Vol.0 Ch.141 Execution is Too Quick


    <span ss="userText">"Your Majesty!"<span ss="aiText"> Duval shouted.


    <span ss="aiText">Cyndre red at him, "Marquess, you dare interrupt me?!"


    <span ss="aiText">Duval was afraid of the King''s anger but still tried to persuade him, "Please, your Majesty.<span ss="userText"> I know your brother has wronged you and the kingdom with such an act but don''t you think that execution is a bit excessive?"


    <span ss="userText">Queen Rianna<span ss="aiText"> and General Kane looked at the Marquess with distaste.


    <span ss="userText">"You think that hiring an assassin right under our nose is<span ss="aiText"> a minor thing, Duval? You truly are a fool, a bigger fool than <span ss="editText">I thought<span ss="aiText">," Queen Rianna said with a disgusted tone.


    <span ss="aiText">The Marquess bowed his head, "I am not saying that it''s not a crime, Your Majesty.<span ss="userText"> But if it wasn''t for the Duke''s ill-advised<span ss="aiText"> action <span ss="userText">then this other group of assassins would have killed our prince<span ss="aiText">. So, in the end, the Duke was the one that prevented the assassination of the prince."


    <span ss="userText">ric''s head snapped up and looked over at Duval.


    <span ss="userText">''He''s trying to save me? What''s his angle<span ss="aiText">?'' ric thought.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">So you are suggesting that I give my brother a pat on the back for failing to hire an assassin who<span ss="aiText"> decided not to go through with her contract? Then forgive him when he had the gall to say sorry for it?! Are you insane, Duval!?" King Cyndre shouted.


    <span ss="aiText">Duval shook his head and tried to reason with the King, "No, no, no.<span ss="userText"> He deserves punishment, your Majesty. But I believe that executing him is<span ss="aiText"> too harsh and a bit too quick. <span ss="editText">And there''s another reason why he should be punished in a different way...<span ss="aiText">"


    <span ss="userText">Duval walked towards the King but Kane stopped him.


    <span ss="userText">"Why do you approach the King?<span ss="aiText"> Marquess," Kane said.


    <span ss="aiText">Duval looked at the general.


    <span ss="aiText">"Because I want to <span ss="userText">discuss my thoughts on how best to punish the Duke. And I don''t want ric to hear before His Majesty <span ss="editText">makes his final decision<span ss="aiText">," Duval said.


    <span ss="aiText">''What''s he nning?'' ric thought<span ss="userText"> as he was still kneeling on the ground. The hard tile was making<span ss="aiText"> his knees ache, but he didn''t dare to move in hopes of buying more time to think.


    <span ss="aiText">Kane was reluctant and looked over at the King. Cyndre nodded, and Kane allowed Duval to approach.<span ss="userText"> Queen Rianna didn''t sit idly by as she stood up and walked over to her husband''s side so she could hear what this fool was going to say.


    <span ss="aiText">"Alright, what is it, Marquess?" King Cyndre asked in an impatient tone.


    <span ss="aiText">Duval <span ss="userText">moved in so he could whisper<span ss="aiText">, "Your Majesty, <span ss="userText">I would agree with you that ric should be executed for his acts against you and the royal family—"


    <span ss="userText">"Then why do you say otherwise in front of everyone<span ss="aiText"> else, Duval?" Queen Rianna<span ss="editText"> hissed under her breath as she <span ss="aiText">cut<span ss="editText"> him<span ss="aiText"> off.


    <span ss="aiText">Duval looked over at the queen.


    <span ss="aiText">"I didn''t mean to offend, Your Majesty. If you give me a moment, I will get to that part," Duval <span ss="userText">said in a calm quiet<span ss="aiText"> tone.


    <span ss="userText">He turned to look at ric kneeling<span ss="aiText"> on the ground<span ss="userText"> about ten feet away.


    <span ss="aiText">''Don''t you dare, Duval<span ss="editText">? I don''t know what you are saying. But I have an idea what you are nning and I don''t care how long it takes. But I will get my vengeance, even if it takes me the rest of my life!<span ss="aiText">'' ric thought.


    <span ss="userText">Duval turned back to the King and Queen as he continued, "Your brother has used his money and influence to buy a majority of the minor lords of Fiafyr. Plus his two friends own the coastline of our great kingdom. And if he were executed, I fear we would have uprisings across<span ss="aiText"> the country, which would lead to the other human kingdoms taking advantage of this turmoil and invade our borders, if given the chance."


    <span ss="aiText">Queen Rianna <span ss="userText">became<span ss="aiText"> a little more irritated<span ss="userText"> while King Cyndre clutched his fists so tightly that his knuckles began to turn white. He was cursing himself for not listening to his council''s concerns<span ss="aiText"> about ric''s actions, years ago. <span ss="editText">He was his brother and felt sorry for him so he always turned a blind eye to <span ss="userText">all of his actions and now he is paying for it.


    <span ss="aiText">"What are you proposing, Marquess," <span ss="editText">King Cyndre <span ss="aiText">said through gritted teeth.


    <span ss="userText">Duval cleared his throat<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"I think the best course of action would be to <span ss="userText">punish him financially. Have him forfeit arge sum of money from his<span ss="aiText"> assets, <span ss="editText">and <span ss="aiText">strip him <span ss="editText">and his son <span ss="aiText">of <span ss="editText">their<span ss="aiText"> title<span ss="userText">. His allies probably won''t like him getting demoted too far down but Marcus should be stripped of any chance of being a possible heir if something were to happen to the Prince. And hopefully, we can get these minor nobles to abandon him over time. By using ric''s own money to buy them back<span ss="aiText">," Duval whispered.


    <span ss="userText">Cyndre let what<span ss="aiText"> the Marquess says sink in.


    <span ss="aiText">"So you seem to agree with this form of punishment, Your Majesty?" Duval asked.


    <span ss="aiText">"Only if<span ss="userText"> we make one stiption<span ss="aiText">," Cyndre said.


    <span ss="aiText">Duval sighed out in relief when the King was going to agree with him. And he was willing to ept almost anything the King was going to add.


    <span ss="aiText">"Yes, your Majesty, what would it be," Duval said.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">If there''s another assassination attempt on my son''s life. Then you and ric will have to face execution. Even if he wasn''t the one to order it.<span ss="aiText"> Understand," Cyndre said in a low voice.


    <span ss="userText">Queen Rianna wasn''t happy about leaving ric alive but she liked her husband''s way of thinking.


    <span ss="aiText">Duval''s body was shaking from the intense pressure.


    <span ss="aiText">"Y-y-yes, your Majesty<span ss="editText">. I''ll make it my top priority to make sure no one from ric''s allies, to our neighboring enemies, dares to try to pull something like this again<span ss="aiText">," Duval said.


    <span ss="aiText">The two then separated.


    <span ss="userText">"Alright, I''ve made a decision," King Cyndre said loudly so the rest<span ss="aiText"> of the nobles could hear.


    <span ss="aiText">Everyone waited in anticipation.<span ss="userText"> While ric was worrying about his own fate.


    <span ss="aiText">"Due to my brother''s crimes, I, King Cyndre of the Kingdom of Fiafyr, will <span ss="userText">take 50 percent of<span ss="aiText"> his holdings and <span ss="userText">will require a 75 percent raise in all taxes and tributes for the next ten years,"<span ss="aiText"> Cyndre said.


    <span ss="aiText">Many gasped, especially ric''s allies.


    <span ss="userText">ric bowed his head, "That is a just punishment<span ss="aiText">, brother. I dly ept the<span ss="userText">—"


    <span ss="userText">"I''m not done."


    <span ss="aiText">ric stopped.


    <span ss="aiText">"<span ss="userText">Your title will no longer be Arch Duke<span ss="aiText">, you will be Duke <span ss="userText">while your son will be demoted to Earl."


    <span ss="userText">"But brother!" ric tried to interject.


    <span ss="userText">"I changed my mind! Marcus will be given the title of Viscount while only getting one-third of the Divalo domain and will no longer be considered a possible heir to the throne<span ss="aiText">."


    <span ss="aiText">"Your Majesty! That''s too much, I''m begging you!"


    <span ss="aiText">ric''s face turned red and he looked like his eyes were about to burst from his brother''s harsh judgment.


    <span ss="userText">"You dare say this is too much!? You have no idea how disappointed I am with you, ric. You are my brother and I loved you, but you were always ambitious and greedy. Always wanting more power andnd. You are lucky that you are alive. If you ever try to do something like this again, then not even the Goddess herself will stop me from sending Lady Wina to<span ss="aiText"> cut off your head," Cyndre said.


    <span ss="aiText">ric looked like he was <span ss="editText">punched in the gut while his<span ss="aiText"> eyes started watering up, and he had a pitiful look on his face.


    <span ss="userText">"This is a warning to anyone else who wants toe after my son... The assassin that has better judgment and loyaltypared to my brother will be protecting the prince until hees of age. And if she has to take down another<span ss="aiText"> would<span ss="editText">-<span ss="aiText">be assassin, then <span ss="userText">I will execute ric and<span ss="aiText"> anyone else who aids the assassin in any <span ss="aiText">way from the kingdom."


    <span ss="userText">The room became silent.


    <span ss="userText">"I''m giving you only one chance to repent ric... Don''t make me<span ss="aiText"> regret this," King Cyndre said as he<span ss="aiText">and Queen Rianna went back to their thrones and sat down.


    <span ss="aiText">"Guards, escort the Duke back to his estate and secure his coffers, so Lord Brice and his people can start processing the fine...<span ss="userText"> I want your payment in three days, brother. Don''t test my patience<span ss="aiText">. <span ss="editText">You are all dismissed<span ss="aiText">," King Cyndre ordered.


    <span ss="aiText">Two soldiers approached ric and helped him stand up.


    <span ss="userText">''This can''t be happening! Everything I sacrificed<span ss="aiText"> and worked for was all for naught. All because of <span ss="userText">my rotten luck!... I swear I made it so Rianna couldn''t have been able to get pregnant! And even if she did, Quinus should have been deformed! But no! He was perfectly healthy!... My assassin should have killed him! Didn''t I pay her well?! My son deserves to be the next King! Why must everything I do to make things right<span ss="aiText"> always fail?!'' ric cursed.


    <span ss="aiText">All he could do was look down while walking back to his carriage.


    <span ss="aiText">''I<span ss="userText">''ve failed... Whatever chance I had is gone<span ss="aiText"> now. My son will never be the King. No matter what I do, he will never sit on the throne. There''s noing back from this. <span ss="userText">If there is a chance to let my nephew<span ss="aiText"> suffer the same fate, then I will take it<span ss="editText">. But I can''t go after him in the same way anymore. Damn the fates! You''ve bought me nothing but misery<span ss="aiText">,'' ric thought as tears slowly fell from his eyes.


    <span ss="userText">ric had ten knights and four guards<span ss="aiText"> escort him. His face was stoic but the redness and his puffy eyes gave away how he was truly feeling.


    <span ss="userText">Belial was waiting in the courtyard by the carriage and was concerned when he saw armed knights pushing and pulling the Duke toward his location<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="userText">"What''s the meaning of this!? You dare treat the Arch Duke of—"


    <span ss="userText">"Belial!" ric<span ss="aiText"> yelled.


    <span ss="userText">The butler was<span ss="aiText"> shocked to see his master yelling at him.


    <span ss="aiText">"Do not make things worse for me, Belial," ric said in a calmer voice.


    <span ss="userText">"But what happened?"


    <span ss="userText">"He found out... She turned on us."


    <span ss="userText">Belial was speechless as ric got into his carriage and shut the door behind him. Two of the knights joined the duke when they entered on the other side of the carriage. The other eight knights got on their horses and were ready to go. Belial didn''t know what else to do besides getting in the driver''s seat.


    <span ss="userText">"Don''t try anything stupid, butler. Your master is in enough trouble as is," said Sir <span ss="userText">Harlowe<span ss="aiText">.


    <span ss="aiText">"Understood," Belial said.


    <span ss="aiText">As they were driving through the streets of Tairal. Belial, and ric both had their minds running a thousand miles a minute as they made their way back to the Divalo Manor.