Chapter 498: The demons in the Duchy are truly becoming more and more numerous

Twilight City, the top-floor attic of an inconspicuous inn.

This is Princess Princess Ailin Campbell's "safe house," though it feels more like her prison.

News of the civil war's end was like a storm arriving late; it wasn't until a few days ago that it accidentally blew into this airtight attic, carried by the clamor of the inn's guests.

Princess Princess Ailin paced back and forth restlessly in the narrow space, her boots making a "creak" sound against the old wooden floorboards.

Every sound felt like a sharp blade piercing her heart.

While she was in the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng fighting Chaos and maneuvering against the Inquisition, a civil war had erupted back in her Campbell Duchy.

Her two older brothers had taken up arms against each other.

And what made it even more unbelievable to her was that she had been kept in the dark, only hearing the wind of it now!

Throughout the civil war, she had been almost entirely separated from her army. It had been her most loyal knight, Theresa, wearing an alchemical mask crafted by Prince Kelin, who had been playing her role, acting in Twilight City under her identity and handling all external affairs.

She had been protected too well...

So well that she was like an outsider.

"No..." Princess Princess Ailin stopped abruptly, determination flashing in her emerald eyes. "I must go back!"

She could not watch the blood of the Campbell family slaughter each other; no matter what, she had to go back and stop them!

With that, she grabbed the "Light of Eulogy" leaning against the back of the chair and turned to walk toward the attic's wooden door. But just then, a cloaked figure blocked her path.

Sara stood with her arms crossed, leaning calmly against the doorframe. The shadow of her hood obscured most of her face, revealing only a pair of eyes that remained bright in the darkness.

"You cannot leave, Your Highness."

"Move aside, Sara! I respect you and Prince Kelin, but this is my family business! I must go back!" Princess Princess Ailin's voice was calm and cold, devoid of any extra emotion.

Yet, from that restrained tremor, Sara could clearly hear the sorrow and fury in her heart that was on the verge of being uncontrollable.

Although her transcendent power was inferior to Princess Princess Ailin's, Sara did not retreat. The reason the Demon King had left her here was for this very moment.

She let Princess Princess Ailin's fury burn in the oppressive attic for a few seconds before calmly raising her eyes to look at her and asking in return.

"Your Highness, I will ask you only one question. Do you want the 'Light of Eulogy' in your hand to be stained with the blood of the Campbells?"

These words were like a basin of cold water, instantly extinguishing Princess Princess Ailin's impulse.

She froze in place, staring at Sara with wide eyes.

"What are you saying? I... I am not going back to participate in the war! I am going to stop them!" She tightened her grip on the sword hilt unconsciously, as if to firm up her resolve, and as if to suppress the trembling of her shoulders.

Seeing her reaction, Sara only smiled faintly.

"Stop them? Forgive my bluntness, Your Highness Princess Princess Ailin, but you are too naive."

Looking at those wide eyes, she stepped out of the shadow of the doorframe and came before this young Hero.

Looking directly into those emerald eyes, Sara said without any courtesy.

"This is not a duel between knights, but a tide that will determine the future fate of the Campbell Duchy. It does not shift according to anyone's will, including yours, as a Hero."

"Anyone who attempts to block it will be torn to pieces. Your only choice is to stand on one side, be drowned by the mighty flood, or go and swallow the other side."

"If you have prepared yourself to face all of this, Prince Kelin will not stop you from deciding your own fate and that of the Campbell Duchy. Go ahead and do it; you are also a Campbell, and you have this right."

These were the Demon King's original words.

Honestly, Sara was actually a bit jealous, but she would not hinder the Demon King's plan because of personal feelings.

She actually hoped Princess Princess Ailin would persist in her own way.

However, it was a pity that this person was unexpectedly willing to listen to advice.

And she was a smart person.

This young Hero not only understood the words "Prince Kelin" had left for her, but also heard the subtext he had not mentioned—

Once the Light of Eulogy was aimed at her own people in this shameful war, its legend would inevitably be stained with the blot of disgrace.

No matter who she ultimately chose to stand with, she would personally destroy the last piece of sacred pure land in the hearts of the Campbells.

Perhaps, this was also the real reason her brothers hadn't called her back, and why Theresa had cooperated with everyone to keep it from her...

Having figured everything out, Princess Princess Ailin felt as if all her strength had been drained; she retreated two heavy steps and leaned her back against the cold wall.

The "Light of Eulogy" slipped from her powerless hand, the scabbard hitting the floor with a dull "thud."

For a moment, she truly wished that the person her father had chosen back then wasn't her, but her respected brother.

If this sword were in Edward's hands, perhaps this tragedy would not have occurred.

But perhaps, everything was just her own beautiful vision.

This civil war would have broken out eventually, just unfolding in a different form; the Campbells would have had to pay the price for growth regardless.

"Could it be... I can only wait here in vain?" Princess Princess Ailin's voice was slightly hoarse as she hugged her knees.

Since becoming a Diamond-tier knight, she had never felt her power so weak, possessing transcendent power yet unable to do anything.

Sara shook her head gently, walked toward her, picked up the precious sword that housed all the glory in the hearts of the Campbells from the floor, and returned it to Princess Princess Ailin's hand.

"You are not waiting in vain. You preserved the fruits of victory for the Northern Rescue Army for the Duchy, held back the Inquisition, and declared the Duchy's presence in the Twilight Saint Saint Xingsheng to the Kingdom—you did not collapse because of Count Derrick's betrayal; you are still standing on the gaming table, not yet fallen, and even more tenacious than before."

"If nothing unexpected happens, this civil war has already entered its final stages; your brother and Prince Kelin have already cleaned up the aftermath. And the blood of the Campbells who died in this civil war will not have been shed in vain; those clowns watching from the other side of the river will eventually pay the price they deserve."

Actually, she already knew the outcome of the civil war, but she couldn't act as if she knew everything, and this was also the Demon King's teaching to her.

Some things were not suitable for Princess Princess Ailin to know.

At least not yet.

Princess Princess Ailin was slightly startled upon hearing this, just about to ask about the deeper meaning behind Sara's words "the blood will not have been shed in vain," when a rhythmic knocking sound suddenly came from outside the attic's wooden door.

Sara stood up and stood to the side.

"Please come in."

The door was pushed open.

The knight who walked in was none other than "Princess Princess Ailin Campbell"—or rather, Miss Theresa, wearing Princess Princess Ailin's face.

Theresa quickly closed the door, and the moment she turned her head, she almost immediately saw the stagnation of the atmosphere inside the attic.

She saw Her Highness Princess Princess Ailin leaning dejectedly against the wall, while Miss Sara, Prince Kelin's guard, stood before her with an indifferent expression.

Theresa's heart tightened, and she immediately cast an inquiring look at Sara.

'What did you do to my Highness?!'

Sara noticed her gaze, nodded slightly, and responded to her inquiry with her eyes as well.

'Her Highness Princess Princess Ailin already knows about the civil war.'

Theresa was startled at first, then quickly read the meaning in Sara's eyes.

Standing at the door for a long time, her face initially showed a look of anxiety, but soon she let out a long breath and relaxed instead.

Finally, there was no need to keep it from Her Highness anymore.

For nearly the past month, Theresa had endured inner torment almost every day, carrying the guilt of keeping Her Highness in the dark, acting in Twilight City with her face.

This sense of guilt was almost enough to crush her.

Now that Princess Princess Ailin knew everything, she finally didn't have to keep the secret in her heart anymore.

And since things had developed to this point, everything was settled, and there was indeed no need for them to keep hiding it...

Theresa walked to Princess Princess Ailin and knelt on one knee.

She raised her hand and pulled gently behind her ear; the flawless face dissipated like water ripples, revealing her own loyal and slightly weary face.

"Your Highness, please punish me for the crime of concealment." Theresa lowered her head and said.

"Theresa... I will not punish you, but you need to tell me the truth," restraining the tremor in her voice, Princess Princess Ailin said in a hoarse voice, "When did you know?"

"I knew from the beginning," Theresa said in a low voice, "The commander of the Lionheart Knights came to test you... or rather, me. They hoped we would stand on Count Derrick's side, but I refused their unreasonable demands. The Northern Rescue Army will not participate in this civil war; we are in Twilight City, and we are not going anywhere."

Princess Princess Ailin nodded gently.

"Then, what about now?"

"I was just about to report to you," Theresa still kept her head down, saying respectfully, "Now the civil war has ended, the regular army led by Sir Wesley has captured Gladstone Castle, and all the nobles who betrayed the Duchy have been arrested and thrown into the dungeon by our Majesty..."

Theresa told Princess Princess Ailin everything she knew.

Including the reason for the start of this civil war, and some things she had learned about the rear through officers in the logistics system.

Princess Princess Ailin took a deep breath of the cold air, exhaled slowly from her chest, and then asked another question she cared about most.

"What about Jellock? My brother... Edward... did he do anything to Jellock? Did he..."

She didn't dare to say that word.

Meeting Princess Princess Ailin's uneasy gaze, Theresa shook her head gently.

"His Majesty the Grand Duke did not forgive his crimes."

Princess Princess Ailin's face turned pale.

Pausing for two seconds, Theresa continued.

"... However, His Majesty did not execute him either, but exiled Prince Jellock to an island far from the Duchy's coastline. There is a castle and a monastery there, and he will spend the rest of his life there."

On the Aus Continent, this was the standard procedure for a merciful monarch after winning a civil war: forcing the opponent to swear never to return to secular life under the witness of statues and clergy, and then exiling them to a monastery overseas or on a mountain.

Generally speaking, this was equivalent to political death.

"Hoo..."

Princess Princess Ailin's suspended heart finally fell back into her chest, and her straightened body leaned back against the wall. Sara, meanwhile, rubbed her temples with a headache, looking completely speechless.

Couldn't this person finish saying things in one sentence?

Is teasing one's own master... interesting?

Sara fell into thought.

Theresa was clearly completely unaware, having no idea what that two-second pause she had just made had brought to Princess Princess Ailin.

"As long as he's alive..." Princess Princess Ailin, having recovered, muttered to herself, drawing a cross on her chest and praying devoutly, "Saint Xisi above, thank you for converting my brother..."

Their father was dead, but their mother was still alive.

Her mother had just walked out of the shadow of her husband's passing; if she were to lose another son now, she truly worried she would follow her father...

Looking at this devoutly praying Hero, Sara gave a soft "tsk" in her mouth. In her view, it was clearly the Demon King who had converted her brother; what was the meaning of thanking Saint Xisi?

Did it have anything to do with Him?

That was why she hated this woman!

Not noticing the hostile gaze under the hood, Princess Princess Ailin prayed for about half a minute before finally calming down.

However, what followed was even deeper confusion.

She couldn't understand why her second brother Jellock would betray her eldest brother; their relationship was clearly so good.

And based on her understanding of her second brother, he was a knight even more devout and noble than her, and would never fall into injustice for personal ambition.

Although he was indeed a bit stubborn at times, she couldn't imagine him taking up arms against his brother because of it.

"Theresa, I don't understand, why did Jellock betray Edward? I still can't fully accept it even now... just in the past month, such things actually happened."

Theresa opened her mouth, seemingly not knowing how to explain this complex cause. After all, she was just a knight, and she only knew these things because she had been acting as Princess Princess Ailin for the past few months, and she herself had not been deeply involved in court affairs.

Just as both of them were lost in confusion, a calm voice sounded not far from Princess Princess Ailin, interrupting the latter's chaotic thoughts.

"This is not hard to understand, Your Highness."

Princess Princess Ailin looked up and looked at Sara seriously.

"Do you know something?"

This mysterious guard who always followed Mr. Kelin had helped her a lot, and she had always trusted this lady, just as she trusted Prince Kelin.

Putting down her crossed arms, Sara walked to the attic's small window and cast her gaze toward the bell tower of the church not far away.

"Until the end, Jellock did not aim his sword at his brother; if this rebellion had been instigated by him, it wouldn't have ended with such an outcome."

"You mean..."

"He is not innocent, but he was also someone who was coerced. The Count of Gladstone Castle utilized his naivety; regardless of whether he wanted to pressure his brother through the chips in his hand or achieve other goals, the people standing behind him pushed him."

"You mean someone coerced him?" Theresa frowned, then continued to ask, "But who could that person be?"

"Who else could it be? Isn't it all written in the Thunder City Daily sent to the front lines?"

Sara turned around, a hint of pity in her eyes, looking at Princess Princess Ailin who was holding her breath, and continued, "Those old nobles who feared change gathered spontaneously around Jellock, forming the Northern Vassal Group headed by Count Derrick. They incited the knights under Jellock's command in the name of glory and legitimacy, and then the war machine moved on its own."

Theresa swallowed her saliva.

"So the mastermind is the Count..."

"Yes, and no."

Sara nodded gently, then shook her head gently.

"A mere Count cannot oppose a Duke, because no one can promise him higher benefits, and the risk of failure is something he cannot afford."

The answer was ready to come out.

Sara paused for two seconds, looking at the young Hero who was shocked by the King's evil, and threw out the final and most cruel part of the truth.

"The person who could bribe the Count is, of course, another King."

Silence lasted for a long time.

Theresa sighed, drew a cross on her chest, and softly said the words Princess Princess Ailin couldn't bear to say until the end.

"This is simply... more cruel than the Demon King."

Sara: "..."

What exactly did the Demon King do to you?

The knight confined in the attic was lamenting the misfortune of the Duchy, while Thunder City at this moment had fallen into an ocean of jubilation.

On the main road leading to the City Hall, soldiers wearing medals on their chests were marching through the streets in neat formations.

The crowds watching were sandwiched on both sides of the road, shoulder to shoulder.

They were either whistling, stretching their necks to look, or shouting familiar names... searching for their neighbors and friends among that group of nameless heroes.

Young girls carrying flower baskets threw freshly picked petals into the air. Priests sprinkled holy water on the ground, praying for the soldiers returning from the expedition.

A grand celebration was underway.

Someone had previously suggested to Edward to carefully consider the increasingly tense relationship between civilians and nobles within the Duchy and handle this victory in a low-key manner.

However, ever since His Majesty the Grand Duke returned from Gladstone Castle, he had changed his previous attitude, not only wanting to hold this celebration but to do it in a big way, preferably even grander than the celebration when the Demon King was defeated!

The Duchy's only three Counts had all fallen off their horses; there was no one left who could stop this enterprising Majesty.

He seemed determined to stand with the emerging nobles and civilians who supported him in winning this civil war.

So that morning, all the newspapers in Thunder City had a bolded headline printed on them—

"His Wise Majesty the Grand Duke has thwarted the Northern vassals' conspiracy to subvert the Duchy!"

And among that boiling crowd, besides the unified official line, there were also various voices from the public.

"Those damn nobles of the Ryan Kingdom! I knew it was them instigating it behind the scenes!"

"I really didn't expect that old-school nobles like Count Derrick would forget ancient glory and collude with the Kingdom's forces to deal with our own people!"

People were discussing it angrily.

These nobles said with their mouths that the citizens of Thunder City had sold their souls to the devil, but it was clear that they themselves were the real traitors!

They betrayed ancient oaths and also betrayed their motherland.

Although the Campbell Duchy had been independent from the Kingdom long ago and had obtained many autonomous powers including diplomacy, only nominally did their Duke still owe allegiance to the King... however, the concept of "nation" was imprinted in the heart of every civilian so clearly for the first time.

They gradually realized that personal honor and disgrace, factory orders, bread on the table... all of this was closely linked to the fate of the Duchy.

If they couldn't unite to resist those forces hostile to them, foreign nobles would unite with internal nobles to snatch away everything they had accumulated with blood and sweat!

Along with the birth of the concept of "nation" came the concept of "class."

However, the civilian class at this time had not yet been differentiated by countless labels, just another class relative to the nobles.

Serfs, free farmers, workers, industrialists, bards, and even factory owners all belonged to this category.

Even some royal family members who stood on the side of the civilians were regarded by them as their own people.

After all, in the conventions of the Aus Continent, free cities were mostly direct royal or great noble estates. "People without masters" who fled noble territories lived there, living by crafts and trade, forming various professional guilds, not bound by feudal lords.

For a long period, guilds were the main source of tax for lords.

For such cities, sometimes the King directly appointed the mayor, sometimes the various guilds would elect their own mayor, and the King would appoint a Viceroy on this basis to convey the royal will.

Thunder City belonged to the latter.

And at this moment, the Viceroy of Thunder City, Gode Wilson, was standing on the balcony of the City Hall facing the square, representing his respected Majesty Edward.

"Citizens, fellow countrymen! Soldiers returning from the front lines, and workers supporting the front lines from the rear! Today is the victory day of our Thunder City! Let us cheer for victory; we have thwarted the demons' conspiracy in the winter! We have guarded our Duchy!"

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted in the square.

The Viceroy raised his hand, smiling, signaling everyone to be quiet.

After the cheering sound subsided slightly, he cleared his throat and continued to speak in a solemn tone.

"This victory belongs not only to Campbell but also to everyone who has paid blood and sweat for the Duchy! Especially our citizens of Thunder City, the Royal Family pays tribute to you; without your support, we absolutely could not have thwarted the united Northern traitors."

"However... victory does not mean stagnation. To make our Thunder City stronger, His Majesty the Grand Duke said that our reforms must continue. If we cannot support this sky with our own shoulders, someone will use this as an excuse to make us kneel down."

The crowd gradually quieted down.

Everyone was waiting for the Viceroy's voice; they needed to know who their enemy was and who they should point their guns at next.

But this time, the Viceroy didn't talk about the enemy, but rarely focused on the issue that His Majesty had been deliberately avoiding—

"Thunder City will expand the scale of the council! Now it's not just candidates elected by various guilds; every neighborhood in Thunder City must have at least one city councilor representing the citizens of that area to participate in routine weekly and monthly meetings. As for the specific number, it will be determined by the tax and population of that street... His Majesty the Grand Duke announces that any citizen who has paid more than one silver pound in taxes to the Duchy for six consecutive months is eligible to participate in the election of city councilors!"

A commotion broke out in the square.

One silver pound!

This was not out of reach for people working hard!

The heads of various guilds and stakeholders were clearly caught off guard.

They never expected that they had just supported the Grand Duke's bonds, and the Grand Duke turned around and treated them like a night pot, directly expanding the number of councilors to dilute their power.

This...

Isn't it inappropriate?

It's a pity that their voices were too small, appearing insignificant in the square, and that astonishment was soon drowned out by the wave of cheers.

Ever since the textile factory in Thunder City defeated the small workshops of textile workers, the power of the guilds had become minimal, and many guilds had even become puppets of the money masters.

This didn't happen just in the year 1054 of the Aus calendar, but had existed as early as when Grand Duke Aaron Campbell was still around.

For example, the Andes family was the owner behind many guilds.

In the "special seats" outside the City Hall, some bankers cast their eyes toward Andes.

They knew this guy was Edward's aide and also the one who had the most cake taken away; they hoped to get some explanation from him, or even just a little comfort.

For those pairs of eyes looking at him, Andes seemed to have been prepared, saying in a very low voice.

"Please trust our Majesty; he has prepared other cakes for us, but some things we must give up... this is for the good of all of us."

He was a smart person and knew his position very well.

The year 1054 of the Aus calendar was a turning point for the fate of civilians and nobles, but it was not a turning point for the fate of the Andes family.

Edward needed a group of emerging nobles to replace the ecological niche of traditional nobles, but if they tried to become Counts capable of challenging royal authority, they would definitely be the next group to die.

Pausing, Andes continued.

"And don't think you are innocent; you haven't always stood firmly by His Majesty the Grand Duke, have you? His Majesty didn't mention the 'silver pound' thing, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know... he asked me to tell you that this matter is written off; it's you who owe him."

If it weren't for the support of the Kelin Duchy and the Gustav Kingdom, the economic reform of Thunder City definitely wouldn't have gone so smoothly.

Even if it could eventually be implemented through the Grand Duke's administrative means, the people pushing this matter would definitely have paid a considerable price.

The faces of the bankers all showed ugly expressions, but perhaps because they knew they were in the wrong, they eventually chose to swallow this breath.

Actually, after seeing the success of the issuance of the silver pound, many people had already regretted it. If Andes held another meeting, they would definitely have scrambled to sign the agreement they were unwilling to sign back then...

"Damn it, why are you so calm? You are clearly the one whose interests are damaged the most; aren't you anxious at all?" A banker couldn't help but ask.

"Didn't I say it? His Majesty Edward has prepared other things for me."

"What is it?"

Facing the probing gazes of a group of peers, Andes smiled without saying a word.

Of course he wouldn't say that just last night Edward found him and talked to him about establishing the "Silver Regulatory Commission."

Soon, he would be their direct superior...

The speech on the City Hall balcony continued.

Wilson raised his volume, overpowering the sound wave, and shouted to the noisy crowd.

"... And you, the elected city councilors, will have the obligation to be responsible for every citizen in your neighborhood! Not just those who pay taxes!"

The Viceroy showed a humorous smile and continued.

"Also, listen up! Don't send your grievances to the Viceroy's Office anymore! Our Grand Duke really can't read them all, and I can't read that many letters either! Of course, if your councilors don't work, that's another matter. We have to know who they took money from, and... why didn't my Majesty get his share?"

The crowd erupted in a burst of good-natured laughter.

They all knew that His Majesty the Grand Duke didn't lack that little money; anyway, the silver pound was printed with his crown, and he could just print more if he needed it.

Someone whistled loudly, and applause thundered in the square.

And in this ocean of joy, factory owner Horace felt a wave of dizziness, and his face turned ugly instantly.

The councilors in the past were all prominent figures in various guilds, and buying them off was simply too easy, which was also why the bugs in the Southwest Swamp all knew they were a group of mascots.

Those Lizardmen clearly weren't knowledgeable enough to understand the complex social relationships between people and the human feelings hidden in the ecological niche.

Where did he need to spend money to buy them off?

They all had intricate interest connections in the business world; he just needed to say a word to the guild that supplied him with wool upstream, and they could take action to make that damn "Bill No. 6" never pass.

However, now, the Duke had once again devolved the power in his hands.

Horace's heart was bleeding; how did His wise and martial Majesty Edward sell his soul to the devil after that "naive" Princess Princess Ailin?

Saint Xisi above, how many demons are there in the Campbell Duchy!

His operating costs are truly getting higher and higher!

"This threshold is too low..." he groaned in despair, but his voice was drowned out by the wave of cheers, "What contribution can one silver pound make to our Duchy? At least... it should be raised to five silver pounds!"

As for why it was 5 silver pounds?

Shrewd as he was, of course he had calculated it; his textile factory only had his manager and accountant who could barely meet this threshold.

And controlling them was also easy for him.

Viceroy Wilson raised his hands, signaling everyone to be quiet.

The noise gradually subsided, and everyone had a premonition that the real climax was about to come.

Wilson took a deep breath and announced the second biggest news of this celebration besides the victory of the war!

"His Majesty the Grand Duke has decided! The first agenda item of the expanded council is to re-discuss and vote on the details of 'Bill No. 6'!"

"It's time to let it meet the citizens of Thunder City!"

A brief dead silence appeared in the square, and expressions of disbelief appeared on every face.

Whether it was Horace or Horace's textile workers, they all suspected that something was wrong with their ears, and for a moment forgot how to speak.

Sealed memories gradually opened.

They finally remembered that bill proposed by Her Highness Princess Princess Ailin regarding the minimum wage, severance pay, and unemployment benefits in the new industrial zone.

Because many of the concepts in it were too advanced, and the long discussion period was endless, they had almost forgotten about this matter.

What awakened everyone was the bell tolling on the hour.

The next second, thunderous cheers almost flipped the square over!

"Long live Her Highness Princess Princess Ailin!"

"Long live Edward!!"

"Long live the Campbell Duchy!!!"

Especially the workers from the new industrial zone, their voices were particularly excited.

Some people excitedly threw their hats into the sky, and others hugged each other excitedly; the distant council was not enough to make them issue that shout from the depths of their souls, but that bill related to their vital interests could make them remember that they were citizens of Campbell.

The prestige of the Royal Family reached its peak at this moment.

Private Raman, standing in the corner of the square, showed a surprised expression on his face and cast his gaze toward the "little glasses" who was looking at him triumphantly.

He really guessed it right...

Listening to the mountain-shaking "Long live Campbell," the "generous" Mr. Horace let out a desperate wail.

Although that wail appeared so insignificant in the deafening cheers, it was even mistaken for another kind of cheer, and he was inexplicably given a vigorous hug.

"Damn it! Who exactly won this civil war!"

Unable to stand this suffocating fanaticism, he sighed and retreated from the crowd, disappearing into the carnival street corner, his tattered hem blending into the coal ash blown away by the wind.

"I think I'd better just close my factory!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 499 =====