Chapter 174

The generals gathered here, seemingly for a simple birthday invitation.

However… there was a common thread among everyone present.

That is… aside from their personal friendships with Napoleona, they all harbored dissatisfaction and concern regarding the current state of the country.

And the birthday invitation document sent to them by Napoleona contained a message stating the following.

In this chaotic time, while we celebrate together, I hope we can candidly share the stories that we usually cannot voice.

On the surface, it could be interpreted as just an invitation to eat, drink, and chatter at a birthday party, but no one in the room lacked the insight to see beyond that.

The only person with the power to openly oppose Robes Fiora in this country was none other than Napoleona.

Given that she herself deemed the current situation “chaotic,” it was not something to be taken lightly.

With their hearts steeled for the occasion, they gathered…

And then, Napoleona began to speak earnestly.

“First of all, you all know who is present here. Each of you has devoted yourselves tirelessly to protect this country. From the recent conflicts with Brittania to the far-reaching colonial independence wars. You have spent years, some even decades, on the battlefield.”

As Napoleona spoke, memories from the past flickered through the minds of the generals.

The battlegrounds rife with gunfire, cannonballs, and magic.

They had always fought for their country there.

Many of them had faced life-threatening experiences countless times…

Yet, rather than dampening their spirits, those memories remained in their hearts as a deep, heartfelt pride.

The pride of having risked their lives to protect this country.

At that moment, when the emotions of the soldiers were fully awakened…

Napoleona spoke to them in a heavier tone.

“Thanks to your dedication, this country has survived until today. I, too, as one of those soldiers, take pride in my commitment to the nation. But… lately, I find myself contemplating this: Is this country really alright as it is… if things continue like this, will the land we have fought for with our lives truly crumble?”

In silence, the generals nodded in agreement to Napoleona’s words.

They too had been speaking similar sentiments just a moment prior.

“If you visit the market right now, you will see. Due to price caps, the supply of food has plummeted, leaving people to buy food at exorbitant prices from the black market, often paying a premium on top. Those caught are taken to the guillotine, justified by the law. This is the current reality of our country… the Republic of Frantz.”

The atmosphere began to grow more intense.

In that charged environment, Napoleona took a deep breath and scanned the room before continuing.

“We are all people who have dedicated our lives to protect this country. With such a reality, how can we, as soldiers, stand idly by?”

“Then… what do you propose we do?”

Charlotte inquired in a calm voice, looking intently at Napoleona.

Responding seriously, Napoleona said, “We must correct it. With our own hands. We must prune the errant branches of the tree.”

“That means… you’re suggesting rebellion… a coup d’état?”

The words slipped out of Charlotte’s mouth.

But Napoleona responded without a hint of hesitation.

“Let’s use the noble term ‘revolution’ instead, Charlotte.”

“Um…”

Heeding the subtle warning about word choice, Charlotte kept her mouth shut for the time being.

Amidst the increasingly heavy atmosphere, Napoleona looked each general in the eye and continued with steady words.

“After all, the majority of us here have already revolted once, haven’t we? The revolution to drive away the filthy Duke Ocleang and his subordinates. What we will do this time is merely to go through that process once more. For this country… and for the countless citizens who are still unjustly falling victim.”

“…”

The soldiers remained silent.

They had prepared themselves to accept the gravity of the matter.

However, the word ‘rebellion’ weighed heavily on their hearts.

Especially under the shadow of the terror politics where heads continue to roll.

Just as everyone was hesitant to step forward…

“I… will follow General Napoleona.”

Janglan stood up first.

Following suit, Myura also rose from his seat and declared, “If the country collapses, we all die. I will follow too.”

Two young generals expressed their support.

Given that they were both close aides of Napoleona, it seemed natural for them to show their backing.

However, once the dam had broken, the tide began to flow freely.

“Well then… let’s give it a shot. I, Bernadotte, will join as well.”

“I, Michelle, will do the same. I will follow you.”

One by one, more generals voiced their support.

Watching them…

Charlotte, who had many thoughts swirling in her mind, also steeled her resolve.

“I have been a sinner who has pointed a knife at the people until now. Since it’s come to this, I will dedicate this one life for their redemption.”

“Thank you, General Charlotte.”

“Thank you for your decision, senior.”

Thus, the generals resolved to unite their efforts.

Shortly thereafter, they immediately began to plan for the rebellion…

No, the revolution.

“The rough outline is already in place. In about three days, Robes Fiora is scheduled to give a speech at the assembly. Then, we will mobilize the individuals we have prepared to deliberately disrupt the atmosphere.”

“There has been much dissatisfaction with Robes Fiora within the assembly as well. Up until now, her eloquence has kept the situation under control, but if the atmosphere changes, it could provoke some chaos for a while.”

“Seizing that opportunity… we will immediately move the soldiers we bring along to kidnap Robes Fiora. Once we have her in our grasp, we will have succeeded more than halfway.”

“But if that comes to light, Maraang and his ilk won’t just sit idly by. Even if we are the ones who can move the army, that is still limited to outside the city. Getting through into the inner areas will inevitably take time.”

Currently, the Central Army stationed at Pare was under the control of Maraang and Robes Fiora’s inner circle.

Their numbers amounted to a staggering 10,000.

If they began moving organizationally, even if they managed to kidnap Robes Fiora, the plan would surely encounter serious setbacks.

In response, Napoleona began discussing her premeditated thoughts.

“There are about two countermeasures for that. The first is to take advantage of the night and gather our forces inside the capital ahead of time. While it has its limits, it is certainly better than confronting them barehanded.”

“Indeed… with caution, it might not be impossible. What is the second option?”

“This place.”

With those words, Napoleona pointed at something on the map.

The generals gasped slightly at the sight.

“This is… the underground waterway?”

“Correct. Utilizing this route across Pare centered around the Seine River, it wouldn’t be impossible to infiltrate the army.”

Perfectly coinciding with the season when the rivers were freezing over in winter, moving along the thin layer of ice would pose little difficulty.

The minor drawback was that no matter how frozen, it wouldn’t smell very pleasant.

Thus, Napoleona’s group aimed to resolve the situation by infiltrating with a large military force.

At that moment…

Watching them, Charlotte timidly raised her hand and said, “I would like to speak about that.”

“What is it? Please, go ahead.”

“I cannot say I’m 100% certain. But… if we succeed, we might mitigate the damage caused by battle as much as possible.”

“Do you have a method?”

Napoleona asked with a serious expression.

Charlotte shared with everyone the thoughts she harbored.

A plan that was incredibly dangerous but would yield certain effects if successful.

Those gathered there expressed their concerns, yet Charlotte smiled confidently.

“Don’t worry. Despite appearances, I’m also a seasoned member of the Central Army. Creating an escape route is quite simple for me.”

“…Is that so?”

“If so, I won’t oppose it. But be cautious. There’s no need to take unnecessary risks.”

“Yes, I understand well.”

After establishing the overall plan, the generals rose from their seats.

Watching them, Napoleona spoke in a serious tone.

“As you all know, this endeavor carries the future of our nation and all our lives. I ask you to give your utmost effort from your respective positions.”

The generals once again exchanged determined glances.

Feeling the resolve within them, Napoleona spoke with solemn determination.

“Remember. If we fail, it’s rebellion, if we succeed, it’s revolution.”