The Story of an Arrogant Succubus Princess Who Always Looked Down on Humans as Mere Food, Until She Fell in Love With an Ordinary Man - Chapter 31

“Hurry up and walk!”

It had been a little over a month since Asbel was put in the cell. The knight who had come to the prison suddenly shackled Asbel’s hands and dragged him out of the cell by force.

“…”

The sky he hadn’t seen in so long was covered in thick clouds, casting a dim light over everything. The cold air was damp; the gloomy landscape looked as if rain could start at any moment.

Today, Asbel would be executed.

The rumor that Asbel was a demon had already spread throughout the kingdom. Regardless of whether it was true, the rumor shocked the citizens, who had once seen Asbel as a hero.

A hero representing humanity…was actually a demon.

That sensational rumor spread like wildfire, and soon, Asbel became known as “a spy sent from the demon’s land.”

This was the result of certain nobles manipulating public opinion, channeling all the kingdom’s pent-up dissatisfaction and frustration onto one man.

──It’s all his fault.

Even the people Asbel had once risked his life to protect now threw stones at him. But despite their selfish actions, Asbel felt neither anger nor disappointment.

“I knew it all along, at least that much.”

Asbel murmured softly, his expression as emotionless as ever…but today, a dark shadow crossed his face, a deeply rooted resignation not typically seen in him.

“The so-called ‘Iron-Face Demon’ is finally scared now that he’s being executed?”

Seeing Asbel’s expression, the escorting soldier sneered.

“…”

But Asbel didn’t respond. He did not fear death. He wasn’t one to be weakened by misunderstandings or malice. From the moment he took his first life, he had decided that he would die for the righteousness he believed in.

Now, what filled his chest was something different. Just the other day, he had spoken with a certain noble, accompanied by Alan.

What that noble, Duke Balstein, had revealed to him shook Asbel to his core. It was enough to deny the very righteousness he had believed in all his life…

“In the end, everything I’ve done since the beginning was…”

Asbel lowered his gaze, his face one of complete resignation. If he wanted, he could break the shackles and escape easily. But Asbel chose not to, staying true to the righteousness he believed in.

“…”

Normally, that would be him. But now, he seemed to lack the willpower. Like a lifeless corpse, or a puppet simply moving out of habit, he was devoid of any resolve.

“Tch, ignoring me, huh? Boring.”

The escorting soldier, perhaps realizing that talking to Asbel was pointless, fell silent.

Asbel was loaded into a carriage and transported to the guillotine. Only those convicted of the most serious crimes were executed this way in this kingdom, and even that had grown rare due to objections from some nobles who deemed it barbaric.

In the midst of all this, Asbel’s sudden execution was decided, drawing a considerable crowd around the guillotine due to the spreading rumors that he was a demon.

They hurled insults at Asbel, believing the baseless rumors.

“Die! Demon!”

“It’s your fault we lost the war!”

“As long as people like you exist, this country will never get better!”

“That’s right! Abolish the peace treaty! This country will never improve as long as demons are around!”

“My parents were killed by demons! You die too!”

“Yes, kill him already!”

“Die, die, die, die, die, kill him, kill him, kill him, kill him!”

The voices echoed, the kingdom’s accumulated resentment pouring forth. Not everyone could keep believing in one value like Asbel did. It was easy to be righteous, but continuing to be righteous required unshakable resolve.

They all wanted a sacrifice. No one could be as strong as Asbel. Their curses reflected their own natural weaknesses.

“…”

Asbel silently gazed up at the guillotine. The thick blade gleamed dully. When that blade fell, his long battle would finally end.

“Even if it was meaningless, I have no regrets. My sins are finally judged. It’s been a long fight.”

His small murmur was lost, carried away by the wind. Even now, facing death, he showed no fear. The executioner, with a mocking smile, called out to him.

“Staring so hard at the guillotine—is something wrong? Could it be that the man feared as the ‘Iron-Face Demon’ is now scared of his own death…? Surely, you wouldn’t say something so ridiculous?”

“No, I’m just a bit…concerned.”

Asbel replied calmly.

“Concerned? What could you possibly be concerned about when you’re about to die?”

“It’s nothing major. I’m just…a little worried if a blade like that could really cut off my head.”

“Huh?”

The executioner peered into Asbel’s face, wondering if he was joking. But Asbel’s expression was dead serious. Even this seasoned executioner, who had taken the heads of countless criminals, had never seen someone wondering if the blade could actually sever his neck.

“So, that’s the ‘Iron-Face Demon’ for you. Even when facing his own death, he makes jokes with a straight face. I don’t dislike a man with spine like that.”

“A joke? No, I’m simply stating a fact. I once took a direct hit from an orc’s axe to the neck on the battlefield, but it only cut slightly before the blade snapped. That guillotine blade looks thicker, but…I still have my doubts.”

“…You really are a monster, aren’t you?”

“It seems I am…supposedly a demon.”

Asbel chuckled wryly.

He had heard the rumors that he was a demon. Indeed, he had always been tougher and stronger than the people around him. But it wasn’t as if he was unique. On the battlefield, there were others, like Alan recently, who showed strength far beyond human limits.

“Or maybe…I just wanted to believe I was ordinary.”

What Duke Balstein had revealed to him…that Asbel’s execution was happening because of this…that the rumor of him being a demon wasn’t entirely unfounded. Asbel let out a weary sigh.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll decide for myself who I am.”

The sturdy shackles bound his hands. The knights surrounding him and the crowd of spectators. Normally, the execution should have started immediately, but there was a delay in the officials’ movements. Apparently, some noble had insisted on watching, causing a slight delay in Asbel’s execution.

“…A pointless act.”

Asbel realized that this was likely because Gran had tried to buy some time for him. He looked up at the sky with a troubled expression.

…Even in this situation, escaping would have been easy.

But now, what would he do if he ran away? Would he continue fighting and killing, following his sense of righteousness somewhere else? Or would he turn away from his former way of life and live only for his happiness?

“There’s no value in living that much longer. For me…or for this world.”

Then, a noble dressed in flamboyant attire arrived. Time for thought was over. Now, all he could do was trust in the sharpness of that blade and wait calmly for death. At long last, the battle was over.

Asbel’s shoulders sagged, and he exhaled softly.

“Father, Mother…perhaps now, I am somewhat forgiven.”

He closed his eyes. Then, as he remembered something, he raised his head once more.

“Sorry, Lili. I may not be able to keep that promise.”

Asbel looked up at the clouded sky, as if gazing at a starry night. Naturally, no stars were visible. But in his eyes, the dazzling night sky appeared.

Maybe everything he had done was meaningless. …But still, there was something left in his chest. Losing himself in that night sky had been real. Content with that fact, Asbel stepped toward the guillotine.

But suddenly, a voice rang out.

“──Don’t you dare give up, idiot!”

Like a shooting star, a girl appeared from a break in the clouds.

“You really are an idiot…”

With her dazzling golden hair and matching golden eyes, the unmistakably free Succubus fluttered her jet-black wings like the night sky, laughing as if to defy this tedious reality of the world.

She laughed boldly, freely, and endlessly.

“My necklace broke, so I came looking for a new one. …You’ll join me, won’t you, Asbel?”

The Enchantress of Nations. The succubus among succubi, Liliana Liche Riden. She once again stepped into the human kingdom.