Shakky looked at the three knights. Her sharp gaze felt as if it was piercing straight through to their souls.
*(A knight's duty is to protect people. But when the ones meant to protect become the predators… people's faith in justice collapses. That is why they must receive a severe punishment.)*
After a short silence, she spoke.
"If anyone has something to say, say it now."
She glanced at Manice.
"And I trust no one will object to my decision."
Manice nodded.
Shakky gave him a faint smile, then looked straight ahead. Her voice was calm and steady.
"Very well. For their crime… I sentence these three to be beheaded."
The entire hall fell silent.
No one had expected that kind of judgment. Mardy stared in shock, unable to believe what he had just heard.
*(Did I hear that right? Did those words really come from her?)*
The three knights' eyes widened in pure disbelief. They collapsed under the weight of the decision and began begging.
"Princess, have mercy on us…!"
Their voices filled the hall. The victim looked relieved, but most of the people present did not seem to welcome the severity of the sentence.
For a brief moment, Shakky remained still.
*(…I said it.)*
There was no satisfaction in her chest. Only a quiet heaviness.
*(If I had been softer, they would have taken it as weakness. If I looked away, that woman's pain would have meant nothing. This is the only answer that protects the meaning of justice… even if it feels cold.)*
She kept her expression composed. Only the slight tightening of her fingers betrayed any weight behind the decision.
Then Ser Voldis stood up, unable to accept it.
"My Lord! The princess's judgment is not appropriate. We cannot give our knights this kind of punishment for this crime."
Derland and Shakky both looked at him. Derland spoke in a calm tone.
"Ser Voldis… are you opposing the princess's decision?"
Shakky's voice followed, colder than before.
"Ser Voldis, are you protecting these criminals? You should know… the one who shields a criminal becomes a criminal as well."
Voldis clenched his fists, teeth grinding.
"I am the Lord of Knights. I cannot allow my knights to receive this kind of sentence for such a crime. They are the ones who protect this city."
Whispers spread through the crowd. Some questioned whether the princess's decision was truly right.
Shakky only gave a small, knowing smile — the kind that showed she had already expected this reaction.
"Whether it is the one who protects the city, a man walking on the street, or even a king… the law is the same for everyone."
Her fist tightened slightly.
"A kingdom that treats women like animals… cannot call its people human."
Voldis's anger rose sharply. He was about to speak again when Derland calmly rested a hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Ser Voldis. If you still have something to say after hearing that… I am standing right here. Do not forget — I am also a Lord of Knights."
The atmosphere in the hall grew tense. Manice finally raised his voice to control it.
"Voldis. Return to your seat. You need not say anything further."
Hearing his lord's order, Voldis forced himself to calm down and sat.
"Yes, My Lord. As you command."
Shakky's eyes remained on Manice. He looked at her, then addressed the entire hall in a raised voice.
"It will be as the princess has said. Take these criminals to prison. I order their beheading to be carried out publicly at 8 o'clock tonight."
The three knights sank to the ground as the reality of their sentence settled in. One of them began to cry. Several knights stepped forward and dragged them away.
Manice stood up. Everyone else followed — except Shakky. She remained seated for a moment longer, her expression steady, almost elevated, as if she were sitting above the entire hall. Only then did she rise.
Manice descended the stairs and walked toward Shakky. His son Mardy followed closely behind him. When Manice stopped in front of her, he studied her for a moment.
*(She carries herself exactly like a queen.)*
A polite smile formed on his face.
"Princess, there is something important I need to discuss with you. May we speak in a private room?"
Shakky stood up.
"As you wish, Lord Manice."
She followed him into a nearby room. The room was simple — plain furniture and two sofas with a small table between them. Shakky sat on one sofa, with Derland and Ameria standing behind her. Manice sat across from her, and Mardy remained standing behind his father.
Manice looked at her with clear gratitude.
"Princess, your arrival here is truly fortunate for us. The King listened to our request and extended his help. We are grateful."
Shakky replied calmly.
"That is his duty. Supporting the lords of his kingdom is every king's responsibility. Showing loyalty in return is yours."
Manice gave a short laugh.
"Haha… well said, Princess."
His expression then turned more serious. He glanced at Mardy and gave a small signal.
"Mardy. Bring me those letters."
Mardy turned without a word, opened a drawer, and returned with two scrolls. He handed them to his father. Manice placed both scrolls on the table and slid them toward Shakky.
"What are these?" she asked.
"These are the replies that arrived after I sent my reports," Manice explained. "Please read them."
Shakky looked slightly confused, but she picked up the scrolls and opened them. As her eyes moved across the pages, her expression slowly changed. Her eyes widened.
"Is this true…?"
Derland and Ameria both looked at her in confusion. Manice's voice grew heavier.
"As you can see, one letter concerns the undead, and the other concerns the aid that was supposed to arrive. But what stands out… is the King's signature."
Ameria and Derland stiffened.
Shakky handed the scrolls to Derland. He examined both letters carefully, holding them side by side.
"…If you place them next to each other, the difference is small," he said slowly. "But it's there. Does this mean Mr. Grinmol is a traitor?"
Shakky looked at him sharply.
"That is difficult to say. We cannot claim he is the traitor yet. We have no solid proof. Grinmol could easily deny it. We need something stronger before making that accusation."
Ameria, who had also been reading the letters, suddenly spoke in a stunned voice.
"Lord Manice… in this letter, you also mentioned a dragon. Is that true?"
The word *dragon* made Derland's head snap up.
"A dragon?"
Manice nodded.
"Yes. It is true. Some of our knights reported seeing one. At first I thought it was nonsense… but I personally checked the tracks left in the snow. The signs were clear. There is definitely a dragon within Polard Kingdom."
Shakky listened quietly, then gave a small smile as she glanced at Ameria. When she looked forward again, her tone remained composed.
"Lord Manice, can you tell us about the attack that happened here? Understanding what occurred that night will help us see the full picture."
The moment the word *attack* left her mouth, Mardy's body tensed. His hands slowly curled into fists at his sides. The change was small, but Shakky noticed it immediately. Her eyes briefly shifted toward him.
Manice himself looked slightly uneasy.
"Ah… that night still feels like a dream to me. I had never seen anything like it before."
All three of them listened carefully as his expression grew more serious.
"I will tell you everything," he said. "That night, my wife and I were asleep…"
That night, Manice and his wife were sleeping peacefully in their soft bed. Suddenly, loud and continuous knocking echoed from their door. Both of them woke up. Manice looked at his wife. Her hair was loose, and her half-open eyes showed it was still the middle of the night.
Manice got out of bed and walked to the door. He pulled it open and shouted,
"What is it?"
A knight stood in front of him, looking troubled. His voice trembled.
"My Lord… there's an emergency."
Manice glanced back at his wife, gave her a small nod, and stepped outside. He quickly put on his golden armor — the one marked with the bear emblem — fastened his sword at his waist, and moved forward.
Outside, he met several knights. Among them was his son Mardy, already wearing silver armor and sitting on horseback. He looked confident.
"Father, we need to hurry. The situation has gotten bad."
Manice said nothing. He mounted his black horse and rode ahead, with Mardy and the other knights following behind.
After a short while, they reached the city gate. Manice looked at the scene in front of him — and could not believe what he was seeing.