Echoes of Philomel

Execution of the Unseen

People have their place to be. For Philomel, the scaffold was the seat of the day and the last place to be.

A large crowd gathered at the execution site to see the last of the wicked woman. Philomel screamed at them, saying she didn't want to die, but that was soon silenced by the merciless kicks of the guards who grabbed her by the arms.

Emperor Eustis gazed indifferently at the being who had once been his daughter from his highest seat, and next to him, Princess Ellencia, with a pale complexion, clung tightly to her father.

"Listen to the treacherous!"

The person presiding over her execution stood before her and began reciting Philomel's crimes one by one. The crime of impersonating the princess for ten years in collusion with her mother. The crime of envying and slandering the princess even though she saved her life through her mercy. The crime of trying to cause a national crisis by alienating the relationship between the Mage Tower and the Empire. In addition, several minor crimes were listed one by one.

"Therefore, she deserves the death penalty!"

Almost as soon as the ruler finished speaking, harsh shouts and swearing erupted from all sides.

"Quickly kill her!"

"How dare you pretend to be a princess despite your low bloodline!"

"They should have executed you along with your mother!"

Eggs and stones thrown by the angry mob mercilessly hit Philomel.

After a long time, the ruler raised his hand to restrain the angry people.

"It was originally a right not granted to a sinner like you, but the merciful Princess Elencia allowed you to leave a will with grace. Do you have any last words?"

"Me?"

Then Philomel's yellow eyes, which had been staring down without life, turned to the emperor.

"...Ah, Father."

The Emperor's eyebrows rose slightly at the sound of his voice.

"I did not impersonate the princess. In the meantime, I will not beg you to save me, just as if I were your daughter. If only you knew that one thing..."

Confined to a solitary cell with no sunlight, she thought about it all the time. Countless people's heads fell just because they were even a little close to her, or because they showed sympathy for her devastated face. Then all the lingering feelings that had been holding her back until now felt useless. Why did she struggle so hard to be loved and did not want for anything to be taken away from her? Neither affection nor place belonged to her anyway.

But, just one thing.

It was unfair that the first and greatest sin among the line of crimes was not true. Other people may not know but she only wanted one person to know my innocence.

Her father. Emperor Eustis of the Belerov Empire.

The one who didn't even show the slightest interest in her, even after ten or so years of knowing Philomel as her daughter. She was the one who wanted to be loved and know that he was her only family though. Now that she had come too far, she couldn't relieve his hatred, but she hoped that at least the truth would be known.

From the start, she said she had no intention of cheating on him. He said he knew that she wasn't his real daughter until Elencia appeared. When you think about it, it was a very natural story. It was around the time they were just born that Philomel's birth mother switched her daughter and the princess. After that, Philomel continued to live in the imperial palace as a princess, and Elencia lived as a commoner with her birth mother, so she never had a chance to meet her. But when did she meet her birth mother and conspire, and how did she deceive everyone?