Chapter 137: The Aftermath of the Civil War
The Aiger Rebellion, also known as the “One Day Rebellion” or the “Day of Light Punishment,” has come to an end.
The Kingdom Army, numbering one hundred thousand, was led by Crown Prince Richard Aiwood, with the Knight Commander, Marquis Iljas Cattleya, serving as his deputy.
On the opposing side, the Rebel Army comprised seventy thousand soldiers. The nominal leader was the Third Prince, Rodel Aiwood, while the de facto commander was Marquis Berlio Aiger. There were rumors of the Imperial Army’s involvement, but it turned out that only a handful of mercenaries from the Empire had joined the rebels, with no concrete evidence to support the claims.
The Kingdom Army suffered four hundred casualties and eight hundred fifty injuries. In contrast, the Rebel Army faced a staggering twelve thousand five hundred deaths and over thirty thousand injuries, with countless soldiers scattered and unaccounted for.
The Third Prince, Rodel Aiwood, the central figure of the Queen Dowager Faction, along with Marquis Berlio Aiger, who was the mastermind behind the rebellion, fell in battle. Additionally, an unnamed Captain of Soldiers from the Empire, who had fought under the guise of anonymity, was also among the fallen. With the leaders of the insurrection defeated, the largest civil war since the founding of the Aiwood Kingdom was swiftly suppressed. The outcome was a resounding victory for the Kingdom Army, led by the Crown Prince, concluding the rebellion in an astonishingly brief half-day.
With the death of the de facto leader, Marquis Aiger, the nobles aligned with the Queen Dowager faction began to surrender one after another. The marquis’s estate capitulated without bloodshed, and the marquis’s territory fell under the royal family’s control with surprising ease.
News of the victory spread rapidly to the Royal Capital and quickly reached every corner of the kingdom through word of mouth.
The first to gain renown from this conflict was none other than Crown Prince Richard Aiwood, who had previously been known for his earnestness, integrity, and gentle disposition. Until now, he had been a relatively unremarkable member of the royal family, lacking notable achievements. However, this overwhelming victory established him as a skilled military leader, bringing relief to many citizens who felt assured of the kingdom’s future stability.
Next in line for recognition was Marquis Iljas Cattleya, the Knight Commander. Renowned for his valor as a knight, he had already earned a reputation as the strongest warrior in the kingdom. In this war, he defeated his long-time rival, Marquis Aiger, and his fame as the “War God” spread even to foreign lands.
And then there was the dark horse of the conflict: the rising noble, Viscount Rest Clover. A boy who had once been a commoner made a name for himself by achieving the First Charge against the rebels and defeating Rodel Aiwood, who had been serving as the standard-bearer for the rebellion. Although it was not publicly disclosed that Rodel had joined the rebel forces, those who fought alongside Rest attested to his remarkable contributions. His exploits were so grandiose that some nobles dismissed them as blatant propaganda. Meanwhile, the common folk reveled in the emergence of a young hero from their ranks, eagerly sharing tales of Rest’s heroism.
Many other heroes emerged from this civil war, leading to the eradication of the old guard of nobles who had served the Queen Dowager. Nobles who had participated in the rebellion, including Marquis Aiger, faced confiscation of their territories and wealth, leading to their downfall. The ringleaders were executed, while those from families that had not joined the rebellion were reduced to the status of commoners.
Thus, the elder statesmen who had secretly manipulated the political landscape since the time of the Queen Dowager were eradicated, ushering in a new era for the Aiwood Kingdom.