The executed Countess

 ☆

 ”And now, we will execute the eldest daughter of the Owleyes Earl House!”
 
 As the government official standing next to the guillotine announced the execution sentence, the plaza was filled with the audience’s bellowing cheer.
 
 The people lean forward to try to get a better view of me.
 The soldiers restrain them.
 
 This probably comes across to them as no more than a show.
 The final moments of the foolish fiancée who, having gone mad with jealousy, had tried to assassinate the crown prince.
 They have no doubts regarding things like whether or not it’s true.
 
 Despite there being such a great number of people here.
 In this place, not one of them took my side.
 
 
 
 The government official’s announcement continued.
 
 ”That person, out of jealousy, planned to assassinate his Highness the crown prince, who was her very own fiance, by planting explosive magic in a gift.”
 
 … No.
 
 Although I indeed made a congratulatory “fragrance box” to gift his Highness for his birthday, I didn’t plant in exploding magic or whatever.
 
 I simply added a small gimmick to it so that, when the lid was opened, it would create a slight breeze and spread the fragrance around the room.
 
 And yet…
 
 My gift never reached his Highness, and exploded in the Imperial Knights Order’s inspection area when they went to go inspect for dangerous goods.
 
 
 
 ”Left behind by the explosive, we found the remains of a magic circuit which could only have been made by the Ainsworth House. It is clear that the criminal conspired with her father, Earl Brad Ainsworth, to produce the exploding magic tool used in committing the crime!”
 
 My father was a man filled with pride and dignity.
 
 They tortured that father, and after a prompt trial, executed him as an accomplice the next day.
 
 Not a fragment of his many years of loyalty to the royal family, nor his begrudgingly devoted sacrifice in the previous war were taken into account during the verdict.
 
 Father pleaded for my innocence right up to his last moments, and died while requesting they spare my life.
 
 The image of those last moments remains on my eyelids.
 
 ”Daddy…”
 
 Something warm overflows from my eyes and spills down.
 
 Onto the hem of my slightly-stained dress.
 Onto the wooden shackles with a magic seal applied.
 
 Nearby, I heard that my brother from the territory will also be implicated.
 The attendant who served me since when I was very young, and the servants too, have already been hung.
 
 The slightly-stained former countess, who has already lost her dear family, and her honour, and even the very foundation of her heart.
 
 That was who I was now.
 
 
 
 ”——— no more than that. Criminal, to the guillotine with you.”
 
 Urged on by the soldiers, I continued up towards the guillotine.
 
 One step, and another step, the crude wooden staircase creaks. Almost as if it were the screams of those who’ve disappeared with the dew on this guillotine.
 
 At the end of the staircase is a cloudy sky.
 
 Below the gloomy clouds, the angle-cut decapitation blade was hoisted and fixed in place by ropes.
 The moment when the executioner’s axe cuts the rope, that will be my last.
 
 As I climbed to the top of the staircase, the sight of many people intently watching me once again came into view.
 
 Among them, in the highest of the specially set up seats for nobility, sat that man.
 
 ”Your Highness…”
 
 The former fiance, who gazed this way with eyes as though he were looking at something foul.
 The luxurious blonde hair shone as it caught the sun’s light.
 
 I wondered, what was I to him?
 
 
 
 One day shortly after my twelfth birthday, a messenger from the royal family came to the territory’s mansion.
 
 The message was that my father, the Earl, had been summoned to the royal palace.
 
 I later heard that it was to discuss an engagement between me and that man, who was the second prince at the time.
 
 I was soon after summoned to the royal as well, and with royalty lined up, the talks of the engagement proceeded without delay.
 
 Apparently, the results of the magic test conducted on my birthday were reported, and it seemed that I possessed magic power within the country’s top ranks.
 
 The qualities of magic are hereditary.
 
 That engagement was something the king desired because of my amount of magic power and pedigree.
 It wasn’t what I desired, nor what my family desired.
 
 
 
 Anyhow, I tried as hard as I could.
 
 To try becoming a good royal, to try becoming a good wife, I endeavoured in my studies, intending to live up to the expectations of those around me.
 
 But he… his Highness the crown prince’s affection, from beginning to end, was never directed towards me.
 
 After about three years of student life, the first prince died in battle, and that man became the crown prince.
 
 I wasn’t even invited to tea once.
 
 I couldn’t compare to “her” who, right now, while serving next to him, sent a terrifying glance this way.
 
 Certainly, I didn’t have much of a good impression of her, who came from a commoner background and didn’t know any manners.
 
 Even so, I treated her with courtesy as a fellow student at the same school, to say nothing of the bullying and such of noble girls which his Highness said “I took the leading role”, which I had no clue about.
 
 ——— I wonder why he shunned me?
 
 That I had to be framed with false charges and that even my family and servants had to be executed, I wonder what it was that I did?
 
 I don’t know.
 I don’t know.
 I don’t know.
 
 But, it doesn’t matter anymore.
 Because I already have nothing left.
 
 
 
 ”Lady, are you fine with these two as your travel companions?”
 
 As I stood still before the guillotine, the executioner wearing a terrifying mask called out to me with a surprisingly gentle voice.
 
 In his hands were two teddy bears of different colours.
 
 They were a gift my mother gave me when I was a child, before she passed away.
 
 As my final wish, I had requested of the court to pass on alongside these two, and had gotten permission.
 
 ”Yes. Those children.”
 
 I told him so, and the executioner laid them below the guillotine.
 
 ”And now, kneel and place your neck in that hollow please.”
 
 I nodded, and knelt before the guillotine.
 The people’s cheers reverberated.
 
 Despite this being my final moments, seeing the faces of these bears strangely calmed me down.
 
 (Coco, Mel, sorry. It ended up like this…)
 
 Tears naturally spilled out.
 
 ”Do you have any final words?”
 
 ”… tell my brother, I love him.”
 
 ”I shall tell him. Anything else?”
 
 ”Nothing. Sorry for having you go through with this for me.”
 
 ”If you don’t move, you won’t feel any pain, so please relax.”
 
 I pulled in my chin, and closed my eyes.
 
 ”… please.”
 
 ”Then, here I go.”
 
 The sound of the axe being taken, and swung.
 
 ”…… Letty!!!”
 
 Someone’s scream.
 And then,
 
 Doof
 Garagaragaragara———shinggg!^[1]
 

 ☆

 
 ”!!!”
 
 I jumped up, confused.
 
 The scene before me was very different from what it had been until a moment ago.
 
 ”Miss, are you alright?”
 
 The driver called out to me with a surprised voice.
 
 This is… inside a taxi.
 I’m seated in the backseat.
 
 ”Ye-, yeah. I just fell asleep for a bit. Sorry for surprising you.”
 
 As I said this, the pounding in my chest wouldn’t stop.
 Both my fists above the skirt of my dress were trembling, shaking.
 
 —— it was that dream.
 I haven’t seen it in a long time, that dream.
 
 I hadn’t seen it since forever, so I thought for certain that I’d gotten over it.
 
 However, it seems that’s not the case.
 
 ”Phew…”
 
 Exhaling deeply, I look out the window.
 
 A gloomy sky.
 Rain falling incessantly.
 
 Even though it’s the big moment I’ve worked hard for. I wonder if choosing a dress was a mistake?
 

TL Notes:

[1]onomatopeia for the axe slamming into wood as it cuts the rope, followed by the rattle of the guillotine blade as it descends the wooden frame, and finally, the sound of the guillotine blade cutting ↩

 

Welcome! I’m NomAsh, the one translating this WN. I’ll admit, this author’s writing style for this chapter really got me excited. I’ve got high hopes for the chapters to come.
 
As of this moment, the author has uploaded 42 chapters, and I’ve read a little more than 30 of them. I’m quite happy with the thought the author has put into the development, even if there are some elements that might seem a little silly to some (spoiler, though you’ll see this in the chapter after the next one: the teddybears are definitely one of them XD)
 
The author is uploading chapters at about one a day, but I certainly won’t be able to keep the same pace if I want to do this translation justice. I’ll make no promises, but expect translated chapters to come out every 3 days.
 
Glad to see you here, and hope you enjoy this as much as I do.