[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ember-dragon":3,"chapter-ember-dragon-ember-dragon-chapter-349":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Ember Dragon",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1162015,1504,"Chapter 349: Guillotine","ember-dragon-chapter-349",349,"\u003Cp>Chapter 349: Guillotine\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd’s noisy debates and hushed whispers continued, but the centuries-old authority of the Bosk family weighed so heavily that not a single person dared to step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Medrolash scanned the fearful and panicked faces below, his jet-black eyes narrowing slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Everyone, this is the kingdom’s public trial. You are free to exercise your power without fear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hehehe.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, laughter echoed from the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horace, who had remained silent, trembled as he raised his head, his bloodstained face twisted in a defiant smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You dragon lackeys, your schemes will never succeed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stravsburg will always belong to the Bosk family. The lion’s blood will never submit!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am Horace Bosk, eldest son of Grand Duke Leo. No one but my father has the right to judge me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horace spat blood-tinged saliva and hurled curses at Medrolash, as if he no longer cared about his life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You wish to die, don’t you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Medrolash wiped the blood from his face, his expression remaining calm and emotionless as he asked softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You want to die fighting the enemy, like those epic stories, and be remembered as a hero.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Unfortunately, I won’t grant you that wish.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Medrolash shook his head lightly, slowly walking to Horace’s side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me tell you—you will be judged by the people, branded a criminal, nailed to the pillar of historical shame, mocked in your family’s chronicles, and serve as the beginning of the Northland nobility’s demise.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tiefling’s low voice was like the whisper of a devil, lingering in Horace’s ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horace lifted his head with great effort, glaring at the tiefling through gritted teeth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Y-You’re delusional!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The unyielding Skanians won’t fall for your lies!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Medrolash’s lips curled into a cold, mocking smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that really the case?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tiefling turned, drew his sword, and held it high under the sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the name of the Duke of the Ember Kingdom, I promise that anyone participating in the trial and providing substantiated accusations will bear no responsibility afterward!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Furthermore—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His voice grew passionate as he paused dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You will also have the opportunity, under the laws of the kingdom, to claim a portion of Marquis Horace Bosk’s wealth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd erupted once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the wealth of a Northland marquis, the eldest son of Grand Duke Leo!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horace’s estates and mines were countless, and the gold stored in his marquisate alone was beyond the imagination of commoners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before such immense temptation, the authority of nobility seemed trivial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the crowded throng, many were already eager to step forward, ready to seize their chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Despicable!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Y-You’re inciting a riot!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bound to the wooden frame, Horace let out a hoarse scream, but Medrolash didn’t even glance at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"M-My lord!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I—I have accusations to make!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A trembling male voice rang out abruptly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd turned toward the speaker, a plainly dressed middle-aged man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His rough hands twisted together nervously, sweat streaming down his face, and even his lips were pale from tension. Yet, his eyes betrayed deep hatred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What is your name?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ruluren. Rulen Pierce, a merchant from the eastern part of the city.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Please, go ahead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Medrolash’s face lit up with a smile, gesturing for the man to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Marquis Horace—no, Horace Bosk—he led soldiers under the pretense of the ’Great Conscription’ to seize all the money and food from my shop.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His knights accused my wife and daughter of disrespecting nobles and abducted them!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Rulen’s voice was halting, but as he spoke, his tone grew increasingly impassioned and furious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I thought they were imprisoned, so I risked everything to search for them, gathering money to pay their ransom—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the end, I found their bodies at the military encampment outside the city. They had been tortured to death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time he finished, his voice was hoarse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tears welled in Rulen’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, as if unleashing years of suppressed grief, he scooped a handful of filthy snow and mud from the ground and hurled it at Horace on the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Splat!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The muck splattered across Horace’s face, leaving him disheveled and utterly undignified—far from the image of a Northland noble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lies!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is blatant slander!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That bastard has taken the dragon’s gold!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horace, his hair disheveled, cursed Rulen furiously from the platform, his face twisted with rage, wishing he could kill him on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a marquis, he had never suffered such humiliation!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in front of tens of thousands of people!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horace didn’t realize: his nightmare had just begun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While the Bosk Duchy was more orderly than other Northland nations, even here, the infamous \"Great Conscription\" had brought countless atrocities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, soldiers of this era were never known for their reasonableness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Rulen’s testimony, the crowd sighed and wept, while others burned with rage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More importantly, Rulen’s courage had set an example, emboldening others to speak up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a stone thrown into a calm lake, it triggered waves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have accusations too!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Me too!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His knights destroyed my home!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They killed my mother!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They stole our winter food, starving my son to death!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, justice and evil, dragons and nobles, were irrelevant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The people needed to vent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They passionately and furiously accused the Northland nobility of their crimes, revealing long-silent grievances during this public trial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trishka and Horace were the two main leaders of the \"Great Conscription.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To impress the duke, they often led troops personally to collect supplies and military funds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, with Count Trishka dead, Marquis Horace Bosk became the sole target of the people’s hatred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd’s fervor and rage grew. Mud, branches, and even stones were hurled at Horace on the platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You filthy peasants... traitors!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Without the Bosk family, how could you have survived this long?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the crowd’s roaring cries drowned out his feeble rebuttals; no one cared about his words anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horace Bosk was utterly humiliated. Bound to the frame, covered in wounds and filth, his bloodstained face twisted in a grimace, any trace of the noble lion’s bloodline was unrecognizable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the people, he now seemed no different from a common criminal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Medrolash raised his voice and declared:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By the people’s public trial in Stravsburg, Horace Bosk is found guilty of murder, embezzlement, robbery, and a series of other crimes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As the face of the Northland’s corrupt regime, Horace Bosk’s crimes are severe, his attitude vile, and his actions unforgivable. Thus, he is sentenced to—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Medrolash paused deliberately, heightening the tension among the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Death! Death!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The furious crowd shouted in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their voices swelled into a tidal wave, and only then did Medrolash utter the final words:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tiefling guards stepped forward, unveiling the guillotine and dragging Horace toward it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Horace struggled desperately, roaring angrily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, no!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You filthy scum, you have no right to judge me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Traitors! You’re all traitors!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But his resistance was futile. Overpowered by the tieflings, the marquis was forced onto the guillotine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in his final moments, Horace strained to lift his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am Grand Duke Leo’s eld—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Clang!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before he could finish, the blade fell with a crisp sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood sprayed, staining the gleaming blade, as cheers erupted from the crowd below.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under the kingdom’s careful orchestration, the people of Stravsburg had personally toppled the Northland nobility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Drip, drip...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The slanted blade of the guillotine was lifted again, crimson blood dripping from its edge, its sharp surface gleaming blindingly in the sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>",1233,"2026-06-03T12:47:02.951Z","2026-06-03T12:47:07.061Z",1,"novelbin.me","2dd1c9b4973eec9496b9899a88c45de97d62b700cfb4b7e635be62e6e989ad05","ember-dragon-chapter-350","ember-dragon-chapter-348",603,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fember-dragon-cover.jpg"]