Chapter 992: Chapter 50 Mountains_3

Richard Lietyang wiped away his tears, stood up straight to give a salute, turned around, and left the tent of the Imperial Palace.

As soon as the prince left, the previously silent Empress immediately couldn’t help but defend her son: “He’s only eighteen years old!”

“I was already campaigning alongside the late Emperor at the age of fifteen.”

“Richard is different from you.”

“Indeed, he is different.” The Emperor frowned slightly: “I left him in your care, yet he failed to inherit any of the Lietyang family’s robust and straightforward nature. Instead, he learned to act like a whimpering woman, fearful as a mouse upon seeing a cat when he meets me. I simply dislike his deceptive and effeminate demeanor.”

“Have you ever considered that it might be your overbearing nature that terrifies Richard so much?” Empress Diana retorted in grief. “Ask yourself, have you ever hugged him? Have you ever kissed him? Have you ever let him play on your lap? Not even once! How could he not fear you?!”

“Diana.” The Emperor looked into the eyes of the Empress: “If he can’t even handle me, how is he supposed to face the responsibilities and adversities I deal with?”

The Empress was speechless, grief-stricken, and suddenly burst into tears, covering her face.

The Emperor sat quietly for a while– even being an Emperor, he also had familial troubles that were hard to clarify.

“The ‘Grand Council’ of the Senas Alliance will be held next month in Varn.” The Emperor paused for a moment: “Let Richard replace Earl Narzia in attending it. Allow him to step out of the Imperial Palace and see the vast world–rather than continuing to be a ‘caged bird’ by your side.”

Earl Narzia, the Emperor’s Chief Minister of Seals and responsible for diplomacy, often represented the Emperor on missions. It was undoubtedly a great opportunity for Prince Richard to replace Earl Narzia in visiting the Senas Alliance.

Empress Diana was first elated to the point of ecstasy, but then anxiety soon occupied her heart: “The territory of the southern rebels? Would it be dangerous for Richard to go there? What if the rebels took Richard hostage? Could they…”

The brief display of true emotions disappeared, the Emperor stood up indifferently, and without saying a word, he walked out of the tent.

(The Royal Hunt * End)

…

…

Time: The last day of February in the year 560 of the Imperial Calendar

[Note: half a month after the end of the Red River Tribe hunting and the royal hunting]

Location: Iron Peak County, Revodan, old garrison.

Early in the morning, the office of the Mason Civil Guard Officer was neatly lined with a row of people. The already narrow corridor was immediately occupied by half, leaving only just enough room for one person to pass through.

Don’t get it wrong, these people in the hallway are neither here to seek revenge nor to appeal.

They are official officers of the Republic of Palatu, all once served in the 5th and 6th Standing Army Corps of the Alliance, blocking in front of Richard Mason’s door for one thing–to meet Winters Montagne.

Ten days have passed since the Expeditionary Force prisoners of war arrived at Iron Peak County. The municipal government of Revodan arranged accommodation, food for the prisoners, and even deployed doctors to check on, diagnose, and prescribe medication for them.

They received food, lodging, and medical care, but there was no word on how the returning prisoners would be arranged, nor were the prisoners allowed to leave Revodan on their own.

Being subjected to what amounted to house arrest, how could the officers tolerate this?

Thus, they came to demand an explanation.

As Mason turned the corner on his way to work early in the morning and saw the perfectly aligned row of people sitting in the hallway, he felt a splitting headache.

Poor Mason had been blocked at his door for a week, and the alumni demanding explanations were neither noisy nor rowdy; they just wanted to see Winters, and wouldn’t leave until they did.

After such a performance for a while, rumors spread throughout the city of Revodan.

The most widely circulated gossip was “Mason Civil Guard Officer owes a love debt, and the woman’s brother blocks the door to demand an explanation.”

Those who spread the gossip often went so far as to ask pointedly, “Otherwise, why wouldn’t they block someone else, but only block Mason Civil Guard Officer?”

The sensational news added quite a bit of fun to the long and tedious winter for the citizens of Revodan but caused unjust accusations against Captain Mason. The most noticeable change was this: councilmen who had unmarried ladies in their households no longer invited Mason to their homes.

“Excuse me.” Mason backed against the wall, sidestepping toward the office door: “Sorry, excuse me.”

As he was about to reach the door, an arm stretched out, blocking Mason’s way.

The owner of the arm was a ragged skinny man in his early thirties, his officer’s uniform old and patched, but the skinny man still wore it proudly.

“Good morning, Colonel Seber.” Mason greeted with a smile.

“Captain Mason.” The skinny man, known as Colonel Seber, asked emotionlessly: “Is Captain Montagne able to work yet?”

Mason scratched his head, conveying the official response: “Sorry, Colonel, he’s still recovering.”

“As far as I know, he’s been ‘recovering’ for almost three months now, hasn’t he?” Colonel Seber coldly glanced at Mason: “What? Did he die and you’re not announcing it?”

Mason could only smile wryly.

Colonel Seber Carrington of the Republic of Palatu’s Army, nicknamed “The Saber.”

It is said that there are only mistimed names, not misgiven nicknames. Seber Carrington is renowned in the Palatu’s Standing Army for being “fearless to the point of madness,” earning him the nickname “sharpest saber.”

However, in Mason’s view, more than the actual saber in his hand, Colonel Seber’s true sharpness lay in his words.

Yet Mason merely grumbled internally for a bit, as his good-nature rarely let him confront others directly, leading to only a wry smile to soothe Colonel Seber: “He’s getting better, almost fully recovered.”