Chapter 227
Chapter 227: It’s Time for Me to Take Everything. (1)
“The Grand Duke has arrived!”
“The Second Duke has secured his position!”
“Reports say the Third Duke just entered the castle!”
“The Fourth Duke is expected to arrive soon….”
“The Fifth Duke….”
Amelia frowned as she received real-time updates from her retainers.
“What a filthy number of siblings I have.”
Currently, she and her retainers were gathered at a mansion close to the Lord’s Castle.
Today was the day of the grand feast—a day when nearly all the heirs and key figures of the territory would gather.
Thus, Amelia had decided today would be the day of action, seeking to eliminate those who might oppose her.
However, with so many children born to her father, keeping an eye on each one was a job in itself. It was only natural for her to feel annoyed.
As she clicked her tongue in irritation, Amelia asked Bernap.
“What’s the status on Ghislaine?”
“Last we heard, he’s enjoying a banquet with the dukes from each territory.”
“Hmph, seems he’s feeling quite at ease now that he has both plenty of food and land.”
Thanks to Ghislaine, Amelia had secured a massive stockpile of food. She had taken a gamble, assuming Ghislaine must be up to something, but that gamble had paid off splendidly.
Yet, she had failed to determine whether Ghislaine’s success came from sheer luck or actual skill.
It was absurd to think he had predicted the weather and stockpiled the food. There must have been another reason behind his stockpiling.
However, provoking war during a drought was certainly pretty brilliant. If he had lost, everything would have been ruined, but he swiftly snagged victory.
“That part is indeed skill. I can’t help but acknowledge it.”
Looking at what he had gained, it was clear he was no small fry.
“The Runestone and iron ore—I will claim them all. They were originally all mine.”
After seizing Raybold, she would inevitably have to confront Ghislaine. To achieve her goals, she needed what he possessed.
She had to obtain them before Harold did to progress to the next step.
Thus, she had kept a keen eye on Ghislaine’s movements since he had captured Count Cabaldy’s Territory.
“Still, there are some things I owe to that guy.”
Though she had suffered losses because of Ghislaine, the benefits she had gained were also substantial.
Thanks to Ghislaine inflicting great losses on Harold, Amelia had inherited authority, allowing her to instigate a rebellion whenever she wished.
“It feels good to see Harold suffer too.”
A chilling smile crept onto her lips.
After all, they were all people she would eventually have to crush anyway. With Ghislaine and Harold fighting each other and draining their strength, it was all beneficial for Amelia.
“I can just wipe out any nuisances with brute force.”
To do that, she first needed to seize the Raybold Territory. She had prepared extensively for today’s action.
Shaking off thoughts of Ghislaine and Harold, she turned back to Bernap.
“What about the other retainers?”
“No problems. All positions have been secured, and their families are under surveillance as well.”
“Good, now it’s just a matter of waiting for the right time. Everything ready?”
Bernap was the first to bow and respond.
“All the knights and soldiers of the escorting unit are ready.”
Next, a middle-aged man in a gray robe with a cold demeanor lowered his head.
“Ready.”
He was Caleb, the leader of the band of feral felons who had previously ambushed Ghislaine.
“Our lads are all set too!”
A particularly large man with a fierce appearance laughed heartily as he shouted.
He was Ulkan, a notorious bandit who had once instilled fear in the North, known as the “Ruthless Slaughterer.”
He had a nasty hobby of using his massive steel mace to bludgeon people to death.
Conrad, the leader of the Aktium Merchant Group, next bowed his head.
“The merchant’s armed men are ready.”
Along with him, the heads of several organizations bowed their heads, signaling that preparations were complete.
They were all individuals Amelia had carefully nurtured and gathered over time.
Amelia surveyed them and momentarily closed her eyes.
“It’s about to begin.”
From the moment she set her initial goal, she had been gradually preparing for this.
Originally, she intended to prepare a little more, but because of Ghislaine, she had no choice but to hasten her plans.
His rampage had complicated things so much that Harold’s north unification plan had completely fallen apart.
“Still, it’s not a bad situation.”
Plans are ultimately just guidelines. They change depending on the circumstances that arise.
What mattered most was achieving the goal.
Was Bernap perhaps worried about Amelia’s state of mind? He cautiously spoke up.
“My lady… once you start, there’s no turning back.”
Amelia slowly opened her eyes and replied.
“I know.”
This wasn’t just a matter of ambition and greed for her. Amelia’s close associates understood the true intention she kept deep inside.
“It will be difficult even after acquiring Raybold. The lords and nobles of the North will not recognize you as Count Raybold. This has never happened in the kingdom’s long history.”
“This has happened frequently. Just that no woman has done it before.”
“Yes. Therefore, all the more, people will label you as a malevolent villain, a witch. You will lose all the reputation you’ve built thus far.”
“I don’t care. Others’ evaluations mean nothing to me.”
“But as your notoriety grows, the whole world will become our enemy. We will lead a lonely battle for our lives. We won’t just fight against other lords and nobles, but also against people’s prejudices. This fight may never end.”
“…I expected this from the start.”
“If you stop now… you could live comfortably as the daughter of a Grand Duke, being praised as a dignified and elegant noblewoman. Without any worries.”
“That kind of life has no meaning. I don’t want to live like a bird trapped in a cage.”
“If we fail… we may not die pretty.”
“No, we will definitely succeed.”
With those words, Amelia closed her eyes again.
No matter how bold she was, it was only natural to feel nervous before such a major event.
She took a moment to calm her mind and recall everything that had brought her to this moment.
Everything that had shaped who she was today.
– What? You want to give more food to the territory residents? To help the territory thrive? Hahaha! How audacious of you to say such things as a mere girl. Did you pick up some lessons on kingship somewhere?
– Listen well. The territory residents are no different from pigs. As long as they’re not starving and hold onto their lives, that’s enough. That will enrich our family and territory.
– What does a girl know about politics? Don’t be so arrogant and prepare for marriage like the other young ladies. You’re nothing.
Her father’s response had always been the same. It was utterly pathetic. He couldn’t even consider what was truly important for ruling people.
It wasn’t just her father; her retainers were the same.
– Strengthening alliances between families is your role, my lady. You just need to marry well. Stop reading pointless books.
– The more serfs there are, the wealthier our territory will be. That’s only natural. What rights do you think you can increase? We’re already better off than other northern territories. It’s quite a generous fiefdom.
– We’re already a great territory. This means the methods we’ve used so far are not wrong. It will continue to be so.
– My lady, don’t speak such thoughts out loud. We’re asking you not to cause unnecessary uproar. You’re a girl. You’re not the heir to the family or anything.
‘Nothing.’
Why did those words resonate so painfully with her?
Why did everyone say such things to her?
Why did they all conclude that she could do nothing?
– Be loyal to the Duke faction, and I’ll make you the master of Raybold.
– You could live lavishly for life. But that’s it. Don’t try to change the world with such useless chatter.
– Don’t forget, Amelia. You’re merely a noble young lady. Without us, you are nothing.
Even the very Duke faction backing her said so. She couldn’t help but let out a self-deprecating laugh at that thought.
“Nothing, huh…”
“Pardon? What did you say?”
Suddenly muttering, Bernap beside her asked with a curious expression.
She shook her head while still keeping her eyes closed, smiling.
“No, it’s nothing.”
Yes, those things were truly… nothing at all.
Screech…
The door to the assembly, where they had gathered, slowly opened, and the head maid stepped in to serve Amelia.
“My lady….”
She opened her mouth with a trembling voice. The many gazes upon her felt suffocating.
The head maid had seen countless nobles and knights throughout her life. Yet she had never encountered such terrifying people as those gathered there now.
Some looked neat, others disheveled, some fierce, and some cold.
A mix of people filled the room, yet their eyes all held the same intensity.
A resolute determination to color this territory with blood tonight.
The head maid shut her eyes tightly and spoke to Amelia, seated in the highest position, though her voice still trembled.
“The feast… has begun.”
At those words, Amelia slowly opened her eyes.
From her lips, now fully collected, poured forth an extremely cold voice.
“Dignified honor, immortal loyalty, the glory and bloodline of the family—these have all lost their value within me. From now on, I will move solely for my own cause. In front of that, neither status nor the distinction between good and evil matters, and even the systems and customs supporting this world are meaningless.”
Taking a brief breath, she continued speaking as she surveyed everyone around her.
“I will crush, kill, and burn anyone who stands in my way, regardless of who they are. Remember this. From now on, my cause will be the only truth, the only goal you must risk your lives to follow.”
To combat the extraordinary, one must become extraordinary oneself. Thus, she resolved to become the monster she needed to be.
She would trample everything and create a new world as she desired.
Burn this kingdom to the ground if it came to that.
Upon hearing Amelia’s resolute determination, Bernap knelt on one knee and declared.
“I will follow you to the end, my lady.”
Then everyone around them also knelt on one knee, shouting in unison.
“We will follow you to the end!”
Amelia’s eyes gleamed brightly as she looked at them.
With a voice filled with unwavering conviction, she announced the start of the operation.
“Now, it’s time for me to take everything.”
*
Meow.
A sleek gray cat, Bastet, strode through the thick darkness towards Raybold’s Lord’s Castle.
As the people on the street saw Bastet pass by, they avoided her with faces filled with fear.
It wasn’t the cat they were afraid of, but the people following behind her.
Meow.
With each step the cat took, more and more people began to follow her.
Some joined from standing on the street, while others emerged from various mansions.
Their attire was diverse—some wore gray robes, while others looked like bandits. There were also knights and soldiers properly equipped like regular troops.
As the throng grew, the torches lighting the night also multiplied.
What started as a small group soon swelled into hundreds of people.
Leading the mass at the front was none other than Amelia.
The dignified cat halted in front of the Lord’s Castle and nuzzled its face against its owner’s leg.
“Stop!”
The Guard Commander at the castle shouted loudly.
Today was the day of an important feast. Any armed force not previously permitted could not move.
Yet suddenly, so many soldiers appeared, leaving the Guard Commander baffled by the situation.
“What is this? How did such a force gather near the Lord’s Castle? What has the public order force been doing?”
As this many troops approached so close to the castle, the public order force provided no news. Something about the atmosphere felt off. It seemed like something was wrong.
The Guard Commander calmed himself as much as possible while looking at the face of the person at the front.
“My lady, you cannot bring armed troops into the castle, aside from the minimum necessary escort. Please disband the troops and attend the feast.”
Amelia did not respond to the Guard Commander’s demands. She simply extended her hand elegantly and uttered one phrase.
“Clear them out.”
