Victoria, who was blending into the crowd, was also looking at Wendy standing next to the prison carriage. After all, this was her original purpose for coming here.
Victoria's gaze lingered for a moment on Wendy's exquisite face, which even the dust could not hide.
“Looking at her like this... she really is quite beautiful.”
She paused, then added, “But I'm certainly not any worse than her, either.”
Then, she shifted her gaze, looking with some worry at Silvia, who was standing behind Veronica.
Initially, Victoria had thought that when Silvia told her she had something to do today, she was simply using it as an excuse because she disliked execution grounds and didn't want to come.
But she had never expected her to actually come here with Veronica, and in a manner that practically announced her identity.
Victoria knew that Silvia disliked such scenes, and she also knew that, just like herself, Silvia detested that crazy woman.
But even so, she was still standing by Veronica's side right now...
Victoria couldn't help but suspect:
“Could it be... that the Church of Light has already begun forcing Silvia to inherit the position of Saintess?”
...
As the surrounding shouts grew increasingly passionate, the crowd's emotions surged higher and higher, even starting to show signs of pushing and shoving.
Several soldiers maintaining order were pushed back repeatedly by the surging crowd, and it looked as if the situation was about to spiral out of control.
Just then, Roland, standing behind the Emperor, released a sharp, formidable aura.
That aura spread out like something tangible, instantly enveloping the entire square.
It was a cold and grim presence, carrying the iron-blooded discipline and majesty honed on the battlefield. It made everyone who felt it feel as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over their heads, causing them to fall silent involuntarily.
The originally clamorous crowd quickly restored order. Everyone was as quiet as cicadas in winter, not daring to make any more extreme noises.
But Greg did not care about this. In any case, the effect he wanted had already been achieved.
The Crown Prince and the Imperial Prime Minister Marcus no longer looked as relaxed and at ease as they had when they first arrived.
As the shouts gradually died down under the suppression of Roland's aura, several soldiers snapped back to their senses, stepped forward quickly, escorted Wendy down from the front of the prison carriage, and roughly pushed her toward the execution platform in the center of the square.
Throughout the entire process, Wendy did not struggle or protest. She walked onto the platform submissively, allowing the soldiers to bind her to the thick wooden post.
Cold iron chains wrapped around her wrists and ankles, securing her firmly to the wooden post so she could not move.
A soldier checked the tightness of the bindings, and after confirming everything was secure, stepped aside.
Another soldier, holding a torch, stood to one side of the platform, waiting for the final execution order.
But even so, Greg still showed no sign of taking action.
There were two reasons why he remained still.
The first reason was that he had previously inquired and learned that before the Empire officially executed a prisoner, there was a sentencing phase.
This phase usually involved a magistrate reading out the prisoner's crimes in public and asking at the very end if the prisoner had anything left to say.
Although this sounded like giving the prisoner a chance to defend themselves, in reality, it was nothing more than a method used to break through the prisoner's final psychological defenses.
Because no matter what the prisoner said, the final outcome would not change.
But Greg believed that Wendy was by no means the type of person who would allow herself to be captured so obediently without any plan.
She might very well be planning to use this phase to do something, so he decided to wait and observe a bit longer.
The second reason was his concern that if he showed even a slight indication of moving, the two Headmistresses who were secretly observing him from somewhere might immediately take action.
He did not want to startle the snake before the perfect moment arrived.
A magistrate dressed in black robes stepped onto the platform, unfurling a long parchment scroll. He cleared his throat, preparing to publicly pronounce Wendy's final fate.
“Get lost, I'll do it myself!”
Just then, the Crown Prince Finn, whose eyes had only just slightly recovered, suddenly stood up, strode onto the platform, and snatched the scroll from the magistrate's hand.
The magistrate was stunned for a moment, but upon recognizing the newcomer, he immediately and tactfully stepped aside.
Standing on the platform, Finn looked at Wendy bound to the wooden post, an arrogant smile characteristic of a victor on his face.
He wanted nothing more than to face this younger sister—who had always surpassed him in everything—from the position of a victor.
Therefore, he decided to personally pronounce her death sentence.
Finn unfurled the scroll and read aloud with dramatic cadence:
“Fifth Imperial Princess Wendy von Leinfeld, as a member of the Imperial Royal Family, has secretly colluded with the Demons, betraying the Empire and its people! It has been verified that during the six months of her disappearance, she hid within the demon territories, conspiring with the demon leader to overthrow the Empire's rule! For such a grave crime of high treason, according to Imperial law, she is sentenced to be burned at the stake, to be executed immediately!”
After finishing his reading, he rolled up the scroll and looked down at Wendy bound to the post. A smug smile curled at the corners of his lips as he asked in a patronizing tone:
“My dear sister, in the final moments of your life, do you have anything else you wish to say?”
Wendy lifted her head, calmly locking eyes with Finn.
Instead of rushing to refute him, she spoke slowly in a tone that was almost gentle:
“Brother Finn, you say I colluded with the Demons—but I am quite curious, how can you be so certain of something that even the Empire's intelligence network cannot verify?”
Finn's smile stiffened slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and let out a cold snort:
“Hmph, as the Crown Prince, I naturally have my own methods. Did you think I would lay out all my cards in the open?”
Hearing this, Wendy did not panic at all. Instead, a deeper look of pity appeared on her face.
“A Crown Prince who only knows how to indulge in food, drink, and pleasure, and has never done a single proper deed, now claims to possess methods superior to the Empire's intelligence network—Brother Finn, have you begun to deceive even yourself now?”
These words were like a fine needle, precisely piercing the weakest spot of Finn's argument.
The commoners in the square began to whisper among themselves, and the murmurs gradually grew louder.
They recalled the rumors they had heard about the Crown Prince over the years—how he had seized someone's daughter today, or caused a drunken brawl somewhere tomorrow—but they had never heard of him doing a single decent thing.
And now, he claimed to have methods superior to the Empire's intelligence network?
It indeed seemed very hard to believe.
Sensing the shift in the gazes around him, Finn's face flushed red, and he hurriedly defended himself:
“That is because... because I have an eye for talent! I found an extremely capable vassal, and he established an intelligence system for me that operates independently of the Empire's intelligence network. That is how I achieved this!”
This was exactly the phrase Wendy had been waiting for.
An almost imperceptible curve rose at the corner of her lips, and she pressed further in that same gentle tone:
“This vassal you speak of should be that steward by your side, correct? I am somewhat curious—how did a person of unknown origin rise from obscurity to the position of Your Highness's personal aide in a mere six months? It couldn't possibly be...”
Wendy looked straight at Finn and continued:
“...that in truth, you are simply so incompetent that you are being manipulated by him like a puppet?”
As soon as these words were spoken, the square fell even quieter.
Because everyone shared the same feeling: this seemingly casual questioning, when combined with the current situation, actually seemed to be the most logical explanation.
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