Steel and Mana

Chapter 195 – Winds of Change

Looking in from the outside, the capital city of Ishillia seemed to be the same as always, no matter from where one glanced at it. Yet, the moment you entered through any of its gates, you immediately realized something big was happening just by breathing in the air of the city. Even in the lowest parts of the massive heart of the Empire, the dregs of the underworld remained hidden and holed up, afraid to do anything.

The reason was fairly simple: the royal guards had been way too active in the past week. Every avenue, every shop, every connection that, even if just remotely, was tied to Duke Jauwn had been visited, crashed, or seized. There were no exceptions but only the systematic elimination of his power, influence, and source of wealth. Those who were loyal were hanged. Those who were ready to betray their Duke and speak against him were also hanged. Soon, everyone learned that only those people who were nothing but associates survived the purge. These businesses only followed orders, never engaged in more than they should, and never were part of the political games of the Empire.

By the end, almost 90% of Duke Jauwn's allies were dead, while the last 10% were pardoned but sent away from the capital, down to the South to start new lives, away from the central power structure. Some nobles found it appalling and began raising their voice, thinking this was an excessive force to be used, and the Empress was going out of her way to punish a family. Those who did try to push through with it campaigned that Duke Jauwn should be indeed punished, but his family shouldn't be killed off like this. Some nobles even offered to be custodians of the family, taking over their assets... for only a certain period of time, of course.

Still, Mirian never once addressed them and never told them to stop, either. Her reasoning was simple: She knew something was off. The courage and bravery they were showing all of a sudden, daring to go against her, yet when Kathrien killed their predecessors, they remained silent. It was as unnatural as it came. She knew it had to be Pascal or people belonging to him who secretly were fanning the flames, so he let them be for now. Instead, she kept enjoying Duke Jauwn's panic, letting him experience how it felt that his power had slipped away, flowing out between his fingers. All of his pleading letters were thrown out without reading them, and all of his begging for audition or mercy fell on deaf ears. It was like the sweetest music for her, letting her savor her revenge while simultaneously setting the stage for her reforms.

The more nobles side with the Jauwn family, the more names she will have, marking them as rebels. She just needs to wait and let people show themselves, the same individuals who will have no place in the reformed Empire and will be gone alongside Pascal. Naturally, not everyone was blind, and not everyone was ready to go against the Empress. Many of those also began to voice their opinions and started to line up behind Duke Kustov, especially from lower-ranking noble families. As the Kustov family became the number one supporter of the imperial authority, they also began doing something that was never before seen from a family of dukes. They started giving to the people instead of only taking things away.

They not only reformed the taxes and tithes on the lands under their control, but they began issuing decrees that benefited the average people. Their decisions were in line with many changes from the Empress, but they were still going beyond what was demanded from the nobles. They not only began erecting schools and public utilities freely for the citizens, but they were also signing off on mouth-watering amounts of wealth to raise others. It was such a weird move that multiple noble families thought the Kustovs went mad or senile, yet the citizens of the Empire began singing praises of both them and Mirian.

During this constant dichotomy, three major cliques began to form within the Ishillian Empire. One group consisted of those who used the name of the Jauwns to express their concerns, demanding that everything return to the old ways. The second group consisted of those who rallied behind the Kustov family, while the third block, at least for now, remained silent, trying to wait it out and see where it all would end up.

"How long will you play around with the duke?" Milan asked, sitting with Mirian in their dining room. He let her help feed him their dinner as he was still learning to use his left arm and wasn't good enough with it.

"Until he begs me to kill him. Sooo... probably a few more days? He had already tried begging the soldiers surrounding his estate to let him speak with me."

"I start to pity him..."

"Don't. He doesn't deserve it. He didn't care when his subordinates begged him for the same thing. The number of families he replaced because they failed to produce or maintain his quota is more extensive than what my predecessor killed."

"What will you do to him when he breaks?" He asked, chewing on the tender piece of chicken she put between his lips. "Will you torture him?"

"No, I had my fun. I'm going to send them to the South, gift them the borders between us and the Sar Empire, and order them to guard it with their lives for two generations. If they survive, they will be able to return and be granted the rank of Duke once again. I will even put it into writing, giving him a slimmer of hope within the darkness."

"And by that, you will seem to be... merciful." Milan mumbled, sighing, "You know they will most likely be against you."

"Doesn't matter. The South is as good as lost. He will die there or become a prisoner of our enemy; it doesn't really matter. He will disappear with hope in his heart and face the abyss again, realizing all was for nothing. Serves him right."

"Please remind me not to anger you..." Milan mumbled jokingly, causing Mirian to hug him and kiss his face.

"You can't! After the deal is done, we are going to marry! When we visit Avalon in the winter, we will do it as husband and wife! Um-um!"

"Wait, are we really going? I mean, to Avalon?"

"Duh. He invited us, and I am curious about what the beasts look like. I only read about them and never saw one up close. Plus, I am curious about his war machines. I want to see their power and know what we will use to kill our enemies. Well, it is more than three months away, so... we have time~! For now, eat; you need strength, and then we will go take a bath, and you just relax while I massage you!" She murmured, whispering into his ear, happily snuggling up to him, continuing to feed her love, enjoying their dinner time.

...
....
......

"Explain." I said strictly, standing before Yuri, who was trying to look left and right, searching for a supporter, an excuse, anything to escape. But... there was none.

"You knew?" Sasha added, sounding just as angered.

"It wasn't confirmed for sure yet!" She exclaimed, trying to defend herself, but it was too late. Her mech just busted her before our own eyes.

We were doing simple tests, preparing to install the prototype shield on the Princess, when it happened. Because the machine works by enhancing the pilot's senses, this expanded to the fact that she had morning sickness. I never thought I would see a mech clutch her stomach and lean forward, giving out distorted sounds of vomiting. It was... an experience; let's leave it at that.

At first, we thought she was sick, but Sasha realized it so quickly that I was only halfway through my command to call for Mikan when she began calling her all kinds of names. Going back to the palace, finally, everything was confirmed, and half of my face was laughing, half was growling because even my little twin imps were in on it! Haaaah... Typical Yuri. Well, I wasn't going to help her out from the pinch she put herself in, so I let Sasha go at her, becoming the quintessential angry mom. Although she was shouting at Yuri, Arthur, and Leyla, sitting in Mikan's lap, were just as white in the face, their eyes locked in on the rug on the floor. Sasha was only missing a slipper from her hand, and she could be framed and put into a dictionary as the definition of Parental Anger.

Mikan herself wasn't faring any better. She also got an earful from her, meaning it was only Luna who was coming out scott-free, sitting on my desk, looking on with sparkling eyes, and munching on a cookie. She was visibly enjoying the show, swinging her legs like a kid in a theater.

"Well!" After everyone's ears were twisted at least twice, I interjected, "This changes things. Yuri, for now, you are banned from piloting the mech."

"EEEEEH?!"

"Enough!" I grunted, raising my voice, "You are pregnant with my kids. You do as I tell you, or I will put you under house arrest!"

"I was waiting for this winter! You can't!"

"I can and I will! Which is more important, fooling around with beast while pregnant or protecting the baby in your tummy?!" I shot back at her, and for the first time, I saw her thoughts finally put things into order. She lowered her head, saying nothing, and just slowly nodded her head. "Good. Luna, you are going to keep an eye on her. Be her shadow!"

"Yes!" She saluted, grinning from ear to ear.

"Who will pilot it...?" Yuri asked in the end, playing with her fingers like a kid who finally gathered enough courage to speak up. Sometimes... Sometimes, I felt like she finally returned to a place in her mind that she had closed off as a kid and was trying to experience a childhood she had never had. Particularly when she acted like she did now. I felt that she even enjoyed this type of scolding because it came from a place of good intentions. Because we cared about her. At least, that was the feeling I got when I looked into her eyes.

"I will." I answered her, and this time, I was the one who got into Sasha's crosshair, but only for a short time. "We can put a newbie pilot into it, but will they have enough experience with its functions until winter? When vicious monsters come to get a bite out of us? Plus, don't think I won't have my own mech! I already have the blueprints ready."

"You will look good in pink!" Yuri interjected the only one who agreed with it from the get-go. "Girls, he is a man. Our man~! Let him play with his toys~!"

"Shouldn't you be angry at him?" Luna asked curiously, pulling on her clothes.

"For wanting to protect me and our child?" Yuri shot back with a genuine, caring smile, "Never."

And it was that when Sasha also let out a long sigh, leaning in, kissing me, saying nothing more but telling me enough with her eyes. Just be careful...