Chapter 323: Painless

A shiver ran down his spine when Adam's gaze fell on the guillotine. He could feel a tangible chill emanating from the blade.

This instrument of death emanated a natural and suffocating aura of death that made anyone who gazed at it look away immediately.

Adam then turned his head in a certain direction, his eyes flashing with nervousness.

Has he still not arrived?

The next moment, Morden yanked the rope tied to the youth's neck, causing him to choke intensely. "There's no one coming to save you, boy!" He then came closer and coldly whispered, "Not even your teacher."

Adam's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the middle-aged man. For the first time, there seemed to be a ripple of emotion forming in his dark pupils.

Morden astutely noticed this and muttered with a maniacal grin, "That's right! You thought Lord Berger could save you?"

The youth deeply looked into the man's eyes and then lowered his head.

Seeing his defeated expression, Morden couldn't help but feel satisfied. He then glanced at his subordinates and coldly ordered, "Bring him up."

The group of Magi from the Gracie Family pushed Adam toward the platform's staircase. The wooden steps creaked under their feet as they climbed.

Adam stumbled a few times, his knees hitting the wood with a painful thud. At this point, his entire body was bruised from the relentless beating that Morden had given him.

Even a slight touch would send pangs of pain radiating all over his body.

However, the Magi didn't care if he was hurt or not. They yanked him by the rope and dragged him toward the guillotine placed at the center of the platform.

As they stepped closer, the details of the guillotine became even more pronounced to Adam. Its blade gleamed with a menacing light under the rays of the early morning sun.

The stocks below, where his head would be placed, were stained with dried blood.

Adam's heart pounded within his chest and his mind raced as his pupils darted around, seemingly looking for someone.

But once again he was yanked by the rope tied to his neck and dragged toward the guillotine.

There were a few other Rank 2 Magi standing on the platform as well. They wished to take this opportunity to remind all the Magi what the consequences of betrayal were.

Oswald had already spoken to them beforehand and had this execution platform readied. If it were up to him, though, he would have much preferred to torture and kill Adam with his own hands.

However, the other Rank 2 Magi had disagreed.

They wanted the youth to be publically executed so as to send a message. If the Magi of the allied forces could be generously rewarded for their bravery and service, they could also be punished for their wrongdoings.

Adam glanced at these Magi standing beside the guillotine and confirmed that he didn't know any of them. But that didn't stop these Magi from gazing at him with utter hatred and loathing.

The act of killing an ally was too big of a crime.

A large crowd had gathered in front of the execution platform. Amidst this crowd, Edward, Lisa, and Valerian were watching the scene unfold with anger and trepidation.

Edward's teeth were clattering in anxiety as he saw Adam's miserable appearance and how he was being manhandled on the execution platform.

He had never thought he would see his close friend be humiliated so badly. That too in public.

However, humiliation was the least of Adam's worries right now.

"Damn it!" Edward cursed under his breath, his eyes spewing immense anger. "Those Gracie scums!"

Lisa, on the other hand, was already in tears. As she gazed at how badly Adam had been beaten, she couldn't stop herself from sobbing.

Not to mention, the person behind all this was the same person who had murdered her father!

She looked at Morden Gracie, her eyes gleaming with utter hatred. Despite all the rage welling up inside her, she couldn't do a thing.

Ennea had already informed her about what had transpired in the jungles of the Murky Mountains after they had been separated.

She couldn't believe that Kevin had managed to track them down so far. When she learned that he had met his end at the hands of Adam, she couldn't have been happier.

But her happiness was short-lived.

She glanced at Edward and nervously muttered, "A-Adam told us to stay away from him... He must have a plan, right?"

Edward shook his head, "I... I don't know." He went silent for a few moments, then his eyes flashed with ruthlessness. "If things don't go according to his plan, I'm stepping forward."

"You can't!" Lisa blurted out, her heart gripped by terror.

Edward turned his head and looked right into her eyes. "I must."

Lisa's eyes reddened. Her lips opened and closed a few times, but she couldn't speak a word. A few moments later, she wiped the tears from her eyes.

Now, her pupils flashed with resolve. "I'll come as well."

Meanwhile, Valerian, who had been seated on Edward's shoulders all this while, coldly glanced in the direction of the execution platform.

In his heart, he had already decided that in the worst-case scenario, he would transform into his draconic form and fly away with Adam.

At this point, he didn't care about his identity being revealed to the world.

Meanwhile, on the wooden platform, the Magi of the Gracie Family had already forcefully placed Adam's head within the stocks.

Despite being only moments away from death, the youth didn't speak a word. He simply lowered his head and looked at the wooden planks underneath.

On the surface, he was expressionless, but only he knew of the tumultuous waves raging inside his heart.

At that moment, Oswald Gracie stepped forward. He glanced at the crowd present and declared loudly, "Magi of the Southern Federation, we stand here today to enact justice.

"This Magus, this traitor, has committed the most heinous of crimes. He has taken the life of a fellow Magus. For this, he must pay the price!"

Everyone in the crowd roared in agreement and started hurling insults at Adam. They couldn't wait to see his head chopped off. No one liked a traitor, after all.

Oswald continued, his tone carrying a great depth of righteousness, "May this serve as a reminder to all. Betrayal will not be tolerated! Justice will always prevail!

Then, he glanced at Morden and gave him the signal.

Morden's eyes flashed with hatred and cruelty as he glared at Adam. "Count yourself fortunate, for this is a painless death."

The crowd suddenly fell silent, the air thick and suffocating with the tension of the impending doom.

Adam's heart beat faster and faster with each passing moment and terror flooded his veins. He could feel it through the vibrations in the guillotine that the sharp blade was slowly rising and would fall any moment now.

For a brief moment, time seemed to come to a standstill.

In the crowd, Edward and Lisa had already brandished their weapons and were about to rush toward the platform.

Valerian's yellow pupils had narrowed and he was about to transform into his draconic form and start wreaking havoc.

Just when the cold blade was about to fall, a gust of wind blew and an unfamiliar Magus suddenly arrived on the execution platform.

He glanced at Morden Gracie and solemnly stated, loud enough for everyone gathered to hear.

"On behlaf of the King of the Nightingale Kingdom and the represntative of the humans in the Southern Federation, I order you to stop!"