Gallows Square

The specific location of Gallows Square Legal Square is in the southeast corner of the White Queen District, at the intersection with the Lloyd District, linked by "Lloyd Prince Avenue."

Because a long, long time ago, this was the location of the Avalon Kingdom's Legal Office.

Even though the Legal Office was later abolished and its functions were incorporated into the Legal Court, and the Minister of Justice became the administrator of the Legal Court... this place was still called Legal Square by the residents.

Iver did not walk to Legal Square. Instead, he took a carriage with "Anne Alexander" and his son.

"Let me test you, Annie."

Iver sat in the carriage, interlacing his fingers and pulling Lu Lu's hand to his side.

To keep her from being bored and to relieve her stress, Iver casually asked, "Do you know which district Legal Square belongs to?"

"...Lloyd District, I guess."

Lu Lu was stunned for a moment before realizing that "Annie" was calling her name.

So she answered without hesitation, "It's on the east side of Lloyd Prince Avenue, after all."

"But in the eyes of the residents of the Lloyd District, Legal Square never belonged to the Lloyd District."

"...Huh?"

Lu Lu was taken aback: "Why?"

"Because it is entirely paved with large areas of smooth marble, and has many pure white buildings that serve as official symbols, which is not in harmony with the 'Port District' style of the Lloyd District, but is similar to the street and architectural style of the White Queen District."

The biggest difference between the Red White Queen District and the Red Queen District is the color of the roads and buildings. The buildings in the White Queen District are mostly white, and the roads are also white or grayish-white; the Red Queen District is more inclined to brown, dark brown, and brownish-red.

"That seems to make sense," Lu Lu nodded thoughtfully.

"However, from another point of view, the residents of the White Queen District also do not recognize Legal Square as belonging to the White Queen District."

Iver's mouth rose slightly, revealing a somewhat mischievous smile: "Because it's too dirty here—the environment is dirty and smelly, and the public security is chaotic.

"Since the time of the previous King Tudor III, people have preferred to call it Gallows Square—"

...Why? Such a question had just emerged in Lu Lu's heart.

But the next moment, her pupils began to tremble violently! Not long after Mr. Fox finished speaking, she saw two full rows of gallows on the marble square.

Two rows of corpses hung quietly on them.

No more, no less, exactly forty.

Among them, about six or seven had obvious signs of decay, and mosquitoes and flies were flying around the corpses. The remaining hanged corpses were still relatively fresh, at most two days old.

Most of the clothes on the corpses were incomplete, and many people had obvious bloodstains and mutilation on their faces and bodies. Some corpses had their abdomens hollowed out, and some were missing limbs. It was unknown whether they were left before death or caused by violence after death.

Although it was a more civilized hanging than beheading, there was a faint, lingering smell of blood on the square, permeating through the carriage.

Lu Lu subconsciously wanted to break free from Iver's grip and cover her mouth. Because she was worried that she would not be able to help but vomit and appear rude.

—But Iver held her tightly, and she couldn't break free.

Instead, he gripped Lu Lu's hand even tighter, squeezing it until she felt a slight pain.

But because of this, Lu Lu was distracted and slightly dispelled the strong discomfort in her heart.

"Are you alright, Annie?"

Iver asked with "some doubt" and concern, "Have you not been to Legal Square before?"

"...It's the first time I've seen so many corpses."

She murmured softly, "I've seen quite a few dead people. I'm used to being around death..."

However, it was the first time she had seen such a "cruel death."

She thought she would throw up, but she didn't. Lu Lu only felt a kind of unspeakable visual shock.

"Every Sunday is execution day. We missed it... On Sundays, many people who are off work and have free time come to watch the executions. That's also the most active day for pickpockets."

As Iver spoke, the carriage passed a corpse hanging high.

Lu Lu looked at his hideous face, missing an eyeball and half of his face covered in blood, with astonishment and some fear.

Close to her ear, Iver mischievously pointed to the corpse and whispered, "Look, this corpse is still fresh, only dead for two days. Otherwise, there would be maggots in his eye socket... His eyeball should have been stolen and sold on the black market. Some rituals of the Demon Scholar use the left eye of a man—look at the tear in his crotch, the stuff inside should have been stolen too.

"It seems that thirty-three people were executed this week. Because there are still seven corpses left from last week."

"...Is that a lot or a little?"

"In this day and age, it's normal."

Iver only answered halfway.

Fourteen years later, the execution rate on Glass Island has decreased a lot.

But that's not because the security has improved... but because of the mine collapse that will happen seven or eight years from now, which will require more laborers.

"Fifty years ago... oh, more than thirty years ago, that was the peak of executions. Even small crimes like theft would be punishable by death, and death was not the end, nor the most severe punishment—there were many cruel tortures before death, and some after death.

"Queen Sophia abolished thirteen cruel executions, including beheading, and only retained hanging. And greatly reduced the punishment for other crimes... Many crimes that were previously punishable by death are now only punished by exile, imprisonment, or labor. In times of war, there is still a chance to redeem oneself..."

As Iver spoke, the carriage suddenly stopped.

"Sir."

The rough-voiced coachman said, "How do I get to the bar you mentioned?"

"Oh, we're almost there," Iver said gently with a good temper, "Just drop us off here."

"Then you have to be careful of the Strangulation Gang."

The coachman kindly reminded, "Also, it's five Copper Coins to here—I'll give you a discount of half a Copper Coin."

The smallest denomination of Avalon's Copper Hourglass is not "1". Below that, there are half Copper Coins and quarter Copper Coins, which are two-thirds and half the size of a Copper Coin, respectively.

These are less commonly used auxiliary coins. Among them, quarter Copper Coins were discontinued twenty years ago. Half Copper Coins were also discontinued five years ago, leaving only the stock circulating in the market.

But now it is fourteen years ago, and half Copper Coins are still a relatively common unit.

Hearing this, Iver looked at Lu Lu.

Lu Lu was stunned for a while before realizing that the money might be in her hands. She rummaged for a while, then took out a Red Coin and stepped forward to politely hand it to the coachman with both hands.

This Red Coin is equal to ten Copper Coins, which is twice the price.

"No need to look for it, sir."

She said earnestly, "You've worked hard."

"You are truly beautiful and generous, madam."

The coachman gave a compliment, then happily pocketed the money and left.

After he left, Iver walked over with a smile.

"You should remember that everything here is fake, right?"

He said softly.

"I remember," Lu Lu nodded, her expression a little complicated, "I just feel... even if they are fake, my mood right now is real. I don't know what I can do... so I can only give him some money."

"That's a bit inclined towards the Dedication Path, isn't it, my dear Annie?"

Iver said casually.

"I don't care," she said without hesitation, "Like other children born on Glass Island, I received education on the Path of Authority from a young age, but I still embarked on the Path of Beauty. Because I just want to do what I want to do... those things I feel I should do.

"I just like the principles of this Path, and its mysterious skills. Not for the extraordinary abilities it brings me, nor do I intend to bind my personality and life to it."

Lu Lu, who always seemed to lack opinions and confidence, seemed to have touched on something sensitive when discussing this topic, and said a lot of things that Iver hadn't mentioned in one breath.

"...That's not easy."

Just then, a cold and childish voice, deliberately lowered, suddenly sounded from behind them.

A young Newsboy, who had been staring at them intently since they got out of the carriage, suddenly walked over and sarcastically said in a low voice: "You are walking on a naive and extremely dangerous road.

"The path of transcendence is destined to abandon humanity... Madam Lu Lu."