Chapter 36: Revolutionary Period - Wretched Lives.

Chapter 36: Revolutionary Period - Wretched Lives.

Translated by Mara Sov

Revolutionary Period Wretched Lives

When Damien De Millbeau knelt before me, I wondered what he was doing, but after thinking about it some more, I got the gist of it.

Millbeau County possessed the southernmost territory within King Louiss faction. It was located just above the Marquisate and close to Aquitaine County.

In such a situation, King Louiss vassals, spread around the south and northwest were swept away by me, and their lordless lands fell into disarray and crumbled before the revolution.

The only territory left was the Duchy of Orleans, but I had just received some news that Raphael Valliant managed to conquer that place as well.

With King Louis retreating to the Duchy of Lorenne, a former ally of the First Prince, as he awaited reinforcements, Millbeau County was left to fend for itself, isolated in enemy territory.

While I dont regret moving against Damien at the time, it is a fact that Millbeau has suffered greatly.

I see. But why have you come to us, instead of Aquitaine? I think its obvious by now, but I am your enemy.

If he was going to surrender, wouldnt it be better to choose Christine, who at least pretended to be neutral during the Civil War, rather than me, the man who killed both, his father and his brother?

At least that was what I thought, but as soon as I mentioned Aquitaine, Damiens face paled.

Whats going on with him now?

M-Marquis, you may not be aware since you rushed towards the Nivernais Plains. B-but the Countess, that woman, she

I only knew that Christine shared a substantial amount of spoils with me, but I never bothered to ask her what she did

Damien shuddered as he spoke.

Initially, I intended to rally the remnants of the army within Millbeau. But the Countess didnt pursue our forces, instead, she seized control of the roads and the nearby villages, only then did she unleash the cavalry.

Ah.

So she secured the paths and possible rally points in advance while chasing the scattered remains with the cavalry.

The Kings army, unfamiliar with the land and without a leader, must have been plunged into chaos. And for Aquitaine who constantly traveled around, it must have been rather easy to outmaneuver them.

I can imagine how it turned out.

The retreating army, with no supply or camping equipment would have wandered to the point of starvation until they were captured by the Aquitaines forces.

Either Christine is a good strategist or she has good advisors.

That was as far as my thoughts went, but Damien wasnt done.

The Countess blocked all routes to Millbeaus capitol, Bergerac, and sent all the disarmed prisoners to me.

Since we werent on lockdown, I couldnt refuse the soldiers entry, but with all routes blocked it was impossible to procure supplies.

With the morale on the drain, and with all their weapons plundered, its unlikely that the Royal Army would have any loyalty to Count Millbeau.

Now, if you add starving soldiers and a blockage to this, it wouldnt be weird if the very allies he saved would have pressured his surrender.

While I clicked my tongue, Damien continued his tale while trembling.

SoI surrendered, and only after scraping the bottom of my coffers and paying the Countess what she demanded did she withdraw. Then she used the money extorted from me to buy supplies from the occupied villages.

Hahahaha-.

What a masterpiece. Sure it might have been more profitable for Christine to simply plunder his domain, but this would have incurred the wrath of those living in his territory, and Damien might have even been able to maintain some control over his lands.

But what would happen if the invaders paid a fair price for their supplies, while their own Lord could neither protect nor collect his peoples taxes?

Even if that money was gained from extorting their lord, that would lead them to think Things were better when our Lord was being attacked.

With the advent of the revolution, it might be clear what his subjects must be thinking.

Only after all that did I hear that King Louis had suffered a major defeat. Curses! Had I known that this would happen, I wouldnt have let the Royal Army take refuge in my city!

Damien in his rage seemed to forget that I was in front of him as he proceeded to grind his teeth.

Ah, what is this called again? A present that keeps on giving?

While I was thinking about this, Damien looked at me, his eyes sparkling. No, dont look at me like that.

Revered Marquis.

Since when did he become so polite?

The Countess Aquitaine, that vile woman, she is without a doubt a witch! Cunning and disgusting..

When Damien saw my expression in his babbles, he quickly changed his course and continued.

Is indeed a very beautiful lady. Ah, her lustrous midnight hair, her eyes.Oh, her eyes, those deep obsidian orbsThis chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com

Realizing my expression was souring even more, he stuttered, but with a lightning-fast change of course, he gave me a beaming smile as he continued.

She is truly a woman fitting to be by the Marquiss side as his one and only partner.

Now thats better. Even he has some sense in him once in a while, doesnt he?

After all, its because of his wits that he was the acting lord, even though his elder brother was perfectly capable.

Right, now that I think about it.

Isnt Damien completely ruined?

Hes completely isolated from his faction, his forces are in tatters and he has no money. Thanks to Christines actions, should he squeeze his subjects to regain some money, he would incite a rebellion.

But, if he doesnt do something it will be his demise, trapped between the Revolutionary Forces that toppled the Duke of Orleans and the territories of Christine and I. Thats why hes here.

Damien continued to look at me with those pleading puppy eyes.

Though I was once a villain who raided the neighboring domains, I have been enlightened by the Marquis, and have become a new man! If you accept my surrender I shall become your most loyal subject!

Wasnt it Eris that whipped you into shape?

I weighed the pros and cons of this decision while looking at his face.

While his past actions were disconcerting, the revolutionary governments draft had a clause stating that nobles wouldnt be held accountable for their crimes committed before joining the Republic.

This would grant him some immunity, and it might curry some more favor from the revolutionaries if I added the Millbeau territory to the Republic.

Moreover, the revolutionary army is in a severe drought of capable commanders, and with Count Lionel breaking off from our alliance, theres no one else capable of leading a large operation besides me.

Christine could be an option, but I wouldnt want that. Shes a master at psychological warfare, and from what Ive heard she seems to have a talent for military strategies.

However, if I have my way, she wont be on the battlefield ever again.

Finally, I extended my hand to Damien with a sly smirk.

Her heart kept pounding in her chest so loudly that Ellen even worried that the counselor might hear it.

If she spilled the drink by accident she would get scolded by the manager, but that was that.

Yet, when she remembered the sight of her younger siblings enjoying a real meal to their hearts content for the first time, unlike anything they had before, she pushed forward.

Those children would never know the price of their happiness.

Perhaps the loss of her might hit them harder than their parents death.

Just as Ellen hesitated to take the last steps, Jean Malo barged into her.

Why were you so goddamn late!

Before Ellen could even say a thing, Malo picked the drink, raised his glass, and called a toast of his own accord, drowning in one go.

Ellen almost collapsed on the spot, but she managed to command her shaky legs toward the window.

There, she could see the city still shrouded in the gloomy rain and fog.

The waitress who should have made herself scarce after handing his drink, kept staring at the window prompting the drunken Malo to shout out to her.

You! Why are you still he-Ugh!

He tried to yell at her.

But before he could even finish his sentence, A darkened red mass burst from his mouth and splattered on the floor.

Gasp-!

W-Whhat is happening?!

Aaaarghhh-!

Amidst the bewildered councilors, Malos eyes bulged, his blood vessels popping one after the other, as he clawed at his throat, almost ripping it off.

Ellen simply watched this scene with blurred eyes.

The words she spoke to her benefactor during their first contact echoed in her ears.

She had asked her benefactor for his death to be painful, but she didnt imagine that person would listen to her.

Nonetheless, seeing Malo writing on the floor, his throat soaked in blood from his scratches, it seems that person granted her a tiny wish.

Malo screamed for a full minute, frothing in his own blood before his face became ghastly and he stopped, never to wake up again.

In one dark corner of her mind, Ellen cheered his death, imagining the man drowning in the blood of the countless innocents he had killed.

Startled by Malos dying screams, a crowd of people rushed into the room, some were even doctors as their eyes slowly turned towards Ellen.

Amidst raindrops outside and the tense silence that ensued, Ellen could see the rising anger in their eyes.

However, she felt no triumph or relief.

Ah, she wanted to live.

But now, she could only wallow in regret.

She just wanted to see the home her family lived for all her life. She wanted to see her little siblings faces. She wanted to laugh with them while they ate a delicious meal.

If she could meet them again

Then, she would tell those innocent, blissfully ignorant children what their sister had done for them.

Angry shouts erupted from the crowd.

Ellen took another step closer to the window as the angry mob came closer.

Her benefactors face, even though veiled, was vividly etched in her mind.

Although she didnt disclose her name, that woman had granted a small wish of Ellens; she didnt even hope it would be fulfilled.

The cruel kindness seemed like an unspoken promise to take care of her younger siblings.

-Ellen Davy, you overestimate yourself.

Those words filled her with a sense of defiance.

But as she watched the mob charge at her, Ellen finally understood them.

-Are you confident that you wont resent your younger siblings since youre the one fated to die?

The faces of her siblings, their joyful facesNow were tainted with terror.

She wanted to live.

Ellen took another step back. The windowsill pressed against her waist.

Even if her life was worthless, not deserving to even know the name of the person who orchestrated her death.

At least, she wanted to greet her parents with a smile.

One more step.

Her body flipped over, with nowhere else to go but down, as the rain greeted her.

Ellen reached towards the sky, but the only thing granted to her was the dark clouds without a single speck of light.

She didnt know if what streamed in her face was her tears or just the rain.

Mother.

Father.

Was I a good sister?

The terrible tale of the poisoned Jean Malo and the prime suspect, a young girl who committed suicide stirred the Capital the following day.

During the investigations, it became known that the poison used hailed from the Abyss Corporation, coupled with the fact that Jean Malo was the one leading the attack on the Abyss Corporations branch in Bretagne, the publics hate towards the demons skyrocketed.

The story of the young waitress was quickly forgotten.

A couple of days after this, news that the Germanias army was approaching the borders of Francia made the people even forget about the death of Jean Malo, the Republican Hero.

TL Note:

My dro Damien is switching gears faster than me when Im late to buy em chicken nuggies on discount.

Also, Also, I was listening to Space Song while Tling this chapter and almost had a meltdown.

WTF is a HEALTHY MIND??????!!!! /genesisforsaken