Conspiracy

Translator: Cinder Translations

...

A simply decorated carriage slowly entered the city gates of the capital of Gabella, taking more than half an hour to continue its journey to the Scholar's Tower.

A cloaked figure was standing at the entrance, looking around. Upon seeing the carriage arrive, he quickly approached to greet it.

"Anbolov, what are you doing here today?" A gentle female voice came from inside the carriage.

The cloaked figure opened the carriage door, bowed slightly, and gestured for her to enter, saying, "Esteemed Lady Marianna, I do not have to be on duty in the palace today."

A tall woman stepped out of the carriage and said, "I need to see Masters Aldridge and Yarvi immediately."

Anbolov glanced around and whispered, "The two masters are waiting for you; also, Marshal McDonald has arrived quietly."

Marianna's expression tightened, "In that case, has His Highness come too?"

Anbolov shook his head, "No, His Highness has been held up by some matters in the palace and cannot come today."

Marianna shook her head in disappointment, "Alright, let's go inside quickly."

A few minutes later, in the pavilion where Aldridge and Yarvi had previously spoken with McDonald, Marianna met the two old scholars and the imperial marshal.

She was already familiar with Aldridge and Yarvi but did not know McDonald well. "It's an honor to meet you, the pillar of Gabella, Marshal McDonald."

McDonald did not respond immediately; instead, he stared at the lady before him. Ever since becoming a follower of His Highness Antonio, he had gradually come into contact with the core circle surrounding him, including high-ranking members of the Arcane Order and its management organization—the Ten-Man Council. He was mostly familiar with them, except for two members. One was currently missing, and even the other members of the Ten-Man Council did not know where he was, while the other was this lady, Marianna. At the time McDonald became Antonio's follower, she was executing a secret mission in Horns Bay.

Of course, McDonald had already heard from others about the existence of a lady in the Ten-Man Council, but he couldn't help but be surprised upon first seeing Marianna—first due to her beauty, and second because she was young (compared to the old men in the Council). He had heard she even had a son approaching adulthood, which was quite incredible. However, McDonald also knew that one should not judge a witch's age solely based on her appearance.

"It's rather impolite to stare at a lady, isn't it, Lord McDonald?" Marianna smiled, reminding him.

"Apologies! I was rude; it's an honor to meet you, Lady Marianna," McDonald replied with a hearty laugh.

After exchanging pleasantries, the five of them, including Anbolov, quickly discussed business.

"The reason we called you back is that matters have reached a very urgent point, and we may need your strength," Aldridge said, frowning.

Marianna nodded, indicating she understood. She had already learned from the Ten-Man Council about the recent happenings in Gabella.

More than two months ago, shocking news came from the north: the orcs on the grasslands had suddenly launched a large-scale invasion southward, capturing several states located to the north of Gabella. These states were vassals of Gabella, under its protection, and the orcs' actions were clearly a serious provocation against Gabella, which could not be tolerated by a nation established by force. The Emperor was furious and vowed to teach those furry barbarians a lesson.

The Emperor quickly convened a court meeting, ordering the officials to come up with a counterattack plan immediately. The Prime Minister, Duke D'Arshi, suggested that McDonald take command, with Siegfried as his deputy, to lead the imperial army northward to punish the orcs, not only to reclaim the vassal states taken by them but also to delve into the grasslands and thoroughly eliminate several tribes, making sure the orcs would not dare to think of invading again for years.

In a fit of rage, Emperor Bartley Griffin immediately approved the Prime Minister's plan, ordering McDonald and Siegfried to start preparations that very day and to set out within two months, promising to find a way to supplement any lack of soldiers and supplies.

However, for Antonio, Aldridge, and others, problems arose: the two individuals recommended by Duke D'Arshi were precisely Antonio's right and left hands in the military, and being sent off to the distant north, deeper into the grasslands, they wouldn't know how many years it would take for them to return. This would effectively sever the two arms of His Highness the Second Prince.

This situation was extremely dangerous, as the Crown Prince and Duke D'Arshi also had their supporters in the military. McDonald and Siegfried's departure would instantly create an imbalance of power between the two factions within the army.

"This is the old fox D'Arshi's conspiracy!" Aldridge said, his face dark. "We must take action before the army sets out."

Marianna looked at Anbolov, "What does His Highness think?"

Anbolov, the Chief of Palace Guards, frowned and said, "His Highness is still hesitant about taking the final action."

Yarvi shook his head, "There's no room for hesitation; the Duke D'Arshi family has already placed a knife at our throats. What do you think, old Marshal?"

McDonald nodded, "I also agree we should take action, but not immediately."

Aldridge asked in surprise, "Why not?"

McDonald replied, "As long as Siegfried and I, along with our troops, remain in the capital, the Crown Prince and the D'Arshi family will be on high alert. If we act now, they may be prepared, and we might end up failing."

Anbolov anxiously asked, "Then when should we act? If you and Siegfried leave, it might be too late."

Just as McDonald was about to respond, he noticed a smile on Lady Marianna's lips and asked, "Lady, do you have any thoughts?"

Marianna smiled and said, "You're not suggesting we pretend to leave the capital but not go far, luring the snake out of its hole to strike, are you, old Marshal?"

McDonald also smiled, stroking his beard and saying, "It's somewhat similar, but not entirely."

Everyone looked at him, hoping for an explanation.

The old marshal then explained to everyone: "If we wait for D'Arshi to take the first action and then we respond, the initiative will not be in our hands. If we don't handle it well, it could be very dangerous. What I mean is we should take action first. There's a saying from a foreign land: 'To seize the initiative.' The one who strikes first will certainly gain some advantage. But we must choose the timing carefully, waiting for the Crown Prince and D'Arshi to be at their most relaxed. That's when Siegfried and I will leave the capital. If they do not make any moves at that time, we'll seize the opportunity to strike actively, and of course, Siegfried and I will return to the capital immediately."

(End of the Chapter)

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