Chapter 541: The Hot Spring Mountain and the Strasbourg Rebellion

Charlot Mecklenburg seized the opportunity during the manageable phase of the war to make a brief return to Doviliat Port.

Rovereto, a follower of the Flame Evil God Anururu, had turned the surroundings of this port city into a volcanic wasteland. While most Old Continent lords would consider this a headache, Charlot saw it as an excellent opportunity.

Charlot surveyed the terrain around Doviliat Port and selected the closest volcano. Drawing inspiration from hot spring resorts on Earth, he developed the area extensively. From the mountain peak to its base, hundreds of sea-facing hot spring villas with private baths were constructed. Additionally, several vacation towns, nearly a hundred large communal bathhouses accommodating hundreds, and various entertainment facilities were built. Charlot even assigned a thousand wriggling demons as staff to provide impeccable service.

Charlot was fed up with his officers indulging themselves on the Radiant Holy Kingdom, his flagship. While it had been tolerable when he was alone, now that Princess Annie was with him, such behavior was unacceptable.

Although Annie hadn’t expressed any displeasure, Charlot felt compelled to redirect the entertainment activities elsewhere. The perfect target for this relocation was none other than Doviliat Port.

Hot springs have always been a sought-after destination for leisure in any era or nation. Adding various forms of entertainment—whether permissible or forbidden in some Earth cultures—made it a veritable magnet for visitors, a phenomenon that could scarcely be overstated.

Charlot deployed some of his transcendent followers and ghost sailors to begin construction at the base of the mountain. Once the initial vacation towns were complete, he sent a group of New Continent immigrants to settle there. These immigrants initially found the idea of living in such a location unfamiliar, but the presence of wriggling demons transformed their perception. Life in the area seemed almost paradisiacal—akin to residing in the realm of the gods.

As construction progressed, entertainment activities on the Radiant Holy Kingdom were gradually transferred to the hot spring mountain. Not only Charlot’s officers but even immigrants from the South Seraph region began sneaking to the mountain for leisure. The guards at Limate turned a blind eye to these escapades, as Charlot had no fear of spies infiltrating his territory.

The development of Hot Spring Mountain in Doviliat Port soon became so famous that even Romeos, Charlot’s adversary, heard of it. He learned that some New Continent Council members, who held parliamentary positions, had secretly visited to indulge themselves. Amused, Romeos reflected on Charlot’s character and methods after their numerous battles. Charlot was no war maniac. Instead, he treated the people in his territories with considerable kindness and displayed exceptional economic acumen. The solid economic foundation he left behind in the South Seraph region was proof of this.

If Annie hadn’t evacuated nearly all of the region’s inhabitants and if the war between them hadn’t severed almost all trade routes, South Seraph would have been far more prosperous than most parts of the New Continent.

Romeos even speculated that if the New Continent immigrants had claimed land elsewhere, Charlot might have been the first lord to recognize their nation and establish trade with them. Unfortunately, the immigrants had taken over the lands of the Mecklenburg Duchy. Charlot would never accept this, nor would he relinquish the South Seraph region.

After spending several months in Doviliat Port overseeing the near-completion of the Hot Spring Mountain, Charlot allocated the mountain’s villas at the summit to his most meritorious subordinates. Then, he returned to Arcadia Port, where he received an official letter from the Emperor of Bretagne—his future father-in-law—summoning him to Strasbourg to suppress a rebellion.

The remnants of the Axel family had colluded with rebel royals and successfully captured Strasbourg.

The news left Charlot stunned. He had not expected the Axel royal family to be capable of orchestrating such a large-scale uprising.

After some deliberation, Charlot left the Black Dragon to oversee the fleet and assigned Yishemierlen to command the navy. He did not take the Radiant Holy Kingdom or the Emilia Mecklenburg with him, opting instead for a stealthier approach. Accompanied by Annie, Clair Bretagne, Ebner Soumet, and Andreas, Charlot secretly departed from the fleet, traveling through labyrinth passages to reach Machubi.

Machubi, the first city Charlot had subjected to labyrinth transformation, served as the largest transit hub in his trade network. Dolores Soumet typically governed the city, but in her absence, her capable deputy—one of her former classmates—managed the city.

Charlot, unfamiliar with this deputy, nonetheless trusted Dolores’s choice. Upon arrival in Machubi, Charlot delayed his departure for Strasbourg, as he needed to wait for Antonio. The Emperor of Bretagne had not only summoned Charlot but also dispatched his own son to deal with the rebellion.

Charlot’s caution stemmed from a fear that the New Continent Council might exploit his absence to launch a counterattack against his fleet. Without a peak Saint rank to assist him, reclaiming Strasbourg would be nearly impossible.

Over the next few days, Charlot received intelligence regarding Strasbourg. The rebellion was orchestrated with the assistance of Wood Brandon, the former imperial chancellor. Reports suggested that Wood Brandon had personally devised the strategy and facilitated contact between the royalists in Strasbourg.

Charlot knew little about Wood Brandon. By the time Charlot had arrived in this world, the chancellor had already retired from politics in Fars. However, he was aware of the man’s historical influence. Wood Brandon had masterminded the infamous event in which six Saints besieged Zimourman Axel Robin. Although the operation succeeded in capturing Zimourman, it left five Axel Saint rank warriors severely injured, forcing them into seclusion for recovery. This event even sparked Redmir Axel’s rebellion.

Though Charlot privately criticized Wood Brandon’s intelligence, he knew better than to underestimate the man. Wood Brandon was renowned for his dual expertise in military and political strategy, wielding greater authority than even the Count of Bretagne during his time. While occasional failures marred his record, they did not diminish his reputation.

Wood Brandon’s ability to seize the perfect opportunity, capture Strasbourg, and secure a legitimate cause for rebellion highlighted his formidable skill.

The timing could not have been worse for the Emperor of Bretagne, whose reign was still precarious. While most imperial nobles had acknowledged his legitimacy, their loyalty remained untested. Should the Axel family crown another emperor, nobles still loyal to the Axel lineage might defect. The longer the rebels held Strasbourg, the more disastrous the situation could become.

Even Charlot, not particularly skilled in politics, could recognize the brilliance of the chancellor’s timing, methods, and strategy.

In truth, Charlot considered himself a less-than-adequate politician.

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