The news that the commander of the Kustan Army had infiltrated Siqman Fortress and was captured by the Velician Army quickly spread across the continent.

The Commander of the Central Knights of Kustan. The Black Knight who destroyed one country and drove another into a crucible of fear.

His execution was carried out much more quickly and secretly than people expected.

There was Bernard Cenchilla Shane Passcourt, who will be instated as the new crown prince of Velicia, his guardian knight, Jonathan Coopert. And three Velician knights.

Thus, only five persons were present at the execution site as witnesses.

The method of execution was beheading. It was the most common punishment used when executing knights.

His head was cut by Bernard, the highest ranking member of the witnesses Even though it was an enemy, Bernard showed that he had no intention of tarnishing the last honor the enemy had left.

Some criticized Bernard for rushing the execution, saying that he made too hasty a decision. There was an opinion that even if there was no formal trial, at least he should have waited for the king’s decision.

But Bernard didn’t blink an eye.

‘He was in such a precarious state that he would die today or tomorrow even if he was left alone anyway. I hoped that he would pay the price for the crime he committed against Velicia. If I ever go back to that time, I will not change my decision.’

Bernard never gave up on his will. People whispered that he was arrogant and stubborn, but as time passed, that atmosphere gradually faded.

The Black Knight of Kustan.

He was the one who caused a major event that marked a milestone in history, but not much was known about his death. Where was the execution held? How was the execution carried out? Where was his decapitated body buried after the execution ceremony, and so on.

Most of the history books, as well as the records of Velicia, only briefly stated that he died at the hands of the 17th king of Velicia.

Jonathan Coopert, a knight who attended the execution, later wrote a memoir about his life. In his memoir, he briefly described what he witnessed that day.

‘He was an enemy who deserved to be condemned, but the way he accepted the end of his life aroused admiration from all of us.

As he knelt down, eyes closed, waiting for the blade to cut his neck to fall, he looked reverent and calm, like a priest praying to God.’

― Excerpt from ‘On the Beginning, History, and Fall of the Velician Empire’

Bernard stood at the end of the watchtower above the fortress. Late hour when the sun is setting. A golden twilight fell over the vast expanse of wilderness.

Bernard stared blankly at the wilderness where the twilight had fallen. Where his gaze landed, the rider on the horse was galloping without hesitation. There were no obstacles to block the front, so the speed of the horse getting out of the wilderness was also quite fast.

Are the seasons changing? A cold wind blew from the west and gently tousled Bernard’s black hair.

“Are you okay, Your Highness?”

Jonathan, who was standing behind Bernard, asked quietly.

“Am I okay…….”

The rider was so far away that it had become a black dot. Bernard took in and exhaled his breath slowly, keeping his eyes on its last appearance.

“The answer will depend on the meaning of the question.”

“You didn’t even say goodbye properly.”

“…….”

“Did you hate her that much? Enough to not want to see her face one last time?”

Bernard, who had been staring at the wilderness for a long time at Jonathan’s question, turned his head and looked at his knight. Bernard’s expression was ambiguous. He looked like he didn’t know how to respond to Jonathan’s question.

“Did it look like that to you? That I hated Herietta?”

Bernard asked with a laugh. Then, slowly, he shook his head.

“It must have been a misunderstanding. It wasn’t because I hated her that I didn’t want to see her. It was just because I wasn’t confident in myself.”

“Confident?”

Jonathan’s eyebrows raised at the unexpected answer. Bernard only nodded his head with a bitter smile.

“Yes. I was not at all sure if I would be able to control myself the moment I see her again.”

“…….”

“I would be clinging to her. Even though I thought to myself that it would be pathetic, in the end I would have begged her not to leave my side.”

“If you had felt that way, you could have refused her request.”

Jonathan muttered with a subtle expression.

Bernard was of the royal family of Velicia. And the one who is said to be the most noble next to the king of Velicia.

Although the throne was still vacant, no one doubted that sooner or later it would be taken by Bernard.

He is the man who will be the next king of this country.

A man who will rule the world above everyone else’s head.

It wouldn’t be that difficult to achieve what Bernard wanted. Just by saying a word, many things would be accomplished and given to him.

Bernard himself couldn’t have not known that fact.

“You mean to break her wings and forcibly lock her in a cage?”

Bernard asked with a wry smile.

“I owe her a pretty big debt for that. No matter how selfish I am, I can’t repay my lifesaver that way. Furthermore…….”

Bernard stopped for a moment. His eyes darkened as he paused to organize his thoughts.

“…… How can I say no. To the woman who said she would give up everything in the world and only have that one thing.”

‘…… If he dies, I die too.’

Herietta whispered while swallowing the tears that poured down her cheeks.

‘I cannot live in a world without him.’

It was very difficult for her because she knew that the words would hurt him, but she eventually told him the truth.

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