Chapter 1282  That night, Yuvan didn’t sleep at all.  This was never the plan he and Wayne had carefully devised.  Starting a rebellion in a remote province, with no allies in the capital and attempting to storm it head–on how absurdly difficult would that be?  Their original plan had been far more calculated. The idea was to amass an army large enough to begin a slow, deliberate march toward the areas surrounding the capital. There, they would establish a foothold and wait for an opportune moment.  At that point, with Eleanor scheming inside the capital and securing support from several influential families, they would have allies to bolster their position. After all, they had placed many of Henry’s daughters in noble households as concubines to curry favor.  Then, they would choose the perfect time, preferably when a war broke out. When the bandits and refugees caused havoc, Yuvan’s forces would then converge just outside the capital before marching straight in and storming the palace.  But all of that had crumbled because of the incident at Stone Village.  Tiberius had been captured and the suicide soldiers were now in enemy hands, forcing Yuvan’s hand far earlier than planned.  That was why he had hesitated for so long before taking action. The odds of success were far too slim. An uprising in the districts had little hope of shaking the capital.  Although the people knew about it and it sparked some discussion, many thought the so- called uprising and proclamation were just too ridiculous.  For one, the claim that Sandoria was attacking the Southern Frontier was dubious at best. Even if it were true, Sandoria’s ambitions had been a known threat for years. They had attempted comebacks before, so how could anyone pin that on Salvador’s supposed incompetence?  S  And as for the accusation of inept generals–there hadn’t even been a battle yet, let alone a defeat. On what grounds could anyone claim the generals were useless?  Moreover, Starhaven was wealthy and prosperous. Valken was part of Ebonflow, one of the most affluent regions in the realm. Life there was good. What grievances could possibly justify such drastic actions?  Who would believe it?  A  Instead, the people were waiting. Waiting to see when Yuvan would be captured.  Rebellion was a crimne punishable by death, and who knew how many people Yuvan had in his household? The crowds were eager for the executions.  1/3  +25 BONUS  Chapter 1282  After all, Starhaven had the Hell Monarch–a legendary figure who had driven the Sandorians back before. Could a few traitors like Yuvan truly pose a threat to him?  And so,  the common folk found themselves pondering an unexpected question: Why would Yuvan rebel?  Sure, the desire to become king was understandable. Who wouldn’t dream of ruling the kingdom? But the risks were staggering. Why abandon the wealth and stability of being a vassal prince, only to gamble the lives of his entire family on a near–impossible chance? Wasn’t that sheer madness?  Some speculated it might be vengeance for his mother, Ruth. But even that didn’t hold up.  Before her death, Ruth had been ill for several years, and Yuvan had returned to care for her during her final days. Victoria had even shown Ruth exceptional kindness during her lifetime. If anything, Yuvan should have been grateful, not plotting rebellion.  It seemed more likely that power had gone to his head, blinding him to reason.  Yuvan had always been a man of low presence. Throughout his life, he had been overlooked, barely noticed even during Sigmund’s reign. He was the sort of prince most would struggle to recall.  And it wasn’t just the commoners scratching their heads–many officials were equally baffled.  Why would Yuvan, of all people, throw away his relative safety and privilege? If he truly intended to rebel, why not wait until the court was occupied with a foreign war? Rising up now, at such a precarious time, seemed like a surefire way to lose.  The court officials weren’t worried in the slightest. In their minds, Yuvan’s forces would never make it anywhere near the capital. Chester’s troops would crush the rebellion long before that could happen.  Life in the capital remained undisturbed, filled with music, revelry, and feasting.  —  Even at Hell Monarch Estate, everything seemed calm at least on the surface.  Meanwhile, Salvador issued an order to Chester to eradicate the bandits, ensuring they couldn’t wreak havoc on the local populace. As for Yuvan’s rebellion, Salvador didn’t even bother convening his ministers for a discussion. Instead, he spent more time dining with Rafael at the palace.  In the royal study, the two brothers sat together after finishing their meal, reviewing the reports from the frontlines.  “There’s still no movement,” Salvador remarked, frowning. “It’s odd. By now, pulling the strings behind Yuvan should have made a move.”  the person  “Patience,” Rafael said, his voice calm and measured. He seemed to have an inkling of what was happening. “For now, the focus should be on Sandoria and Westhaven.”  2/3  Chapter 1282  “You don’t think this is just a distraction?” Salvador asked.  “Prince Yuvan believes it is,” Rafael replied with a slow shake of his head. “But I don’t think so. Even if Sandoria isn’t planning a large–scale invasion, they won’t leave the Southern Frontier in peace.  “Doesn’t it strike you as strange how quiet things have been there these past two years, Your Majesty? Do you really think Sandoria has simply accepted losing the Southern Frontier without stirring up trouble?”