"Ah, yes. It is that boy."
People finally recognized Theo.
The young rebel who had cried out for justice with a voice full of conviction, touching their very hearts.
The Princess personally leaned down to meet Theo's eyes.
"I know your courage was for the sake of today's Baldina. As the Princess of this kingdom, I promise I will not turn a blind eye to the call of a citizen of Baldina like you."
Exclamations of admiration for the Princess's mercy, embracing even a rebel, were heard from all around.
Theo, too, might have been swayed by those sweet words if he hadn't known that the Princess before him was the vicious mastermind who had threatened his sister's life and orchestrated this performance.
But he knew.
Unlike her gentle tone, the laughter never reached those green eyes looking down at him.
The play wasn't over yet. Theo trembled.
"Your Majesty. Although this child was part of the rebels, he realized their evils and risked his life to report the Regent Duke's treason."
Medeia turned toward Peleus with a serene expression, as if she hadn't noticed Theo's fear.
"Furthermore, the reason the Baldina army was able to suppress the rebels was that this child struck down the corrupt leader without hesitation. It is difficult to realize one's wrongs, but correcting them requires even greater courage. Therefore, I ask Your Majesty to pardon this child's crimes."
Peleus's blue eyes stared back and forth between Medeia and Theo for a moment.
"As the Princess wishes."
The permission was granted. Medeia bowed her head slightly toward Peleus in a gesture of gratitude.
In the meantime, a knight untied the ropes binding Theo's hands.
*Thud.* The thick ropes fell to the ground.
Theo looked down at his freed hands.
"..."
The metallic taste of blood lingered between his bitten and torn lips.
Rage surged within him toward the person who had held his family's lives hostage to break his will.
However, he could not deny the instinctive relief of having survived.
Caught between self-loathing and resentment toward the Princess, Theo had to admit one thing.
There was nothing he could do, then or now.
This stage had been set by the Princess's hands from the beginning, and he was merely a chess piece she held.
"I... thank Your Majesty and Princess Her Highness... for your mercy."
*'Are you satisfied now?'*
Suppressing his boiling indignation, he barely managed to bow his head, and Medeia let the corners of her mouth curl up slightly.
"I am glad that you get to 'live'."
It was a reminder not to forget the price paid for his performance.
Theo, catching the Princess's hidden meaning, bit his lip again.
"...Yes, I will never forget that grace."
After finishing the greeting he barely managed to squeeze out of his throat, he bowed his head.
It looked like a bow of loyalty, but in truth, it was to avoid Medeia's gaze.
He could no longer face those beautiful green eyes.
The people, unaware of Theo's chaotic heart, were filled with admiration.
"As expected of Princess Her Highness. She is truly the light of Baldina."
"And what about the mercy of His Majesty the King for pardoning that boy?"
The image of the righteous citizens and the Royal Family of Baldina saving them brought to mind an epic poem.
However, before the uplifted people could fully savor that overwhelming emotion, they felt a sense of disgust first.
"P-Princess Her Highness. Please save me as well. Please, let me live too."
Realizing through Theo's example that the King, who seemed like an impenetrable wall of ice, listened at least to his sister's pleas, the criminals shamelessly reached out to the Princess.
The most brazen among them was the Regent Duke.
"Medeia, forgive me. I, your uncle, must have lost my mind for a moment. Don't you know how much this uncle cherished you—"
He winced with his one bleeding eye and tried to approach Medeia without giving up, only to be sent tumbling back.
"Do you wish to lose your remaining eye as well?"
It was because Peleus's sharp sword blocked his path.
The Regent Duke hurriedly covered his good eye as if to protect it and retreated haltingly.
"Uncle, there is no need for you to plead with me."
Medeia spoke calmly, as if mocking him.
"If Uncle is truly the master of this land chosen by the Heavens, won't the Goddess arrange everything accordingly?"
"W-What?"
"Heaven knows and Earth knows! That I, Hoakin de Baldina, am the one destined to be the true master of this land! Why do you think Baldina has reached this state! It's because I am not the King! It means the Goddess has sent a punishment!"
She was throwing back the exact same words of the mad outburst the Regent Duke had shouted earlier.
Before Peleus had appeared. Before the belief that the heavens would belong to him today was shattered into pieces.
The Regent Duke ground his teeth. His one remaining eye glared at Peleus and Medeia.
The siblings resembled each other strikingly. Even down to the arrogance they radiated while acting noble and looking down on him.
"Fine, mock me all you want. Your arrogance won't last long either. How long can this Baldina, which has turned both the Grand Duke and the 4th Imperial Princess into enemies, last against the Empire? Especially after such a crushing defeat in the war on the plains!"
He spat out a string of vicious curses.
"A small country like this will be finished with a single stomp of Kazen's hooves! It will be trampled disgracefully! Ahahaha! In hell, I will mock you all!"
Peleus looked at the nearly insane Regent Duke with pathetic eyes. One of his handsome eyebrows rose as if expressing a question.
"We suffered a crushing defeat...?"
As soon as the question—which didn't sound like a question—fell, *shuaa!*
The Agema raised their flags all at once.
"It—It's the flag of the Rasai tribe!"
"One, two, three... My goodness, so many flags of the plains tribes...!"
A flag is the identity and symbol of an army.
Throughout the continent, no one willingly gives up their flag, their pride, unless it is taken by the enemy.
Which meant...
A ray of possibility bloomed in the hearts of those watching the flags.
"The war is over, citizens! Our Baldina has emerged victorious! The plains have become the territory of Baldina and will be the new future of this country!"
Dianzel followed with a loud shout.
"God has not abandoned Baldina! All the hardships until now shall become the fertilizer for our homeland to shine brilliantly!"
"Uwaaa! It's victory! Our Baldina has won!"
"Uwaaaaa! Long live Baldina! Long live His Majesty the King!"
Thunderous cheers echoed. The air was filled with shouts and exclamations.
Some danced for joy, others collapsed in tears; everyone was moved by the fact that the long-held aspiration of their homeland had finally been achieved.
Only the Regent Duke could not share in that joy.
"N-No way, that can't— Let go! Let go! It can't end like this! It can't, Peleuuuuus!"
The roar that seemed to shake the world drowned out even the desperate struggles of the Regent Duke as he was dragged away by his arms by the knights.
"Long live Baldina!"
It was a confident cheer for the first time in ten years.
* * *
A blind spot located below the tower on the opposite side of the Castle Walls.
Cezare turned and leaned his back against the wall. The cheers reached even the place where he stood.
"Boss, we have to go now. Since the Agema have arrived, our presence will be discovered if we stay here."
Gallo warned, glancing at Cezare's empty hand. The dagger that was always spinning was nowhere to be seen.
"..."
"The Princess is safe now. You don't have to worry anymore, right?"
"Yes, Cezare. Don't you have more urgent matters to attend to?"
"..."
It wasn't difficult to find the shimmering silver hair among the crowd.
Cezare thought of Medeia.
The image of the girl who had never wavered, who had been like a lighthouse all along, helplessly breaking down in her brother's arms kept lingering in his mind.
Somehow, he had a bitter taste in his mouth.
A subtle sense of defeat gripped him. A hollow laugh escaped from Cezare's picture-perfect lips.
Was he hoping that he would be the only one to see the Princess showing an exception?
"Gallo."
"Yeah, boss."
Cezare's golden eyes swept past Medeia and scanned the entire Royal Capital.
"Prepare the compensation for Baldina. As soon as the curse is resolved, we must pay the value corresponding to the Dawn's Dewdrop."
"Of course, I've already started on it."
Gallo answered readily. They intended to show their full sincerity to this country that had provided the antidote for their lord.
That young and beautiful King would not know.
That a weapon more powerful and rare than anywhere else on the continent, called Facade, had been placed by his side.
"...We're heading back."
Cezare turned around.
*Step. Step.*
The sound of footsteps descending the stone stairs was soon buried by the "Uwaaaaa" cheers heard from afar.
