Thud!

The moment Hwangbi’s head fell, the square fell into silence.

“…….”

It was astonishing how everyone in the square could simultaneously close their mouths, and the surroundings became eerily quiet for a brief moment.

However, that moment was very short-lived.

Soon, the shouts of the spectators rose again to a deafening level, and the executions continued one after another following Hwangbi.

Renév watched it all carefully.

Until the last person’s head dropped.

After all the executions were over, as she turned away, a sudden thought crossed her mind.

Perhaps the past Hwangbi wanted to witness Renév’s downfall as the rightful Empress through legitimate means?

Did she desire a kind of vicarious satisfaction by seeing someone like Eshika, sharing the same government stance, taking Renév’s place?

Hwangbi herself might not have achieved what she couldn’t, even if it meant accomplishing it for someone else.

There is no one to answer that question in this world, but for some reason, such thoughts came to her mind.

“Miss, why are you like this…?”

To Amber’s question, Renév raised her head lightly with a faint smile.

“Huh? No, it’s nothing. Let’s go now, Amber.”

“…Yes.”

Leaving the people gathered in the square behind, Renév started to walk.

“But Miss.”

“…?”

“How could His Majesty turn away from Empress Hwangbi so quickly?”

In response to Amber’s question, Renév answered slowly, moving her steps.

“Perhaps there was a need for a sacrifice to appease the blame and negative public opinion toward the royal family?”

“…A sacrifice?”

Amber widened her eyes in confusion and asked.

Renév pondered for a moment.

Was there any other expression than “sacrifice”? she thought.

But thinking again, “sacrifice” was correct.

“People tend to forget their essence when they have a target for blame, don’t they?”

Amber seemed not to understand well, tilting her head.

“One force is weak, but when gathered, it becomes stronger. And anyone in power should understand the nature of such a crowd.”

“So… Did His Majesty sacrifice Hwangbi to redirect the criticism of the empire’s citizens towards something else?”

Renév couldn’t answer Amber’s question directly.

‘That… was the reason…’

Now she seemed to understand why Lucius had accused me.

Renév had been the target of dissatisfaction among the Paradisium citizens towards the imperial family before her death.

A severe famine had followed unprecedented poor harvests, and naturally, there was a shortage of food.

While the streets were overflowing with starving people, the nobles were busy securing their own survival.

In the meantime, the Basker Empire had been eyeing the opportunity to cross the border.

A few awake intellectuals periodically gathered to discuss the situation of the Paradisium Empire.

In the water-filled tank to the brim with water, the Emperor’s excellent authority was useless.

‘So… to redirect the criticism, they needed a target…’

Thinking back, Lucius accused me of being a sacrifice similar to what had happened in the past.

Before Renév’s neck was severed, the dissatisfaction of the Paradisium Empire citizens towards the imperial family had reached its peak.

It was their pride.

However, as soon as the label of collaborating with the enemy and being a traitor was attached, people turned away from her.

So the anger of the crowd towards Hwangbi was somewhat inevitable.

Hwangbi knelt in front of the guillotine first.

Her appearance from afar was pitiful.

She continued to scream, shouting endlessly for mercy.

But the shouts of the enraged crowd only grew louder.

“Execute Hwangbi!”
Even so, her mouth felt dry as if tiny, unspoken grains of sand were swirling around.

She had achieved everything she aimed for, yet the fact that she couldn’t see her beloved son, Cael, again persisted.

“Enough… This is enough.”

Even as she repeated this to herself, tears welled up, unstoppable.

Before boarding the carriage, Renév lifted her head and looked up at the sky.

The events in the square seemed to have no relevance, as the sky remained blue, indifferent to whatever had happened a while ago.

Looking up at the somewhat blue sky, Renév soon averted her gaze.

Amber, wearing a worried expression, appeared before Renév, continuously glancing at her.

Renév quickly suppressed the rising emotions.

And it happened as she was about to board the carriage.

“…!”

A large hand suddenly slipped between her armpits and wrapped around her waist.

At first, Renév was flustered, but soon, she recognized whose arms were embracing her waist.

There was only one person in this world who could do such a thing so unabashedly.

Renév turned her head nonchalantly, as if she had expected it.

The pouring sunlight was blinding.

To see his face, Renév narrowed her weary eyes.

Icarus promptly created a sunshade above her face with his large hand, casting a shadow.

With her vision now comfortably improved, Renév could look at his handsome face.

“…Why is Your Majesty here?”