The Lord Of Blood Hill

Chapter 621: Upheaval in Lumir

During the spring plowing season, Henwell has just finished working the fields and is catching butterflies for his child at the edge of the farmland.In the distance, a team of knights comes galloping toward him.

Chick dismounts and comes to Henwell's side, his expression grave. "My lord! Something has happened!"

Seeing this, Melissa takes little Pabos away with the maids.

Henwell asks, "What happened?"

Chick takes a drink of water. "News just came from Lumir. Obilian has become the one left standing. They have already declared Obilian king."

"His coronation ceremony will be held soon. Our people are still investigating what exactly happened. The situation suddenly turned into this."

Henwell frowns. "Back inside."

One day later, the military and civil officials and the intelligence officers are all gathered in the reception room of Blood Hill Manor.

Chick gives a rough account of what he has learned.

Just a week ago, Lumir's eldest prince, Dilio, had already begun fabricating charges against his younger brother Obilian.

At the same time, he came up with what he thought was a good idea. He planned to hand Obilian over to the Western Federation for custody.

The Western Regions delegation would then take Obilian west for trial.

Obilian's guard detail was also supposed to accompany him for protection. When Obilian's personal troops received this news, they immediately assembled, and even Clifford could no longer hold them back.

It looked as if civil war was about to break out inside Lumir, but the night before yesterday, things suddenly changed.

Holy Lake City was completely sealed off. Fighting erupted everywhere, from the royal palace to the city walls.

The entire city passes the night trembling amid blood and fire.

The next day, everyone was shocked to discover that the one standing at the gate, leaning on a longsword, was the second prince, Obilian.

Then Obilian produced the old king's edict and the announcement from the Royal Council Hall, declaring himself the fifty-fifth king of Lumir.

Before the powerful nobles could understand what had happened, many members in the Noble Council Hall declared loyalty to the new king.

The city defense force and the Royal Guard Battalion inside the city, along with the garrison troops, standing army, and guards outside the city, also declared loyalty to the new king.

The other nobles still did not understand what was going on, but they knew it was time to declare their position.

As for which side they should stand on, did that even need thought?

By now, tens of thousands of armed men in and around Holy Lake City have declared support for Obilian.

Everyone also knows that Obilian still has eight legions outside.

Nearly half the nation's army is already in Obilian's hands, and he also holds Holy Lake City.

In this short span of one day, almost every powerful figure in Holy Lake City has sworn loyalty to the new king.

After receiving the news, Clifford leads two personal guard armies and rides day and night toward Holy Lake City.

At the same time, he quickly orders the remaining six legions to set up defenses and prepare for possible disasters.

As for what exactly happened that night, even now, foreign intelligence officers do not know.

Even the local nobles inside Holy Lake City are still completely confused.

After hearing Chick's account, everyone frowns and begins thinking.

In Peace Haven's original estimates, Obilian was not supposed to be the winner.

Everyone, Henwell included, believed the princes could never defeat old King Semson.

Especially not in Holy Lake City, Semson's own lair. Those princes should have had even less chance there.

Rawkins, the chief of military staff, voices his guess. "Could an outsider have intervened?"

Arnold, the deputy chief of general staff, says, "Do you mean the Ika Kingdom? Or the Western Federation?"

Rawkins shakes his head. "Those two are not the only ones with reason to do this. Even Ogiro has reason to throw Lumir into internal disorder and push Obilian, an inexperienced ruler, onto the throne."

Victor, the chief administrator, adds, "Do not ignore the Veil. They have been quiet for a while, yes."

"But in major events like the change of a national government, the Veil's shadow often appears."

"Especially in a struggle for royal power. I do not think the Veil would simply watch the fun without doing anything."

Sera, commander-in-chief of the Southern Military District, cannot help correcting them. "Gentlemen, what exactly happened in Holy Lake City is certainly important."

"But for us, the key question now is how we should face Lumir's new king."

"You should know that Obilian understands Peace Haven to a considerable degree. He knows the explosive power of our industry."

"In future international dealings, he will not be as easy to fool as the others. He should be highly wary of us."

"He is a prince with foresight and courage. Once he becomes king, he will immediately carry out many reforms."

"The target he imitates will very likely be us."

"When that happens, we will gain another rival. We should show proper respect for the reform-driven productivity a whole nation can unleash."

Rawkins frowns. "That is indeed a problem. Then should we consider pulling him down now?"

Chick shakes his head. "No. He is already the king in fact, and the Western Federation has just announced its support for Obilian's right to rule."

Kivel, commander-in-chief of the Eastern Military District, asks, "Then should we join with Ogiro and make Lumir bleed again?"

Ayla, commander-in-chief of the Western Military District, shakes her head. "No. Ika will not allow us to do that."

"They cannot reach Ogiro, so they will definitely make a move against us."

Victor also objects. "No. We just ended a war."

"The people have not recovered yet. In the short term, it will be difficult for us to start another conflict."

Everyone discusses fiercely with grave expressions. Henwell props up his chin and stays silent the whole time.

After a long while, Henwell suddenly interrupts them. "Valentin!"

"You are Peace Haven's commerce director. What do you think of this?"

The others are stunned, and even Valentin himself is a little lost.

Although he is one of Peace Haven's leading officials, the commerce department only cooperates in this kind of strategic matter. It does not truly take part in decision-making.

But since Henwell has asked, Valentin does not refuse.

After thinking for a while, Valentin says, "From Peace Haven's trade perspective, I do not actually think this is a bad thing."

"It is true that under Obilian's control, Lumir will definitely copy all kinds of our policies."

"But the most special thing about Peace Haven is that we only have officials here. We have no nobles."

"If Lumir wants to learn from us, what happens to that country's noble class?"

"We all know that the reason our administrative policies have been carried out so smoothly is that we lack the privileged class called nobles."

"When Obilian becomes king, he represents the interests of the nobles, not the interests of Lumir as a whole."

"Perhaps one day he will find a balance point, but that will definitely take a long time."

"During the period when he imitates us, we can directly poach the workers he trains."

"I believe that with those noble lords dragging things down, the workers and common people there will not receive any real equal right to live."

"My lord, you once said that the more people know, the more they think, and the more they think, the more they want."

"When those politically awakened young people discover that the same effort does not bring them the same return they would get in Peace Haven, they will develop plenty of ideas."

"Finally, and most importantly, Peace Haven needs a rival strong enough to force change."