Chapter 117

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 117

Chapter Title: Rebels at the Gates

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The princess's words had been true. Theo stared ahead in a daze.

[Saya, this country is rotten. I'll go avenge our father. Wait for me.]

For the past three years, he'd devoted everything to this group, fueled by a single burning desire to topple the royal family.

He hadn't abandoned his lone sister to join them just to witness this.

What the hell had he even been living for during all that time?

"Overthrow Baldina! Crumble, you royal family!"

The hollow cry buzzed in his ears like a hallucination.

The flames of rebellion that ignited at Asipallo Castle spread uncontrollably before anyone could react.

Word arrived at the royal castle that five of the eight surrounding cities had fallen within days, sending the interior into chaos.

"A rebellion?! Out of nowhere, in this day and age?!"

It was an emergency. A meeting was hastily convened.

"Heard about it? Those rebels are vicious—they gut every living soul they find!"

"Why? What's their reason? Things have finally started looking up a bit. Relief aid's come in, less starvation, and the war seems like it'll end soon."

"Probably some old grudges boiling over."

"Still, it's awfully sudden..."

"No time to worry about that. The rebels are swelling their ranks fast—we need to prepare. Their momentum's no joke. What if they come charging right here?"

But by the time gruesome rumors of the rebels spread through the castle, it was already too late.

They were already perilously close.

"We've finally arrived. Can you see it, comrades?! In there—the corrupt Baldina royal family that ruined this kingdom!"

Horols pointed from horseback at the distant royal castle.

He turned to face his comrades.

"While we starved and died, those greedy royals laughed, drank, and feasted amid gold. We'll rip open their bellies and offer their blood to this land!"

He locked eyes with his true 'subordinates' planted among the rebels to stoke the agitation.

"Brothers! Cast off the chains of bondage and reclaim our freedom!"

"Waaaaah! Dieeee!"

"Overthrow Baldina! Down with the royal family!"

The black army, cloaked in shadows, began descending the mountain like a swarm of ants.

No one stopped them until they reached the castle.

The walls even seemed peaceful, as if civil war was the last thing they'd anticipated.

Horols inwardly cheered.

'The Regent Duke pulled it off! Impressive as expected!'

From the initial uprising in the central region to their arrival here, the Regent Duke had severed all lines of communication into the castle.

"They'll come scrambling out in panic when they spot us. If we're lucky, we could take it before tomorrow."

Disorganized, panicked soldiers were nothing but fodder. Horols licked his lips.

"You lot, smash the gates. You, set up the ladders. Once we scale the walls, take out the guards first. Theo, stay by my side. I need eyes on the big picture."

"Yes, Chief!"

Amid the fervent responses from the rebels, only Theo stayed silent.

"Theo?"

"Yes, Chief."

His delayed reply finally came.

Horols raised the flag. The orange banner signaling the rebels' advance fluttered high.

"Charge—!"

That was when the rebels surged toward the walls in unison.

Thwip, thwip, thwip—!

Arrows from soldiers hidden atop the walls pierced the vanguard rebels.

"Wh-what?!"

"Fire—!"

Chaos erupted among the rebels.

Who had said they were still asleep?

The castle's soldiers had been fully prepared from the start, lying in wait for the rebels' approach.

Fire arrows ignited the wooden siege ladders.

Whoosh— Flames and acrid smoke burst from the moat-covered ground.

"Aaaagh! Fire—I'm on fire!"

"Gaaah! Gunpowder! It's gunpowder-soaked!"

Splash, splash. Cries rang out as bodies plummeted into the moat.

They panicked at the unexpectedly thorough and fierce defense. Horols was the most shocked of all.

"Wh-what is this...? The castle was supposed to be empty! Just a bunch of ragtag amateurs!"

His face crumpled like paper upon facing a reality far from the Regent Duke's assurances.

This seasoned siegecraft was no novice work.

"Uwaaaaaah!"

"Chief! Left flank!"

Someone pointed toward the rising sun.

A cavalry unit charged to strike their side.

The disciplined sword draws and unbroken formation made it clear they were elite knights, even without their sharp killing intent.

A thunderous roar echoed!

"Begone, you filthy rabble!"

"I-it's Marquis Giliphos's banner!"

Someone shouted. Horols flinched as he turned.

He recognized the old man charging at the cavalry's forefront, whirling his flail.

"We've arrived, Your Grace."

The Regent Duke dismounted his carriage in full armor before the castle gates.

"Horols has reached the castle. If all goes well, we could breach it in half a day."

"Good. You lot, stick to the plan—set fires in the four districts and keep stirring up the rebels. Make it look like the castle's responding to them. Understood?"

He aimed to plant the fear that rebels lurked inside the castle too.

"Samon, you wait on the walls first."

"......"

There was no reply from the pale-faced Samon.

Bloodshot eyes and sunken gaze—he even exuded an unsettling gloominess.

"Don't even think about touching Mother amid the chaos. The Fourth Princess is off-limits too. We can't handle the fallout right now."

Besides the Queen Dowager who'd flogged his grandson, the Fourth Princess—convinced she'd been duped by Samon and Jason's scheme—had sent knights to thrash him soundly.

His barely healed wounds had reopened, forcing them to use up the last of the holy water from the ducal house on Samon.

"If you screw up this grand plan with some revenge like you did with Etienne last time, I won't forgive you."

The Regent Duke warned his son again, knowing his unforgetting malice.

Even after quelling the rebellion and his father ascended the throne, the Queen Dowager had to live a while longer.

Both the aged grandmother and Kazen's Fourth Princess would serve as living proof, personally validating their legitimacy.

"......"

The Regent Duke patted his trembling son's shoulder.

"Your time for retribution will come soon. Just hold on a bit longer, and the throne is ours. When that happens, I won't stop whatever you do."

"......Understood."

Samon nodded, hiding the cruel glint in his eyes.

The curtain rose on the play they'd prepared to shake the palace in sync with the rebels' assault.

"Where is Princess Medea—Her Highness?"

The flushed Regent Duke burst into the Princess Palace.

Sweat trickled down his handsome forehead, tension etched on his face—a far cry from his usual polished composure.

"H-Her Highness is in the garden."

"Rebels have risen—get to safety, all of you. Every moment counts."

"R-rebels...?!"

The princess's maids exchanged startled glances.

The palace's disorder and the ashen smoke rising earlier had felt ominous for some reason.

As if there were no time to soothe the terrified maids, the Regent Duke strode toward the garden with a single knight in tow.

Soon, he spotted his niece sitting alone under a tree.

"Medea!"

"Uncle? What's this sudden visit? And why are you dressed like that?"

Medea eyed him with mild surprise.

"Disaster's struck. Rebels have risen!"

The Regent Duke seized her arm.

"The gates are breached. They'll swarm the palace in no time."

"The gates... breached? That can't be..."

Medea questioned in disbelief.

Drunk on the urgent atmosphere he'd orchestrated himself, the Regent Duke failed to notice his niece's lack of shock at the news of the rebellion.