Grande Armée in Another World: The Eagle and the Queen

Chapter 15 - Promise

Cloumille and Bonaparte entered the audience chamber of the Aurault Palace in Riverside City. In the spacious hall, adorned with polished white marble tiles gleaming, nobles were already gathered.

Cloumille approached the red throne at the far end, while her retainers lined up to the left, and the nobles who held territories around Riverside City lined up to the right. Bonaparte stood alongside his subordinates on the left.

Everyone was standing, except for the queen and another man standing on the noble's side, who were seated. With deep wrinkles and scars on his face, the man appeared older than the other nobles, Bonaparte thought.

"Our esteemed allies of noble blood, our loyal and brave subjects. I welcome you," Cloumille spoke first. Bonaparte understood the words without needing translation, as it seemed the same enchantment present in the room during his previous meal with Cloumille now enveloped the entire audience chamber.

"We all welcome Cloumille, daughter of King Gulbas the Unifier," the old man seated on a chair responded.

. . .

"Lord Abydod, this is Tallgrassland, and they are nobles of Tallgrassland. Cloumille is the queen of Tallgrassland. So, shouldn't they refer to her as their monarch and address her as queen?" Bonaparte whispered softly to Abydod standing next to him.

"It seems the nobles of Riverside City do not recognize Her Majesty as their ruler," Abydod replied, further furrowing his already deeply lined forehead.

"Supreme Commander, those nobles standing on the other side. I recognize the man fourth from the right. He was one of the prisoners we captured in the previous battle. All prisoners should have been handed over to Madame Cloumille..." Berthier on Bonaparte's left whispered to him.

"What? Lord Abydod, why is our enemy here so brazenly?"

"We released them after paying ransom."

"We released those who took up arms against the queen? Unbelievable. Even if they were mere soldiers, they are nobles. Aren't they traitors? Why doesn't the queen punish them? They are traitors."

"Of course, punishment is desired by many. However, that man is a powerful figure in this region. While defeating him on the battlefield is one thing, punishing him would make it difficult to secure the cooperation of his house. Although Her Majesty is the sovereign of this country, it is the local nobles who collect taxes and recruit soldiers. Their support must be secured," Abydod replied bitterly.

"........."

The monarch's power is too weak!

Bonaparte inwardly exclaimed. It was something he had realized from the incident in the previous battle, but he keenly felt the weakness of Cloumille's power as queen.

On the contrary, how had she managed to govern the country until now? What had the aides supposed to support the king been doing? Had Cloumille's father, King Gulbas the Unifier, not appointed influential nobles to support his daughter? Why?

"There used to be many who supported Her Majesty, who served her faithfully for generations. But they fell one by one in the battles against Dahad. If they were still alive, if I had more power, Her Majesty would not have suffered such disrespect..." Abydod murmured.

"The Queen lost those she could rely on in battle?"

"Yes. Close friends, relatives who became allies, and loyal servants who served from childhood—all perished."

Bonaparte was struck by a bolt of lightning.

Cloumille had been fighting alone. Losing both parents, friends, and those who could support her, she continued to fight against her blood brother, far from her homeland. How lonely that must have been. How painful. Yet, to continue on the path she believed in, how magnificent that was!