Mysterious Meeting

In Dadir City, which also received a Royal Capital decree, Ciss clearly knew more information than Hudson.

Months earlier, the Grand Duke Cavadia had written a warning letter, mentioning the ongoing conflict in the North and urging him to quickly establish a foothold in Laite County.

Recent communications have frequently highlighted the tense situation in the north and have also provided him with a batch of supplies.

Sometimes knowing too much isn't a good thing.

Since realizing that war was about to break out in the Northern Frontier, Ciss had never been happy. Even after successfully obtaining the position of prefect, he could not put his mind at ease.

Upon receiving the imperial edict announcing the early bestowal of a title, Ciss's mood became even heavier.

The second generation of children who want a comfortable life rely on their fathers' connections.

Once war breaks out in the Northern Frontier, the Felix Family will be too busy to care about themselves. Will Grand Duke Cavadia still have time to look after his illegitimate son?

There's not even a need for a war; as long as the situation in the north is tense enough, they won't have time to worry about this side.

Without the support of his father, the Grand Duke, his life as an outsider was going to be difficult.

He originally thought that by seizing the position of prefect, he could gather a group of opportunists and establish his rule over the Laite County.

The ideal is very rich, but the reality is very harsh.

When the local nobles made their appearance in the Mountain Territory, the opportunists quickly distanced themselves from him.

Without enough followers to support them, the group of Northern Nobles was clearly not enough to navigate the chaos that followed.

"Young Master, don't worry too much. So many years have passed, the family will definitely be able to weather this storm..."

Ciss secretly shook his head at the advice of Butler Feren.

He has no time to worry about the family now. What kind of family cohesion can an illegitimate child have? He's worried about himself!

The early bestowal of a noble title also means fulfilling obligations to the kingdom ahead of schedule. If war breaks out in the Northern Frontier, noble lords will also be required to lead troops into battle.

Generally, noble private armies were organized into mixed units based on their geographical location when they went to war, and the prefect would often command the army of the entire prefecture.

In the event of a full-scale war, large counties like Laite County would typically assemble an army of 10,000 men.

It sounds like a large number, but in reality, in a war of this scale, logistical support can no longer rely on external sources.

Besides, if the fighting starts on their own land, there's nowhere to plunder.

To ensure logistical support, the number of auxiliary troops is often larger than that of the main combat troops, usually accounting for 50% to 60%.

If the battle lines are too long, auxiliary troops may account for 70-80% of the total force. If the fighting is along the coast or river, the auxiliary troops may decrease to 20-30%.

Theoretically speaking, as the head of an army, even on the Northern Frontier Battlefield, Ciss was considered a mid-to-upper-level officer.

But that's only in theory. The prerequisite for forming an army is that the lower nobles below him are willing to team up with him.

To increase survival rates on the battlefield, the kingdom encourages alliances. Nobles with deep-seated conflicts, who are obviously prone to stabbing each other in the back, simply won't appear on the same battlefield.

It was common practice in the kingdom to form legions based on family ties or neighborhoods.

They were all forced into this situation by the Beastfolk.

On the Northern Frontier front, the Alpha Kingdom has consistently been at a disadvantage. In order to survive, everyone must unite as much as possible.

Given the current situation in Laite County, Ciss doesn't believe Hudson would team up with him.

Without the participation of local nobles, it would be a miracle if the weakened Northern Aristocrats could even muster three thousand troops.

That number sounds like a lot. If we have three thousand elite troops, it won't be bad on the battlefield.

Unfortunately, the Northern Nobles suffered a heavy blow not long ago, and the elite soldiers they brought were exiled to the front lines ahead of schedule because they participated in looting.

Unable to muster a full army, he was left with only two choices: either lead his troops back to the Northern Frontier army, or merge with the army of a local small county.

If they could go back, Ciss wouldn't have to worry anymore.

Feudal nobles have a duty to defend their lands; dream on if they want a strategic retreat!

Following the army of the nobles of the Northern Frontier, it's fine when we win battles, but if we lose, others can't run away. Can we let him take the troops away?

Being mixed with the armies of other small counties wouldn't have been any better. At the very least, he would never have any control over the situation.

Even if the Ciss had extensive combat experience, it wouldn't matter. Governor Pierce wouldn't allow Northern Nobles to rise to prominence under his command; it was a matter of principle.

These things are tolerable, but the key issue is that troops with such inconsistent command often have very poor combat effectiveness.

A moment's carelessness could lead to a complete rout. If you're lucky, you might survive; if you're unlucky, you'll be dead on the spot.

The Alpha Kingdom has a strict system: unless one suffers heavy losses while carrying out orders and achieving military merit, one can return to reorganize the army and come back after resting.

Otherwise, even if the army is wiped out, they can forget about withdrawing from the battlefield to recuperate.

There is no such thing as slacking off on the battlefield.

If you don't have any troops at your disposal, then incorporate them into other armies to fight.

Each knight is a key player on the battlefield, and it is difficult for them to leave easily before the war ends.

If it weren't for these restrictions, the casualty rate among nobles wouldn't have remained so high.

Now it all depends on how high their status is within their own Northern Nobles, and whether they can secure further family investment after their previous setbacks.

The main problem is that the timeframe is too short. If it had been delayed for three to five years, everyone would have recovered, and he wouldn't have to worry so much.

Thinking about this, he began to envy Hudson. Although he came from a minor noble family, he rose through the ranks so quickly!

He suddenly became the pillar of the family, and once war broke out, the various branches would come together to form a united front.

One could easily form an army just from their own family, plus the followers, the opportunists, and the friends and relatives willing to band together, and they might even be able to form two armies.

Although the combat effectiveness of this cobbled-together force was questionable, as reinforcements supporting the front lines, they mostly performed the task of defending the city.

The kingdom's higher-ups aren't stupid. It would be absolutely insane for them to put a cobbled-together army of minor nobles into open battle with Beastfolk.

Looking at the densely packed castles and fortresses in the North, it's clear that the Alpha Kingdom primarily focused on defense against the Beastfolk invasion.

Some important fortresses usually store enough water and food to last the garrison for three years.

The true force that clashed with the Beastfolk army was the kingdom's Standing Army and the elite troops of the great nobles.

With great power comes great responsibility.

This is no joke.

If it weren't for the fact that the Alpha Kingdom always manages to unite against external threats at crucial moments, it would have been destroyed by the Beastfolk ten times over.

Upon receiving the message, Baron Keterai Maple Leaf Territory's face darkened considerably.

He didn't know if he was cursed, but ever since he went south, everything had gone wrong for him.

Several attempts to plan ultimately ended in failure. Although exceptional emergency response capabilities prevented losses, failure is still failure.

Frankly speaking, among the territories in the two counties, Maple Leaf Territory is developing quite well.

The comparison is inevitable; compared to the neighboring Mountain Territory, Maple Leaf Territory's development is simply incomparable.

In peacetime, gradual development wouldn't be a problem. Kate has long since come to terms with this and no longer compares herself to her good neighbors.

Unfortunately, the Lord of Dawn did not protect him, and the increasingly tense situation in the North shattered Baron Keterai's illusions.

"Uncle Holman, do you think I should accept the Ciss's offer of allegiance now?"

There are no eternal enemies among nobles. With the position of county magistrate settled, Kate was no longer a competitor of the Ciss.

Especially after the opposition forces were severely damaged, the two sides are now on completely different levels and do not even qualify as competitors.

Since he wasn't a competitor, Baron Keterai had value in being courted. His elite troops were his best bargaining chip.

Although they can only be placed outside and cannot return to the territory for a short period of time, all of this will no longer be a problem once war breaks out.

"Kate, only you can judge this question. When it comes to strategic vision, no one in the younger generation of the family can compare to you."

The reason you asked this question is likely based on the current situation; you are not optimistic about the future of the Ciss.

The problem is that our identities are too awkward. If we go back to our family, we'll be back on the same old path.

The Northern Frontier is not a place to linger; this was Divination by our ancestors. Just because nothing has happened in all these years doesn't mean our family will be safe.

The younger generation has now been mostly placed outside, and the family has clearly sensed the danger.

My identity is insufficient, and my information is limited. There may be even greater dangers, which I cannot disclose.

Knight Holman thought for a moment and then said.

They had initially thought the Southern Aristocrats were easy targets and that they could quickly establish themselves in the south. However, their luck was truly terrible; they encountered a powerful neighbor as soon as they arrived, forcing them to behave themselves.

"Uncle Holman, you've misunderstood. I barely escaped the vortex of the North, how could I possibly send myself back?"

The problem is that the Ciss aren't having an easy time either; the biggest power in Laite County is right next door. You probably already know how powerful the Mountain Territory is.

The Coslo Family's wealth was enough to support a middle-class noble family, and Hudson's personal abilities were beyond the reach of most.

I fear that if war breaks out in the Northern Frontier, the Ciss will be squeezed out. After all, annexing existing fertile land is much easier than cultivating new territory.

Baron Keterai said hesitantly.

The prefect not only enjoyed the benefits, but also had to bear corresponding obligations.

Putting everything else aside, whether or not taxes can be collected is still an unknown.

Even if Royal Capital, they were too far away to reach him. The Governor's Mansion would only put pressure on Ciss; it was impossible for them to personally send people to help him collect taxes from the local nobles.

If they couldn't handle it, the Governor's Mansion would assign the task to someone more capable. Kate had no doubt that Hudson could persuade the provincial leadership.

Losing the power to levy taxes is tantamount to losing fiscal power. The kingdom doesn't pay salaries to officials in the counties; their income comes entirely from a share of tax revenue.

It's not just about financial power; when war breaks out, the Ciss will also lose most of its military power if the local nobles handle it themselves.

A prefect who has lost both financial and military power is nothing more than a rubber stamp. Not only can he not take care of his subordinates, but he may also become a target of retaliation.

"You want to switch sides?"

Knight Holman asked in surprise.

Before Baron Keterai could answer, he added:

"What price did that Mountain Viscount offer?"

Choosing sides has never been an issue for nobles.

Although it originated from the North, it was merely a loose alliance. It could arise from interests, and it could also dissolve for the same reason.

They weren't vassals of the Ciss, and had never submitted to them, so there was no question of betrayal.

Holman saw no problem in switching sides as long as the benefits were right. Just like the opportunists among the local nobles who deliberately aligned themselves with the Ciss.

"If he makes an offer, I won't have to worry. From beginning to end, he has only been secretly showing goodwill."

It was probably pressure from the local noble faction that prevented him from making a decision. Perhaps the situation will be more lenient for us after the war breaks out.

Not only me, but most of the Northern Nobles received the hint. The Ciss haven't made any move yet; I don't know if they genuinely don't know, or if they're feigning ignorance.

Baron Keterai said helplessly.

The most perplexing part is this: they're only showing goodwill without discussing compensation. This kind of courting is the most agonizing.

If I agree, I'm afraid the compensation won't be good enough, and I'll become cannon fodder.

If they refuse, they worry that other nobles in their own camp will defect to their side, and they will end up as unfortunate victims alongside the Ciss.

Beda City

Stepping back into this familiar place, Hudson's identity was now vastly different.

The Royal Capital edict from the capital also caused a great uproar among the provincial officials. In order to deal with the upcoming changes, Count Pierce initiated this high-level meeting.

Hudson was also honored to be invited as a representative of Laite County.

No matter how much friction there is at home, once it appears on the battlefield in the Northern Frontier, everyone is still the best ally.

Teaming up with people you know well allows you to at least understand each other to some extent and roughly judge each other's limits.

A respected figure like Hudson, known for his good reputation and unwavering loyalty to his teammates, is always a favorite among them. The smiles on everyone's faces clearly show how much they welcome him.

Scanning the participants, Hudson noticed that apart from himself, representing Laite County in place of Viscount Ciss, the rest were all county governors.

Including Viscount Cayou, the Dalton Family holds seven of the fifteen counties in the Southeast Province. Their title as the province's premier family is truly well-deserved.

"This is intelligence gathered by the Governor's Mansion. You may circulate it among yourselves, but you are prohibited from disclosing any information from it to outsiders."

This confidentiality agreement was drafted by a master alchemist. Please sign it before the meeting officially begins.

"That's what Count Pierce said seriously."

Trust is nonexistent; compared to everyone else's integrity, Governor Pierce clearly believes more in the power of magical contracts.

Perhaps this is why everyone can cooperate closely on the battlefield; there are magical contracts binding them, and violating the agreement would come at a great cost.

The more important a person is, the more they value their life.

Unless absolutely necessary, few people are willing to risk their lives to breach a contract.

Once it was agreed that the contract would only stipulate that the content of the conversation would be kept permanently confidential and that there were no other hidden issues, Hudson signed his name.

He vaguely sensed a binding force on his body. However, this feeling was fleeting, clearly the power of the contract.

Without violating the agreement, this mysterious power wouldn't be triggered. As for what would happen if he did break the agreement, Hudson wasn't ready to court disaster yet.

With such treasures brought out, Hudson became increasingly interested in the conversation that was about to begin.

After reading the information that had been circulated, Hudson was completely unsettled.