Family Troops

The outcome of the investigation into the robbery of business travelers was quickly announced, and unsurprisingly, the Skull Society, which had been the most vocal in the previous year, ultimately took full responsibility.

Nobles controlled by the Heretical Cult were stripped of their curses by priests arranged by the Governor's Mansion. Soldiers involved in the looting were all exiled to the Northern Frontier and never to be released again.

Overall, this is a resolution acceptable to all parties. Even the Skull and Bones Skull Society, which was unfairly blamed, did not raise any objections.

Perhaps they're just too indebted, or maybe they've given up and are simply giving up. In any case, Hudson hasn't heard anything about Skull Society making any moves lately.

The only ones who were truly resentful were probably the group of merchants who had been robbed. The culprits had been caught, yet all the stolen goods had miraculously vanished—it was utterly absurd.

It's no use being unwilling; as the group with the least voice, we've never had a say in politics.

If they dare to cause trouble, a quick check of their past transactions will reveal a hundred reasons to take them down.

The term "profiteer" isn't used lightly. Legal trading is purely high-risk, hard-earned money.

If you are truly law-abiding, you will never make a lot of money in your entire life.

There were no problems because most merchants' businesses were backed by nobles, or at least had connections with nobles.

Some wealthy merchants wield more power than even minor nobles. They can even command respect from the most powerful nobles.

But if you spend too much time with nobles and start to think of yourself as one, that's the beginning of disaster.

This is a case in point; even with all the resources mobilized by the merchants, they ultimately failed to achieve a satisfactory result.

The Governor's Mansion's answer failed to satisfy them, and the Kingdom's answer was even more absurd.

As if nothing had happened, an arrest warrant for Skull Society was issued, along with a personnel appointment that only added fuel to the fire.

As an old rebel organization, the Skull Society's wanted posters have been hanging in the Alpha Kingdom for over a century, so adding another one won't change anything.

The personnel appointments not only displeased the merchants, but also a group of local nobles, including Hudson, who expressed strong dissatisfaction.

"Baron Cayo succeeded as Sheriff of Whitton County."

"The Baron Ciss succeeded Laite County."

After fighting for so long, the two second-generation rich kids ended up taking all the spoils of victory. Nobody's happy about something like that.

If Hudson hadn't also secured a viscountship, slightly compensating for his political losses, he might not have even been able to retain his position as the representative of the local aristocracy's interests.

It's not that people are being realistic; the world is just too cruel. It's incredibly difficult for a minor noble family to rise up and achieve success.

While others appeared to be speaking out for Hudson, they were actually mostly venting their own resentment.

Many people believe that if they had the background of the Ciss or Cayo and the resources they had, they could have done even better than them.

Caught in the middle of it all, Hudson could only say: The truth is out!

There are indeed many nobles in the two prefectures whose abilities are no less than those of the two men, but unfortunately some gaps cannot be bridged by hard work alone.

Even if the two mess things up, as long as they make a splash, their families will be willing to pay their tuition.

In contrast, the children of other minor noble families were not so fortunate. Their lives did not allow for any mistakes; even the slightest error could render all their efforts futile.

It's no use being unwilling; the world of the aristocracy doesn't believe in tears.

After a brief moment of distraction, Hudson quickly recovered. Life is a long journey, and temporary gains and losses are nothing.

Misfortune or fortune?

Losing the position of prefect seemed to put him at a disadvantage in this struggle, but it also saved him from a lot of trouble.

The King's appointment was merely a matter of legitimacy in name only; whether the position of prefect truly deserved depended on their methods.

Regardless of the situation in Whitton County, whether Baron Ciss can gain control of Laite County depends on whether Hudson is willing to cooperate.

There was nothing that could be done; it was just that Baron Ciss was unlucky.

It's not uncommon for an Alpha Kingdom to have two viscounts, but those are mostly empty titles.

A viscount who is not a prefectural governor is a rare find throughout the entire Aslant Continent.

If this were to happen, the authority of the prefectural governor's office would inevitably be seriously challenged.

Whether or not the governor can be suppressed depends entirely on the strength of the governor's family and his personal methods.

Baron Ciss's backing was certainly strong enough, but the problem was that the Lord Hudson he encountered was no pushover either.

The Grand Duke, far away in the north, had limited influence in the Southeast Province, and the Felix Family's power in the southern borderlands was not enough to make Hudson bow down.

It wasn't that he coveted power; it was simply that he was in aristocratic circles and had no choice in his own destiny.

As the representative of the local aristocracy's interests in the county, how could Hudson back down when everyone had this demand for him to fight for?

You can't just enjoy the benefits without taking on any responsibilities or obligations, can you?

Why should an irresponsible leader expect his underlings to follow him?

Without the support of these people, Hudson would not have achieved his current status. While his rise may seem to be a combination of chance and his own hard work, the local aristocracy also played a significant role.

Putting everything else aside, its prestigious reputation was built on the help of everyone.

When resources were scarce and exchanges were necessary, no local noble family took advantage of the situation to loot.

These are all matters of courtesy and favor.

It may seem insignificant, but it can play a vital role at crucial moments.

Without such strong support, how could Hudson have dared to take over Beastfolk slaves at such a critical juncture?

Having benefited from everyone's efforts, it's natural to want to protect everyone's interests. At the very least, this cooperation won't change until our interests clash.

Even though they failed to seize the position of prefect, the celebrations must continue. The more setbacks they face, the more confident they must appear.

Hudson didn't need to worry about the specific celebratory ceremonies. Upon receiving his letter, Baron Redman rushed over to take care of them.

Other branches within the province also sent people over one after another to help, and clansmen from outside the province were also on their way.

Looking at the enthusiastic faces of his people, Hudson began to suspect that the celebration was not for him, but for them.

Having passion is always better than having no passion. Although the Coslo Family has declined, their ancestors once had a glorious period.

Now is the time to demonstrate our profound knowledge and experience. Many hidden things can be found by consulting the databases of various branches.

In the past, he simply lacked the ability. Now, however, Hudson feels he must do something to contribute to the family's growth.

It's unrealistic to integrate the Coslo Family in the short term. The various branches have been separate for over a century and have long since become independent systems.

Unless the ancestral land can be recovered, there is a righteous cause to revive the family, and there is an agreement reached by each branch, it is impossible to get each branch to willingly become a subordinate.

However, it is still possible to further consolidate the internal relationships of this family alliance, gather the knowledge and information accumulated by each branch, and increase internal communication activities among family members.

Foundation, this thing is not only reflected in strength, but also in the accumulation of knowledge.

In the past, knowledge exchanges were limited to small, individual interactions. The idea of pooling knowledge resources from different branches and sharing the fruits of knowledge was unthinkable.

It's not that people don't know the benefits of doing this, but rather that, limited by their own capabilities, no one can afford the risk of attracting outside scrutiny.

The situation is different now. The Coslo Family's resources are not enough to make the nobles disregard their reputation and rob them. They have countless treasures piled up in their warehouses.

The covetous eyes of the lesser nobles are no longer a problem for the Mountain Territory. An Earth Bear plus two elite infantry regiments are enough to intimidate them.

With this new platform for exchange and learning, adult members of each branch will inevitably have to come here to learn more.

As long as the people arrive, Hudson isn't worried about not being able to smuggle in some side jobs. Once he's won over the next generation, the thoughts of those old men upstairs aren't really important.

The direct descendants can be dealt with slowly; Hudson has plenty of patience. In the short term, he can start with the collateral descendants.

Especially for the distant descendants who lack cultivation resources, a single dose of Life Essence can be exchanged for their service for ten years.

This isn't because Hudson is heartless; in fact, if word got out that this kind of treatment was given, there would be plenty of people scrambling to get in.

This is how the "Knight Order" of various factions were formed. Many people signed harsh and unequal treaties for a single dose of the Life Essence.

Even so, many people still can't get their hands on them. For many powerful factions, it's better to cultivate cheaper "warriors" than to maintain too many cannon fodder knights.

An incomplete cultivation method for fighting Battle Qi, containing only the beginning, is sufficient.

Cultivation resources are not a concern, and no one teaches the specific cultivation process. How many qualified warriors are produced depends entirely on their luck.

Cast a wide net, and you'll always reap a harvest. You don't need to cultivate your Battle Qi to an extremely high level; as long as the base is large enough, you can cultivate an army with extraordinary power.

Hudson tried to emulate this, but his results were consistently disappointing. Even with a larger pool of participants, true geniuses remained few and far between.

Perhaps this is why superhuman armies are so rare; even if a noble family can muster a superhuman army of several thousand people, it is because they have a deep foundation.

Hudson didn't dare to dream of building an extraordinary army right now, but he still needed to make his troops more elite.

We have qualified soldiers; now we just need qualified officers. These serf soldiers, who have never received any formal education, are pretty much at their limit if they can manage a hundred or so men.

Unless they are battle-hardened and have experienced the life-or-death tests on the battlefield, it is really too much to ask them to lead troops into battle.

It's not just a matter of talent; the main problem is their upbringing, which has made them used to obeying their lord and unwilling to use their brains when faced with problems.

Talented people are hard to come by. Most of the family members who came last time have stayed behind, lured by Hudson into joining the army for training.

The abilities of the family members varied, but their foundation was far stronger than that of the serfs, and their potential for development was also much higher.

Even though he knew that his own troops were a double-edged sword and that large-scale use of family members could easily lead to the formation of closed factions, Hudson didn't care about that.

The problems of inbreeding and cliques based on shared interests are for the future. If we don't strengthen our military first, and the Orc Empire attacks, we might not even see the future.

We can deal with the future troubles when they arise later. Right now, Hudson needs a loyal and highly capable army to cope with the upcoming changes.

"Hudson, the invitations are all ready. Take a look and see who else can be invited, and make sure no important people are left out."

Baron Redman gave his instructions.

Social status determines one's social circle. When he first started out, Hudson associated with the lowest-ranking knights, and even making the occasional acquaintance of a few barons was extremely difficult.

By now, Hudson had already stepped one foot into the "high society" of the Southeast Province. Although he didn't interact much with nobles of his own caliber, he knew many powerful figures!

Hudson wasn't just a nobody during the last locust eradication campaign. He became a familiar face to almost everyone who participated in the operation.

This kind of relationship wouldn't normally be anything special, but Beldens ' "coming of age" has given him something to be admired for once again.

I can't be sure about other things, but even if the person in person doesn't come, they will definitely send someone if an invitation is sent.

In this way, almost all the influential forces in the province were included.

There is no doubt that this kind of ostentatious display of connections has political significance.

Hudson's goal was very clear: to create the illusion that all the powerful figures in the Southeast Province were supporting him.

Only in this way will his followers have enough confidence to continue following him. Otherwise, they won't back down at the slightest provocation from the Felix Family.

Hudson quickly glanced at the invitation and smiled slightly, saying, "Don't worry, Father."

These invitations extended to all the major and medium-sized forces in the province.

If any omissions still occur, it must be because this force is too weak and lacks presence. Even if some are missed, it's not a big deal.

I will personally greet the important guests on the list. The rest will be handled by Nelson and Evola; there won't be any problems.

It's mainly about the family side. The people coming this time might be a bit complicated, so you'll need to put in extra effort.

Many of these declining branches don't even have a single knight anymore. They could easily be overlooked during the reception arrangements.

It's not that Hudson looks down on people, it's just that the Aslant Continent is strictly hierarchical. If guests of different statuses were arranged together, no one would feel comfortable.

Reception work is inevitably divided into different levels. This is where the benefits of a large and prosperous population become apparent.

Based on the principle of reciprocity, Hudson will personally greet the most distinguished guests. The rest of the guests can be handled by his brothers.

When family members came, Baron Redman would greet them and catch up with them. Even the women who were supposed to be present for the celebration had their married sisters come back to help.

As for the stepmother, she wouldn't have the chance to show her face in this kind of situation. It's all determined by her status; no matter how unwilling she is, she can only stay in her hometown and keep quiet.

Pillow talk was useless; this was a matter of great importance concerning the reputation of the entire Coslo Family, and Baron Redman dared not be negligent in this matter.

Compared to Baron Redman's emphasis, Hudson was much more relaxed.

Perhaps it was the confidence that came from his strength that made him not think much about this special celebration banquet.

The banquet was just a formality; in essence, people came to show their support because of the event's prestige.

If this had happened a year ago, Hudson had dared to send out invitations like this, people probably would have just used them as matches.

If Hudson had followed his idea and held the celebration directly at the temporary lord's manor, the banquet would have already begun.

The reason it's been dragged out until now is mainly due to Baron Redman's insistence that we can't just make do and that we have to make it high-class.

In this way, the temporary lord's mansion consisting of a few small wooden cabins was clearly not presentable.

Unfortunately, the castle construction was not progressing as expected, and even with a last-minute rush to meet the deadline, the celebration was still forced to be delayed by a month.

This is Hudson's fault; he didn't pay enough attention to castle construction, prioritizing labor for mining and land reclamation, which could generate wealth.

When they needed it, they discovered that the castle, which had been under construction for a year, hadn't even had its main structure completed.

It wasn't until Baron Redman arrived in the Mountain Territory that he persuaded Hudson to allocate a large amount of labor to the construction of the castle.

To meet the deadline, Hudson even managed to persuade Beldens to join him. The price to pay was that the Lord's Mansion plan also had to include the construction of Bear Castle according to the Young Bear's wishes.

These days, construction projects are all done using locally sourced materials. The main cost is labor, but that mainly covers food, drink, and basic necessities, as well as a small bonus for the craftsmen in charge of the project.

Overall, it is negligible.

The main reason Hudson agreed so readily was that Beldens was a country bumpkin who had never seen much of the world, and his so-called castle was just a big hole based on his unique bear aesthetic.

Aesthetics and practicality aside, the key is that it's cheap. A pile of stones and wood will do the trick.

The decorative carvings, which should have been the most costly element, were completely overlooked by Beldens due to differing aesthetic tastes.

Since even their own bears don't care, Hudson naturally wouldn't overdo it. The simple bear burger is fine as it is; if they're not satisfied, they can continue to modify it later.

However, in the end, that will be Beldens' own business, and he won't need to pay for it.

Hudson glanced in the direction of Dadir City, casually tossed the invitation aside, and shook his head dismissively.

Sending an invitation at this time is practically a demonstration, isn't it?

However, Baron Ciss certainly has reason to be proud now. After going through so many twists and turns, he finally defeated a host of competitors and won the position of sheriff, so he definitely deserves a celebration.

In the world of the aristocracy, everyone only cares about the result; the process is not important.

Compared to the triumphant Baron Ciss, Hudson is now a complete loser.

Even if he obtained the title of viscount, it would be the same. Compared to the substantive position of sheriff, Hudson's viscountship was purely a title, with no real benefits to be seen.

"Report to Viscount Ciss that I will attend his victory celebration on time!"