Chapter 7

"The Royal Dungeon?"

Cedric's eyes widened. For the first time, he looked unwilling to give Gwendolyn what she wanted.

"Gwendolyn, if she's sent to the Royal Dungeon, she'll die..."

"When she cursed me, did she care whether it would kill me?" Gwendolyn's voice turned cold. "If you're unwilling to send her there, then that means you don't care whether I live or die."

Gwendolyn suddenly began coughing violently again. This time, blood stained her lips.

Cedric panicked and immediately called for the physician, but Gwendolyn pushed him away while keeping her eyes fixed on Cedric.

"Your Highness, promise me you'll send her there. Otherwise, there's no point in me treating this illness."

The chamber fell silent.

Everyone held their breath.

Serena knelt on the floor, listening to the pounding of her heart. Every beat felt unbearably heavy, as though it could burst through her chest at any moment. A long time passed before she finally heard Cedric's answer.

"All right."

Serena's head snapped up.

Cedric avoided her gaze.

"Your Highness!" Greta cried as she dropped to her knees. "Lady Consort Serena just gave birth, and she was struck by a poisoned arrow afterward. She's far too weak to endure any torture! It'll kill her! Please show mercy! Please show mercy, Crown Princess! I'm willing to take the punishment in Lady Consort Serena's place! I'm begging you!"

Still crying, Greta crawled forward and grabbed Cedric's pant leg. Then she turned toward Gwendolyn, hoping to plead with her as well.

"Come back, Greta."

Serena finally snapped out of her shock and reached for her, but she was too late.

The moment Greta's hand neared the edge of Gwendolyn's dress, Gwendolyn let out a frightened cry and tumbled from the chaise lounge.

"Your Highness!"

Everyone in the chamber panicked.

Cedric rushed forward and caught Gwendolyn in his arms. She leaned against him, trembling as tears streamed down her face.

"Look, Your Highness. Even her maid dares to disrespect me. She tried to push me. Both Serena and her maid want me dead!"

Gwendolyn lifted her head and looked at Cedric with ruthless certainty.

"This maid has no respect for her masters, and she dared talk back to me. She deserves to be flogged to death. Please execute her, Your Highness!"

Flogged to death?

Something inside Serena seemed to snap.

Her mind went blank.

Looking directly at Cedric, she revealed genuine despair for the first time.

"Please don't, Your Highness! Greta is innocent! She was only trying to protect me. Please show mercy! I'll go to the Royal Dungeon! I'll accept any punishment! Just please let Greta go!"

She dropped to her knees and repeatedly slapped herself.

Each slap echoed through the chamber.

Cedric felt as though every blow landed on his own heart.

He looked at the scene before him.

On one side was Gwendolyn, pale and coughing blood, refusing to compromise.

On the other was Serena, tears streaming down her face as she begged for mercy while punishing herself.

Then there was Greta, so frightened that she could only lie limply on the floor.

A throbbing pain developed in Cedric's head. It felt as though needles were drilling into his temples.

"Your Highness..." Gwendolyn called weakly.

Her eyes were full of expectation, leaving him nowhere to retreat.

"I'm begging you, Your Highness!"

Serena's cheeks were already swollen, and blood stained her lips.

Cedric closed his eyes.

When he opened them again, all hesitation and pity had vanished.

He could not allow a mere consort and her maid to endanger Gwendolyn's health.

As for Serena, he would compensate her later.

He would repay her twice over for whatever she endured today.

"Take away the maid who offended the Crown Princess," Cedric ordered coldly. "By my command, she is to be beaten to death with staves."

"No...!"

Serena lunged forward, but two Palace maids held her back.

Moments later, the sounds of heavy blows echoed from outside, accompanied by Greta's brief, agonized screams.

Each strike felt as though it were landing directly on Serena's heart, shattering everything inside her.

Before long, the screaming stopped.

Silence remained.

A guard entered and knelt.

"Your Highness, she's dead."

Serena felt as though lightning had struck her.

She tried to stand but stumbled, coughing up blood.

Darkness swallowed her vision.

The next moment, she collapsed unconscious.

When Serena woke again, she found herself in a torture chamber within the Royal Dungeon.

She opened her eyes to a low, damp ceiling and a narrow window that allowed only a faint ray of sunlight inside. Then a searing pain erupted from her shoulder and spread through her entire body, nearly causing her to black out again.

With great difficulty, Serena lowered her gaze.

Her shoulder was heavily bandaged, and the wrappings were soaked with blood.

Something had pierced straight through it.

It was a punishment commonly used on major criminals in the Royal Dungeon.

Once a prisoner's shoulder was pierced, they lost nearly all their strength, no matter how powerful they had been. After that, they were completely at the mercy of their captors.

What followed felt like an endless nightmare.

One punishment came after another. Old wounds split open again while new injuries covered her body. Whenever she lost consciousness, she was awakened and forced to endure more suffering.

The cycle repeated over and over.

At first, Serena still had the strength to scream.

Eventually, even that strength disappeared.

In the end, she could only stare blankly at the leaking ceiling above her and the moss-covered stone walls around her as her consciousness slowly drifted away.