The tale had come to an end.
The sky was clear and cloudless, the wind cool. Those who wished for death were shouting mad cries, and the executioner waited for the criminal before the grim guillotine.
Though the distance was not far, her steps were slow, for she had abstained from food for days.
Lilia raised her head. She could see the seat she had once occupied.
So this is how it feels to look up from here.
She had sat in that seat, adorned with dazzling jewels. With her brilliant golden hair flowing and her warm green eyes shining, she had looked down upon this place.
While imprisoned, it had become exceedingly difficult to gauge the passage of time, and Lilia felt the moment she had witnessed Anelli's execution was now a distant memory.
"Bring the criminal forward!"
Soldiers grabbed her arms and dragged her along. They were relieved that this troublesome criminal would finally be disposed of.
And for good reason, for Lilia's execution date had been postponed several times.
The reason was unknown. When she first heard the news of the postponement, Lilia was certain someone must be trying to save her.
At that time, she could not foresee. More precisely, it was the point when the book that should have shown her the future had been torn to pieces, losing its complete form.
Waiting for a future she could not see an inch ahead, she held onto vague hope.
A postponed execution date meant something was amiss.
Surely someone had uncovered her innocence.
Or perhaps Maxel had miraculously regained his power.
Maybe Roam had come to his senses and recovered his momentum?
Day after day, she dreamed such desperate hopes, and when a new execution date was announced, she couldn't believe it and asked again and again.
"Execution? Not release, but execution?"
"How can you speak of release when your guilt was proven ages ago!"
The guards laughed heartily at Lilia, and she was utterly disheartened.
Ah, truly the gods have abandoned me. The protagonist has changed.
Waiting for the shadow of death tightening around her neck with each passing moment, Lilia shuddered.
But just before the execution, it was postponed again.
"……Why?"
This time, unlike before, she felt no joy. She didn't even entertain hopeful thoughts.
She simply trembled in fear, not knowing what on earth was happening.
Then, just as she was gradually letting her guard down and considering daring to hope again, a new date was set.
After several repetitions, Lilia was completely exhausted. And so she found herself standing here.
"The final mercy of the goddess is bestowed upon the foolish creature. Do you have any last words?"
The priest asked, gazing at her with indifferent eyes.
Lilia, who had been parting her chapped lips, contorted her face.
Is this really the end? This? I die like this?
Her body trembled violently. In an attempt to delay death even a little, Lilia shook her head back and forth, buying time.
In her randomly cast gaze, she saw the countless people watching her. Among the excited crowd waving their fists, one person stood out distinctly.
Lilia's gaze stopped on him. With his hood pulled deep, his face was not visible, and he didn't look much different from those around him.
Was it because she so desperately wanted to see?
Was she seeing a phantom?
Staring blankly at him, Lilia parted her lips as if entranced.
"……Why did you take everything that was mine?"
She had wanted to ask, but ultimately never got to meet him to ask. When he didn't want to see her, he hovered around so much, yet when she resolved to see his face, she couldn't.
Lilia directed her resentment toward the hooded figure standing far away.
As venom seeped into her lifeless, dead-fish-like eyes, the onlookers grew even more excited, shouting for execution.
"It was I who seized it, I who did it all……!"
'Everything you possessed held no value to me.'
Lilia, who had been spitting out sharp words, closed her mouth in surprise.
Was it an auditory hallucination?
Amidst the noisy clamor, a faint voice had definitely reached her.
"Execution!"
Her body was pushed onto the guillotine. Even as she was forced to bend her upper body, Lilia struggled to lift her head.
That hooded person from a moment ago. Where is he?
'Therefore, you didn't have it taken; you lost it.'
A cold, mocking voice was heard.
No, was it heard? Was it imagined?
Even if she were here in the first place, it would have been impossible for her to answer Lilia's words.
Knowing this, Lilia's wavering gaze ceaselessly searched through the crowd.
She wanted to convey this resentment to her somehow.
"Anel―!"
*Crunch!*
On a clear and bright day, the guillotine was stained red.
* * *
"The execution has been completed."
Heinri, deeply engrossed in his work, glanced up. He gauged the approximate time by looking at the sky outside the window and nodded.
"I see."
Waving his hand to indicate he understood and that the subordinate could leave, the aide cautiously exited the office.
Heinri tried to focus on his work again. However, it was not easy to regain concentration once broken.
"Tsk."
He tossed the pen he was holding aside carelessly and leaned back in his chair, stretching his body.
Only now did he feel the stiffness in his entire body from sitting since early morning.
"Why did I strive so hard to obtain such a position?"
"For something so hard-earned, you treat it rather poorly."
A voice suddenly echoed in the previously empty office.
Though one might be startled by the sudden presence, having experienced this countless times, Heinri was no longer surprised.
Feeling a pang of regret at having grown accustomed to such situations, Heinri pressed his forehead and replied in a troubled voice.
"How many times must I tell you to make a formal visit request first? Do you know how much trouble you're causing the imperial mages?"
"If you dislike it so much, you should maintain the imperial palace barriers better."
The one who shamelessly replied with a shrug was Xenon.
With an exceedingly bold attitude for someone who had warped into the Crown Prince's office uninvited, he took a seat and picked up the snacks that were always prepared.
"Is this all the snacks in the imperial palace? Why are they always the same? I truly don't know what the imperial chefs are making. Things like this don't even fill you up."
"The snacks in my office do not exist to fill your stomach."
"I wouldn't expect them to. My cooking is more delicious anyway."
Xenon, who boldly compared his skills to those of the imperial chefs, munched on the snack. Grumbling yet readily putting it in his mouth, he was utterly infuriating.
"I happened to hear on my way here that the execution was carried out?"
"Yes, it could no longer be postponed."
Lilia Roam's execution had been postponed a great many times. The Duke and Duchess of Roam, who were initially to stand together on the guillotine, were still in prison.
The reason the treatment of these criminals, which was to be resolved quickly, was delayed to this extent was due to Heinri's personal desire.
That very private wish to show their end to someone.
However, in the end, the contact he had been waiting for never came, and today Lilia Roam became the dew on the execution ground.
"……Any contact?"
"None."
Heinri, who had been pressing his temples, glanced at Xenon. Xenon, who had taken over the sofa like a ruffian, appeared quite nonchalant on the surface.
But Heinri knew he was quite anxious inside.
"Didn't you say to wait?"
"That's why I'm waiting."
"Look in a mirror. See if this looks like waiting or like searching frantically."
Heinri did not know exactly what had happened in the Trevi Mountains. However, he guessed that the pillar of light that had spawned countless rumors might have been caused by Anelli.
Amidst this, Xenon, who had suddenly appeared, delivered the news that Anelli had stepped away for a while and had decided to return soon.
Since Xenon had stated so firmly that she would return shortly, Heinri had believed him.
He had not the slightest idea that Xenon might not know the meaning of the word 'shortly.' Or perhaps the concept of 'shortly' was used differently in the Magic Tower.
"You didn't tell me not to search."
"Interpreting things to your convenience, I see."
Xenon, pouting, changed the subject.
"More importantly, can I get what I requested?"
"……The imperial palace is not a shop."
"But among my connections, Your Highness the Crown Prince is the one who can most easily procure things for me."
Heinri glared at Xenon with a hint of reproach. Xenon, who had already used Heinri's position several times to obtain rare items, no longer even pretended to be sorry on the surface.
Instead, he shamelessly smiled and retorted.
"In return, I offered the Magic Tower's talent to the imperial palace."
"Wasn't Dekin expelled from the Tower long ago?"
"That's just a nominal expulsion. How can one overcome the bonds of blood?"
"I guarantee Dekin would be displeased if he heard that."
"I know full well that Your Highness the Crown Prince openly boasts of your friendship with the future Tower Master."
Heinri could not firmly deny it. Because it was true.
Having made Maxel the deposed crown prince and almost seized the position of Crown Prince for himself, he had to establish his position quickly by any means necessary.
Xenon's status was quite useful to such a Heinri, and thanks to that, he had received great help when formally bringing Dekin to the imperial palace.
And in the long term, it would be good to maintain the friendship even after he becomes the Tower Master in the future. Naturally, of course.
Though it was difficult that he had to maintain the same distance with the Temple as well…… that was just unavoidable.
"Your request."
Giving up the pointless bickering, Heinri opened a drawer and took out an envelope the size of his palm.
Placing it on the desk with a thud, Xenon approached with a pleased expression and checked the envelope.
"What on earth is it?"
"Flower seeds."
"Are they used in potion-making? Or as magical ingredients?"
"They're just flower seeds."
"……They're not a cover, but truly just flower seeds?"
"Yes. When this flower receives moonlight, its petals become translucent. Can you imagine? If planted in a spot with good moonlight, it will be a magnificent sight!"
Xenon began a lengthy explanation about the flower seeds he held, his face excited.
Heinri, who had been certain that the item requested from him, the Crown Prince, must conceal some tremendous secret, stared at Xenon with hollow eyes.
A fierce headache, more intense than any he felt while working, pierced his mind.
Pressing the space between his eyebrows firmly, Heinri gritted his teeth and spoke.
"Just go. Please, just leave."
I'd rather get back to work.