Aries's eyes fell on the coachman, still pleading for his life. She caught the coachman's bleeding leg and noticed his twisted ankle. And yet, the coachman just pleaded for his life without regard to his other injuries.
When Aries raised her eyes, Roman was already facing her solemnly. But instead of speaking, Aries marched towards Roman and stood on his side. She sized him up from head to toe, and then the other knights around. As she did so, Aries caught some knights dragging an injured lady and a man from inside the carriage. Both were injured; the young lady was unconscious while the man was grunting in pain.
"They already met an unfortunate accident," said Aries, setting her eyes towards Roman. "Do you plan on executing them? Right here? In front of me? And everyone?"
"Yes." Roman's answer was quick and unwavering, looking back at her solemnly. "They didn't meet an unfortunate accident, my lady. They invited it. If only they weren't driving carelessly. They could've harmed more people because of their carelessness."
"Even so, that worst-case scenario didn't happen."
"The worst-case scenario is you, my lady, getting heavily injured. They were fortunate we were here."
Aries balled her hand into a tight fist at the absurd response she got from Roman. Did he mean her life was worth more than a hundred civilians?
"Please… my lady… I truly didn't mean it. I was trying to stop and control the horses…"
Aries gazed at the coachman as he wept for mercy. His voice had already sounded rasped from all the pleading he did. But alas, Roman was unfazed.
"Will you be in trouble if I intervened?" she asked, casting Roman a sharp look.
"Yes."
"Do you trust me, though?"
"Yes."
"Will you listen to my orders?"
Roman paused. "Depends."
Aries rocked her head in understanding, knowing Roman wasn't her knight, but a knight under Abel's order. Unlike Climaco and the knights from the Marquess, Roman would prioritize Abel's orders over hers. Hence, she understood Roman's disposition.
"This coachman and the passengers of this carriage are injured. Send them to the closest infirmary to get them treated. Once you are sure they were already out of harm's way, conduct a thorough investigation and get them tried. If he was found guilty and proven driving recklessly, punish him accordingly." She faced the coachman as she spoke firmly. "However, if he was found innocent, let them go."
Roman remained silent as he glanced at Aries's side profile. His eyes then fell on the coachman and caught the sliver of hope in his eyes.
"As you wished, my lady." Roman bowed, finding no fault in Aries's orders. He wouldn't allow it even if he had to die to let these people go, knowing Abel would execute them with his own hands. After all, the Emperor specifically repeated over and over to protect Aries or Roman could only think of the worst that Abel could do.
"Coachman, you are seriously lucky to have been saved by the Lady of the House Vandran," Roman said louder as if he wanted everyone to know who this lady was.
"My lady, thank you for your mercy!" The coachman went on and on, thanking Aries, bowing until his forehead was hitting the concrete ground.
"Take them to the nearest infirmary…" Roman raised a hand, ordering the knights under his unit, which they all executed efficiently. Meanwhile, Climaco and the knights of the Marquess brigade dispersed the thick crowd.
As everyone started getting moving with a knight assisting the coachman, Aries faced Roman once more.
"Don't go anywhere, Rome. I want to talk to you," she muttered, glancing in the three princesses' direction, only to see the confusion and shock in their eyes. "But for now, prepare a carriage for the esteemed guests of the empire. They must have been confused and terrified of what happened."
"But my lady, are you sure you're alright?"
Aries looked back at him. "Of course —" she halted when Roman reached for her wrist, flipping it to see her palm.
"He will not be pleased to see another wound on you."
"It's just a graze." Aries closed her first and snatched her hand away from him. "I'll treat it later so he wouldn't notice it."
Roman blinked twice, watching her look away. His eyes fell on her grazed hand once more. It wasn't bleeding, but he highly doubt Abel wouldn't notice.
"Very well." Still, he didn't press on it anymore as he bowed before he supervised everyone to clear the street. Meanwhile, Aries walked towards Veronika, Sybil, and Suzanne's vantage point to soothe them.
******
[ INNER PALACE: EMPEROR'S CHANCERY ]
The sound of wounds cracking along with bones crushing caressed everyone's ears. Every passing second felt dreadful, watching the emperor pin a servant's head against the table while the few nobles stood in the corner of the room.
Just moments ago, this servant came in to serve them tea, only for the emperor to stop them and swiftly pinned this servant's head against the table.
Thanks to Conan, these noblemen got to know that the tea served to them was poisoned. Despite that, seeing Abel not speak a word with his one hand on the side of the servant's head, pinning it against the surface of the table, was even more terrifying than the fact they all nearly got poisoned!
The nobles looked at each other with shaking eyes before setting their eyes back to Abel. The emperor was still in the same position, but somehow, he looked like his mind was drifting elsewhere.
"Your Majesty, allow the knights to take this servant to the dungeon." Conan approached Abel, standing a meter away from the emperor. Seeing that the latter wasn't reacting, Conan cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, this is your chancery and it'll be troublesome if their filthy blood taints this sacred place and your precious clothes."
Abel slowly snapped his eyes ever so tenderly at Conan. "Conan. it seems fifty knights are not enough. Add another fifty — two hundred in her shadow."
"Your Majesty, due to the recent wars the empire had taken part in, the number of knights the empire had lost and was injured hurt the royal knighthood. The only knights we can gather are the new recruits." Conan frowned, immediately grasping Abel's remarks.
"Then how about hiring more mercenary groups?"
Conan mulled about it for a moment. "I will contact all the competent mercenary groups in the empire."
"Good, good." Abel rocked his head in satisfaction while the nobles had their mouths agape as the two still have the leisure of engaging in a casual conversation as if Abel wasn't pinning someone's head.
"Your Majesty, the servant." Conan pointed out.
CRACK!
"Ah, right… I forgot." Abel snapped his eyes and raised his hand, gazing down at the servant, whose eyes already popped out of their sockets as he ended up crushing his head. "Feed him to the dogs. Such bad timing means he brings bad luck."
The knights on standby immediately rushed to the emperor and dragged the lifeless body of the servant. Meanwhile, Abel took out a black handkerchief to wipe his hand and faced the nobles.
"Humor me." The side of his lips stretched until his eyes were squinting. "Which part of, 'not even a graze,' could she not understand? It's irritating. She better not tell me, 'it's just a graze,' but alas, lest she does, any suggestion, what I should do with her?"
"???"
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