Free Web NovelChapter 128: Do You?
In the Golden State, Alaric continued to admire the glass goblets for a while longer.
Seeing that Lady Isolde still looked worried, he comforted her. "But you don’t need to worry too much. The reavers’ southern invasion is a matter of national importance. I won’t treat it lightly. If Simon can’t hold out, I will order Prince Gerad to send reinforcements. To the west is Prince Augustus, and to the south is Prince Gerad. If even that isn’t enough, there are still my imperial guards."
Lady Isolde wanted to say that Prince Gerad might not be reliable, but she swallowed her words. This was just Empress Gretchen’s one-sided claim.
Bringing it up now, without solid evidence, would only anger Alaric, especially since he had always trusted Prince Gerad. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
"If that’s the case, I can rest easy. The rest will depend on fate. I only hope Your Majesty will support Simon as much as possible." Lady Isolde said softly.
Alaric nodded, seemingly unwilling to continue the topic. Instead, he pointed at the goblets and asked. "By the way, did Prince Simon say what these cups are for? Are they just decorative?"
"Simon said they are for drinking wine. He claimed that only glass goblets can truly showcase the clarity of Brambleford’s Finest." Lady Isolde replied.
Alaric seemed to like the glass goblets very much, almost reluctant to put them down. "Hmmm, that’s a good point. They are indeed perfect for drinking wine. But there seem to be too few of them."
"What’s the difficulty in that?" Lady Isolde smiled. "I’ll just ask him to send more."
"That wouldn’t be appropriate. Brambleford is facing such a crisis, and I’m taking his things for free." Alaric said.
Lady Isolde chuckled. "Your Majesty’s words today are worth countless glass goblets. How could it be considered taking for free?"
Alaric laughed heartily. Lady Isolde had always been clever, and her words were always pleasing.
After spending some time in the Golden State, Alaric left with the glass goblets.
Even so, he still wanted to help Simon. After all, the reavers’ southern invasion wasn’t just Simon’s problem; it concerned the safety of the entire empire.
However, just three days later, a memorial made it clear what Simon needed now.
"My esteemed ministers, you have all read Prince Simon’s memorial. The evidence is clear: the reavers have colluded with the noble families of Brambleford to attack Dunmere this autumn. What should we do about this?"
In the Imperial Court, Alaric sat on the throne, with ministers lined up on both sides of the steps.
On the left were civil officials, and on the right were military officials. The Crown Prince and other princes stood at the front.
"Your Majesty, the reavers’ annual tribute demands have been increasing year by year. We have already ceded territories like Westham to them, but they’re still not satisfied. Their greed knows no bounds, and their desire to destroy our empire remains unquenched. This time, we must not yield. Only by fighting can we deter these savages."
A minister in a purple robe stepped forward, his voice impassioned.
As soon as he finished speaking, another minister stepped forward. "General Lancet, you are mistaken. The reavers are merely preparing to demand more tribute, as they have done in previous years. A little silver will suffice to appease them. Going to war would only waste resources and harm the people. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider."
"Minister Darrel, how much more tribute must we give? Over the years, we have given enough. The reavers fear strength, not kindness. The more tribute we give, the stronger their armies become. Their horses grow stronger, their supplies more abundant, and their weapons sharper. If this continues, the Eldorian Empire will fall, and you will be remembered as a traitor for all eternity!" Lancet glared, his voice filled with anger.
Darrel’s face turned red with rage. "General Lancet, you have no idea how expensive it is to run a household. Have you calculated how much silver a war would cost? How many soldiers would die? Most importantly, can we even win? Even Prince Ravencrest, with his formidable forces, struggles against the reavers. Who can stand against them in Dunmere?"
"Exactly! If not for the annual tribute, would the reavers have withdrawn when Prince Ravencrest’s territory was besieged?"
"A bunch of cowards! It’s because of you that the reavers have grown so powerful. You fool!"
"Stupid warmongers!"
"..."
As the two argued, the court descended into chaos, with ministers hurling accusations at each other.
"Enough!" Alaric roared. As always, whenever the reavers were mentioned, the ministers split into two factions: those advocating for war and those advocating for peace.
Since his ascension to the throne, the reavers had grown increasingly powerful. At that time, his reign was still unstable, and the reavers took advantage of the situation, capturing territories like Westham.
Losing the strategic pass, he had no choice but to negotiate a truce with the reavers, ceding cities like Westham in exchange for time to stabilise his rule.
At the same time, he rebuilt Dunmere to block further reaver incursions. He understood that even if he didn’t cede these cities, he couldn’t hold them. Moreover, he risked losing Brambleford and even the regions north of the Rushmore River.
Adding to this, Prince Gerad had pleaded with him at the time, and Alaric himself feared the reavers. In the end, he agreed to pay annual tribute under the advice of the peace faction.
For a while, this arrangement maintained peace. However, the reavers’ greed knew no bounds. Even after receiving tribute, they continued to harass the borders, repeatedly demanding more. The tribute gradually became a heavy burden on the Eldorian Empire.
By the time his rule was secure, the reavers, enriched by the tribute, had grown even stronger, while the Eldorian Empire grew weaker. The voices of the peace faction in the court grew louder.
Alaric understood the fear in his ministers’ hearts; it was the same fear he felt. After all, spending silver was better than losing wealth and status.
But now, with the reavers invading again, he had no way out. He could only fight to stop the war.
The ministers fell silent at Alaric’s shout.
Then Alaric said. "Prince Simon’s memorial makes it clear. This time, the reavers have colluded with the noble families of Brambleford to attack Dunmere from within. This shows that the reavers have been planning this for a long time. Their goal is not tribute but to capture Dunmere and threaten the heart of the Central Plains. The fertile lands of Bristol City are the source of the Eldorian Empire’s food and wealth. If we lose them, the empire will be in grave danger."
"Your Majesty is wise. The fertile lands of Bristol City must not be lost." A minister shouted.
"Your Majesty is wise," Lancet said, clasping his fists.
At this point, the Second Prince spoke up. "Father, we must be cautious. The reavers are known for their feints. Perhaps this attack on Dunmere is just a diversion, and their true target lies elsewhere. Even if we must fight, we shouldn’t commit all our forces to Brambleford. Instead, we should let Prince Simon defend Dunmere while we wait and observe."
"Let Prince Simon defend Dunmere? Have you forgotten how he fled back to Eldora three years ago?" The Fourth Prince suddenly interjected with a sneer.
As soon as these words were spoken, the ministers in the hall erupted in mocking laughter.
"So, Fourth Brother, are you volunteering to defend Dunmere?" The Crown Prince asked, glancing sideways at the Fourth Prince.
The Fourth Prince’s face turned pale. "I never said that. Brambleford is Prince Simon’s domain after all. Outsiders shouldn’t interfere."
