Work Prophet

"That couldn't be better." Miss Rabbit also happened to be worrying about the same matter.

Just like someone from the Double Rest Sect, the Arias family was also facing a shortage of personnel.

This was also a side effect of rising too quickly, less adept in reserving talents compared to those old-established noble families. Militarily, they were still adequate as the Lady had been expanding the army almost consistently over the years.

They had also gained the famed former Imperial Forest Guard Captain Duren, and within the Resistance Army, there were quite a few who excelled in leading troops.

However, they had temporarily neglected talents for internal affairs. After taking Rock Snow City, the Lady planned to write to her aunt Alisa, asking her to temporarily manage the city.

Because Miss Rabbit couldn't always stay here—she had to lead troops to war later, and Rock Snow City had special political significance for the western territories. Since it was now in their hands, they definitely could not afford to lose it.

But this was a large town inhabited by over a hundred thousand people, and Alisa was not a local; managing it alone would not be easy.

Since Romero and others were willing to help, Miss Rabbit naturally had no reason to refuse.

However, the nobles then glanced at each other.

The Lady noticed their subtle gestures and asked, "What is it, do you have other matters?"

It was still the Finance Officer who spoke first, "We are very willing to serve you, but we also hope you can grant us a small request."

"What request?"

"We hope that you will not harm the members of the Figrola family, including Lord Clovis."

Before the Lady could speak, Romero continued, "I know that with Lord Clovis's reputation in the city, you might feel uneasy to let him live, especially when you leave here.

"And we can swear by our ancestors' names that we will prevent such a situation from occurring..."

Ireya interrupted Romero, "I originally had no intention of killing Clovis. I plan to have him and the Figrola family members sent out of the western territories."

"Really?" the Finance Officer exclaimed with joy.

But just then, the nobles saw someone hurriedly run in from outside, whispering something into Ivan's ear which made his brow furrow immediately.

"What has happened?" the Lady asked.

The former intelligence chief sighed, "Lord Clovis refused to surrender to you and has self-immolated in the library."

"What?" Romero was stunned, "Since when was Lord Clovis so resolute?"

Ireya also frowned, "How can a perfectly fine person suddenly be gone?"

"Sir Corki, who went to arrest him, said Lord Clovis had prepared a can of resin, applied it on those books. He originally planned to feign surrender to lure you there, then suddenly knock over the bookshelves, ignite a great fire, and perish together with you.

"He had been planning this for a long time, to avoid raising suspicions, he had been staying in the library for several days beforehand."

"I see, it's no wonder he hadn't shown himself or commanded any battles. I thought he had been scared off; it seems I misjudged him," the Lady said solemnly.

She had not expected Lord Clovis, who appeared so refined, to have such a ruthless streak as to prefer a scorched earth policy over surrender.

Perhaps it was because, as the last steward of the Figrola family, he could not bear to watch his family fade away under his leadership.

As for anger, the young girl felt little of it. She could understand Clovis's unwillingness and despair, and even if it had been her instead of Sir Corki who had gone to capture Clovis, she would not have worried about being killed in exchange for his life.

Ireya still had a gun in her hands. If Clovis dared show any intent of pushing the bookshelf, Miss Rabbit would have shot him first.

The nobles inside the room looked at each other. They also had not expected Clovis to be so bold. It took Romero a while before he asked again, "How did Lord Clovis self-immolate?"

"Oh, he realized that the person who came to capture him was not Lord Ireya, knew his plan couldn't succeed, and thought about taking someone with him before he died. So he pushed the bookshelf toward Sir Corki.

"But Corki dodged it, and the bookshelf ended up crushing Clovis instead. Corki tried to save him, but at that moment, Clovis pulled out a firestone, ignited a great fire, and was soon engulfed by the flames," he said.

Ivan lamented, "By the time people outside rushed in to put out the fire, he was burned beyond recognition."

"......"

Romero did not know what to say for a moment. There were many uncertainties about the incident, especially for those who had dealt with Clovis numerous times before. In their eyes, Clovis was never one to act impulsively.

But no one can predict what choices a person might make when pushed to the brink. Perhaps what the Lady had said was true, Clovis had panicked and ultimately chose a dramatically heroic way to part from this world.

He wanted to tell the world that scholars too could have courage.

Regardless of how Clovis died, this matter obviously was not suitable for further investigation.

Romero and others came to plead with the Lady on behalf of Clovis and the Figrola family members, fulfilling their last duty as vassals, but if Ireya disagreed, they wouldn't confront the Lady.

After all, Rock Snow City was already in Ireya's hands, a fact established, and they also had to consider the lives of their families and themselves.

If they had been as bold as Clovis, they wouldn't have bowed to the Wing Tribe in the first place.

Clovis was dead, and at least he died with a good reputation.

The Lady, however, didn't think much about it. She was not familiar with Clovis, who had always stayed in the library until Gwen suffered a defeat and he was called upon to take charge. Miss Rabbit also had never met him.

She just felt that Clovis had quite a strong sense of righteousness.

Moreover, as Ivan announced a second piece of news, Ireya's attention was diverted.

"Our people have also found your great-grandmother Ona. She was confined in the military's dungeon, where there are several Sabbath of the Double Rest Sect and over a hundred Saturday worshippers. Fortunately, most of them were unharmed."

Miss Rabbit immediately jumped up, "Quick, lead me to her!"

After saying that, she didn't wait for Romero and the others, but dashed out of the room. The young girl whistled for the Sun King, mounted its back, and galloped furiously toward the military's headquarters.

Ireya was most worried about her great-grandmother. When she received the alert, she had hoped that Ona would leave Rock Snow City, but she had refused.

As a result, with Lannita's arrival in the west, Ona was indeed captured by Clovis. Fortunately, Clovis wasn't cruel enough to kill all those he captured. It would have disheartened the other vassals.