Chapter 102 – The Snowstorm Arrives (6)

“…”

Even in front of the end of his life, Yan did not say anything.

He could have begged to save at least his life by appealing to emotions, or hoped for leniency by listing all sorts of reasons why he had no choice, but he did not.

In fact, he could not be saved by any words.

With the whistleblowing of the Wayne brothers whom he had firmly trusted, and the admission of Archer Fordham whose heart had wavered in guilt at the end, it was impossible to overturn the situation.

Rather than begging for his life in an ugly manner, accepting death humbly would be the best he could do.

Thus, in the silence and tacit consent of the citizens, it was just the moment I was about to pull the trigger.

“Wait. Hold on for a moment, Aylen.”

Demian, approaching my side, gently pushed aside the muzzle aimed at Yan’s head.

“Director, this is not something that can be just passed over. It is something that must be done.”

Without backing down, I raised the muzzle again.

We must not set a bad precedent. The end of an ember where laws and rules are not properly established is solely defeat. More so if it is related to acts of betrayal and rebellion that threaten the foundation of the ember.

However, Demian shook his head and spoke.

“Whatever intention Yan harbored, all the actions he took for our ember over the past twenty years were real. I think it is right to let everyone see his end.”

Looking around, it made sense indeed.

Outside, there were still only the citizens who came out of the magic engineering department and the hunting squad shelters; not a single citizen from the leadership shelter was visible.

They were either being controlled or had participated voluntarily and were waiting quietly.

Otherwise, there was a high probability that they knew nothing of the situation outside. In a small ember like ours, glass was no different from a top-grade luxury, so there were no such things as windows in the buildings.

They probably did not know who had fired the gunshot earlier either.

“Let us do that then.”

In any case, it was the execution of the leader of an ember. Everyone had the right to witness his end.

Lowering the muzzle to the ground again, Demian headed directly to the leadership.

When he knocked on the door, it opened immediately, perhaps because they thought the situation was over. The leadership member acting as the gatekeeper looked unable to hide his astonishment upon seeing the situation outside.

Because Yan was kneeling in the spot where I should have been lying as a cold corpse, and a thousand citizens were watching it.

Sensing that the end had come, the citizens soon poured out in crowds following the leadership member’s instruction.

Their reaction upon witnessing the scene was bewilderment. They understood that the attempt to deal with me had failed, but their eyes asked why Demian and the others were agreeing with me, the betrayer.

However, at Demian’s subsequent explanation, they were merely engulfed in a great sense of betrayal and anger.

“Aylen is not the betrayer, but Lord Yan is?”

“To have driven all the people coming in search of our ember to their deaths… such a subhuman deed!”

“…Even so, it is not something to speak of in that way.”

“What do you mean, even so?! If teaching the wrong path to the people who risked their lives to cross the snowfields looking only at our ember is not killing them, then what on earth is it!”

“Then does it mean the stories about the people Aylen brought back were also all made up…?”

Hearing the last statement, it seemed that to persuade them, he had not only framed me but also spread false rumors about Randolph and his citizens.

The citizens of Randolph’s ember, who had almost been killed after being framed, shuddered in rage at that fact and glared at Yan as if to kill him.

“Everyone, please be quiet.”

Before the confusion escalated further, I stepped forward to end the situation.

Since it was not a complete safe zone even within the sphere of influence of the Eternal Embers, we had to go inside. I also had to pacify the citizens’ agitation caused by Yan’s exposed shame.

Above all, the betrayers of the ember, including Yan, had to be dealt with as quickly as possible.

“Director.”

Before pulling the trigger, I sought permission from Demian.

Since Yan had lost his status as leader, he had naturally become the supreme commander of the ember.

“Yes…”

He answered in a low voice and nodded.

Demian’s expression was bitter. Although he had been in opposition with Yan for twenty years, in other words, he was one who had coexisted with him for a long period of twenty years. No matter how much ill feeling there was, he could not help but harbor pity at Yan’s end.

“I execute Yan Casellos as a betrayer of the ember.”

Just as I was really about to pull the trigger.

“Wait!”

There was an interrupting voice.

This time, it was not Demian. It was a man among the citizens of the magic engineering department.

“Do… do we have to kill him like this? Must we kill him!”

Pushing through the crowd, he spoke as he looked around. And the people began to shout at the man, asking why they should spare such a murderer.

I tried to stop him, thinking he was trying to advocate for Yan, who was no different from a betrayer and murderer.

“He might have been an enemy to you and me, but to the citizens, he was a great man of character and a leader. I think it would not be bad to give them time to say goodbye. That way would be cleaner.”

“…Just five minutes.”

“Good thinking.”

At Demian’s hand holding me back, I decided to observe for a moment.

In any case, Yan facing death was a result that would not change, and as Demian said, resolving all emotions and doubts here seemed to leave a clean aftermath.

However, the man’s subsequent words deviated from both of our expectations.

“I am not saying we should spare Lord Yan… no, Yan. I am not such a man of character to advocate leniency for such human trash, nor do I have the right to assert it on behalf of the victims. However…”

“However?”

“However, before he was a leader, he was our neighbor, friend, and family. There is no need for us to kill such Yan… Yan who used to be like that, with our own hands. I wish Yan would leave the ember on his own…”

The man was not saying to spare Yan. Rather, he was saying that killing him was absolutely right.

He was merely asserting exile as a courtesy to the leader who had excellently led the interior of the ember for twenty years.

It was a generous sentence compared to the laws and rules of summary execution for rebellion. However, it was not normal times, but a time when a snowstorm was blowing. Whether it was exile or summary execution, the result was the same, only the words and nature were different.

“…I would prefer that too. I… I do not have the courage to see Yan’s corpse.”

“Yes, he was a person who was once family. No matter how bad he was, he was someone who showed kindness and did his best for us.”

“I also agree with exile.”

“I agree as well.”

“The same goes for me.”

The citizens of the magic engineering department shelter began to agree with the man’s opinion. Rather than being moved by his words, their good feelings and memories of Yan, and the years they spent sharing joys and sorrows, weakened their hearts.

The unexpected part was the citizens of the leadership shelter.

They were the followers Yan had selected. They were ones who should have run wild in anger whether it was summary execution or exile. Yet they did not seem to have the slightest intention of disobeying the punishment.

Rather, they looked as if they had given up on everything with eyes as dark and lifeless as dead fish eyes.

‘If I cannot wrap it up with my own hands, the aftermath will not be clean…’

When killing an enemy, one must reliably sever their breath and verify their death in person. Otherwise, there will be future trouble.

This was a very important lesson I learned in .

However, to exile Yan became the mainstream, I could not persist in summary execution.

Right now, I did not have the power and authority to enforce it, and for the time being, I had to run the ember with their support. It was still a period when I should not do things that would earn significant hatred.

Although not being able to deal with Yan left an uncomfortable feeling, it was merely a feeling.

Even when the weather was calm, I, who had crossed the snowfields with thorough preparation, had crossed the threshold of death several times.

Yet, being expelled bare-handed at a time when this snowstorm was raging, and in that place teeming with mutants, I could guarantee there was absolutely no chance of survival.

“Accepting the opinion of the citizens, I will overturn the summary execution handed down to Yan into exile.”

Since one must back down without regret when backing down, I shouted without hesitation.

However, there was something I could not concede either.

It was the exile of all those involved, including the ringleader Yan.

I continued speaking.

“In addition, I will also exile all those involved who participated in this matter. As far as I have confirmed, Nikolai, who acted as Yan’s strategist, five leadership executives, Hunting Captain Archer Fordham and twenty hunters under his command, and Mining Foreman Merel Wayne were implicated in this matter.”

“…!”

The citizens were greatly shaken. Their attention had been focused on Yan, so they had not thought of the punishment for those involved.

The number was also a problem. Just the ones I mentioned exceeded thirty, so how many would there be if those I didn’t mention were included?

Since the scale was different, the mindset in accepting it could not help but be different.

However, there was no one who opposed.

Whether the scale was small or large, and whether they had participated actively or passively, driving the refugees to their deaths was equally unforgivable behavior.

“Caleb.”

“Yes, Director.”

“Take the department members and search the leadership office. There will surely be a document, whether minutes of meeting or whatever, containing the list of those who participated.”

“I will bring it.”

Perhaps having the same thought as me on this part, Demian gave a firm instruction.

Caleb, who had headed to the leadership, returned before long. In his hand, as he panted, a notebook was held.

It was precisely the register containing the personal profiles of the participants involved, recorded to prevent them from betraying him.

‘Ninety-five people in total… that is too many.’

Surprisingly, the number had nearly tripled. There were that many who had participated in that subhuman deed.

However, there could be no exception.

“…That is all. As of this hour, I hand down an immediate sentence of exile to the ninety-five people in total whose names were called.”

When the judgment was finally passed, several of the named individuals appealed their grievance.

Saying that they had no choice, and what power did they have to stop it.

It was a statement that was fully understandable. They might have been swept along by pressure or the atmosphere, even if they did not want to.

However, there is no grave without a story.

The important thing was that, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, they had remained silent and committed that cruel deed for a long time.

It was impossible to live together in one ember with such people.

“…Director, we have confiscated all of their belongings. What should we do now?”

Caleb spoke, having taken on the role of executioner in the confusion.

He was asking whether to expel them right now.

Demian answered with eyes filled with regret.

“We must send them away. Both the good memories and the bad memories, all beyond that snowfield…”

His voice drifted on the heat emitted by the Eternal Embers, then vanished upon reaching the boundary where the snowstorm raged.

Finally, it was time to wrap everything up.