Lea stared into the void with dry eyes as if there were no more tears to shed.

A gaze that seemed devoid of any hope. The realization that everything was over dawned on her.

Bright hopes for the future, and even her current life—she would vanish from this world tomorrow as she would be executed.

When Lea closed her eyes, as if resigning herself to everything,

“Do you want to live?”

Rikel’s soft voice brushed past Lea’s ears. When she didn’t respond, Rikel asked again.

“If you want to escape from here, I can help you.”

Lea opened her eyes and looked into his. He seemed to be asking sincerely.

“……Are you telling me to break out?”

“Yes.”

Such a Rikel seemed absurd to Lea.

‘He wants to help the one who killed his master.’

She chuckled involuntarily at the ridiculous situation. She was already a condemned prisoner.

Even if she escaped this imminent execution, she would have to live as a fugitive for the rest of her life.

Her life as a pharmacist, and as Lea, was over.

Facing Rikel who seemed to be waiting for her answer, Lea slowly shook her head.

“I’m good.”

“……So you will die here? I can help you, help you find a place in a different land. First, come with me……”

“No need.”

Lea simply wanted to give up on everything. Strength seeped into Rikel’s hand, which was clutching the bars, at the sight of the soulless Lea.

(This is a time marker.)

On a blazing summer afternoon.

A woman, her wrists bound behind her, was being led by a guard toward the gallows.

With each step, the iron shackles around her ankles made a chilling sound, but she had no attention to spare for that.

Because in just a few minutes, her body would be hanging there.

‘It’s all over now.’

Lea’s gaze was empty as she looked at the gallows.

Her lips, not even moistened with a sip of water, were cracked like a dry desert, and her usually vibrant green eyes were lifeless.

Was it because the sun was scorching hot? Or was it the fear of death? She seemed like she would collapse at any moment.
“I shouldn’t have come here in the first place.”

No, at least I should have run away the day I became the physician to the Count. But such regrets are pointless now.

Lea let out a hollow laugh. It had been 22 years since she was reincarnated alone into this world.

“Proceed with the execution of the apothecary Lea. Kneel, prisoner.”

As the jailer roughly pushed her back, she dropped to her knees.

Only then, as the face of the person who had stirred up the entire city became visible, everyone gasped.

In between, there were those blaming her youthful actions as a young apothecary for their lack of sympathy towards her.

“Does the criminal Lea have any last words?”

‘Last words? As if there could be any.’

The man died because of the medicine she made.

As red as the Achkia holy blood, guilt and intense regret weighed her down, making even breathing difficult.

‘Would things have been different if I hadn’t done that…’

Realizing such thoughts were futile, Lea closed her eyes, wishing for the pain to end quickly.

Just as she seemed resigned, the judge raised his hand.

At the signal to proceed with the execution, the jailer was tying a rope around her neck when,

“Stop.”

A man’s voice quietly echoed throughout the hall.