Chapter 141: The Soaring Hawk (1)
Enjoying a cup of tea alone in the club room is a small yet delightful happiness. While it’s nice to drink with Marghetta, sometimes being alone isn’t so bad either.
To be honest, I didn’t come because Marghetta said she would be busy today.
Ah, peace!
In the world before my reincarnation, there was a phrase: “Every cloud has a silver lining.” It meant that if something bad happens, something good will inevitably follow. Life doesn’t dictate that you must always suffer misfortune. What a beautiful statement! After all the hardships I endured, I deserve to enjoy this simple happiness.
Unfortunately, the opposite can also be true. If good things happen, a disaster may lurk around the corner. Hoping for only good things in life is, well, ethically questionable. After all, the total amount of happiness isn’t infinite!
And I do trust in my luck.
It’s about time something bursts!
My luck has been crawling on the floor, so I’m pretty sure something will happen soon. Anyway, bad luck is still luck, right? Knowing in advance that I’m bound to be unhappy grants me an oddly serene heart—damn!
Luckily, the academy, or rather, precisely within the club, is extremely peaceful. I don’t have to worry about any incidents here. The problem is that just because it’s quiet inside, there’s no guarantee that the outside world is as well.
In the original story, two of the groups that were supposed to smash the academy have already popped up. It’s only a matter of time before the other three make their entrance.
Please, just disappear!
Louise managed to reject all the members, causing the original story to vanish in a dazzling blaze. While I don’t know the details, is there really a romance novel where all the male leads get rejected? Of course, the original story must have exploded!
The narrative shattered with the heartbreaking anguish of five men. So, it’s only fair that the five villain organizations should vanish alongside it.
Bringing down just two should have sufficed!
I feel a bit wronged. It’s not like I planned to conquer all five! I’ve already managed to get rid of two by myself in just half a year. Hoping the remaining three stay quiet is a perfectly tiny wish!
But even that modest wish seems unlikely to come true! It’s entirely unrealistic to expect the crazed terrorists to suddenly turn into gentlemen and say, Oh dear, my heart aches for you! We’ll just take our leave!
Damn it!
In this romance fantasy, while the romance part has crumbled into a fine mist, the annoying fantasy is still running at top speed and seems to be thriving even more! It’s almost as if it has absorbed the romance that once was and is now strutting its stuff like a peacock!
With a sigh, I glanced at the communication crystal on my desk. A message from the information chief read:
[The Dove faction within the Five Pillars has fallen. We anticipate more aggressive actions moving forward. – Executive Manager of the Intelligence Department]
It was an unexpected text that arrived yesterday. Just the other day, I heard that the Five Pillars were the most quiet among the remaining three groups.
What the hell?
It’s still horrendous every time I read it. “The fall of the Dove faction”—anyone can tell that an incident is brewing in the air like popcorn popping.
You weaklings!
Just because you’re named Doves doesn’t mean your capabilities should be as flimsy as actual doves. If you fall apart, the others won’t be controllable!
Running my hands over my face multiple times, a storm of emotions crashed within me. A group that was once manageable and calm has suddenly elevated themselves to being a dangerous faction, not only in my eyes but also in the Empire’s.
What do I do now?
Seriously, what do I do now?
It’s a real headache! Until now, the Empire has been secretly pouring money into the Five Pillars. From the Empire’s perspective, the stronger the Five Pillars who oppose the United Kingdom of Yuben, the fewer potential rivals they have to deal with.
The problem lies in the fact that the Dove faction was the one receiving this funding. Supporting the aggressive Hawks and then watching them implode due to their foolishness would only mean tossing money out the window. But who could have guessed that the Dove faction would fall?
I’ve never raised a hawk before. It seems like it’s going to take a long time! Haha, doves only know how to eat and offer no real help.
After reading the message from the information chief, I hastily contacted the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who greeted me with a face full of resignation.
The Dove faction, which had received support from the Empire for decades, unexpectedly crumbled while he was in office. The thought of hearing the Emperor’s nagging must be making him dizzy!
Yet what drives the Minister of Foreign Affairs to madness is something else entirely.
Why would a hawk suddenly fly away? I’m worried they might escape before we can tame them!
“I totally agree. They’re notoriously wild…”
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, sharing my worries, was losing what little hair he had left.
The Empire wouldn’t have overlooked the Hawk faction for no reason. It seemed apparent that should they seize control, they would crash and explode like an eight-cylinder engine hitting a wall.
If that happens, the Empire will lose its grip on the United Kingdom of Yuben, and I’ll likely get dragged into the wild plans to destroy the academy like a hapless character in a bizarre sketch!
But I can’t just hit them without any caution!
The Five Pillars are tricky to deal with. They’re not just some rebel group like the Third Honor, nor do they attract continental-level hostility like the Twilight Cult. They’re also not some obscure bunch like the 5th Empire or utterly uncompromising like the Red Wave.
For starters, the Five Pillars have a considerable presence within the United Kingdom of Yuben. They hold a significant position, almost resembling the main opposition party in politics. Because of that, they can’t be taken down easily like other groups.
Furthermore, even if the Hawks take control, the basic fact that the Five Pillars serve as a chain binding the United Kingdom will not change. From the Empire’s standpoint, taking them down with our own hands is unthinkable! What a jumbled mess!
It’s quiet for now. The hawks must be worn out from hunting the doves!
“Thank goodness for that!”
But who knows when they’ll regain their strength? Be careful, too! Those hawks are particularly vicious!
“Yes, Your Grace. I will keep that in mind.”
Revisiting my conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I fiddled with the communication crystal.
It seems the Dove faction wasn’t utterly incompetent after all. If they couldn’t even stir after taking in that much funding, they’re not deserving of being called human!
For now, the Hawk faction seems to be taking a breather from purging the Doves, and they’re not immediately causing trouble. It’s a small relief, at least.
Perhaps it’s because of Lather.
The warning from the Foreign Minister about the Hawks gearing up for an explosion likely came from Lather. It seems they’ve gathered information on the Hawks to anticipate their next steps.
When the recuperated Hawks connect with Lather, what approach will they take? Will they go for a fiery terror attack? Or will they try to recruit?
This is driving me crazy!
With my knowledge being so limited, I’m at a loss here. Damn it, what calamity am I dealing with all because of these pigeon bastards?
I can’t help but curse the Dove faction for causing this chaos. Had they not fallen from grace, I would not have to worry like this. Curse these fools! I’ve always preferred hawks over pigeons!
…I should just stay put.
When the Hawks resume activity, the Foreign Ministry or Intelligence will surely give me a heads-up. There’s no sense in wasting energy worrying; I should save my breath and simply wait.
*
After much contemplation, I decided against meeting Carl today. It was a heartbreakingly sad decision, but for the sake of our futures, including Lady Louise’s, it had to be made.
I need to be certain!
I bit my lip gently. It’s frustrating to face such dilemmas without even being engaged to Carl yet!
But what can I do? A good man in my eyes is likely to be a good man in the eyes of others, too. I can totally understand that; after all, it’s something I had to be ready for.
My father had multiple wives, so it’s only reasonable for Carl to expect the same. The Gold Duke has twelve wives, after all. If Carl wants other wives aside from me, I will respect his choice. What matters most is Carl’s heart!
But first place is mine!
I can understand having many partners, but I can’t accept being second to anyone! Even if Carl wants Lady Louise, there’s no way I’m resigning my first place!
I was the first to like Carl, the first to show my heart to him, and the first to listen to his past. This first will never be handed over!
I don’t seem to be greedy, though…?
Fortunately, it seems Lady Louise isn’t gunning for my position.
From what I’ve noticed, it’s clear she’s taken a liking to Carl. However, that’s where it stops. Lady Louise has yet to confess to Carl.
Had she done so, Carl would have reacted somehow—either by telling me the truth or at least giving me a hint through his behavior or silence.
Ain’t nothin’!
Carl talked about Lady Louise as if it were trivial—a mere moment that came and went. Nowhere was there any reason for him to deceive me!
In that case, I can take the high road. If Lady Louise is being considerate of my feelings and holding back, I’ll gladly accept it.
Seeing how she turned down various princes and nobles only confirms her genuine feelings for Carl. Also, Lady Louise seems to be decent and not rude at all.
But I still don’t know for sure!
Of course, my assumption about Lady Louise being restrained is just that—an assumption.
Maybe she’s plotting behind Carl’s back, waiting for her chance! I only have secondhand knowledge since I heard it from Carl and not directly observed it myself, so I’ll need to see things for myself.
Thus, I sacrificed my precious time with Carl to take action. Clinging to the present might lead me to lose the future forever!
Valenti can’t be slow!
Decisions need to be made carefully, but actions must be swift. Like a hawk streaking down from the sky, just like the red hawk that symbolizes the Valenti family.
That’s the lesson my father taught me.
Following that lesson, I set out to unveil Lady Louise’s true intentions myself.
If—just maybe—she’s eyeing my first place…
I don’t know how I’d react!
I won’t let it slide, I swear on my family honor that I will shatter it to pieces!
Whoever dares to covet what belongs to me, Marghetta, will never be forgiven!
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