Chapter 559 Welcome Banquet

Chapter 559: Chapter 559 Welcome Banquet

Addison almost wanted to laugh seeing the barely concealed fury on some of the nobles’ faces.

The reactions alone made it obvious how deeply her parents’ actions had struck them.

This public display of generosity was far more than a simple celebration; it was a calculated political move. By openly sharing provisions with the citizens and strengthening the royal family’s image among the masses, the Alpha King and Queen were clearly preparing for something.

It was obvious to anyone intelligent enough to read between the lines that the royal couple had already sensed the growing movements within the shadows and had quietly begun taking countermeasures of their own.

And that realization unsettled many people.

The sharper and more politically aware nobles could immediately see the shift in strategy and understood the danger behind it. Once the hearts of the citizens completely leaned toward the crown, opposing the royal family would become significantly harder.

Meanwhile, those too arrogant or blinded by their own self-importance only felt irritated and resentful.

In their eyes, the royal family was "wasting" valuable resources on commoners. Many of them believed the provisions being distributed were funded by taxes collected from noble territories, making them view the Queen’s generosity as nothing more than throwing away wealth to curry favor with the masses.

And they hated it precisely because it worked.

However, Addison was also keenly aware that this incident could easily be used against them in the future.

While the royal family had successfully led the kingdom through the devastating Locust Swarm that had threatened the Western Region, the kingdom’s troubles were far from over.

The South continued to suffer from a severe drought, while the North faced an even more alarming crisis, a rapidly spreading plague. If the epidemic was not contained soon, it could spread beyond the northern territories and eventually reach the Royal Capital or other regions of the kingdom, plunging the entire nation into chaos.

Addressing these disasters would require enormous amounts of manpower, supplies, and financial resources. Under such circumstances, the Queen’s decision to distribute provisions from the royal warehouses could easily become a point of criticism.

Their enemies would undoubtedly seize upon the matter, accusing the Crown of mismanaging resources or prioritizing one crisis over another. Even a benevolent act meant to help the people could be twisted into a weapon and used to create unnecessary unrest.

Yet despite these concerns, Addison remained calm.

If the Queen had made such a move and his father had raised no objections, then they had undoubtedly already considered the potential consequences. In fact, Addison suspected that the decision might serve a greater purpose.

It could be a calculated move designed to flush out the traitors lurking within the palace walls. Those dissatisfied with the Crown would likely reveal themselves by opposing the decision, spreading rumors, or taking advantage of the situation to stir trouble within the Royal Palace.

It was undoubtedly a dangerous gamble, a double-edged sword that could wound friend and foe alike. However, if handled properly, it would allow them to identify hidden enemies, expose those with ulterior motives, and determine exactly whom they needed to guard against moving forward.

Even so, Addison’s thoughts soon drifted toward an even more pressing concern, the kingdom’s food supply for the coming year.

The largest granary in the Western Region had been affected by the recent disaster. Although the Western packs had managed to salvage and harvest much of the existing crop before the situation worsened, the surrounding farmlands had been contaminated by the biochemical agent.

As things stood, it would be impossible for the western packs to cultivate the next season’s crops on a scale large enough to support the entire kingdom.

That realization alone was enough to give Addison a headache.

While the Royal Alchemists were undoubtedly working tirelessly to develop a treatment agent capable of restoring the damaged land, such a solution would not come overnight. It could take months, perhaps even years, before a viable remedy was discovered and implemented. Waiting passively for that day to arrive was simply too risky.

A kingdom could not survive on hope alone.

As she pondered the matter, Addison recalled a proposal she had made to her father some time ago. Perhaps it was finally time to put that plan into action. Rather than relying heavily on a single region to supply the kingdom’s food, they should encourage more packs throughout the various territories to cultivate their own crops, just as the Midnight River Pack had done.

By promoting self-sufficiency, each territory could produce enough food to support its own population while contributing any surplus to the kingdom’s reserves.

At the same time, they could expand livestock farming, ensuring a stable source of meat and other resources. Such measures would reduce the kingdom’s dependence on any one region and protect them from future disasters.

After all, if a drought, plague, flood, or other catastrophe struck a major agricultural center, the entire kingdom would no longer be at risk of widespread famine.

The more Addison thought about it, the more promising the idea seemed.

Not only would it strengthen the kingdom’s food security, but it could also encourage agricultural innovation. Different territories possessed different climates and soil conditions, making them suitable for a wider variety of crops.

With proper guidance, they could begin cultivating seasonal produce, rare fruits, and other agricultural products seldom seen within the kingdom’s borders, enriching both the people’s diets and the nation’s economy.

Perhaps what had initially seemed like a crisis could become an opportunity to build a stronger and more resilient kingdom.

While Addison was lost in thought, the Alpha King and Queen had already led the guests into the banquet hall.

The spacious hall was elegantly decorated, its refined furnishings and tasteful ornaments reflecting the dignity of the royal family without appearing excessive. Long tables stretched across the room, laden with an assortment of food and drinks carefully arranged by the servants.

The dishes were varied and appealing, enough to properly host the kingdom’s influential figures, yet Addison quickly noticed something peculiar.

Despite calling it a banquet, the Alpha King had deliberately exercised restraint.

The food was of excellent quality, but there were no extravagant delicacies, towering displays of luxury, or wasteful excesses often associated with royal feasts. Everything had been prepared with moderation in mind.

It was clear that the palace had gone to great lengths to ensure that no one could accuse the royal family of indulging themselves while the kingdom was suffering through one crisis after another.

After all, the Western Region was still recovering from the Locust Swarm, the South continued to struggle with drought, and the plague in the North remained a growing threat. Holding an overly lavish banquet under such circumstances would have handed their enemies a perfect excuse to criticize the Crown.

As the realization dawned on her, Addison couldn’t help but admire the Alpha King’s foresight.

The arrangement was a masterful balancing act. The banquet was grand enough to fulfill its purpose and maintain royal prestige, yet modest enough to avoid appearing wasteful. More importantly, it placed any potential critics in an awkward position.

If someone complained that the feast lacked luxury or that the dishes were not extravagant enough, they would immediately paint themselves as an out-of-touch noble who cared more about satisfying their appetite than the hardships endured by the kingdom’s citizens.