I Returned As the Governor of the Country That Abandoned Me

15 – Draw the sword, put it on the ground, kneel down

One day, two days, four days. Several days have already passed since that day, but the figure of the person who called himself an imperial citizen has not been seen since then.

‘What kind of hope did I have?’

Actually, he didn’t even expect it. Because I knew what he said would be a lie. Even so, I hoped that his words were sincere.

“Come out.”

The prison door opened, and the guard guarding the prison said to me. The opening of the prison door does not mean my release. Is not it? Today is the day of my execution, so in some ways the meaning of release might be right.

Release from this life. A release from all these things that held me back.

I got up from my seat and slowly walked out of the prison.

In my step outside after a long time, there was no hesitation. Because there are no regrets in this life anymore. That’s why, just calmly, I’m just moving forward to meet the end.

‘It’s dark.’

The last day of my life was a day when clouds filled the sky. I wish I could have cried coolly for myself as I am facing my end, or shined brightly to tell me to be happy in my next life.

Until the end, my world is full of dark clouds.

“Ariel. You killed three of the royal guards of the kingdom’s nobles, and you crossed the border without permission. Do you admit this fact?”

When I arrived at the execution site and waited calmly for my death, I heard someone’s voice from above.

“I agree.”

I have no intention of denying this fact. Honest to the end. As my beliefs follow.

“Your sin is never light. So, pay for that sin with your life here.”

Soon, a man appeared behind me with a huge sword. I see My end will be reaped by that man’s sword.

“Do you have any last words?”

My last words before I die. I didn’t know that I would do what is often called a will.

Is it because he realized that fact? Unbeknownst to me, a single tear began to flow from the corner of my eye. At the same time, it was then that it started to rain.

“Please, everyone live according to your beliefs.”

These are my last words to the world. I didn’t want the last one to be unsightly, so I said it with the brightest smile I could.

Meeting the end in the pouring rain. Fortunately, the world cried for me, and I was able to face the last moment with dignity.

A huge sword began to shimmer in front of me. With a little patience, a little patience, all of this will end. I decided to close my eyes tightly and accept this final moment.

“This execution is invalid!”

Like that, while I was praying to God to give me a normal birth in my next life, I heard someone’s voice.

At that voice that seemed like it would save me, I quietly opened my eyes and looked towards where the sound came from.

“Ah..”

The woman I saw last time, along with a man who claimed to be an imperial citizen, came to the prison I was in. Her neat and tidy appearance left a deep impression on me, and I remembered her.

“Ariel is an Imperial. From now on, Ariel’s disposition will be taken care of by the Governor-General.”

“Well, what.. This child must be a member of the kingdom..”

“Here is a document with the stamp of His Excellency the Governor-General.”

She delivered some documents to the bailiff. Before long, the executioner’s two pupils, who had read the document, began to tremble rapidly.

How much time had passed like that? The executioner cautiously opened his mouth.

“Stop executions. Since Ariel is her Imperial citizen, her disposition for her is handed over to the Governor-General.”

The moment she heard that, she honestly didn’t feel thrilled or fortunate.

‘What the hell, why?’

Instead, the name of the emotion I had was confusion. Governor of the kingdom. I don’t know his face or name, but I do know that he reigns over the king of this kingdom.

That said, he acknowledged me as an imperial citizen. Was the man I saw that day related to such a high-ranking person?

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“Did you bring it?”

“Yes. I have it waiting outside now.”

“I had a hard time.”

On the day of Ariel’s execution. I ordered Serena to stop her Ariel’s execution and bring her here. Honestly, I could have gotten her out of her that day, but I didn’t.

Because you have to appear and save her at the most dramatic moment to stimulate her emotions. I am sorry for her, but all of this was a calculated act.

“Listen to Ariel.”

After hearing my words, Serena opened the door to the governor’s office. Beyond the door stood a completely different person, not the girl he saw in prison last time.

“Wow, Mr. Her face glows even after barely washing. Hey, tell me honestly. You saved her because of her face, right?”

“Shut up.”

One step, another step. The sight of her lightly walking into this place was truly beautiful, and it was not enough to describe it. Even so, I can be proud. Never, not even a handful of selfish thoughts.

“Girl, meet your Excellency, Governor of the Kingdom.”

She stood in front of me. She bowed her head and said hello.

“Are you surprised?”

“.. To be honest, yes. I expected that he was a high-ranking person, but I did not know that he was the governor. Forgive me this sin.”

“She didn’t recognize the face of her own boss. Surely that sin is great.”

I smiled and continued. However, unlike me, her face was stained with doubt.

“.. I mean, it’s the matter..”

“From now on, you will become my seed.”

Before I am the governor of the kingdom, I am a knight of the empire. In other words, it means that I, too, can take in the knight’s seed.

This was the only way to naturalize a kingdom citizen as an empire citizen in a short time. Because this is a way for knights to forcibly naturalize their seeds. I also became a naturalized citizen of the empire in a similar way.

The talent he has is not bad, so I was convinced that if he develops well, he will become a sufficiently capable knight.

“Oh~ The first seed? You haven’t received seeds in a while.”

A knight usually receives one or two servants. Actually, Ellen also has two servants. But I’m tired of managing them, so I just haven’t received them in the meantime.

“Then, what can I do?”

“Aren’t you refusing to be my servant?”

“.. He is the one who saved the girl. Didn’t I tell you last time? I will follow you.”

Fortunately, the other side doesn’t seem to be rejecting it either. In fact, even if he refused, I tried to make him a servant by force, but if he obeyed me like this, it would be more comfortable this way.

“Then, you have to do that! That!”

“What do you mean?”

“Why, you know that. Consciousness.”

Ah, the ceremony that the knight accepts as a servant? I know what it is, but I have no intention of doing it. The ritual I did when I became a servant still remains as a bad memory to me.

“There is no need for that. It’s just a boring tradition.”

“No. That I don’t understand.”

Ellen’s expression, which was always playful, turned serious in an instant. That much means that I will never give up on this.

“.. I get it. Then, let’s do the ritual.”

In the end, I couldn’t win against his torch and decided to proceed with the ceremony.

“What can I do?”

“Serena. Give Ariel the sword.”

“Yes.”

Serena handed a sword to Ariel. As expected, since she’s never normally held her sword, the way she gripped her sword was so awkward.

“Draw your sword, put it on the ground, and get on her knees to reveal who you are.”

The act of kneeling with a sword on the ground means that, as a servant, I will swear allegiance to you, a knight.

Revealing me to the knight is telling you that there is no lie to you. This is the ritual for a knight to receive a seed.

‘I’ve done this hundreds of times.’

If you don’t like the ritual, the knight can choose not to accept it. Then, the seed has to repeat the same action until the knight likes it. This is the reason why I was reluctant to perform the ceremony.

“Get started.”

I tried my best not to, but in the end I did. But if you do, you must take it seriously. The ceremony of receiving the seeds of lyrics is sacred above all else.

The guy who heard me started to draw his sword. The posture of picking is awkward. This is not a problem, but the problem is that the sword shakes.

Ariel, with her sword on the floor, falls to her knees. Before long, her mouth opened.

“I am from the kingdom of High Iran, my name is Ariel..”

“Again. The sword waved.”

I cut him off and told him to do it again. If the sword is shaken, it means that the heart is shaken. You cannot become a knight with a wavering heart.

“My name is Ariel. A native of the High Iranian kingdom…”

“Again. There is hesitation in getting her on her knees.”

This means that there is distrust in the knight he will serve. At first, I also wondered why they kept doing this, but now that I received the seed, I can understand their feelings.

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‘How much, how much more do I have to do?’

When the hundredth passed, I stopped counting any more.

“Again.”

Your Excellency said to do it again this time. Maybe this is testing my will.

“Recall your beliefs and enter the ceremony.”

After hearing his words, I replied with a nod. This is obviously serious disrespect. Even so, the reason I can only do this is because I don’t even have the energy left to speak anymore.

The repetition of the ritual started again like that. After hearing His Excellency’s words, he did it a few more times.

‘My belief.’

Now, when it reached the point where it was meaningless to count any more, I reflected on His Excellency’s words.

‘My belief is to punish injustice.’

According to Your Excellency’s words, I recalled my convictions and drew my sword. Putting my faith in the drawn sword.

Fully drawing my sword, I thrust it at the great evil of injustice according to my convictions.

f*ck-

Like that, my sword, which was pointed at injustice, was completely embedded in the ground. Near the place where the sword was inserted, the marks of numerous swords were visible. These are all scratches I made.

‘For that, I have to be strong.’

Slowly, he began to kneel. Because the sword had been stabbed into the floor over a hundred times, the floor had been hollowed out and the pain I felt in my knees was painful, but I didn’t care.

I knelt down completely and carefully looked at Your Excellency. Governor of the kingdom. How strong do you have to be to reach that level? That person must have excellent skills that I can’t reach.

‘The person who saved me.’

This does not mean that it saved my life. The salvation of the perfect ‘I’. He said he would let me live as I am.

That must be true. Because his eyes looking at me didn’t contain lies.

If, if you really make me that way, I can give up anything for you.

For a while, his gaze and mine cross each other. Now, the final stage of this ritual. It is to reveal who I am.

It doesn’t matter if I tell you to do it again this time. Until he is satisfied, he has the confidence to do it a hundred or a thousand times.

“The girl, I am Ariel of the Empire. As a commoner, I do not have a family name, but I hope to become your sword.”

It was the first time. Only, what I fully revealed to him. Upon hearing my words, the governor said with a smile as if he was satisfied.

“My name is Aran, the knight of the Empire. My last name is Robertine, and I want to accept you as my first squire.”