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251. Childhood Friend – Calloused Skin

In the 43rd year of Abram de Lognum’s reign, the citizens of Nevis were witnessing a historic moment.

A massive execution platform with stunning width was set up in front of the royal palace. It was high enough to prevent a mob from climbing up and to ensure that everyone gathered in the square could see clearly.

Measuring 40 meters on each side and standing 1.5 meters tall, this wooden platform hardly resembled an execution stage but rather a gigantic podium.

The citizens of Nevis couldn’t believe their eyes. The King of the Orun Kingdom, Abram de Lognum, and the noble members of his royal family were facing the executioner. The sight of dozens of nobles connected by ropes at their necks was reminiscent of a slave auction, and the citizens were left utterly aghast.

During the execution ceremony, a representative of Marquis Drazin climbed up onto the platform and laid bare the crimes of the Lognum royal family.

He belittled the Lognum family, claiming that as the representatives of the Orun Kingdom, they had enjoyed power without fulfilling their obligations. He accused them of harassing innocent natives and imposing high taxes on nobles and commoners alike, indulging themselves in luxury. There was no opportunity for rebuttal.

The representative of Marquis Drazin, known externally for leading reforms, declared:

“Thus, in the name of us, Marquis Evni Drazin and Northern Border Duke, Count Soarel Demetri Ogerton and Mage Executor, Lord Bokali the Chief Judge, Rothschild the Chamberlain, Minister Guanin of Finance… (abridged) … we sentence King Abram de Lognum and Prince Aton de Lognum and the members of the Lognum royal family to execution.”

As the stunned citizens looked on, drops of blood began to fall. The neck of the white-haired king fell.

Last year, the head of Prince Aton de Lognum also met the same fate, resulting in quite a gruesome situation. This happened as the executioner, trying to take a break, switched places with another executioner after skillfully severing the king’s head.

“Eek!”

The citizens screamed as the executioner’s axe missed and grazed the shoulder of the hooded prince.

It was an incredible matter to be executing a prince, no less a member of the royal family.

With all the citizens of Nevis watching, that awkward executioner tremblingly raised his axe again. After five awkward swings, the prince’s body was finally separated from his head. Some nobles standing behind were so frightened they lost control of their bowels. There were children present too.

There were quite a few nobles that bore the Lognum name. Many had already married off or branched out, so there was a need to determine how many would have to be executed.

Having risen as the practical leader of the reform faction, Reb generously declared,

“We will execute only the nobles residing in the royal palace and the male nobles branched off within six degrees of kinship from the King. We will forgive the women who married into local families, but they must provide a guarantee from their respective noble families. The same goes for those abroad. Only children under the age of twelve who are within six degrees of kinship from Abram de Lognum shall not be executed. Fortunately, there’s only one child under four years old. We should find a good family to adopt that child. Ah, and we will spare anyone aged 65 and above residing in the palace, regardless of gender. We can arrange a small mansion outside along with guards and watchmen.”

A considerable number of nobles were spared.

While it might have been better to wipe out the entire lineage to strengthen royal authority, Reb believed it unnecessary to be that harsh.

Killing off distant relatives would only upset the noble families connected to them, and the elderly and children should be spared out of consideration for public sentiment. However, young children too closely related to the King could not be spared.

Even so, that still meant over a hundred would be executed. The wood on the execution platform in front of the royal castle was stained red.

The nobles loyal to Aton and Alzeor de Lognum also could not escape execution.

Many of the nobles who sided with the prince, including Count Geogis Jermin, were executed. Some of the nobles who had rebelled in Nevis and surrendered were also executed, including Count Taradin Amus, who led the rebellion.

These nobles had heavily oppressed the native-born slaves. While it was impossible to execute them all, some were selected as examples through careful investigation.

Even here, Reb showed leniency.

He executed only the head and heirs of the respective noble families, sparing the rest. In the past, they would have been sold into slavery, but in the future, there would be no slaves in the Orun Kingdom. They concluded the matter by confiscating their assets and exiling them from Nevis.

After about a week of purging, the kingdom’s administrative officials who had been unable to work during that time returned to the front lines. As the reformist nobles were assigned various roles, the Orun Kingdom began preparing to establish a new dynasty.

There was a mountain of work to be done.

Using the experience gained from the last beggar siblings cycle, Reb allocated tasks appropriately. He assigned minor tasks to Baron Guanin, Lord Bokali, Count Safia, Baron Rothschild, and others, while Reb himself seized control of the critical military authority. He also didn’t neglect grabbing hold of the Lognum royal family’s assets.

However, this entire process was anything but smooth.

Unlike Lean de Yeriel, who was a royal and had firm legitimacy, Reb faced tremendous resistance due to his commoner status.

Even among the reformists, opinions were divided, and many nobles initially dismissed the very notion of Reb ascending to the throne as a joke, only to eventually exclaim,

“Isn’t it Marquis Drazin who will take the throne?”

They were both amazed and displeased.

With so much to do, discontent began to surface among the nobles, who should have been running the nation, at which point Marquis Drazin advised Reb. He considered Reb a worthy candidate for the throne.

“Ultimately, your status is holding you back, Reb. I have a good idea. Why not make yourself a noble first?”

“…There’s no king right now, so who can make me a noble?”

“There’s another way,” Marquis Drazin continued.

“You should marry Lady Hirie Gaidan. You must have met her since you’re staying at the Gaidan Marquis’s mansion. It was a couple of years ago… she experienced something unfortunate and isn’t quite right in the head, but she was a patient and beautiful girl since childhood. If you take good care of her, I believe she will come around.”

Marquis Drazin likely mentioned this purely hoping that Reb would look after the family of his deceased friend. With the late Marquis Gaidan gone, his duties were now being handled by Lady Sierra Gaidan, who was acting in his stead.

However, this couldn’t last forever.

Lady Sierra Gaidan was merely another family’s noble lady by marriage. Plus, Hirie, who kept staring blankly out the window, couldn’t inherit the family either. The heir, Havni Gaidan, had died long ago.

So, if Reb, who was to ascend the throne, married Hirie, and if she bore two sons…

One would inherit the throne, while the other would become the Marquis of Gaidan. Since they were of royal blood, perhaps they might even be elevated to the Duke’s status.

It was a good story for everyone. However, Reb was feeling overwhelmed and took a deep breath.

It was my fault that she ended up like that.

The Gaidan Marquis had also died while trying to help me, falling for my scheme.

Reb was at a loss for words, struck by the backlash of his own actions. Yet, amidst it all, there was some reason in Marquis Drazin’s proposal…

[ Achievement: The Man Who Melted Hirie Gaidan’s Heart – Gained slight affection from Hirie Gaidan. ]

– “I believe if you take care of her, she will come around soon.”

It was indeed a possibility. Just having persuaded the Marquis Gaidan had allowed the once completely out-of-it Hirie to function again.

‘Oh, God. Please…’

Reb withheld his response. He had no choice. “I already spoke to the Marquis and he mentioned that Lady Hirie has quite the fondness for you.” He replied to the persuading Drazin that he would think about it.

On the way back to Gaidan’s mansion, riding in a splendid carriage, Reb felt troubled. The golden decorations seemed to taunt him.

– Happy that you succeeded?

– You’ve made it big, Reb Bijan. A pretty but dim-witted wife will bring you a throne. No doubt about that.

Reb halted the carriage. The bustle that greeted him upon returning home was far from what he imagined.

“Hey, is that Sir Vann Bijan? I’m Lord Ruben…”

“Stop it. I’m serious lately.”

“Why?”

“I can’t find Dad. The townspeople said he left but…”

“Haha. Don’t worry too much. There aren’t really many who haven’t joined yet. He should be coming soon.”

“…I suppose so? Oh! Commander, you’re back?”

It was Vann and Ruben Bijan. The knights who had received knight titles and were Reb’s apprentices saluted him vivaciously.

Their skills were not yet up to par for receiving a knight title. They were still far from it.

But Reb had made them knights of the Third Knights Order under the pretense of supplementing his lacking knights, and the apprentices were genuinely delighted.

In this world, it wasn’t a flaw.

In this moderately corrupt era, integrity was seen not as purity, but rather as inflexibility. Being considerate to those around you was a skill and a necessity in these times. Reb nodded and acknowledged the salute but grew more uneasy once he entered the mansion.

“Try this. I made it with help from Lady Sierra. How is it?”

Lena Ainar was feeding crumbled cookies to Leo Dexter. Seeing Lena, who was much stronger than the outdoor apprentices, cooking left Reb in a state where he couldn’t bear to watch.

They’ve become knights, yet…

“Hey! Where are you going? Come and eat too.”

It was a complete mess.

The cookies, as well as the current situation.

Reb forced a smile (Leo Dexter was glaring at him from behind) and shoved the bitter, burnt-tasting cookie into his mouth. Despite knowing he was someone set to ascend the throne, Lena reacted to him as if nothing was amiss.

“It’s all thanks to our husband, right?”

She didn’t change her attitude towards Reb. He went to meet the marquis’s wife.

How on earth did she teach Lena how to cook? — He hadn’t gone to blame her for putting salt in what should’ve had sugar. He waited for the lady who was taking care of Hirie to come out before speaking.

“…Forgive me for saying this, but I heard from Marquis Drazin.”

“…The Marquis has spoken nonsense. You’re talking about marrying my daughter, right? That was just some random conversation, so don’t take it to heart. And in fact…”

The marquis wife trailed off.

Truth was, she had never viewed this young man as a suitable son-in-law. He was a significant young man who would soon become king and had saved both her and her daughter, but she treated Reb as if he were her son.

[ Achievement: The Man Who Melted Sierra Gaidan’s Heart – Gained slight affection from Sierra Gaidan. ]

If her son were alive, he would be just about this age. He had a similar appearance and build; he might have been taller, taking after his father, but Reb’s modest height reminded her of her son when he was a child.

At that moment, Reb said:

“I know it’s little out of the blue… but, Lady Marquis, would it be alright for me to become your daughter’s brother?”

Adoption. Reb could only think of this. He would be part of the Gaidan dynasty, not the Bijan dynasty, but the name didn’t matter.

Hirie Gaidan.

I would be by her side as a brother. I live to relieve a bit of the tragedy that woman is staring at blankly through that door crack.

That alone seemed to be the only path for Reb to protect the feelings for Leah, become a king, and take responsibility for the karma he had caused while finishing the childhood friend scenario.

Lady Sierra Gaidan smiled brightly. “Oh… but I do have a father and mother.” She pulled her son into a warm embrace.

Was this a heartwarming conclusion?

Reb Gaidan thereafter prepared for his ascension, shuttling between his mother’s mansion and the royal palace. The end was near. Occasionally, keeping his promise with Count Ogerton, he would also visit the Count’s mansion to serve as a test subject for the Oblivion Blade research.

The experiments themselves weren’t anything special. All he had to do was to summon and dismiss the Oblivion Blade repeatedly.

Count Ogerton had become consumed by madness.

He claimed that this research would open a new frontier for magic and never even glanced at his six-year-old son.

And so, days flowed.

However, on a perfectly ordinary morning, just as autumn was beginning to settle…

“Ta-da~! It’s egg pudding!”

“Ooo! Lena finally makes desserts! Looks delicious. Hey, if you’re done eating, why don’t you take… huh? What’s wrong?”

“Is it a bit too runny? Since it’s not cold enough yet, it didn’t hold its shape. But the taste should be fine.”

Reb, glancing at the table and the miserable pudding, forgot to breathe as he looked up at Lena Ainar with despair.

[ Congratulations! ]

[ Lena’s dream has come true. ]

[ True Ending 1/2: Receive blessings from Lena! ]

The egg pudding that Lena brought was no more than a watery mess.

The pudding, that should have thickened with sweet sugar and healthy milk, had salt mixed in. Gradually, without being cooked over flame properly, it had become a total disaster that Lena Ainar held up with an innocent face.

With hands devoid of calluses.