Above Pirate King - Chapter 101
The Grand Hall of the Oga Kingdom.
Just after the meeting concluded, the ministers in the palace had all left, leaving behind an empty and deserted hall.
“Cough cough!”
The sound of coughing echoed through the vast hall, emanating from the man sitting on the throne. With a face full of wrinkles and hair completely white, it was none other than the current king, Kapev.
From an external perspective, one could never tell that he was only in his twenties this year. Instead, he looked more like a seventy-year-old man.
“Report…” At that moment, accompanied by the sound, a soldier rushed into the hall, his face covered in sweat.
“Speak!” Kapev waved his hand.
“Huff…huff… Prince Mirren… Prince Mirren has rebelled!!” The soldier exclaimed, gasping for breath.
Mirren was Kapev’s younger brother. After Kapev ascended the throne, Mirren was promoted from the second prince to the status of a prince.
“Oh, I see. You may leave for now.” Upon hearing the news, Kapev didn’t display much anger. He simply nodded lightly and gestured for the soldier to retreat before sinking into contemplation.
This wasn’t the first time he had received such news. His third and fourth royal uncles had also rebelled before.
There was no choice. The transfer of power within the Oga Kingdom was happening too quickly this year!
Although he eventually managed to secure the throne through a series of means, his reign had been short-lived, and he hadn’t been able to establish a firm grip on power. It was only natural for other members of the royal family to have their own thoughts.
Especially after he ascended the throne, unfortunate incidents kept occurring. Tripping while walking or choking while eating had become routine. As he paid extra attention, these mishaps didn’t cause him much trouble.
However, he noticed a pattern. This streak of misfortune was quite similar to what his grandfather and father had experienced!
If it happened just once, it could be considered mere bad luck. Even twice could be attributed to unfortunate circumstances. But three times raised some questions!
During this period, he deliberately distanced himself from the places and things his father and grandfather had encountered.
As expected, the streak of misfortunes diminished.
However, while the minor troubles had disappeared, the major troubles persisted.
In recent months, he had been plagued by an unknown illness, causing his body to deteriorate day by day. This resulted in his current aged appearance.
The ministers of the kingdom harbored significant doubts about his survival. When his third and fourth royal uncles rebelled, a large number of ministers chose to align with them.
Hence, it was only natural for his brothers to have their own thoughts. It wasn’t just his second brother; he knew his third and fourth brothers were also plotting.
However, until now, despite their rebellion, his third and fourth uncles had not launched an active attack, allowing the kingdom to survive.
But Kapev knew they weren’t simply not attacking; they were waiting for his natural demise, seizing the opportunity to attack legitimately!
After pondering for a long time, a hint of determination appeared on Kapev’s face. He took a deep breath and ordered the attendant beside him, “Summon General Stankey!”
Regardless of whether they initiated an attack or not, as long as he remained alive, no one was allowed to covet his position!
“Yes!” The attendant nodded respectfully and then turned to leave the hall.
Although Stankey had suffered defeat previously, due to his good reputation and connections within the kingdom, he hadn’t been executed. He was merely relieved of his duties and allowed to retire.
Furthermore, the defeat was not entirely his fault. The Kingdom of St. Martin was simply too powerful, surpassing the usual standards of a coastal kingdom. As a result, King Kolev at the time didn’t pursue the matter further with Stankey.
However, a defeat was a defeat. Under normal circumstances, Stankey’s life would have ended there, and he would spend his remaining years in retirement.
But with the kingdom in chaos and numerous ministers and generals siding with others, and with Kapev’s health deteriorating, Kapev had no choice but to reinstate Stankey.
Soon, the attendant returned with Stankey.
From the looks of it, Stankey, who had been dismissed and retired, didn’t harbor any grudges. On the contrary, he had a healthy and flushed complexion. It was evident that he had been doing well during this period.
“Greetings, Your Majesty!” Stankey kneeled on one knee, bowing his head respectfully.
Cough cough… “You may rise!” Kapev waved his hand, his voice sounding somewhat hoarse.
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
“General Stankey, I called you here because I have a favor to ask of you!” Kapev spoke with a pleading tone, lowering himself because he knew that among his subordinates, Stankey was the most capable and reliable.
“Your Majesty, there’s no need to do that. Whatever you need, just command, and Stankey will do his utmost to fulfill it!” Stankey replied in a deep voice.
“Here’s the situation…” Kapev proceeded to explain the recent state of affairs in the kingdom to Stankey.
“What! The situation in the kingdom has become so critical?” Stankey feigned shock, even though he had received the news long ago. He knew that eventually, the kingdom would have no choice but to rely on him once again. Considering the current circumstances, it wasn’t his arrogance speaking; he was indeed the most capable of resolving this mess.
Of course, whether he would help Okka or not after resolving the situation was still up for debate.
“Yes!” Kapev nodded reluctantly.
“So… Your Majesty, why did you call for me?” Stankey pondered for a moment before speaking.
“I want to ask if you have the confidence to handle all of this!” Kapev said solemnly.
Stankey’s expression grew serious as he carefully considered the question. Finally, he gritted his teeth and nodded, “Yes!”
“Very well!” Kapev nodded in satisfaction. Then, he shifted the tone of his voice and said earnestly, “Now, I appoint you as the Grand General of the kingdom. You have full authority to command all the troops and forces of the kingdom! I have only one requirement: quell all the internal conflicts within the kingdom within three months!”
Three months?!
Stankey fell silent, and the entire hall sank into an eerie quietness.
Three months was undeniably a very short time, especially when there were more than one rebellion and they still possessed considerable strength.
However, Kapev had his own difficulties. If the internal conflicts were not resolved within three months, the kingdom wouldn’t be able to pay the war reparations to the Kingdom of St. Martin next year, and they would also fail to provide the heavenly gold demanded by the World Government.
The situation would become even more dangerous then.
Stankey’s face showed his dilemma as he struggled for a while. Eventually, he clenched his teeth and nodded, “Yes, Your Majesty!”
However, Kapev was well aware that three months was indeed challenging for Stankey.
So, he patted his chest and promised, “During this period, whatever you need, I will fully support you!”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Upon hearing this, Stankey’s grave expression finally eased a bit.
Afterward, Kapev discussed specific action plans and support with Stankey for quite some time before allowing him to leave.
However, he didn’t notice the glimmer of determination that flashed in Stankey’s eyes as he turned to leave.
After Stankey’s departure, Kapev also intended to return and rest.
But as he stood up, he felt discomfort in his lungs.
“Cough cough cough—”
A fit of severe coughing ensued, causing Kapev to sit back down, holding a handkerchief to his mouth as he coughed incessantly.
After a while, the coughing subsided.
When he removed the handkerchief, he discovered bright crimson blood on it.
Kapev stared blankly at the bloodstained handkerchief, falling into a state of confusion.
Just then, a crisp voice of a child awakened him.
“Father… Father…”
He saw a three or four-year-old girl in a princess dress with pink hair running into the room, opening her arms and joyfully approaching him.
Observing this, Kapev quickly put away the handkerchief, stuffing it into his pocket. He forced a smile on his face, opened his arms, lifted the little girl, and exclaimed, “My dear Perona!”
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