Chapter 32: The Riot

The newspapers Robin had previously seen were filled with nothing but praise for Marquis Sid and smears against Grand Duke Benito.

Now, however, countless news outlets seemed to have overturned their previous stances, shifting from uniform defamation to a balanced, contested narrative. While this reversal might have seemed like a loss of face, a closer look at the rhetoric revealed that they were claiming they had "never expected Marquis Sid to commit treason." As soon as the Marquis’s moral failure was exposed, they realized who the true savior was and stepped forward one by one. It was clear that public opinion had not been entirely under the Marquis's control; rather, those loyal to the Grand Duke had been lying in wait, using praise for the Marquis to lull his forces into a false sense of security.

In a school:

"Students!" A middle-aged teacher in a black suit and rimless glasses spat as he spoke from the podium. "Our country is facing infiltration and invasion!"

"Marquis Sid has sold out our nation for his own gain!"

"After righteous journalists reported the truth, he tried to cover it up, using gossip to distract us and force to compel the press into submission!"

"I ask you all, can you accept this?"

"No!" the students shouted in unison. They were whipped into a frenzy. They might not have been diligent in their studies, but when it came to this, their passion was easily ignited.

"Look, this is the Marquis’s residence. The luxury inside is unimaginable—photographs taken by journalists who risked their lives to capture them," the teacher said, pinning photos to the blackboard. The students in the lecture hall stared at the images. "This machinery is the highest craftsmanship of the Dros Empire!"

"I have reason to suspect that Marquis Sid has truly betrayed our country!"

"Students, the time has come for us to stand up!"

"They may have cannons, rifles, airplanes, and tanks, but we have the burning blood of Anzio!"

"Students, charge!"

"Charge!"

Influenced by the newspapers and pushed by those with hidden agendas, the entire city had descended into chaos. Countless people took to the streets to protest. Because Marquis Sid had been trying to maintain a facade of peace, he had not openly increased the size of the military, leaving the limited forces unable to stop the surging crowds.

Protesters held signs reading: "Death to the Traitor!", "Go to Hell, Sid!", and "Drive out the Dros!"

"Sid Ravenwood is a son of a bitch! He takes our taxes and sells our interests to curry favor with the Dros!"

"The water pipes in our building haven't been fixed yet; Sid must have spent the money keeping a Dros mistress!"

"Sid has betrayed the Earth Mother!"

The crowds were composed of everyone—students, office workers, laborers, drivers, and hoodlums; people from every walk of life.

"Let Grand Duke Benito take power!"

"Grand Duke Benito is our only savior!"

"Sid must have relied on the Dros to defeat the Grand Duke; he has sold us out!"

"Wow," Wade Wilson remarked from a hotel room, watching the dense mass of people below through his binoculars. Their faces were twisted with rage. When they encountered government agencies, some would throw stones. When they faced soldiers pointing guns at them, they moved forward fearlessly.

"What are you doing? Move any closer and we’ll fire!" an officer shouted.

"Fire then! Shoot the taxpayers who feed you, shoot your own fathers and neighbors!" An old gentleman stepped forward, pointing to his forehead. "You don't dare expel the Dros, but you dare to bully your own people?"

Snap! A woman grabbed the barrel of a soldier’s rifle. The soldier was startled and struggled with all his might to keep his weapon from being wrenched away. As the crowd pressed forward, the soldiers were forced to retreat step by step. Even the guards at the tunnel entrance were pushed back by the civilians. Without orders, they dared not fire. With communications disrupted, they didn't know how to react.

After pushing past the soldiers, some people slipped silently into the tunnel.

"Things have gotten out of hand," Wade Wilson said, putting away his binoculars.

He was a Dros, and he was one of those who had advised against killing Robin or using the deaths of Dros citizens to force economic concessions from the Marquis. Watching the crowd, his eyes lit up. Questioning and using entertainment to divert attention were tactics that usually worked well. But the incident at the Roland Studio was real, and the Marquis’s political enemies had caught him in a trap. Even worse, those enemies were stronger than he was. As a result, once the people were incited to protest, the entire city of Volscini turned into a cauldron of chaos.

Wade took a piece of gum from his pocket, popped it into his mouth, and chewed while muttering, "Dunn must be completely numb by now, right?"

"No, not just Dunn—the higher-ups are probably numb too."

"Using this method to force the Marquis into trade concessions did indeed yield results..."

"But can they handle a backlash of this magnitude?"

"Once this is confirmed, I’m afraid the Dros factories and workers in Anzio are going to suffer."

Wade maintained an indifferent air, clearly long dissatisfied with the strategies from above. "I wonder how spectacular Marquis Sid’s expression is right now."

...

Marquis Sid’s face was twisted in fury.

"What? Those bastards dare to protest? How dare they? Are they not afraid I’ll mobilize the army to suppress them? A conspiracy—this must be Benito’s conspiracy!"

The Marquis missed the days before the steam age, when the masses did exactly as the nobles commanded. But with the progress of the era, the increase in schools, and the higher awakening rate of supernaturals among the commoners, the power of the nobility had gradually eroded. Most nobles had become little more than bureaucrats, and the commoners had developed a consciousness of resistance. Even with his dual control over military and political affairs, the Marquis could not be as ruthless as a chaotic nation; after all, he still relied on the backing of the Kingdom.

However, if he didn't suppress them now, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Issue the order..." The Marquis’s eyes were bloodshot. "Mobilize the army into the city. Arrest them, and if necessary, open fire! They’ve never seen blood before—once a few die, they’ll scatter..."

"Report!"

At that moment, a communications soldier arrived at the Marquis’s door.

"Dammit, which factory is rioting now?" The Marquis glared at the messenger.

"A report from an agent: Grand Duke Benito’s Black Mountain Army is closing in on Volscini!" the soldier reported bluntly.

"What?"

In that moment, Marquis Sid felt as if the sky had collapsed.