The land of Gaelvorn came into view.
"Huft," I exhaled, heavy and slow.
I had no idea what awaited there; the more I thought about it, the more my body ached.
---
Upon reaching land, the village carriages were already scattered. I carried no equipment bag of my own, as all of Rose's belongings were with her.
I brought myself to one of the carriages, a pouch of treasure in hand, and a family photo tucked into my trouser pocket.
Only one coachman among them was reading a newspaper, covering half of his face.
The coachman in front of me lowered his paper.
"Where to, sir?!" he asked softly.
"Please, to the nearest veil, sir," I replied quietly.
"Very well," he said, mounting his horse. I stepped into the carriage.
The carriage began to move.
"Is there anything you wish to discuss, sir? Any pain during the journey?" the coachman asked.
"Huft, just lingering pain in my body. Is the veil close, sir?" I asked.
"You could say that, sir," he replied.
Remembering something I needed, I asked,
"Do you have a newspaper available, sir?"
"Ah, one moment," he said, reaching into his trouser pocket where a folded paper lay.
The coachman half-turned to hand it over. I took it.
"Thank you, sir," I said.
"An unusual day, indeed. Newspapers are limited today. I've only read half myself, eagerly awaiting the special center pages—you know," he remarked.
My gaze immediately fell on the center pages. With so much content displayed, I began to understand why the newspapers were so limited today.
---
The grand hall of Nimurelle was once again adorned with the symbols of the Six Lands. The rulers of Gaelvorn, Ilgnisar, Zepharia, and Solcendria were present in person. From Notchollow, the Northern Land, the king could not attend the assembly and sent a family member as an official representative vested with full authority. All main seats were occupied, and security was tightened at every entrance.
The session was opened by the representative of the sorcerers, standing at the center of the stone table circle. In a firm voice, he reiterated the old decree once agreed upon: anyone who concealed or used a crystal would be deemed an enemy of the world and a fugitive across the lands. For the sake of global peace, anyone who discovered a crystal was required to surrender it to the authorities. No exceptions were allowed.
Following this affirmation, five individuals suspected of involvement with fugitives were brought into the hall. Their hands were bound, mouths gagged with thick cloth. They were forced to stand in a line before the rulers. The room tensed as the sorcerer representative declared that an inspection would commence to determine which among them had used a crystal.
Before the first question could be asked, the King of Gaelvorn rose from his seat without removing his royal cloak, unlike the other rulers who had uncovered their heads as a sign of transparency. The hood still covered half of his face, leaving only a sharp gaze visible from behind the shadowed fabric.
In a commanding voice that echoed through the hall, he stated that none of the five showed any signs of magic. His gaze swept the room before he posed a question that broke the tension:
"Where is the child?"
The hall fell silent for a moment. The sorcerer representative redirected the inquiry to the whereabouts of the world's enemy. One by one, the prisoners were ordered to respond. Their voices were restrained and brief, yet uniform: they did not know.
Tension had not eased when the sorcerer representative ordered another prisoner to be brought in. This figure was known as a world fugitive from a previous generation, a person whose name was etched in past chaos and regarded as having contributed to ongoing unrest. He was declared to be executed as a reinforcement of the established law.
Three of the five prisoners immediately screamed hysterically behind their gags. The other two remained frozen in silence. The former fugitive turned toward them and offered a sincere smile, without resistance.
The sorcerer representative then turned to the rulers, asking if there were any objections to the decision. Not a single voice opposed it.
With the execution decision accepted without dissent, the sorcerer representative returned to the center of the hall. His voice remained calm, though this time it carried more weight.
He declared that the execution would be carried out in a large open field within Nimurelle, under strict surveillance from all the lands. The decree was not merely punitive but also a warning to anyone who dared oppose the world's established order.
However, he added that there were two possible outcomes.
The first outcome: the fugitive of the previous generation would be spared from the death penalty and sentenced to life imprisonment if the current world enemy surrendered voluntarily at the designated execution site. Such surrender would be considered an acknowledgment and acceptance of responsibility for the use of the crystal.
The second outcome: if the world enemy chose to resist or attempt to wield the crystal's power publicly, the act would be treated as an open declaration of hostility. In that case, the Six Lands would declare a major war to defend the established order.
The sorcerer representative then earnestly yet firmly requested that each ruler dispatch their best troops to secure the execution. He requested hundreds of soldiers from Notchollow, Ilgnisar, Zepharia, and Solcendria, and thousands from Gaelvorn, known to have the largest military force among them.
The request was met with nods and agreement without extended debate. For the sake of world peace, all lands agreed to remain on high alert.
The execution was scheduled to take place in three days' time, at a location far from the Kingdom of Nimurelle's central court, situated in the heart of Nimurelle's territory. The public was permitted to attend and witness the event. Thus, the final decision was set. The execution would serve as a defining stage: surrender, or the beginning of a great war.
The session of the high-ranking rulers was thereby concluded. One by one, the rulers left the Nimurelle hall under strict guard, the decision having been finalized without alteration.
---
Then, a poster of a fugitive bearing my face was displayed above.
"Damn," I muttered softly.
"Sir?" the coachman's voice reached me faintly.
"Sir?!" His voice exploded in.
Both windows swung open.
"There must be something interesting, isn't there? What does the session say—"
I collapsed backward, sending the newspaper flying out the window.
"Sir, are you alright?!" he called.
I let him know my reason.
"Ukh, it hurts badly," I muttered, letting my body slump conspicuously.
The coachman glanced back occasionally.
"Allow me to speed up the journey, sir."