Chapter 73

73. Strong and Gentle

“Your Grace, please stand down.”

Captain Regan Melkis said it in the most polite manner he could muster. But Callion, facing dozens of soldiers alone, didn’t raise an eyebrow.

“What are you going to do with these people?”

Regan Melkis swallowed hard, as Callion asked.

“There is no need to spare a single one. Kill them all on the spot.”

The Emperor’s orders were ruthless and uncompromising.

It was not entirely his fault that the kidnapping of the Duchess and the death of the Marquis of Flanders had concentrated all the Guard’s forces in that direction.

But as captain of the guard, he was responsible for the failure to prevent the poor from entering, and he could not ask for a reconsideration.

Besides, he had been the one to post the guards in the fields of Velido at the Emperor’s behest. He thought he would reap what he sowed.

He hadn’t expected to find Callion there.

“These are traitors who have entered the system without permission and threatened the Emperor.”

“Are you calling this newborn a threat to His Majesty?”

“Your Grace…”

Regan Melkis groaned. The woman holding the infant looked at him, her eyes filled with fear.

“What did His Majesty tell you to do with them?”

“He said they should all be disposed of on the spot, since they have disrupted ……the order of the Empire and threatened the well-being of the system.”

“……!”

A great stir spread among the poor. The soldiers who had followed Regan Melkis were equally bewildered.

“Does he mean we’re going to kill all these people?”

“It is His Majesty’s order.”

Callion’s eyes blazed with fire.

This is a ridiculous order. This is nothing more than a senseless slaughter that doesn’t even set an example.

It’s just a cheap way to vent his anger at having his authority undermined, and a way to create fear to keep the Velido Fields out of trouble.

Anger boiled up inside him. Callion held his breath and turned to the men behind him.

The men raised their weapons curiously and pensively. Women soothed their terrified, crying children, and the elderly sagged as if they’d foreseen the end.

“Your Grace, I beg you one last time. Please step aside.”

Regan Melkis’s plea didn’t move Callion.

“If I will not step aside, then what will you do?”

“Do you intend to defy the Emperor?”

“You know it is an unjust order.”

“I am only carrying out the orders I have been given.”

Callion glared at Regan Melkis and pointed his sword at him. Regan Melkis reflexively drew his sword from his belt.

“Your Grace! Do you intend to become a traitor?”

But the sword pointed at Regan Melkis fell to the ground. As if to create a line of demarcation between the poor and the soldiers.

Callion stood in front of his sheathed sword and spoke bluntly.

“If you want to touch these people, you’ll have to kill me first.”

“Your Grace!”

“Go and tell the Emperor. I will not move a step from here until he forgives them.”

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“What do you mean? His Grace is in a standoff with the Guard!”

“I, I heard it too. His Majesty ordered the Guard to kill all those who participated in the protest. That’s why His Grace is confronting the Guard…”

Adelaide’s head spun. She pressed her hand to her forehead. This was an unexpected turn of events.

She’d expected Callion to go to the slums where they were protesting so he could check the fields, and that was fine. But she didn’t expect Elkius to order them all to be killed.

‘I underestimated Elicius too much.’

She had calculated that public opinion would turn against Elkius once it was widely known that he had turned the slums into Velido fields, but she hadn’t thought it would turn out this way.

Nor did he expect Callion to turn against Elkius. Everything was turning white before her eyes. Adelaide struggled to compose her thoughts.

“Ahio, where is Sir Ahio?”

“Uh, he was just pulling his horse out of the stables a moment ago. I thought he was going to go to the lord…….”

She rushed outside. Just as Margaret had said, the armed soldiers bustled about. They were all scrambling to see if they had heard the news about Callion.

Adelaide clutched the hem of her cumbersome skirt and ran frantically to Ahio.

“Sir Ahio! Wait a moment!”

“My lady.”

Adelaide spread her arms out in front of his horse. Ahio leapt from his horse. His wounds had not yet healed.

“Don’t worry. We’ll bring His Grace back safely…”

“No, you can’t!”

“Pardon?”

“You can’t go. Get the soldiers back.”

“What are you talking about? Didn’t you hear? His Grace is in a standoff with the Imperial Guard…”

“That’s exactly why you can’t go.”

Ahio’s eyes narrowed in confusion; he was a native of Tiflis, a knight all his life, far from being a swordsman.

Julian is on probation and Lucid is away at the temple, leaving their seats empty. Amidst the chaos, Adelaide’s incomprehensible words added to the confusion, leaving Ahio bewildered.

Adelaide explained.

“The people he’s facing are from the Emperor’s own guard, and if you rush to rescue him, you could be accused of treason.”

“But if we don’t go, then His Grace…”

“It’s not going to happen right away; just wait for Sir Lucid to get a grip on the situation.”

Ahio stared at Adelaide, unsure of what to do, then clenched his fists.

“Yes, Your Ladyship.”

She watched the horses return to their stables, then spoke again.

“And, Sir Ahio, I beg your pardon, but I have a favour to ask.”

“Do it.”

“I’ll write a letter. Please deliver it to Viscount Valyev immediately.”

“Viscount Valyev?”

“He’s a member of Haywards Changeling’s entourage. He’s just returned from travelling south, so he’s probably staying at Lord Changeling’s townhouse.”

“Understood.”

Adelaide hurried back to her office to write the letter.

There was no time for formality, just a quick note of business, and then she slipped a check for 100 cels into the envelope with the letter and sealed it.

“Please tell him it’s urgent.”

“Yes.”

Ahio took the letter and left the mansion without a second thought.

‘Please, let everything go well.’

Adelaide clasped her hands together and prayed fervently.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜ ⚜

The next morning, news spread throughout the capital.

Those who had only heard rumors about the confrontation between the poor and the guard during the night were shocked when they saw the announcements detailing the cause and outcome of the protest.

“The peasant village turned into Velido Fields?”

“That’s what they say. No wonder there were soldiers stationed around there a while ago.”

“Who on earth would do such a thing?”

“There’s no one else but him.”

“So the Emperor gave the order to kill them all.”

“Of course, so he can cover his own arse.”

The capital buzzed with activity in the early morning due to the notices spread on the streets. Of course, the loudest commotion was at the palace.

“Who the hell wrote this article?”

“That… it hasn’t been identified yet.”

Marquis Werner replied cautiously to Elkius’s wrath. Crumpling up the Marquis’s favour, Elkius slammed the armrest of his chair.

While the planting of Velidos in the slums is known to be the work of those ragheads, only a few insiders know that 1,300 pounds of Velido were found in the Marquis of Flanders’ mansion.

It must have been the work of someone involved. The problem was that they couldn’t afford to find them.

“What are the guards doing? Why haven’t we heard from them yet?”

“They say that Duke Tiflis is holding them back, preventing them from fulfilling their duties.”

“That’s what you call words!”

A squeaky voice echoed through the realm. The Duke of Tulonel took a couple of steps back, fearing sparks would fly.

With a clatter, the thrown teacup hit the floor and shattered in all directions. Elkius snorted in defiance.

How dare that guy confront the guards and challenge me?

“Tell Melkis to wipe out anyone who stands in his way, regardless of rank, Duke Tiflis or otherwise!”

“Your Majesty, calm down. If you touch Duke Tiflis, it will backfire on you.”

Duke Tulonel lowered his voice to a whisper. Members of the Imperial Council, close to Callion, were still in the palace. The Duke glanced at the door and spoke.

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, I think you should revoke the royal decree.”

“What do you mean? Withdraw the decree because of those lowly scoundrels?”

“I know you are displeased, Your Majesty, but public opinion is in favour of the Duke of Tiflis because of the affairs of the Marquis of Flanders, and I think it would be better for you to overlook them just this once…….”

“This is a riot, and the Duke of Tiflis is coddling the mob!”

“However…”

With a thud, the chamberlain burst into the realm without knocking.

“Your Majesty, there’s a message from Duke Tiflis.”

“A message?”

Elkius snatched it away and unfolded it.

It was a short note, asking for forgiveness for those who had lost their homes and warning them that if they sought to punish him, they would suffer the same fate.

After skimming through the letter, Elkius threw the document away.

“I don’t know who the Emperor is anymore.”

His voice scratched badly.

Whoever it is, let’s see who wins in the end.

“Send orders to Melkis. He is to carry out his duties with alacrity.”