[Our thoughtless decisions are the stepping stones for our own downfall. It is best to rectify those mistakes now, rather than looking back and regretting what should have been done sooner...]
Pain....
I was all I could feel...It wasn't the type of pain that would leave one's body sore
The pain I felt was nothing but pure agony... It would be enough to drive one mad with the sheer amount of discomfort. At one point, my whole body was throbbing with pain that was purely discomforting for my body
*Haha* I couldn't help but bitterly laugh to myself
The so-called Infamous 'Demon Duke', the man who smirked sadistically as others writhed in pain beneath his feet, is the one in the same situation as that of his poor, unfortunate victims
I was being paraded through Rivermont, the capital city of the Evandis territory, like some stupid trophy on display. I was spat on by peasants, sneered at by nobles, laughed at by the heroes and Rebels of the Kingdom of Septonia, I couldn't help but think that... this is what I deserve. Looking at the peasants, I mean... Common folks on the streets made by heart be filled with grief, those people were most probably the unfortunate souls that I've scarred for life, but... Feeling guilty isn't going to get me anywhere, besides... the damage has already been done. It's not like I can go back to the past and change the outcomes, that's technically impossible, trust me... If it were even a tiny bit possible, I would've done that years ago. How the hell did I even end up in this pathetic situation? This was the only question I had in mind... I haven't the slightest clue as to how I ended up in this utterly pathetic and absolutely humiliating situation... One minute, I'm in my estate sipping tea, and the next minute, the royal guards barged into my estate... Uninvited, that is! And they're the ones telling people to stay off others' properties... that's purely absurd, if you know what I mean. After I was done being paraded through Rivermont, I was dragged to the colosseum for my punishment. I already know what kind of punishment awaits me. I mean, let's be honest here... That's literally how every story ends: the villains either lose or die, and the heroes are the ones who rise to greater heights, becoming the beacon of hope in the eyes of the weak and the innocent. The hard truth that we all have to accept is that no matter how powerful a villain is, he or she will always lose to the hero... There isn't a single story in which the villain actually achieved their goals, even if the villain was but an inch close to achieving their goals... There will always be a person to stop them from doing so, but let's set aside this conversation for another time. As soon as I stepped into the colosseum, the whispering stopped, and everyone's eyes fell onto me. It wasn't hard to tell what they were feeling. All their expressions conveyed the same feelings of disgust, contempt, fear, and relief... relief that the person who had been nothing but a plague in this world is finally getting the punishment that he deserves. As I got onto the execution stage, a sharp pain
* THWANG*
shot across the back of my leg, and I fell onto my knees with a tremble. I glanced at one of the knights who was holding a wooden stick with a satisfied smirk on his face.... Only then did I realize that the knight whacked the back of my leg with the wooden stick
'The audacity this guy has!! How dare he even think of hitting me? The 'Demon Duke'. I thought to myself, not caring to mask my rising anger.
If I weren't chained down like some wild animal, I would've easily killed this guy right here and right now, but... I'm in no position to start a fight... I mean, seeing as how I'm looking like burnt chicken.... I wouldn't want to make myself look even more pathetic than I am now. Well, I'd be lying if I said that I didn't regret turning into the kind of person I am today, but... What can I say? I've made a lot of shitty choices in life and look where that got me... On an execution stage! Well done, Leonhart, you're the cause of your own death. As I was busy contemplating my life choices, a voice broke me out of my reverie....
'Leonhart Aegis... You have been brought here on the order of the Council of Kings. Do you have anything to say for yourself?
I looked towards the source of the sound, on a high balcony where the royal family of Rivermont was seated. The person who had spoken just now was Aiden De Rivera, the king of Rivermont. He had blonde hair that seemed to shimmer like the morning sun and sapphire blue eyes that were cold enough to bore holes into one's soul, but... that expression of his was truly befitting of his title as the coldest king in the entire western continent; he's not only considered a cold-hearted ruler, but he's also considered a war maniac. He not only conquered the Septonian kingdom, but also managed to conquer the Kingdom of Miradona to extend his empire, but... Nevertheless, he is still appreciated as a hero and saviour... despite being a ruthless maniac who seemed to be obsessed with starting wars.
'It's been nearly 20 years, and he still hasn't changed even in the slightest.'
'Leonhart Aegis, the Council of Kings has concluded your punishment. The rest of the details shall be spoken by Alfred, my advisor. Aiden spoke in a cold, authoritative tone. His face was devoid of expression, except for the cold expression that could chill a person to the bone
A sturdy-looking man... Who I suppose to be Alfred, took a scroll which was tied with a red ribbon, untying the ribbon in an elegant gesture, unfolding the scroll... he then fixed his glasses before speaking
'The Council of Kings has decided to give Leonhart Aegis a suitable punishment. It is stated that he is to be punished via the death sentence... he is to be executed in the colosseum in front of the citizens of Rivermont for committing:
> Embezzlement,
> Torture,
> Smuggling Illegal items,
> Corruption,
> Arson,
> Committing mass genocide,
> Vandalizing properties,
> Murdering innocent people,
> Use of Forbidden Magic,
> Identity theft etc.,
It is also stated that Leonhart Aegis's properties shall be seized by the bureaucrats after his execution.
Then it hit me.... I had completely forgotten half of these crimes
Well shit... I messed up big time.
Well, there you go... I guess that explains my shitty choices and my fucked up life. To be truthful, if there was an award for the most shittiest decision maker....I'd be the first person on the list to hold the trophy. I can't argue with the fact that I deserve to die after having committed those many crimes...How in the fuck does one even manage to forget the crimes that they committed? There's no use in reminiscing... What's done is done, and it can't be fixed. Suddenly, I heard a voice that sounded young and deep... I looked towards the source of the sound and saw a guy 15 years younger than me. This guy must be Lucien Valtor, I've heard a lot about him and by that I mean.... tales of his heroic bravery and how he defeated a tier- dragon single-handedly without a team. I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't irritated even in the slightest by this kid; he looks arrogant with that cocky-ass smirk of his, a fan club full of girls swooning over this guy, I mean.... What do these girls even see in him? I'm obviously way more attractive than 'Mr. Showoff' here and don't get me started on his goddamn hair... flowing in the wind like he's doing some sort of commercial, he's also apparently got an ego the size of the world, yet... people here are boosting his ego by praising him, saying that he's gods gift... Yeah right....God's gift my ass... He's nothing more than a mere human kid.
'Any last words, Tyrant?' Lucien Valtor spoke with pure arrogance and had a cocky smirk on his face. He spat out the last word 'Tyrant' with pure venom to show that he hated Leonhart Aegis from the bottom of his heart.
I scoffed through the pain, not only did I manage to get 3 bruised ribs from my previous fight... Back when the royal guards barged into my estate without my permission, I tried to use my most famous spell Ignus Ardeo(1)(Fireball spell) on one of the authorities, and it backfired on me, and oh well... I accidentally set myself on fire; luckily, one of the guards managed to put the fire out.... otherwise, I would've turned to ashes. Luck is definitely not on my side. Ignoring the increasing pain, I could only manage to muster enough energy to mutter.
'You brat...' Before I felt something sharp, that damn brat stabbed me!
'Your reign of terror has finally come to an end, tyrant.' Lucien Valtor spoke as he stabbed me with a smile on his face... a fucking smile!
'Damn brat didn't even let me finish my sentence... Honestly, didn't his parents teach him any manners...It's rude to interrupt when an elder is speaking. I thought to myself as I slowly gave into darkness.
[Why is it that heroes are the only ones who get a happy ending? Why must villains fall just so heroes can rise?
It just isn't fair...]
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Fun fact: Ardeo(1) means "to be on fire" in Latin... and yes, Leonhart casts Ignus Ardeo and basically burns himself first. Because why just ruin everyone else's day when you can ruin your own, too? 🔥
I actually got this idea back in college. I was thinking of a random situation, and my brain immediately pictured Leonhart standing there like a complete idiot, setting himself on fire. I laughed so hard I knew I had to put it in the story.