The Cooking Princess - Chapter 114

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Captain of the tribal people, whom Luzhiere called barbarians, naturally harbored resentment toward Claude who acted selfishly and demanded sacrifices.

However, there was nothing he could do about his resentment.

Duke Claude was as steadfast as he was cruel in temperament, and the tribal people, though they could communicate with monsters, were nomadic peoples with small numbers.

Even when they sought help from large monsters, the monsters were helplessly cut down before Claude’s merciless blade.

Their large bodies only provided Claude with more targets to strike,

and when they were driven to the brink of annihilation because they simply couldn’t stop him, Claude made an unexpected proposal.

Asking if they wouldn’t come under his command.

The majority of the tribal people naturally rebelled against this statement and fought to the death.

Unable to bear watching this, the tribal chief declared surrender with some of his people before they all died.

Though there was internal dissatisfaction, the tribal people reluctantly accepted his words that they needed to stay alive first to plan for the future.

Discrimination against the tribal people following the forced merger.

And Claude’s arbitrary decisions on top of that.

In fact, they wanted to desert, but that required courage, and more importantly.

‘To take children and elderly as hostages.’

Claude cowardly took the weak tribal people hostage to make the monster legions move only according to his will.

He said in words that if he became emperor, he would secure positions for them, but the tribal people didn’t trust Claude.

Since he had already taken hostages and there weren’t many tribal people left, what reason would he have to take care of them when he could just frame and kill them after becoming emperor?

They would be fortunate if he didn’t kill them after using them to his heart’s content.

But even knowing this, there was nothing they could do immediately.

The tribal people could only hope that Claude would keep his promises with them while trembling with anxiety.

The Captain headed powerlessly toward the encampment where the tribal people were gathered.

Not knowing how to convey Claude’s orders, he hesitated for a long time before speaking with a dark expression.

“He says to position mounted riders on monsters at the frontline of the Imperial Defense Line.”

Indeed, as the Captain expected, the tribal people in the encampment began jeering.

“He’s just going to use us as shields, isn’t he? Captain, you weren’t this foolish before!”

“That’s right. This is just telling us to go die!”

Those with large builds and loud voices collectively rebelled against Claude’s decision, and those with relatively quieter voices also showed discomfort at the mention of the frontline.

“Does the Captain really believe the Duke will keep his promise in the first place?”

“We are warriors. We’d rather die fighting!”

The Captain also thought those words were right, but since there was no other viable solution, he tried to appease the tribal people for now.

“Our enemy is the Imperial Court in the first place. If we succeed in defeating the Imperial Court and establishing a different emperor, we’ll be able to enjoy wealth and glory,”

Before the Captain could even finish his words, the voices of the excited tribal people filled the encampment.

“Our enemy was the Imperial Court, but it was none other than Duke Claude who cruelly slaughtered us!”

It seemed they wouldn’t be easily persuaded this time.

Since the Captain emotionally agreed with the tribal people’s words, it was difficult for him to defend the Duke further.

But he also couldn’t just stand by and watch them defy the Duke.

‘No. That’s the path to everyone’s death.’

Given Duke Claude’s personality, it was obvious he would cruelly purge the tribal people who defied him as an example.

It was right at that moment when he was pondering how to calm the tribal people.

Some paper fluttered down above the Captain’s head.

‘Paper inside the encampment?’

Bewildered, he picked up the paper.

He thought it was simply paper, but seeing that a letter was written on it, the Captain’s eyes narrowed.

The letter’s content was concise.

[I’ll get straight to the point. His Highness the Prince highly values you who command monsters, and says that if you surrender, he will employ you as administrators managing the northern estates.]

The eyes of the tribal people who were reading the suspicious letter together became round.

“Wh-what is this…?”

“Is it a trick?”

The tribal people looked around nervously.

That was understandable since the timing of the letter’s arrival was too perfect.

Since looking around didn’t provide any clear answers, the tribal people focused again on the letter with its elegant handwriting.

“We shouldn’t make a fuss over a letter when we don’t even know who sent it.”

When the Captain said this, trying to assess the situation calmly, the hot-headed action leader shouted.

“Whoever the owner of this letter is, they’d be more trustworthy than Claude!”

That was… certainly true.

The only way for them to escape from Claude was to reply to this letter’s owner and cooperate.

‘But how do we respond?’

Even though they wanted to reply with acceptance, they didn’t even know how this letter had been delivered.

In other words, they couldn’t respond.

As if anticipating they would have such concerns, the very next paragraph contained related content.

[Don’t worry about the reply. This letter will return to my hands in 2 hours. If you’ve confirmed the letter, you may write your response in your own words on the back.]

The tribal people admired the thoughtful consideration they had never seen from Claude and read the letter to the end.

[If you burn this letter to prevent it from returning to me, I’ll understand it as a refusal. But having observed Duke Claude closely for a long time, I can assert this: The Duke will not keep the promises he made with you.]

And reading the letter’s sender that followed, the tribal people’s eyes widened.

[From Chloe Garnet.]

No matter how many times they rubbed their eyes and read it again, the name ‘Chloe Garnet’ was written at the end of the letter.

“Th-that. Isn’t she the great Duchess called the savior of commoners? The Duchess sent us a letter directly? To us?”

“Even so, she’s a Duchess who’s only kind to Empire citizens.”

“But she’s not called the savior of commoners for nothing, it seems.”

After pondering briefly, the tribal people looked at each other and nodded resolutely.

Whether this letter was false or true, if things continued as they were, there would only be ruin anyway.

It was right to try gambling.

The Captain finished consulting with the people in the encampment and carefully began writing a reply on the back of the letter.

***

Chloe paced around, unable to hide her anxiety, thinking.

‘Did the letter arrive safely?’

Originally, this wasn’t magic meant for such purposes.

Since Shuel had given her a diary as a gift, she wanted to have conversations with each other anytime, anywhere, like a secret diary, so she had simply created this magic with Eshir’s help.

‘I’m fortunate I can specify locations. And I’m also fortunate their encampment isn’t as far as I thought.’

Shuel had shared with Chloe the location of the barbarians’ encampment that he had identified, and Chloe had asked Shuel if they shouldn’t try to bring them to their side.

Shuel said it would be excellent if that were possible and accepted Chloe’s opinion.

There was no room for compromise with the foreign nobles. They would support Claude to the end.

The only ones with potential to betray him were the northern barbarians.

According to the original story, before Shurya’s regression, that is, when Claude succeeded in his coup without warning.

Claude did not honor his loyalty to the barbarians who had cooperated for his sake.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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