Bab 263: [Chapter 263] What are you doing, sister?
The guards on the wall cheered as they watched the Imperial army retreat in disgrace.
"We won!"
"Don't come back, you shameless bastards!"
Half of the cheering guards were Imperial citizens, and the other half were Redan. Unlike the past practice where official positions were always given to Imperial citizens first, there was no distinction between the two.
And unlike just a short time ago when the two races ignored each other, the guards embraced and patted each other on the back, whoever was next to them. Seeing this, Laphyre, the figure who had become the focal point of the Redan people, smiled.
'This is a bigger victory than driving away the Imperial army.'
Last winter, the Wells family, a great noble family of the Empire and one of the pillars of the Empire's upper echelon, had reached out to Tropur to overcome their financial crisis. Laphyre was framed as a serial killer as part of that plan.
The Lady Mariah, believing that Laphyre was the real killer who had murdered her maid, Monica, imprisoned him. Laphyre, still suffering from the aftereffects, still had bad feelings about the Lady Mariah personally.
But despite that, he stepped forward. To prevent the Lady Mariah from being dragged out of Tropur.
There were three reasons. First, it was judged that, realistically, among the lords who could be chosen, it was best for his people if the Lady Mariah remained in her position. Second, now that it was clear that the Imperial Family was after Tropur's wealth, a lord with the position and will to stand up to them shouldn't be absent.
And third.
'The Redan people must repay what they have received.'
The credit for turning last year's holiday, which almost ended in bloodshed of the Redan people, into a day of satisfying counterattack, belonged to Joan Morie, who had sided with the current Grand Duke of Maindeland. Therefore, Laphyre couldn't allow his people to survive and then give the money they earned to the Imperial Family.
However, those three reasons applied only to Laphyre and his precious Redan people. There was another reason why even the Imperial citizens, who revered the Imperial Family, were so unrestrainedly happy here.
"You've worked hard."
A man named Aaron, who was shaking hands with everyone in sight and bowing deeply, approached Laphyre and smiled. Laphyre smiled back.
After the commotion on the holiday night last winter, the Redan people had become quite close to the people of the Morie Trading Company. Aaron, a subordinate of Joan Morie, was no exception.
'A capable man.'
The man who had brought the Lady Mariah from the Imperial Palace to here and made her defy the Imperial Family. Laphyre was in awe of the fact that such a talented person existed in a trading company that had only been established a few years ago.
The reason why the Imperial citizens and the Redan people, who had been growling at each other since winter, could fight together like this was more than half due to Aaron, who had been cheerfully roaming around Tropur.
Tropur was a land where commerce was the backbone of the economy, and most of that commerce was controlled by the Redan people. They had been growling at each other because of the exclusiveness fostered by the Wells family and a near-disaster, but in fact, the Imperial citizens didn't really want to separate from the Redan people. They couldn't, either.
Was ethnic conflict more important than the bread they ate today? More important than the clothes they wore tomorrow? Some die-hard nationalists said yes, but most ordinary Imperial citizens disagreed. Besides, wasn't it the Imperial citizens who were at fault first?
It was just that there was no opportunity. An opportunity to make things like they were before, or even better. The Redan people, who had been threatened with death, had sharpened their thorns. The Imperial citizens were at a loss.
Then the Lady Mariah arrived in Tropur with Aaron. She immediately eliminated any discrimination against the Redan people that had been practiced customarily. It was well known that she favored the Redan steward, and she had strongly pushed for punishment of the Wells family and Lord Tropur after the holiday, so the Redan people gradually let go of their anxiety about safety.
Aaron seized the opportunity to win over the Imperial citizens. He hadn't come alone with the Lady Mariah. He had brought several writers who had formed connections with the Lady Mariah while she was in the Imperial Palace, attending social gatherings. With their smooth tongues, they used their position as Imperial citizens and outsiders to casually create opportunities for the two races to mingle.
Reconciliation didn't happen immediately. The people of Tropur shouted, "What do outsiders know?" But they too felt the atmosphere gradually easing. Everyone vaguely thought that just one more trigger was needed, and then...
The Imperial army arrived.
The Imperial citizens were already facing economic hardship after their relationship with the Redan people had soured. Aaron, who had gained a stake in the local market after the Morie Trading Company's entry into Tropur, lowered the prices of essential goods and spread his words, which were easy to understand.
Think about it! It's not appropriate to say this about the Imperial Family, but the Crown Prince isn't very good at managing money, is he? You've all seen how the Imperial Family's assets, which the Crown Prince should be managing, almost ended up in private hands.
But what happens if our Lady Mariah succumbs to the Imperial Family's pressure and surrenders herself now? Her assets will all be transferred, won't they? A nephew who takes his aunt's assets to play war games wouldn't hesitate to take them from you, people who are as untrustworthy as you are, would he?
Don't think that only the wealthy will be robbed, everyone! Do those terrifying Imperial officials not know that it's easier to take money from the poor?
The Imperial citizens, who would never have dared to oppose the Imperial army in normal circumstances, were wavering due to their subtle financial hardship. The writers spread words that were softer but more dangerous than Aaron's.
When His Majesty the Emperor was well, no one dared to touch the Lady Mariah. It was proof that His Majesty, in his greatness, cherished and respected his sister. Now that His Majesty has fallen ill for a while, the Crown Prince is issuing Imperial orders. Well, should we really consider this the "true" will of the Imperial Family?
You have all lived together in this land for a long time. You are all relatives and neighbors. Isn't the fact that you are all "Tropur" people more important than the origin of your distant ancestors?
That subtle logic, planted like a seed, sprouted with the arrival of the Imperial army. The people of Tropur came to see each other as family, united against a common enemy, transcending ethnicity. It was a triumph achieved through a combination of practicality, justification, and an easily hated enemy right before their eyes.
'Well, it was a gamble they couldn't take without the certainty that the Imperial army wouldn't retaliate.'
The current Imperial Family has no time for revenge. Laphyre shook hands with Aaron.
"You've worked hard. This isn't the end, though."
"If he were the kind of guy who would tail between his legs after one blow, he wouldn't have been sent here. But everything will work out, so don't worry."
Aaron said cheerfully. Laphyre knew the basis of his assurance.
The Grand Duke, who had been winning continuously, was now on the verge of the Imperial Palace.
He nodded vigorously.
"We can wait longer. We have plenty of supplies."
Stockpiling and patience were long-term strategies for the Redan people, who always lived with an emergency in mind.
***
"We... lost?"
How much time had passed since their confident declaration of war?
Abelus looked around at the faces of those sitting in the meeting room, utterly bewildered. No matter how strong his faith in himself, he couldn't deny the pervasive aura of defeat.
The number of empty seats, far more than before, was also noticeable. They were the seats of those who had been captured or gone missing after losing to the Maindeland army, including the former Duke of Lycanthrope, whose death was considered certain.
It wasn't just those who had disappeared after losing the war. Duke Grunehalz, who had been dragging around the Earl of Kendall and several other nobles in the court, was under investigation after his daughter's previous actions were reported. Those who had gathered around him scattered without a central figure. Duke Ganiello was still ill, and the Earl of Wells had recently gone bankrupt and fled the court. It was said that his daughter had taken all the remaining money of the family and spent it somewhere.
All that was left before Abelus was just a handful of fragments of the court.
Nellusion calmly answered his incredulous question.
"Yes, Your Highness. It is said that most of the large army you sent to Parisher to stop the Grand Duke, including the Earl of Wickaster and the Viscount McKinnon, were captured by the enemy, and the rest were killed. The troops you sent to Tropur to escort Lady Mariah also suffered a major defeat, and only a few returned."
"How?"
Abelus asked blankly. His lips were pale.
As if he had just realized that he was facing defeat.
"It's strange. I didn't send that few soldiers. The Earl of Wickaster fought the enemy on his own land. Even if that Cledwin guy is great, he didn't bring many soldiers with him, he just took a little from everyone else. How can they lose so badly under those conditions? And how many soldiers does my aunt have anyway?"
"It seems the Grand Duke knew the Wickaster County quite well. The resistance in Tropur was unexpectedly fierce. And you've taken over the McKinnon Trading Company's distribution network as military roads, haven't you? Now that the Viscount McKinnon has been captured by the enemy, they can see our movements at a glance."
Nellusion continued to explain calmly. Abelus's eyes were bloodshot.
"It's strange! Everything is strange! What? This can't be happening! There's something that guy is doing wrong!"
'Strange.' Nellusion thought coldly to himself. Of course, everything is strange. The enemy, who has been preparing for a long time, and the allies who make mistakes in everything they do. How could that not be strange?
Abelus himself would know his own mistakes. He wasn't so clueless as to not understand the grim reports coming in every day. It was just that...
He didn't want to admit it.
So what could he do?
The damage was done, so all they could do was try to survive on their own.
Abelus quickly realized that Nellusion, despite his gentle expression, had a very emotionless look in his eyes. They had spent many years together.
"Nellusion, now..."
At that moment, the door to the meeting room opened.
Abelus grimaced at the figure who strode in through the open door.
"What are you doing, sister?"
Caymil had agreed to return to politics at the Empress's request, but that fact was supposed to be kept secret from the nobles. It was inconvenient to set a precedent that a person who had committed the heinous crime of attempted regicide could return simply because of necessity. So the agreement was that she would only offer advice when Abelus wanted it and would not leave the Princess's palace unless absolutely necessary.
Caymil didn't even look like a criminal. She wore a dress with gold thread and a tiara with the sun engraved on it, making her look more like a direct descendant of the Imperial Family than any other attire she had shown the nobles before.
To be precise, she looked like a Crown Prince.
Abelus, who was about to order someone to escort his sister, was about to speak as Nellusion rose from his seat.
"That's convenient. Nell..."
He stopped when Nellusion approached Caymil and bowed deeply, as if he were addressing a Crown Prince. Caymil looked at Abelus with amusement.
"You're quite bold, Abel. To have reduced the court to this state and still sit in that seat."
"Isn't that what I should be saying? To do such a thing to our father and then..."
"It was simply that I thought a more capable person should sit above to protect the Imperial Family."
How could she utter such blasphemous words? Abelus was about to erupt in anger when he suddenly realized something.
All the nobles who should have been denouncing her the moment she appeared were silent. As if they had known beforehand that she would be here and agreed to it.
"Someone speak up. Hey! Why are you avoiding my eyes?"
The nobles simultaneously avoided Abelus's gaze. Caymil laughed and kicked the chair Abelus was sitting on. Crash!
"Ugh! Sister, what are you doing..."
Knights who had already entered grabbed Abelus, who had fallen to the floor. Caymil looked down at her brother with pity.
"Now that the enemy is at our doorstep, isn't this the time for us to truly unite? Don't worry, Abel. I won't do to you what you did to me."
The Crown Prince's Palace? She should be locked up in a place more like a prison tower.
Abelus was dragged out like a piece of luggage. He struggled with the power of the jewel, but there was nothing he could do as several people used magical tools to restrain him.
Nellusion politely tidied up the empty seat at the head of the meeting room. Caymil confidently took the chair Abelus had been sitting in and spoke softly.
"Now, let me tell you my plan."
The Crown Prince's stupidity, established by the Emperor, was enough.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone