I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 373 Stubbornness Leads to No Good

Elena Tia, the girl destined to become the future queen of the Kingdom of Bagnia, should have been brought to Bagnia by Marquis Dirac's men this spring.

However, plans are plans, and actions are actions. If it's just to pick up Elena alone, then of course there's no problem.

The problem is that Elena is not alone, nor could she possibly come alone; she is accompanied by a large group of elderly, weak, women, and children from the Tia family.

When Marquis Dirac's private army of a hundred men finally arrived at the hideout of the Tia family, they found that there were more than a hundred old and weak people gathered there, and they were short of food and clothing and could not set off immediately.

With no other option, Dirac's hundred-man squad had to stay behind to care for and protect the princess's family members, while they chose to send an elite squad back with the message.

They needed to inform the Marquis of Dirac and Prince Chris that they required more guards and supplies, especially medical supplies, which were in dire need.

The returning squad encountered no mishaps, but just as they were about to arrive at Tavitsky, before they could even inform Marquis Dirac, Chris led his army to Golden Harvest City to launch a surprise attack on the Minisians.

With no other option, the colonel who remained in Tavitsky could only gather a batch of supplies, organize an elite hundred-man squad to escort the supplies and a medic, and then prepare to send someone to inform the prince at the front.

Although doing so was a bit presumptuous, there was no other way; the Queen was too important, as this concerned the next generation of the kingdom. As a former militia member of Doro Town and one of the beneficiaries, the colonel cared too much about this matter, so his subjectivity was particularly high.

As it turned out, the colonel's high degree of subjectivity was necessary, because no sooner had he sent out the small detachment to escort the supplies than several thousand Reteria cavalry surrounded him, completely trapping Tavitsky.

If the colonel had been any slower or hesitated even a moment, he would have had no chance to do anything at all.

Thanks to these supplies, many of the elderly and infirm members of the Tia family who were hiding in the valley received good medical treatment and were able to eat their fill and wear new clothes.

The difference between a vacation and a refuge lies in whether you have enough to eat and wear, and whether you have a clean and warm house to live in that can shelter you from the wind and rain.

Having received a doctor, a large amount of supplies, and a new guard of a hundred men, Elena Tia lived a good life in the valley. Her previous suffering and cold disappeared all at once, replaced by a leisurely holiday.

With guards, servants, and a doctor, Elena and her friends, now living in a large wooden villa, were in no hurry to set off... nor could they.

Elena believed that with the chaos and turmoil outside, it would be too dangerous to take her people out, especially since her other tribesmen, including her father, had not yet arrived to join her. Therefore, she should wait.

The two centurions of the Bagnia Defence Force and the Dirac Hundred opposed this, as they believed that the other members of the Tia family were not particularly important; only Elena was important.

If they can act now, that would be the best option. If they continue to delay, they might have no choice but to forcibly take one person with them on the journey.

However, the opinions of the two centurions could not determine the actions of the Tia family.

Elena Tia, a young woman who quickly shed her girlish naiveté and displayed the qualities of a family leader during her exile and hardship, wielded near-absolute authority over the survivors of the Tia family.

Her grandmother, the once esteemed Countess Thia, is now frail and her spirits are not what they used to be. Her uncles and aunts were either lost during the previous escape or were weak-willed and lacked their own opinions.

On the contrary, Elena, with the natural legitimacy granted by her engagement to Prince Chris, and the resilience and care she showed during the most difficult time for her people, became the core that united this broken family.

When Alvin, captain of the Dirac Hundred, and Torres, captain of the Bagnian Defence Hundred, tried again to persuade Elena, emphasizing the extreme importance of her personal safety and the prince's earnest expectations.

Elena sat calmly in the main seat of the newly renovated wooden house hall, with several relatively healthy elders of the family and loyal old servants standing behind her.

"Captain Alvin, Captain Torres."

Her voice was clear and steady, with an undeniable calmness.

“I understand your duties, and I appreciate your concern, as well as that of the Marquis and Prince Chris. However, please understand me as well.”

She looked around at the people gathered in the hall, their eyes already ignited with hope... There were children who had lost their parents, wives who had lost their husbands, and elderly people who had lost their sons.

"The Tia family is not just about me, Elena."

My blood, my responsibility, are inextricably linked to everyone here. My father, my brothers, and other relatives are still struggling to survive somewhere, heading towards this last refuge.

If I abandon them and go to Bagnia alone to enjoy the privileges of a queen, how would that be different from betrayal? How could I stand comfortably beside Chris as the future queen?

Captain Alvin, a seasoned veteran, frowned deeply. He was not convinced by Elena's grandiloquent words and remained unmoved.

"Your Highness, the situation outside is extremely dangerous. The Minisians could discover this area at any moment. His Highness the Prince needs you to come to his side as soon as possible and safely. This is related to the stability and future of the kingdom!"

Captain Torres also added eagerly.

"Yes, Your Highness, our two teams together only have a little over two hundred people. Protecting over a hundred elderly, weak, women, and children who have almost no ability to protect themselves across the war zone is already very difficult... We must act quickly. If we continue to wait, other unforeseen events may occur!"

Elena's gaze swept past the two anxious captains and landed outside the window. In the valley, with the help of the guards and supplies, the guards, including doctors and carpenters, built a cluster of individual wooden cabins, forming a building complex.

Children chased and played in the open space in front of the houses, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys. This brief moment of peace was a respite she had fought so hard to secure for her people.

"I am not disregarding the bigger picture."

Elena turned her head back, her eyes sharpening.

"It is precisely because I see the bigger picture that I must stay and wait. My father and his men control the last armed force of the Tia family. Although they may not be many in number, they are all loyal and elite warriors."

If they arrive safely, our escort will be greatly enhanced, and our chances of traversing the perilous terrain will be much higher.

Conversely, if we leave now, we may not only miss them and leave them in dire straits, but we may also be wiped out halfway due to insufficient strength.

At that time, not only would I be unable to save my people, but I myself… the queen you speak of who is the future of the kingdom, would also perish. That would be the greatest irresponsibility towards the greater good!

She paused for a moment, her tone softening but still firm.

"As for danger, we are hiding in this secluded valley, guarded by your loyal soldiers, with ample supplies and doctors to care for the wounded. Isn't that safer than embarking on a perilous journey without any preparation?"

"The supplies and reinforcements sent by the colonel are precisely to allow us to hold out here a little longer, aren't they?"

Elena stood up, her figure appearing exceptionally upright in the simple wooden hall.

“My decision will not change. We will wait here, waiting for news of my father and the rest of our people, waiting for the external situation to change in our favor, or…”

She looked directly at the two captains.

"Once His Highness has resolved the threat to Golden Harvest City and is able to send a stronger force to rescue us all, the duty of the two captains in the meantime is to protect this valley and my people. This is also protecting the future of Bagnia."

Alvin and Torres exchanged a look filled with helplessness and anxiety.

They understood that the young princess was of iron will, and regardless of whether her words made sense, she clearly had no intention of changing her mind.

A soldier's instinct and loyalty to the prince's orders made the two men deeply uneasy about being stuck there, but they could not force the princess, much less bypass her and take her away by force... that would be tantamount to treason.

Moreover, the princess enjoys extremely high prestige among her people, and taking forceful action would only cause chaos and infighting.

In the end, Captain Alvin could only sigh heavily and bow with his right hand on his chest.

“Yes, Your Highness. The warriors of Dirac will defend the valley and your people to the death.”

Captain Torres had no choice but to suppress his worries and bow in return.

"The Bagnia Defense Forces are at your command."

Elena nodded slightly.

"Thank you for your loyalty and dedication. Please increase vigilance and patrols around the valley."

Meanwhile, continue to send out the most astute scouts to probe outwards as much as possible, searching for traces of my father and his men, and closely monitoring the movements of the Retalians and other forces. We need as many eyes and ears as possible.”

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The two captains accepted the order and left, their steps heavy.

They knew that the peaceful "vacation" was just a facade; the shadow of war outside the valley had never dissipated, and they, the stubborn princess, and the more than one hundred fragile lives behind her were trapped on this seemingly tranquil island.

Waiting can be a source of hope, but it can also be a slow-moving disaster.

The fate of the main force of the Tia family, the battle situation of Prince Chris, the movement of the Reteria cavalry... every unknown is like the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.

The "good days" in the valley quietly entered a countdown filled with uncertainty the moment Elena made her decision.

Then, the good days for the Tia family soon came to an end... for no other reason than the arrival of the Reteria Iron Cavalry.

(End of this chapter)