Execution Day

Shortly after, several soldiers ran up, seized Amai, and saluted Douglas. One of them spoke up.

Soldier: Sir... Douglas. (He stammered.)

Douglas: Tell me what happened.

Soldier: There was a riot in the prison. Some criminals escaped. According to reports, this man was the mastermind behind it all. He attacked the guards, freed many prisoners, and escaped.

Douglas: Take him away. The execution will be held tomorrow! (He said sternly.)

Soldier: Yes, sir!

The soldiers escorted Amai away.

Amai: "Damn it, why am I so unlucky? How am I supposed to escape now?" (He thought.)

Jean: Hey, Douglas! Didn't you feel something from that person just now?

Douglas: You mean a criminal? What could I possibly feel from someone like that? Disgust, hatred, anger, resentment, or loathing... Let's go home. Today has been far too long.

Jean: "I feel uneasy. That boy didn't look like a vicious criminal. Is my intuition wrong?" (She thought.)

Amai was taken to the prison. He tossed and turned all night but couldn't come up with a way to escape. After his capture, the number of guards had increased significantly, and they were now fully armed. Even just lying still, he was constantly watched—let alone moving freely without being noticed.

Amai: Hey, man, could you look somewhere else? Staring at me like that makes me really uncomfortable. (He pleaded with the guard.)

Guard: A dead man doesn't feel discomfort. Just stay put.

Amai: What do you mean by that? (He asked, looking puzzled.)

Guard: Tomorrow morning, the general himself will order your execution. Once you've reached that point, hell has already opened its doors for you. Tell me, are you already dead? If not, why would hell be waiting for you? (He explained in a mocking tone.)

Amai fell silent and turned away.

Amai: "I've heard about this general before. They say he played a crucial role in the battle that year. How am I supposed to outsmart him and escape?" (He thought.)

— Scene change to Lady Jean —

She always thought about her son, living in endless regret and blaming herself for failing in her duty as a mother.

Maid: My lady, here's a handkerchief. Please don't cry anymore. If the young master saw you like this, he would be heartbroken.

Jean: I know, but I've swallowed my tears for so long that I've become numb to it.

Maid: "Because of those savages, my lady has to live in such torment. She is truly pitiful." (She thought.)

— The next morning —

Guard: Hey! Get up, it's time.

Amai sat on the cold prison floor, his eyes sunken from a sleepless night. Several guards surrounded him, and military mages cast Gane to completely restrain his hands. His mouth was tightly gagged with cloth, leaving him no way to use magic. He was then escorted to the execution ground.

At 8 AM, a large crowd gathered to witness a criminal being personally judged by their general. Amai was forced to kneel in the center of the execution site. Looking up, he could see General Douglas and Lady Jean seated beside him. Douglas read out the crimes Amai had committed.

Amai: "The two mages have just removed the Gane binding on my hands. Just as planned, I can use my Teleportation Paper to escape! Lucky for me, they didn't check my ankle restraints and only used mages to bind my hands during transport. This gamble... I can win." (He thought.)

Douglas finished reading Amai's crimes. Normally, he would now ask if Amai had any last words before execution, but instead, he raised his hand high. Once that hand came down, Amai would die.

Jean: "Why do I feel so uneasy? This is unbearable." (She thought.)

As Douglas's hand was about to fall and Amai was preparing to tear the Teleportation Paper to escape, a voice suddenly rang out.

Voice: STOP!!! YOU'RE ABOUT TO KILL YOUR OWN SON!!!!

A girl staggered into the execution ground, her body weak and exhausted. She was covered in dirt, and blood oozed from wounds on her skin.

Amai suddenly leaped to his feet, shoving the executioner off the platform. He quickly sat down, using his feet to push the gag from his mouth and shouted.

Amai: Ami? AMI!!!! What happened to you?! AMI!!!

Maid: General! GENERAL!!! My lady has fainted!

Douglas immediately turned around.

Douglas: Jean!!! Jean!!! What's wrong?!

The entire crowd fell into chaos. Then suddenly, someone shouted.

...: That's one of the savages! Capture her!

After that voice rang out, many people rushed toward Ami.

Amai: "No!!! Stay away from her!" (He thought.)

Amai began chanting a spell, enhancing his arms and legs with magic. With a powerful swing, he shattered both restraints and immediately dashed forward, holding Ami tightly in his arms. The mages and soldiers moved into action—some securing the citizens, others surrounding the two fugitives.

Amai: What happened to you, Ami? Tell me, who did this to you?!

Meanwhile, back at General Douglas's side, Lady Jean slowly regained consciousness.

Douglas: Jean, what happened to you? What's wrong?

Jean: I suddenly felt dizzy. My son's image flashed through my mind, and a deep pain tightened in my chest.

Douglas: You've been worrying too much.

Jean: Just now... I heard someone's voice. Where are they?

Douglas: They're surrounded. (He helped Jean sit back down in her chair.)

Douglas: Stay here and rest. I will go down and see them myself.

Douglas: "Could what that savage girl just screamed be true? Is that really my son? Until I confirm the truth, I cannot let Jean find out. If anything goes wrong, I'll regret it for the rest of my life." (He thought.)

Jean: Follow the general. Make sure to report everything you see and hear. Understand?

Maid: Yes, my lady.

Douglas approached Amai and Ami. The soldiers made way for him. He looked at the two figures before him and spoke.

Douglas: Is what you just said true? If there is even the slightest lie, you will pay the price.

Ami: Amai is the boy I saved from the abyss.

Douglas: Are you deceiving me? Years ago, when I searched that forest, your people claimed they hadn't seen any child! (He spoke in anger.)

Ami: That's not what we were told. According to the elders, your people attacked the forest for its resources.

Douglas: What?!

Amai: That's enough, Ami. Stop trying to explain. I'll get you to safety first and find a way to heal you.

Citizen: That's a lie! We only went there to search for the general's son!

Citizen: You savages are nothing but deceitful liars!

Douglas: ENOUGH!

The weight of Douglas's words silenced the crowd.

Douglas: Bring a military healer and a judge here. Tell me everything you know.

Ami recounted the entire story—from when she saved Amai from the abyss and lived with him in the forest, to when he left to search for his family.

Douglas: Tell me, how do you know I'm his father? And how did you uncover the truth about that battle?

Ami: My grandfather suspected there was a deeper reason behind the war. Many clues led him to conclude that the real reason wasn't a fight over resources... but because of Amai.

Douglas: Judge, have you recorded everything she said?

Judge: Everything has been recorded, General.

Douglas: What did the Trust test result show?

Judge: Everything this girl said... is the truth. There was no emotional fluctuation in her speech, sir.

The crowd grew more restless than ever.

Douglas: My son is here? Guards, take this girl for treatment. Quickly!

Several military medics rushed forward to carry Ami away. Amai stood there, stunned.

Douglas: My son. (Douglas called out to Amai.)

After years of separation, he had imagined countless ways their reunion might unfold, but never had he expected it to be like this. His son had almost been executed by his own hand.

Amai: If you consider me your son, then take good care of Ami.

With those words, he dashed away, heading straight for the Apat Forest.

The lady's maid, upon realizing that the captured person was indeed the young master, immediately ran to inform her mistress. The mother burst into uncontrollable sobs—this time, she no longer had to suppress her emotions. These tears no longer carried sorrow but pure happiness.