Escape from the evil lady (GL)
Chapter 81 - 31. Rescue from execution

Chapter 81: Chapter 31. Rescue from execution

The execution of Jacob Osman, scheduled for the next morning, was to take place in the middle of the main square of the Heilos residence. It was a public punishment for Jacob daring to go against the Crown Princess and betray her.

Since the whole event was completely unexpected and shocking, there was a real commotion in the castle. People couldn’t believe that Commander Osman was actually being executed. And all because of a woman who showed up here a little over a month ago...

The gossip about this continued until the man was led to the scaffold, where he was supposed to be beheaded. Kaena de Ronan was also present at the execution of her once closest subordinate. Her expression remained impassive.

— Sir Osman. Do you want to say something last? — The executioner, who was also Jacob’s former comrade, asked hesitantly. Because of this, it was also difficult for him to do so.

— no...

The knight only obediently lowered his head to the block, preparing to accept his fate. However, before the irreparable happened, an exclamation suddenly rang out from the crowd present.

«Wait!»

To the surprise of those present, the person who suddenly raised her voice was none other than the bride of the Crown Princess. The servants and knights hurriedly stepped aside to let her pass.

— Camille? What are you doing here? — the Crown Princess was no less surprised by this than the others. She hurriedly got up from her seat.

— Your Highness, I have to say that there must have been some mistake here! — The first thing the girl exclaimed.

Camilla hurriedly stepped forward, which caused the execution process to be unwittingly interrupted.

— «A mistake?» What are you talking about? — Kaena asked.

Camille de Walt hesitated.

— I think you misunderstood Sir Jacob’s intentions. The thing is, he’s... he’s... Then he just lost me!

— Lost...?

The woman’s expression visibly worsened.

Beads of sweat involuntarily appeared on the duke’s daughter’s face as she had to explain herself in front of the Crown Princess.

— At that time, there were a lot of people on the street... — she stammered, — I was distracted, and when I came to my senses, I realized that I had already lost myself in the crowd. And if Sir Jacob hadn’t found me, the irreparable might have happened!

«.....»

Kaena, like everyone else present, was silent for a moment.

— Anyway, — she said dryly after a while, — this man took you outside the castle without my knowledge, which meant he was supposed to be responsible for your safety. However, he failed in his task. The fact that you were outside alone, unaccompanied, was extremely dangerous.

— But... Didn’t everything work out? — Camille replied awkwardly: — I’m all right now. And that’s because Sir Jacob and Meg came to my rescue in time.

«.....»

Kaena de Ronan looked at her for a long time and didn’t say anything. There was a tense expression on her face, as if she still didn’t want to let this situation go so easily.

— Your Highness, is this execution really necessary? — The girl spoke cautiously again.

There was another long pause after her words. Finally, the Crown Princess slowly opened her mouth:

— OK... If you insist on it so much.

The main villain sighed with displeasure and waved her hand, ordering her men to release Jacob Osman from custody. The man was also quite surprised by what was happening and couldn’t quite believe it until the handcuffs were actually removed from him.

Meanwhile, Kaena addressed the knight in the same stern tone:

— Do you see this? The lady you let down was so kind to you. How can you doubt her and harbor ridiculous suspicions after that?

— ...

When their gazes crossed and Jacob caught that expression on his mistress’s face, he involuntarily swallowed. Of course, Kaena didn’t believe Camilla’s words that the accident was just an accident. She was well aware that her subordinate had done this intentionally. And yet... She agreed to make this concession, and it was only because of Camille.

In other words, the princess wanted to make it clear to her subordinate that his life was saved only because of Camilla’s merit. Clearing his throat, Jacob had no choice but to admit it.

— Lady, I... — he lowered his head, — I sincerely apologize for doubting you earlier.

«.....»

The duke’s youngest daughter just smiled, assuring him that everything was fine and she didn’t hold a grudge against the knight. At that moment, the girl looked like a peaceful angel. Meanwhile, the whole incident came in handy for her right now.

«Now that Jacob Osman is no longer suspicious of me, I can finally find the secret passage!»

***

The emperor’s chambers were quiet.

Only occasionally was the silence in the room interrupted by the cough of the emperor lying in his bed. The second princess stood at the emperor’s bedside, and it was not easy for her to observe her father’s condition.

Recently, there have been too many emotional upheavals related to the royal family, which have completely undermined the state of the already middle-aged ruler of the empire.

«Father, how are you feeling now?»

Despite her huge workload and impressive to-do list, Jerica de Ronan still found time to visit her father and inquire about his condition.

— I’m not young anymore... — The man answered her weakly, — What else can my condition be?

— Father... — the princess’ voice trembled.

Coughing again, the emperor continued to speak:

— The only thing that worries me right now, — the emperor’s voice trailed off, — is in whose hands the empire will end up after my death... Because of this thought, I cannot safely go to our ancestors.

Hearing this, Jerica involuntarily tensed up. In the next moment, she hurriedly retorted:

— Father, don’t say that! You’re still strong enough to rule for a long time.

The Emperor, who was lying in bed, smiled faintly at her.

— My daughter. If I had known that I could entrust this country to you, I wouldn’t have worried about anything for a long time. But... — The man’s voice trailed off, — you know what the circumstances are.

«...»

Both the emperor and the second princess understood perfectly well what was being discussed at that moment.

«Kaena... Even knowing about her father’s condition, she’s still not going to back down!» — Jerica clenched her fists tighter at the thought of her older sister.

Is the worst that was threatening to be ahead really inevitable...?

In the end, after their last conversation, the princess only became more entrenched in her worst thoughts.

Thinking about this, Jerica de Ronan pursed her lips and did not immediately notice that the emperor had already fallen asleep. Deciding not to bother him anymore, the girl quietly closed the door behind her and, after a moment’s hesitation, walked down the corridor.

At this time, when the princess was returning to her office, not in the best of spirits, something unexpected happened.

«Hmm? What is it?»

Jerica accidentally heard a knock coming from the window. When the princess came closer to take a look, she saw a bird beating at the window with its beak. It was a hawk with snow-white feathers.

The bird was looking directly at the second princess through the thin glass window. And Jerica recognized her immediately without hesitation.

It was her personal spiritual beast that the princess had created with her own spiritual power. An exceptional feature of such a creature was that only its owner or those to whom he gave such permission could see it.

Without hesitation, the girl opened the window, the bird flew inside and calmly settled on her shoulder.

— Gared? What are you doing here? — Jerica asked with undisguised surprise.

The second princess had not seen her spirit beast for quite some time since she returned from her trip to the north. In order for them to exchange messages in secret from the Crown Princess, Jerica temporarily lent her pet to the duke’s youngest daughter.

Thus, having such a spirit was the only way to keep in touch between them. If something important had happened, Camilla would have been able to contact the second Princess as soon as possible. And since her spirit beast had returned so suddenly today, Jerica assumed that there was only one explanation.

Jerica de Ronan noticed a thin strip of paper tied to a scaly bird’s foot. The note tied to the hawk’s paw looked like a tiny piece of paper, but it actually contained important information.

«Hmm? Really... Is this a letter from Lady de Walt?»

Without hesitating for a second, Jerica unfolded the piece of paper and read it carefully. At this time, while the hawk was peacefully nesting on her shoulder, the girl’s pupils were getting wider and wider. The content of the message was small, but it made an indelible impression on the princess.

When Jerica returned to her office, there was not only a pile of official papers waiting for her on her desk, but also a loyal subordinate who helped her with her business.

Selman Hirsch was somewhat surprised as soon as he saw the second princess enter the office.

He expected the girl to be in a bad mood after meeting her father, who was feeling unwell. But to his surprise, the princess’s face was radiant rather than sad.

— Your Highness...? Is something wrong? — There was genuine bewilderment in the assistant’s tone.

Jerica looked at her subordinate, and the corner of her lips lifted. The next moment, she announced the news with undisguised relief:

— Lady de Walt has managed to find a secret passage!