Command Authority Dispute
The other two unlucky ones were soon ready, and Hudson, who was drinking tea, almost spat out his water.
Both were prominent figures in Wright County: his good neighbor Baron Katerley, and the butcher knight, Justin.
Looking back at their experiences over the past few years, it's clear that there's no limit to how unlucky they've been; it's been a series of relentless misfortunes.
Others seem to get everything they want, but they can't seem to accomplish anything. If they lacked ability, that would be one thing, but their personal performance is surprisingly good.
Unfortunately, the Lord of Dawn always stands against them, and no matter how perfect their plans are, they always fail in the end due to various unexpected events.
When fortune smiles upon you, even heroes can only lament their helplessness. This has evolved to the point where the more you do, the more mistakes you make.
Even drawing lots here is like winning the "grand prize." Out of about a hundred wooden sticks, I accurately drew the two worst ones.
If they had known the outcome, I wonder if the two of them would have come to draw lots too early. After all, there are quite a few unlucky nobles in Wright County, and if they had gone any later, they might have been chosen by someone else.
As Hudson predicted, with a bunch of unlucky ones falling behind, the last ones standing wouldn't be too bad off.
The unlucky ones snatched up all the junk numbers, and when only two were left to choose one, one of them was still left with the last digit.
With such luck, if it weren't for some behind-the-scenes manipulation, Hudson would have suspected he was a "chosen one."
One cannot abandon their persona; it is reasonable to deliberately arrange things to maintain a good persona.
Even seemingly ordinary wooden skewers have subtle differences. Just because outsiders can't see them doesn't mean even insiders can't.
Someone deliberately coordinated this, so that the last remaining wooden stick, no matter what number was engraved on it, would always reveal the last digit as the final answer.
The process doesn't matter; what matters is the result. In the eyes of the nobles, Hudson got lucky and stumbled upon the best number.
If the human nations had reacted faster and the war had lasted a little shorter, he might not have even been assigned the transport mission.
Even if it were his turn to transport supplies, it would be in the later stages of the war, and it was entirely possible that he would run into the King's summons.
With two major obligations coinciding, going to the battlefield naturally took priority. The task of transporting supplies would be taken over by other nobles who had not been conscripted.
Just by calculating the distance, you'll know that transporting supplies would require a round trip of arduous travel, taking one or two months.
Unfortunately, they didn't get any credit whatsoever; it was just a thankless, unpleasant task that they were forced to do, so naturally no one would like it.
Delivering on time is expected; if unforeseen circumstances occur en route, causing delays or even loss of supplies, the country will hold the supplies accountable.
The chances of being held accountable are slim, so everyone will set off early to avoid delays.
If anything goes wrong, it must be because the defenses have been breached and the Beastfolk army has broken in. If they encounter them, the escort team will likely be wiped out.
"The results are in. Whether you were lucky or not, you drew them yourselves, so you can't blame anyone else."
The task of transporting supplies will be carried out according to the lottery results. We hope everyone will cooperate during the transport and avoid causing trouble that would embarrass everyone.
In addition, there is a second important matter today that requires everyone to make a decision here.
War has broken out. Those who are willing to join me in the war can come and sign up. Those who do not wish to perform their military duties in the county and wish to transfer to other areas should also be counted.
Whatever choice you make now, the supplies provided to the front lines every month must not be reduced.
If nobles exchange their obligations, or perform obligations on behalf of others, or change the place of performance of obligations for other reasons, they should apply to the Governor's Mansion for processing.
Just a heads-up, if you're going to apply, it's best to do it as quickly as possible.
War has broken out, and some provinces have begun mobilization to prepare to reinforce the front lines.
Once the obligation is transferred, you must keep up with the pace of action. Delays that miss deadlines will result in consequences.
As soon as Hudson finished speaking, the crowd began to murmur amongst themselves. Viscount Ciss, sitting at the head of the table, was so angry that he almost slammed his fist on the table.
There are few who would go to such lengths to usurp the host's position. As the prefect, the host, he has now become an outsider.
Such an unbelievable scene actually happened before everyone's eyes, and everyone actually took it for granted.
Even the Northern Nobles had initially supported him fell silent, joining the heated discussion in small groups. To the uninitiated, they would have looked like members of the local nobility.
Looking at the two groups of nobles getting along so harmoniously, Viscount Ciss even doubted his own eyes.
Just a few days ago, they were calling for war and bloodshed, but they've changed their attitude so quickly. The speed at which their stance has shifted is far too fast.
It's not that the world is too magical, but that the world is too realistic.
Nobles are all realists. With the flames of war ignited in the Northern Frontier, the original minor internal conflicts had become secondary issues in the face of survival.
On the issue of the Beastfolk, everyone shares the same stance. Shared interests have temporarily suppressed internal conflicts.
Even if everyone is unable to let go of their hatred and is secretly plotting to find an opportunity to retaliate, it doesn't prevent them from showing goodwill to each other on the surface.
Of the 105 people present, 94 were nobles who had signed up to join Hudson's team. In particular, all the Northern Nobles, except for Viscount Ciss did not express his opinion, had actually signed up.
Hudson was taken aback by how far the foundation had been dug. He hadn't done anything, only given a few hints, yet so many people had flocked to him.
However, after putting himself in their shoes and weighing the pros and cons, he understood why the Northern Nobles had made their choice.
Going back to your hometown to fight—you can pack your bags and leave now, then fight to the death until the war ends. Definitely high risk, low reward; failure means being wiped out by the Beastfolk.
Viscount Ciss, the most suitable leader, was suppressed too much by Hudson, to the point that he couldn't think straight and gave up.
In normal times, this kind of behavior wouldn't be a big deal. But at this critical juncture, how can people feel safe entrusting their lives and fortunes to someone who's just giving up like this?
Left with no other choice, everyone had to follow Hudson. At least Hudson had a good reputation, was exceptionally good at fighting, and was also quite lucky.
Following such a leader doesn't guarantee success, but the chances of surviving on the battlefield are definitely higher than following someone else.
Judging from the lottery results, one guy with a run of bad luck was the first to reach out and drew the most unfortunate number 1; another guy stayed put and waited for everyone else to draw first, and the rest got the best last digits.
Such a stark contrast is so great that even if Hudson were to claim it was a coincidence, probably no one would believe him.
If Viscount Ciss continues with this unfortunate luck on the battlefield, wouldn't his men who follow him eventually be dragged into trouble?
On the battlefield between the two races, it is not uncommon in history for an entire army, let alone the entire army of a prefecture, to be wiped out.
When their own lives were at stake, the Northern Nobles disregarded faction affiliations and chose what they considered the safest team.
"The statistics are in. You all chose this path, and whatever happens in the future, I hope you won't regret it."
Nobles who wish to remain in the prefecture to fight will be incorporated into unified training and command. If they cannot obey orders, they can still choose to withdraw if they regret their decision.
As for the choices of the others, I will truthfully report your wishes to the Governor's Mansion and await coordination from above.
As for those within the province, there's no need for trouble. I've already communicated with the other prefects; it's just a matter of transferring military duties. You can contact your hometowns directly.
Oh, and there's still Viscount Ciss hasn't made a decision. Are you planning to fight alone, or return to Grand Duke Cavadia's ranks?
Hudson said meaningfully.
It wasn't that he was deliberately being sarcastic; it was simply that Sheriff Ciss had become the biggest destabilizing element in Wright County. His arrogance had to be curbed, and his prestige weakened.
Perhaps out of a guilty conscience, Hudson deliberately reminded everyone that they could still choose to withdraw.
After all, the "chosen one" gimmick is only good for fooling others. If you're foolish enough to believe it yourself, you're out of your mind.
Without exceptional luck, Hudson had no idea where this team would ultimately lead.
The only certainty is that if he's unlucky and suffers a major defeat on the battlefield, he will definitely not care about his allies when he runs away.
"Hudson, you've misunderstood. As the Sheriff of Wright County, how could I abandon everyone and leave alone at such a crucial moment?"
"Viscount Ciss said angrily."
Half of his anger was directed at Hudson; the other half was directed at his former underlings.
The sudden betrayal by the Northern Nobles shattered all of Viscount Ciss's plans.
I can't go back to the North.
As an awkward illegitimate child, he was the son of a grand duke when he was out in the family. But when he returned, compared to his half-brothers, he became someone who couldn't be presented to the world.
With his current forces, going to the battlefield alone to face the Beastfolk army would be tantamount to offering himself up for death.
Both paths are blocked, and there are no connections with other noble families. If we rashly approach them, we might be betrayed and killed without any recourse.
In contrast, staying with the Wright County team, continuing to wait it out with Hudson, and looking for new opportunities is actually the safest option.
As long as the Felix Family remains prosperous and his Grand Duke father is still in power, no one will dare to let anything happen to him.
"Gum pudding!"
This was Hudson's first reaction. Although the methods were a bit shameless, Viscount Ciss's choice did make him uncomfortable.
They wanted to refuse, but they also had to consider the reactions of the Northern Nobles. Although their strength had been weakened, they still possessed the ability to wage war.
Not only did they come from families with a strong academic tradition, but they were also feudal nobles who had fought their way up from the battlefield. In terms of military talent, they were far superior to most local nobles.
In the past, they were enemies, and the more talented these people were, the more they needed to be suppressed.
The situation has changed. Now everyone is going to war with the Beastfolk. Hudson will not only not be afraid of their talents, but will also worry that they are not good enough to fight.
Personal grudges can wait until after the war. Given the extremely high casualty rates in past wars, some adversaries might have even died on the battlefield.
"Viscount Ciss is welcome to stay. However, efficiency is key on the battlefield, and only one person can give orders."
With the nation in peril, Hudson, who happened to possess some military talent, was willing to take on this important task and serve his country.
This requires you to be patient and obey military orders. Do not act in a moment of anger that would harm the interests of our human race.
When it's time to fight, you must fight. The Aslant Continent upholds the principle of might makes right and has never valued humility as a virtue.
The underlings had no idea how to cooperate with the "three rejections and three refusals" tactic. When in Rome, do as the Romans do; when military power was involved, Hudson could only display his unyielding domineering attitude.
The big hat was slapped down on him, and after scanning the entire room, he couldn't find a single supporter. Viscount Ciss felt a chill in his heart.
While secretly cursing the cowardly and useless sons of the Northern Nobles, he was also secretly annoyed that he hadn't even noticed that someone had poached his partner.
Fortunately, he didn't know that the group of Northern Nobles had made the decision to switch sides at the last minute because they saw that he, their leader, was not performing well; otherwise, they would have collapsed on the spot.
"Hudson, you can rest assured. This matter concerns the lives of billions of our human race, how could the Ciss dare to be negligent in the slightest?"
What I fear most is that someone might use this opportunity for personal revenge, suppressing dissent and needlessly depleting the vitality of our human race, thus benefiting the foreign bandits..."
The desperate struggle, aside from giving Hudson another dose of criticism, did not affect his acquisition of command of the army.
Deep down, Hudson remained secretly wary of Viscount Ciss. "Being flexible and adaptable" sounds easy, but few can truly achieve it.
Being able to humble oneself and bow one's head to competitors who are not as good as oneself is also a kind of ability.
The seemingly futile performance was not entirely meaningless. At the very least, it planted a seed of distrust in the minds of many Northern Nobles sons, a seed that would take root and sprout should Hudson ever act unfairly.