**Chapter 137: The Aftermath of the Civil War**
The rebellion led by Marquis Aiger, also known as the “One-Day Rebellion” or the “Day of Divine Punishment,” has come to an end.
The Royal Army numbered one hundred thousand, commanded by Crown Prince Richard Aiwood, with the esteemed Marquis Iljas Cattleya serving as his deputy.
On the opposing side, the rebel forces totaled seventy thousand. The nominal leader was the Third Prince, Rodel Aiwood, while the true commander was Marquis Berlio Aiger. There were rumors of Imperial forces being involved, but it turned out that only a handful of mercenaries from the Empire had joined the rebellion, and no concrete evidence was ever presented.
The Royal Army suffered four hundred casualties and eight hundred fifty injuries. In contrast, the rebels faced a staggering twelve thousand five hundred dead and over thirty thousand wounded, with countless soldiers scattered and unaccounted for.
The Third Prince, Rodel Aiwood, the central figure of the Queen Dowager Faction, and Marquis Berlio Aiger, the de facto leader of the rebellion, were all defeated. Alongside them fell an unnamed Imperial soldier who had concealed his identity while participating in the conflict. With the leaders of the uprising vanquished, the largest civil war since the founding of the Aiwood Kingdom was swiftly suppressed. The outcome was a resounding victory for the Royal Army led by the Crown Prince, concluding the rebellion in an astonishingly brief half-day.
With the death of the rebel leader, Marquis Aiger, the nobles loyal to the Queen Dowager began to surrender one after another. The marquis’s estate was surrendered without bloodshed, and the marquis’s territory fell under the control of the royal family with little resistance.
News of the victory quickly reached the Royal Capital, spreading throughout the kingdom by word of mouth.
The first to gain renown from this conflict was none other than Crown Prince Richard Aiwood. Known for his earnestness, integrity, and gentle demeanor, he had previously been a relatively unremarkable member of the royal family. However, this overwhelming victory established him as a skilled military leader, bringing relief to many citizens who felt assured of the kingdom’s future.
Next in line for recognition was Marquis Iljas Cattleya, who had already made a name for himself as a valiant knight and was celebrated as the strongest warrior in the kingdom. In this war, he defeated his long-time rival, Marquis Aiger, further solidifying his reputation as the “War God” across foreign lands.
And then there was the dark horse of the conflict: the newly ennobled Viscount Rest Clover. This young man, who had risen from the commoner class, achieved the first strike against the rebel forces and even managed to defeat Rodel Aiwood, who had been serving as their banner. Although it was not publicly disclosed that Rodel had joined the rebellion, every soldier who participated in the battle attested to Rest’s remarkable contributions. His feats were so grandiose that some nobles dismissed them as blatant propaganda, while 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, including Marquis Aiger, who had supported the rebellion, faced confiscation of their lands and wealth, resulting in their downfall. The ringleaders were executed, while those from families that had not participated in the uprising were reduced to commoners.
Thus, the elder statesmen who had secretly manipulated politics during the reign of the Queen Dowager were eradicated, ushering in a new era for the Aiwood Kingdom.