I Pioneered Scientific Magic-Chapter 259: Those Miners... They Have No Honor!

Within the opulent and exquisite palace of Hadralata's capital, a grand court banquet was underway. Adorned in luxurious attire, the nobles held translucent glass goblets, weaving through young maidens and beautiful ladies, savoring delectable dishes while wearing expressions of either flattery or self-satisfaction.

Among the central figures of the banquet were the two heirs to Hadralata's throne, Harold and Hatar, surrounded by a crowd, infusing the lively gathering with an air of tension.

Meanwhile, King Bazeel of Hadralata seemed indifferent, positioned to the side in the palace's main seat, seemingly unconcerned by the offense taken by the nobles, observing the dispute between the two princes as if it were a dull play.

As the banquet reached its peak, the hall's doors were abruptly thrust open.

Like an uninvited worm in a delectable feast, the audacious sound of the door prompted all the nobles present to turn their heads towards the entrance, curious to see who dared disrupt the event.

A disheveled middle-aged man barged in, his hair unkempt, his elegant clothing stained with dirt and mud, starkly contrasting with the refined ambiance of the banquet hall. The palace guards stationed at the door were vigorously attempting to drag him out...

"Count Joyce, what's the matter?" Prince Harold strode forward, his expression unwavering.

Joyce was among Harold's entourage, absent from the banquet today and disrupting the proceedings in such a disheveled state during a critical moment. It was an embarrassment.

"Your Highness, the miners... those damned miners have gone mad!" Joyce, hands covered in dirt, tightly grasped Harold's sleeve, tearfully accusing the miners of invading his territory, burning, looting, and seizing control of his castle and estate.

Listening to Joyce's account, the nobles almost chuckled.

Initially, witnessing Joyce's disarray, they had presumed it was another ruckus caused by the fanatical followers of evil gods. Instead, it turned out to be an uproar by a group of miners?

However, this wasn't to say such incidents were infrequent.

In fact, miner uprisings were commonplace in the Kingdom of Hadralata.

These lowly peasants, once fed and empowered, tended to grow discontent. Every miner was purchased; mining was their designated job.

Yet, despite their numbers, these miners were a ragtag bunch. Typically, a hundred or so crossbow-bearing guards could disperse them easily, akin to how packs of mice attempted to provoke a lion—a ludicrous sight.

"This time... this time it's different!" Joyce urgently exclaimed.

"How is it different, Count Joyce? Do these miners now shoot arrows at you from the skies?" mocked Hatar.

"Not only did they seize my castle, they desecrated the church, destroyed the statue of the goddess..." Joyce's voice trembled.

The once lively banquet hall instantly fell silent, a pin-drop silence. While instances of clueless nobles being killed by rioting miners had occurred, an attack on a church and a goddess statue was unprecedented.

"How dare they!" "Madmen, absolute madmen!"

"These blasphemers!" A high bishop, upon hearing the news, nearly fainted. How dare these lowly miners defile the divine!

"Are you sure they were just a group of miners?"

A cold voice echoed; it was Archbishop Anluke.

The nobles surrounding Joyce immediately dispersed, making way for the imposing figure of Elok, clad in a red-gold robe, towering like a colossal mountain, casting an immense sense of pressure upon everyone present.

Every earldom had at least one bishop and several priests stationed. Moreover, with over a thousand soldiers guarding the castle, it seemed implausible for a mere group of rioting miners to conquer it, especially defiling a goddess statue—it wasn't typical of miners.

"I'm not certain, Lord Elok, but I only saw those miners." Joyce hesitated in response.

Previously, upon receiving word of a rioting group of miners seizing a baron's estate under his command and killing Baron Elvis, Joyce, unable to tolerate it, rallied a thousand guards to suppress the uprising himself.

However, those cursed miners showed no honor; they were swift, employing poison, traps, and betrayal, denying him a fair fight. His guards fell into traps and died under falling rocks and spiked pits.

Even at the end, Joyce had to fight his way out with his guard, barely escaping. Yet, upon returning to the castle to gather forces, he discovered that those despicable miners had pulled a ruse, overtaking his castle while he was away, almost ambushing him again on his return.

Shaken, Joyce sought help in the capital. Moreover, he had gathered some intelligence.

After capturing Baron Elvis's estate, the leader of these miners, a certain Raydell, distributed the baron's wealth and land among the local poor, capturing the church and killing the resident priest.

As for the current state of the earldom, Joyce remained unaware, but the prospects didn't seem promising...

As Joyce recounted the events with embellishment, anger and a hint of fear surged within the hearts of the assembled nobles. Duke Rickman thundered, demanding immediate action with his sizable army. He too owned several large mines within his domain and wouldn't permit such actions.

"These blasphemers shall face retribution, damned to eternal purgatory!" Elok declared gravely, then turned to the silent figure seated at the main position—the king, Bazeel.

"Your Majesty Bazeel, I've heard you've been hesitant about choosing the heir lately. Now, with this uprising affecting the southeast of the kingdom, it's the best opportunity for the two princes to showcase their abilities and determine who shall be the next heir. What say you?"

Elok's words instantly garnered agreement among the nobles, echoing in approval.

King Bazeel looked on as the nobles and clergy continued their fervent discussions, eventually replying after a long pause. "Fine!"

>

Unlock exclusive early access to The Complete Novel (All the chapters) before anyone else by becoming a valued member of my Patreon community.

As a cherished member of our Patreon community, here is what you'll get:

For just $5, you'll receive:

Don't let this amazing opportunity slip through your fingers!