Chapter 1280  +25 BONUS  Tiberius had confessed, the “suicide soldiers” had been interrogated, and even Eleanor, before her death, had left a letter of repentance admitting her regret over aiding her brother’s plans for rebellion.  These pieces of evidence together nailed Yuvan’s treason firmly in place!  Salvador acted quickly. He issued a royal edict summoning Yuvan to return to the capital and face his crimes. Alongside this, a second edict was sent to Valken’s governor, ordering Yuvan’s arrest and transport to the capital.  At this point, Yuvan had no choice but to revolt.  But it wasn’t the clean, decisive uprising he had envisioned. Instead, his hesitation and lack of resolve were laid bare before his allies, and whatever respect or authority he had was swiftly eroded.  In such moments, those conspiring alongside him began to hope for someone more decisive and capable to replace Yuvan as their leader. This wasn’t mere wishful thinking–they knew there was such a possibility.  Wayne had planted that seed of hope. Both he and Harvey had been working behind the scenes, laying the groundwork for such a transition.  Before Yuvan raised his army, rumors began to spread. It was said that the Southern Frontier military officers were colluding with the people of Sandoria. They were allowing Sandoria soldiers to invade the Southern Frontier, and a war was on the verge of breaking out.  Almost simultaneously, bands of bandits emerged in multiple regions, seizing control of the mountains, killing indiscriminately, and sowing chaos. The court faced widespread criticism, with accusations of negligence and incompetence flying from every direction.  Amid this turmoil, Yuvan raised the banner of rebellion in a fit of anger. He issued a proclamation condemning Salvador as corrupt and inept, accusing his generals of cowardice and his ministers of treachery. Yuvan claimed he was acting in the name of justice and righteousness, calling for all those with a sense of purpose to join his cause.  After the proclamation was sent out and he raised his army, he discovered there were only a few bandits causing trouble–far from the large–scale disturbance he had expected. Also, his private army had been reduced to just 3,000 men. Even with the 500 household soldiers from Valken, they only added up to a little over 3,000.  Previously, there were about 35,000 private soldiers who had been moved out of Stonebridge County, led by Craig Morris. According to their earlier agreement, once Yuvan issued the proclamation, Craig would rally the private army and capture the three districts of Sableton, Montfield, and Glenmoor.  These districts were strategically chosen–they were the farthest from the garrisons in  1/3  425 BOHUS  Ebonflow and could be easily taken with Craig’s forces. Three districts and more than 30,000 men it was supposed to be a guaranteed victory  But there was no sign of Craig. When they sent people to search, Craig and the private army had vanished without a trace.  Originally, the private soldiers had been moved out of Stonebridge County in several batches, spread across these various districts. Most were Hidden in the mountains, with supplies stockpiled in advance, awaiting Wayne and Harvey to deliver further provisions.  While not all local officials in these areas had been bribed, Yuvan’s men controlled the critical checkpoints. Years of meticulous planning had ensured there would be no missteps in this part of the operation.  soldiers?  Yuvan was about to lose his mind. He stormed through Horizon Estate, smashing anything in his path. His eyes were bloodshot as he snarled at Wayne and Harvey, “Where are my Where is Craig? He’s been hounding me day and night to raise my banner. Now that the proclamation is out and I’ve declared a rebellion, where are my men?”  Like a caged lion, he prowled back and forth in the chaos of the study, ignoring the lingering pain from his injuries.  Wayne and Harvey looked genuinely bewildered, fear etched across their faces. They insisted they had no idea why Craig hadn’t mobilized the troops.  “Your Highness, please calm yourself,” Wayne said, dropping to one knee. “I will leave with Prince Harvey at first light to find Craig. We will ensure he raises the army and takes control of the three districts immediately.”  “There’s something wrong. Something is definitely wrong,” Yuvan muttered, his bloodshot eyes darting wildly as though piecing together a puzzle. His expression twisted into something monstrous. “Craig wouldn’t dare defy me. Someone must have gotten to him!” His finger shot out at Wayne as he accused, “It’s you! You’ve betrayed me!”  Wayne looked horrified and shouted in protest, “Your Highness, I would never betray you! The private soldiers exist solely to overthrow King Salvador and secure your ascent to the throne.  “You are a prince, and you have a rightful claim to it! I am nothing but a commoner. Even if I have control of the private army, that’s only a few thousand people! I could never rally enough support to challenge the king!”  Yuvan stared at Wayne, his breath heavy.  The reasoning made sense–Wayne didn’t have the influence to betray him on such a scale.  Even if Stone Village hadn’t been destroyed, the forces there amounted to no more than a few thousand men, including the “bandits” scattered across the districts. Many of them were little more than an unruly mob, lacking proper weapons and armor.  2/3  +25 BONUS  Chapter 1280  That was exactly why their strategy depended on the “bandits” to create chaos first. By spreading rumors of an impending war and heightening the sense of crisis, they hoped to stir public resentment against Salvador’s reign. The goal was to turn this unrest into support for Yuvan’s cause.  But for such a plan to work, the leader of the rebellion had to be from the legitimate royal bloodline. Yuvan, the son of the late Augustus and the younger brother of Sigmund, had this pedigree, which made the rebellion appear just.  Without it, the common folk would have little reason to risk joining an uncertain cause. After all, there were too many people struggling just to survive in the world.  5