Chapter 600
Campbell's Worries
Chapter 600 Campbell's Worries
In the study at Campbellburg, the flames in the fireplace leaped, casting a long, thin shadow of Edward Campbell, who sat behind his desk, like the sparsely leafed birch tree outside the window.
The head of the Royal Intelligence Service, Hidini, stood before him, dressed in a neat military uniform buttoned up tightly, holding a sealed document in his hand.
The middle-aged officer's face was expressionless, but his deliberate calm could not hide the seriousness in his eyes.
"Your Majesty, please review the latest intelligence regarding Roland City."
"Okay, put it here."
"Excuse me."
Hidini stepped forward, respectfully placed the intelligence in his hand on the table, and then returned to his original position.
Edward put down the financial statement he was reading halfway through, reached out and took the document, removed the sealing wax, and scanned the densely packed handwriting with his eyes.
At first, his expression was relatively calm, and even the corners of his tense mouth were slightly upturned.
His gaze shifted downwards, landing on the bloodied head in the briefing, and his fingers tightened involuntarily around the document.
a long time.
The firewood in the fireplace made a soft crackling sound.
Only when a spark flew past the black iron fence did he take a deep breath, close the military intelligence briefing in his hand, and put it back in its original place.
Is the news reliable?
A few days ago, he heard rumors of Theodore's death, but there were also many rumors that the guy had disappeared or even fled to the Kingdom of Rhodes.
The Thunder City Daily also reported on this matter, but it relied on multiple accounts and did not provide the public with a definitive answer.
Clearly, they wanted to sell as many issues of the newspaper as possible. Because whenever Theodore's name appeared in a story, that issue would immediately sell out.
Edward was now certain that the ugly old man was indeed dead, taking his filthy holy water with him to hell.
Hidini nodded seriously.
"...As you can see, our intelligence personnel have confirmed his head, and the magic photograph is in the briefing you have."
Where is Hagmer?
"He...didn't even leave behind a body."
Does that mean he's still alive?
"This possibility is very small, because at that time... he was fighting another demigod-level powerhouse."
Hidini's Adam's apple bobbed, and he spoke in a low voice.
"Moreover, you should have met that demigod powerhouse... He is the one in the Ten Thousand Ren Mountains who calls himself the Flame King."
King Yan.
Edward certainly remembered the name that had impressed him, but he never expected that this guy's strength was actually above Hagmer's.
However, what worries Edward is not this mysterious powerful figure. So far, all that person has done seems to be simply fulfilling the will of the Holy Light and purging the remaining poison of the "Holy Water".
Perhaps Hagmer was also involved, or perhaps he was forced to fight that mysterious powerful figure due to his own position... In any case, none of that matters.
What truly worries Edward is that the uprising in Roland is slipping out of his control, and also out of the control of the citizens of Roland themselves.
Edward closed his eyes and fell into deep thought.
To be honest, his hatred for Theodore was immense and deeply ingrained, and the crimes committed by the Devalo family against the Duchy of Campbell were countless—even today, that coup remains a painful memory for many Campbells.
not only that.
That guy also touched a nerve, reaching out to his family—Jerok, whom he had imprisoned on Cranto Island.
Even so, Edward still did not expect that King Lane would die at the hands of the citizens of Roland.
Logically, he should be happy.
However, for some reason, besides the exhilaration of avenging his great enemy, a faint sense of bewilderment also arose in his heart.
Is it really going to come to this?
as well as--
How should this be resolved?
He had made many contingency plans for the situation in Roland and considered many possibilities. But now it seems that these preparations could not keep up with the changing circumstances.
Hidini carefully observed His Majesty's expression, trying to guess what the monarch was thinking.
Unfortunately, that's a shame.
Edward's cunning was not something he could easily penetrate, and he dared not easily test the authority of this white-haired duke.
The only thing he could sense was that Theodden's death had deeply affected His Majesty the Grand Duke...
Perhaps his thoughts had finally come to a conclusion, Edward reopened his emerald green eyes, which were slightly tired from long hours of work, and slowly began to speak.
"Where is the Queen? Where is Lady Isabella now?"
He remembered that Madame Antonie and Isabella were on good terms; perhaps he could bring the lady to Campbell Castle—
"She has been murdered, Your Majesty."
"...Dead?"
"Yes……"
"And... what about Gavin and Tristan? Those two little princes—"
"They were all killed in the rebellion, Your Majesty. They were with their mothers at the time and were captured in the Summer Palace."
Seeing the silent Emperor Edward, Hidini's voice lowered as he continued.
"According to reports from informants, the Royal Guard collapsed in the early stages of the revolution, and even the Lionheart Knights rebelled. The remaining members of the royal family attempted to escape, but were intercepted outside the city because the news was leaked by servants... As for the specific details, there are many versions of the story, and even the National Assembly itself did not know what happened, so I did not include them in the report."
Edward did not ask for further details.
That kind of thing is not important at all, and besides, he can guess it without even asking.
He rose from his desk, walked to the window, and looked past the curtains at the snow-covered garden in the castle courtyard.
The castle servants were pruning the birch branches, and the guards in formation were walking along the stone path; everything was serene and picturesque.
The scenery at Fort Campbell was so serene that it gave him a bizarre, fantastical feeling—as if the report was about another world.
He couldn't help but ask.
"Didn't any of them survive?"
“Most of the direct members of the royal family are in Roland, so the chances of anyone surviving are very small,” Hidini paused for a moment, then added with a complicated expression, “but there are also rumors that someone seems to have survived…”
Edward turned around.
"Who?"
Hidini answered immediately.
“Charles de Vallout, a distant cousin of Theodore, is 17 years old. His grandfather was the old king’s younger brother, and his title has been diluted over two generations. He has only a remote and barren fiefdom next to the Duchy of Eiffel. Although his claim is weak, there is no doubt that he is now probably the closest heir to the throne.”
Edward stared into Hidini's eyes and immediately pressed for an answer.
"Is it possible to get in touch with him?"
Hidini lowered his head and answered truthfully.
“I have already sent people, but Your Majesty… if I may be so bold, we are probably not the only ones interested in that prince. No matter how fast we go, it will be difficult to catch up with the Duke of Eiffel, let alone the Rhodes.”
The key is--
You are his enemy.
Getting that guy to Campbell's Fortress won't be a pleasant task. Perhaps killing him would be easier.
Edward's brow furrowed even more.
After thinking for a long time, he said.
"Try your best to secure Charles's position. If you really can't, at least help me find out who has this pawn in their hands."
He paused for a moment, then continued.
"Put the Devalu family's affairs aside for now. Tell me about the current situation in Roland City, and who's in charge there now?"
Hidini breathed a sigh of relief, nodded slightly to acknowledge the order, and then immediately replied.
"Currently, there is no one in Roland City who has real power, but according to our observations, Marshal Fayette currently controls the military forces in Roland City. His legitimacy is authorized by the National Assembly, but what is worrying is that the differences between the left and right wings of the Assembly are widening. The radicals have begun to propose to purge all collaborators of the old dynasty, while the conservatives... many of them are the targets of their purge."
Edward nodded.
"What is Marshal Fayet's opinion?"
"He was a conservative within the Encyclopedists, supporting the National Assembly's original demands, namely, to limit royal power through a 'charter' and achieve a three-endurance republic..."
At this point, Hidini paused for a moment, then added, "Besides, strictly speaking, he's one of your men. Including those officers from the Kingdom of Ryan who participated in the Winter Moon Coup, although our influence on them has weakened, it's still at least... greater than our influence on other factions."
His implication was that supporting Marshal Fayette's "coronation" might also be a backup option.
This certainly doesn't mean making the marshal king, but rather finding a princess of suitable age from a collateral branch of the Devalu royal family to marry the marshal, and then having him rule the Kingdom of Laine as regent.
However, doing so also presents significant problems.
Firstly, the Os Empire might not recognize such an illegitimate succession, and the nobles of Ryan would be even less likely to agree to become vassals of the Duchy of Campbell; they would rather side with the Kingdom of Rhodes to the north.
In particular, they hold the heir to the throne as a pawn, giving them the option to attack or defend as they choose in matters concerning the future of the Kingdom of Ryan.
Moreover, Marshal Fayet himself might not agree to such a proposal. This might be difficult for those without faith to understand, but for those with faith, it is beyond question.
Even though he was the instigator of this great revolution, he did not consider himself to have betrayed the Kingdom of Laine and the Devalo family.
To ask him to take his place means to deny the justice in his own heart—he has always believed that he is doing this to correct a kingdom that is heading in the wrong direction.
The same is true for others.
Edward didn't speak, but simply nodded expressionlessly. "I understand, you can go now."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Hidini performed a clean and crisp aristocratic bow, then turned and left the study.
The door closed quietly, sealing the warmth of the fireplace into the study.
Edward stood alone in front of the bookshelf for a while, then finally sighed and reached out to shake the bell rope beside him.
A short while later, a servant pushed open the door and entered.
He gave the order.
"Send Mr. Andes here."
……
Jan Andes arrived quickly and soon appeared in the study.
Looking at His Majesty Edward waiting in the study, he bowed slightly, his posture even more cautious than that of Hidini.
"Your Majesty, what are your orders?"
"Sit down and talk."
Edward spoke in a deep, resonant voice, gesturing for him to sit down as he pleased, and then instructed a servant to pour him a cup of black tea.
The aroma of tea floated on the teacup, and an unpredictable face was reflected in the red tea soup.
Edward walked over to Andes and sat down, skipping the pleasantries and getting straight to the point.
Have you heard about what happened in Roland City?
Seemingly not expecting His Majesty to ask him political questions, Andes hesitated for a moment before carefully choosing his words.
“I’ve heard some rumors… that the citizens there have executed their king?”
"You're very well-informed."
“I wouldn’t dare,” Andes said with a wry smile. “Actually, I can’t be sure if it’s true either, because it just sounds…”
He stopped mid-sentence, unsure how to express himself.
Fortunately, Edward didn't leave him alone in his embarrassment. He stirred the tea in his cup with a teaspoon and spoke in a casual tone.
"Isn't that too blasphemous?"
"Yes……"
Andes felt a great sense of relief and finally dared to speak his mind.
“Your Majesty, if I may be so bold, I am not at all surprised by Theodore’s death. He has been acting against the tide for too long, and the citizens of Roland have tolerated him for too long. With Chaos instigating things behind the scenes, it was almost inevitable that this uprising would spiral out of control… The only thing I did not expect was that everything would happen so quickly that he was sent to the guillotine by his own subjects on the very day the palace was breached.”
“That’s something I didn’t expect either,” Edward nodded and continued, “So, I’d like to hear your thoughts.”
Andes considered his words carefully, then spoke slowly.
"Your Majesty, frankly, I am pessimistic about the situation in Roland City. The problems of the Kingdom of Ryan cannot be solved by killing a king, and the performance of the National Assembly since taking over the kingdom has been shameful. Their demands are all good, but the problem is that they have said too much and done too little, turning good medicine into poison. Moreover, the nobles of the Devalu dynasty have not disappeared, and I cannot help but worry that the kingdom will fall apart... This is definitely not a good thing for us."
The Duchy of Campbell needs a stable Kingdom of Ryan, not a group of fragmented lords. From this perspective, the current situation in Roland City can hardly be considered a victory for the Duchy of Campbell.
Neither Edward nor Andes expected that the officers they had sent back to Roland would actually capture the city using the Roxay rifles they had given them.
Andeston paused, his tone becoming more serious.
"Furthermore, Your Majesty should perhaps also pay attention to the Empire's movements. In name, both Ryan and Campbell are vassal states of the Os Empire. Although the Empire has long exercised little control over its vassal states, the commotion in Roland City this time... is far too great."
Edward did not respond.
He simply gazed quietly at the Andes, his deep green eyes as unfathomable as a frozen river, before finally speaking slowly.
"Andes, what I want to ask is not your opinion on the situation in Roland, but your opinion on the National Assembly itself."
The air suddenly became very quiet.
A bead of cold sweat gradually seeped onto Andes' forehead, his mind racing.
He suddenly realized what Edward was really asking.
His Majesty wasn't asking what would happen to Roland City, but whether Thunder City would follow the same path.
this problem……
That's too sensitive.
But not answering would make his situation even more complicated.
“Your Majesty, I understand your concerns, but you need not worry at all.”
Andes carefully chose his words and spoke sincerely.
"The Duchy of Campbell is completely different from the Kingdom of Lane. Theodore's fate was his own doing; he allowed his people to suffer from hunger and cold, and indulged the rampant arrogance of the nobles, ultimately leading to his current predicament. Meanwhile, the citizens of Thunder City live happy lives under your rule; the railway is open, factories are springing up, and new cargo ships dock at the pier every day—"
As he said this, he noticed Edward's brow twitch slightly.
It was neither agreement nor disagreement, but rather an emotion that he couldn't quite discern.
However, one thing is certain: His Majesty did not seem satisfied with this answer.
Andes broke out in a cold sweat and lowered his head even further.
Saint Sis above—
He wasn't lying, and it's impossible that he was deliberately hiding his abilities. What he just said was his truest thought from the bottom of his heart.
As the Duchy of Campbell rose to unprecedented power, the prestige of the Andean family also reached its zenith. His fate was already intertwined with that of the Campbell royal family, so it was impossible for him to join the revolution like the new nobles of Roland City.
“Andes, please lift your head. I am not questioning your loyalty. Perhaps, as you say, my concerns are unnecessary, but I am, after all, on the same side as Theodore, and it is hard for me not to worry about the future of the Campbell family… I hope you can understand my concerns; they are a real feeling, not just empty empathy.”
“I…of course I understand you, Your Majesty.” Andes raised his head, but had nothing more to say, and couldn’t figure out why His Majesty would discuss these things with him.
Clearly, even the most innovative reformers in Thunder City have their limitations. Edward sensed this to some extent, so he nodded and didn't press him further.
Actually, he's right.
The citizens of Thunder City are indeed very satisfied now.
The introduction of the silver pound in Thunder City acted as a dam, ending the long-standing silent drain on the Duchy of Campbell by the Imperial monetary system.
Although the steam engine chimneys swallowed up farmland, they did not devour the farmers' children. On the contrary, they brought them a different life than before. At least they could eat meat like dockworkers, which was unimaginable before.
Serfdom thus came to an end.
It wasn't just the farmers who benefited; dockworkers also saw their daily wages rise significantly, and some even had the leisure to stroll in parks like the cultural figures, or stand in the Colin Theatre to watch the Iris Theatre Company perform... even if they bought standing-room tickets.
Railways, clock towers, department stores, and airships rising into the sky... it was a spectacle that would leave even the Imperials in awe.
Just a few years ago, the citizens of Thunder City would cast envious glances at the Imperials, yearning for the glory of the Holy City. Now, they themselves are the dreamland on the northeastern shore of the Whirlpool Sea, and their eyes radiate an enviable light.
However, people cannot be satisfied with the status quo forever, and in fact, their achievements are precisely because of their dissatisfaction with the status quo.
Edward couldn't help but think of Richard.
By the time his children take over Campbell's throne, the Duchy of Campbell will likely be an incredibly powerful nation, having already created countless glorious achievements worthy of being remembered in the world.
However, on the other hand, the children of Thunder City will face a land that has been almost completely cultivated.
Will people still be satisfied by then?
They would always remember the upheaval that occurred in Roland and say, "Look, if the people of Lane can do it, there's no reason why the people of Campbell can't."
Unless Richard's achievements surpass his own and he creates an even greater miracle, this beautiful symphony will continue to play forever.
However, this is impractical.
Edward asked himself honestly, and realized that he probably couldn't do it.
His success today is certainly due to his personal efforts, but it is also largely due to the opportunities presented by the times.
perhaps……
Campbell's royal family also needs to make some changes.
The Charter of Roland City provided him with much inspiration. If the monarchy could voluntarily relinquish some power and responsibility, sharing the glory and risks of governing with the citizens, then perhaps on that day, at least all the conflicts would not be focused on their single family.
Moreover, the citizens of Ramen City are now quite tolerant and rational.
A bill that is calmly discussed by a group of civilized people is always more constructive than a bill that is shouted out by a group of madmen.
The cost to people for this will also be smaller.
But seeing Andes' slightly nervous look, he still sighed.
The shrewd businessman had clearly guessed something, but he dared not respond, fearing he would lose all his leverage by saying the wrong thing.
In fact, it wasn't just him; probably no one in the entire Campbell Castle dared to discuss this issue with him. Even his closest wife would only look at him with tender admiration on such matters and change the subject to Eileen's marriage.
Edward couldn't help but think this to himself.
If only Prince Colin were here.
It wasn't because Eileen's marriage was related to that prince, but rather because that prince was probably the only person in the entire Duchy of Campbell who could discuss this issue with him on an equal footing.
And most importantly, he is the only one who won't support or oppose based on personal stance, or simply pretend to be ignorant...
"Andes, I want to entrust you with a job."
“Please give your orders, Your Majesty,” Andes said, leaning forward with a solemn expression.
"Actually, just two days ago, the National Assembly extended an olive branch to us. They sincerely apologized for the coup in the winter and offered to compensate us... Of course, I have no intention of taking a beggar's money, and besides, the Earl of Glenston has not yet spent all his money. The matter of compensation will be put aside for now."
Looking at Andes, who was waiting for instructions, Edward continued.
"I hope you can accompany my delegation as an advisor, and also help me to learn more about... the charter they are currently drafting."
(End of this chapter)