Chapter 369 369-The Emergence of a Desire to Retire
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.
Consequently, Howard stayed for an additional two months, quelling three rebel factions before finally returning to the imperial capital.
Upon entering the city, he found it in a festive mood.
It turned out that it was the Ice and Snow Festival, marking the arrival of another winter.
Howard generously distributed charity, giving 20 silver coins to each household in the capital.
Although the amount per person wasn't substantial, it differed from the temporary subsidies provided during the conscription campaigns.
The 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.
The ability to dispense such funds stemmed from the income generated in the New World and the reparations from the Osland Kingdom.
Howard, listening to the joyous laughter of his people and wearing sturdy, warm gloves, laughed heartily, his guards echoing his laughter.
On this day, Howard began to harbor thoughts similar to those of Margaret, feeling an urgent need to step away.
When he shared this news with Catherine, she wept and summoned the domestic teachers to express her distress.
The teachers urged Howard not to be hasty, arguing that even if he truly wished to leave, the continent still needed him.
The teacher expressed his concerns, saying, "Howard, among all our vassals, only you have the authority to keep them in check.
Once you leave, they will use various reasons to demand more power.
Should 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."
Howard 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."
The 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.
Two 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?"
Howard 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?"
Boshni 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."
Howard pondered over Boshni's words and found them to be reasonable.
However, what Howard truly wanted to know was something else.
Howard asked Boshni, "If I leave, can you promise me not to rebel?"
To his surprise, Boshni replied, "I cannot."
Howard 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.
Dressed in noble attire, Boshni had accumulated considerable wealth over time.
Her clothes, made of brocade, were elegant and eye-catching.
She 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."
With that, Boshni gracefully twirled, showcasing her colorful brocade dress.
She 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."
Howard pinched his nose and said, "Ah, so you fear that after I leave, others might take actions against you, right?"
Boshni was pleased that Howard understood her concerns and nodded vigorously.
"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."
Howard nodded noncommittally, then inquired about the recent state of Boshni's domain.
With 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."
Howard shrugged and asked about her marital life with Alonso.
He 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?"
Boshni 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."
Howard 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?"
"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."
Howard 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."
Boshni then spoke of her married life, saying Alonso treated her well, but he had been unwell recently, often confined to bed.
Howard expressed his concern over this.
Howard, carrying fruits, went to visit the bedridden Alonso.
Now a duke, Alonso owned his own castle.
The castle was grand and well-lit, with maids and servants neatly bowing in greeting on either side.
The large doors, painted in black, were wide open as Howard stepped inside.
A red carpet made of velvet stretched along the path, and considering Alonso's illness, Howard surmised that this was an arrangement by Duchess Boshni.
Boshni herself was a duchess, not just by virtue of her marriage to Alonso.
She held her own independent ducal title and governed her ducal lands.
As Howard walked near the grand entrance, he noticed a figure lurking in the shadows, cloaked in a somewhat faded gray cape.
The moment the figure saw Howard, it hastily retreated and ran away from behind a pillar, as if hiding some guilty secret.
A surge of suspicion rose in Howard's heart, sensing something unusual about the situation.
He quickly extricated himself from Boshni's grasp and pursued the mysterious figure.
The 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.
The hook latched onto an upper loft space, and the figure used the recoil of the rope to ascend to the upper floor.
Howard was perplexed; it seemed out of place for such a vast, open loft to exist in a castle from the feudal era.
Howard 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.
Howard 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."
Later in the afternoon, after visiting Alonso, Howard walked out of their bedroom with a serious demeanor and into the corridor.
The castle's servants and maids, lined up on either side of the hallway, lowered their heads submissively upon seeing Howard's grave expression.
In a deep, solemn voice, Howard asked Boshni, "Did you find out anything?"
Boshni shook her head, indicating that neither the servants nor the maids had seen the stranger.
Howard concluded grimly, "There is a traitor among us."
New novel chapt𝒆rs are published on free(w)ebnovel(.)com