Chapter 77 - Boredom
"My lady, would you care for more tea?"
"I will, thank you, Nadia."
Five days had passed since Opal and Nadia were moved to Pasma Port. With no change in their situation, Opal was bored to tears. But that was only them. Cole and the other members of the Anti-Royalist Faction were moving about restlessly, their irritation growing. Eight days had already passed since the rebel army rose up in the Royal Capital, yet there had been no progress reports.
"It only takes three days by ship to get here from the port near the Royal Capital, yet there’s been no word. The land route takes even longer. I wonder if Connally is just pacing back and forth inside his precious Pearl Castle."
"What on earth is happening? And is your husband all right?"
"Claude will be fine. But I couldn’t escape with him, even though I was wearing the trousers you so kindly made for me."
"I haven’t given up hope yet. I’m sure your husband will appear dashingly to sweep you away!"
"Well, when that happens, you’ll have to escape with us too, Nadia."
Opal gave Nadia a mischievous wink. It was to make her seem like she had everything under control. In reality, Opal was optimistic about their current situation. There were guards outside their window and door day and night, so even though their room was on the second floor, they couldn't escape by climbing down a tree. But Opal had decided there was no need for that. It was better to wait here.
According to the rebel army’s plan that Julian had mentioned, if the coordinated uprising failed, the soldiers were to flee by ship from the port to Pasma Port, then hole up in Boccelli Duchy to fight. During the last civil war, the mountainous region on the duchy's border had become a natural fortress, and simply blockading the port had worked well for them. They likely intended to use the same strategy this time. The reason the anti-Alessandro faction couldn't be completely wiped out back then was because it was judged too risky to pursue them further.
But Alessandro would not be beaten by the same trick twice. What she understood now was that over the past four years, while pretending to initiate reforms in the fief, he had secretly been sending many of his own people into Boccelli Duchy.
Really, I was used quite skillfully.
Opal, having not only assets but also a track record of success, had begun to make moves toward reforming the fief. In short, she had been serving as a decoy from the moment she entered Boccelli Duchy, even before her inspection of the mine. However, she figured he only did so because there was no danger, because he could guarantee her safety to a large extent.
"Why!? If the uprising failed, why haven’t the troops reached the port!?"
"My, my. To shout so loudly, he must be quite frustrated."
"My lady, did Cole-san just say the uprising failed?"
Opal and Nadia exchanged glances upon hearing Cole's roar from the next room. Opal smiled, and Nadia's face broke into a joyful grin.
"Just as Claude escaped the attack and appeared at the Lead Mine, I believe the rebel army's plans are failing here and there. But the information was being manipulated to make it seem like they were succeeding. This news must have finally reached them by land. Connally is probably fuming right about now as well."
"Then, then does that mean the rebel army isn’t coming to Pasma Port?"
"Almost certainly not. In the first place, there’s no way they could have ships ready and waiting at the port near the Royal Capital for troops to board. Even if they disguised them as merchant ships or something, His Majesty the King would notice immediately. And… yes, if it were me, I would detain the crew or something, sneak my own allies aboard, disable the ships, and wait for the remaining soldiers to board."
"So it's like catching them all in one net!"
"Exactly."
Nadia's eyes sparkled as she replied, as if she were listening to a story. Opal nodded in affirmation.
"The sea is probably blockaded, Pasma Port included, in a way that no one would notice. So Cole and his men can’t escape to the sea right away. Of course…"
Opal was about to say more, but she closed her mouth as the door to their room suddenly opened. Julian, who entered carrying a tray of food, had a swollen cheek.
"Were you hit?"
"The master seems to be in a bad mood."
"That’s… shouldn’t you cool it down right away?"
"Leave it."
As Opal stood up to wet a handkerchief, Julian waved his right hand dismissively at her. Nadia, who had moved to take the tray, was angered by his attitude.
"Julian. How dare you, that’s a rude way to act when my lady is showing you concern."
"Does getting your concern fill my stomach?"
"Don’t be ridiculous, just let’s cool it down."
Opal tried to press the wet, wrung-out handkerchief to Julian's cheek. Julian grabbed her hand.
"You seem pretty composed. Is this any time to be worried about others?"
"You seem to have very little composure. Isn’t it about time you surrendered?"
"It’s about to collapse from within."
"Hasn’t it already begun?"
Julian pushed Opal’s hand away and snorted. Nadia quickly steadied the stumbling Opal.
"Hey, Julian!"
"You should keep that cheeky mouth of your master shut. It’s irritating."
Julian replied to Nadia's protest and left the room. The handkerchief remained unused in Opal's hand.
"Honestly! He makes me so angry! My lady, are you all right?"
"Yes, I’m fine. Thank you, Nadia."
Opal straightened herself and placed the wet handkerchief on the edge of the washbasin. She stopped Nadia, who was about to clean it up.
"Shall we eat first? It won’t taste good if it gets cold."
"…Yes."
Right now, Nadia was so bored that meals were about her only pleasure. She obeyed readily, setting the food on the table before sitting across from Opal. Normally, a servant would never be allowed to sit at the same table as her master, but given the circumstances, Nadia had decided to accept Opal’s invitation.
"Cole and the others must have finally realized the sea is blockaded. That’s probably why he’s so irritated he couldn’t help but hit Julian."
"So, my lady, you knew from the beginning?"
"Cutting off supply lines, whether by land or sea, is a basic tactic of war. Conversely, you must secure your supply lines no matter what. The fact that they couldn’t do that means the rebel commander is either very inexperienced in warfare, or they’ve already lost the information war."
"The information war…"
Nadia muttered Opal’s words as if swallowing them. It seemed she had swallowed the bread in her mouth along with them. Opal smiled at the sight and took a sip of her fruit wine. Julian only brought them fruit wine at dinner. As with the tea, Julian was surprisingly thoughtful in his own way.
"Eight years ago, during a very difficult time of confusion due to a plague, this country devolved into a civil war over the succession to the throne. Even from my perspective, I was furious at what a foolish thing they were doing, but the people of this country, especially those who cared for its citizens, must have felt that even more strongly. But at that time, there was a prince who spoke pleasingly about being for the people, and he became their figurehead, whether it was true or not. Behind him was the powerful figure of the Duke of Boccelli. But what about now?"
"Huh? Oh, come to think of it, who is the highest-ranking person in the rebel army? It’s not Connally-san or Cole-san, is it?"
"No, they can’t lead a rebel army. And just as we don’t know, most of the rebel soldiers don’t know who their general is."
"If that were me, I wouldn’t feel motivated. I enjoy my work because it’s for you, my lady."
"Thank you, Nadia."
Opal thanked Nadia for her words and tore off a piece of bread to eat. In the end, that was what it came down to. The commanders of each rebel unit surely knew who the mastermind was, but for the soldiers, it meant turning their swords against the king without really knowing why. There was no way their morale would be high. The rebel army's attempt to move without being detected by Alessandro's faction had likely backfired.
"So, does His Majesty the King know? What about your husband?"
"They undoubtedly know. Claude probably became certain when he returned to the Sosylle Kingdom with me."
"In the Sosylle Kingdom?"
"Yes. That’s precisely why Claude couldn’t come to this duchy with me, and why he had to be declared dead before appearing at the Lead Mine."
As she said this, Opal smiled happily. It was a smile like a child's when a prank has succeeded, and it made even the bewildered Nadia feel happy.