Julius stared up at Luca in absolute horror.
Just moments ago, he had truly believed that he had escaped.
That somehow, through pure instinct or luck, he had avoided the trap and saved himself.
The relief had been so overwhelming that he hadn't even felt the sting of Luca's cruel words.
But now Luca was holding the gun. Pointing it at him.
Talking about using him as a live demonstration as he was having none of it.
"No—no, you can't!"
Julius scrambled backward on the grass, his voice climbing into a desperate, pleading register.
"You can't do something like this! I haven't actually harmed you! I didn't pull the trigger! You have no right to—to shoot me!"
He was trying to sound threatening, trying to summon some of his old authority, but it came out as nothing more than the terrified whimper of a cornered animal.
"This goes against the Goddess's' wishes! You'll be punished! You can't just shoot me!"
