The Antagonist: The World Ends Theory
Chapter 107 - Execution Day

"Pff! That was so funny! They challenged you and ended up with a humiliating defeat."

Gerald laughed heartily as he patted Frederick on the shoulder. The nobles challenged them and when the duel was lost the Frederick slaughtered. It was something embarrassing, they came home with faces flushed with embarrassment.

"When do you want to go home?"

Frederick and Gerald had been sitting on the training ground watching the other nobles come home with embarrassed faces, and Gerald even laughed at them brightly.

"Later with my father. Because I'll be back soon. They must be in discussion with the Freesian envoy." Gerald said he gulped down a bottle of water because his throat was dry from laughing too much.

"That Freesia, why is it that we're the same age?"

"Don't know. But I've heard rumors about him, he's indeed a genius and very critical." Replied Gerald origin, he really followed many different things from Frederick who often missed the info.

"Who did you learn to sword with? Looks like your abilities are growing rapidly. Is it possible that your teacher was a descendant of a war warrior in the past?"

"uh? You're starting to fret. Where'd I know!"

Gerald grunts. During training he just kept quiet and followed the coach's instructions. There was nothing he could talk to because all the noble children did not like him who liked being close to Frederick.

"But he's a great teacher to me." Frederick whispers.

Gerald now looks at the smile. It was hard to make Frederick honest because he was too fond of harboring his feelings. When scolded by his father, Frederick did not resist and only listened indifferently. When Gerald asked why, Frederick became more secretive.

That infuriated Gerald half to death, and he never asked again. Let Frederick live in silence and not express his feelings.

"When you meet the woman you think is your life partner, go after her and tell her you love her." Gerald said, arriving.

Frederick raised his eyebrows, "You know we're nine years old? What are you doing to dare to bring the topic of love? It's still a long time for us to reach that stage."

"Oh? Really true?" Gerald asked in annoyance.

Actually the thing that made him dare to carry this topic was because when Frederick looked at the Freesian envoy, his eyes were rather inviting and very complicated. Gerald knew the meaning because his uncle often looked at the woman who would be the target of his love like that.

I mean, if you love Princess Eleanor then all you need to do is pursue her love. Don't be the one to be confused with your codes! You're not a woman!

But Gerald chose to be quiet. Because at their current age, learning is the main thing rather than thinking about love. After all, the general age of a nobleman to have a fiance is 17 years for women, while men do not peg the age for their engagement.

To be honest, this is quite unfair for women. Women who become spinsters will be scorned by society, in contrast to old virgins. Women in this world are very obligated to be bound in marriage.

"Are you going to run away again tomorrow?" Ask Gerald.

Frederick nonchalantly just spread both his shoulders. Although he answers to Gerald not necessarily, Gerald knows that he will most likely run away and learn to sword to a great teacher that Gerald does not know.

"To be honest I want to know who your teacher is." Chirps Gerald, but again - again Frederick was only indifferent.

"Excuse me."

Just now Gerald wanted to protest against Frederick's disrespectful attitude toward him, a soft feminine voice greeting their hearing.

They turned to face the owner of the voice. She was the girl who became the envoy of Freesia, smiling gently at Frederick and Gerald. His silver mane danced after the breeze, his cheeks filled with a tinge of red that seemed to captivate the heart.

"What's wrong?"

As beautiful as the girl is, Gerald isn't really interested in her. There were two reasons, first because he had already placed his heart on Harold's nobility and made a sweet promise involving marriage, second because it seemed Frederick showed interest in him as the opposite sex.

"Can I ask what your names are? I just want to get to know the nobles at Ranunculus." His voice was no less soft with his expression.

If Gerald doesn't remember Aerola Harold, he really has fallen for Eleanor's charm. Gerald peeked at how Frederick's expression was at the moment. But as expected, Gerald saw Frederick's normal face. He's very good at performing, he deserves to go to a theater club.

"My name is Gerald Cheltics. And that's Frederick Wayne." Gerald introduced Frederick.

Eleanor nodded. Not yet had he also introduced himself, Gerald caught the figure of a soldier who was running furiously towards them. Frederick and Eleanor also stared in surprise at the soldier.

"Why?"

"Someone will be executed by the Hortensian Emperor! He's got a damned ruby. All the nobles from different countries should come and see it."

DEG

Frederick shut his mouth tight. Ruby's eyes.only one person Frederick knew had that special physique. His body froze, Frederick stared intently at the news-bearer.

"When?"

"It looks like this afternoon is right on neutral territory." The soldier replied a little nervously as he got a hawk-sharp look from the Duke Wayne family's only child.

By reflex, Frederick pulled Gerald's wrist and dragged him out of the royal palace. Gerald had no idea why Frederick's mood had suddenly changed. Because he was like a monkey who had just found his love, and now he was even rampaging as if he would destroy all the things in front of him.

"Oy, where are we going? Don't tell me you want to watch an emperor decapitate a criminal?"

"HE'S NOT A CRIME!!!"

Gerald jumped when he realized Frederick was in an emotional state at the moment. Gerald himself did not without reason call the person to be executed by the Emperor of Hortensia a criminal. Because the great emperor of that vast territory could not possibly put his sword around the neck of an ordinary criminal alone. He would order others to do so so that his hands would not get dirty.

But if the criminal succeeds in making the Hortensian Emperor himself intervene, it means that the mistake is really big. And if these executions are shown to the public with the aim of humiliating the criminal before he dies, then Gerald is increasingly convinced of the power of the Hortensia.

"We're going there on horses?"

"Of course!"

Upset with Frederick who continued to emotionally make Gerald also so along - follow upset. He flicked his hand that was pulled here and there by Frederick and hissed at him.

"I can walk on my own. Besides, if you use your own horse, do you think that your leg is up?" Ejek Gerald's.

Frederick was silent, as if awakened by his actions because of being blinded by emotions. Now his steps were fixed on a horse carriage parked sweetly near the palace gate. Before boarding it, Frederick turned to Gerald who was still standing unmoved.

"You're a coachman."

Gerald's face twitched in anger.

"Direct you! Makes me a coachman as sweet as a snore." Hardik Gerald, he snorted in annoyance as he stepped onto the horse carriage and sat down at the coachman's section. "You owe me a lot."

"Wait a minute!"

A shrill voice sounded holding them. Frederick stared lazily at the man for slowing himself towards neutral territory. Gerald greeted her with a smile and asked her.

"What's wrong?"

"Can I come with you?" Ask Eleanor.

Gerald turned his head back only to find Frederick's face turning tangled and getting thinner. Noticing Gerald's gaze, Frederick rotated his eyeballs.

"Bring him up."

...❀...

"WAIT FOR ME, FRED!!"

Gerald cussed in annoyance as they arrived at neutral territory and Frederick immediately rushed up from the horse carriage and ran towards the execution ground, where he was executed, which place was already attended by many nobles and locals who watched. Gerald is upset when Frederick again leaves him.

Gerald clucked, he looked up kicking in awe of the orange-colored horizon that dazzled the eyes. Unfortunately, on this beautiful day, someone will be executed without knowing why.

"Why is Fred so worried? Who will be executed?"

SRETT

"Eh! Princess Eleanor, wait for me!"

On the other hand, Frederick narrowed down among the hundreds of spectators trying to break through to the front. All he could see from here was the figure of the Hortensia Emperor holding his sword. The victim of this execution must have been forced to bend his knee.

"Dam." Frederick cursed, he still could not see someone who would be killed today as well in the presence of the nobles.

But Frederick was not discouraged, he kept dragging his feet forward. No matter what swearing an oath was on him because he carelessly broke through.

".....!"

Frederick froze, his steps getting heavier to move forward. His eyes widened, dripping with clear crystals that glided without his permission. His hands shook then clenched tightly. His teeth were grinding, restraining the anger that was rising within him.

"The fuck...!"

Frederick's shout managed to turn everyone's eyes on him. Even the Hortensian Emperor himself and the victim...

As Frederick ran towards him, his body was pulled backwards by someone, it was Gerald. With hindering eyes Frederick looked at Gerald, but Gerald did not flinch as if unconscious and kept holding Frederick from breaking into the altar.

"What are you doing, Gerald!"

"Please calm down." Eleanor said with a sweeping voice.

But Frederick's emotions were burning. He was about to stomp Gerald's pull, too bad the soldiers who saw him immediately held him back. Frederick sat down forcibly, kneeling before the altar right in front of the man.

"Teacher..." Frederick said barely.

Zavius just smiled bitterly. He opened his mouth and said something without making a sound. Frederick flinched, he did not know why Zavius had said such a thing.

The nobles and the watching population began to whisper about the relationship between Frederick and the rest of the trash that had to be destroyed. Frederick's reputation has now been destroyed in the public eye. But Frederick looked indifferent, he just stared inside his teacher.

Frederick knew, he knew very well that his teacher must have been able to break free and run as far as possible to avoid this execution. But Zavius did not do it, Frederick did not understand why Zavius resigned and accepted his death for granted. Even Frederick had no idea why Zavius had to die shamefully in this place.

Frederick was still in revolt to release his hand lock. But the soldier was even more upset and ended up pushing Frederick's face by forcefully kissing the ground. Gerald growled in annoyance, but he was unable to do anything but watch. Eleanor moreover, she was a female and where it might challenge those large-bodied warriors.

Zavius also took a hard look at the incident. He glanced at the Hortensia Emperor who was watching him in silence with a flat gaze. Zavius stared at him fiercely, Emperor Hortensia again - again unmoved. He just stared at Zavius' stupidity flatly.

"How dare you treat my students like animals. Release her!" Shouted Zavius, again - again the Hortensian Emperor did not respond much. It's annoying. Zavius was drained of his emotions, while this man remained in a state as calm as the ocean.

"You were blabbering indistinctly on the day of your death, you're pretty good Lavoisier." The scales of Emperor Hortensia were sharp. "Cursed are you the blood of the black witch. You're all the same as that witch."

Zavius stared cynically, "I hope you don't vilify us Lavoisiers too far. Because you'll regret it."

The emperor did not respond.

"You know what, don't you?"

"....."

Zavius' smile grew. The Emperor had prepared by grasping his sword tightly, lifting it into the air to slash the head of someone he thought was sinful. He heeded Frederick's hysterical cries as well as the nobility and inhabitants who were waiting for the final death of the sins of the world.

"The offspring of your son will be cursed! Lavoisier's blood will flow in him and you can only watch him continue to live on the struggle of the two of you for Hortensia. The boy will backfire. And you're gonna die in his hands-"

CRASHES

"TEACHER!!!!"

...❀...

"Fred's? Want a cookie no?"

Frederick only shook his head weakly as Gerald offered some snacks he had bought with his own money. All that he did to make Frederick go back to how he was. Gerald could not bear to let Frederick continue to dissolve in his grief.

I just found out that this guy is his teacher. Inner Gerald.

"Gerald..." Call Frederick in a soft voice.

Gerald responded quickly, for this was the first time Frederick had spoken to him after a few days of the stranger's execution. That's where Gerald just found out who the figure who became his best friend's teacher.

"Why?"

"Do you know why Emperor Hortensia killed Master?" Frederick asked, his voice getting inaudible as it ran out.

"I heard he's Lavoisier's descendant." Gerald replied, He got the brief information from his brother-in-law.

"Lavoisier?" Frederick frowning. He remembered a book that he had not brought because of his teacher.

"Yes. You remember not the legend of the male witch and all the blood tied to her? Which tells me that they are all descendants of demons because they have the ability to control and create black magic."

Frederick nodded. A story that he initially only considered fictitious because all this time he never knew the existence of people with such abilities.

"Lavoisier is the name of the noble family with the blood of the devil." Gerald said, his expression turned serious.

Frederick's body stiffened. He lowered his head deeply - deeply. That was the most reasonable reason why Emperor Hortensia dared to do so. Although on the other hand he only knew that the story was true - a true legend. Frederick realized, his teacher was a criminal who was hunted by many people because he was still bound with demonic blood.

"How did the Emperor know?"

"Ruby's eyes."

DEG

Frederick was surprised to hear that. If he had not asked Zavius for the book of Lavoisier, Zavius would not have taken it. At least, he knew a little about the noble family that once existed.

Witch's descendants. Tied to the blood of the devil. Able to use black magic and easily control it.

Frederick should have been aware when he saw the expertise of Zavius is very extraordinary and beyond reason.

Frederick remembered the last words that Zavius had spoken to him before his head was cut off and his body was broken into flowers.

"Please look for Scoleths. Help him get the freedom that people steal from him."

Scoleths...?

...❀...

The imperial palace of Hortensia. The emperor walked back and forth - barren. Biting his fingernails with a feeling of anxiety. The only son of the Emperor, the Crown Prince Siegward certainly looked at his father confused and curious.

"Ayahanda, why does it seem so worried?"

The emperor stopped walking. His gaze leads to his only child. Zavius' words to him in the last moments of his life were very stuck in the Emperor's mind.

"The offspring of your son will be cursed! Lavoisier's blood will flow in him and you can only watch him continue to live on the struggle of the two of you for Hortensia. The boy will backfire. And you're gonna die in his hands-"

The emperor grasped his sword strongly - powerfully. The sword he used to separate the head from the body of the great sinner. The one who was still one blood tie with the black magic spreader in the Herbras continent.

Is it true that Sieg will have offspring who have ties to Lavoisier? I hope his words at the time were just playing.

TB

Hohoho, anyone remember the brief conversation between Clara and Claire in the dream world Meiger directed by Grein? They are a little about the spreader of black magic although not explicitly for the sake of not exploring too deeply about the perpetrator. It's in the sub chapter of 'Grein de'Lavoisier'. I've given enough clues as to who's behind this screen. You can guess if you want. If not, then -_-.

See you in the next chapter~