aware that the body on the guillotine, could be them tomorrow.

There was no mercy from the foreign man who now occupied the palace.

He knew how to deal with everything with one hand.

Whenever Cabelenus’ hand that was resting arrogantly on the throne, raised and lowered, life
and death was clearly divided.

“Next.”

His crisp voice was dry, but far more intimidating than people who deliberately raised their voice and swore.

The solders quickly brought the next prisoner of war and made them kneel in front of Cabelenus.

The prisoners who were screaming became silent each time they heard the bell announcing the next execution.

Cabelenus looked at the prisoners with a straight face.

His aide, Gazel, who stood next to the throne, calmly read the identities and chargers of the prisoners.

The prisoners’ eyes showed a glimpse of hope thinking they had a chance of surviving as they read the atmosphere.

They were completely unaware of what had happened to the previous prisoners.

Since the beginning of the execution, Cabelenus’ hand was never lifted.

Jokes amongst the soldiers spreaded saying that he’ll raise his hand to toast after savouring all the fruits of the castle.*

“Wait a minute.”

Cabelenus, who was looking down at the prisoners, narrowed his eyes.

“Is something wrong?”

Gazef, who was about to write ‘death penalty’ next to the prisoner’s name on the paper, stopped

and followed his master’s gaze.

Cabelenus’ gaze was on a woman.

“You. What is your name?”

The woman did not answer.

He forcefully strengthen his hand to hide his trembling hands.

Although the woman wore generous clothes, her bare body, which was not hidden, seemed pitiful.

“I asked for your name.”

Gazef noticed his lord’s face and quickly identified the woman’s name and informed Cabellenus.

Nevertheless, Cabelenus could not take his eyes off the woman as he listened to his aide’s words.

Gazef frowned at his master’s strange behaviour.

Cabelenus, who was indifferent to the temptation of the beauties of the empire, took interest in an ordinary woman.

Her features were different from the typical beauty figure, and her red hair and grey eyes made her look less attractive.

“It seems like the Princess of Neustein has no mouth.”

The only unique thing is that the woman is the youngest daughter of a king.

Gazef fiddled with the paper that had rough notes about the woman written on it.

Alicia Neustein.

A princess who was classified as a maid because of her shabby appearance.

Her status was only later revealed.

The woman, who looked different from her splendidly dressed brothers, somehow managed to survive.

But her luck is now over.

Her future will soon be like her father and brothers.

“No. I don’t.”

Alicia, who hesitated to meet Cabelenus’ persistent gaze, squeezed out a reply.

“No?”

Cabelenus tilted his head sideways.

Alicia hesitated but then slowly raised her head.

“You’re going to kill me anyways.”

Her face was filled with fear, Alicia was not afraid to speak.

Even though she was trembling, she did not look away from Cabelenus’ eyes.

Cabelenus frowned.

He wasn’t imaginating it. He knew this woman.

“What, you think I’m gonna kill you?”

Cabelenus stared at Alicia’s tightly stretched hand.

Her hands were rough and did not fit a princess.

“Well……”

She closed her lips for awhile to choose her words and finally spoke after a short rest.

“You killed them all.””Not all of them.”

Not yet.

An arrogant gaze glanced over Alicia from head to toe.

“Do you want to live?”
“If I say so, will you let me live?

Alicia’s eyes were faintly vibrant.

“It is true that we caught the king because of you. So I can have mercy on the heartless daughter who sold her father.”

Alicia’s life was precious to her, so she sold her father.

When Gazef realized that the maid who helped catch the king of Neustein, was none other than the princess herself, he clicked his tongue.

“Then spare the servants in the castle.”
“Servants?”
“There is no value as a hostage to servants who have no royal family or aristocracy to help resist against an enemy. Unless you plan to kill all the Neusteins in the palace, I want you to spare them.
“I’m talking about your life.”
“If you save the royal family from ruin, it will only return.”

A smile appeared on Alicia’s face caused Cabelenus to narrow his eyes.
“If I ask you if you want your life and the lives of your servants spared, will your answer change?”
“If I can.”

It wasn’t that Alicia wasn’t afraid of Cabelenus.

Like other prisoners, she was afraid.
But the princess in front of him was a little different from the others.
That disturbed Cabelenus.

 ——-

TL/N: By vanish, it means the enemy is killed so their presence is no longer there since they’re dead.If you did not understand what it meant by ‘Savouring all the fruits of the castle’, it means like enjoying being on the throne until he no longer found it enjoyable.