Free Web NovelChapter 54: Chapter 54: "Close Your Eyes, Be Good.
’The rules of the Snake Clan?’
’What does he mean?’
If he were dealt with publicly under the laws of the Empire, life imprisonment would be a certainty!
An S-Class female had accused him personally. Tonight’s events were clearly a case of attempted murder on Count Gray’s part!
Those thirteen corpses might not be important.
But Ms. Zhi Zhi’s accusation was crucial!
With so many Beastmen as witnesses—
Count Gray would surely face the Empire’s harshest legal punishment!
And yet, the Duke said he would handle it according to the rules of the Snake Clan?
’This...’
’Could it be that the Duke wants to sweep this under the rug?’
Thinking about it, Count Gray was a prodigy of the Snake Clan, the most outstanding youth of the White Snake Clan. If the Duke wanted to protect him, he could always find a reason.
Most of the Beastmen present were nobles, but it wasn’t their place to interfere in the Duke’s "family affairs."
In the Valoran Empire of today, Duke Bolan possessed supreme power and was the Beastman most trusted by His Majesty the King.
If he wanted to spare Count Gray...
...it wouldn’t be difficult at all.
A flash of delight appeared in Count Gray’s eyes. He quickly fell to his knees, facing the Duke.
"Duke! I know I was wrong! I am willing to accept any punishment!"
’So what if I killed a dozen or so females?’
’I specifically chose low-Level females from minor families. Even if they died, no one would ever find out.’
’Even if their identities were discovered—’
’—it wouldn’t matter!’
"Mm." Duke Bolan held out his hand, and Guard Captain Jieao at his side immediately presented the thin sword.
He gripped the sword, his golden, vertical pupils fixed on the small female slumped on the ground. Her eyes were red. She had been pampered in the courtyard all this time and had never looked so wretched.
"According to the rules of the Snake Clan, if a clansman commits a crime, the leader has absolute authority to pass judgment, correct?"
Guard Captain Jieao responded, "Yes, Lord Bo Lan."
Every country has its laws, and every family has its rules.
Lord Bo Lan was both a Duke of the Empire and the leader of the Snake Clan. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
Count Gray was a member of the Snake Clan. His punishment, whether severe or light, rested entirely on the Duke’s whim.
The White Snake youth no longer cared about his image. He placed his hands on the ground and performed the highest-level kowtow, his forehead striking the ground heavily.
"I swear! After tonight, I will absolutely turn over a new leaf! I will devote myself to serving you, Duke!"
Duke Bolan stroked the smooth flat of the thin sword. He had already made his decision.
"According to the rules of the Snake Clan, anyone who dares to harm an honored guest of the Duke Mansion shall be subject to capital punishment."
...What?
Count Gray thought he had misheard.
Even if he were brought before His Majesty the King, the worst he would get was life imprisonment!
How did it become capital punishment when it came to the Duke?
"No—!" Count Gray screamed, losing control. "You can’t just kill me!"
Then, the Duke’s icy gaze stopped the rest of his words in his throat.
"Ms. Zhi Zhi."
Bolan looked at Yu Zhizhi, his expression softening slightly. "Close your eyes. Be good."
Yu Zhizhi stared at him, stunned. After hearing his words, she lowered her head and squeezed her eyes shut.
—She couldn’t see a thing.
She only vaguely sensed a flash of a blade in front of her, followed by a collective gasp from the surrounding crowd.
Many females recoiled, and some even fell to the ground.
After Yu Zhizhi closed her eyes, the Duke raised his sword, giving no one a chance to react. There was only a bone-chilling sound—
"SHIIING!"
A spray of fresh blood erupted, and the kneeling Count Gray instantly became a headless Beastman.
His head tumbled through the air, falling onto the stone slabs like a ball.
It rolled to the feet of a female from the Crocodile Clan.
The young Crocodile girl screamed, covering her face as she scrambled backward.
"AHHH—!"
The crowd of Beastmen erupted into chaos. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
No one had expected the Duke to actually execute Gray!
Nicole’s face was as pale as paper. Her swaying body faltered, and she collapsed onto the ground with a THUD.
Jieao bent down to retrieve the thin sword.
"See to our guests," the Duke said to the personal attendant by his side.
The servant bowed. "Yes, Master."
The matter was settled.
Count Gray had been extremely skilled at hiding his true nature. On the surface, he was suave and elegant, but behind the scenes, he had murdered many females.
And today, he had been audacious enough to try and extend his vile claws toward an Imperial S-Class female...
Duke Bolan had invoked clan law and carried out capital punishment!
Yu Zhizhi’s eyes were still closed.
She could only hear screams, the commotion of the crowd, and... the Duke’s voice, now right in front of her.
"It’s done." Bolan looked at the small female before him. ’It’s only been a few days, yet she’s already gotten herself into such a mess.’
"You can open your eyes now."
Count Gray’s body had already been carried away.
’It won’t frighten my little pet.’
Yu Zhizhi slowly opened her eyes. The surroundings were noisy, and the lights were dim.
All the commotion was over...
"Duke," she said nervously. "I want to go check the storage room..."
Yu Zhizhi wanted to check on Ping’an’s condition.
When she had escaped, Count Gray had quickly given chase.
’I wonder how Ping’an is doing now?’
"Alright."
The Duke knew she was worried about that Wild Dog.
Yu Zhizhi tried to stand up, but it was awkward. The Duke simply lifted her into his arms.
The guests who hadn’t yet left saw Duke Bolan pick up the little Rabbit Clan female. His movements were very gentle.
At his side, Guard Captain Jieao thoughtfully draped a cloak around her.
Every Beastman witnessed this.
The Duke was treating this Rabbit Clan female so specially.
They thought of His Majesty the King’s decree.
’Could it be that he also wants to compete to be a Beast Husband...?’
Everyone thought the same thing simultaneously.
Outside the crowd, a pair of male White Wolves stood watching from a distance. They had observed the entire event without a word.
Only when it was over did Don Nal K let out a sigh. "That little rabbit... she truly has the worst luck, but she’s also a true survivor."
Everyone had originally thought she’d been carried off by an eagle.
Who would have thought she’d actually ended up as a guest at the Duke Mansion?
Now the King also knew she was here. The K family had already received notice regarding the matter of the Beast Husbands.
They had to prepare in advance and submit a list of candidates.
—Who else could it be?
Although Don Nal desperately wanted to write his own name on the list.
But for this competition for the position of First Beast Husband, to ensure success, he could only write down Don Locke K.
The Duke carried the little pet in his arms all the way to the storage room.
When they reached the door, the small female struggled to be let down.
He placed Yu Zhizhi on the ground.
The Duke Mansion’s physician had followed them. Carrying his medical kit, he followed the scent and found the heavily injured Wild Dog sitting against the door in the bathroom.
The light was broken, so he had to place a Night Light Pearl on the floor.
After carefully examining the Wild Dog’s wounds, he sighed and said, "Ms. Zhi Zhi, this sword strike was too vicious. Even if we save him, I’m afraid he’ll be in a vegetative state."
"You see..."
A Wild Dog with no family background, a stray without even a name, and his current status was merely a slave of the Duke Mansion.
’To save him, only for him to be in a vegetative state... he has no value.’
—Was he still worth saving?
The Wild Dog leaned against the cold wall. He could no longer open his eyes, but he could faintly hear the hesitation in the physician’s words.
He wanted to laugh, but he couldn’t.
’This is who I am.’
’An abandoned, homeless wild dog.’
’It would be better to just die here.’
But then, he heard the young woman’s voice, trembling with emotion—
"Save him!!!"
...She came back.
The Wild Dog’s fingers twitched.
’She came back for me.’
