I Don't Need a Guillotine fór My Revolution

「 Prologue 」

In a dungeon where the sun didn't reach, the stench emanating from the mold-covered walls stung my nose, and the cold hard floor chilled my bones.

I couldn't even feel the heavy shackles on my ankles anymore.

And worst of all, the horrible thirst and hunger continued to torture me.

Creak-

Then, across the dungeon, I could hear the faint sound of a door opening.

My shoulders tensed, fueled more by fear than courage at this point.

"Fuck, what's now."

The echo of footsteps grew louder as their owner approached the iron bars of my cell.

Even with a parched throat, I managed to dry swallow as the person finally arrived at my cell. But contrary to my fears, it wasn't the Jailer

In the basket, the person carefully and slowly puts down, is bread.

Before I could even think, my hands had already reached for it.

The bread was old, maybe a couple of days old, based on how hard they were.

But I quickly shoved them in my mouth, trying to remember when the last time I even ate something was.

"Cough, cough."

Without a single shed of dignity, I coughed as I tried to hurriedly eat that hard bread, but then, the figure beyond the bars handed me a single bottle of water.

Quickly taking it, I drank it in one go, quenching my thirst. Only then did I manage to see the face of this person in front of me.

A woman with a familiar face.

Who was she?

No matter how much I tried to, I couldn't remember.

"Th-thank you, but who are you?

The woman hesitated for a second before opening her lips.

"...I used to work as a servant in the Marquis's manor."

"Ah, I see. If I ever get out of here, I'll make sure to repay you."

The woman's face hardened at my words.

Her eyes became full of pity.

In the past, I would have considered this somewhat disrespectful.

But now, I couldn't even look at her, so I focused on eating the rest of the bread and water

Then, the woman flinched as the door opened again, she hurriedly bowed to me and walked away.

"Hey, wait—"

My words couldn't stop her.

In her place the same ugly-looking Jailer, whom I had seen countless times already, appeared, grinning from ear to ear while showing his yellow tooth.

"Did you enjoy your last meal, My Lordship the Marquis?"

—

"Kill the one with filthy blue blood–!"

Rotten eggs flew at me hitting my chest and splattering everywhere.

The sheer bloodlust and malice of the crowd before me almost made me forget the stench of the rotten eggs.

Countless flags of the self-proclaimed revolutionary army were held high, like spears pointing to the sky of Lumiere – A metropolis that once was the capital of Francia.

Liberty. Equality. Fraternity

Banners bearing those slogans created a stark contrast to a place filled with the gruesome sound of a guillotine falling day after day, for the enjoyment of a crowd engulfed in madness.

"Ugh!"

Suddenly, my vision blacked out as my body shook.

Only when I felt a sticky liquid trickling down my forehead and looked at the rock on the ground, did I realize what had happened.

From then on, everything became a blur, and I couldn't remember how I had been dragged here.

When I barely regained consciousness, I was already standing In front of an outdoor tribunal.

"...For the crimes mentioned, I, Prosecutor Maximilian Le Jidor, on behalf of the citizens of the Republic, hereby request that the defendant, Marquis Lafayette, be sentenced to death."

As soon as the prosecutor finished speaking, the crowd, no, the mob surrounding the courtroom began to scream in a frenzy.

"Kill him–!"

"Death Sentence–!"

"Death to the corrupt nobility–!"

My gaze drifted to the guillotine right next to the courtroom.

What was the point of a trial if the sentence was already decided?

"Defendant, Pierre de Lafayette."

Lifting my head at the call, the Judge looked down at me with an arrogant look.

"As a procedure, I shall allow you to present your case and defend yourself."

A flowery statement that was as hollow as it could be since nothing I could say would change my situation.

It wouldn't mean anything. It shouldn't mean anything, but I was filled with resentment.

The Royals spilled the blood of thousands in civil wars to seize the throne, and the nobles squeezed the common people dry for years, in order to fund those civil wars.

I can even understand how all of that led to a revolution and this current situation.

But these trials they are conducting are neither just nor fair. They are killing innocent nobles, who were even loved by their subjects, by slapping a multitude of false changes onto them.

Even I did nothing to deserve being treated like this, and being sentenced to die like a dog!

"As the Marquis of Lafayette, I did my best to protect my subjects, and as a general of the Kingdom, I pledged utmost loyalty to my country. To be treated like thi—"

"Ha. Protecting your subjects you say."

I scowled as Prosecutor Jidor interrupted my words.

"The Marquis personally led his troops and plundered the cities during the civil war; here's the evidence. He did it not once, not twice, but three times."

...That was true. It was something I did under the command of my father, the former Marquis.

"That was a military operation against the territories of the rebel Second Prince's faction during the civil war—"

"Oh, so attacking your countrymen during a civil war makes you innocent? Tell me, Marquis. Did the subjects of that territory personally support the Second Prince and took arms to aid him?"

The taxes from those subjects became military expenses, and they became soldiers of their Lord, opposing us.

So the attack on the enemy's territory was a military operation against them and also a way to raise money and replenish our expenses that the former Marquis demanded.

Even though I despised this, it was necessary during the Civil War.

At least, this was better than imposing more taxes on the subjects of our Marquisate, who were already suffering from the long civil war.

...Or so I thought.

I gritted my teeth.

"...At least during the civil war, I refrained from imposing additional taxes on my territory and took every measure to protect them! Your accusations that I did nothing but slaughter and exploit commoners are nothing but a one-sided attempt to fault the nobility!"

At least I was different from my father and the previous Marquis.

As much as I despised the other nobles, who were simply trying to further their own gains by squeezing their subjects, I strived to be a different ruler.

That was my pride. And I wouldn't allow them to tarnish it by bearing this false charge.

I couldn't bear being denied all my efforts and being remembered just as another corrupt noble who was executed by the revolutionaries.

"Oh, is that so? Then let me ask you this, Marquis. Among your subjects, is there anyone who was so graciously protected by you, who is grateful for your 'generous' rule, that they would speak in your defense?"

The crowd erupted in sneers and mockery at Jidor's words. They didn't even intend to conduct a proper trial in the first place!

I was about to lash out in anger when I heard Jidor's next words.

"Say their names if there are any. Perhaps they will even miraculously appear among these people and defend you?"

...I don't know any.

I didn't know the names of my subjects.

Jidor's smile only grew at my continued silence.

"Of course, you can't say anything. Does your nobleship, the Marquis, even know a single name of your subjects you so proudly protected and cared for?"

I didn't even know the name of the woman who had brought me bread and water, and she said she worked in my mansion.

"Aren't the nobles required to memorize a long list of names and titles for people they might not even see in their whole lives?

If you didn't consider them worthless to even know their names, surely you would know at least one among your people whom you cherished. Do you get it now Marquis? That is why noble scum like you are called blue blood."

I'm different from my father. I was supposed to be better than most nobles. I despised them. I, alone, struggled to be someone different from them!

But my faith, my beliefs, my efforts were all washed away by the jeers and boos of the crowd.

"Look at this hypocritical noble! Isn't it clear that even he, who claims to not be corrupt, sees us not as people, but as mere livestock!"

As the crowd cheered, Jidor smiled triumphantly at me.

No, it couldn't be. I, was I no different from those other nobles? No, that was simply not possible.

The sound of Jidor's shout echoed around the courtroom, and the same sentence given to me was repeated by hundreds, thousands of those who were present.

"...In the name of Freedom, Equality, and Fraternity. The court of this Republic sentences the defendant, Pierre de Lafayette, to death."

As I was dragged by those hideous guards, I realized I was crying.

The stench of blood that could never be erased from the confines of the gallows, was intense.

The jeers, disgust, and ridicule of the crowd were all engraved in my mind.

I don't want to die. At least, not like this. If I had a second chance...

The cruel sound of the guillotine blade being released screeched in my ears, and a terrible sensation overwhelmed me.

"Aaaaah!"

I woke up with a shudder.

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