Steel and Sorrow: Rise of the Mercenary king - Chapter 295

Chapter 295: Interesting development(2) Chapter 295: Interesting development(2) Jasmine adjusted herself in her seat, crossing her legs and leaning back slightly, her gaze fixed on Alpheo as he meticulously organized a stack of papers in front of him.  She allowed her attention to drift momentarily, her sharp eyes scanning the room.

Around the large, circular table, the others sat in quiet anticipation.

Their expressions ranged from curious to impatient as they waited for Alpheo to begin.

To her left sat her grandfather, his fingers drumming lightly against the table’s edge.Next to him was Asag, calm and composed as always, his hands folded neatly in his lap clearly looking akward int her oom .  Across from Jasmine, Jarza lounged back in his chair as his eyes rested on the prince.

Egil’s absence was noticeable, though not surprising.

Alpheo had given him a brief reprieve from his duties, allowing the new lord to bask in the early days of his marriage.  Not that he could add anything worthwhile to the meeting,She thought in her mind as her view of Egil was really low, given also how he had impregnated three of her lady-in-waiting-  Which then forced her to find knight to marry them and take the baby as theirs , something that many offered themselves to knowing full well the catch, only to get in the favor of the royals.

Alpheo finally broke the silence, his voice cutting through the muted tension in the room.

“First, I must apologize for the short notice in calling you all here,” he began, inclining his head slightly as a gesture of contrition.

Lord Shahab, however, waved a dismissive hand.

“Spare us the formalities.

If there’s something worth gathering us for, then speak of it.

I have my own duties to attend to” the man spoke as he had been interrupted when he was planning to visit his mistress.

Alpheo gave a slight cough, whether to clear his throat or mask a flicker of annoyance from lord Shahab’s tone, Jasmine couldn’t tell.She knew very well just how positive her grandfather looked onto her husband, however it seemed that it would still be a long way until he would drop his brash tone when speaking with him, though she knew Alpheo didn’t mind.

Alpheo adjusted the papers in front of him one last time before continuing.

“Very well.

Let’s proceed, then.

There have been some developments in the princedom of Herculia since our departure.” Jasmine raised an eyebrow, her voice cutting in with a note of intrigue.

“Positive developments, I hope?” Alpheo’s lips twisted into a faint smirk, his tone taking on a measured irony.

“For us, they certainly are.

As for the Herculeian prince…or anyone that lives there for that matter ” He paused, as if weighing his words.

“Not so much.” Jasmine tilted her head, a glint of curiosity in her eyes, while Shahab leaned forward slightly, clearly eager for details as he took the insult they sent onto the royal couple to hearth.  Noticing the interest Alpheo continued, his tone more steady “It seems that all the effort we poured into pillaging and setting fire to every field and village within Lechlian’s grasp has finally borne fruit.” His words were delivered with a quiet satisfaction Jarza leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms with a wry expression.

“Well, we did spend at least half the time we were there torching fields and villages,” he said, his voice tinged with regret.

“It’s almost sad when you think about it-all that food, burned to ash.

We could have stored it, made use of it ourselves.We could have campaigned more and attempted to take even more land from him, given just how powerless he was to react.” Alpheo shook his head, his tone firm but patient.

“It was a necessity, Jarza.

We couldn’t afford the time or manpower to gather and transport supplies from every village we passed.

Speed was our ally then, and it’s what kept us ahead of Lechlian’s men, after all the more time we gave him the more he could use it to replenish his numbers.

Besides…” He leaned forward, a faint, sharp grin forming on his lips.

“We can finally harvest what we sowed.” The others exchanged glances, curiosity flashing in their eyes.

Alpheo continued, his voice steady but laced with dark satisfaction.

“For months, Lechlian has been forced to feed thousands of refugees.

A burden he took on, as it was either that or see them turn to bandits .

It seems, however, that all his efforts were for naught.” “And how do you know this?” Shahab asked, raising an eyebrow.

“My contacts in Herculia,” Alpheo replied, tapping the papers in front of him for emphasis, “report that the capital is scraping the bottom of the barrel to acquire enough weapons to raise an army.

His coffers are nearly dry, his resources stretched thin from the last war.” Shahab frowned deeply, his fingers drumming lightly on the arm of his chair.

“That doesn’t sound like good news for us.

Isn’t he planning to retake some of the castles we took from him?” Alpheo chuckled, a low sound filled with amusement.

“Oh, no.

I doubt he’s planning to march against us.

Though it certainly would’ve been an interesting spectacle to watch him attempt it.” He tapped his fingers on the table, his voice dropping into a more serious tone.

“No, my lords and lady wife , it seems he’s failed to keep the situation under control.

The refugee problem has spiraled out of his grasp.

They’ve risen in revolt…and he is trying to raise an army to march against them” The room fell silent as the weight of his words settled in.

The group’s eyes widened in unison, the unexpected news throwing them into stunned contemplation.

Jasmine, breaking the silence, leaned forward, her brows furrowing.

“You’ve planted a spy in Lechlian’s court?” she asked, her tone sharp and a bit angry.

It wasn’t the reaction Alpheo had expected; rather than approval, there was a hint of frustration in her voice.

Perhaps she thinks that I managed to plant a spy on Lechlian’s court and kept it a secret from her.

Caught off guard, Alpheo quickly raised a hand, doubling back with a disarming smile trying to calm down his pregnant wife, as he worried that any stress could harm the child, perhapse it was a long throw but Alpheo did not want to take any chances “More conjecture than certainty, I assure you.

This is the theory of one of my informants, not a verified report which certainly did not come from their court, as much as it pain for me to say so….” Jasmine’s sharp gaze stayed on him, but she said nothing further, allowing him to continue.

“Months before the war began, I arranged for a shop to be set up within the capital.

Its purpose was to provide me with information on what happened within its walls.

Most of the reports I’ve received have been… less than critical.

Petty rumors, mundane accounts of useless information.

But now and then, something of note surfaces.” Hearing that Jasmine’s frown eased as she realized that the explanation made sense and that he did not act behind her back.

As he said so Alpheo reached for the letter sitting on the table, passing it to Shahab, who extended a hand to take it.

The older lord unfolded it and scanned its contents, his frown deepening as he read.

Finally, he spoke, his voice skeptical.

“This is nothing more than a hypothesis from a spy who isn’t even within Lechlian’s court.

It’s an interesting theory, but a long way from being credible information.” Alpheo shrugged nonchalantly.

“I’m inclined to agree with the letter’s conclusions, Lord Shahab.

It fits with everything else we’ve observed about his current state.

Besides, even if it’s just a possibility, it’s one worth preparing for.

If it’s true, we may yet reap a far greater harvest than we imagined.” Alpheo leaned back slightly, a faint smile on his lips as he addressed the group.

“I’ve already sent riders to gauge the situation,” he said casually, “but I’ll admit I’m inclined to believe the reports.

The signs align too well with what we know.” Shahab, still holding the letter, gave a quiet grunt before passing it to his granddaughter, Jasmine.

She took it with a raised eyebrow and began to read.

Meanwhile, Asag leaned forward, curiosity evident in his expression.

“Are you planning to take the field again to take advantage of this?” he asked directly.

Alpheo shook his head, his tone almost regretful.

“I wish I could, but I’ve already started too many projects, which unfortunately are like bottomless pits for coin.

If I were to muster an armed force and maintain supplies again, I’d have no choice but to take on loans, which is not an appealing option.” He sighed, his fingers drumming lightly on the table.

Jasmine, lowering the letter, fixed him with a knowing look.

“I know you well enough to see that you have something in mind.

So stop dancing around it and spit it out,” she said with a touch of exasperation.

Alpheo chuckled, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Well, since you insist,” he said, leaning forward with an almost conspiratorial air, “What is one to do after all when the neighbour’s garden is on flame?Throw wood onto the fire…” Jasmine blinked, her confusion momentarily breaking her composed demeanor.

“What?” she asked, though Shahab’s expression mirrored her surprise.

“Exactly what it sounds like,” Alpheo continued smoothly.

“We will make sure to prolong the rebellion as much as possible, send some weapons and food to the peasant rebels.

And perhaps,” he added with deliberate nonchalance, “strike a deal with them, after all the enemy or your enemy is your friend .” The room fell silent.

Jasmine and Shahab exchanged shocked glances, their astonishment evident.  Jarza and Asag, seated nearby, wore confused look at the exchange of the two as if Alpheo had said something unprecedented, honestly it was a good plan.

Shahab narrowed his eyes, his voice carrying a low, measured warning.

“You’re playing with fire, Alpheo,you are a smart man I’ll give you that, far smarter than many that I know of .But right now you are edging too close to a precipice” he said, his tone heavy with caution.

“If anyone discovers this, the consequences would be catastrophic.

Supporting a peasant revolt is the kind of scandal that could destroy us, and make any neighbor onto an enemy.

We’d suffer a diplomatic disaster of monumental proportions.” Alpheo’s expression remained unchanged, his calm demeanor unaffected by the admonition.

He had anticipated this reaction, perhaps even counted on it.

His mind, as always, had already walked through the labyrinth of risks and outcomes long before Shahab voiced them.

Of course, he knew that the stakes were high.

Alpheo knew better than anyone that a state’s power rested squarely on the shoulders of its peasant class.

Yet, he also understood the latent danger that came with their discontent.

Peasant revolts were not unheard of; history bore testament to scattered uprisings that often failed due to lack of leadership, resources, or sheer force of a knight’s charge.

What made this situation different-and what made it precarious-was not just the rebellion itself but the ripples it could create.

The ruling classes of all neighboring states shared an unspoken understanding: peasant rebellions, no matter how justified, had to be crushed.

The fear that a successful uprising could inspire their own subjects loomed too large.

But there was a greater taboo at play here.

To support rebellious peasants was to cross a line so absolute that it approached sacrilege.

Such an act placed one in the same despised category as kinslayers-an unforgivable betrayal of the order made by the god’s laws .

Alpheo knew all this, and still, he did not waver, it was too a meat too good not to take a bite.

“Then all it takes is not to be found out.

Play it smart, conceal our traces-a matter I’ve already considered thoroughly.” His calm confidence contrasted sharply with the unease still etched on Jasmine’s face.

Jasmine, clearly not appeased, leaned forward slightly, her expression sharp.

“Before you start justifying this plan, explain it in full,” she said, her voice firm and tinged with frustration.

“Then we’ll decide whether it’s worth the risk to act on it.” Alpheo sighed lightly, perhaps anticipating this resistance.

He cleared his throat, setting aside the faint smirk he had worn earlier, and began to outline his strategy.

“It’s quite simple, really,” he began.

“We won’t throw open the gates of support.

Instead, we’ll provide subtle incentives to redirect the rebellion along a path we can predict and control.

Minimal aid-just enough to nudge them in the direction we desire, but not enough to make us indispensable.

Always keeping the dagger at the ready to sever any ties, should anyone begin to catch on.” His gaze swept the room as he spoke, his tone cool and calculated.

“Of course, this requires selecting someone to act as our intermediary, someone who meets very specific criteria.

Especially being utterly expendable should the need arise, but still capable enough to advance their interests.” Alpheo leaned back, his fingers drumming lightly on the edge of the desk.

“I’ve spent time considering this carefully.

And I believe I’ve found a suitable candidate-someone who fits the role perfectly.”