Chapter 59: Revolution Era - The End of the Civil War
In the capital of the Francia Republic, Lumière.
The National Assembly was abuzz with members of various parties gathered to
debate the proposal from Duke Lorraine, delivered by Duke Lafayette from the
frontlines.
“Are we to let these nobles, who have sacrificed countless lives in the civil
war, off the hook just like that? Does that make any sense?”
Naturally, the Revolutionaries, born radicals, were opposed.
“But is there a need to spill more blood in a war that has already ended? If
they hand over the king, we can put an end to this tiresome civil war and the
Republic can reclaim the entirety of Francia.”
However, even the members of the Revolutionary Party couldn’t help but take
note of Nicolas Briso, the leader of the Liberal Party’s words.
The civil war in Francia, sparked by princes vying for the throne and leading
to the revolution, was exceedingly long, and just as much blood was shed.
As the Revolutionary members hesitated, Maximilian Zidor spoke up.
“Duke Lorraine and King Louis hardly have the strength left to resist. With
the withdrawal of the Germanian Empire and the Northern Union Kingdom, their
defeat is already decided, and the morale of their troops is at an all-time
low.”
Zidor adjusted his glasses and added,
“On the other hand, they’ve requested asylum in exchange for their properties.
Given that Alsace and Lorraine were somewhat peripheral to the civil war, the
properties they could dispose of and take with them are substantial.”
Hearing this, the Assembly members swallowed hard.
The Republic’s financial situation was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy,
barely maintaining a balance, and it would have collapsed long ago without the
aid of the Aquitaine merchants.
“Blood may be shed to some extent, but since the enemy’s morale is already
low, we might not face serious resistance. Instead of letting them take their
ill-gotten wealth from exploiting the people in the borderlands of the civil
war overseas, it might be worth shedding some blood.”
“Hmm, but to endure sacrifices this far into the conflict...”
As Briso showed reluctance to Zidor's remarks, another opinion emerged from
the Revolutionary Party.
“What if we pretend to accept their proposal, take over their lands, then
arrest and execute them, confiscating their wealth?”
“Oh, that might be a better option! Those despicable nobles must see blood!”
“Yes, they were going to betray the king in the first place, weren’t they? It
wouldn’t be a problem to repay them in kind!”
As the members seemed to agree, Maximilian Zidor and Nicolas Briso slowly
turned their gaze toward the Central Party.
And upon receiving their gaze, the leader of the Central Party, Count Anjou,
turned his gaze to his right.
Christine Aquitaine, officially just another member of the Central Party but
in reality the one commanding the Central Party in the capital, met Count
Anjou's gaze and slowly raised her hand.
Already standing out as the sole female member and wearing a mourning-like
black dress, all eyes naturally focused on her as she gained the right to
speak.
“Now, on the verge of ending the civil war, it doesn’t seem wise to break a
truce immediately after making one.”
“Cough, a truce with the rebels is a formal peace treaty?”
“Excuse me, but as of now, most foreign countries still officially regard our
Republic as rebels. So, shouldn’t we end the civil war and normalize
diplomatic relations with at least some countries, rather than giving them an
excuse?”
After finishing her point, Christine paused briefly before smiling and adding,
“I doubt our citizens would be pleased if our Republic were to rely
indefinitely on the monopolized trade with the Aquitaine merchants and the
Holy Church.”
'I don’t mind, though.'
Christine didn’t voice the rest, but all the members understood and their
expressions hardened.
To revive the war-torn national economy and stabilize the people’s lives,
trade sanctions from some countries must be lifted.
“What is the position of the Central Party then? Are you suggesting we accept
their proposal and let them go? Or continue the war?”
As Christine whispered something to Count Anjou, he spoke up.
“How about a compromise?”
***
In the late hours at the Duchy of Lorraine.
King Louis lay in his splendid bedroom.
The bed was soft, and the blankets were warm.
Though not quite comparable to those in the palace, the bedroom prepared by a
high-ranking noble like a duke was sufficiently comfortable for a king.
Yet, despite it being just the tail end of autumn, King Louis shivered with
chills, unable to find sleep.
-His Majesty, the King of Francia.
Cold, disdainful looks.
He couldn’t forget the face of the old Germanian soldier who had fought in the
same battles as his father, the once-praised Knight King.
“How dare him...”
Unable to sleep, King Louis spat out in anger, his eyes red with fury, when he
heard footsteps.
Once a promising knight, he realized the footsteps were not just one or two,
but many, and he sprang from his bed.
In his pajamas, he hurriedly grabbed the sword propped in the corner of the
wall.
The footsteps outside ceased, and as King Louis drew his sword, the doorknob
began to turn.
Slowly, yet silently.
As the figures entered the room from the darkness, masked and armed with
swords and guns, sparks flew from King Louis’s eyes.
How dare they, to Francia’s king!
Worthless vermin!
Enraged, King Louis raised his sword high and lunged at the assassins.
“Ha, huh?”
“Argh!”
Caught off guard, the clumsy assassins fired their guns and swung their
swords, but were slaughtered by King Louis, protected by magic.
Blood spattered on his pajamas and bare skin, and after killing all in sight,
King Louis rushed into the corridor.
He winced at the cold touch of the marble under his bare feet but soon was
shouting at the top of his lungs.
“Guards! Assassins! They are after me! Protect me at once-”
At that moment, King Louis saw fully armed soldiers drawing their swords
towards him.
As their eyes met, King Louis realized they had not drawn their swords to
protect him.
-The Duke Lorraine, that old traitor, cannot be trusted.
The words he had once uttered to Duke Leopold flashed through his mind.
King Louis scrambled back into his room in a panic.
His bare feet splashed through the already coagulating blood of the assassins,
sending droplets flying.
After locking the door, King Louis ran towards the balcony.
As he moved across the room, lavishly carpeted, bloody footprints followed
him, marking his path.
When he flung open the balcony doors, the autumn wind cut through his silk
pajamas, making his body shiver uncontrollably.
Below the balcony, he could see torches moving around the mansion.
“He must not be killed, nor allowed to escape!”
The shout from Duke Lorraine, who once groveled before him, made King Louis
retreat back into the room as if being chased.
From outside the door, countless footsteps could be heard.
Despicable traitors.
-If Your Majesty truly is the lord of an honorable kingdom of knights.
Rebels.
-The sovereign of this land’s people.
How dare they, to the rightful owner of the throne.
-The leader of the glorious Germanic Empire’s ally.
Only the unwanted cold voices echoed in his mind, now white with shock and
trembling.
The door began to shake violently with loud bangs.
King Louis collapsed to the floor.
In front of his knees lay a pistol dropped by an assassin.
-It would be better to end your life now, to protect Your Majesty’s honor and
the people of this country.
Only the words left by Duke Leopold flashed through his chaotic mind.
Duke Lorraine had betrayed him.
To save himself, he planned to hand him over to those vile rebels.
With trembling hands, King Louis lifted the pistol.
Tears streamed down his cheeks.
Even in death, he wished to die as befits the king of a knightly kingdom.
He didn’t want to die miserably, jeered and violated by those lowly creatures.
As he slowly raised the pistol to his chin, the cold metal imparted a chilling
sensation to King Louis.
Finally, after several kicks, the door burst open, and the soldiers of Duke
Lorraine, rushing in, were horrified at the sight of King Louis.
“As a king, I choose to die.”
His voice, trembling pitifully, echoed through the room-
“No, ah, stop!”
Along with the screams of the soldiers, a gunshot sounded.
***
As a result of the meeting in the National Assembly, we accepted Duke
Lorraine’s proposal and formally concluded a peace treaty.
Duke Lorraine would hand over King Louis and his territories, and in return,
the revolutionaries would allow Duke Lorraine and his faction to take their
wealth into exile without interference.
White flags were raised in Nancy, the capital of the Duchy of Lorraine, and we
entered the city without shedding blood.
Ballian and I stood at the forefront of the revolutionary troops, surveying
the city.
The people who came out in small groups to see the revolutionaries looked
emaciated and clearly impoverished at first glance.
I glanced around and caught the eye of Louis Dezy standing behind me.
Dezy nodded at me and then broke away from the column.
When the procession of revolutionaries finally reached Duke Lorraine’s mansion
within the city, Duke Lorraine himself came out to greet us.
The sight of all sorts of carriages loaded with belongings in front of the
mansion clearly showed his intent to leave before we could change our minds.
“Welcome, Duke Lafayette. And, um...”
“Raphael Ballian, Duke Lorraine.”
“Ah, General Ballian! I am well aware of your distinguished reputation!”
Ballian offered a blatantly artificial smile, and I asked Duke Lorraine the
first thing that needed to be clarified.
“Then, Duke Lorraine, may we see King Louis, whom you claimed to have
secured?”
“Ah, yes. He has been secured, but you’ll need to see for yourself.”
The odd tone in Duke Lorraine’s voice made Ballian and me exchange puzzled
looks.
Following him, we soon realized why he had reacted that way.
Bound to a chair and facing us, King Louis could only utter moans of pain,
neither screams nor shouts.
It couldn’t be helped. Below his face, where his lower jaw should have been,
there was nothing but a grotesque wound hastily covered with blood-soaked
bandages.
In this state, King Louis was unable to speak human language.
“Um, he... tried to commit suicide with a pistol and ended up like this.”
Duke Lorraine awkwardly explained, and King Louis, tears streaming down his
face, let out a cry like the howl of a beast.
Was it the terror at the moment of pulling the trigger that made him tilt his
head back?
For a king who was once admired by young knights for his bravery, this was an
excessively tragic sight.
“Um, will he survive until we reach Lumière? Perhaps we should request
treatment from the saint...”
I frowned slightly, looking at King Louis’s terrible state.
Despite our differences, he was still her brother; would the kind-hearted Eris
not be heartbroken to see him like this?
“So, can we consider the treaty fully honored?”
Duke Lorraine, oblivious to the gravity of the situation, asked, prompting me
to let out a hollow laugh.
“Yes, it’s certain. You may leave, Duke Lorraine. The revolutionaries will not
interfere with you.”
“Ah, truly a noble of honor, Duke Lafayette. Though our paths have diverged, I
shall remember the honor you displayed even amidst the rabble!”
Duke Lorraine made a hasty exit, and Ballian whistled.
“Phew, is this really okay? Honestly, I’m not sure.”
“Well, that’s...”
I murmured, glancing towards the door through which Duke Lorraine had left.
“The people of this land will decide.”
***
As the revolutionaries entered, the townspeople, who had gathered in small
groups along the streets to watch, saw the procession led by Duke Lorraine
begin to move towards the city’s exit.
The well-fed and finely dressed, dragging carriages full of the luxuries and
wealth they had amassed, were watched by the gaunt residents in stunned
silence.
“Hahaha, well done, Count Pelford.”
“All thanks to Duke Lorraine’s discerning eye, recognizing the honor of Duke
Lafayette. Haha!”
Duke Lorraine, along with Count Pelford, laughed, feeling a mix of
satisfaction and relief.
This property was collected by harshly levying harsh war taxes during a civil
war and by harshly expropriating it until the day before the conclusion of the
surrender agreement negotiations.
Though losing their lands and going into exile was painful, with such wealth,
they could live comfortably anywhere.
Look at that fool, Count Lionel. Fighting to the end to keep his lands, but
ending up with nothing.
While contemplating this, Duke Lorraine frowned as his carriage stopped amid
murmuring.
He opened the carriage window.
“What’s happening?”
“My apologies, Your Grace. The mayor is blocking the way.”
“Damn, just kill him or drive him away!”
“Citizens of Nancy!”
But the mayor’s shout was quicker.
“The taxes we paid to this man, enduring hunger and cold, were given in the
belief that he would fulfill his duties as our lord! But look at them now!
They are fleeing with the wealth amassed from exploiting us!”
“Kill that scoundrel immediately!”
Soldiers, following Duke Lorraine’s order, moved towards him, but the city
guards blocked their path.
“Those loyal to the Duke, listen! Do you think that fat pig will care for you
overseas? Just as he has abandoned us, you too will be discarded! Citizens,
let’s reclaim what is ours!”
The helpless onlookers’ eyes suddenly blazed with fervor.
Duke Lorraine and Count Pelford felt a chill.
Through the carriage window, Duke Lorraine spotted a man in a revolutionary
officer’s uniform among the crowd and called out desperately.
“Hey! Call the revolutionaries. Protect us from these rioters!”
The man, Louis Dezy, stared back at Duke Lorraine and replied.
“My apologies, Your Grace Duke Lorraine. But was it not clearly stated in the
treaty you signed with His Excellency Duke Lafayette that the revolutionaries
would not intervene?”
-The revolutionaries will allow Duke Lorraine and his faction to take their
wealth into exile without interference.
Duke Lorraine had interpreted this to mean the revolutionaries would ensure
their safety.
But those blocking their path now were not revolutionaries.
Duke Lorraine’s face went blank, then flushed with rage as he grabbed Count
Pelford by the collar.
“What is the meaning of this!”
“My apologies, Your Grace! There must have been some misunderstanding,
misunderstanding.”
As the angry crowd surged forward like a tide, those guarding the carriages
threw down their weapons and surrendered or fled.
“Call Duke Lafayette! Lafayette-”
Duke Lorraine cried out desperately, but before he could finish, the crowd
surged like a wave toward his carriage.
His final screams went unheard, swallowed by the tumult.
Previous Chapter〣Index〣Next Chapter