Whipping (Part 1)

At the docks, the final punishment was to be carried out.

By then, the people at the docks had kept their distance, yet continued gathering around.

Every subject who usually admired Romon fell silent at the sight of the bishop and the knights.

When he arrived at the harbor, the muscles in Romon's face were taut, but there was no fault in his words or bearing. A group of people was waiting before him.

Though he had long prepared himself, when he saw his two wives standing there with several attendants, their eyes red as they looked at him, Romon's heart still tightened. Then a flame-like fury ignited in his eyes.

"Viscount Teta Xiao has arrived, I presume?" A cold voice rang out from beyond the crowd. The onlookers then made way.

"That would be me," Romon said calmly, while signaling to his two wives with his eyes not to worry.

At that moment, a priest walked in from outside and stopped before Romon, sizing him up from head to toe. From his insignia, Romon could tell that he was a priest of the Lord of Radiance.

The priest's expression was far from friendly. Still, his words were not overly harsh. Though Romon was to be punished, his title and territory remained, and followers of the God of Order, the War God, and the Goddess of Agriculture were present. They could not make things too blatant. "Viscount Teta Xiao, according to the full terms of your punishment, not only are you to be exiled for seven years, but you are also to be whipped fifty times here before everyone. Do you have any objections?"

"No." Knowing this was already a nailed-down certainty, and that resisting the punishment would only bring harsher penalties, Romon answered without expression.

The priest had not