Chapter 36
“You’ve come.”
“Yes. I heard you called for me.”
Ignoring their blazing eyes, I stood beside the Duke.
The Duke handed me a document and spoke in a deep voice.
“You found my son, so I must grant you one wish. What severe punishment do you desire for them?”
At the word ‘punishment’, Lavelier clung to the iron bars as if having a seizure.
“Estira! You wretched girl! How dare you betray us!”
“Quiet. It would be best if you shut your mouth. Your lives depend on the words of this esteemed guest beside me.”
“Y-You…!”
Blinking, I looked at the Duke.
He nodded slightly, as if urging me to speak.
‘…Really? You’re giving me such significant authority? You weren’t planning to dispose of me?’
A smile unknowingly spread across my face as I read the document. To others, it might have looked like a face filled with glee.
The thought that I could decide their fates with just one word!
Could there be a sweeter revenge in this world?
Lavelier, clinging to the bars and grinding her teeth, Pandrion, kneeling with his jaw clenched, and Pacion, staring at me intently.
With a broad smile, I looked at each of the criminals beyond the bars.
Thud!
It was then that the quick-witted Margrave fell to his knees before me.
My eyebrows rose in dissatisfaction.
“Father?”
“I’m sorry, Estira! I was foolish. I should never have treated you and your mother that way!”
“F-Father, what are you doing!”
Lavelier desperately tried to pull the Margrave up.
But the Margrave ignored her and continued to apologize to me, ready to grovel if it meant gaining my forgiveness.
When I looked away from the Margrave and turned to Pacion, he remained stubbornly silent.
‘So, you’d rather die than beg for your life from me.’
It was indeed a decision befitting Pacion. That pride and arrogance wouldn’t break even in the face of death. I almost wanted to commend him.
“Sister. Do you have anything to say to me?”
I smiled slyly at Lavelier. Would she beg for her life like her father or remain defiant like Pacion?
I was curious.
“I-I…”
I could almost hear the sound of her pride crumbling.
‘Ah, how satisfying.’
“Well, Sister?”
“Y-You… this insane wench! Do you think you’ll get away with this!”
Wow. Truly sisterly behavior.
I didn’t expect her to trade her pride for her life. Both Pacion and Lavelier had made choices true to themselves.
They say people change when facing death, but why don’t these people ever change? Will they change in hell?
Feigning a look of pity, I turned back to the Margrave.
“I wanted to show mercy to you, Father, but seeing Sister has changed my mind.”
“L-Lavelier, you crazy girl…!”
The Margrave’s fierce anger turned towards Lavelier, and he slapped her hard across the face.
Her blue eyes, which had never experienced even a scolding before, trembled violently.
“H-How could you…”
“Fool! To the end!”
‘This melodrama is getting tiresome.’
There was nothing more to see. I turned and bowed deeply to the Duke.
“Please execute the Margrave and his son, and spare the daughter’s life.”
“Only the daughter? Why?”
I lifted the corners of my mouth into a sly smile.
Because for Lavelier…
“Death would be too light a punishment.”
It was my long-held wish to strip her of the noble life and pride she cherished so dearly and make her live like those she had treated worse than insects.
“Please transfer all the family’s debts to Lavelier and revoke her noble title.”
“Very well.”
At the Duke’s brief approval, I felt as if my entire body was filled with exhilarating energy.
Was it anger? No, it was overwhelming joy.
I couldn’t help but smile because I could exact my revenge on the wretched Glioced family in my own way.
“So be it. In the name of Ragnar, I shall punish them.”
As he turned away, he called,
“Clovin.”
Upon the Duke’s call, Clovin, who had been standing silently, responded.
“Yes~.”
“The execution will be tomorrow.”
“As you command. Shall we hang their heads at the mansion gate? Or would the mansion’s rooftop be better?”
At Clovin’s question, I replied without hesitation.
“The gate.”
So that their faces would be seen up close.
“Aaah! Estira!! Open this door right now!!”
I looked long and hard at the three pairs of blue eyes filled with resentment, wanting to remember them forever.
It seemed they would never be forgotten. Never.
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