Rebellion 16

Translator: Cinder Translations

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Carter Holley, riding on horseback, looked at the distant raging flames with deep concern in his eyes. 

With a fire this large, could Lord Grayman possibly be safe inside? The chances seemed slim.

Just as he pondered this, a rumbling thunder echoed from the sky. Captain Holley looked up to see that, unbeknownst to him, the originally clear night sky had turned overcast, the moon completely obscured.

"Is it going to rain?" 

The captain of the Eighth Infantry Battalion extended his right hand, feeling the raindrops begin to fall.

Carter Holley couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Earl Grayman. If only it had rained sooner! If this rain had come earlier, the traitors wouldn't have been able to start their fire. Oh, heavenly father, how unfair you are to our lord!

"Captain, what should we do now?" 

Several officers, including the instructor Cobb, inquired of Colonel Holley.

"Of course, we seek vengeance for Lord Grayman!" 

Colonel Holley furrowed his brow and said with anger, "Search every inch of this place! We must dig three feet into the ground if we have to, to find those traitors! Capture them! Tie them up! Execute anyone who resists immediately!"

The sporadic raindrops began to intensify, and Colonel Holley looked up at the sky.

He shouted to the surrounding soldiers, "Warriors! Guard your gunpowder! Don't let it get wet from the rain! We still have to fight the traitors soon!"

The rainy weather would greatly trouble the Alden Army, equipped with gunpowder weapons, but it wouldn't be severe enough to render the weapons inoperable.

To mitigate the rain's effects on their firearms, the Alden Army took several precautions.

First was the simplest and most brute-force method: each gun was fitted with a leather cover, which could be tightly wrapped around the firing mechanism at the back whenever it rained. The cover would be removed when it was time to shoot.

Next was more detailed handling. The back of the flintlock had a cover shape that could effectively shield the powder pan where the gunpowder was stored. This design provided some rain protection, but there were still gaps between the firing mechanism and the powder pan that allowed water to seep in, so they had to apply beeswax to the powder pan and the seams.

There was also a method that used a metal box with a flip cover to encase the firing mechanism. This method functioned similarly to the leather cover but was much more effective, as it didn't need to be removed to load gunpowder—just open the flip cover and reload, and then close it to keep it rainproof.

However, the rainproof box was cumbersome to handle, difficult to carry, and obstructed the soldier's line of sight when aiming.

Since it rarely rained, the Alden Army had no habit of carrying rainproof boxes when deployed, bringing only portable items like leather covers and beeswax for emergencies.

However, with the current firing principles of the firearms, no amount of precautions could ensure complete rain and water protection. If they were unlucky enough, they would still get wet. Even if the gunpowder wasn't soaked directly by the rain, the humid air could significantly affect its burn rate.

Colonel Carter Holley's orders were relayed to every soldier in the Eighth Infantry Battalion, and each soldier tightened their grip on their guns.

Just as Holley was preparing to lead his troops towards Rabbit Valley, the sound of galloping hooves approached from the distance. It was the scouts who had been ahead of the group returning.

"Report! We found a troop two miles ahead, heading our way along the river. Their numbers range between two hundred to three hundred, and they seem to be armed local gentry."

They came themselves? Holley was startled. Well, since they've come to us…

The colonel gathered Instructor Cobb and the other officers to announce the scouts' findings and his plans. 

"I think this spot is perfect for an ambush. Since they are coming along the river, we can hide in the nearby woods, wait for them to pass, and then hit them a few times before charging in to take them out."

Although the Eighth Infantry Battalion was less than three hundred strong and roughly matched the enemy's numbers, Colonel Holley didn't think twice about the gentry armed forces.

"I agree!" Major Cobb supported the captain's opinion.

The ambush orders were swiftly relayed, and a few minutes later, everyone had concealed themselves in the dense woods while the scouts continued to monitor the enemy's movements.

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"Is it raining?" 

Ferguson looked up at the overcast night sky, the moon completely hidden from view.

The icy rain fell on him, causing Ferguson to shiver involuntarily.

"Ha ha! Lord Grayman, this is your fate!" Ferguson sighed, his face a mix of mockery and pity.

"If only this rain had come a little earlier, you might have escaped with your life. But it happens to fall at this moment—could this not be a mockery from the divine? Perhaps in the eyes of the gods, you are already a filthy existence."

He turned to his attendant and asked, "How many people have we gathered?"

The attendant replied, "We currently have three hundred and twenty-three."

"Alas!" Ferguson sighed again. At that time, their several families had ambushed over five hundred people in this forest (most had been told they were preparing for mountain bandits), specifically to deal with the lord's fifty guards. Now, they had lost half. He hoped to gather some more, as they were all capable fighters.

He ordered his attendant, "Select a team and, once the fire dies down, head back to Lord Grayman's camp to check the situation."

"Yes, Lord Ferguson!" The attendant immediately went off to choose people.

Although a fire this large would likely leave nothing alive, Ferguson's cautious nature led him to feel that it was better to confirm.

At this moment, Walter's kid should have taken control of Alden Town by now. He hoped everything was going smoothly; he thought it best not to inform the boy of his father and brother's deaths just yet, to prevent him from doing anything rash in his agitation.

But all these sacrifices would be worth it. Once a new lord was established, Alden would return to its normal course—wise and benevolent lords, loyal and reliable subjects, mutual trust and support; this land would once again resemble a pastoral scene of peace and tranquility.

(End of the Chapter)

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