RLQ - Chapter 1
Chapter 1: Bloodstained Rose
"Article One: The National Assembly declares that Adele Roland shamefully usurped power that did not belong to her, and as a heretic, brought disaster upon the Empire."
"Article Two: The National Assembly declares that Adele Roland is sentenced to death."
The clerk read out the final verdict. The judges and jurors stood in black robes like a flock of crows, and silence reigned all around.
Adele, the accused, who had been seated, stood up and turned to survey the guards and the crowd. Light streamed into the church from the high side windows, falling on the Queen's silver curls. She smiled elegantly and offered her final defense:
"My original sin is being a woman wearing a crown.[1]"
August 28, 1557.
The first Queen of the Roland Empire was sent to the guillotine during a rebellion.
Adele thought she had gone to hell.
One second she ended her life, the next she was back on the night of the military coup.
Leaning against the carved chair back, Adele, her hand bearing the royal ring of power gripping the armrest tightly, felt information flood into her mind from nowhere:
—That was the hundred years of the Empire's history after her death.
After she was overthrown, the struggle for the throne plunged the Empire into thirty years of chaos. Interference from other countries, conflicts between domestic nobles and commoners, disputes between the New God Sect and the Old God Sect... all these factors led the once powerful and glorious Empire to its demise. Historical records described her as "a capable ruler, but unfortunately unable to resist fate."
"The rebels are coming," the Head Maid pulled the curtains shut and hurried to the Queen, pleading, "Please use the secret passage, Your Majesty."
To ensure the safety of the palace's occupants during special times, the royal chambers of the Roland Empire were often built with emergency escape rooms and many small secret passages. The clamor approached the courtyard, and the light of torches could be seen from the window. The Head Maid could only hope these secret passages would save her mistress's life.
"Don't do useless things, Kelly."
Adele affectionately addressed her loyal Head Maid.
Her tone was unusual, and a very ominous guess immediately flashed through Madam Kelly's mind, her face turning pale. She knelt on the cushion before the Queen's chair, tightly clasped the Queen's hand, and said with a trembling voice, "Your Majesty..."
Adele knew she understood what she meant.
They had no way to escape.
Theoretically, besides the twelve honorary guards, the Queen should also have a National Guard and a Gentry Guard providing close protection. However, Adele knew that the Gentry Guard, composed of elite nobles, had already betrayed her. They had surrounded the secret passage exits, waiting for her to walk into their trap.
The clamor outside gradually grew closer.
The other maids, unlike Madam Kelly, were not so calm and couldn't help but sob. When heavy footsteps passed through the Privy Chamber and reached the door of the inner hall, their expressions were like the end of the world.
Fortunately, the footsteps stopped. The other party seemed to have no intention of letting dozens of soldiers rush into the Queen's room at once.
Madam Kelly quickly wiped away the tears from her eyes and stood solemnly beside the Queen's chair, as if those about to break in were not rebels but officials coming for a regular audience.
The metal spurs on the bottom of the long boots struck the stone, making a crisp sound.
Adele sat up straight and watched the officer walk in.
The man was young. If he hadn't appeared under these circumstances, he would probably have been very popular among the palace maids. He had deep black curly hair, a high nose bridge, and slightly drooping eyes that made him look somewhat cold. He wore a practical, narrow-waisted jacket, breeches paired with long boots, and a black cloak draped over it, adorned with pearls and gems as was fashionable among nobles at the time. Beneath the cloak hung a dangerous flintlock pistol.
"You are being disrespectful, sir."
Madam Kelly bravely accused him. The officer had already crossed the boundary of court etiquette and stepped onto the carpet in front of the royal chair.
Adele stopped the Head Maid with a gesture, preventing her from provoking the officer in this situation: "No need to mind. Mr. Dalton has his reasons. Isn't that right?"
She identified the newcomer.
Robert Dalton, a senior officer of the Roland Empire. He was a New God Sect follower who rose to the upper ranks through the church reforms five years ago. That gamble brought him rich rewards, so he didn't hesitate to join the current rebellion.
In her previous life, Adele escaped through the secret passage and fell into the hands of the Gentry Guard. She only saw him later in court during the National Assembly's trial against her.
What impressed Adele about him was that he was an important figure in the late history of the Empire. Dalton was ambitious, the military leader of the New God Sect during the thirty years of chaos. On the other hand, his personality was extremely twisted, he was feared, and historical records often criticized him.
Adele stayed, not to wait for death, but for the glimmer of opportunity that might lie with Dalton.
—He was from a commoner background.
In fact, the moment he saw the Queen sitting composedly in the room, Dalton genuinely thanked the New Gods for their blessing—if they truly existed. Now, he had secured the most important piece in this uprising before those noble fools.
Dalton stepped closer and carefully examined his "chess piece."
In an instant, he realized there was no more dazzling chess piece than this.
The young Queen sat on the royal chair adorned with gems along its edges, her silken silver curls cascading over a shell-shaped shawl. Today she wore an open-fronted coat, a fitted mid-sleeved dress wrapping her graceful figure like petals, spreading out layer by layer below her slender waist. The ruby known as the "Heart of the Empire" rested on her chest, which was almost translucent in its paleness.
She was watching him.
More captivating than the "Heart of the Empire" were her rose-colored eyes. In the candlelight, they were as beautiful as an unreal dream.
The Imperial Rose.
Dalton recalled the name the people of Roland used for this ill-fated Queen when she was still a princess. Now, even Dalton, who was called an "uncultured commoner" and "blade of war" by his political enemies, realized the rumors were true—this Queen was indeed breathtakingly beautiful.
The Queen extended a long, graceful hand towards him.
Dalton hesitated briefly, then stepped onto the cushion before the Queen's chair, knelt down, and performed a hand-kissing greeting: "Everything is arranged. For your safety, please leave with me. Your Majesty."
"After we leave, will we go west or east, sir?"
Adele asked.
Dalton was too close to her; she smelled the lingering scent of gunpowder and blood on him.
To the west of the imperial capital was the infamous Whitehall Prison, where she was imprisoned by the great nobles after the uprising in her previous life. To the east was the royal Day Palace on the White River, which had stronger military defenses. In her previous life, she had intended to go there to organize defenses and counterattacks.
"To a safe place."
Dalton cleverly avoided the test hidden in the Queen's words. He wasn't here to be a loyal guard. But telling such a beauty directly that he was taking her to prison felt too cruel even to him.
"And then wait for your mercenaries to land from the west, and while those nobles and priests are drunk on victory, seize their ports. Is that right?"
Adele said softly.
This was something she learned from her rebirth, and it was the lifeline she had to grasp.
She knew exactly what kind of person Dalton was—a complete and utter opportunist. To survive at his hands, she had to prove that her being alive was more beneficial to him. And conveniently, she knew what he needed.
Dalton was a commoner, and the Roland Empire's political system had been rigid for a long time. Her three years of rule weren't enough to change much. There was a natural antagonism between commoners and nobles. The great nobles, who followed the Old God faith, would find it difficult to allow a commoner like Dalton to take a share of the power they had monopolized.
Once she died, the struggle for the throne would resume, and the nobles would seize the opportunity to expel Dalton.
Dalton wasn't a fool; he was a gambler. His involvement in the chaos had its own scheme—the thirteen foreign ports on the western side of the Roland Empire.
"Who told you all this, Your esteemed Majesty?"
Dalton suddenly stood up.
A short, piercing scream.
The flintlock pistol hanging under Dalton's cloak disappeared and was pressed against the Queen's forehead with lightning speed. With just a twitch of his finger, the Queen of the Roland Empire would die on the spot. The maids were so frightened they collapsed onto the floor, some even tightly closing their eyes.
Adele reached out and, with a strong movement, firmly stopped Madam Kelly, who had instinctively tried to rush forward.
Dalton knew those nobles wouldn't tolerate him.
They were just waiting to put an Old God Sect follower on the throne and then drive him, this fellow from the mud, out of the army. To this end, he had allied with New God Sect forces abroad and secretly hired a mercenary group with the help of spies, preparing to seize territory first while the nobles were fighting over the new king.
These matters were secret; even his direct guards didn't know.
If this was exposed beforehand, those who were watching him like hyenas would not hesitate to send him to the gallows along with a charge of "treason."
"How did you know?"
Dalton pressed.
Madam Kelly could almost smell the choking scent of gunpowder before her eyes; she was on the verge of fainting, yet her mistress remained calm and composed.
"I am the Queen, sir."
Adele smiled.
Dalton found that beneath the crown, the Queen's eyes were not only like deep red roses but also like the fresh blood surging from a heart.
"Is the title of Regent Minister not as good as Governor of the Thirteen Ports?" Adele asked like an innocent child, "With your bravery, you can easily suppress those rioters and rebels, and upon reaching the Day Palace, you will become an uncrowned king."
"You are inciting me to fight against the lords surrounding the castle outside."
Dalton rubbed his finger back and forth on the trigger, revealing a sharp smile.
Adele raised her hand, grasped the cold barrel of the gun, and guided it down to rest against her snow-white left breast. As she did this, her magnificent eyes remained fixed on the ambitious officer.
The gun did not fire.
"Don't you want to conquer Roland? And..."
Adele, holding the gun against her heart, leaned forward, closer to Dalton. She paused, her voice lingering on her tongue, taking on an almost bewitching and wicked allure.
"Conquer me."
Author's Note: Missed the note, adding it now~
[1] Adapted from "The only crime you care about me committing is that I am a woman, a woman wearing a crown" - The Queen in the Wind
I've made some changes to the setting, reducing fantasy elements. In this book, I want to try exploring court and social life, which is less common for tyrant characters.
The plot and the 'shura field' (intense conflict/rivalry) are equally important, it's not a traditional 'shura field' _(:ะท」∠)_ The Queen is a true femme fatale, and the cover is my stunning daughter. See the synopsis for other things to note. This is a series where everyone, male and female, is a bit crazy. It's a 'letting loose' kind of story (though I don't know if I can truly let loose).
That's about it. It feels like a long time since I last saw you all, I'm a bit unaccustomed.
A new story, I hope to continue this journey with everyone.
Daily updates, the update time will be fixed at midnight from now on.
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