Chapter 25: The Battle for the Royal Capital’s Recovery 3

Chapter 25: The Battle for the Royal Capital's Recovery 3

TL: Etude

"Your Highness, the rebel leader Hals has been captured, and all the insurgents at the north gate have surrendered."

As evening approached, Duke Walker and Princess Catherine converged at the palace, bringing with them the body of Sir Hals.

"It seems that this traitor was driven mad by the news of the east gate's fall, recklessly charging into our ranks, only to be killed by a barrage of arrows from our archers."

Catherine coldly glanced at Hals, now resembling a porcupine with arrows, and ordered, "Take this traitor's head and use it to persuade the remaining defiant rebels to surrender."

Immediately, someone came to drag Hals's body away for "processing".

"Your Highness, Lord Rupert and several other ministers have arrived," someone reported.

Catherine was overjoyed: "Bring them here at once."

On the day of the rebellion, Hals had personally led troops into the palace. Had it not been for Count Rupert, the Chancellor, holding off Hals with a group of ministers, buying precious time for the king, the king might have fallen into the rebels' clutches, complicating the current situation significantly. At least, Catherine would have been hesitant to attack the city without regard for their safety.

Therefore, Catherine was deeply grateful to Rupert and the other ministers who had delayed the rebels that day. Although she had received intelligence that Hals did not go on a killing spree but merely imprisoned them, Catherine was still worried that this rebel leader might suddenly lose his sanity and act irrationally.

Another reason was that if a large part of the kingdom's administrative hierarchy were to be decimated, setting up a new administrative team would not be easy, and she would have concerns about leading her army south to quell the rebellion.

Rupert and the others soon entered, "We pay our respects to Her Royal Highness."

"Please, rise," she said.

After the upheaval, their reunion was somewhat emotional.

Rupert asked worriedly, "Is His Majesty the King well?"

Catherine replied with a look of guilt, "Father is safe and has regained consciousness. He will return to the capital soon. But what about you? Do you blame me for attacking the city without considering your safety? I am sorry."

Rupert reassured her, "Your Highness, do not harbor such thoughts. Unnecessary pity is a grave mistake for a commander."

The other ministers expressed similar sentiments.

Catherine was greatly relieved by their understanding and led them to the council hall within the palace.

"Father has commanded me to temporarily manage state affairs until he recovers. Given the current situation, do you have any advice for me?"

Rupert suggested, "The priority is to stabilize the morale and order in the Crystal Shine region and to resume production."

Catherine agreed, "Yes, Chancellor, please draft an announcement to inform the Crystal Shine Fortress (City) and nearby areas about the execution of the rebels, to stabilize the public's mind."

"Your Highness, please enforce martial law for at least a month to pacify the region. After the rebellion, Crystal Shine's governance became chaotic, and many who sought to fish in troubled waters must be brought to justice," the Minister of Justice also offered his opinion.

"Yes, this is also of utmost importance. I will notify the troops."

…

The west district was where the official granaries of Crystal Shine Fortress were located. After the royal army reclaimed Crystal Shine Fortress, they immediately sent people to strengthen the protection of the granaries, strictly forbidding unauthorized access.

By this time, the sun had completely set. Due to the chaos of war, the residents had retired early, extinguishing their lights. The nearby roads were eerily quiet, with only the occasional sound of patrolling soldiers' footsteps.

At the entrance of the granary compound, two soldiers stood guard. One of them yawned, "So boring. Aren't the people coming to relieve us here yet?"

"Just stay alert! It hasn't even been two hours yet," his companion replied, somewhat exasperated.

"My stomach is protesting…" one soldier muttered, then paused. "Hmm? Looks like someone's coming."

The other soldier immediately called out, "Who's there? Halt!"

"Don't be alarmed, it's just me." The newcomer approached calmly, speaking with a chuckle.

By the light of the torches, the soldiers recognized the plump face.

"Ah, it's the supervisor. Our apologies, sir."

The man was the official in charge of managing the granaries. The soldiers had seen him earlier in the evening during the handover of guard duties. Though amiable, he was a minor noble, not someone they could afford to offend. They quickly bowed and apologized.

"No, no, you're just doing your duty. Besides, I've come to ask for your help."

"What can we do for you, sir?"

"I left an important ledger in one of the warehouses when I left this evening. I have to write a report overnight for delivery to the palace tomorrow morning, and without that ledger, I'd be writing blindly."

"I see. Let me provide some light for you, and I'll help you look for it."

As the supervisor of the granaries, he naturally had the right to enter and exit as needed.

One soldier lit an oil lamp and followed the supervisor to a nearby room to fetch a set of keys, then they entered the warehouse compound.

"Thank you, young man."

"It's my honor to serve you, sir."

They chatted casually as they walked toward a warehouse in the back of the compound.

"It seems to be this one," the plump supervisor suddenly stopped.

"Let's go in and check, sir."

They entered the warehouse and carefully searched with the light from the oil lamp.

"It doesn't seem to be here. Let's look elsewhere."

"Hehe, there's no rush. Young man, have you ever seen a play?"

The soldier was puzzled why the supervisor would ask this, but replied honestly, "Joking, sir? That's for nobles and rich folks, not for someone like me."

"Let me tell you about it then. A play's plot always has its highs and lows."

"Uh… I don't quite understand what you're saying."

"A play isn't complete without its climaxes and troughs." The supervisor's expression became strange, a mix of laughing and crying.

The soldier felt uneasy with the supervisor's demeanor, "Sir, let's focus on finding the ledger."

But the supervisor ignored him, continuing, "In tragedies, the protagonists often start off well, then plunge from the peak into the depths, never to climb out."

His eyes grew dull and lifeless, his hands clutched a small bag of grain by the door.

The soldier, sensing something was amiss, became nervous, "If you continue like this, I'll have to blow the whistle."

The supervisor ignored the warning.

"And in comedies, the protagonists often face a surprising twist after hitting rock bottom." He started to tear open the grain bag.

"So, is this a tragedy or a comedy?"

As he finished speaking, the bag tore open, revealing not grain but sulfur. The soldier recognized it.

"Stop!" Realizing what was about to happen, the soldier shouted and rushed at the supervisor with his sword drawn.

The supervisor quickly reached into his pocket, pulled out a handful of powder, and threw it at the soldier.

"Ah—" The soldier dropped his weapon, writhing in agony, covering his eyes from the intense pain and burning.

The supervisor picked up the fallen oil lamp, "Who then is the protagonist of this play?"

…

After dinner with the ministers and generals, Catherine returned to her room in the palace to rest. The familiar surroundings of her room provided some comfort.

She removed her armor, took a hot bath, and changed into a dress.

The princess approached the bookshelf and picked up a book of poetry, planning to read for a while before going to sleep. However, for some reason, her mind was restless, unable to focus on the beautiful verses that usually captivated her.

"Sigh—Has the recent warfare made me too tense? I've heard many veterans become very peculiar after leaving the army. Catherine, you must not become like that."

The princess stepped out onto the balcony, seeking some fresh air. Her graceful figure was unmistakable under the caress of the night breeze.

Suddenly, a bright spot appeared in the west, where the granaries were located. Realizing something bad was happening, Catherine's heart sank.

As expected, the bright spot rapidly expanded into a massive blaze, illuminating nearly the entire western district.