In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 124

As expected, the empire was turned upside down.

The plaza overflowed with people who had gathered to see the execution platform that had been erected overnight.

The biggest topic of interest was the downfall of the once most prestigious House of Louvre.

Those who had visited the devastated count’s estate overnight boasted loudly as if recounting their own heroic tales.

“They say he hid the Crown Prince, can you believe it?!”

At someone’s remark, a chorus of curses and sighs rose in response from the surrounding crowd.

“I heard Lady Lopez bore the Crown Prince’s child? Maybe that’s why he had no choice.”

“I heard Count Louvre assassinated the Empress at the Crown Prince’s request!”

“Is that why the execution is happening right away?”

“It’s all confirmed, isn’t it? There’s no need to drag it out. If it were me, I’d want to clear out the eyesores and reclaim my rightful place.”

Rumors spread like wildfire, causing the square to stir with noise. Whether truth or lie didn’t matter.

It was simply a fresh story to liven up the dull lives of the people.

How much time had passed?

When the scorching sun had risen high overhead, the knights began to move. At once, the murmuring crowd’s attention shifted rapidly.

Some craned their necks out of curiosity, others prepared themselves as if for a grand spectacle, all fixated on the palace gate.

Soon after, the large gate opened, and the people of the empire erupted in cheers as if a festival had begun.

The one who walked out proudly was the exiled and unfortunate crown prince, Caelus.

His golden eyes gleamed like sharpened blades beneath his jet-black hair.

With a crimson cloak billowing behind him, he strode forward gallantly like a living sculpture, causing many women to flush and sigh.

People seemed to forget the grim nature of the occasion, caught up instead in marveling at Caelus’s appearance and exchanging the latest gossip.

“They say he cherishes the Grand Duchess dearly.”

“My cousin is in the knights, and he said Her Grace is so beautiful that you can’t look away once you see her.”

“Didn’t you hear the Crown Prince caused all that mess out of love for the Grand Duchess?”

“I want to see them together. They must be stunning.”

“We’ll see soon, won’t we? With the Crown Prince about to be executed, the rightful Grand Duke will return. I want to see the Grand Duchess more. Is she really that skilled with a sword?”

With Caelus’s appearance, the plaza grew even more frenzied. It felt more like a festival than a public execution.

While glancing at the seated imperial family, the people eagerly awaited the appearance of the Grand Duchess.

But soon, their attention was drawn elsewhere.

From the palace gate, a procession of people bound in rope began to emerge.

Though not all the faces were familiar, they weren’t entirely unknown either.

And to ensure no one missed anything, the chatterboxes eagerly pointed out each criminal.

“That one in front—that’s the Crown Prince. You know, the one who killed his own father and tried to harm the Grand Duchess before fleeing.”

From another side, someone added, “The second one is Count Louvre. He’s the one who hid the fugitive Crown Prince.”

“But where’s Lady Lopez?”

“There’s all sorts of rumors. Some say she was sent to a foreign convent because she was pregnant with the Crown Prince’s child. Others say she died when someone tried to force her to abort.”

“No, I heard it from a friend who’s a knight in the Count’s estate—apparently, that lunatic raped her again, even after the Count hid him. That’s why the Count handed the Crown Prince over to the Grand Duke.”

The absurd remark stirred a commotion, which quickly settled into silence.

With the sudden spread of rumors, the crowd’s gaze toward the criminals on the platform grew increasingly hostile.

Cutting through the heated air, Akon stepped up onto the execution platform.

“The execution shall commence. First, the charges of the criminals will be read aloud!”

The uproar died down, and an eerie silence fell over the square.

“Count Umilis Arto Louvre! He colluded with Empress Violentia to manipulate state affairs, intimidated nobles to build his own power, and challenged imperial authority. He also harbored the Crown Prince, who had committed murder and fled, and even prepared for his defection to another nation. Thus, Count Louvre is hereby stripped of his title, and all property and private troops of House Louvre shall be forfeited to the imperial household.”

Count Louvre bit his lip and glared fiercely at Caelus.

But he couldn’t say a word—not after bargaining for the life of his daughter, Lopez.

“Next! Graeme Yuka Riehald!”

Though already dead, Akon read out every one of his crimes.

When Impes’s name came up in the list, the crowd stirred again.

Impes, who had kept his head low and shown no reaction until now, flinched at the mention of his mother’s name.

“Empress Violentia Orgo de Fidentia! Violentia broke the sacred laws she was sworn to uphold as Empress and committed adultery for years with a knight of her family. She deceived His Majesty by passing off the child born from that affair as of imperial blood and made him the Crown Prince. She poisoned His Majesty over a long period in an attempt to usurp the throne and falsely accused the late Empress Minelia, leading to her death. She also used the hunting festival to—”

As each of Violentia’s crimes was revealed, the mouths of the citizens of the empire opened wider in shock.

They realized the circulating rumors had only scratched the surface. Their fury toward the Empress poured onto her son, Impes.

After reading the Empress’s extensive charges, Akon exhaled deeply. Then, locking eyes with Impes, he took a sharp breath and carried out his duty.

“Impes Ortus de Fidentia! He forsook the responsibilities and duties of a Crown Prince, committed countless atrocities, and brutally murdered his biological father, Marquis Graeme Yuka Riehald. He also viciously killed a palace servant who bore his child and the palace chamberlain who confirmed it, and attempted to murder the Grand Duchess. Therefore, he is hereby stripped of his title as Crown Prince!”

“No! I never tried to kill the Grand Duchess!”

Impes suddenly screamed in protest, plunging the plaza into a chill.

“Why would I try to kill the woman I love?! It’s all lies! She and I are in love! Caelus did this in vengeance after learning the truth! I only tried to protect her!”

Though he had remained silent during the reading of his mother’s crimes, Impes abruptly interrupted and shouted back.

The massive crowd murmured in alarm again.

Akon frowned and glanced at Caelus. Caelus let out a dry laugh, leisurely crossed his legs, and propped up his chin as if daring Impes to say more.

Just then, a booming voice rose from the crowd.

“You, who value life no more than insects, claim to love someone? How laughable! You butchered your own father—what protection can you offer anyone? Your mother is dead and you didn’t shed a single tear! Who would believe the words of someone who slaughtered a woman carrying his child?!”

“Wh-What?!”

For a moment, silence reigned.

Then another shout erupted from within the crowd.

“He even tried to seduce the Grand Duchess amidst all this—behead that bastard now!”

“Behead him!”

“Kill the Crown Prince!”

The shouts spread like wildfire, echoing throughout the empire.

If not for the knights guarding the stage, the frenzied crowd might have torn Impes apart then and there.

Suddenly, Impes burst into loud laughter. As the noise began to subside, the square gradually fell silent.

With a mocking smile, he swept his gaze over the crowd and then locked eyes with Caelus.

“Do you think you’ve won? That it’s all over?”

Caelus tilted his head slightly and gazed back with a calm face.

Then, out of nowhere, Impes said something no one expected.

“You came back, so why wouldn’t I be able to? Just wait. I’ll be praying to God too.”

The relaxed expression on Caelus’s face instantly hardened. He jumped to his feet.

Impes grinned slyly. “So it was true. Ha! Hahaha! Go on, kill me! And let’s meet again soon. I hope your memories are intact next time!”

As Impes suddenly started raving, and Caelus stood visibly shaken, Akon’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.