Chapter One

Aculeatus Lamperouge. A lady, a middle child daughter, who simply lived a life of luxury. As the only daughter, she's used to being pampered by her parents and brothers.

She had no hardships to experience. They were all handled by her own maids. She lived a very comfortable life, one would say she's lucky to be born a noble. She's not as spoiled as other nobles. She just focused on living her life to the fullest.

However, despite being a Count's daughter, she didn't have as much power as her family does. First, the Lamperouge family is known for having their own unique talents. But the young lady doesn't seem to have any.

It didn't bother her the least. She thought it was better, since she's free to do anything she wants. A lady who is not entitled to reach the expectations of others for her. 

To think she managed to grow until the age of 16. Everything changed at that point on.

"Father, mother, what's the matter?" The oblivious daughter asked, concerned of her family's strange behavior.

The Count gave her a weak smile, patting her head. "It's nothing, Lettuce. You don't have to deal with it. We adults can do it."

The Countess agreed as she embraced their confused daughter. "Everything will be alright, my lovely girl."

She glanced at her brothers, the older one and the younger one. They both look solemn and troubled, but when spared with the glance, they easily masked it with a smile to reassure their sister.

They didn't want her to know the problem. They believed they could solve the problem and get rid of the false accusations of treason that is thrown to them. They don't wish to burden their sister with such stress.

However, it seems it was just a wishful thinking.

Imperial guards soon gathered and entered the Lamperouge's mansion. All of the staffs of the mansion are brutally killed on the spot. The bloody mess of a scene was a new experience to the simple lady as she shuddered at the sight.

Her brothers tried their best to fight back, but with the quantity of the knights, they knew they are at a disadvantage. The Count and the Countess tried to talk and asked for the Emperor, but the knights did not listen.

They had been ever so harshly dragged out of the comfort of their mansion. A place they call home, yet is now being taken away from them.

"Mother, father, what's going on? Did the Emperor want to throw us away?" Despite being clueless, Aculeatus wasn't a dumb girl. She's already 16, and she had her fair share of education together with her brothers.

They all fell silent, feeling guilty for not telling her anything. The girl's blue cyan eyes held fear for the first time. She knew that they could face the worst possible outcome.

Alas, they were dragged into the Imperial palace. As they kneeled before the Emperor, there were also other nobles watching.

"The family of Lamperouge is a prestigious and respectable noble family. However, your crime of treason is what reveals your true nature. Hidden in the innocent facade lies your greed." The Emperor spoke, as he is surrounded by aristocrats.

The Count gritted his teeth.

"This is insane! We have never commited treason!"

Murmurs echoed inside the palace. The family felt insulted and humiliated, seeing that the nobles whom they are connected and friends with, are now indifferent towards them.

"Your majesty, we are being falsely accused. Please let us have a trial and investigate thouroughly." The Countess remained calm and rational, yet her request was denied.

The younger brother couldn't hold it in any longer as he yelled. "We shall not die for a sin we didn't do!"

"Insolent." The Emperor spat that one word filled with venom. It didn't affect the kid, but it didn't mean it was a win for their side. "The Lamperouge shall serve as an example to those who plans to commit treason. Kill them by the guillotine."

They all gasped. "Your majesty, please! Exclude our children from this! They had done nothing wrong!" The Countess cried desperately.

"They are still young. Please, I'll gladly accept death. Just spare my wife and my children." The Count pleaded, but then again, they were ignored.

The brothers looks shocked, before worriedly glancing towards their sister. She did not know how to feel. Now that she's heard of their death, she doesn't know how to feel about it.

Be sad? Be angry? Be scared?

Would it really help her and her family?

Not only her family, but the servants of Lamperouge were also killed. No matter how she look at it, it was all unfair.

She hang her head low, before laughter errupted inside the palace. The murmurs of the nobles died down, as the only sound came from the laughter of the young lady they didn't expect.

"Ha! How funny!" It seems everything broke within her, instead of crying, she can only laugh at the injustice. "Not only do you deny a thorough investigation, you also don't want to listen to our side. We are innocent, your majesty. Yet your stupidity got the best of you."

The Emperor stayed silent. The aristocrats made a fuss, as if the insult was directed to them.

"We shouldn't have supported your majesty. It was our biggest mistake!" She yelled, in fury and rage. "You let those bugs around you to control you? If only—"

A harsh slap planted on the lady's face. It was so hard she almost fell down to the floor. She felt as if her jaw was broken, and the neck twisted.

"SISTER!"

"ACULEATUS!"

It was an aristocrat who dared to slap a noble lady. He kneeled down the pitiful lady, a smirk evident on his face. "What are you going to do about it? Bitch, you'll die altogether. Whatever you say, it won't prove your innocence."

"Yours won't prove our non-existent crimes either." Despite the blood dripping down from her lips, she managed to hiss at the man.

He laughed, before standing up. "A feisty woman. Too bad you'll die young." As if his words weren't insulting enough, he kicked and stomped on her.

She bit her lower lip, preventing herself to groan out in pain. It was a direct hit to her abdomen, and now he's about to aim for her head.

Not until someone else took the hit, shielding the battered lady. The aristocrat is not pleased. "Move."

Another person blocked him with an arm. The two brothers couldn't idly stand by and watch. Despite the knights holding them down, they managed to shake them off out of rage.

"Sister! Are you okay?" The youngest of the brothers asked, his sapphire eyes stared at her with worry.

"Brother, are we going to die?"

Her question resulted to a squeeze of sadness, regret, and guilt into their hearts. As much as they wanted to, they can't escape this injustice.

"No! Your majesty, please spare us!" The Countess begged as soon as the Count was dragged out. Other knights soon dragged her as well.

"M-Mother!"

Their mother glanced at them one last time, eyes filled with tears. She mouthed the words I love you and I'm sorry.

Everyone's attention landed back to the children of Lamperouge. "Will they be spared, your majesty?" The Duke asked.

"I guess they should be—"

"Not." The aristocrats, once again, voiced out their opinion. "If the Count and the Countess managed to commit treason, what more for their own children? We shouldn't take the risks, we shall eliminate them!"

The eldest son, successor to the Count, glared at the aristocrats. "We had never and never will commit treason. You are baselessly accusing a crime to us with no evidence."

"See how he acts? Your majesty, you have the power to get rid of these people. You won't need them anymore."

Aculeatus can only watch them talk, argue, and yell. She can no longer feel the energy of her body. It was as if she's accepted her fate.

In the end, she noticed that they were already outside. There she took notice of the guillotine, where the Count is now about to be beheaded.

Her lips parted slightly, voice hoarse, as she called for him weakly. "Father!"

Glancing towards his daughter, he gave her a bright smile, before the blade fell and chopped his head off.

The sight was more than enough to cut the nerve of rationality from the simple lady. She who only simply wanted to live her life. She is now about to face the harsh reality of living in a cruel world.

Her mother, the Countess, went next. Tears were still rolling the woman's eyes as she managed to glance at her children. The eldest son had an unreadable expression. The youngest son was angry yet filled with despair. While the middle child had no reaction nor emotion.

As soon as the blade killed the Countess, the eldest son came up next. Before he was escorted, he looked at his siblings. "If there is another life, I wish we can be together again."

The youngest, who was deemed to be brave, finally broke down. "Brother...hic..."

Aculeatus hang her head low, not knowing how to feel, her emotions mixed.

He was soon placed into the guillotine where their parents died. Not even a minute passed as the next one to be killed is her.

The last of the brothers glanced at his older sister. He wanted her to have more time to live, so he stood up before the guards can drag her. "Me! Take me first!"

That made his sister flinch, coming back to reality. "W-what are you doing?" She looked up to her younger brother, in disbelief.

"Sister, I'm sorry." He smiled, despite the tears flowing down his cheeks. "I promise I'll be a good brother in our next life."

As he was being dragged into the guillotine, she tried to reach out to her brother. Tears flowed endlessly as her arms tried so hard to reach what was unreachable.

"N-no...PLEASE! KILL ME FIRST!"

They ignored her as usual. The world must have not been on her side. She could care less even if she is no longer dignified as a woman.

"NOT MY BROTHER! PLEASE!"

Her screams fell into deaf ears as they easily killed off the brave kid. Now all that is left—the unstable lady.

She stood up, letting the guards drag her to her demise. The guillotine was so bloody, yet she could not feel anything else anymore. The trauma took a toll in her mental state. Her tears were all dried up. Her vocal chords gave up from all the worthless screaming and crying.

No sadness. No anger. No fear. Just nothing.

Shoved harshly into the guillotine, she inhaled sharply. Ah, it was a life short lived. She had regrets, yet there is nothing for her to do in this situation.

Closing her eyes, she heard the knights preparing the blade.

"Hey."

Flinching, she opened her eyes. Blue, cyan eyes roamed around the crowd who watched her family die, and is now going to watch hers.

Who was it?

She heard a voice, yet she can't tell who it was and where it came from. It could be from the people who's watching. Desperate, despite the blade about to be dropped to slice her head, she still tried to look for that person.

"Interesting."

There, she saw a suspicious hooded figure among the crowd. With his index finger raised to his lips, she knew it meant silence. Yet, she felt hopeless as the person didn't move to do anything to save her.

In the end, she felt how the blade got dropped into her nape. How it sliced off her head, dropping into the pail prepared below. She felt the immense pain no one could ever want to feel.

Aculeatus Lamperouge, age 16, lived a simple life yet died meaninglessly. Her lifeless cyan blue eyes remained open that day, until death.

The hooded person grinned, yet his eyes devoid of emotions. With a snap of his fingers, the whole world stopped moving as it rotated reversely.

"We shall meet again, my lady."

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