Chapter 31: Chapter 27: Victoria’s Rage (II).
Chapter 27: Victoria's Rage (II).
Victoria's POV
I'm supposed to be preparing the princess for her father's return. I announced and gave the letter to Sir Lincoln, one of the only people I trust in the council to spread the news about the king's return in a few days.
Everyone was in a frenzy right after.
Emperor Alastor Izden Nevemayr is coming back home to rule his kingdom once more, perhaps permanently repairing the damage of war that has affected most of the villages outside.
"Yawn… good morning to you hon." I went through my bedside table and held a worn photo of my lover. The ink used to have drawn her was leaving faint but I could still remember her lovely features.
"Mary, I'll be home soon. Just a bit more… I'll be coming home to visit."
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"?"
Right after waking up, a visitor at this hour. Could it be my maid neighbors giving me snacks again?
…
I was wrong.
"Miss Victoria Crumwell, tell me. Do you have any reason why the king would only give you a message that he'll be coming back." (Count Nikolai) suddenly ordered a few guards to knock onto my servant room, accusing me of being favored by the king.
Which I was.
I observed the council room, seeing that Council Nikolai and his little lackeys were only present. Sir Lincoln must not have been informed of his little act of force and abuse of power towards me.
Calling me out without proper request.
"It's because I was once his right hand woman that took governance in some of our military tactics that may I remind you have run successfully. I was given trust over his daughter, to keep her safe-" The princess' smiling face ran through my mind, I kept my whole years isolating myself into this castle, always by her side.
Did he think it was easy?
"That's not enough reason-! It must be because you're not telling us the whole story!" (Count Nikolai)
He didn't even let me finish, deep inside I was frustrated wanting to teach him some manners on letting someone finish their sentence.
I visibly rolled my eyes, his other lackeys watching every move that I made. I mustn't do anything that could bring harm to me. I need to access things calmly but he's making it hard for me to control much of my emotion.
"I am, Count Nikolai, perhaps you just wanted to hear something that's pleasing to your ears. I sense that you're jealous, how is being at the top now?"
"How am I at the top? You're one to talk! You could've been here with me if you only followed orders! Do you know why we lost this war?! You weren't there to fight!" He yells out and every other council member covers their mouths in shock.
A man doing a little tantrum towards such a measly thing. I gave the council the letter I have received but they dare hold me for being more favored.
It is not my fault the king trusts me more than his own council.
"I am fighting my own battles here. I've grown tired of war. I am following another set of orders given to me by the-"
Once again he didn't let me finish my words.
"No, you Victoria Crumwell was one of the best soldiers the whole country has ever seen. The whole kingdom shivered in fear when they heard your name being whispered in the streets." I looked away, knowing how huge my reputation was when I was still General Crumwell, the king's right handed woman when it came to govern his military personnel.
I could hear him sighing, then slumping onto his seat.
"One of the best generals that saved hundreds if not thousands in the century is playing- house maid." (Count Nikolai) was trying to get a rise out of me, it wasn't working. "How low have you gone, Victoria? I respected and admired you but this is all you turned out to be."
He chuckled in disappointment looking over at my figure that didn't care at all. His words no longer had any effect on me, this is the path I chose. Caring for the princess was not a mistake and I would choose this path all over again if I had the chance.
"..."
Princess Elizabeth must be hungry, I hope she slept late this time of the hour. I want to at least serve her breakfast before anyone else would.
I don't trust anyone else serving her food.
"Will that be all? I still have to wake up her highness to cook her breakfast and get her dress ready to meet the king." I replied and he didn't like that I was ignoring his insults. He stands up from his seat pointing a finger at me, many conclusive times.
"You! The reason we lost the human-demon war is because of you not participating in it! You're the reason why we lost! Abandoning your duty how could you-"
My ears were getting tired of hearing his yapping.
"I could say the same thing about you, Count Nikolai. Aren't you ashamed?" I stepped forward menacingly, keeping my posture straight and intimidating him from his place. "What are you doing? Pointing fingers finding someone to blame for a war none of us wanted."
I shake my head smiling softly, feeling I've won this debate. "Don't you think that's even lower than what I committed?"
His lackeys suddenly looked at him waiting for a reply back.
"I'm following my own separate orders, that's to protect the princess and if you're not satisfied with that you can go to hell."
Count Nikolai was getting under my skin, he always knew how to get under my skin and I hated it.
"Getting brave enough to talk back to me, are you Crumwell?" He snapped his fingers and soon guards I didn't recognize began to surround me. "Why don't I remind you who's at the top now? Roughing you up would make that easier for me."
Is he dumb?
"Doing this hours before the King's expected visit. How idiotic of you, Count Nikolai. We've had our differences but I didn't think you were capable enough to do this." I gave the guards a side glance observing the expression on their faces.
It seems that they didn't want to fight me, and that was good.
"By the order of the count, we'll be needing to conduct an investigation on you- Victoria Crumwell."
"Investigation on what, boys?" I shrugged, gritting my teeth to control my anger of how Nikolai was abusing these boys just because he had the power to do so. "New soldiers in the barracks, you don't know who I am and such a shame that is"
I caressed the rim of my [Storage Ring] taking out my weapon, mythril steel Sovnya.
A curved, single-edged blade mounted on the end of a long pole. I held this very same weapon to slay thousands of demons, and almost a hundred humans, cleaning their blood upon my mythril blade each time the battle was over.
This polearm may as well be cursed by their souls.
I held the weapon in my hand, slamming the bottom that was made out of metal onto the ground creating a loud sound that echoed in the council room.
"Would you like to know how I became the first woman general in the history of our kingdom?" I pointed the polearm blade into Nikolai without fear. "I may be a maid now but I'm a retired soldier so how about showing me some respect."
The young soldiers put their weapon down, looking worried and double-checked with Nikolai if they should still continue with his order to roughen her up.
"Cowards all of you!" (Count Nikolai) shook his head, glaring at his employed soldiers and I could see him holding a chair made out of shimmy wood. "You can't even follow one single order! I have to do things myself!"
Crash!
He threw a chair into the wall, knowing that he would've done that I moved to the side and the chair hit one of his employed soldiers knocking him down onto the ground.
"Ow…" He groaned out in pain, thankfully he was wearing armor or else that would've left a splinter.
I almost laughed at Nikolai's ignorance and childish behavior.
If it wasn't for his noble upbringing, I would've wondered why a man like this deserved to have the title of count. "You're more of a coward than them, Nikolai. Is your manhood wavering?"
""No! You dare mock me and my manhood!!! I am not a coward!"
"Hmph."
"And you're a coward for leaving me for some nun! What did she have that I didn't?! She was just a peasant girl who can barely give you anything!"
My mood immediately dropped, if he brings Mary into this shitty debate I will end it all.
"Stop, don't you dare bring her into this." I grit my teeth, sure we had a thing before but I can't believe knowing he's still not over that.
"A rubbish peasant girl- how could you just replace me with that?!" (Count Nikolai) was digging his grave further and that was my boiling point.
Insult me but never her.
…
"Water spirits, respond to my calling."
Clang!
I slammed the bottom part of my polearm into the ground, revealing a blue magic circle in an instant pouring water all over the carpet then soon it took the whole floor completely.
"You're using your magic?!" (Count Nikolai) yelled, the soldiers couldn't even bother stopping me, the flow of the water took them out slamming their bodies into the corner of the room.
"You attacked first so don't take this personally, Nikolai."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone