In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 8

Bellona cut through everything in her path with an expression more ruthless than ever before. Wherever her blade touched, knights fell to the ground, bleeding, like leaves blown away by the wind. It was as if she were death incarnate, moving forward drenched in blood.

How much time had passed?

At last, she reached the front of the imperial palace and took a deep breath of the wind that washed away the stench of blood.

Should I just kill them all?

A bitter light seeped into her eyes, which had been filled with madness. If she had known it would come to this, she would have followed Caelus. She knew it was too late to regret it, but the thought still pained her.

Without even a moment to rest, she saw the palace guards approaching from a distance. She felt a small measure of relief that the Imperial Knights were not present at the scene. Just as Bellona readied her sword for another bloody battle, a voice rang out.

“Stop!”

Impes, fully armed, stepped forward in front of the knights.

“What on earth are you doing, Bellona?!”

“Ah… Your Highness.”

At her weary voice, the demonic expression on Impes’s face softened with pity. Thinking there was still room for persuasion, he spoke to Bellona as he did every night, coaxing her.

“Ha… It’s time to stop, Bellona. Why did you come here? I told you to wait.”

“And what would have changed if I had waited?”

“It would’ve been different! At least you wouldn’t have ended up like this. I would’ve protected you.”

Impes’s voice was so earnest that it almost sounded sincere. Bellona, her face tired as she looked at him, suddenly lowered her head.

She could feel the knights gradually inching closer, unable to restrain themselves any longer.

Suddenly, Bellona burst into loud laughter, causing the approaching knights to halt in their tracks. Her green eyes, now filled with madness, locked onto Impes. His face, which had been full of pity moments ago, quickly revealed its true, vile nature.

“What, did you plan to kill me in my sleep after lusting for me all night?”

“……!”

“Arrogant Impes, did you truly think you could kill me?”

“You, you…! Bellona!”

Impes’s voice, filled with rage, prompted Bellona to scoff. “Go ahead, try to deceive me with that serpent’s tongue of yours again. Before you can finish, I’ll cut your throat!”

Before she could finish her sentence, Bellona lunged forward, her sword aimed directly at him. But just as she was about to strike, a face she should not have seen appeared in front of her.

She quickly pulled back her sword, kicking the knight in her path to retreat. Her face twisted in dismay.

“Go ahead, stab me.”

Despite Impes’s taunt, she couldn’t say anything. The vile man had placed her siblings in front of him as human shields.

“Put down your sword while I’m still speaking nicely. If you do, I’ll spare your siblings.”

Bellona let out a bitter laugh as she looked at her terrified siblings with sorrowful eyes. She knew they would be killed soon, no matter what. But still, she couldn’t muster the strength to hold her sword.

If she resisted any further, Impes would kill her siblings right then and there.

The Imperial Knights would arrive at the palace soon. If her siblings could survive until then… perhaps there would be a way to save them.

Looking at her siblings, who were too frightened to even cry and only shed silent tears, Bellona gave them a gentle smile—something she had never shown anyone before.

‘Don’t cry. It’ll be alright.’

In the end, the sword that had been like an extension of herself fell from her hand, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

The knights quickly surrounded her, twisting her arms behind her back and binding them. Even then, Bellona only had eyes for her siblings.

When did they grow up so much?

She hadn’t been able to care for them as she should have, always using her duties as an excuse, leaving them in Eshil’s care. The children had grown up well despite her neglect.

For a moment, her life felt utterly meaningless.

Knowing this might be her last chance to see her siblings, Bellona kept her eyes fixed on them, refusing to look away.

“Take her away!”

***

After two days without a drop of water, Bellona stepped into the square with blurry vision.

Her once vibrant red hair, which had gleamed like roses covered in dew, had lost its luster and now hung limp and lifeless. Her once-fair skin had dried and withered, like a flower deprived of sunlight.

It didn’t take long for the honor she had earned as the “Goddess of the Sword” to be dragged through the mud. All the achievements she had risked her life to accomplish over so many years had turned to dust in just two days.

What a futile life.

The square was crowded with imperial citizens who had come to witness her execution. The same people who had once praised the “Goddess of the Sword” now hurled insults and called her a traitor.

In a hurry, aren’t they?

Only two days after she had been imprisoned, her execution was set to take place. It was no surprise that they were eager to see her dead, but she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of emptiness. Her only regret was that she would not die with the honor of a knight.

Kneeling before the guillotine, Bellona looked out at the crowd with an emotionless face. Then, she spotted a familiar face among the masses.

Eshil.

Seeing her squire, who was sobbing uncontrollably, Bellona offered a bitter smile in place of a greeting. Even in these final moments, she worried more about Eshil, who had been more devoted and loyal to her than anyone else.

‘Please take care of my siblings, Eshil.’

Bellona mouthed the words, sending her silent plea to Eshil. Then, with a deep sigh, she closed her eyes.

“Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress, and His Highness, the Crown Prince, are here! All kneel and show your respect!”

As the imperial family appeared, the crowd in the square knelt and bowed their heads. Bellona opened her eyes and looked toward them, who were standing a short distance from the execution platform.

How did it come to this?

Caelus, if only I had listened to you, I might not have ended up like this.

It felt as though his spirit was somewhere, laughing at her predicament.

She had known that Impes would never make her his empress, yet some foolish part of her still resented him for it.

Even though she had known she would never become empress, she had clung to the arrogant belief that she still had some value to them.

Bellona’s clenched teeth ground together as her brow furrowed.

The Emperor wasn’t present.

The Empress couldn’t have handled all this on her own.

Could it be that, that night…?

“The crimes of the traitor Bellona Riknis are hereby proclaimed! Bellona Riknis not only assassinated His Majesty’s firstborn son, Caelus Perekinon de Fidentia, but also His Majesty, the Emperor!”

What…?

At the words of the Commander of the Imperial Guard, Bellona’s eyes widened in shock.

Did they really kill His Majesty!

“Therefore, the traitor Bellona Riknis is stripped of her rank and sentenced to the maximum penalty under the law. In addition, her entire family will be executed as accomplices to her treason!”

For a moment, her mind went blank.

Just last night, Ether had promised to smuggle her siblings out to safety.

Of course, Ether was also a loyal knight, the vice-commander of the Imperial Knights who served Impes. But he had been a subordinate who had fought with her through life and death on the battlefield. He had assured her, with tears in his eyes, that she had nothing to worry about, and she had believed him completely.

But now, a cold stiffness spread through her entire body.

“Bring them!”

No sooner had the Commander of the Imperial Guard given the command than her two siblings, already limp as if dead, were carried out on stretchers.

Bellona stared blankly at her unconscious siblings, unable to believe what she was seeing. The Commander’s words, filled with cruelty, followed soon after.

“By the mercy of Her Imperial Majesty, the Empress, Bellona Riknis’s siblings have been granted the opportunity to end their own lives rather than face beheading. Even in death, you should be grateful for the Empress’s grace.”

As she stared blankly at the Empress, Violentia sneered at her, as if to say that Bellona had never had anyone on her side from the start.

As if to confirm that, Ether, who wore the medal of the knight commander on his chest, took his place behind Impes.

Bellona’s face twisted into a mask of rage, her expression contorted like that of a demon.

Grateful? You expect me to be grateful?

Meeting Bellona’s venomous gaze, Violentia smiled sweetly, as if to say gratitude wasn’t necessary. Then, she waved her fan and nodded her head. It was the signal to carry out the execution.

“Begin the execution!”

At the Commander’s command, two knights grabbed her frail body and forced her onto the cold blade of the guillotine.

Even at that moment, Bellona glared at the Empress and Impes with eyes full of murderous intent, grinding her teeth.

The execution preparations were complete. Soon, her head would roll.

With cold, lifeless eyes, Bellona whispered her final words to the Empress, “Empress Violentia, even in death, I will not forget your ‘grace.’ I will eagerly await the day you join me in death, so I can shatter your soul with my sword.”

“You insolent wretch. What are you waiting for? Start the execution!”

At Impes’s command, Bellona looked at the mother and son and murmured as if reciting a prayer, “I will never forgive you, even in death.”

Bang!

As the icy blade fell, screams erupted from all around.

Bellona Riknis, the “Goddess of the Sword,” who had lived a life more fierce than anyone else, met her end on the executioner’s block.

But her expression as her head fell was more peaceful than it had ever been in life. The blood that trickled down her neck seeped into her chest, staining it red.

Soon, a strange light flickered around Bellona’s heart before gradually fading away.