AWDC Chapter 87

“Damn it, making fools of us! I won’t forgive this!” Gregg was on the verge of exploding with rage.

A meeting, centered around Prince Raphael as usual, had begun, but Gregg was so angry he wouldn’t even take his seat.

Elliot was impossible to deal with like this. I prompted Richter to speak.

“Well, isn’t it fine? I think I’ll take this opportunity to return to Midland and take it easy.”

“Yes, that sounds good. I shall go south and recite poetry in nature,” the Prince added.

Perhaps calmed by these two’s words, Elliot’s anger seemed to subside. He finally took his seat and began abruptly.

“Who do you think orchestrated this farce?” Finally, his anger had subsided, and he began to grasp the truth of this coup.

“Well, first, Queen Mother Margarita and Earl Lamina, Marquis Sorbeny and Earl Coleman, and the key player is probably Bishop Hoffa.”

“There’s no doubt Sorbeny is the ringleader of the execution, but Hoffa must be the one who conceived this farce.”

No one could sense this coup in advance. With so many nobles gathered, it wouldn’t have been surprising if information had leaked.

Either an extraordinary gag order was in place, or they narrowed down those who knew the situation to prevent leaks. I suspected the latter.

They gathered many nobles on the King’s birthday without informing them of the situation. Then, they solidified the King’s surroundings with only those who knew the plot, creating a wall of mob nobles who knew nothing.

The mob nobles at that time looked bewildered by the King’s declaration of restoration. You could see them hastily start shouting “Banzai!” in response to the cries around the King.

We could only watch that wall of “Banzai” from afar. They created a wall of mob nobles to prevent us from approaching the King and protesting.

Even so, it was a skillful method. When it was declared that the King had come of age and would abolish the regency and begin his own rule, we had no reason to oppose it.

I thought only Hoffa could have conceived this plan.

But I thought our interests aligned with Hoffa’s.

I tried to fulfill his requests as much as possible, though not all of them.

His demands were never excessive, and I had been fulfilling them.

I shouldn’t have rejected his requests even once.

So why did he suddenly turn on us? I didn’t understand.

“We can overturn their farce at any time.”

During the time of former King Michael, the Royal Guard, combined with the Royal Army, numbered 12,000. However, due to the Bawa Roma unrest, the Royal Army was almost annihilated.

Some soldiers joined the Bawa Roma army and participated in the rebellion, but Gregg and Midland accepted many soldiers, and over a thousand entered Toriholi as well. After the Raphael administration was established, Gregg and Midland deployed up to 10,000 troops to protect the peace in the capital.

We couldn’t keep private soldiers in the capital forever, so we gradually increased the Royal Guard and the Royal Army, and now it finally reached 4,000. However, even now, Gregg and Midland still had 3,000 troops, and Toriholi had 1,000 troops stationed in the capital. And Gregg was in charge of the overall command of the Royal Army. Therefore, Gregg held most of the military power in the capital. If we used force, we had the power to overturn things at any time.

Certainly, I also felt that this restoration of King Tarim was a farce. Furthermore, I was angry that the efforts we had put into restoring the nation’s power had been ignored.

For eight years, the capital’s security had improved, and the lives of the common people had become easier. When the administration is stable, commercial transactions become active. Those who were unemployed were able to find some kind of job and earn their daily bread.

Midland, Gregg, and Toriholi had continued to send supplies to help restore the capital at reduced prices. Food and clothing in the capital were cheaper than in Michael’s time. Thanks to this effect, more people had gathered in the current capital than at its peak.

They scorned these efforts, and I was indignant that we were excluded from the government with an uncompromising attitude.

“They watched us successfully restore the capital with their arms crossed. They only seized power to suck the sweet juice. We can’t entrust politics to such people.”

Even in front of Prince Raphael, Elliot’s tone was more violent than usual.

“Stop it, nothing good will come of doing such a thing,” Prince Raphael casually denied.

It was clear that Prince Raphael also felt angry about this situation. However, he was tired of seeing the dark side of people.

(That’s why I hate politics,) the Prince’s face seemed to say.

Our greatest weakness in political power was Prince Raphael’s lack of desire for power.

Normally, after being the most powerful person in the country for eight years, one would want to continue holding that power for many more years. But this Prince was completely different.

He was intelligent, healthy, and flawless, but he had no political ambition. Even if we united and tried to elevate the Prince, he would quickly step down.

Even if we could eliminate all the opponents, we had no one to elevate.

“Besides, according to the regency law we created, when the young King reaches adulthood, the regency can be abolished.”

It’s become strange, but a law is a law. It would be strange for us who created it to break it.

In any case, since the Prince didn’t want to do politics anymore, there was no reason to stay in the royal palace.

“Then, everyone agrees to leave the capital,” Elliot said as if to confirm. No one had any objections.

We left the capital with dignity.

The reason I said “with dignity” was to make an example of the coup plotters. Try to lay a hand on us if you can. We’re ready to take you on at any time.

In the bright light of midday, we left the capital gates with each family’s flag waving.

Gregg left with 3,000 troops, Midland with nearly 2,000, and I myself led over 1,000 troops.

Our three families made up the Royal Army, and we were responsible for the security of the capital.

The remaining Royal Army and nobles could do nothing to stop us from leaving the capital.

The central figure among the nobles who plotted the coup was Marquis Sorbeny.

“Did you see Gregg’s bright red face?”

“Midland was taken aback, and Misaki was just wandering around aimlessly.”

The nobles who had surrounded the King were overjoyed that the coup had gone so well.

“From now on, we will conduct politics.”

“Let’s do real politics centered on His Majesty the King.”

They held wine glasses in their hands and rejoiced at the launch of the new regime.