I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 386 Jealousy and Misunderstandings

After the entire Valangi Chapter was wiped out, it was the other players' turn to suffer.

With their hands free, the Miniserian soldiers began to scout around, cleaning up the mess in the city. The players being scrambled for food were naturally unhappy, but apart from a few stubborn ones, most of them escaped through the city gates with their loot.

For many players, taking White Rock City is not their main objective tonight; their real goal is to prevent the Varangian Legion from taking all the spoils.

Now that the objective has been achieved, it's time to retreat.

What will happen to Baiyan City?
So be it. The city is right here. If we can't take it this time, we can try again next time. But if the Varangian Legion manages to take it all for themselves, then we'll have no chance.

Therefore, the players who successfully caused trouble ran away with exceptional decisiveness, without the slightest hesitation.

The players ran away, and the refugees who were scrambling for food in the city weren't stupid either. They carried their food and ran out early on, knowing that if they didn't run away and stayed, they would definitely be punished by the lords.

After both sides fled, they left behind a huge mess in Baiyan City.

Smoke still lingered, and fires continued to rage in parts of the city, crackling and popping.

But the battle roars, the players' laughter, the refugees' cries, and the frenzied collisions during looting have all faded away, leaving only devastation and... a city whose granaries have been completely emptied and even polluted.

……

As dawn broke, General Hoffman stood at the entrance to the East City granary, his boots sinking into the nauseating mixture: trampled grain dust, dried, blackened bloodstains, torn burlap fibers, and an indescribable filth.

The rusty smell permeating the air was masked by an even more pungent and unsettling odor—the sour, rancid smell of rotting grain mixed with a strong, foul stench of human excrement.

Inside the enormous warehouse, the walls of sacks that once symbolized safety and security are now just a desolate, empty space.

Several thick stone pillars support the dilapidated dome, casting distorted shadows in the dim light filtering through the holes, like the ribs of the city.

The charred cracks and scattered rubble on the wall are traces left by gunpowder explosions.

Quartermaster Oliver's voice sounded behind him, dry and desperate.

"General, the East Granary is completely destroyed. More than 8,000 bags of wheat and rye, 500 barrels of beans, and 2,000 pieces of cured meat are all gone."

It was either stolen, or…

He paused for a moment, then pointed with difficulty into the depths of the warehouse.

"...was ruined."

Hoffman's gaze followed Oliver's finger to the area that the soldiers were painstakingly clearing with shovels.

The ground was covered with a layer of dark, sticky grime, with rotten, blackened grain mixed with suspicious yellowish-white filth, fermenting in the damp air and emitting a suffocating stench.

Fat flies buzzed and greedily landed on it. Several crushed, filthy earthenware jars lay askew in the corner, like abandoned stomachs.

“Those thugs…”

Hoffman's voice was deep and rumbling like muffled thunder in his chest.

What did they do here?

"Looting, General, like a mad beast."

Oliver's voice was filled with suppressed anger and disgust.

"The Bagnians set fires, and the refugees, having seized the food, tore and fought over it on the ground, vomited, and even relieved themselves there, wantonly trampling on what they couldn't take with them."

The grain below is completely soaked in filth; it will be infested with maggots and mold, and is utterly inedible.

"vomit……"

Hoffman gagged, then turned abruptly and strode away, heading towards the adjacent No. 2 grain silo.

Before he even got close, a stronger smell of burning grains mixed with a strange, sweet aroma filled his nostrils, and then the sight before his eyes made the veteran general's pupils shrink.

The No. 2 granary no longer exists, leaving only a vast, still smoldering black ruin. The charred beams and pillars, like withered bones protruding from hell, pierce the gray sky.

Beneath the rubble lay large, charcoal-black clumps... the remains of tens of thousands of kilograms of military rations burned to ashes. Stepping on them made a rustling sound as they turned to dust.

Seeing this, Hoffman remained silent.

"How much did it burn?"

"Still under investigation, General."

An officer, his face covered in soot, responded in a panic.

"We are still taking stock of the exact amount of grain burned."

"damn it!"

Warehouse One was contaminated, and Warehouse Two was burned to the ground, which made Hoffman's heart feel as if it were being squeezed by an icy hand. But this was only the beginning of the nightmare.

The adjutant behind him stepped forward and handed over a newly compiled report; the paper appeared exceptionally fragile in his slightly trembling hands.

"General, the damage in the civilian areas is even worse. Nine out of ten houses are empty. The refugees are like a pack of hungry wolves, smashing open almost every door they could..."

Hoffman snatched the report, the pages groaning under his iron-like fingers.

The numbers above were like poisoned daggers, piercing his eyes. It was estimated that more than half of the city's grain reserves had been lost!
This "half" is not just a simple number; it represents the rations of his soldiers and the lifeline upon which the mountain search unit depends.

This further means that even if Hoffman orders his troops to collect grain from the city, he will not be able to squeeze out much food to supply the front lines.

His painstaking plan, which even used White Rock City as bait, not only did not fail, but led to even more serious consequences.

Overnight, players went on a rampage of arson, and refugees engaged in shameless looting and pollution...

Hoffman could almost see the search party, far away in the rugged mountains, struggling to move due to lack of food, their morale low, and possibly even mutiny due to despair.

The mission the king entrusted to them might be ruined because of what happened in the rear!
Hoffman looked up at the desolate street outside the granary.

As the morning light pierced through the smoke of battle, it no longer illuminated the glory of the city's defenders, but rather the shocking ruins and starving people huddled beneath the broken walls, their eyes vacant.

The suppressed weeping in the distance sounded like the dying lament of this city.

"damn it……"

……

In a beautiful valley filled with the constant roar of waterfalls, the black and white bear sat wearily on the ground. In front of him was a half-person-high backpack, bulging with stuff, looking as if it were about to burst open.

Around him were more than thirty Bagnian soldiers in green uniforms, who had followed the black and white bear for ten kilometers along the mountain path the previous night, and were exhausted.

Upon receiving the news, Captain Torres rushed over. He looked with delight at the haul, which filled more than thirty backpacks, and couldn't help but exclaim.

"Great."

"Take a look at how long these foods and medicines can sustain us."

Monokuma said.

Upon hearing this, Torres immediately rushed over to check. After quickly inspecting all thirty backpacks, he was overjoyed and quickly replied.

"Sir, this will allow us to hold out for another half month... With the medicine, those wounded brothers can survive!"

Monokuma nodded, and at that moment, the maid Martha walked over.

Martha's footsteps sounded somewhat out of place amidst the heavy breathing of the exhausted soldiers and the roar of the waterfall.

With steady steps and a well-trained respect on her face, she walked straight toward Monokuma, who had just taken off his heavy backpack and was stretching his aching shoulders.

"grown ups."

Martha stopped a few steps away from the black and white bear, curtsied, and bowed with impeccable posture.

Monokuma merely glanced at her, continuing to massage his shoulders and neck, his voice flat and emotionless.

"explain."

Martha took a deep breath, trying to make her voice clear and solemn, so that the soldiers around her who were listening intently could hear her.

"Her Highness Elena entrusted me to convey her sincerest gratitude to you. The precious supplies you brought back last night, despite your hardship and risking your life, not only sustained the lives of everyone in the valley but also brought back hope for survival. Her Highness is well aware of your bravery and sacrifice and is deeply grateful."

Her wording was clearly carefully crafted, more formal and respectful than when she had previously summoned him, but Monokuma didn't react much, only grunting in response, as if listening to something that had little to do with him.

Martha paused for a moment, as if preparing for something more important.

She straightened her body slightly and raised her voice a little, with an almost declarative tone:

"To express the Tia family's deep gratitude for your selfless assistance and their respect for your noble status as a 'Great Knight,' Princess Elena has decided to bestow upon you one of the family's most treasured heirlooms."

She carefully took out a small object wrapped in dark blue velvet from her bosom.

She gently opened the velvet cloth, revealing a ring whose opulence was undeniable even in the dim light of the valley.

The ring's setting is made of a deep, dark gold metal, with a simple and weighty design, as if it contains the power of the ancient ocean. The ring face is not set with a traditional gemstone, but rather with a huge sapphire as deep as an ocean vortex, with a halo of light seemingly flowing within it.

The gemstone was exquisitely cut into a multifaceted shape, each facet reflecting a different glimmer of light. A faint, ethereal, and ancient aura emanated from the ring.

"This ring is called 'The Eye of Poseidon'."

Martha's voice had a solemn rhythm.

"It is not only a symbol of the ancient bloodline and glory of the Tia family, but also said to contain the blessing and power of the sea god, enabling people to see into the distance even on foggy or rainy days."

His Highness believes that only a hero like you deserves it. Please accept this most sincere gift from the Tia family.

Martha held the "Eye of Poseidon" in both hands and respectfully presented it to the black and white bear.

Her eyes were filled with anticipation, and a hint of relief after completing a great mission.

In her view, this gift was worthy of a "great knight's" achievements and status, and was enough to make up for the "rudeness" of being refused an audience earlier.

The soldiers around him, including Centurion Torres, were all awestruck by the ring's magnificence and the meaning it represented.

They held their breath, their eyes darting back and forth between the ring and the black and white bear. This was a family heirloom bestowed upon them by the future princess! The honor was simply unimaginable!
However, Monokuma's reaction instantly froze everyone's expectations.

He looked down at the radiant "Eye of Poseidon," his face showing no sign of being moved by the treasure, not even a hint of surprise.

His brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and a hint of something like "trouble" flashed in his eyes.

It's a good item. Monokuma remembers that Home Alone also had a magic ring, which the latter cherished so much that he didn't even wear it on the battlefield... If he actually wore it on the battlefield, there was a chance that the flintlock pistols of the friendly forces next to him would "accidentally discharge".

Monokuma, however, is not afraid of such risks.

But when he reached out his hand, instead of accepting it solemnly as Martha had expected, he pushed it back.

“I will not accept any reward without merit. I accept Prince Chris’s orders and complete the task he has given me. I do not need any additional reward from Your Highness.”

Having said that, he ignored the petrified Martha and turned to Torres, who was equally dumbfounded, saying:

"Torres, take stock and distribute the food and medicine, prioritizing the wounded and the weak. Double the number of sentries; there was quite a commotion last night, be careful of pursuers creeping up on us."

"Ah?...Yes, yes, sir!"

Torres snapped out of his daze and quickly replied, his eyes still glancing at the black and white bear and Martha's hand.

Martha stood rooted to the spot, her hands still cupped in a respectful gesture, the deep blue velvet draped softly over her shoulders. The reverence and expectation on her face vanished like a receding tide, leaving only utter bewilderment and a profound sense of shock, as if her entire understanding had been utterly overturned.
Looking at Monokuma's nonchalant back as he even began directing the distribution of supplies, her lips trembled slightly, but she couldn't utter a single word.

Martha practically floated back to the cave where the princess was.

Her steps lost their usual steadiness, carrying a hint of disorientation and panic. She clutched the deep blue velvet wrapping tightly in her hands, as if she were holding a piece of burning coal.

The oil lamps inside the cave still flickered, their dim light barely outlining Elena's slightly anxious figure as she waited.

Seeing Martha's appearance and the untouched ring in her hand, Elena's heart sank, and an ominous premonition quickly spread.

"what happened?"

Elena's voice carried a barely perceptible tension.

Martha knelt down in front of Elena with a thud, holding the velvet bundle high in her hands, burying her head deeply, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion and incomprehensible confusion.

“Your Highness, I…I have failed Your Highness’s trust. That official…he refused to bestow any reward.”

Elena's pupils contracted sharply. She instinctively took the familiar velvet bag, her fingertips able to feel the hard outline of the ring inside. A strong sense of frustration and a deeper unease gripped her.

reject?"

Elena's voice was as cold as ice.

"What did he say? Not a single word can be omitted!"

Martha didn't dare to look up, and quickly recounted the scene that had just happened, especially emphasizing Monokuma's plain but resolute words.

The cave was deathly silent, with only the occasional soft crackling of the burning oil lamp and the ever-present roar of the waterfall outside, which sounded particularly jarring at this moment.

Elena's fingers tightened unconsciously, squeezing the velvet wrapping out of shape.

Should one not accept rewards without merit?
Prince Chris's orders?

No additional reward needed?

These words kept crashing and echoing in her mind.

Elena abruptly closed her eyes, her chest heaving violently a few times.

When she opened her eyes again, the churning anger and humiliation within them had been replaced by a sharper, colder realization.

"I see……"

She murmured to herself.

"I understand."

Elena's voice regained its composure, even becoming more steady than before.

"Martha, get up. This isn't your fault."

Martha looked up in astonishment, staring at her princess in bewilderment. To refuse such a precious family treasure was simply...an unimaginable insult!

Elena didn't look at Martha; her gaze seemed to pierce through the rock wall and land on the maverick great knight, and also seemed to pierce through space and land on the iron-blooded prince who controlled everything in Bagnia.

“His refusal was not out of contempt for the Tia family, nor was it out of contempt for me.”

Elena's voice carried a calm, insightful clarity. "On the contrary, this precisely demonstrates his loyalty! Loyalty etched into his very bones!"

"He only obeys Prince Chris's orders and is only responsible to the prince. In his eyes, everything he does is to carry out the prince's will, is his 'duty', and is his 'mission'."

Completing the 'mission' was his duty; he neither needed nor should accept any 'extra rewards' beyond the mission's objectives… especially since this reward came from me, a 'future princess' whose status was awkward and who had not yet been formally appointed.”

Elena's fingertips tapped lightly on the velvet covering the ring, her thoughts becoming clearer.

“He is drawing a line. He is telling me and everyone else through his actions that the only person he is loyal to is Prince Chris!”
He would not accept any overtures that could be seen as 'forming cliques' or 'taking sides prematurely'! This caution, this absolute obedience to the prince's orders... this is the demeanor of a true confidant of the prince!

"No wonder...no wonder he was so cold to me when he summoned me before."

In his eyes, there were only task priorities, not the red tape of aristocratic social interactions.

Everything he did revolved around how to complete the task assigned by the prince in the most efficient and direct way!

A hint of apprehension flashed in Elena's eyes, but more than that, it was a strategic and reassessed attention.

"Martha".

Her voice carried an undeniable determination.

"Remember, from now on, treat this Lord Black and White Bear as you would treat the Prince's personal guard commander."

His orders are equivalent to His Highness's will. What he needs is our full cooperation; what he doesn't need, such as unnecessary disturbances or extra 'thank yous,' we should do none of that!

"As for this ring..."

Elena weighed the velvet bag in her hand, a glint of shrewdness flashing in her eyes.

"It still represents the sentiments of our Tia family, but... now is not the time to give it away."

Perhaps, once we are truly safe, once the dust has settled, it would be more in line with the rules of this 'Great Knight' to have His Highness personally hand it over.

She carefully rewrapped the "Eye of Poseidon" and handed it to Martha.

"Keep it safe and keep it secure. Its value lies in the sentiment it represents, and one day it will reach the right person."

Martha carefully accepted it. Although she still had some doubts, seeing His Highness's confident and clear judgment calmed her fear considerably.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Elena sat back down on the rock, still feeling exhausted, but her eyes were unusually sharp as she looked toward the direction where the waterfall mist was billowing from the cave entrance.

"Prince Chris..."

She whispered to herself, the vague image of the Iron-Blooded Prince in her mind becoming clearer and more imposing.

The prince's control over Bagnia is probably far beyond her imagination, given his ability to manage such loyal, pure, and mission-oriented subordinates.

The more the black and white bear knight refused and the more he adhered to his duty, the more certain his status as a direct descendant of the prince became in Elena's eyes.

This "beautiful misunderstanding" based on aristocratic rules and the logic of power has become an undeniable fact in Elena's mind.

The valley's predicament remained, but Elena's thoughts had already drifted to the more distant Bagnian court.

(End of this chapter)