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n?Afterward, Howard did not rush to leave, for such drastic territorial expansion was bound to impact the new colonial base, inevitably leading to a surge in rebel activity in the short term.

nConsequently, Howard stayed for an additional two months, quelling three rebel factions before finally returning to the imperial capital.

nUpon entering the city, he found it in a festive mood.

nIt turned out that it was the Ice and Snow Festival, marking the arrival of another winter.

nHoward generously distributed charity, giving 20 silver coins to each household in the capital.

nAlthough the amount per person wasn’t substantial, it differed from the temporary subsidies provided during the conscription campaigns.

nThe capital city, being the historical heart of the Oli Kingdom and its most populous, was bustling, especially now with Howard having shifted his primary title from King of the Oungria region to King of the Oli Kingdom, attracting a continuous stream of migrants from Oungria.

nThe ability to dispense such funds stemmed from the income generated in the New World and the reparations from the Osland Kingdom.

nHoward, listening to the joyous laughter of his people and wearing sturdy, warm gloves, laughed heartily, his guards echoing his laughter.

nOn this day, Howard began to harbor thoughts similar to those of Margaret, feeling an urgent need to step away.

nWhen he shared this news with Catherine, she wept and summoned the domestic teachers to express her distress.

nThe teachers urged Howard not to be hasty, arguing that even if he truly wished to leave, the continent still needed him.

nThe teacher expressed his concerns, saying, “Howard, among all our vassals, only you have the authority to keep them in check.

nOnce you leave, they will use various reasons to demand more power.

nShould we grant it to them, or not? And who will be the supreme ruler of the nation after you depart? These are all pressing issues.”

nHoward responded, “I can transform the nation into a ‘learning country,’ where the entire population engages in education. This task could be overseen by you and other people’s teachers. The nobility can be retained but must operate under the control of the national teachers.”

nThe teacher, still apprehensive, felt that such a significant transformation was not to be taken lightly, fearing that any misstep could lead to the collapse of such a large country.

nTwo weeks later, Boshni returned to Balgen Peninsula on a white horse and asked Howard, “Your Majesty, I’ve heard rumors about you considering abdication. Is that true?”

nHoward chuckled and replied, “Abdicate? I never used those words. What I’m planning is not an abdication; it’s a reorganization of the state. Since the future state will not have a king, how can it be called abdication?” .

nBoshni retorted, “Regardless of the specifics, once the state is without a king, you, as the former King of Oli Kingdom, would naturally be abdicating. Whether it’s a voluntary or involuntary abdication, you will still be referred to as having abdicated.”

nHoward pondered over Boshni’s words and found them to be reasonable.

nHowever, what Howard truly wanted to know was something else.

nHoward asked Boshni, “If I leave, can you promise me not to rebel?”

nTo his surprise, Boshni replied, “I cannot.” .𝒎

nHoward was taken aback, having expected her to show the same compliance as Bosiden and Vettel had previously discussed, but instead, Boshni boldly declared her refusal in front of him.

nDressed in noble attire, Boshni had accumulated considerable wealth over time.

nHer clothes, made of brocade, were elegant and eye-catching.

nShe explained, “Your Majesty, I have restructured the nobility within my domain. Some have gained more lands, others have lost theirs. In the end, I was the one who benefited the most.”

nWith that, Boshni gracefully twirled, showcasing her colorful brocade dress.

nShe continued, “Your Majesty, any superior lord seeking absolute power would deepen the feudal structure, attempting to transform what was originally a historically formed feudal hierarchy into one that is personally curated with loyal nobles.”

nHoward pinched his nose and said, “Ah, so you fear that after I leave, others might take actions against you, right?”

nBoshni was pleased that Howard understood her concerns and nodded vigorously.

n“Yes, exactly, Your Majesty. Your benevolent and ambitious nature, your expansions and explorations, have allowed us vassals to live more comfortably than nobles in other nations. But if someone else comes to power and changes the policies, and we face policies we dislike, we would definitely use force to defend our feudal rights. Your Majesty, please reconsider your decision.”

nHoward nodded noncommittally, then inquired about the recent state of Boshni’s domain.

nWith a hearty laugh, Boshni boasted, “Heh, ever since I got them all in line, they’ve been listening to me without question. It’s incredibly easy to command them now.”

nHoward shrugged and asked about her marital life with Alonso.

nHe said, “Boshni, you know I’ve always seen you as a sister. When you told me you wanted to marry Alonso, I was genuinely surprised. In the tasks I assigned, I never had you two work together. So, I’ve always been curious about how you met Alonso and gradually started a relationship?”

nBoshni giggled, her smile wide, “Hehe, I used to breed horses, right? Alonso might not be as shrewd or capable as Bosiden and Vettel, but he’s a gentle soul. Once, he came to the stables to pick a horse and accidentally chose one that was in a foul mood that day. He got thrown off the horse’s back.”

nHoward exclaimed in surprise, “Really? That’s quite an incident. Most nobles would have taken their anger out on the stable owner. Did he blame you afterward?”

n“No,” Boshni replied, “He didn’t. He just got up, rubbed the back of his head, and gave me this silly, endearing smile. That’s when I started taking an interest in him.”

nHoward nodded, “Hmm, a noble like Alonso, we could do without another, but missing one like him might tarnish the reputation of the nobility. That’s one reason why I keep granting him titles.”

nBoshni then spoke of her married life, saying Alonso treated her well, but he had been unwell recently, often confined to bed.

nHoward expressed his concern over this.

nHoward, carrying fruits, went to visit the bedridden Alonso.

nNow a duke, Alonso owned his own castle.

nThe castle was grand and well-lit, with maids and servants neatly bowing in greeting on either side.

nThe large doors, painted in black, were wide open as Howard stepped inside.

nA red carpet made of velvet stretched along the path, and considering Alonso’s illness, Howard surmised that this was an arrangement by Duchess Boshni.

nBoshni herself was a duchess, not just by virtue of her marriage to Alonso.

nShe held her own independent ducal title and governed her ducal lands.

nAs Howard walked near the grand entrance, he noticed a figure lurking in the shadows, cloaked in a somewhat faded gray cape.

nThe moment the figure saw Howard, it hastily retreated and ran away from behind a pillar, as if hiding some guilty secret.

nA surge of suspicion rose in Howard’s heart, sensing something unusual about the situation.

nHe quickly extricated himself from Boshni’s grasp and pursued the mysterious figure.

nThe figure dashed to the other end of the room, and with a swift extension of his right arm, released something resembling a rope, its end equipped with a grappling hook.

nThe hook latched onto an upper loft space, and the figure used the recoil of the rope to ascend to the upper floor.

nHoward was perplexed; it seemed out of place for such a vast, open loft to exist in a castle from the feudal era.

nHoward shared his confusion with Boshni, who explained that it was Nora who had suggested such a renovation to Alonso, claiming it would make the interior of the castle feel more spacious.

nHoward scoffed at the notion, realizing he couldn’t follow the figure, and told Boshni in frustration, “Check every person in the castle right now. I suspect that person might have ill intentions towards Alonso.”

nLater in the afternoon, after visiting Alonso, Howard walked out of their bedroom with a serious demeanor and into the corridor.

nThe castle’s servants and maids, lined up on either side of the hallway, lowered their heads submissively upon seeing Howard’s grave expression.

nIn a deep, solemn voice, Howard asked Boshni, “Did you find out anything?”

nBoshni shook her head, indicating that neither the servants nor the maids had seen the stranger.

nHoward concluded grimly, “There is a traitor among us.”

nVisit 𝘳𝑎.𝗇t

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