Yariaku Ch 0: Prologue
Prologue
He could hardly believe this was his fate.
Flood Yuno Focus, a young man of noble birth and striking features, with blond hair and blue eyes that once sparkled with confidence, now stood on the wooden platform, his expression one of utter hopelessness.
He wore nothing but tattered clothes that barely covered his body, a metal collar that blocked his access to his magic, and chains that bound his wrists and ankles. In front of him loomed the menacing blade of the guillotine, ready to sever his head from his neck. Beside it, a burly executioner held a large axe, waiting for the signal to start the bloody spectacle.
"Kill him!! Kill him!! Kill him!!"
The crowd that filled the square roared with bloodlust, demanding Flood's execution.
"This shitty lord!! This scum!! Get your punishment!!"
They hurled curses and stones at him, but Flood could not comprehend why he was hated so much.
"Is this really fair...? I did what I was supposed to do as a lord... as a count..."
Where did he go wrong?
Was it because he failed to alleviate the famine that struck his land?
No... He gave them sound advice to eat rice or insects if wheat was scarce... He couldn't control the weather or the crops...
Was it because he couldn't defend his territory from the empire's invasion?
No... That was not my duty, but the kingdom's, right...?
Was it because he couldn't quell the rebellion that erupted among his people?
No... They were the ones who rebelled against me, right...?
These thoughts, like fragments of memories, flashed through Flood's mind.
"Yeah... I'm not evil, right...? Crantz agreed with me too..."
But the man who had been his trusted steward, Crantz, had turned against him and sided with the rebels, becoming his nemesis.
"Get moving!!"
"Ow!?"
The guard behind him kicked Flood, who had halted in his steps to the guillotine, and Flood, forgetting his plight, snapped back.
"Hey!! How dare you treat me like this?! I'm still a lord, a count, you know?! Show some respect!!"
"Shut your mouth! You have no right to talk back!"
"Do you think I'll just accept this quietly?!"
"...Just be quiet. Hey"
The executioner's helpers grabbed Flood, who was fuming.
"Wha, what are you doing?! That's not fair! Sto, stop it!!"`
His cries fell on deaf ears, as the executioner's helpers dragged him by his arms and forced him to kneel before the guillotine.
"We hereby sentence the heinous criminal, Flood Yuno Focus, who abused and tortured countless people with his tyranny, to death by beheading!!"
"Yeeeeeeah!!!!"
The crowd cheered with savage delight.
"Stop, stop! You're all wrong!! The accusations are too vague, aren't they?! What does it mean, 'a heinous criminal who abused and tortured countless people with his tyranny'?! The object is too broad and the crucial details are missing, aren't they?!"
Flood, who clung to his life, used his wit, displayed his intelligence, and attempted to sway everyone.
"Isn't it more important to forgive than to kill?! Everyone, let's have a generous heart and let bygones be bygones!! I forgive you all!! So you should also forgi... ugh?!"
The executioner struck Flood's abdomen with a powerful blow.
"Enough. Just be silent."
"Ugh...! Gah...!"
Flood doubled over, clutching his stomach.
"E, Etna...! Etna!!"`
Flood, who knew it was the end, glanced at his servant, Etna, who was behind him, shrieking and struggling.
Etna, who had raven hair and amber eyes, was also clad in torn prisoner clothes, with handcuffs and shackles, and was slated for her execution after Flood.
"Flood-sama..."
Etna met Flood's eyes as if to respond to his call, and softly shook her head, as if to say, please give up.
"I don't care if I die! But Etna, please spare Etna life!!"
"Enough!! You're all guilty!! Die already, you scum!!"
"Etna is not scum!! I'm the only scum!!"
"Flood-sama, there's no hope left. At least for the last time, how about being graceful?"
"Ah..."
Flood's face fell into despair, and the executioner lifted his axe--
"No!! I don't want to die!! I don't want to diiiiiie!!"
Their cries were futile, and both Flood and Etna were executed--`
--
----
Flood Yuno Focus--
He was the firstborn son of the illustrious Focus family, the count of the Dracma Kingdom, and took over the family leadership at a tender age after his parents, the count and countess, succumbed to a pestilence.
He had a myopic personality, believing that it was sufficient if he and his cronies were well off. He delegated all the political affairs to his subordinates, and pampered himself in pleasure. Even when a severe famine befell the kingdom, he did nothing to aid the many people who perished of hunger, and persisted to live a luxurious life as usual. As a consequence, he provoked the wrath of the people, who rose up against him, and lured the invasion of the empire, which culminated in his execution.
Later, the eminent historian Pausanias Thermopylae, who chronicled the history of the Dracma Kingdom, wrote this about Flood in his book.
He was a heinous criminal who enabled the invasion of the empire and nearly annihilated the kingdom, but his humanity was exceedingly mediocre. He was a worthless, trivial person who was not worth mentioning.
