The Lady in Prison
Sounds of celebration from outside.

(Cheering… Father, Mother… Brother…)

A girl in a prison cell was gnashing her teeth and biting her lip. The girl understood the meaning of the cheering.
Her parents and brother were executed.

The girl's name is Emilia Fil Salbuveir, the daughter of Marquis Salbuveir. Just a while ago, Emilia was the finacée of Altos Gail Filgurt, the crown prince of Fildmerk Empire.
"Was" because her engagement has been broken, the process was quite terrible too. Crown Prince Altos declared his love for the daughter of Viscount Margorg, Linea, and rejected Emilia as a result.
What Crown Prince Altos had done next could be said was appropriate of the blood running through his veins, as he made use of the Salbuveir's family's political enemies and accused the family of treason against the Empire. As a result, the entire family and their followers were to be executed.
Of course, the Salbuveir family was innocent, but all the important people believed for it to be a fact. The political enemy faction of the Salbuveir family fabricated numerous pieces of evidence of their treason.
Their crimes were clear as a day, so there was no meaning in appealing for the Salbuveir family's innocence.

Emperor Altonius II also chose to cut down the Salbuveir family instead of protecting them, so he quickly ruled the death penalty by execution.

First, her family's retainers…

Then, her relatives…

And lastly, her parents and brother…

They were all sent on the execution platform. There even were children and babies among them, but they were shown no mercy. This bloody feast had enthralled the people of the Imperial Capital. The Salbuveir family definitely were not evil people, but they held the most power after the imperial family, so the people were simply envious of their glory.
The commoners didn't think about the imperial family that is above the Salbuveir family and blamed their difficult lives and poverty on them. It would have been nice if their worries got resolved by this.

(This country really is rotten, isn't it…)

Emilia's eyes shed no tears. The stage of shedding tears had already passed. Although no one has done as much for the Empire as the Salbuveir family, they were cursed at by everyone and Emilia's heart already broke under all the scorn.

"I am going to have my revenge on everyone who lives in this country!!"

Emilia's eyes were overflowing with hatred. The flames of revenge for those who had deprived her of all her loved ones were roused within her.

Tap… tap…

The sound of someone's footsteps resounded in Emilia's ears. They were coming her way.

(The rotten bastard appears, huh.)

Emilia turned her gaze towards the cell's door. A cynical smile on her face.

"Hou… to think you wouldn't show any tears."

There, the face of her former fiancé, Crown Prince Altos, appeared. Altos' appearances can be considered to be very beautiful. However, couldn't fall in love with the ugliness of his heart and soul.

"Even though your family was just executed. As I thought, you are such a woman."

Altos' voice was full of mockery for Emilia. The entourage behind him were also mocking Emilia.

"You can't regret it later, you know?"

Emilia declared dignifiedly. Her words immediately brought discomfort to Altos and his entourage.

"Shut up!! You are just a family of traitors!!"
"How can you speak like that to the Crown Prince!!"
"Besides, you are just a…"

The surroundings threw scorn and abuse around to quell Altos' anger. Altos raised his hand to control the entourage.

"Isn't this just fine? Listening to the grumbling of a loser can be considered amusing. This fellow is going to get executed tomorrow morning anyway."

Altos spoke to Emilia with a warped smile.

"Now, what did you want to say? What kind of rash remark would you like to throw at me?"

Sensing Altos' intentions, his followers started grinning. Altos and his group wanted to laugh at Emilia screaming and slapping them with curses.
No matter what curses she may speak of, they all would be just harmless grumbling of a loser.
No matter how the wild beast roars in the cage, they could mock it all they want as long as their security as guaranteed.

"Fufufu, how foolish."

Altos and his group were puzzled by Emilia's words. Her eyes were certainly burning with flames of hatred. But, her attitude didn't match her gaze. Altos and his entourage couldn't decipher this imbalance.

"Did you think all would end with my death?"
"What?"
"Do you think we are that lenient?"
"What do you mean?"
"Fufufu, you will understand after my execution."

Emilia said and laughed slowly. Her laughter was obviously menacing. No, it was a menace in itself.

"You!!"

One of the followers shouted and drew his sword.

"My, oh my, what an impatient person you are. It seems that you can't wait until my execution?"
"Stop it, Leon!!"

Altos controlled his followers and scowled at Emilia.

"Emilia, what are you scheming?"

Emilia grinned to Altos' words.

"Of course, taking revenge on each and everyone in this country."
"What did you say?"
"Oh my, is it that hard to understand? When a family gets charged with false accusations, isn't it normal for them to seek revenge?"
"You bastard, have you perhaps really betrayed the Empire…"

Emilia shook her head slowly in return to Altos' words.

"Fufufu, we have no need to rely on other countries."

Emilia's words were filled with mystery as always. This brought endless discomfort to Altos. Deep down in his heart, fear started budding.

"I am looking forward to tomorrow."

Emilia's smile forced Altos to gulp.