Everyone Wants Me Dead: The Villain Lord's Survival Diary

Chapter 48 – How can those who gather firewood for the many be allowed to freeze to death in the wind and snow?

Within Winterfell City stands a tall clock tower that chimes eight times a day at three-hour intervals, marking the time accurately for the citizens of Winterfell.

When the clock tower's bells ring, their resonant and melodious sound travels far, reaching even the fields outside the city.

However, today is destined to be an unusual day.

At four in the afternoon, the bells, which shouldn't have rung at this time, sounded "clang, clang, clang," ringing thirteen times in succession.

The citizens turned their gaze towards Winterfell Keep, pausing their activities.

This was the bell summoning the citizens, and thirteen chimes signified a public execution.

The usually deserted Citizen's Square was now bustling with a crowd.

Two lines of knights stood solemnly on either side of the square, serving as a line of defense.

Behind them, in the center of Citizen's Square, a tall wooden platform had been temporarily erected, with a sturdy gallows on top. The noose, already tied, swayed gently in the wind.

Soon, amidst shouts, the condemned prisoner was dragged up by two knights, looking like a beaten dog.

He appeared battered and bruised, with blood seeping through the white lining of his knight's tunic.

The atmosphere of the execution ground became even more solemn and oppressive.

"Enoch, Kelly, we even drank together..."

"No one can save you, Grand Knight Gal."

The two knights stood coldly under the noose, holding Grand Knight Gal firmly in place, making it impossible for him to move after being stripped of his title by the lord.

Sylvie walked onto the platform with a serious expression, standing beside Gal.

His gaze was sharp as he looked down at all the citizens present. The square, which had been buzzing with murmurs, fell silent.

This lord had hardly appeared before the citizens in the week since taking office. Apart from the knighting ceremony, today was the only time he had gathered all the citizens.

Even so, he still held high prestige among the citizens, not only because of his powerful army and strong background but most importantly because he abolished the tithe tax.

This was almost an impossible feat in the Cologne Empire at the time. Abolishing the tithe tax meant losing half of the income—how would they eat, dress, and maintain the army?

Yet Sylvie did just that. Coupled with his usual low profile, occasionally appearing in the city on horseback with a stoic expression, unlike the hypocritical lords of other territories, he gradually established an image in the citizens' minds as a cold-faced, kind-hearted, powerful, and mysterious lord.

"Today, I've gathered you here to announce some matters and to execute someone."

"This is Grand Knight Gal under my command."

Sylvie's words left the citizens looking at each other, seeing shock and doubt in each other's eyes.

They looked incredulously at the prisoner on the wooden platform and then at the cold, serious lord.

A suppressed discussion arose in Citizen's Square.

"By the gods, unbelievable..."

"The lord is going to execute a knight?"

"And a grand knight at that."

"How is that possible? What did he do? Did he sleep with the lord's wife?"

...

"Silence—!"

A knight beside Sylvie shouted, and the square fell silent again.

"Why execute him?"

"First: Disobeying orders and seizing the compensation fund."

"Second: As a knight, bullying the weak."

"Third: Inciting ruffians and disturbing the peace."

"So even if he is a grand knight, I will hang him!"

Sylvie's gaze was icy as he surveyed everyone in the square, including his knights and soldiers.

"Today, I've brought you here to witness the execution, to let you know that in Eaglehold, the dignity of soldiers is inviolable, and their honor cannot be insulted.

"They died for Eaglehold, for the living, for protecting every one of you here, including me, the lord."

"No matter if they are militia, guards, or knights, there is no distinction of high or low."

"Those who bring warmth to others must not be left to freeze in the wind and snow."

"If anyone insists on becoming this storm, I, Sylvie Goldlion, will be the blazing sun that scorches everything."

Sylvie's gaze was like the fierce wind of a harsh winter, and no one dared to meet the eyes of the enraged lord.

After a moment of silence, Sylvie's solemn command came from the platform.

"Execute!"

With Sylvie's words, the knights, who were already prepared, immediately placed the noose around Gal's neck and kicked the wooden board from under his feet.

With the force of gravity, Gal's body fell from the high platform, his feet dangling, the rope taut, his feet barely half a meter from the ground, almost at eye level with the citizens standing on the stone steps in the square.

In the Cologne Empire, there were various punishments for criminals, but none like hanging, which, in a less bloody manner, allowed everyone to clearly see the fear of death.

Under normal circumstances, hanging would directly break the victim's spine, but as a grand knight, Gal's strength and body were superior to ordinary people, so his spine wouldn't break. Instead, he would be truly strangled, suffocating to death.

The citizens would clearly see the prisoner gradually suffocate, his face turning from red to blue; see his eyelids flip and eyes bulge; see him lose control of his bowels, slowly having his soul taken by death.

There were no pitiful cries, no way to struggle, but in this silent stillness, it was even more shocking.

This was the lord's deterrence and warning to them.

Soon, the grand knight hanging from the noose stopped moving.

The lord on the platform continued to speak.

"From today, I will purge Winterfell City of all ruffians and form a militia city guard. This order will be carried by my knights to other towns for implementation."

"After six o'clock tonight, those interested can go to the castle's Military and Administration Office to sign up. Militia will receive a monthly salary of five silver coins, but I must make it clear in advance." Pausing, Sylvie continued in a chilling tone:

"If you dare to abuse your position for personal gain, bully commoners, I will personally subject you to the over two hundred tortures listed in the Cologne Empire's laws."

With that, Sylvie turned and left, accompanied by two knights.

The square was left with the team collecting the body and the citizens, still in shock, as silent as cicadas in winter.