I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 446 I've had enough

See you soon.

When Xiao Dao stabbed his buttocks and stared in astonishment, Chris, who was right behind him, witnessing the scene in the third person and also far away in Bagnia, also widened his eyes in surprise.

No, what happened?
Even Chris was somewhat bewildered at this moment.

However, Chris had a more acute political sense than Knife. He quickly came to his senses and, from the self-introduction of Colonel Vigo, who claimed to be the leader of the Self-Salvation Army, he realized the reason why the Self-Salvation Army wanted to join the Kingdom of Bagnia.

First, they had no choice. Colonel Vigo said they had been betrayed by the Kingdom of Minesia. Regardless of how true that reason was, Chris would assume it was true for the time being... The Self-Salvation Army was the rebel army of the Kingdom of Minesia.

Secondly, during the brief conversation, Chris could sense Colonel Vigo's naked and undisguised dissatisfaction with his own King Charles.

This discontent is so real that it's hard to doubt it.

Chris also had reason to believe that these self-proclaimed self-rescue army of Minisians should indeed feel resentful towards Charles, because what the latter did, even from his own perspective, was not something a normal person would do.

Since Charles came to power, how many times has he sold off his own Kingdom of Minicia?

Sold to Bagnia, sold to the Reteria Empire, and now to a non-human snake-people force...

Frankly, if Chris were a Miniese, his first priority wouldn't be to join the army to defend his country, but rather to go to the capital and assassinate this traitor.

If assassination is not an option, then leave the big city and go to the countryside where the snake people have tormented families to the point of ruin, recruit soldiers and build a rebel army to overthrow Charles's rule.

Therefore, Chris was not surprised that there would be rebels in Minicia. What was unexpected was that this rebel group had such a broad perspective, not only attacking Naxi Fortress, but also taking the initiative to join the Kingdom of Bagnia.

In this matter, Chris's marriage to a noblewoman from the Kingdom of Minicia was clearly a plus, greatly influencing Colonel Vigo's judgment and choice in the self-defense army.

Chris pondered the situation, considering both the Railroad Legion formed by Diu Ni Rem and the Medal of Salvation Army.

Has Charles lost all the support of his country's people?
Yes, we need to investigate this more quickly. If the situation is indeed as described, then some things can be expedited.

Frankly, Chris was tired of continuing to entangle himself with Charles and the Kingdom of Minicia. Now that a chance to get rid of things once and for all was available, he didn't want to miss it.

……

In fact, Diu Ni Rem reacted even faster than Chris had expected. When he learned the next day that Naxi Fortress had been overrun by the Tiger players, he realized the situation had changed.

Diu Ni Rem didn't have time to comment on the actions of the Overlord Legion. After hastily giving the Overlord Legion the rewards they deserved, he immediately summoned Colonel Vigo and asked them if they would like to join the Railway Legion.

It doesn't matter if they're unwilling; the Kingdom of Bagnia warmly welcomes the soldiers of the Self-Salvation Army to join them. The newly occupied territories are in dire need of reconstruction, and there are plenty of places to settle them...

There aren't many members left in the Self-Salvation Army. Some want to continue fighting and take revenge on the snake people, while others are exhausted and want to retire and become civilians. Still others want to wait and make a decision later.

None of that matters. As long as the soldiers of the Self-Salvation Army don't intend to rebel against the Kingdom of Bagnia, they can do whatever they want with their Direm.

The key information was the intelligence the self-rescue army possessed, and the fact that after the Naxi Fortress was captured, the rear was completely open...

The railway corps is expanding rapidly. Not counting the self-rescue army that it just absorbed, which only had a few hundred people, it already has five battalions, and the number is still increasing rapidly.

The Holy Expedition's conquest of the Serpent Swamp went very smoothly. After several snowfalls in winter, the players were able to advance into the ruins of Suvano, and were only a few steps away from the core of the Serpents' lair.

The snake people are no longer a big problem.

Diu Ni Rem thought so, so he turned around and did something he considered very important... The railway project from Tavitsky to Suvano began.

How could a railway corps be without railways?

……

The snow, dense and relentless, blanketed the vast plains outside the island city in a breathtaking expanse of pure white. The biting wind, whipping up ice crystals, lashed against every exposed skin like countless tiny knives.

The air was frozen, heavy as a shroud soaked in ice water. Only the distant clanging of metal and suppressed roars proved that a living massacre was taking place on this deathly white expanse.

Charles stood atop a low hill, draped in a heavy, dark red cloak for warmth, a golden crown pressing down on his slightly furrowed brow.

Surrounding Charles was a group of richly dressed nobles with varied expressions. The latter, wrapped in expensive furs, still couldn't help but shiver slightly in the biting cold wind, their breath quickly dissipating into white vapor.

The nobles were whispering among themselves, their voices low.

Charles seemed not to hear the whispers around him; his gaze remained fixed on the battlefield. But his tightly pursed lips and the white knuckles of his hand gripping the reins revealed that he was not oblivious.

The nobles' discontent was building, and Charles was not unaware of why they were dissatisfied, but he could only pretend not to hear it, continue watching the distant battlefield, and pretend that nothing had happened.

On the distant plains, soldiers of the Kingdom of Minicia formed a loose encirclement, struggling to advance through ankle-deep snow, blocking an enemy that was not human.

Their opponents, the snake people, were in a rather dire situation.

Cold is their natural enemy.

Their long, scaly bodies, normally suited to warm swamps or underground caves, are now exposed to the icy wilderness. A layer of unmelting white frost has formed on their smooth scales, making them move unusually slowly, as if struggling in viscous syrup.

The long tail was no longer agile when dragging on the snow; instead, it appeared clumsy and laborious, with each twist requiring tremendous effort.

The sounds of wind and snow, the heavy breathing of humans, the clash of weapons, and the unique, increasingly hoarse and piercing cries of the snake people, all intertwined to create a cruel winter elegy.

The nobles ignored all of this, their gaze occasionally glancing at the aloof king before quickly looking away, as if afraid their eyes would be discovered.

The nobles whispered complaints about the damned weather and the endless war, but more than anything, they pointed to the culprit who had put them in such a predicament…King Charles.

"He's the one who let those monsters in. Now, in order to eliminate them, we've emptied the last bit of food in the warehouse and used the last silver coins in our purses to kill the man-eating monsters..."

An earl wrapped in a silver fox fur coat complained in a low voice to the marquis beside him, his nose red from the cold.

"I've really had enough."

The Marquis's face was equally grim as he rubbed his almost numb hands.

“Suvano was originally my territory… Now, it first fell into the hands of the snake people, and now it has been taken away by the Bagnians…”

He paused, lowering his voice to an even softer, almost inaudible to the ear.

"He won't give me any compensation. Instead, he's leaving me here to be battered by the wind and snow, watching these cold-blooded beasts... I think the king has gone mad."

"He seems to have gone mad?"

A younger viscount standing nearby couldn't help but sneer, his face filled with resentment.

"You should remove the 'seems like' part."

"I heard that Naxi Fortress was lost and taken by the Bagnians...is that right?"

These words were like a block of ice thrown into the already cold air, silencing the surrounding nobles, though their eyes were locked in a fierce exchange.

The news of the fall of Naxi Fortress spread secretly among the upper echelons like a plague, bringing fear and anger far exceeding the immediate fighting.

That meant the gateway to the heart of the kingdom was wide open, and Bagnia's army could advance unimpeded at any time.

All of this stemmed from the king's insane plan, which completely destroyed the country's buffer zone and strategic depth.

The Marquis took a deep breath of the cold air, as if he had made up his mind. "Gentlemen, we can no longer remain silent. The kingdom is being dragged into an abyss, and our families, our descendants, will all pay the price for today's folly."

Look at this snowy field, look at those dead soldiers. For whom was their blood shed? For the king? Or to atone for his wrongdoings?

His gaze swept over the crowd, and he saw eyes that burned with the same discontent and fear.

The continuous wars depleted their wealth, damaged their territorial interests, and drained the blood of the nobility. The repeated defeats and loss of national territory further shook the foundations of their rule.

Charles was no longer the king who could bring them glory and benefits, but a huge, potentially explosive burden.

"Chris of Bagnia... He married Miss Elena and is said to treat the Miniese nobles with great courtesy."

The viscount cautiously suggested a name, testing everyone's reaction.

This was a dangerous sign, but in the atmosphere of despair, it seemed all the more tempting. Rather than die with Charles, perhaps…a different path was possible?
Even...finding a new job in advance?
"We need to talk."

The Marquis's voice became extremely soft, almost blending into the sound of the wind and snow.

"Let's find a warm and safe place to have a good talk, for... the future of the kingdom."

The group exchanged a knowing glance, subtly distancing themselves from Charles and his closest confidants.

Their bodies were still shivering from the cold, but deep within their hearts, something more fiery and dangerous was growing and spreading.

Charles seemed to sense the movement behind him; his shoulders stiffened almost imperceptibly, but he did not turn around.

He simply gripped the reins tighter, his gaze fixed on a snake-man impaled on the snow by a spear, as if trying to see a reflection of his own fate in its dying struggle.

The wind and snow intensified, not only concealing the bloodshed on the battlefield but also quietly masking the brewing, chilling rebellion originating from behind him.

The nobles' conspiracy, like an undercurrent beneath the snow, began to quietly stir.

……

The carriage rumbled rhythmically across the snow-covered cobblestone streets of the island's aristocratic district, breaking the deathly silence of the night. A thin layer of icy fog clung to the carriage windows, blurring the occasional flashes of gaslight outside into a dim, yellowish haze.

Baron Nehari wrapped himself tightly in a heavy velvet cloak and leaned against the soft cushions of the carriage. The residual warmth of the fireplace in the carriage still lingered, but it could not dispel the coldness in his eyes.

He had just returned from a very secretive party.

The location was a marquis's hunting lodge, far from his main residence, and all the attendees were powerful figures who harbored resentment towards King Charles.

The atmosphere at the meeting shifted from initial cautious probing to a heated and resolute one.

The audacity and meticulousness of the nobles' plan startled even him, a man with ulterior motives.

This is a grand plan that combines assassination, political subversion, and leading an army to mutiny.

Participants ranged from court nobles to officials from the Taiwan City Hall and generals from the military.

He knew that Charles was unpopular, but he never expected that the king had already been abandoned by his people at some point. Even among his seemingly loyal guards, some had been corrupted by these conspirators with wealth and promises.

Judging from this plan, Baron Nehari felt that King Charles was basically a dead man in his coffin.

If Charles were to die, there would indeed be hope that the turbulent military and political situation in the Kingdom of Minicia could be stabilized.

And this is exactly what Nehari least wants to see.

Has the kingdom temporarily stabilized?

No, that's absolutely not acceptable.

What he wanted was not Charles's death, but the complete and utter collapse of the Kingdom of Minicia, to be swallowed up and digested by Bagnia.

Only in that way could he, as a pawn already planted by His Majesty Chris and as the commander of the five armies of Bagnia, obtain the greatest merit and secure his hereditary territory and boundless future in that wider and more promising land.

The Baron's lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile as he thought of his fertile territory near White Rock City.

A chaotic, divided Minicia that was eventually incorporated into Baghnia is a good Minicia.

Minicia, a country that barely survived after its king was overthrown by the local nobles, was still a potential problem even though its national strength had declined and it was unable to resist the invasion of Bagnia. It would hinder His Majesty Chris's conquest and, naturally, also prevent Nehari from climbing to a higher position.

The carriage jolted slightly, rousing him from his reverie.

He lifted a corner of the curtain, revealing the quiet, dark, and cold street where his mansion was located.

Something must be done.

His mind was racing.

Tell the truth?

Did they directly expose the conspiracy to Charles, and reveal the identities of those involved?

That would be incredibly foolish. Regardless of whether Charles believed it or not, he himself would be exposed immediately and lose his value to both sides.

The best approach would be to let the conspiracy continue, but in a way that is doomed to failure and will only create more chaos and suspicion.

Perhaps... we can make a move on the assassination part.

Allow the assassination attempt to take place, but ensure that Charles is only injured and not killed. At the same time, the scene of the assassination must leave behind irrefutable evidence pointing to one or more key members of the conspiracy.

This gave Charles the opportunity to launch a furious counterattack, causing the aristocratic group to turn on each other due to suspicion and exposure.

But how to do it?

Nehari is still unsure; he only has a general idea and doesn't yet know how to implement it.

The carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the Baron's mansion.

Nehari took a deep breath, concealing all his scheming beneath a tired and calm face, as if he were just an ordinary nobleman weary from a late-night social engagement, and bent down to step out of the warm carriage.

As soon as he left the carriage, the butler who came to greet him leaned close to his master's ear while helping him up.

"We have a guest..."

"guest?"

A hint of suspicion flashed in Nehari's eyes, then he realized something and his eyes lit up.

"where are they?"

"Wait in your study... The guest came in through a secret passage. I had the servants away from the study, so they were unaware of the guest's arrival."

"very good."

(End of this chapter)