EXECUTION

People residing outside the palace welcome the festival merrily, and spontaneous celebrations broke out everywhere. Inside the palace wall, the news about the death of Dreygur and Cataleia quickly disseminates through the place like wildfire. What happened to their death made some of the Davenfords shocked and others didn't seem to care about his loss.

Mort and Klauss who were now surrounded by the horde of knights bother not to fight. All piercing weapons were aimed at the hunk. They just waited for the arrival of the Queen and her command. Mort standing huge and taller than the knights was menacingly cold and dead calm. He was like a fearsome deity who inspire awe and terror in everybody. They all can't meet his eyes devoid of emotions. Klauss, on the other hand, was already burning with anger. His vein was protruding and visible on the side of his head. His face flushed with indignation. He is deadly serious and if only looks can kill, Klauss has killed all the knights in the Great hall with just his deadly glare. Mort feels no nervous even though he knew what Narco did would kill him.

"It's him, right?" Klauss asked but Mort didn't throw even a single glance at him and didn't answer his question. The hunk remained silent.

"I fucking knew it. But why?" Gritted teeth, Klauss added. He was feeling a mix of confusion and anger right now. He really couldn't understand how Narco's mind works.

"You must not talk." A knight reprimanded Klauss. His murderous glare was directed at the knight who flinched on his feet.

Klauss utter no words anymore but his mind was bombarded with tons of questions. He was annoyed by the weapons specifically aimed at him and his Boss. And the worst thing is that they cannot put up a fight even if they can defeat them, especially since they are in the very territory of the Queen who warmly welcomed them and accepted Mort with sincerity.

The knights suddenly made their way to someone who just arrives at the scene. Princess Nastya of North Le Frère looking unbothered at the gruesome sight, cast a glance from Mort and to the two cold corpses on the floor. She was not surprised by what happened but did not expect her nephew would meet his end like this.

"Poor thing." Princess Nastya said emotionally, but no hint of sincerity can be heard in her voice. She expresses her loss with a straight face which surprised Klauss who was already looking at the Princess.

"I understand why you did this Mr. Aslanov but I didn't expect you would do this in the very territory of the Davenfords. Surprising, brutal, and tragic."

The Princess added and turn her gaze back to Mort. She looked at the hunk from head to toe, back and forth.

"Whether you like it or not, you have to face the consequences of what you did. Death." Princess Nastya said and look Mort straight in the eye. Mort remains silent, cold, and unbothered. The Princess was about to leave when Klauss spoke.

"What if he is not the one doing it?" Klauss said in a monotonous tone. The Princess turned around with eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Good for him." Princess Nastya simply replied. Klauss eyed her intently.

"So, there is a possibility that he will not be punished once the real perpetrator is found?" Klauss asked making the Princess go blank. She wanted to laugh at his question. To her, it seems that Klauss is losing his mind out of desperation to save his Boss from death.

"Of course, Dear. It's common sense. But he wouldn't be here if he really intended to harm the person who did this."

The Princess answered calmly and sassy before leaving the place. A frown flashed across Klauss's face. And as she left, the Queen came with Archduke Zeno. Her eyes widen in horror as she looked at the two people lying on the floor, bathing in a pool of blood and lifeless.

The Queen looked back and forth at Mort and the corpses. Jaw clenched, Archduke Zeno couldn't look at Mort. He felt that he would lose his mind once he looked at the hunk and kill him right away in front of the Queen. Many questions entered the Queen's mind, the events happened too fast. She did not even think that something like this would happen inside her palace. Even next to the throne, and people celebrating at the festival. The first person the Queen was worried about was Sumire.

Queen Zèlle knew it would devastate her granddaughter. The maiden dearly loves Mort so much, and she loves her uncle Dreygur too. Even if it never occurred to her Dreygur would do her harm. Everything will be more complicated for her. The Queen was certain it will hurt Sumire so much.

Queen Zèlle look at Mort disappointedly who was also now looking directly at her. He has no remorse. His pair of emerald eyes are dead and are very different from how he looked at her granddaughter Sumire. The Queen can only say one thing, he is not guilty of what happened. Mort stood there confident, and she feels that there is something behind the scenes in what is happening now.

"I want his head first thing in the morning." Queen Zèlle said firmly which stunned Klauss. The secretary was about to speak when he felt Mort's gaze on him again.

The Queen strides out of the place, and Archduke Zeno followed her. The knights scope the dead bodies on the floor and Mort has been taken to the Dungeon where he will stay before the execution.

Klauss was left in the Great Hall petrified on his feet. The maidservant just finished mopping up the blood on the floor and he just stood there, not knowing what to do. His mind went blank. He feels like he is inside the coffin, unable to move and think straight. He knows that whatever he attempts and does now is crucial. And for the first time, since he met Narco and Mort, Klauss's tears fell on his cheek. It looks like he will be the one to be beheaded tomorrow because his memories of Narco and Mort flash before his eyes. The scene when Narco was a little boy, the time they decided to adopt him and played the role of devoted parents to Narco. With the troubles, Narco gave Mort and him. He gritted his teeth, wondering what they really raised.

"Damn it." Klauss audibly cursed as his tears fell. He doesn't understand what he's feeling right now. He could feel his body went numb and can't think of anything right. ' I should have killed that monster.' Klauss said at the back of his mind that he immediately took it back.

He couldn't afford to lose the two families he considered. During the times when he had nothing and no one to run to, Mort was the first person he met, he had a friend, his first friend. And when Narco arrived, an unexpected family and bond were formed. The three of them have been through a lot. He felt satisfaction even though Narco brought only headaches to them. He asked for nothing more than the freedom of the three of them to choose what life they want to lead and do what they want, together. And who fucking knows that they will come to this point where he has to choose?

"Should I kill myself?" Klauss asked himself not even noticing Laurel's presence entering the Great Hall. Standing in front of him.

"We're not yet married but you're going to kill yourself. Aren't you worried about me being left alone because you're so selfish and cowardly?" That alone brought Klauss back to his senses. When he heard Laurel's voice his eyes look directly at her even though his vision was clouded by tears.

"You look awful and ugly," Laurel added while holding the young man's head and pulling him towards her shoulders. A hand tapped on his back which surprised Klauss but eventually, he gave in. He put his head on Laurel's shoulder as if he was resting while his face was facing her neck. He buried and breathed a sigh of relief at the slope of her neck.

"Must be nice having a girlfriend who has the same height as you. You can always lean on me, idiot. Don't take your problems to yourself." Laurel continued caressing his back.

"Damn it, I already sold myself to you so why won't you buy me?" She said jokingly though her voice was serious.

"No, thanks." Klauss said curtly and coldly, which Laurel scoffed at.

"I will give myself to you for free." She insisted kiddingly again to which Klauss heaves a heavy sigh.

"I refuse." Klauss quickly responded. Laurel was about to speak when the young man spoke again which stopped her.

"Thank you." Klauss added simply, gently, and calmly. Pupil dilated, Laurel went silent and a small smile curved on her lips. She hugged Klauss tightly who didn't even hug her back.

'Damn prick. I'm serious about us though.' said Laurel at the back of her mind.

As Mort was being led to the dungeon, Sumire broke the glass of tea she was holding in just one grip. The three of them were happily chatting, spending her time talking with her cousin Blanche and Claire, laughing and enjoying the festival. The maiden suddenly felt a wave of nervousness coming out of nowhere. She suddenly became restless and felt anxious. Sumire could hear the sound of her heart pounding rapidly in her chest.

"Are you okay?" Blanche and Clair asked worriedly at the same time as they immediately got a broom and a dustpan to clean the small pieces of broken glass on the floor.

"I don't know. I just got nervous all of a sudden. I'm worried for some unknown reason. I feel like something bad is going to happen." Sumire answered while looking at her hand, shaking. Blanche and Claire exchange glances.

"Let's call-" Blanche couldn't finish what he had to say when the door opened and Chadwick was spat out from there with a blank expression on his face looking directly at Sumire.

"Your fiancè killed your uncle Dreygur and his future bride, Sumire. Mort will be executed to death tomorrow as punishment." Chadwick said making Blanche and Clair stunned on their place. Together, they look at their cousin.

Staggered on the floor, Sumire seemed to be deafened by what she heard. Fingers run through her hair, she felt her head start to throb painfully. What her uncle said didn't sink in and process her mind. She later burst out laughing hysterically.

"You're joking right, uncle?" Sumire laughed as Chadwick didn't answer. He just looked dead and serious at her.

"Take it back, uncle." The maiden added. Chadwick remained unmoved, silent, and serious. Her laughter and smile slowly faded and started to turn ghostly pale. Orbs of tears misted her vision and her lips trembled. Sumire left the room in a hurry, not knowing where she was going.

"Mort!" She called the hunk's name, weeping and desperate to find him. Sumire ran to the corridors, barefooted, wearing a long white dress while her two cousins ​​followed her worriedly.

Her mind was clouded with so many questions. Sumire could feel her chest heavy and tightened, that she could barely breathe. Her heart was beating so fast and her head throbbing painfully.

Sumire holds her chest as she could see the place in blurry and gradually loses the strength to run. Before she passed out, Sumire was caught by her father who met her in the hallway. Lunaire, on the other hand, was crying hard while looking at their daughter who was unconscious while her husband carrying Sumire whose eyes were reddened from holding back his tears.

"I told you that Mort has nothing but trouble in our daughter's life. But all of you didn't listen to me." Furious, Chaise said firmly and laid the maiden down on her chamber bed. Lunaire was unable to respond to what her husband said. She didn't have the strength to argue with him. She is worried sick for her daughter.

"Are you even sure Dad?" Blanche asked, not wanting to accept the truth. He immediately thought of Narco. He wondered how he would feel about what would happen to his father tomorrow. He wanted to go see him now but he must be extra careful. All eyes in the palace are now on them.

"Yes. They are going to the dungeon now." Chadwick replied that he didn't seem to care.

"And you can't come to him," Chadwick added when he noticed his son striding out of the room. He immediately knew where he was going. Blanche returned to his place.

"What really happened? Mort couldn't have done that without a deep valid reason," Claire said and everyone in the place went silent.

Chadwick and Blanche immediately understand why Mort did that because they know something. The only thing they don't understand is why Mort did it here inside North Le Frère. Lunaire and Chadwick fell into thought.

"Whether he has a reason or not, it doesn't matter anymore. He can't undo things right now. And I was right about him all along." Chaise said firmly as Chadwick looked at him brazenly.

"You are not helping at all." Butts in, Lunaire sobbed, whose nose in deep red as she wiped off the tears in Sumire's eyes. She looks at her daughter pitifully on the bed and holds the maiden's hand.

While Sumire was unconscious at the news, Mort arrived at the Dungeon with hands cuffed with heavy metal chains. They were at the deepest part of the palace with only torches lighting up the unbearably bleak prison cell. The knight Commander put him in a dark and creepy place alone. After the guards left the place, Narco emerged from the shadow facing Mort's back behind the cell.

"Dad."