The Two Empresses
Punishment and the Little Wolf Girl

Stjarnan Palace

The soldiers brought them into the palace which had been uninhabited for quite a long time. Saciel and Phillip stood before the elders and the entire noble family who were staring with disgusted, cynical and haughty gazes, yet the gaze of Saciel fell on the group of people standing some distance hidden with an annoyed look. Their faces were covered by shadows, only a sly smile was etched on their faces.

"Damn it, they're here" Saciel lamented.

"Quick kneel!" snapping a soldier while kicking their shins with thick soled shoes. Both fell to their knees, their faces down. But the red-haired girl immediately raised her face and stared with a cruel look at the elders. Hatred is unable to cover, his teeth grumble to withstand emotions that are ready to explode at any time.

"Saciel Arakawa and Phillip Arlestine, you two are here to receive the appropriate punishment for the torture of the old priest. Is there a rebuttal?" the Elders of Yorktown.

"Yes, there!" scream Saciel. "I don't see any eyewitnesses here! And also I'm the Archduchess, watch your behavior!"

"The eyewitness you're referring to is preparing for the festival, so..."

"Don't give a reason, Elder Yorktown. If you can't bring it, then what you're saying is a false accusation" Saciel coldly cut. The entire crowd that was present began to whisper, troubling the elders who were beginning to sour their faces.

"Alright, call the witness!" elder Erika said firmly. The two bodyguards standing nearby saluted and left the room. Phillip turned to Saciel with a face no less sour than the elders.

"You just dug our grave, the Archduchess" Phillip said.

"Well, I didn't know they were going to stick around. Just pray to God Oorun so that we can be free from this punishment," Saciel replied, feeling guilty for pulling him into even more thorny trouble. About ten minutes passed, the two bodyguards returned with a clumsy and pale-looking temple girl. His small, frail body made him look like a 7-year-old boy.

"Ah? Isn't he..ow!" erang Phillip's. He turned to Saciel who shook his head quickly. The understanding Phillip just kept quiet and lowered his head.

"Miss, can you tell me in detail what they did to the old priest?" ask the Boldstone Elders.

"They were both tarnishing the mind of the Great Priest to carry out a coup, but trying to be stopped by the old priest. Miss Arakawa immediately smothered and threatened him with a curse," he said.

"Civilized!"

"Dude!"

"Low witch!"

"Shut up! No one can talk but us elders and suspects!" said Elder Erika. Saciel only glared and glanced at Phillip who was a little pale to the reaction of people hearing the false testimony revealed by the shrine maiden. "Is there a rebuttal?"

"There, Your Majesty," Saciel quipped. He stood up and looked at all the people in the palace. "On what basis do we trust his words? What if he tells a lie?"

"You're really stubborn, Arakawa! You're this.really.junk!" maki Erika's. Saciel laughed so hard that everyone was surprised and astonished. He lightly walked towards the elders, but was stopped by a group of bodyguards who drew magic swords towards him.

"Go one step ahead you die, Arakawa," said the elder of Yorktown.

"Oh? So confident of you. Don't you remember me ruining everyone's entire magic sword with just one flick?"

"I'm confident now, because you're powerless with your own family's magic" the elder of Yorktown said. Saciel put on a made-up look of shock.

"Oh, I just remembered that. But~ what about Arlestine?" saciel asked as he turned to face Phillip, who was standing without any handcuffs tying his hands. The elders looked at him.

"How can it?! Arlestine can't let go of the handcuffs.you!" snapping Elder Erika, raised a glance towards the cynically smiling Saciel. "Fuck up! Can you take those handcuffs off?!"

"Well, I just remembered the spell when I entered this palace, so forgive me~" Saciel said as she held back a laugh.

"You really want to die, huh?!" the Boldstone Elders.

"If you can decapitate me, Elder Boldstone. Please, I'll stand quietly here" he said.

"You...the basics of ******! The bodyguard! Execute the demonic woman!" the Elder Erika.

"Stop!" sahiut someone. All eyes turned and found Cerlina walking in with some temple girls behind her. His face was covered by a hood, yet a mystical aura was oozing strongly from him. The entire person immediately knelt down and did not dare to raise his face, except for Saciel.

"In the name of Lord Oorun, I ask you not to execute Archduchess Saciel Arakawa" Cerlina said calmly.

"Can't! He has insulted us and released Phillip Arlestine! He deserves to be put to death!" elder Erika said half-cocky, but Cerlina remained calm and boasted a smile.

"Instead, I would like to hear once again the testimony given by the shrine maiden there" Cerlina said. The temple girl was deathly pale, speechless. It fell limp and shook violently. "What's wrong? Aren't you a witness? Say it again."

The shrine maiden shook her head quickly, making the elders a little wary. Cerlina turned and faced the audience.

"The nobles I respect, for the sake of ending this trial, I think the proper punishment for these two people is purification. Does anyone mind?"

"Can't! They've hurt a weak old priest! Sanctification will not be enough!" sahut.

"Yes, he's right!"

"Punish him properly!"

"Curtain, troublesome. They just want to see me suffer" Saciel grumbled.

"Alright, if that's your request. Punishment 50 lashes is enough?" ask Cerlina. Saciel and Phillip were so shocked that the young man's face began to pale.

"Fifty did you say?! You're starting to get crazy!" Saciel. Cerlina took a large whip and gave it to the executioner with trembling hands.

"This is punishment. You have to accept the consequences, Archduchess Arakawa," Cerlina said. Saciel shook his head, his face was sad and sighed. The executioner immediately went down and tore the two defendants' superiors mercilessly.

"It's really an insult" Saciel said furiously. He covered his chest with both hands, his teeth grinding to hold back anger, shame, heartache and disappointment. Cerlina could only stand far away, her sad face capable of being covered by her hood. But her tears flowed down her cheeks. The elders smiled in satisfaction, as well as some nobles, unlike the hidden group of magicians, they immediately left after Cerlina announced the punishment of the whip. Moans, groans, groans mixed with the smell of rancid rippling from the backs of those injured. The executioner continued to swing his whip without pause, with all his energy to make the girl repeatedly fall. His delicate body began to fill with wounds and bruises. There was no longer a smile full of arrogance, only a face full of pain and despair. His face was full of sweat and blood, his head was weakly bowed, unable to see those who were just sitting sweetly and witnessing an exaggerated punishment for a light mistake.

Fifty lashes have been completed. The executioner immediately cleared his whip without the slightest guilt. Unlike the two defendants, they immediately fell down. Blood covered their bodies, their wounds revealing a bit of torn bones and flesh. Some of the guards immediately took them elsewhere and the servants cleaned up the blood that was splattered on the floor. Everyone who was there one by one left the palace without looking back, as well as the elders.

"Let's go back, Great Priest" said the monk. Cerlina reluctantly left the palace, her body trembling and her legs limp.

"A.. I want to see him," he stammered.

"can't. You are not allowed to see sinners anymore, Great Priestess. Come, your chariot is waiting" said the monk firmly. With his head down he walked away from the palace. Tears came back with her slow steps.

Meanwhile, Saciel and Phillip could only sit while adjusting their gasping breaths. Both of them were tired, there was no energy left to just clean their wounds.

"Damn it!" scream Saciel. Phillip could only see, fully understanding the feeling that Saciel was feeling. Suddenly a nurse came in and saluted.

"I was assigned to take care of your wounds, all of you" he said kindly.

"Who sent you?" ask Phillip.

"He didn't allow me to open my mouth about his identity. So I hope you both don't mind this" he replied. The two simply nodded, there was no energy to argue. The nurse immediately cleaned their wounds carefully. "I can cure him with magic, but not with his pain. The whip they used was no ordinary whip."

"Just do it" said Saciel. The nurse placed her hand over the wound. A gentle and warm sea blue light began to seal their wounds quickly. Some bruises were still on their bodies, but the look on his face began to brighten as before. Finished doing the treatment, he gave a glass of pitch-black liquid that made Saciel nauseous to see him.

"Uhh, what is this?" Phillip asked.

"This is medicine. The color is terrible, but it can restore your strength."

The two immediately gulped down the contents of the cup. Expressions of nausea and disgust were still lingering on their faces. The nurse immediately cleared the place and left them.

"Let me get you a shirt" Phillip said. He stumbled toward the closet and picked up two tops. "Luckily, there's still the rest of this shirt."

"Oh, the rest of the clothes anyway? Here, I'm not letting you see my body" Saciel said.

"I don't taste right now" Phillip said flatly. He handed over the shirt and he turned around to make room for Saciel to get dressed. Finished dressing Saciel tried to do a magic trick, but sighed. "They're spending my mana. Fucking whip, I'll repay them the same way."

"Same. What if we just walk? You willing?" philip. Saciel nodded faintly, then got up to his feet. "The nurse gave us a little energy, enough to go home."

"If I'm wondering who gave the order to him" Saciel murmured. They walk slowly, sometimes complaining because the pain never goes away. Before entering the territory of the nobles, the two heard the moaning of a little girl.

"In that narrow alley" Phillip said, pointing at the dark, narrow alley. The two approached and were surprised by the girl. A body full of wounds and blood was not what they were concerned about, but a pair of wolf ears and tails stuck to his body.

"Human..half wolf?" philip. The little girl gasped and snarled. Phillip is bewitched, but Saciel quickly takes over to calm him down.

"Calm down, we're not gonna hurt you. Calm down," said Saciel soothingly. The little girl was still on guard, a growl still coming out of her lips. Saciel knelt down and stretched out his hand, while Phillip shadowed him so that no one would see him.

"It's okay, come here. We're not going to hurt you" Saciel said. The little girl sniffed, then crawled closer to Saciel. After he confirmed that there was no threat, his face began to change.

"Ohh.wahhh!" his sobs.

"Hand!" philip said, holding Saciel who hugged the little girl and flicked her fingers. The three of them moved to the Saciel residence. The young man immediately collapsed and stupefied.

"Auntie! Help us!" saciel's Saut. A middle-aged woman walked quickly into the living room and was shocked, followed by several servants behind her.

"Miss, what's going on? And this girl.." he said as he looked at the little girl with concern.

"long story. Prepare the treatment, my body goes numb," Saciel cut quickly. Aunty nodded and immediately told the waiter to rush over to prepare everything. The wolf girl was still sobbing, tightly holding the hand of the red-haired witch.

"Hiks, Papa, Mama, Max," she poked. Saciel stroked the girl's head and wiped away her tears.

"Ssh, don't be sad. We'll help you find your family, but right now you need treatment" he comforted.

"Saciel, are you serious? He's a demi-human, he's an enemy" Phillip said.

"You're right. Even so, she is still a living being and I can't let her," Saciel replied as she hugged the demi-human girl. "Tonight you sleep here, your strength is up, right?"

"Miss, everything is ready," Bibi said as she gave a glass of solid red potion. He also gave the same drink to others.

"Well little girl, drink the potion and come with me" Saciel said. The little girl nodded and gulped down the potion. Phillip and Saciel did the same. After drinking the potion, the three went to a hot bath in the back of the house.