Chapter 100

“Robes Fiora!”

On the roof of a building overlooking the square, Napoleona urgently called out her name.

“…I’m here.”

That calm, almost too serene voice replied.

Charging forward towards that figure, Napoleona moved fiercely.

-Thunk.

Her subordinates blocked her path, sensing the unusual atmosphere.

However.

“Get out of the way, unless you want to die.”

“…”

Momentarily frozen in the ominous aura of the Grade 10 Grand Warrior.

Watching this unfold, Robes Fiora spoke in a calm voice.

“Let her be. It’s not a big deal.”

“…N…Yes.”

“W…We understand.”

While her subordinates stepped back in concession, they didn’t let their guard down.

In this foreboding atmosphere, Robes Fiora observed the Queen being dragged towards the guillotine and remarked.

“Why are you so worked up? Just sit back and watch. This is another significant scene in history, isn’t it?”

“You… are you really going to do this? You must know how dangerous what you’re doing is, right? Are you really willing to go to war with the Holy Empire?”

“If it’s necessary for the revolution, then, of course, we must.”

“What… what do you mean?”

Robes Fiora answered calmly.

Then, she slowly turned her head towards Napoleona.

The twisted smile contained within her.

Seeing this made Napoleona instinctively frown.

“The purpose of the revolution, after all, is to create a world of equality. A world without nobles or royalty, where everyone is equal. To achieve that, it’s only fitting to take the head of the highest authority, the Queen.”

“But…”

“And if this incident invites the Holy Empire to interfere, it will be an opportunity. Even if the national opinion is divided, we must unite against an external invasion. A war against the Holy Empire would actually solidify the foundation of our Revolutionary Army.”

“…”

Surprisingly, Robes Fiora wasn’t entirely thoughtless.

However…

As she listened to this conversation, Napoleona felt a deep discomfort and asked.

“What about the people? What about those who will be sacrificed in the process?… If a war breaks out, thousands or even tens of thousands could die?”

“…For a great cause, sacrifices are inevitable.”

“What… what?”

“It’s unavoidable for the sake of this country. A small sacrifice for the future generations… If necessary, we must bear that burden.”

“N…you… really…”

The revolution was initiated under the pretense of preventing the sacrifice of the people.

Seeing Robes Fiora speak words that contradicted this principle…

Napoleona was momentarily rendered speechless, overwhelmed by a deep shock.

At that moment…

“!”

“Finally…”

At last, the Queen Louis arrived at the execution platform of the guillotine in the center of the square.

Both Robes Fiora and Napoleona couldn’t help but glance in that direction.

The situation where they had tried to stop the Pirate King was now unable to be prevented, and

a heavy despair settled in Napoleona’s heart.

*

Passing through the crowd, Queen Louis moved towards the execution platform.

Seeing this, the majority of citizens felt confusion and doubt, but a small minority reacted with excessive fervor.

“Kill her!”

“Kill that wicked queen!”

Shouting and expressing their anger, a few people called out, and those in the square gradually began to raise their voices in agreement.

“The root cause of our misery!”

“Chop off her head immediately!”

The fervent reactions began to grow louder.

Meanwhile, at the center of this commotion, the executioners and Queen Louis had now arrived right in front of the guillotine, slowly beginning to ascend the stairs.

At that moment…

“Ugh!…”

The executioner grimaced as he climbed the steps.

In the narrow ascent, his foot accidentally stepped on Queen Louis’s foot.

Feeling that brief moment of discomfort directed at him,

Queen Louis calmly spoke.

“I apologize, it was unintentional.”

“…Um… it’s… fine… Your Majesty…”

Even in the face of death, she maintained such poise.

Contrary to expectations of crying or causing a scene, her composure until the end caught the executioners off guard in admiration.

‘No matter what, a king is still a king… is it?’

As they felt astonished, Queen Louis walked calmly past the executioners and stood before the guillotine.

There, she addressed the gathered citizens with a serious voice.

“May my blood flow for the blessings of the people of Frantz!”

Finishing her words, Queen Louis knelt before the guillotine.

As the wooden frame was locking her neck in place, there wasn’t a hint of wavering from her.

She behaved as if she feared death not at all…

Watching this series of events, the citizens, who had shown passionate reactions just moments ago, began to fall into surprise and a bit of solemnity.

The atmosphere felt more reminiscent of a martyr’s last moments rather than an execution of a criminal.

In that moment…

The executioner cut the rope connected to the blade.

*

She did not wish to die.

That was a natural desire and instinct anyone could have, for any living being.

However, at this moment,

Queen Louis was able to suppress such emotions and remain detached.

This wasn’t because she possessed superhuman willpower or was tempered by her royal position.

It was the red potion Nekker had given her just before being dragged here.

In exchange for acknowledging that the Revolutionary Army had “legitimately inherited” the country’s power and signing an “execution mandate” empowering them…

It was a potion that temporarily suppresses any feelings of fear.

Thanks to taking it, Queen Louis managed to maintain a false calmness up until this final moment…

She could uphold the dignity of a ruler.

However…

“…Ah…”

That was as far as it went.

As time passed and the effects of the potion waned,

And above all…

In the face of the stark reality of death arriving before her,

The once emotionless face of Queen Louis began to fill with fear again.

‘I… I’m going to… die… am I… really… really going to die like this?’

Her neck firmly strapped to the guillotine.

Due to the structure forcing her to look down, no one could see her face.

At the same time, there was no one here who realized the trembling of her body growing larger and larger.

‘Help me….’

A voice that wouldn’t come out amid extreme fear.

Towards the weak neck of the Queen…

The heavy blade of the guillotine fell.

In that long moment of fear, where one second felt like years,

Within that moment…

‘Anyone would do… I don’t care who…’

Queen Louis endlessly repeated the meaningless plea for salvation in her mind.

‘Please… save me!’

With those last thoughts, Queen Louis tightly shut her eyes.

At that moment.

-Clang!!!!!

“…?”

In place of the expected pain, a sharp sound echoed in her ears.

The sound was like steel clashing against steel, causing Queen Louis to instinctively open her eyes wide.

And then…

“Uh?”

“Wh… what…?”

Voices filled with confusion erupted from all corners of the square.

Amid those voices…

Only one voice began to clearly resonate in Queen Louis’s ears.

“Oh dear… looks like this won’t do. A so-called execution tool that can’t even leave a scratch on my palm… tsk tsk.”

“!”

A male voice she had never heard before.

However, the strength and authority in that voice made Queen Louis feel overwhelmed by something.

-Crack!

With the sound of something being torn apart, her neck suddenly felt lighter.

Freed from her restraints, Queen Louis quickly raised her head and gazed at the figure of the man before her.

“Ah…”

Standing under the bright shining sun was a single man.

He had a golden beard and wore a splendid outfit of gold and black.

Just looking at his appearance radiated strength and dignity, and as she beheld him, Queen Louis found herself at a loss for words, overwhelmed by a complex emotion.

“W… what on earth are you?”

She asked, her voice trembling.

To her question, the man replied with a voice imbued with an unassailable power.

“I am the king.”

“N…no?”

It was incomprehensible….

Nonetheless, something about his appearance made it somehow convincing.

In a daze, Queen Louis became unable to tear her gaze away from him.

Feeling her heart racing deep within her…

For the first time in her life,

she began to blush as she looked at a man.