Her Majesty’s Secret Service

038. Annihilation

It’s been nearly half a year since I fell into this place.

Though not completely destitute upon arrival, as a stranger with no connections in 16th century England, to have risen to command 150 soldiers in just six months is quite the ascent, even if it’s not the rise I wanted.

As soon as the meeting ended, I went to London Bridge to meet the soldiers I was to lead. Given the compactness of London, it seemed my reputation had already spread among them. “Isn’t that the foreign cook from the palace?” they whispered among themselves.

Leaving behind the murmurs of the soldiers, I met with the former commander, the one who had been leading the defensive forces at London Bridge, to take over command.

—

“Then, Sir Logan, I wish you good luck.”

“Ah, yes… Thank you.”

At first, the soldiers who didn’t know why I had come, upon seeing their commander, who had been leading them until now, greet me and pack his belongings to leave for another place, seemed to grasp the situation.

“Excuse me… Are you, by any chance, the new commander we were told about?”

The way they sized me up. I just knew it. I’ve had such experiences myself, so I understand well.

They must be trying to figure out what kind of man I am. And if there’s someone who has heard the rumors that I’m a cook, they must be wondering who’s behind me that a cook has taken this position.

“Pleased to meet you, call me Logan. And you are?”

Let’s not say too much or too little, just aim for the middle ground. Just enough so that the soldiers won’t disregard me.

* * *

For the first time in a long while, I wake up somewhere that isn’t the palace.

The place I woke up in is a civilian home near London Bridge, one that belongs to the more upscale sort.

“Have you awoken, Sir Logan?”

“Yes, that’s right, you’re Andrew, aren’t you? Was there any trouble last night?”

“No, there were no particular incidents.”

Still, being a commander, I quite liked that they gave me the most luxurious private room and assigned a soldier to attend to me.

This must be why everyone is so desperate to climb the ranks. I was always busy groveling in the palace, but here, I quite enjoy the feeling of being treated with respect.

Until the rebellion is suppressed, I must make do with lodging and meals in a civilian home near London Bridge, not the palace. It was a temporary requisition due to the state of emergency, not an eviction, and I was to live with the residents for a certain period, sharing meals with them.

After Andrew brought water for me to wash my face, I changed clothes and stepped outside the building. As I stretched in the morning sunlight, I saw a soldier clad in armor rushing towards me.

“Sir Logan, I apologize for disturbing you this early, but an urgent matter has arisen, and we need you to come quickly.”

“An urgent matter?”

“Yes, a soldier on horseback has just entered through the city gates, shouting to see Her Majesty the Queen, claiming to have completed a secret mission…”

“A horseback soldier? A secret mission? Ah…!”

Listening carefully, it was clear that it was the cavalryman I had planted beside Duke Howard.

But just one? Had the others not survived?

“I recognize who it is. Lead the way. I must meet with them.”

I must first meet him and inquire. To find out what has happened.

* * *

“Logan! Is that you, Logan!”

“Adam! It’s a relief you’re safe. But what of Archibald and George? Where are they?”

“Archibald seems to have been shot during the escape. We were riding in the same direction, and when I heard gunfire and looked back, Archibald was nowhere to be seen. And George… I don’t know. We were supposed to meet in London… Have you heard anything of George?”

“Adam, I haven’t heard news of anyone else returning.”

“…Is that so?”

The fact that he had escaped suggested that the assassination of Duke Howard might have been successful. Adam’s voice, responding to me, sounded deeply disheartened.

Still, I needed to confirm what had happened. It was necessary to ask, though I had to be careful not to upset him, having possibly lost his comrades.

“Perhaps… Duke Howard…”

“That traitor Howard? I stabbed him with my own hands. After verbally defeating him, I made sure to pierce his neck; he wouldn’t have survived.”

His eyes gleamed fiercely as he spoke, which was a bit overwhelming. But hearing what followed, those thoughts vanished.

“And, I was also able to eliminate Wyatt, the leader of the treason. Truly, it was fortunate.”

“What? What did you just say? Who did you kill?”

It seemed, this matter was not something I could keep to myself.

As quickly as possible, the joyous news had to be conveyed to the Queen.

* * *

Around the time when the deaths of Duke Howard and Wyatt were being reported in London, the atmosphere among the rebels encamped near Welling was far from ordinary.

After Duke Howard and Wyatt were slaughtered by three cavalrymen, Wyatt’s rebellion began to self-destruct.

The local landowners and provincial nobles were the first to defect.

Blinded by the rewards promised by Wyatt, they regained their sight when Wyatt was slaughtered by the cavalry.

“What hope is there to seize London when our leader is slain by a mere three horsemen?” With that thought, they began to desert Wyatt’s army in droves.

As the soldiers of the local influencers began to leave, Thomas, who had led the rebellion with Wyatt, desperately tried to rally the troops.

Thomas’s tearful efforts managed to preserve some of the forces, but then he was troubled by an even greater problem.

“Look at this, Sir Thomas, the story has changed!”

“Indeed. Wasn’t it unknown that Duke Howard would join us? But what is this? The plan has leaked, hasn’t it!”

“Damn it, already two thousand. Two thousand have fled with just one charge. What do you say now? Shall we continue to march on London?”

“With those in London who agreed to support us possibly still there, what march? Let’s disband. The Queen is merciful; if we disband now, she may not hold us accountable.”

“Do you not understand the situation? We have already crossed a point of no return. Do you think the Queen will spare those who have defied her?”

“Let’s negotiate with the Queen. If we disband now, we might receive assurance that we won’t be punished. Nearly three thousand troops remain. If we combine with the forces left by Duke Howard, we could easily reach four thousand. Four thousand is a number the Queen cannot ignore.”

“Negotiate? To be torn apart and die a dog’s death? Are you a country bumpkin, not knowing the ways of the London nobility? They will scatter us first and then have enough to capture us one by one. Let’s lead these forces and make a surprise attack on London. We still have about four thousand. With these numbers, isn’t it worth a try?”

The remaining nobles and landowners, who had not fled, began to argue, divided in their opinions.

Even if those who remained were united in attacking London, the chances of success were slim, and the sight of them bickering made one’s head ache.

* * *

Meanwhile, the command of the punitive force brought by the Duke was given to his lieutenant, Jacob, according to procedure. Unlike the rebels, the punitive force remained largely unshaken.

However, the mind of Jacob, the lieutenant who had succeeded the command of Duke Howard, was in utter disarray.

‘Surely that fellow George claimed to have received a secret order from Her Majesty. Did the Queen know of the Duke’s betrayal?’

Jacob, deeply involved in this affair, had once delivered weapons to Wyatt on the Duke’s orders.

Witnessing the Duke’s brutal murder, Jacob was shocked and immediately ordered the capture of the assassins. Fortunately, some of his cavalry, skilled in magic, managed to apprehend one of the fleeing assassins.

After torturing the captured assassin named George, they extracted a confession of receiving the Queen’s secret orders.

If the Queen knew of the Duke’s betrayal, then Bishop Steve in London was surely in danger.

‘Should I return to London now? After all, His Grace the Duke… No, the Queen who even killed His Grace wouldn’t spare me. Then what should I do? How can I survive?’

Jacob pondered and pondered how he could save his own life.

He even considered joining the rebels. But with the Queen already aware of the plan, she would have prepared to suppress the rebellion, and seeing the rebels disintegrate immediately after Wyatt’s death, it seemed the rebellion had already failed.

There was only one way for him to survive this situation.

‘The only way to prove I didn’t join the rebellion is… I’m sorry, Tom, but to survive, I have no choice.

They think the Duke’s army will join them. If we strike while they’re off guard, we have a good chance.’

The rebels, having lost Wyatt, believed Jacob’s army to be allies. If the supposed allies suddenly attacked, chaos would undoubtedly ensue.

Jacob had just decided to attack the rebels when he was about to leave the tent.

“Sir Jacob!”

“What is it?”

“A new banner has appeared. A new banner!”

“Is that worth such a fuss? Whether a small house brings a handful of men or not, it doesn’t make a difference in this situation.”

Jacob responded indifferently to the soldier’s report of a new banner. At this point, a few small houses joining wouldn’t change much.

“But… it seems to be more than just a handful of men.”

“**What?**”

Upon hearing the soldier’s words, Jacob stepped out of the tent and looked in the direction the soldier was pointing. It wasn’t just the phrase emblazoned on the flag that caught his attention, but the crowd gathering beneath it made Jacob doubt his own eyes.

“Good heavens, there must be at least two thousand of them. That’s certainly the crest of Earl Kent. After having his property seized by the Queen… now he comes to join Wyatt?”

Jacob thought that Earl Kent, Henry Grey, had come with his soldiers to join Wyatt.

Just as he had resolved to quell the rebels, the prospect of a large group joining the rebels made his heart waver once again.

However, shortly after, Jacob realized his mistake.

“Long live Her Majesty the Queen! These are traitors who dare oppose Her Majesty! Kill them all!”

The group led by Earl Kent had feigned joining the rebels only to launch a surprise attack on their camp.

Upon learning this through his scouts, Jacob immediately mounted his horse.

“Take up arms, everyone! Should we not punish the traitors?”

Why Earl Kent was here or why he attacked was of no consequence. What mattered was the chance to survive had been given to him.

He had to kill more rebels, capture more to prove his loyalty. He couldn’t let Earl Kent monopolize the glory.

A death where one is hanged, disemboweled while still alive, and then chopped to pieces, unable to find peace even in death, was not the end he desired.

He did not wish to be a failed rebel, though he might have considered being a successful one.

Footnote:

*The death described, where one is hanged, disemboweled while still alive, and then chopped to pieces, unable to find peace even in death, refers to the punishment of hanging, drawing, and quartering.

First, the victim is hanged, then just before death, they are taken down, disemboweled while still alive, and their limbs are chopped off. This punishment was reserved for traitors, and while Queen Mary favored burning at the stake, Queen Elizabeth preferred this method of execution.