In the blink of an eye, more than two and a half years—over nine hundred days—had passed.

In the early morning, the streets of Damian City, one of the three major cities of the Adams Empire, were teeming with people.

"Truth tells us that knowledge is Power, and Truth cannot be monopolized."

"All living beings have an equal right to acquire knowledge. All who defy this by hiding or distorting knowledge shall suffer divine punishment!"

"It is the grace of Truth, He who has sown the light of hope into this world."

"The suffering will soon be over! And today, let us publicly execute the wicked who made us suffer!"

The city streets led to the center of the largest square.

At that moment, Fina Adebayo—Mayor of Damian, Governor of the Empire’s North, and the Thirteenth Princess of the Empire—stood upon a dais, shouting with an air of solemn authority.

As her voice faded, a huge curtain on the high platform dropped.

Instantly, the crowd of over a hundred thousand—filling the square and its adjoining streets—gasped in astonishment. They saw that the people about to be executed on the high platform were none other than major figures, people the Commoners had only ever seen from a distance but could never hope to approach!

"Gods! Is that...? It is! That’s Duke Philip Bennett!"

"By the Truth, a Duke! It’s Duke Bennett’s entire family! Can they really be blasphemers?"

"How is that possible? Her Imperial Highness Princess actually dares to execute a Duke’s family without His Majesty’s approval?"

At that moment, atop several tall buildings overlooking the square, a few wealthy merchants wore expressions of utter shock.

"What crime could possibly be so severe that even a Duke himself is brought to the executioner’s block?!"

"And what’s the deal with this Church of the God of Truth and Knowledge?"

"We knew Her Imperial Highness Princess had established a massive Church in Damian City to win over the people, but did she really need to take it this far?"

"Exactly. What good are these peasants? Does Her Imperial Highness Princess truly believe she can change anything by relying on them?"

"..."

Traveling merchants new to the city, and even some of Damian City’s own Nobility who had not embraced the faith of Truth, all wore expressions of incredulous shock.

After all, in their eyes, the Church established by the Princess had seemed to be an act of charity, a reason for her to pour vast sums of money into improving the lives of the Commoners.

But now, it was clear that was not the case at all!

"This is insubordination! It’s treason!"

"How could the Thirteenth Princess dare!"

"Duke Philip is related to the Empress herself! She’s just a princess! Even with His Majesty’s favor, she cannot be allowed to act so wantonly!"

A noble suddenly stood up from his seat, speaking with a mix of shock and anger.

"Is it possible... that this was His Majesty’s intention all along?"

Another noble suggested hesitantly.

"No! That’s absolutely impossible!"

"Even if it were His Majesty’s decree, and the Duke truly committed a crime, he should have been escorted to the Imperial Capital for a trial, not executed here!"

"This..."

"..."

Many of the Nobility and other uninformed onlookers wore shocked expressions. In the square below, the great mass of Believers in Truth—the Commoners—erupted into fervent discussion.

Meanwhile, on the high platform.

The mouths of Duke Philip and his family were stuffed with white cloth. Their faces were masks of terror as they desperately shook their heads and struggled against their bonds.

On that same platform, the Thirteenth Princess gazed upon the Duke’s family with a look of pure ice.

"The evidence of Philip Bennett’s collusion with the enemy Blood Race is irrefutable!"

"For years, his family has abused their power throughout the territory of the Northern Seven Cities, cruelly oppressing the Commoners. They have directly or indirectly murdered and tortured at least a thousand people!"

"But Philip Bennett’s greatest crime was to imprison and murder over two hundred young women in the name of ’Blood Therapy,’ hiding their bodies in his castle’s cellar! His motive for all of this? A ridiculous, depraved desire to pursue eternal life!"

"Their crimes are so heinous as to be nauseating, so vile they are forsaken by the gods!"

"I, Fina Adebayo, as the Thirteenth Princess of the Adams Empire, and as the worldly Saintess of the God of Truth and Knowledge, hereby declare my judgment!"

"The House of Philip shall be punished by hanging, their bodies to be cremated thereafter! The sentence is to be carried out immediately!"

The moment the Thirteenth Princess’s words fell, the entire square erupted.

"Monster!"

"To think an Imperial Duke could be such a monster! Gods! Over two hundred young women! How could he!"

"How is that any different from those Vampires?! Dammit! That man deserves to die!"

"Long live Her Imperial Highness Princess!"

"Long live the Governor!"

"Kill him!"

"Kill them!"

"..."

The crowd in the square was consumed by rage!

They roared and they cursed!

But just then, something unexpected happened.

No, to be more precise, something the Thirteenth Princess had fully anticipated occurred.

"Stop!"

"Her Imperial Highness Princess, you have overstepped!"

A large number of Blood Hunters now appeared on the rooftops surrounding the square!

They sprinted from roof to roof, quickly taking up positions on the buildings surrounding the entire square.

Clad in black cloaks, their gazes were frigid.

Over three hundred elite Blood Hunters, all armed, arranged themselves in strategic positions, looking down upon the entire square.

And behind the platform, Joyce Waters—Legion Commander of the Second Legion, the northern division of the Blood Hunter Corps—was watching the Thirteenth Princess below with cold eyes.

Faced with this sudden turn of events, the many soldiers and guards loyal to the Thirteenth Princess, both around the square and on the platform itself, cried out in alarm.

"Protect Her Imperial Highness Princess!"