Ch-120: Queen Maker (20)

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"Would you like to be a queen too?"

To Lorraine, who was bewildered by his nonsense, Cloud asked out of the blue.

Lorraine's lips twitched.

"What the hell are you blathering?"

His brow furrowed.

"Uh-huh, it sure is bittersweet when a noble blood swears at you."

"Shut up!"

Lorraine slammed her forehead into Cloud's.

"Ouch. Why did you hit me?"

"Because you're making silly jokes again!"

Lorraine sighed as she watched Cloud rub his forehead, frowning.

'I'm an idiot for expecting anything.'

She should've known he was this kind of guy. Lorraine grumbled in disappointment. Her expression hardened, noticing the lack of playfulness on Cloud's face.

"Are you sure you mean it?"

"No matter how capricious I am, would I play around with something like this?"

"…a queen. Are you thinking of seizing the monarchy of your kingdom?"

"What are you talking about? Why impeach our queen who is doing well? You should feast in your own kingdom."

"Kingdom of Carta? Ha, are you dreaming?"

Lorraine snorted.

"Our kingdom has brother Lorian, alright?"

"Not if we oust him."

"You really are crazy, aren't you? Not that it matters. I don't feel the need to talk to you anymore. Move."

Lorraine tried to shove Cloud away. But when he caught her on the waist, her body collapsed with a moaning, 'Heeep.'

"Where are you going? I'm not done yet."

Cloud started thrusting his hips again.

"You..!"

Lorraine glared at him fiercely. That didn't change anything, and realizing that, she sighed and brushed off her bangs.

"As you like.. whoa.. do it slow. Son of a brute… eh?!"

The irritation on her face disappeared as soon lips met. A warm expression overtook its place.

"Didn't you feel anything while watching our queen during the day? Reverence, awe. That I want to be like that too. Such ambition."

He said as he kissed her briefly.

"Chuuuu… Chuuuuu… Haa… Is that how you coax me? Just shut up, shake your waist, and cum fast."

"If you don't have ambition, think of betterment, yes? Haven't you felt anything while watching Lorian, lately?"

"…"

Lorian, lately.

Those magical words make Lorraine's mouth shut.

Thinking of him, changed remarkably from the past, Lorraine felt slightly vexed.

"If you let things remain as it is, you will be used politically and then discarded."

As a princess, being used politically, the only thing she could was to be married into a powerful family.

That needn't need to be said.

Cloud said it was nothing, but Lorraine's expression turned serious.

She didn't want to get married like being sold to a man she didn't know.

Which woman would like that? So, viscerally, she felt a strong sense of budding rejection.

Lorraine's eyes colored with anxiety.

"…brother won't do that to me."

Lorraine was the favourite of her brother. That was why she had followed him since childhood and had have been trying to be of help to him at every instance. Common sense told her such an admirable little sister wouldn't be cast away by any older brother.

"Why can't it be so? Can't you see that he has brought an army to Lupus? He is crazy about power."

Her inner mind, which had been heading in a positive direction, was shattered by his snarking remark.

"No, no. Brother is not that kind of person…"

Contrary to her words, Lorraine bit on her lips, consumed by anxiety.

Cloud whispered into her ear.

"Letting it go, if it gets worse in the future, it will only get worst, never better."

* * *

The first floor of the luxurious inn where the Lorian's party lodged.

Lorian and his subordinate nobles were sitting in a circle of tables and chairs, and their escort knights stood behind each nobleman.

"You mean the Queen refused? Even though you brought ration supplies as the issue?"

At Calion's words, Lorian nodded his head.

"That's right."

"Is it because she has gone senile, or the queen has lost touch with reality itself? How many citizens will starve if we cut off the food supply?"

As planned, Lorian's side had seized Lupus's food flow. It was safe to say that more than half, if not all of this city, depended on them for food.

If they stopped supplying food, there would be a massive food shortage in the city.

Despite such situation, Lorian and his subordinate nobles could not understand the attitude of the queen who showed such courage.

In the midst of the absurd queries, someone spoke.

"If the other side behaves so arrogantly, then there is no need for our side to look at the situation anymore, right? Let's immediately stop the food supply."

No need to play on the shores, enter into the river directly.

Others nodded their heads in agreement in matching opinions.

"I think so too. At the same time, let's spread rumors to the citizens that the cause of the food shortage lies with the incompetent queen."

"That's right. When the people's wrath is directed at the Queen, we may very well make our case. It would be then righteous to lead our army and bring down the queen. In the thick of bringing down the incompetent queen, the current forces of Lupus won't even be able to resist."

Other nobles burst into scheming waves of laughter.

Lorian smiled bitterly and shook his head.

"If we move the army, we may fulfil our motive quickly, but it won't poise well to others. And if we move so blatantly, the hero, Cloud, will not stand still. Haven't you all seen it? The citizens' abnormal faith in him."

Laughter disappeared among the nobles.

The sight they saw that day was unusual.

Calion interjected in between the awkward silence.

"Is there any need to bring in the army?"

"What do you mean to say?"

"The question is, do we really need to step in? After all, aren't citizens the ones suffering from this food crisis? Let them stand up for themselves. We just need to encourage and support them a tad."

"Ah, you mean to cause an uprising. That's a good suggestion. If it is the will of the people, even Hero Cloud will have a hard time stepping out."

"In addition, we will also have a justification to rule 'for a while' so that Lupus does not fall into chaos."

"Haha! Nice! But the justification is too paltry, so we have to prepare well so any investigation ploughs through."

"Of course. Of course."

Once the strands of the plan were settled, thenceforth flowed with ease. In the makeshift meeting room, the cordial atmosphere full of laughter thickened.

Until the inn door burst open and a man entered.

All eyes in the conference room turned to the door.

""

They erased their smiles recognizing the person who had entered the inn.

"Cloud? Why are you here?"

Lorian asked on behalf of all the nobility.

"Looking at you all gathered, it seems you are busy. Apologies, but we are currently working on short notices and so it happens I have a notice to deliver."

Cloud entered the inn lobby even though he was not invited to enter. He dragged a chair and sat across Lorian. Cloud's party members lined up behind him.

"…what is this all about?"

"I told you. I have something to inform you guys. Neria, please."

Nodding her head, Neria placed the parchments in front of the nobles one by one.

"Something is written in a lot of verbosities, but it's nothing special. As we discussed before, it's a contract to pay the toll. All you have to do is sign."

"Weren't we supposed to discuss that matter later?"

"I thought the discussion would be too long. We are also busy with many other things, we can't just hold on to that, now can we?"

"…"

Lorian rapped the table with his knuckles before turning his attention to the parchment. The nobles who had been paying attention to him also began to read the contents of the parchment.

""

"100 million gold..?"

He was astonished at the heinous amount of good.

A noble raised his hand cautiously.

"Wasn't 30 million gold originally requested by the kingdom? Why did it suddenly jump to 100 million…"

"Did you not read it? Don't just look at the numbers, read carefully. It explains why the tolls went up."

"Attempted assassination of the queen..?"

Another noble muttered in a trembling voice.

The eyes that had been directed to the parchment returned to Cloud.

What did this mean?

They wanted an explanation.

It was what the gazes asked.

Unbidden burdensome gaze may have slumped anyone, but Cloud accepted it with a smile.

"Unfortunately, there was an assassination attempt against the queen. Fortunately, the assassination ended in an attempt and the culprit was caught. I interrogated him to find out, poor sod confessed before he died."

That Lorian had sent him.

Cloud stated explicitly as he slouched back in his chair.

The nobles who could not stand still, exploded.

"What nonsense is this! Why would we do that?!"

"He is damn right. Instead of appreciating our service to Lupus, you are pointing fingers at us?! Is this really the character of a Hero!"

They were aristocrats who hadn't wanted to logger heads with Cloud, so they had kept themselves within certain boundaries.

But this case crossed the line.

It was better to logger heads against Cloud than to take the absurd guilt of trying to assassinate the queen.

"How do I know what you think? Anyway, our big-hearted queen decided to cover up your assassination attempt. Still, royalty has face, so we can't just pass on it, therefore a small increment. So consider 70 million gold as a fine."

Cloud reacted indifferently to the nobles' protests.

The noncommittal attitude infuriated the nobles even further.

""

70 million gold was a huge amount even if it was to be divided among several people.

Such an amount, if spent carelessly, could have the family falter.

They couldn't afford it.

Eventually, the nobles went beyond protesting and began to express resentment.

"Can you take responsibility for what you have done, Hero? If you can't take responsibility, withdraw immediately. It's not child's play, this is…"

"Is it a joke to you?"

Cloud's cold voice cut like glass.

Silence hung over the conference room as if the raucous din that had buoyed just now was a lie.

It was different from what Lorian had seen in the past.

If he had captured the aristocrats with his charisma, Cloud was wedging a knife through their throats.

"Are you kidding me? Child's play, huh?"

Cloud asked quietly as he looked around the crowd, but no one made eye contact with him. They would turn their head away and slouch when they seemed to encounter his gaze.

Answer and death went hand in hand.

The sharp gaze dominating them warned.

"…I sincerely believe we can hush it up like adults. It's you who brought the army that made it look like a children's playground. Because you created a situation where one has to die. Isn't that right, Lorian?"

Eyes turned to Lorian.

Facing it, Lorian also had a mutually cold expression.

"That is not wrong. But the method is cheap. If you continue to pressurize us, I will cut off the food supply to Lupus."

As if there was no point in further civil conversation, Lorian stood up from the table and ended the conversation one-sidedly.

"Don't forget. We are the ones holding the hilt, not you. Don't compel us to drive the sword."

While leaving a taunting warning.

Lorian ascended the stairs with his party members.

"…"

Cloud looked at Lorian's back and remained silent.

The aristocrats, who had only noticed, began to stand up one by one, judging that the momentum was slipping toward Lorian.

"This doesn't look good as a Hero…"

"For a righteous Hero to blackmail us…"

Not forgetting to land a few pricky remarks, they headed for the stairs Lorian had climbed.

In front of those nobles, Neria blocked the threshold with the tip of her sword carved into the floor.

Her sword was also drawn from the scabbard.

The nobles who felt threatened by her stopped.

"…Sir Neria. What are you doing?"

Face-to-face with her, Calion Oler asked. But she stayed silent and didn't answer the question.

Calion sighed.

"We'll be passing."

He stepped forward.

Neria grabbed Calion by the neck and slammed him to the floor.

"Cheuk..!"

"Young Master!"

Calion's two escort knights reflexively reached for the hilt.

A flash and the hands heading for the sword hilt were severed. Both hands fell to the floor.

Looking at the hand that had been cut off in an instant and rolling on the floor, both nobles and escort knights had their complexions hardened.

"He's moody. But you guys should sign and then go, no?"

The pen is mightier than the sword.

In most cases, yes.

In most cases.

You can read fully translated chapters, including the last chapter, for $20.

p(a)treon.com/Daoist02