Chapter 10: Punishment

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Catherine turned around and walked to Lifa’s side. She looked at Lifa with a friendly face, smiled, and said, “Your Majesty, my father is growing old. Sometimes, his brain isn’t working very well. Please pretend that you didn’t hear what he just said. Don’t take it to heart!”

“The reason why we came here this time is because we know that there’s a force in the imperial capital that’s trying to maliciously smear the Queen. They’ve even started to try to drive a wedge between us nobles and the royal family. But don’t worry, this matter will be dealt with very quickly!”

Catherine explained amiably.

“However, other than us, the other nobles are somewhat dissatisfied with the new policies that Your Majesty has issued in the past few days. But I have an idea. Our Lucas family can help you convince them…”

“…as long as you agree to indulge me in a little hobby of mine. What do you think?”

Catherine’s gaze was fixated on Rennes. She did not try to hide her desire.

Finally, after beating around the bush in a big circle, Catherine revealed her true objective.

“He is my esteemed guest!” Lifa remarked while staring at Catherine coldly.

“There is no need for pretense, Lifa. No esteemed guest can be more “esteemed” than you, the Queen!” Catherine bent forward and whispered into Catherine’s ear, “He’s your pet boy, isn’t he?”

Pet boy?!

It was a vulgar custom that originated from the royal palace of the past. The people in power would buy extremely beautiful female beastkin from the far south of the continent.

They would let their pet girl follow them everywhere they went as a display of wealth and status, be it a dinner party or a discussion of national affairs.

And now, Catherine was using the term pet boy to describe Rennes. She was definitely insinuating something.

Hearing such rude and shameless words, Lifa’s face became as cold as a winter night.

Therefore, she instantly shouted without hesitation, “How dare you! On your knees!”

As a Queen, she naturally had the right to make Catherine, who was only a viscount, kneel.

“You…”

Hearing the merciless order, Catherine’s face turned red.

She was not as shrewd and as composed as her father, especially when she recalled the intimate interaction between Rennes and Lifa just now.

Even if she was facing the Queen of the Kingdom of Noah, jealousy had gotten to her head. She said impudently, “I can’t believe you, who were once so innocent, have become such a hypocrite, Lifa. So you’ve taken in a pet boy. What’s there to be embarrassed about? Didn’t your father also keep many female slaves? As long as you give him to me, our Lucas family will help you stabilize the kingdom!”

Lucas originally wanted to quietly watch the development of the situation, but when his daughter said this, his face turned green.

It did not matter what one was thinking, but some words could not be said aloud.

After all, Lifa was currently the actual Queen of the Noah Kingdom. What did Catherine’s words imply?

She was implying that the status of the Lucas family was above that of the royal family! She was openly provoking royal authority!

Just from this alone, they could be charged with treason. If things went south, neither of them would be able to leave the palace alive today.

“Enough, Catherine, what nonsense are you spouting? The person standing in front of you is our esteemed Queen!”

In a moment of desperation, Duke Lucas shouted at his daughter, his voice resounding like thunder in the hall.

“Father!”

Catherine was shocked by the loud roar. She turned around and saw Duke Lucas glaring at her with a livid face.

“Father…”

“Enough! Apologize to the Queen at once!”

Seeing that Catherine was about to retort, Duke Lucas forcefully pressed her head down.

“There is no need for apology. According to the laws of the kingdom, besmirching the honor of the Honorary Consul of the kingdom is punishable by death. Catherine, do you have any last words?”

Lifa’s expression was ice-cold. The moment she opened her mouth, the words that came out of it was earth-shattering.

“WHAT?!”

Hearing this, Catherine’s eyes widened. She suddenly noticed the many spear-wielding guards that had surrounded her.

Catherine stared in disbelief at the man who had been smiling the whole time.

She could hardly believe that the man was actually the Honorary Consul of the kingdom, a status that was second only to the monarch.

“Why was I not informed of this, Your Majesty? Has there been a letter of appointment?” As if unwilling to give up, Catherine gritted her teeth and asked.

“Aren’t my words worth more than a letter of appointment?” Lifa said expressionlessly.

The simple sentence directly rendered Catherine speechless.

“Your Majesty, considering the sacrifices that the Lucas family has made for the kingdom over the years, I beseech you to give this ignorant child a second chance.”

“In return, the Lucas family is willing to pay out of our own pockets for this year’s autumn harvest and provide some form of subsidies to the farmers. Furthermore, the Lucas family will also strictly implement the new policy on the trading prices of grain that Your Majesty the Queen has just announced!”

Duke Lucas stepped forward and shielded Catherine behind him.

Are you kidding? Catherine was the only daughter he had. How could he let anything happen to her?!

“If the matter only concerns the royal family and the Lucas family, Duke Lucas, it would naturally be easy to resolve it peacefully among ourselves, but to do so now would be a huge injustice to the Honorary Consul who had to suffer such an insult right after taking office. I think we should listen to his opinion on what Catherine’s punishment should be.” Lifa’s expression was calm as she turn to Rennes.

“Please forgive Catherine’s offense, Honorary Consul. As one of the most important figures in the kingdom, can you give me some face? Our Lucas family will definitely be grateful for your mercy, and continue to strive for the prosperity of the kingdom!”

Hearing Lucas’ smooth speech and seeing his pitiful expression, Rennes might actually have chosen to let this matter go out of respect for Duke Lucas’ power, if he was a native inhabitant of this world.

Unfortunately, he was not. Far from it.

Not only was Rennes someone from another world, he was also someone extremely powerful.

When an ant offended a human, the human would not respond with forgiveness, but with death.

Rennes had long decided Catherine’s fate.

Therefore, he did not hesitate at all.

Following a flick of his finger, a ray of white light shot out from Rennes’ fingertip.

The ray of light pierced through Catherine’s chest at lightning speed, leaving behind a thumb-sized hole.

Blood spurted out of the wound after a momentary pause.

Bang!

Catherine’s body dropped to the ground!

The whole sequence happened too quickly and without any warning. No one could react to it.

The guards, Lifa, Lucas, and everyone else there stood rooted to the ground, stunned for a few seconds.

Then, a furious roar came out of Duke Lucas’ mouth.

“AHHHH! You killed my daughter! I’m going to kill you! The Lucas family will make you pay!”

Lifa also came back to her senses then. She stared at Rennes with a complicated gaze.

She did not expect Rennes to be so resolute in his decision. He executed Catherine without any discussion.

Seeing Catherine’s bleeding corpse on the ground, Lifa now understood Rennes’ bottom line.

As a powerful existence from the Abyss, his bottom line was that he would never allow anyone to humiliate him, or they would be punished by death.

Considering that, Catherine indeed deserved to die!