Crimson Karma - Chapter 21
“Dame Kasia, what sort of world do you wish for?”
“What? Don’t know. If it is a world accomplished by your highness, then it must be a fine place.”
“No, what I am asking is your thoughts. According to you, what sort of world would be good?”
With Tasel’s question, Kasia was at a loss of words. A good world – she didn’t know and hadn’t even thought about it.
“I don’t know much about it. A country where the citizens don’t starve for food – isn’t that such a good world?”
“Is having enough food all that is needed? Before the war, no citizen starved for food. Then can that be called a good country?”
“Mmm…. I don’t know. In truth all I care about is some good food and a comfortable place to sleep.”
Why did Tasel ask her such questions? Kasia was a bit taken back. To build a good country – it was a topic Tasel should think about along with his staff. All she needed to do was believe in him and help him as his tool….
Ah….! Once again I am thinking of being a tool.
When he saw Kasia’s expression as if she had she realized something, a small smile grazed on Tasel’s face.
“Dame Kasia, I am not trying to make a world I want. I want to make a better world by gathering good ideas from everyone. Won’t you also put some thoughts? This is your first assignment.”
In her previous life no one ever asked for her thoughts. Whether in her previous life or present life, to face such a situation for the first time, though awkward, she felt strangely delighted.
Yes…I can also think. I am not a machine, rather a person.
The thought of I am also a human, swayed Kasia for the first.
While Kasia left for Karina Palace, Tasel and Zich were busy with some behind-the-screen negotiation.
The news of the tower which confined the remains of Queen Elena was attacked and her body was destroyed would reach His Majesty’s ears soon – Tasel also needed to make his movements quickly.
Throughout the night, they made plans with the nobilities on the border and peripheral areas about where and how to march their allayed might and when the day brightened, an explosive announcement was dropped into the whole army. Zich was the one to come forward for the announcement.
“Because of this meaningless war, innocent citizens died and injured. Not just that, the nobles who used to be loyal to the empire, suddenly one morning, split into 2 sides, and offered their troops and fortune. And its price! All this while the rebels and the Emperor had contact with each other and we confirmed that they plan to harm the 2nd highness through this war and then to split the country in half. Her Highness Elena Favanne Khan, mother of the 2nd Highness, was driven to death by His Majesty, but the truth was concealed from His Highness. They considered the loyalty of the nobles and commoners must be enjoyed by only them, but the 2th prince is different from them. We won’t any longer watch the exploitation of the royal family in silence. I take the honour to announce at this stage that, along with the confederation of the nobles and the turncoats who have pledged their allegiance with His Highness 2nd Prince, together will create a new world. Also, those who don’t wish to follow His Highness own their own accord, His Highness won’t hold it against them , So those who wish to follow Highness will be marching to the Northwest after 2 hours.”
After Zich’s announcement, Tasel came forward.
“You guys must be flustered by this sudden declaration. But if things go on like this, our army would get exterminated by the feint operation of the rebel army and His Majesty’s army at the rear, so I am forced to take such a difficult decision. The citizens will be relieved, engaged in their livelihood, the noblities will take care of the people and at the same time will support the present of the empire, and the emperor will make suggestions for the country’s future. For such an ideal country, I hope you people can provide me your strength.”
At that time the battle hardened old man from His Majesty’s faction, Deputy Commander Aslan, without even showing respect towards His Highness, shouted out, “Do you think the soldiers will stand on your side, who has traitorous intentions!”
“That’s still unknown. If you are going back to the royal palace, do inform my greetings to Father King.”
Haring the cold tone of Tasel’s reply, Aslan clenched fists quivered with anger, as he hurried to assemble the knights under him.
The soldiers were given 2 hours to think it through. The buzzing of the soldiers made the garrison noisy.
“Ka,Kasia, what should we do?” Krone asked Kasia with an anxious face.
“Krone, I will follow High Highness 2nd prince. And it would be good if you also follow him. If we stick to His Majesty, for us commoners, there is no gain. I believe that 2nd Highness will succeed.”
With a confident face Kasia said as she packed up her military gear. Then Krone also started packing his gear without much ado.
“If you are saying so, then so be it.”
Krone conceded with Kasia’s change. Kasia was no longer the plain and simple girl. But her words, as always, were trustworthy.
If Kasia asked him to die, Krone can die without holding any doubt to her words. His trust in that person, who was forged by the stiff and extreme life, to explain it in a rational sense was too difficult.
The decisions of the soldiers from the commoner background were much faster than expected. This was due to the civil war started by the rebellion and the bond between the king and the citizens.
Ceylon, even without seeking permission from the Fief lord, passed through fiefs where people lived peacefully, and forcefully recruited them to his army. In short, the Empire literally was completely chaotic.
The movements made by the new aristocrats, who coveted what the old noblities had, intensified the confrontation between the 2 camps.
“It’s the same if I die on this side or that side, still it’s better to die under 2nd Highness. Only 2nd Highness considers us human beings.”
“What the Highness said is right! That the time will come to turn around this rotten country!”
“His Majesty made allegiance with the rebels, To take revenge upon the family dead by the hands of rebels, we should follow His Highness.”
But the situation of noble knights was different.
“Sir Teak, what are you going to do? Since I was first sent to the war, I wanted to be under 2nd Highness, but Lord, don’t you have family in the capital?”
“That goes without saying. I was really taken aback. Anyway, for now I will be returning the capital. I have to consider the safety of my family.”
“His Majesty having contact with the rebel army, this can’t be true right?”
“I also just heard some rumors. But if it’s not true, there is no reason to struggle this much. I mean, in order to get rid of 2nd Highness, that His Majesty involved the rebels is not some completely outrageous comment.”
“No matter what, if we lose to the Majesty, it also won’t be any better, right?”
“What do you know? This war was settled long before. That is, His Majesty and 1st reached on a mutual agreement. If they were defeated by the rebels, they would divide the country according to their agreement.”
Unlike the commoners, the nobles who held various reports and information about the war, they already knew that one day they will need to make a choice, but when that time really came, it felt abrupt and confusing. But time didn’t wait for them, and before they knew it, the time was up.
“Those soldiers who decided to follow 2nd Highness to the Northwest stand towards the west in the same order of your current units, and those who want to return to the Capital stand to the East!.”
Following the sonorous order of Michael, as many of the soldiers started to align themself to the left and right, the air was loomed with crimson dust.
Aslan, who stood as the commander of soldiers returning to the capital, looked at the Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Tasel, and mumbled something in a low voice.
“This will be the last time you laugh. How many do you think will follow you?”
Aslan thought that after the soldiers lined up, when Tasel’s side marched towards the Northwest, he would right away lead his soldiers to chase and then exterminate them. After that, he would present Tasel’s head to the Emperor. It was a possible plan, as he thought that there won’t be many soldiers that were going to serve him.
But when the thick dust settled down, Aslan’s face turned ashen.
Because almost all of the army stood to the side of Tasel.
The entirety of the returning party was the noble Knights. Even then, there were only 30% of the noble knights that remained with him.
When things turned out like this, even his own position was a bit embarrassing as he was dispatched with a secret order to take over the control over the army unbeknownst to Tasel.
But in truth, since the war commenced, he never tried to understand the feelings of the soldiers. He, who a high-ranking noble, considered that the submission of the subordinates was matter of fact.
He even looked down on Tasel. The Tasel he knew was a weak prince that was always suppressed, even without the strength to refute the orders of His Majesty. But the Tasel released from the royal Palace was like a fish thrown into water, the charisma hidden inside was finally fully exposed and Aslan was the one to ignore it.
“Count Aslan, When we meet next time, we will be enemies. Till then, do take care of your body.”
Tasel slightly nodded his head towards Aslan, but whether it was a greeting or a warning, who knew.
As soon as Aslan led the Knights under him to the road towards the capital, Tasel also started. “Soldiers! To the Northwest!!!”
Tasel’s precession that wanted to rewrite the History of the Empire finally started.
* * *
“What! Do you think it makes sense! A single intruder broke through a whole unit! Whoever is responsible, cut off his head!”
As Melania was pregnant, he enjoyed a night of pleasure in the tender bosom of a young concubine, but when he heard the news which arrived in a hurry, Emperor Alterion became furious.
The death of Elena was a secret that mustn’t be known to Tasel. Alterion was well aware that, for Tasel, Elena was the most important person. Because they used to be the only loners in the royal palace.
He had to take Elena, whom he even despised to look at, with him to the Karina Palace, because of this. In other words, she was an important pawn. But Elena, who knew this truth, not long after they came to Karina Palace, ended her life by herself.
Tasel’s spy who wanted to report this matter to Tasel was barely killed and blocked the news. Even for Alterion, Elena’s matter was a real pain in ass. So in the end, all those who knew about Elena’s death were killed without leaving any clue, then surrounded Elena’s room with a double, and triple layer of soldiers.
If materials to bury the dead body entered the palace, he feared that someone would suspect, so Alterion had no thoughts of burying Elena.
Anyway she stayed in a small room in the innermost and there was nothing valuable in that room. So he didn’t care at all whether her body rotted or not in that room. A Mage was called and the rotting smell of the corpse was almost neutralized.
But Melania’s pregnancy was a surprise to him. When Melania’s morning sickness became more severe, she noticed the slight rotting smell coming from Elena’s room, she felt her stomach churning and couldn’t even eat any food.
Because of that, he could only move Elena’s body into the room on the top floor of the Eastern Tower far from the palace. Maybe now Elena wasn’t in his field of vision, his guard was also relaxed. When Elena’s body was kept in the palace, Alterion who used to keenly keep an eye but after Elena’s body was moved into the Eastern tower, he didn’t care at all. His ignorance resulted in the idleness of the soldiers, which brought this current result.
