Save 98 ─ Revolution

I flew in Battler to Erselica's mansion, as I set foot outside Battler, I was horrified by what I saw.

Trash containers strewn in the garden, scrawled with obscene and insulting messages to the Kingdom and to us.

Neighbors were watching the mansion commenting on it, I couldn't hear if they were saying anything good or bad about the perpetrators, who surely must have been Zack's allies.

"Rudel-san!"

I heard from inside the mansion a voice called out.

The door opened and Airi running in slippers came straight towards me, accompanied by Alisa.

"Are you okay? Aren't you hurt?"

"Rudel, what was it that happened to make the situation like this?"

I reassured Airi and then Alisa.

"I'm fine, but we need to talk... something very important and bad has happened and everyone needs to listen to me."

I watched from a distance as some young men gave us nasty looks, they were probably Zack's vassals.

We entered the mansion and I told them everything.

◇

"You're a huge asshole, Bradford!"

After telling what happened, Liam got angry and pounded his fist on the table.

"Not only do you lose in a humiliating way against someone who applied the same thing you do! But you also get the Kingdom to lose the world's greatest magic stone seller!"

"By now the news must be reaching the embassy. It's certainly a low blow for the Kingdom since we have to go down as losers because of you."

Normally I would be bashing him.

But he was right, I lost pathetically.

"Liam, don't yell at onii─ Rudel-kun like that. It's not his fault Zack's a cheater."

He looked at her angrily, his anger was at me, not her.

"Erselica, you don't understand."

"I'm not angry because he lost. I'm angry that he of all people lost at a cheater's game."

Liam pointed at me.

"The Bradford I know is a deceitful scoundrel who is capable of turning the worst situation around. You proved that to me several times in the past, and this time you couldn't win or prepare a trap or an ace up your sleeve bothers me more."

"The kingdom is lost without the orbs, we need those orbs so that the energy problems from the war thefts don't get worse!"

"Your Highness, please calm down."

Alisa calmed Liam down. She was holding Airi's hand.

They both looked at the ground, they were sad.

"I can't believe about Lucy."

Airi argued, Alisa replied.

"Lucy told Rudel to give her until tomorrow. Let's trust her, she's still the legitimate priestess."

"We'll think about what we'll do later, for now let's rest and heed the demands of that Zack guy."

"Rudel. you know what will happen if Lucy doesn't come back right?"

Alisa's face indicated to me the worst outcome.

If Lucy doesn't come back... we'll have to leave without her.

I clenched my fists in frustration.

We were banned from selling orbs, but that's only on a commercial level.

If Aster looked at us as an enemy, it would be horrible.

To make it worse, they have allies, which are countries that hate the Kingdom.

It would certainly be an atrocious war if it happened.

My hands were shaking at the thought of leaving Lucy here.

Alisa continued speaking.

"We must avoid the worst outcome. That is why we will heed them."

"Bell. Go to the embassy to report what happened."

"In case Lucy fixes everything tomorrow, we'll apologize to the embassy."

"We'll put our belongings away after we rest for a while. Understood?"

"Yes."

Everyone except me confirmed the order.

"Hold on a moment Bismarck-sama."

Allen spoke to him in a concerned tone.

"My sister and the count's brother are not back yet."

Alisa remembered they were missing.

"That's right. Bell, look for them please."

"I'd be happy to do so, but the magical element in the air is too unstable for me. There's an interference that won't let me send drones."

"No need to worry about them."

Ixion spoke up to reassure us.

"While I was with the Master flying, I found them in the center. To get back here will take them a few hours, so I suggest leaving them to their own since the military forces are only watching us, not the other people in the Kingdom."

"That... is good, isn't it?"

"It is."

With that said, Allen was calmer.

I stood up and said to everyone.

"I'm going to go sleep for a while. I want to rest because of what happened."

After saying that, Ixion reported.

"Master, look at the sky!"

We approached the sale and saw something unimaginable.

"It's a damn joke right?"

◇◇◇

After arriving to class, the class period began.

Diana waited for the signal for everything to start.

She heard her classmates whispering.

The students were aware of rumors of a rebel army and some of them talked about getting involved.

In her previous life, she had never experienced a rebellion. She had only seen news of it on the internet or TV.

Suddenly, the sunlight was blocked and the entire school building was in shadow.

Did the clouds block out the sun? She thought so, but there was an aircraft moving in the sky.

(Airships are banned from passing through here, right?)

(Wait, don't tell me it's─!)

The other students wondered why an aircraft was passing through an area that was off-limits to flying.

Even the teacher interrupted the class and looked outside.

When the classroom became noisy... a video began to project into the sky.

When a huge image appeared, Diana stood up. The chair fell back and hit the desk behind her, but she didn't care.

"Zack!"

Diana raised her voice in surprise, but the people around her didn't pay her any attention. Her classmates were also looking out the window.

She seized that opportunity and ran out of there.

The huge Zack projected into the sky was sitting in a beautiful chair. Bending his hips, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together.

"To all the people of Aster. Starting today, there will be a change."

What the hell was he talking about? They thought everything.

The classrooms were noisy, but Diana was the exception.

She was running through the halls of the academy.

"As you may know, the Acting Chairman has been being very voluble with the Kingdom's foreigner, Rudel."

"For this entire year our nation has been ridiculed, humiliated and most of all embarrassed by that man."

"For that reason, we, the revolutionary army, will bring a new order to this country!"

"The age of corruption is over and a new age of prosperity and honesty has arisen!"

Then, he raised his right hand on the video.

As a magic circle appeared behind the throne, the guardian's emblem could be seen. Everyone was surprised.

"The sacred tree has chosen me as the guardian. That means I am the strongest man in the world!"

"Anyone who wants to join us is welcome. But, if you wish to be against me, this will happen to you."

At that moment, a red light radiated from the Sacred Tree.

It enveloped all of Aster, and everyone was shocked and closed their eyes. Immediately the light went out, but then there was a shout in the classroom.

"M-My emblem is gone!"

"I don't have my emblem! Why?!"

"No! This can't be happening!"

The sad cries of the nobles were heard.

Their emblems had disappeared, probably due to the red light. Zack smiled as Diana turned her gaze skyward.

It seemed he knew this would happen and it did.

"How come he can do it without the priestess?"

"Only she is supposed to be able to make the tree give and take away emblems. Not to mention disrespecting this one."

"Is Zack's emblem superior to all?"

Never before had a priestess taken the emblem of an entire country. The nobles were stunned and sat back, facing reality.

They were desperate, deprived of the great power they had possessed until now.

"I have just taken the emblem from you as a token of my power. But do not despair, watch."

Again the light shone, but this time it was green.

Everyone's emblems appeared, but it wasn't just the nobles. Commoners and foreigners also got the emblem.

"With this, everyone is part of the new Aster. An improved country that doesn't distinguish between social classes or status. We are all equal and that's why its emblems are of a great noble!"

"If there is anyone who still wants to challenge me, I will deal with them. They can always come to the Temple of the Sacred Tree to challenge me."

The nobles who had lost their emblem were not willing to challenge him, and the soldiers who knew the strength of the emblem would have a hard time going against Zack.

"What's wrong with you? Zack, why are you giving everyone the emblem when that wasn't the plan?

As Diana looked confused, Lutart ran towards her.

"Diana-sama, get down!"

"Huh? I told you to wait in the car─"

At that moment, a fireball approached her.

But it wasn't headed for her, it was headed for a teacher.

The fireball hit the classroom and a fire broke out.

"Now you're really going to pay for this!"

"Don't think you'll get away with this!"

"I'll make you pay for what you've made me suffer all this time!"

Suddenly, the commoner students and some low-ranking nobles went berserk and started attacking their classmates and teachers.

The reason for that was... revenge.

The academy went into chaos. Fireballs, energy beams, ice floes and other magical elements were sent to different directions.

The students who had been oppressed so far began to go crazy.

Lutart drew his sword, in his hand an emblem could be seen that he did not have before.

He escorted Diana to the exit.

"Stupid Zack, this is a brutal mistake. If you had come to class, you would have known about the student discontent, this is a lousy way to start a new order!"

Turning into a hallway that was frozen solid, they found Lugh running away.

"Diana, there you are!"

"Did you see what Zack did?"

She bit her lips at first.

"I know. I'm going to give him a good scolding, for now we should go."

"You're right. Let's go to my house."

"No. We'll go to Zack's."

"... Huh?"

Lugh couldn't quite process what she said.

"I'll explain on the way, for now, the first part of the plan has already started, the second part is coming."

Lugh accompanied them in silence as the academy was turning into hell itself.

◇◇◇

Headquarters of the Temple of the Sacred Tree.

The heads of the six great nobles gathered there were discussing what happened a few minutes ago.

Randolf was fuming about what happened. To make it worse, riots were occurring all over Aster.

They were mainly provoked by those who were oppressed in the past.

Almost all military personnel and knights were sent to stop them. Randolf sent for Zack, but he did not appear at the temple as he indicated.

"We must find him quickly and stop him!"

He pounded his fist on the table.

"Acting Chairman, take it easy. It's bad for your health to get upset."

"How can you expect me not to get upset at this ridiculous situation, Linus!"

Normally, if an enemy invasion occurred. The great nobles would borrow the power of the sacred tree to defend themselves.

They might send people with in inferior emblem to fight for them or directly go them and crush them.

Cliff smoked his cigarette as usual, but in a bad mood.

"Certainly, what that brat did is a pain in the ass. Lower rank emblem holders should understand that a social status should not be broken, that would break the balance."

Linus answered him after raising his eyebrows.

"It is because of such thinking that there is unrest. To categorize those with an inferior emblem being our compatriots is wrong."

"You say you and the doorman are on the same social level? Then let him be the one to handle political matters!"

"Learn this child. Only those who don't take to dirtying their hands to keep the cattle in check enter politics."

"Therefore, only we are the only ones who should possess those special emblems and not everyone."

"Calm down, both of you. Right now we must deal with Zack's problem... why is Lucian still missing?"

There were six chairs at the table, but only five of them were present.

"It is very irritating not to have him here to reassure his son. Linus, please take care of the situation, I'll go lie down for a while."

Randolf left the room.

Randy was the first to speak.

"Hey, shouldn't we have started that already?"

Wenz answered him.

"Don't be silly. Lucian is missing and besides that, Zack-kun isn't here yet."

Cliff answered him as well.

"More important is to find out. What the hell was I thinking giving everyone an emblem? I panicked at the sight of my right hand and then calmed down. That brat is doing unnecessary things."

"When he gets here, I'll give him a good whack instead of his useless father... What's wrong with you Exner?"

Cliff looked at Linus who was pensive.

"Nothing. We need to calm the distributions first, then we'll move on to that."

I think I'll get some air too.

◇◇◇

Leaving the room, Linus went for a smoke.

He had never smoked before, but he felt that today was the first time where he needed it.

He went to the smoking lounge and there he found Randolf with a cigar and a bottle of a strong liquor.

"Acting Chairman?"

"Oh, Linus. Isn't that a pitiful sight you see?"

He said referring to him.

"Not at all."

Linus reached over and lit the cigarette.

"I just see someone who couldn't avoid a crisis that couldn't be stopped."

"Ha! If I could have stopped it, I would have done it from the start, but it doesn't matter now."

"That brat has messed up in such a way that not only did he get himself kicked out of his house. So did all the rebels."

"Linus. It's a little late, to say the least, but thank you."

"Huh?"

Linus' cigar fell to the floor as he heard being thanked by Randolf.

"I thank you for everything you've done for me. After the sapling priestess incident, I got mad at you, but if you did that it means I was a lousy ruler and I'm truly sorry."

"When this is all over. I will be sure to help you become the next Acting Chairman. In my tenure there have been nothing but tragedies and embarrassments."

"That's all I wanted to tell you. I'll stay here a while longer and then go with the others."

"Understood."

Linus stubbed out his cigar and then left the room.

He sent one last glance at Randolf.

"It's too late to apologize. After all, you're still lying all the way through."

◇◇◇

On the anthill.

Romeo and Warrick were watching Zack's broadcast.

Romeo watched his emblem disappear and reappear.

Warrick commented to him as he watched the emblem.

"The situation is going in a very interesting way. I really wasn't expecting this development."

"I don't really care. Whether there is a new order or not, I don't care. Nor if there is a new Acting Chairman."

"What I care about is becoming the new head of my house and to do that I need my sister and father to disappear."

Warrick popped a piece of candy into his mouth.

"What are we waiting for then?"

"It's not time yet."

"The plan has three phases. The first was the announcement, the second will happen soon, the third will happen at the given time."

"We just have to wait."

"Have all your allies arrived yet?"

After licking his fingers, he indicated a sign of confirmation.

"That's right, they've all arrived and are eager to bond with you. We're just waiting for orders."

"Just hang in there, soon the real revolution will begin."

"I hope so, fufu."

Warrick laughed in a sinister manner as Romeo's eyes gazed darkly at a picture of his sister.

◇

When I woke up, I was in bed.

After hearing what Zack said, I got so angry that I went to bed.

I'm sure with this, Randolf-san will take matters into his own hands and ruin that idiot.

"Ixion, what's the situation? ... Huh?"

When I lifted my upper body, I saw Alisa and Airi sleeping on the side of my bed.

Bell approached me.

"Ixion went out to investigate. So I stayed by your side, aren't I a good servant?"

"Yes, you are, what's the situation?"

"It's all going very badly."

Listening to Bell's report, I felt my head hurt.

Or rather, hurt.

Every word only made it hurt more.

"From what I've found out so far, the six great nobles have nothing to do with Zack. It seems to be a dogmatic decision by Wayne Household."

"So this is Zack and his father's doing?"

"No confirmation yet but it appears to be so."

"This is shocking."

I hope that by tomorrow, Lucy will have convinced Diana and Zack along with Randolf-san to keep this from getting worse.

Suddenly, I heard hurried footsteps with a shout approaching my door.

"Oniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!"

"There's trouble!"

"Shh. Shut up, can't you see they're sleeping?"

Erselica came in screaming, I pointed to them sleeping peacefully.

But the upset Erselica ignored me.

"This is more important than them! Onii-chan come quiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiick!"

Because she was screaming like a bedbug, I got off the bed and went to the door.

"Mmm?"

What's wrong, onii-chan?"

"No, it's just my imagination."

For a moment, I felt that Airi had moved, it must have been just my imagination.

◇◇◇

When Rudel came out, Airi stood up.

She looked very confused at the door.

"Why did Erselica call Rudel-san 'onii-chan'?"

◇◇◇

Night fell.

The riots were controlled without much trouble as the commoners and vengeful citizens didn't know how to use the emblem. Much less one of a great noble.

Some had their hands cut off and others managed to get them to swear an oath to the sacred tree and then lose the emblem.

It was chaotic, but it didn't escalate.

The meeting hall for some reason had a strange atmosphere.

All the great nobles were looking at different places in a serious way.

Randolf was looking at Randy in a controversial way. He was smiling while playing with his rings.

"What's wrong, Randy?"

"It's nothing."

He found Randy's behavior so strange that he thought something odd, but quickly forgot it.

Without a problem, the meeting proceeded and Randolf laid out today's schedule.

"So let's start the meeting. The first thing on the schedule is that suspicious people are meeting in the port warehouse district."

It was Randy who responded to the schedule faster than anyone else.

"You can leave it to the guards, they seem to be nothing more than suspicious people, why don't we prioritize the other items on the schedule, Acting Chairman?"

Randolf demurred at Randy's offer.

"There is a possibility that this group of suspicious individuals is involved with the rebels. Although there hasn't been much movement, we can't leave it at that forever. Also, we have received reports that someone may be withholding information."

When Randolf said that, the other heads looked at each other.

"What if there is a traitor?"

"Is there someone here being part of the rebel army?"

In the midst of all those voices talking... Randolf was looking at Randy. His gaze wandered a few sides and he wiped his cold sweat with a handkerchief.

(This man is hiding something, after all.)

Randy's recent movement was suspicious and Randolf had been watching him.

At that time, it was discovered that Randy had been withholding information related to the rebel army.

However, he did not believe that Randy would join the rebel army.

(Was he planning on using the rebels to do anything?)

He was trying to find out.

The possibility of there being rebels from the parties in the warehouse district is also high and Randolf was thinking of sending troops immediately.... But Randy suddenly regained his composure.

A sound of an incoming airship was heard.

"Why is there an airship flying nearby?"

Then, he lifted the corner of his mouth and laughed ominously.

"Ehehehe!"

Randy, who let out a strange laugh, startled the other chiefs.

As Randolf stood up, Randy looked up at the ceiling and stretched his arms out.

"The time has come! All those who have scorned me will be punished forever!"

"What the hell is he saying?"

That's what Randolf commented. The other great nobles stood up.

"What is it?"

Hurried footsteps were heard.

Randolf found that strange, but at that moment a magic circle manifested itself over below him.

"What is it?"

"Now!"

There was no escape for Randolf and the others noticed.

The other chiefs who saw the magic circle did not panic.

"I'm so sorry, Acting Chairman." (Wenz)

"This is goodbye, Randolf." (Cliff)

"..." (Linus)

What emerged from the magic circle were the roots and branches of the tree. These entangled Acting Chairman of the six great nobles and stole the emblem from his right hand.

Randolf was wrapped in the branches.

Randy, observing the situation, laughed holding his stomach.

"Ehehehehe! As of today, you no longer have your blessing! That's good. From now on, I'm going to use all those who make fun of me... I mean, that's the end of you!

Randy showed his satisfaction. Cliff a little too.

The bosses desperately resisted looking, but... they were ruthlessly observant of the emblem on the back of his right hand disappearing.

Randolf looked at his right hand, where his emblem had disappeared.

"... What the hell are you doing?"

The moment his emblem was removed, the branches and magic circle disappeared, freeing Randolf.

The other chiefs were dismayed.... Linus, for example, was crestfallen when he did not see his emblem.

The other chiefs were the same, but there was one man who was crying and squealing with laughter like a pig.

"Ehehehehe! Serves you right! It's time for revenge and the new order!"

A shot rang out from outside the door. Randolf was shocked and the door was pushed hard.

It was Zack standing there along with some armed soldiers.

"... Zack, why are you here?"

The soldiers surrounded the room, annihilating all those who did not choose to surrender.

Zack, who carried a rifle on his shoulder, showed an ugly smile when he saw Randolf.

"How do you feel about losing your emblem, huh, corrupt?"

At those words, Randolf guessed that Zack was involved with Randy.

"Did you do it? ... What the hell are you thinking!?"

"Are you seriously asking that?"

"There's nothing worse than an old man who can't remember his own misdeeds."

He laughed and didn't try to answer properly.

Randolf looked around, the great nobles were receiving a tea set.

(They have betrayed me too...)

They all looked at Randolf with an expression of victory on their faces.

Linus was different. On his beautiful face was anger and hatred.

His bright blue eyes were drenched in blood and even his lip was bitten.

Randolf was glad that Linus is also his ally, but that illusion was instantly killed by what he heard.

"This happened because of you!"

"Yes you never would have been this friendly to that foreigner!"

"If you had been the Acting Chairman I admired, then none of this would have happened!"

"This is all your fault!"

Randolf was taken aback by those words, his eyes wandered to Zack's hands.

He had the emblem of the six great nobles on the left, and on the right the guardian's mark.

He didn't want to accept it, but when he saw Zack in front of him, he realized he had something to do with "it".

(I can't believe it. Finally, what I feared happened.)

Zack showed the emblem on his right hand and laughed.

"It's the emblem of the guardian. I was chosen by the sacred tree, Acting Chairman. No... Randolf the traitor."

Zack, showing the guardian's emblem, seemed to be proud.

Randolf could not understand why Zack had the guardian's emblem.

"... Why do you have the guardian's emblem?"

Zack didn't answer.

"Hey, hey, are you seriously saying that? You should worry about your situation, you corrupt and traitorous noble."

"Corrupt and traitorous? Who do you mean?? To me!?"

"... Well, it's too late to make excuses now, but the guilty must always see the evidence lest it be tyranny."

"What the hell are you talking about! I am the one who cares more about this country than anyone else. You dare call me a traitor being the one who has avoided many problems caused by you!"

No one responded.

Hearing Randolf's story, Zack stopped moving.

However, Zero, who was standing next to him, interrupted the conversation between the two.

"Zack-sama, the people who are opinionated to us have been eliminated."

"The next part of the plan starts soon, there is not much time, so hurry up. Besides, a cornered man will tell any lie."

Zero dismissed Randolf's statements as a lie.

Zack believed Zero and brought the barrel of his gun towards Randolf as he became expressionless. Zack had a cold stare.

A video replayed.

Randolf's blood froze.

"No... that's impossible... that never happened."

"Hold on everyone! There's a conspiracy against me here!"

"Zack, listen to me please! There's a mistake here!"

Randolf shouted with his terrified face, but Zack didn't seem to hear him.

He looked at him with cold eyes.

"It's a shame it ended like this, I looked up to you as a kid. But after seeing 'it', there's only disappointment and disgust."

"No! Zack! I─!"

Zack pulled the trigger without hesitation.

"I would have liked things to be different. By the way, it's Romeo's turn to punish your family."

A dry sound rang out as Randolf heard that his son was involved.

Zack's revolution finally began.

__________

Once again, link for you to download the chapter in pdf and epub as there are several illustrations:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1NwaCq6b5_YPa_jJbavzMBxbFHsa2oOth