**Chapter 118: It Seems a Civil War is Brewing**
“Marquis Aiger is staging a rebellion… What!?”
Viola stood up in shock at Celestine’s bombshell announcement. Her gaze darted around the room in confusion, and the maid standing by the door hurriedly exited, likely realizing that this was not something they were meant to know. Celestine slowly shook her head.
“There’s no need to worry; there’s no need to dismiss anyone… Soon, the entire country will know.”
“…Why would Marquis Aiger do such a thing?”
While soothing her bewildered sister, Primula asked in a calm tone. Though she often hid in Viola’s shadow due to her sister’s strong personality, Primula surprisingly remained composed in times of crisis.
“You may already know this, but Marquis Aiger was once a leading figure among those who revered the Queen Dowager. He supports Lord Rodel, the one whom the ‘Shadow Queen’ cherished.”
Celestine explained in a resonant voice, her shoulders drooping slightly as if she were weary of the situation.
“My grandfather also worshipped the Queen Dowager, which is why I ended up engaged to Lord Rodel. However, in the end, it allowed us to keep an eye on the opposing faction, so it turned out well. Marquis Aiger claims that it should be Lord Rodel, not the First Prince, who becomes the next king. To that end, he has built the Reform Faction and has been scheming in the shadows. It is believed that he orchestrated the chaos during the Magic Hunt Festival.”
“So he’s the mastermind… What a terrible thing to have done…”
Rest grimaced at the thought. The turmoil during that incident nearly allowed monsters to invade the Royal Capital, and even without that, many students had lost their lives. It was utterly unforgivable.
“Yes. Marquis Aiger has already been recognized as a traitor, and it seems he is aware of this. He slipped past the watchful eyes and has raised an army in his territory. Nobles from the Queen Dowager Faction are gathering in Marquis Aiger’s domain, preparing to attack the Royal Capital.”
“A civil war, then… This is truly a dire situation.”
Yuri shrugged in disbelief and popped a baked treat from the table into his mouth.
“I was wondering why my father hadn’t sent any pursuers lately, and now it all makes sense…”
“What are you doing, you fool…”
It seemed he was still playing a game of cat and mouse with his father. The runaway daughter was proving to be quite a handful for Marquis Cattleya.
“Of course, His Majesty the King does not intend to sit idly by while the Royal Capital is attacked. He is preparing to deal with the traitor, Marquis Aiger. Currently, he is waiting for the right moment to strike.”
“The right moment? Why not just attack already?”
“No… It seems His Majesty is deliberately waiting for the enemy’s forces to consolidate. He likely intends to eradicate the rebellious elements in one fell swoop.”
It was said that factions loyal to the Queen Dowager existed throughout the country. The King appeared to be waiting for the opposing factions to gather so he could eliminate them all at once. Waiting for the enemy to strengthen could be seen as a foolish strategy. However, if a prolonged civil war continued, there was a risk of foreign intervention. The King likely believed that a swift resolution was necessary to end the chaos as quickly as possible.
“Earlier, I mentioned whether it would be alright to grant Rest a vast territory… If Marquis Aiger and his allied nobles are defeated, many lands will become vacant. Those lands will be distributed as rewards to the nobles and knights who distinguished themselves in battle, so there shouldn’t be any opposition.”
“Ah… I see.”
Though he understood, Rest struggled to piece together the complex information in his mind.
By defeating the Subnock, Rest had opened up the plains for development. That was why he was being offered a title and vast lands. While commoners who rose to nobility often faced jealousy, the current situation with Marquis Aiger’s rebellion meant that there were far more pressing issues at hand. The lands of the rebellious nobles would be redistributed among the other nobles, which would likely quell any envy directed at Rest.
“Soon, it will be announced that Rest has defeated the Subnock, and he will be honored alongside other contributors. At that ceremony, the rebellion of Marquis Aiger and its suppression will be officially declared. Therefore… I would like you to join the campaign against Marquis Aiger.”
“Me… in the expeditionary force?”
“Yes. The House of Marquis Rosemary will also be sending troops, so I would like you to serve as one of the commanders as a Viscount. Furthermore, based on your achievements in that battle, you will be elevated to the rank of ‘Count,’ fitting the size of the territory you will be granted.”
“…”
Though Celestine’s words were framed as a “proposal,” this plan had already been approved by the King and Marquis Rosemary. In other words, it was essentially a command.
(Is there really no option to refuse…?)
Once again, he realized how extraordinary this situation had become. Just a few years ago, he had been a commoner’s child, looked down upon as the illegitimate son of a mistress… and now, he was a candidate for marriage into the House of Marquis Rosemary. Furthermore, a path to becoming a Count had been laid out before him.
(Freedom has slipped further away without me realizing it… But I suppose being bound by such ties is part of becoming a noble…)
Losing the opportunity to choose for oneself seemed like a misfortune… but he intended to take Viola and Primula as his wives. This level of restriction was something he should gladly accept.
(And… if I acquire my own territory and status, I can pave the way for the future of the children I will someday have. In that case, I should be grateful for the opportunity to rise in status.)
As he convinced himself of this, Rest nodded firmly.
“I accept. I will gladly join the campaign against the traitor.”