Bab 114: A new beggining (1/2)
Prince Threo sat in his study, his fingers drumming restlessly on the edge of a large table cluttered with books and parchments. Anxiety, apprehension, and anger churned within him as he shook his leg uncontrollably.
Moments earlier, a meeting had commenced with the king, his counselors, and the generals. Despite his best efforts to participate, his older brother had been summoned instead.
Threo understood the rationale—he was second in line for the throne. His older brother was the likely successor when their father, the king, could no longer rule. Consequently, his brother attended almost every meeting to learn the intricacies of leadership.
Fucking bastards! Can't they see he's going to ruin everything if he takes over? He's just like our father! They're all brainless! They're all cowards! The prince slammed his fist on the table in frustration.
"Shit! This isn't fair! They're all stupid!"
*Knock-Knock*
He turned toward the door where the sound of knocking came from. Threo straightened his clothes before instructing the visitor to enter. A servant stepped into the room.
"Prince Threo, I apologize for the intrusion, but I have a message from your mother, the queen." The servant waited for Threo's customary wave to continue.
"Moments ago, a caravan arrived from the city of Calistoga. Your mother is engaged with important matters, so she has tasked you with meeting the baron from that city and hearing what he has to say."
Threo sighed, massaging his temples. The war had been intense and degrading. Two neighboring kingdoms were attacking relentlessly, laying waste to their lands, killing their people, and poisoning their territories.
The capital was overwhelmed with refugees from the war's onset. The influx had led to a surge in crime, violence, disease, and other issues, compounding their problems.
After a brief silence, Threo instructed the servant to bring the baron to a meeting room where he could see him. Another useless piece of shit coming here for protection. What will this one ask for? Troops? Money? Food? A place inside our walls?
Minutes later, Threo left his study and walked through the castle corridors until he reached his destination. Two soldiers stood guard by the door. One of them stepped inside, announced the prince's arrival, and then stood aside to let him enter.
Expecting to meet Baron Frederic from the south, Threo was surprised to find a woman in the room. "Prince Threo, it's an honor to meet you," she greeted him.
"A pleasure to meet you, milady. I was expecting Baron Frederic. Where is he?" Threo asked, nodding politely.
"My husband died defending our city. I am now the head of my house, Baron Avice, at your service."
"I'm sorry for your loss, milady Avice. This war has taken many remarkable people from us as well. I long for the day when we inflict tenfold what these savages have done to us. Don't you agree?" He walked to a small table, pulling out a chair and offering it to Avice. She accepted his gesture of courtesy.
He sat down one chair away from her.
"Indeed, they must pay for everything they've done. That's why I'm here."
What? Threo was taken aback. Most others had either demanded something from him or sought protection, but none had offered to help immediately. Maybe this encounter won't be a waste of time. Who knows?
"Care to explain, Miss Avice?"
"My husband created a new weapon, one that I'm sure can lead us to victory." Threo leaned forward at her words. "A weapon that can change the course of this war? It sounds like something out of a dream, or perhaps a blessing from The Lord."
I can't believe it! Maybe my luck has changed! I need to handle this correctly; it could change everything. Threo thought.
"You might view it that way, but it is real. As you know, my family and our people have nowhere to go, so I propose an exchange." She looked him squarely in the eye.
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Avice, her family, and their refugees were now settled in old, abandoned houses near the center of the capital. They were unsure how these houses came to be unoccupied, but they would later learn from locals about the traitors who once lived there and were taken away by soldiers. That's what the soldiers had told the locals.
Unlike other large cities, the capital was enclosed by a single, massive wall. There were still many houses outside the wall where the extremely poor lived, now overcrowded with refugees.
In their new residences, Avice, Ella, and the others began to adjust. The first few days passed without incident as they acclimated to their new life in the capital. Avice initiated the production of paper and began setting up a printing press.
However, since all their carpenters and metalworkers had been requisitioned by Count Edwin, she was forced to rely on the capital's artisans, leading to a significant issue with funding. She could afford the work but would be left with no resources afterwards.
A baron without money or lands is a man of little consequence. Avice knew this all too well. As a result, she was compelled to request a meeting with the prince.
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In recent days, Prince Pepin found everything unsettling. As the heir apparent, he was burdened with numerous responsibilities, from a mysterious shift in enemy troop movements to the sudden emergence of a new, revolutionary weapon developed by his brother.
Even the king was captivated by the weapon after Prince Threo presented. The king and the council were astounded by the short time it took to produce it.
"W-What did you say?!"
"You heard correctly. It took less than a week to make the one you're holding. Now imagine dozens, no, hundreds of crossbowmen equipped with these in just a few months! This weapon will lead us to victory!" Prince Threo declared with fiery passion and confidence.
If what Threo claimed was true, it could bring their victory within reach. This achievement could turn him into a hero if the public knew. Prince Pepin felt a headache coming on as he listened to his brother and the praise he was receiving.
"And that's not all." Prince Threo continued, drawing everyone's attention back to him. He was visibly excited, his heart racing at being the center of attention.
"If what you say about this weapon is true, it's a tremendous contribution to the kingdom. But now you say there's more?" Duke Wiglaf, a general whom Threo had known for years, asked.
"There's one more thing." Threo took a sheet of paper from his garments. "This paper was made right here in the capital. I possess the knowledge and technique to produce it," he said with pride.
The room erupted in shock, though less so than at the revelation of the crossbow. While paper might not win the war, its ability to be produced in large quantities and sold to distant lands promised great profit.
"Is this truly paper? I can hardly believe it! You must have bought it from the East and is now pretending you made it," Prince Pepin said, feeling threatened by his brother's discovery.
"Let me see it," the king ordered. Threo approached and handed the paper to him.
King Robert, elderly with white hair and a beard, struggled to hold the sheet steady. His hands trembled visibly.
"It's genuine paper. Well done, Prince Threo. You've surprised me today. Now, tell me, what do you plan to do with these discoveries?"
Threo's smile was broader than ever.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone