Chapter 26: Recapture of the Capital 3
Translator: Cinder Translations
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Chapter 26: Recapture of the Capital 3
"Your Highness, the rebel leader Hals has been executed, and all the rebel forces at the north gate have surrendered."
In the evening, Duke Walk and Princess Catherine convened at the royal palace, bringing along the body of Sir Hals.
"This traitor must have been driven mad by the news of the east gate falling and recklessly charged into our ranks, only to be shot dead by our archers in chaos," Catherine coldly glanced at the transformed hedgehog-like Hals and ordered, "Take this traitor's head to persuade the remnants of the rebel forces who are still resisting."
Immediately, someone came and dragged Hals's body away to be "dealt with."
"Your Highness, Lord Rupert and several other ministers have arrived."
Catherine was delighted. "Bring them in quickly."
On the day of the rebellion, Hals personally led his troops into the palace. If it weren't for Prime Minister Rupert, Earl of Shrewsbury, leading a group of ministers to hold off Hals, the king would probably have fallen into the hands of the rebels. In that case, the situation now would be much more complicated, at least Catherine would be wary.
Therefore, Catherine was very grateful to Rupert and the ministers who had delayed the rebel forces that day. Although she had received intelligence reports saying that Hals hadn't dared to go on a killing spree, merely imprisoning them, Catherine still worried that this rebel leader might suddenly do something irrational.
Another reason was that if most of the kingdom's administrative elite were wiped out, it wouldn't be so easy to rebuild a new administrative team. By then, how could she confidently lead the army south to suppress the rebellion?
Rupert and the others soon entered. "We pay our respects to Princess Catherine."
"Please, no need for formalities."
Reunited after the upheaval, everyone was somewhat excited.
Rupert asked anxiously, "I wonder if His Majesty the King is well?"
Catherine looked ashamed. "Father is well, and he has regained consciousness. He will be returning to the capital soon. But you all, won't blame me for not considering your safety and recklessly attacking the city, will you? I'm very sorry."
Rupert replied calmly, "Your Highness, please don't have such thoughts. Unnecessary pity is a great taboo for leaders."
The other ministers also expressed similar sentiments.
Catherine was very relieved to hear this. While conversing with them, she led them to the council chamber in the palace.
"Father has entrusted me to temporarily oversee the affairs of the state until he recovers. Given the current situation, I wonder if you have any advice for me?"
Rupert said, "The first priority is to stabilize the public sentiment and order in the Crystal Glare region and resume production."
Catherine agreed, "Yes, Prime Minister, please draft a notice informing the Crystal Glare district and nearby areas of the punishment of the rebel forces to stabilize public sentiment."
"The Highness, please impose martial law for at least a month to pacify the region. After the rebellion, there's been chaos in the Crystal Glare region, with locals at a loss. Many opportunists have taken advantage of the situation to cause trouble. They need to be dealt with according to the law," the Minister of Justice also offered his opinion.
"Yes, this is indeed crucial. I will inform the military," Catherine responded.
...
XC District was the location of the official granary of Crystal Glare Castle. As soon as the royal army recaptured Crystal Glare, they immediately sent reinforcements to strengthen the protection of the warehouse, strictly forbidding unauthorized access.
By this time, the sun had completely set. Due to the turmoil of war, residents had already extinguished their lights and retired for the night. The nearby roads were eerily quiet, with occasional sounds of footsteps only when soldiers patrolled.
At the entrance of the warehouse compound, two soldiers stood guard. One of them yawned, "So boring. Hasn't the relief arrived yet?"
"Stick to your post! It's been less than two hours," his companion said, exasperated.
"My stomach is protesting... Huh? Looks like someone's approaching."
The other soldier immediately shouted loudly, "Who goes there? Halt!"
"Hehe, no need to panic, it's me." The newcomer walked over calmly, smiling.
By the light of the torches, the soldiers could see a chubby face.
"Oh, it's Supervisor, forgive us."
The newcomer was the official in charge of managing the granary. They had seen him during the handover of defense duties in the evening. Although he was friendly, he was also a minor noble, not someone they, as common soldiers, could afford to offend. The two soldiers quickly apologized.
"No need for apologies. You're just doing your duty. Besides, I've come to trouble you two."
"What can we help you with, Supervisor?"
"When I left in the evening, I accidentally left a very important ledger in one of the warehouses. Oh dear, I have to work all night to write a report, which I must deliver to the palace tomorrow morning. Without this ledger, I'll have to make up the numbers."
"I see. Let me light the way for you and help you look for it."
The warehouse supervisor had the authority to come and go, unlike random people. The soldier lit an oil lamp and followed the supervisor to a nearby building near the gate, where they retrieved a bunch of keys. Then, they entered the warehouse compound.
"Thank you for your service, young man."
"It's my honor to serve you, sir."
As they walked, they chatted idly.
Arriving in front of a warehouse deep in the courtyard, the chubby supervisor suddenly stopped, "Seems like it's this one."
"Let's go inside and take a look, sir."
The two men opened the door and entered the warehouse, then meticulously searched under the light of the oil lamp.
"It doesn't seem to be here. Let's search elsewhere."
"Hehe, no rush. Have you ever watched a play?"
The soldier was puzzled. Why was the chubby supervisor asking him this? Nevertheless, he answered honestly, "Sir, that's something only nobles and the wealthy can enjoy. Someone like me wouldn't have had the chance."
"Then let me chat with you about it. A play always has its highs and lows."
"Um... I don't quite understand what you're saying," the soldier was confused.
"A play needs both highs and lows to be complete." The warehouse supervisor's expression gradually became strange, somewhere between a smile and a grimace.
The soldier felt uneasy about the warehouse supervisor's expression. What was wrong with this guy? "Sir, let's hurry and find the ledger."
Ignoring the soldier completely, the supervisor continued, "Tragic protagonists often start off smoothly, then fall from the climax into the low, and never climb out."
His eyes gradually became dull, but his hands clenched tightly around a small bag of grain near the door.
The soldier became nervous, realizing that something was amiss. This guy was acting too weirdly. "Sir, if you keep talking like this, I'll sound the alarm."
But the soldier's warning didn't work.
"Comedic protagonists, on the other hand, often face an unexpected turn of events after their low point." The supervisor started tearing at the bag of grain with force.
"So, is this a tragedy or a comedy?"
As the supervisor finished his sentence, the bag tore open. The soldier's eyes widened in horror. The bag didn't contain grain at all but sulfur, something he recognized.
"Stop!" Realizing what was about to happen, the soldier shouted and drew his sword, charging at the supervisor.
Swiftly, the supervisor reached into his pocket, pulled out something, and tossed it towards the soldier, releasing a cloud of powder.
"Ah!" The soldier was overwhelmed by excruciating pain and heat that quickly spread to his brain. He dropped his weapon, clutching his eyes and struggling.
Meanwhile, the warehouse supervisor picked up the fallen oil lamp. "Who will be the protagonist of this play?"
...
After having dinner with the ministers and generals, Catherine returned to her room in the palace to rest. The familiar surroundings slightly eased her mind.
She removed her armor, took a hot bath, and changed into a dress.
Standing by the bookshelf, she picked up a poetry collection, intending to read for a while before bed. However, she couldn't focus on the beautiful verses as her mind wandered.
"Sigh... Is it the recent battles making me so anxious? I heard many old soldiers become very strange when they leave the army. Catherine, Catherine, you mustn't become like that."
Catherine walked to the balcony, intending to breathe some fresh air. Under the night breeze, her exquisite figure was revealed.
Suddenly, a bright spot appeared in the west of the palace, where she knew the granary was located. Immediately, she sensed that something bad was happening.
Sure enough, the bright spot rapidly expanded until the towering flames illuminated almost the entire XC District.
(End of chapter)
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