"Exactly, that's the word! Saintess, I'll take my leave now~"
When Sake left, his hooves struck the stone floor, making a crisp clacking sound.
"Have a set of armor custom-made for him tomorrow, befitting the rank of a Guardian Knight. Don't let him keep wearing that tattered leather gear."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Lola nodded, took out her notebook to record the instruction, and then tucked it away.
"Your Highness, time is short. There is much for you to prepare for the Great Trial. Please, we must hurry."
As if sensing something, Cyrus looked back at me from within his cage.
The expression in his eyes was complex, filled with something I couldn't quite decipher.
But I knew he desperately hoped... that the flaws of this era could be changed.
Perhaps they can be changed, perhaps they cannot, but... as long as I am here, there will always be a chance!
I withdrew my gaze and left the prison.
The moment I stepped out of the prison, my determination to change the Kingdom of the Moon grew even stronger.
I sat in the Saint's Carriage and returned to the Temple to begin my preparations.
First, as the one presiding over the judgment, I needed to bathe and change into a specific Saintess's robe used for trials.
Because at this moment, the Saintess represented justice!
Therefore, this Saintess's robe was a deep crimson. Although the style remained the same, its appearance gave off a different aura, one filled with majesty.
The crown atop my head was removed. At this moment, I represented the Angel, so a crown was unnecessary.
Once prepared, I ascended the high platform in Moon Square.
In the center of the square, Cyrus's massive, half-man, half-fiend body had already been tied to a cross.
Below him, a high pyre of firewood had been stacked. Knights in armor stood on both sides, mages had established a magic barrier, and holy priests stood by, ready for any sudden emergencies.
Nar and Yuna stood on either side of the divine platform, while Hilda and Cain were right behind me.
At this moment, Cyrus was completely naked, yet he showed no sign of shame. Instead, he looked around with an expressionless face. The moment I appeared, I could see a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.
Perhaps he was hoping I would change the world.
Or perhaps he was hoping I would give him a swift end.
Standing on the high platform, I looked down at Cyrus.
Not far away were his wife and children. As relatives of someone so closely tied to the demon army, they were required to watch until the very end.
This was a regulation of the Kingdom of the Moon. At least until I changed it, this rule would persist.
"Cyrus Cavendish, as a holy knight of the human race, you turned to the demon army and allowed yourself to fall. It is utterly disgraceful!!"
Beside me, a holy priest held a heavy Sacred Canon, reading aloud while glaring at Cyrus.
"Today, you are bound to this burning stake for a public trial. Do you have anything left to say?!"
Cyrus offered no response, simply staring at me in silence.
"Since there is nothing to say... Your Highness, it is time for you to give the order."
The holy priest turned back and bowed respectfully to me.
"Begin."
"Yes!"
Having received the command, the priest turned back toward the knights holding torches aloft.
"Execute!"
Two torches spun through the air, leaving trails of sparks before landing on the towering pyre.
I didn't know if the wood had been tampered with, but the moment the torches touched it, flames instantly roared toward the sky!
Thick smoke billowed upward.
Yet, from beginning to end, Cyrus, who was held high on the burning stake, did not utter a single word.
He simply stared at me expressionlessly, as if waiting for my response?
After hesitating for a long time, I mouthed a sentence to him.
'As long as I am here, sooner or later, I will ensure this world never sees another tragedy like yours.'
I wasn't sure if my words were accurately conveyed, but the moment the raging flames consumed his face, I thought... I saw him smile.
The fire swallowed everything.
The roaring flames continued to burn, and the scorched body finally began to let out suppressed screams of agony as it could no longer endure the heat.
Not far away, the young woman in shackles had eyes filled with tears, clutching her two children tightly in her arms.
I didn't know what to say, but at this moment, all I wanted was to take a good rest.
And then... solve the massive problem of the Kingdom of the Moon's slaves!
The process of the Great Trial was incredibly dull, with only the roaring flames and suppressed screams echoing across the square.
The commoners cheered as they listened to those screams.
To me, this scene was truly ironic!
By the time the trial concluded, the sky had grown dark.
"The Great Trial is over. You have worked hard, Your Highness."
The holy priest's voice reached my ears. I nodded numbly and returned to the Temple, the smell of charred flesh still lingering around me.
The moment I sat down on my bed, I couldn't help but take a deep breath.
The Temple had magic circles to purify the air, and the pungent smell of burnt flesh had already vanished.
"Lola, organize a slave camp. Bring in all slave children under the age of six. You will handle the specific details."
"Your Highness, your goal is..."
"Let them learn to read and write. As long as they perform well, they can be released back into society once they reach adulthood."
"Your Highness, isn't this a bit too sudden? The nobles..."
"Keep it discreet."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Lola nodded helplessly and made another note in her little book.
She had a vague guess as to why the Saintess had suddenly become so impulsive. Perhaps seeing Cyrus's miserable state had made her heart waver.
However, this matter could not be rushed. If it triggered a backlash, the trouble would be immense.
Nevertheless, she recorded the order in her book, but added a note in large characters within parentheses at the end.
【Delay Execution】
Lola believed that the Saintess would not blame her for this. Once the Saintess recovered from her current mood, she would naturally understand how dangerous this order was.
There was no need for words; with the Saintess's intelligence, she would understand everything.
"Forget it. Retract that order for now. Don't do it."
"Yes, Your Highness."
As expected, the Saintess was still rational, even if she had been momentarily overwhelmed by emotion.
"How about... you get some rest first?"
Seeing the Saintess's exhausted appearance, Lola, as her right hand, naturally knew how heavy the burden on her shoulders truly was!
Rate on N.U.
