Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

Chapter 335:

TL: Etude

In the capital city of Crystal Shine, a tense yet festive atmosphere permeated every street and alley. The Day of Descent was just a few days away, and every household was busy preparing for the celebration. Street vendors took this opportunity to wander the streets, peddling their wares. For most people, the rebellion far south seemed distant. Only families with loved ones serving in the military prayed for their safety while eagerly anticipating the new year.

Inside the palace, however, the mood in the council hall was starkly different from the city’s festivities. There was a sense of seriousness and unease due to the events that had transpired in the Port West, which had caused a stir among the government’s higher-ups. King Rodney had convened ministers, including Count Rupert and Count Merlin, to discuss strategies.

Yet, what they were discussing was only the assassination of the naval high command at Port West. They were still unaware of the subsequent events.

According to the existing investigation, the servant who carried out the ‘assassination’ – if one could call that self-destructive act an assassination – had been a long-serving and loyal servant in General Parker’s household, known for his honesty and hard work. It was unimaginable that he could commit such a heinous act.

However, what was more important, and indeed more mysterious, was how a living person could suddenly explode, killing many around him. This was unprecedented, and even the alchemists sent by the Port West Administration Council to investigate found no suspicious substances.

The loss of naval strength was a secondary concern. The Kingdom of Ordo’s navy had been established long ago to eliminate pirates and, with their disappearance, was left with little more than smuggling control tasks. The higher-ups had long wanted an excuse to disband the navy to save funds and strengthen the army.

After a long discussion, King Rodney and his ministers were still baffled. King Rodney turned to Count Merlin, who was in charge of intelligence: “Count Merlin, you’ve been quiet. Do you have any speculations?”

Count Merlin, momentarily startled, nodded slightly to the king and said, “Your Majesty, the incident in Port West reminds me of something that happened last year.”

The Count looked around the room and said, “Do you remember the fire in the royal granary last year?”

“Of course, we do.”

The fire had delayed the deployment of the army to quell the rebellion by almost a year, and gathering the necessary provisions had been a significant effort, making it a fresh memory for those present.

Count Merlin continued: “At that time, the diligent warehouse officer set the granary on fire himself. Similarly, in Port West, a loyal servant became… well, a tool for committing the act.”

He paused, then added, “I can’t help but link these two incidents.”

Rupert, stroking his beard, pondered, “Are you suggesting that the same hand is behind both events?”

Count Merlin nodded: “Exactly. And this hand possesses some mysterious power unknown to us.”

The room buzzed with whispers. The inner circle of the government was aware of the investigation into last year’s granary fire. Officer Bart, who managed the granary, was meticulous and responsible, but investigations revealed his bizarre behavior at home before the fire.

Suddenly, a side door to the council hall opened, and a guard quietly entered, handing a scroll to King Rodney.

The king felt a premonition of bad news and reluctantly unrolled the scroll.

Amidst the noisy discussion, only Rupert, closest to the king, noticed his change in demeanor. King Rodney’s hands tightly gripped the paper, his shoulders trembling slightly.

“Your Majesty? Your Majesty? What has happened?”

Rupert gently called out to the king.

“Rupert, see for yourself. The navy… the navy has…”

The Chancellor’s hands trembled as he read the first two lines of the letter, which stirred a tumultuous wave in his heart: “Pirates have invaded; the navy has been annihilated.”

“This… this…” The Chancellor stuttered, his hands shaking with the letter.

The letter from Port West was quickly passed around and read by all the ministers present.

“This is a conspiracy! Together with the assassination of the naval high command, this is undoubtedly a part of a larger plot!”

“Ordo is under attack! We must retaliate!”

Count Merlin spoke up, “The western coast of the kingdom – at least the areas directly under royal jurisdiction – haven’t seen pirates for a long time. According to this letter, the invading pirates number in the thousands. Such a large pirate group couldn’t have formed unnoticed locally; they must have come from afar.”

Rupert agreed, and the Chancellor, twirling his white beard, said, “The mastermind behind this doesn’t necessarily have to be foreign. Given the current situation, Jars is the most likely suspect. His army is currently weakening in the Furel region, and it’s very possible he is causing trouble elsewhere. Plus, his territory connects to Horn Bay, making it easy for him to contact and hire pirate groups there.”

The letter was written by the Mayor of Port West. He explained that upon noticing the pirate invasion and realizing the navy was unreliable, and in order not to let the representatives of royal authority be captured and humiliated, he had to relocate the Administration Council staff to a town east of Port West. The pirates were still occupying Port West, using it as a base to send small troops to loot the surrounding areas.

After much discussion, everyone agreed that the most pressing matter was to organize an army to recapture Port West and eliminate the despicable pirates, or at least drive them back to sea. However, the kingdom’s main army was currently confronting Jars’s rebel forces under the command of Princess Catherine in Furel, so any military organization would have to be assembled from temporary recruits.

The king asked, “Rupert, whom do you think would be suitable to lead the army?”

After pondering for a moment, the Chancellor thought of a candidate and replied, “I believe Harrison Abbott, the eldest son of the Abbott family, is suitable for this task.”

“Abbott? The one who married a prostitute, that Count Abbott’s son?”

Reluctance flashed across Rodney’s face.

“Your Majesty, these are extraordinary times, and Harrison’s mother is of noble birth, a pure-blooded aristocrat.”

“Sigh—very well.” The king consented.