Chapter 804: The Icy Square
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Long ropes were threaded through the high iron rings and abruptly pulled taut, hoisting up several nobles dressed in fine attire. They kicked and struggled, but ultimately choked to death on those ropes.
The courtyard of Titania’s palace was drenched in blood, with the corpses of criminals standing on both sides. Court envoys in red robes held up edicts and loudly read out the charges against these nobles.
Treason, rebellion, disloyalty—many terrifying accusations echoed from their mouths. Below them, the nobles and commoners remained silent and still.
Soon after, the sky darkened, and heavy rain poured down, continuously washing over the bloodstained ground. Those hanging bodies became even more ghastly and gloomy in the rain.
Since the Emperor’s passing, the imperial capital had been filled with a tense and uneasy atmosphere. The scarlet-clothed royal guards searched house to house, looking for the assassins and accomplices responsible for the Emperor’s death.
Countless suspected nobles and officials were dragged out by the royal guards, interrogated, and executed on the spot. Blood flowed through the streets of the imperial capital, and many high nobles protested and questioned these actions, but their voices were suppressed by Derosa, the executive officer of the royal guards.
This rare Sequence 7 within the Empire used his formidable strength to quell opposition, pursuing and searching for suspects with an almost frenzied attitude. He would rather kill a thousand innocents than let one guilty person go free.
He suspected everyone, including the Emperor’s brother, Edolen, and Empress Lily Aisote.
As a close confidant of the Emperor and the leader of the royal guards, he felt immense honor under the Emperor’s trust. But now, all of that was lost.
“I swear to kill anyone involved in harming His Majesty.” He wore a black and red cloak and led thousands of royal guards to sweep through the capital with force, targeting all possible hiding places.
Former thieves and petty criminals involved in shady businesses, once caught, were also hanged by this vengeful avenger.
Day after day, countless lives were taken in the square, with the only difference being whether ten or a hundred were executed each day.
Today, after another round of executions, Derosa returned to the palace and walked across the checkered floor, heading toward the Empress’s chambers.
At the door to the palace corridor, a nervous maidservant in black and white dress stood before him.
“Apologies, Lord Derosa, Her Majesty does not wish to see you,” she said, her voice trembling. She clearly feared this blood-soaked commander of the royal guards.
Derosa’s cold gaze fixed on the maidservant for a long while. Finally, just as she nearly collapsed, he spoke.
“I understand.” Then, his stiff steps turned, and he left with a full contingent of armored guards.
Just as the maidservant was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he added,
“However, for the safety of Her Majesty and the Prince, I will have guards posted around the palace at all times to ensure security.” With that, they departed, the sound of armor clinking.
Inside the palace, Lily sat at a small round table, holding a baby less than a year old in her arms. This was her child with Aimanke.
Rain beat incessantly against the window, striking the glass with a delicate sound. Seeing the child about to wake, Lily carefully rocked and soothed him.
“Be good, Mommy is right here. Go back to sleep,” she whispered gently, though her pale face already showed signs of exhaustion.
After the Emperor’s death, numerous matters of state and palace affairs suddenly fell upon this innocent girl, causing her great anxiety and fear.
Seeing the child fall asleep again, the young mother relaxed slightly. Looking around, she noticed the returning maidservant and asked softly, “Has he gone?”
“Yes, Lord Derosa has left,” the maidservant decided not to mention the layers of guards outside, to avoid agitating the anxious Empress.
Hearing this, Lily’s furrowed brows eased slightly, and her expression softened.
“In fact, I’m not averse to Derosa, I just really fear seeing him.”
She recalled the events of the past year. Each time Derosa found a suspect, he made her preside over the trials and executions, sometimes even forcing her to watch the condemned.
Facing such bloody scenes for long periods took a heavy toll on Lily, causing frequent insomnia and nightmares.
“Are those people really guilty?” she once asked someone.
“I don’t know,” answered the servant, who was hanged the next day on suspicion.
From then on, whenever Lily inquired, everyone responded, “They deserve to die.”
Lily wanted Derosa to spare some lives, but the official looked at her with suspicion and disdain. That piercing gaze made her feel as if she were being watched by a venomous snake, leaving her too afraid to speak freely afterward.
Sometimes she even thought that if she hadn’t given birth to the Prince, she might have already been killed by Derosa as a sacrifice.
The happiness of the past seemed like a beautiful dream, suddenly shattered by the icy rain of blood.
It wasn’t always like this. When Aimanke was alive, she felt like a bird living in a peaceful nest. The beautiful Titania court was like the most beautiful garden in the world, waiting for her to explore every day.
She loved swinging on the swings, and Aimanke had the elves build a charming courtyard with vines, filled with swings and various animals.
Sometimes she would carry a little rabbit to find Aimanke, and the stern Emperor in front of her always had endless patience and gentleness.
Lily rarely concerned herself with matters outside the palace, knowing she didn’t understand them. Interfering would only cause trouble. Whenever Aimanke returned exhausted from his duties, she would serve him snacks she had made and let him rest in her arms for a peaceful afternoon nap.
When Aimanke woke up, Lily would tell him about her discoveries of the day or recite gentle poems. Although she hadn’t been interested in poetry before, becoming Empress brought her many gifts and poems from poets and noble ladies, hoping for her praise and approval.
Gradually, she began to understand and appreciate some of them. To soothe her weary lover’s spirit, she would select suitable poems to read to him. And Aimanke would lie in Lily’s arms, quietly watching her in the sunlight, a faint smile on his lips.
“Lily, you are a treasure bestowed upon me by heaven.”
Aimanke reached out to gently caress his beloved’s cheek, and the coldness in his eyes seemed to melt away.
Perhaps the story is somewhat melancholic, but Qingkong promises a heartwarming ending for everyone.
(End of Chapter)
