RLAAQ - Chapter 20
Refusing Love As A Queen
" What did you say to him? "
Kelly brought the prepared dress for the Queen and happened to see Dalton leaving. When he left, he held a crumpled piece of paper tightly in his hand and looked embarrassed.
"Something he should know."
Adele sat back at the table, frowned, and began to flip through a stack of documents sent by the congressmen.
Kelly knelt down to collect the papers scattered on the floor. After reading the contents clearly, she cursed Dalton angrily.
"If you ask me, you allowed him to be impeached in the first place. The gallows is where he deserves to be."
"I thought he would be an opportunity."
Adele sighed.
Not everything she told Dalton was a lie. The Queen has indeed been paying attention to this rare civilian general for a long time.
If we say that the nobles in the Middle Ages, because of their superior living conditions, sophisticated weapons and equipment, and the knight training they received since childhood, they became the necessary shields and swords to rule the country. Well, ever since the first pyrotechnics maker used gunpowder in war, the carriage of history has been heading in a completely different direction than before.
Relying on muskets, even malnourished civilians can kill experienced knights on the battlefield.
Heavy armor and ancient cavalry are facing severe challenges, and the nobles are doing their best to prevent the arrival of new changes.
However, the Empire needed generals and armies that could adapt to change.
Dalton is such a person.
"I did have expectations for him."
The Queen took the documents organized by Kelly and picked them up one by one.
"He is outstanding enough. He was born for war."
Before the rebellion, she was not without any sense of smell. This year's drought is unusual. Since May, there have been signs of uneasiness in various places, and tax resistance movements have been rising. Adele had differences with the nobles headed by Heinrich on this matter. She disapproved of the parliament's forceful suppression methods and believed that some concessions should be made appropriately.
In order to break this deadlock, Adele was determined to appoint the first Imperial Marshal from a commoner in the history of the Roland Empire.
Robert Dalton.
On the one hand, she wanted to send a friendly signal to the common people. On the one hand, she also wants to use Dalton to impact the long-established imperial system.
Taking the opportunity to prepare for military maneuvers before Coronation Day, she transferred Dalton and his guards back from the port of Cohemia.
The appointment of marshal was drawn up on July 15, and the mutiny took place on the 16th.
There were only twenty-four hours between them.
"Look,"
Adele joked with Kelly.
"Things are so unpredictable that God has to ask me to write a document twice."
"You hand people roses, and they give you thorns in return."
Kelly whispered, unable to conceal her sadness. The Queen was silent for a moment and shook her head slightly.
"Everything must have a price."
She said, referring to this matter,
"I really wish I could change the minds of my officials and see what kind of messy things they have mentioned for me."
She handed over a document from Heinrich, picked it up on the table, read the first few sentences, and then threw it back on the table.
Kelly was familiar with her mistress and immediately understood that these documents from all over the kingdom made the Queen more angry than Dalton.
"The drought is about to threaten taxes for the next two years and is about to push the people to the brink of the uprising. They are still nagging about disputes over several pieces of family territory!"
The Queen pointed out pointedly.
"They are not even as good as Dalton, at least soldiers were sent to execute several potbellied monks so that farmers could divert water from the 'holy spring' occupied by the church."
It was this imperial system that made her determined to change.
If justice and kindness cannot be achieved, then she will resort to conspiracy, viciousness, bloodshed, whatever she can to do it, and she will do whatever it takes.
Outside the window, white doves and crows were frightened by the sound of the drill horn and flew through the air with fluttering wings.
The parade is coming.
***
My dear brother,
I know everything you have done for me in Roland, and I am especially grateful that you have won the heart of the beautiful woman for me, and also won the future Roland. I can’t wait to I want to reunite with you. When you return to Root, I will hold a feast for you at the Palace of Savove - you cannot refuse it, no matter how displeased our mother is..."
Prince Arthur finished reading this letter from the Root Empire with an expressionless face.
For a moment, he let out a cold laugh. As expected of Orsis.
He has always been elegant and approachable, but if anyone ignores the warning behind his closeness, disaster will befall that person.
This letter is full of Orsian style and a very clever masterpiece. In a gentle tone, it issues a stern warning and an undeniable order to return as soon as possible.
"Who visited our Count?"
Prince Arthur asked softly. The entourage on the side did not dare to express his anger and watched helplessly as Prince Arthur crumpled the letter from the Emperor into a ball, threw it into the fire, and burned it.
"Dalton."
The escort replied carefully, fearing that the moody Prince Arthur would accidentally push himself into the fire.
"Where is the Count?"
Prince Arthur asked. His sleeves were still stained with bright paint. Before Emperor Root's letter pulled him out, he had been staying in his room to paint. No one was allowed to take half a step closer to him.
"He..."
The accompanying officer was shaking uncontrollably.
"The Count returned home a few days ago."
He left overnight.
Obviously, the Count also knew very well what would happen if Prince Arthur found out that he had been bribed by Dalton and reported to Emperor Root - the Prince would definitely cut his throat with a thin sword without hesitation.
"Escaped very quickly."
Prince Arthur said in a soft tone full of viciousness.
"I hope he will be lucky forever."
The entourage who was familiar with him suddenly understood
I am afraid that when the Count returns to Root, he will have to welcome Arthur. Prince's assassin, or a glass of wine that was poisoned without anyone noticing.
As long as that guy is not too stupid, he will immediately seek the protection of the Emperor or the Queen Mother.
Prince Arthur thought of this as well, and he paced the room gloomily.
If Orsis becomes wary of him, then things will be more difficult than originally planned... But it doesn't matter, the more chaotic it is, the more conducive it is to the growth of evil...
He quickly ran through a series of names in his mind, the vicious plan that flashed through Prince Arthur's mind in just a moment was enough to make most of the clergy change their expressions upon hearing it.
Suddenly, his footsteps stopped and his eyes fell on a corner of the room.
"Where's the original painting?"
He asks.
"The Countsent it back to the country before."
The attendant replied tremblingly. Prince Arthur's face was so ugly that he swallowed the last sentence.
"And you were only concerned about the Queen's poisoning at that time."
At the same time, in the palace of the Root Empire.
The young ruler of the Empire passed through the cloisters, accompanied by his confidants.
Orsis's appearance is somewhat similar to that of his brother, but his eyes are a cooler silvery gray. He wore a dark coat with double rows of precious stones buttons, and the sword at his waist had a gold scabbard, which looked more like a decoration than a weapon. However, those who are truly familiar with the Young King know that he is an excellent swordsman and his blade is equally sharp.
"The Count has confirmed that he is indeed too close to Queen Roland."
He was worried.
"You should be wary of His Highness."
"I have heard similar words more than a thousand times."
Orsis replied.
"In fact, compared to this, I'm even more surprised by one thing..."
He paused and showed a subtle expression.
"I know Arthur. His pursuit of art and crime is far more than anything else."
Even sometimes the motivation to cause trouble for him and want to see more chaos is higher than the desire for the throne.
"What made him change? What kind of person can attract his greatest attention now?"
"It is said..."
The confidant said hesitantly,
"That Queen Roland inherited her mother's red pupils. Red pupils are not always considered the embodiment of magic and evil?"
Prince Arthur happens to have a love for "evil" that is unmatched by others.
"Let's go and see the beauty who enchants my brother."
Orsis said half-jokingly,
"Although, if you ask me, her beauty is probably due to whoever wins her wins Roland."
In the meantime, he had arrived at the study, where the portrait of the Queen that the Count had sent back in advance was placed.
Orsis pushed the door open nonchalantly and entered.
Several followers could not control their exclamations, and everyone, including Orsis, had their eyes drawn to the same place.
In front of him stood a beauty he had never seen before.
The oil painting stands in the room opposite the door. Anyone who steps into the door will pay full attention to the person in the painting at first sight. Prince Arthur's pursuit of art is well known to everyone, but even though they are familiar with his harsh temperament, they still can't help but question the authenticity of this painting.
Is the person in this painting really what the world can have?
In that painting, in a dark room, a beam of light fell obliquely, covering the face of Queen Roland who looked sideways. Her skin was bright and white, her contours were flawless, her lips were as soft as roses, and her mysterious eyes staring at everyone through the canvas, the red dresses were stacked on the floor...
She reminds people of roses, midsummer, and all the strong, fragrant, hot, and charming things.
"Okay."
Someone murmured.
"If it is like this in the painting, then it is not difficult to understand that His Highness the Prince is fascinated."
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