“We did this by our own decision. It’s all on us. So please only execute the two of us.”
Hans spoke as he knelt before me in shackles that he’d apparently put on himself.
Though Matthew didn’t have the same shackles, he was right next to Hans, down on both knees before me. Kneeling this way wasn’t a usual part of noble etiquette, but it was one of the Sevensworths’. I’d watched my father-in-law kneel before my mother-in-law many times.
I’d received a report that the carriage carrying the former royal family members was attacked and that they’d all been killed. The perpetrators were the two men in front of me: Hans and Matthew.
“I apologize for the unnecessary duress I’ve made you go through for my sake.”
I had a servant remove the shackles from Hans and help the two of them stand before I deeply bowed. It was all because I’d made the decision to allow the former royal family to live that they’d decided to take action to avoid a future insurrection. I’d known the risk and still had decided to let them live, but they stepped in to do what I couldn’t. They’d done absolutely nothing wrong.
Despite knowing that I was risking a rebellion by not executing them, I’d let them live, simply because I didn’t want to kill anyone. The former queen had begged me in tears to spare her children. The former prince also wept for me to spare his mother and siblings. Seeing them crying and hugging each other made it impossible for me to sentence them to death.
“I understand how you feel, but the former royal family weren’t anyone that deserved pity. They were honored by all and lived a lavish life that commoners couldn’t even imagine, but it was only because they’re the ones who have the responsibility of dying in situations like this. Royal families carry a heavy burden. That’s why it’s not your fault even if they’re sentenced to death. This is the price they have to pay for the luxurious life they’ve lived until now,” Hans said after hearing my apology.
There was no family environment that perfectly fulfilled all human desires. Even in my past life, everyone was discontent with some aspect of their lives. Everyone had to accept the limitations of the circumstances they were born into, and there wasn’t a person alive who could live without any shackles on them. But even so, those in that past society where everyone was equal had lived more freely than those born into an aristocratic world like this one.
Having difficulties when being born as a royal or as a noble was a given for people of this world. Hans thought the same, which was why he could so definitively say I shouldn’t pity them. But I had the memories of my past life and how our society had functioned then, and I couldn’t help but pity the royal family who’d essentially been born to die.
To be honest, I couldn’t make a distinction. I knew that I had to kill the king and his cabinet members since they were the ones who’d instigated the war, causing the countless deaths. They were the ones who needed to shoulder the responsibility. But the prince and his siblings were so young that they hadn’t been a part of the kingdom’s politics at all.
“They shouldn’t have had any sin that deserved death,” I said.
“You’ve got it all wrong. They didn’t die because they committed a sin. It’s because keeping them alive would result in more of our allies dying. That’s just how war is. Killing the enemy soldiers in battle is natural, but you don’t do it because they committed sins. It’s because if you don’t, they’ll kill your people. Keeping your enemy alive means the conflict will never end. That’s why we killed them.”
It was clear that any guilt Hans felt wasn’t about killing them but that he’d done so by his own discretion, without me ordering it. He felt absolutely no remorse for taking their lives. Killing the enemy to save his people was only logical to him. It was his form of justice and a good deed.
“That’s right. It’s justice. This is for the sake of protecting myself and my allies. Where’s the problem? Anyone would choose the lives of their friends and family over some prince they’ve never even talked to.”
He’s right. The weight of a loved one’s life is much heavier than a stranger’s. All the knights and soldiers that participated in this battle would probably agree with Hans. It was the common sense of this world, which clashed with the values I carried over from my past life.
“I see... So it’s justice... It’s good...” I muttered, falling into my own thoughts.
During my past lifetime, our country had not been involved in war, and murder was very clearly an evil act. But on the battlefield, killing to save your allies was justice. If that was the case, not wanting to get your hands dirty even if it meant protecting your own people must have been evil.
What was just and what was evil changed depending on the time and place. However, the core of what it meant to be just was doing something for the sake of those precious to you. Hans was no different. For the sake of his allies and clan, he’d decided that killing the former royal family was the best decision. The only thing that didn’t change over all the years was the desire to do right by those you loved.
I still wasn’t able to break free from my past society’s values where killing was always wrong. I didn’t have strong enough feelings for my allies yet. I hadn’t been thinking seriously enough about the people who would be hurt first in a rebellion—the common people and soldiers. I needed to think about them as if they were my family and friends.
Even the most benevolent kings or countries that were kind to its citizens didn’t give a free pass to criminals or those who tried to incite disorder. There were rules that needed to be followed, meaning that at times, they needed to be strict. The standards that politicians needed to follow were for the sake of the faceless populace, but I couldn’t even follow these standards. I was truly a failure of a territory lord.
“You’re not a failure, Sir Ginorious. I believe it’s perfectly acceptable for you to remain your compassionate self. You have the attributes necessary to lead House Sevensworth into a bright future. Even if a problem does arise because of your actions, it won’t be a big deal. After all, there are many in our family who will be able to deal with it,” Matthew said with a gentle smile.
“I agree. I think you’re good the way you are. I think everyone should work to better the house in their own way. There’s no reason for you to do it all by yourself. Besides, it’s almost unnerving how many cold-blooded people you have here.”
I couldn’t help but think that I was blessed with the people around me.