His roar echoed through the throne room, shaking the chandeliers. Advisors flinched, guards stiffened, and the attending ladies backed away in fear.
"It’s always that damn low-born scum!!!!"
Kimar sat back on his throne, seething with rage. He snatched the report and began reading, his eyes widening further with each line.
"It’s always that damn shithead who ruins everything!"
"Your Majesty?" the royal advisor bowed cautiously, his voice barely above a whisper.
"That damn low-born sent his troops to defend Tybalt and completely wiped out a 10,000-strong main attack force with just 200 soldiers, this report says!"
Everyone in the room fell silent, not daring to speak.
"This report ntions... so kind of magic that explodes from the sky and rains destruction from above. We don’t even understand how it works, it’s nothing like any magic we’ve ever seen!"
"They already have a different type of magic cannon, weapons that shoot into the sky, fly through the air, easily defeat elite wyvern units, and so kind of iron thing that flies and explodes toward any airborne target."
He slamd the report down.
"Not to ntion they have that weird weapon that seems to have no limit on its ammunition! And that different type of armor, with a barrier that deflects any kind of magic attack!"
He looked at everyone with pure rage.
"While we just finished our matchlock musket! Our cannons still use cannonballs and gunpowder. We’ve just perfected our magic arrows, while they’ve moved beyond even that!!"
The royal advisor remained silent while Kimar continued his furious tirade.
He watched Kimar with a sidelong glare as the king shouted at everyone in the room.
Armand is far beyond what this foolish king has been reading in these reports.
They have rchant ships larger than our entire navy. Our fleet only has five or six small vessels, each barely able to mount two cannons at most because of the weight. anwhile, Armand’s navy already has iron ships that float, flying machines that land on their decks, things even bigger than their rchant vessels!
And he’s talking about Armand’s weapons as if they’re new? Those weapons were already known before he even beca king. They were used to counter the First Noble Coalition, back when the Support Saints of the Three Gods stood against Armand, years ago! Those flying machines Armand has were around even when Kimar’s brother, the late King Edmund, was on the throne!
How blind can this king be?
He obsesses over making the army stronger but forgets the fundantals.
Treasury! Economy! Soldier morale, and the people’s welfare!
And what’s worse?
We’re still relying on the fastest horses to deliver ssages to military bases! It takes three to five days just to get updates, while Armand has had instant communication for years! They know what’s happening miles away in real ti!
Even without their instant communication devices, they have those Pekko birds, monstrously fast creatures that can travel from the royal capital to Turka’s lands in twenty to thirty minutes, a journey that takes us two to three days by horse!
Fool! This king is a fool!
Doesn’t he realize that when people are starving, when the market crashes because supplies no longer reach us, when Armand cuts off trade, and we’re forced to buy through Beastkin middlen at inflated prices, our economy bleeds, our people suffer, and our soldiers fight on empty stomachs and broken spirits?
What’s the use of having a stronger army when the people are starving?
Doesn’t he know that when the people are starving, they don’t care about kings or crowns? They’ll riot, they’ll desert, they’ll turn on their own rulers. An army marches on its stomach, and a kingdom stands on the backs of its fed and hopeful citizens.
Shit... I regret taking this position as his advisor when he rose to replace the late King Edmund.
No wonder Savran and Gilmon didn’t care much when Kimar stripped their ranks. Now both of them, I hear, are happily serving Lord Garius...no, King Garius now. Armand is already independent from the Human Kingdom.
And now Princess Kliatana, the last heir of the late King Edmund, is said to be marrying one of Garius’s sons and ruling Arjam under Armand’s protection.
Lucky her. It’s a good thing she rejected marrying her own uncle, this bloody fool, during the succession crisis.
He kept his head bowed while Kimar continued shouting.
"Bring the paper and the royal seal! Tybalt will be stripped of its noble privileges and titles. They no longer have votes, and this royal decree shall be issued imdiately, no aid, no trade, nothing shall be given to Tybalt. Any noble may attack and claim Tybalt lands without waiting for royal command!"
The advisor shook his head inwardly, careful not to show it.
Does he really think doing that will achieve anything? Hello? Is he this stupid?
Doesn’t he realize that once Armand helps a region, no noble dares touch it? Not to ntion, when Armand opens trade with Tybalt, that ans cheap, high-quality food, grains, tools, and irrigation supplies will flow in. rchants from other regions will find ways to get those goods, sneaking in, bribing guards, anything for profit, because it’s better than depending on the Beastkin Kingdom, though not overcharging, still requires costly protection for long journeys through bandit and monster-infested routes. Tybalt is much closer, and Armand’s security makes it a far safer and cheaper route.
The advisor snapped from his thoughts when Kimar called him.
"You!"
"Yes, Your Majesty?" the advisor bowed, his expression carefully neutral.
"Assemble the royal officers and send this decree to all the nobles. I want it delivered by royal courier, sealed with my personal mark. No delays, no excuses."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
"Good! And this is my order: their families cannot leave the royal capital while the decree is being delivered. If they try, they will be treated like those traitors."
"Your wish is my command, Your Majesty. I will ensure the royal guard enforces this restriction."
"Good. Now go." Kimar then pointed toward one of the royal officers. "And you! Make sure our ssengers deliver this ssage to every noble house. It’s ti for a royal council, everyone must attend, or they will face severe consequences."
( End Of Chapter )
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