The Crown Prince Has Arrived

Speed is of the essence in warfare, but that remains just an ideal scenario.

Even though the kingdom received the distress call and made a decision and sent reinforcements in the shortest possible time, it still took quite a bit of time.

Augsburg fell in early May of Sacred Calendar Year 99988, and by the Laite County officially set off, it was already the end of the month.

Even at this pace, Hudson received verbal praise from the King's envoy. Compared to his colleagues who were still bickering, this was a remarkably high level of efficiency.

Unsurprisingly, Hudson's Laite County Legion became the first team to head to the rescue.

Anything related to politics becomes extraordinary once it's associated with being number one.

Hudson was caught in the limelight unintentionally, and he felt helpless about it.

Who knew my colleagues would be so resistant?

Even knowing that there's no way to avoid it, people still dawdle and waste time.

When it comes to rescue operations, it's not a matter of arriving later to ensure safety.

If the army of the Moxi Duchy were to collapse, the reinforcements from the Alpha Kingdom would not be enough to fill the gap.

With his colleagues failing to deliver, this achievement fell squarely on Hudson's shoulders.

And that was it. Apart from gaining some prestige, I didn't see any real benefits.

The Alpha Kingdom has a very clear definition of its own army's role—"aid".

Simply put, they play a supporting role on the battlefield, performing tasks such as defending cities or fighting off Beastfolk mobs.

Royal Capital wouldn't dare to harbor such illusions about a decisive battle against the Beastfolk force.

Geographically, the southeastern region of the Alpha Kingdom comprises seven provinces. The Fengyun Province is still engaged in battle on the front lines, so this reinforcement mission naturally doesn't fall to them.

The remaining six southeastern provinces were nominally to each allocate troops from one prefecture to participate in the war. However, in practice, numerous problems arose.

Some small counties simply couldn't muster 15,000 elite troops, so the shortfall naturally had to be shared by other counties within the province.

The internal disputes in some provinces were so intense that no one was willing to take on this difficult task, so in the end, it was forced to be shared by all the counties.

The most typical characteristic of a hastily assembled army is chaotic command. The temporarily appointed legion commanders had limited influence over the nobles from various regions.

Hudson led the Laite County Legion on its journey for more than ten days, and with reinforcements from two provinces, the internal relationships were still unclear.

There were people providing logistical support along the way, so there was no burden of supplies; all we had to do was keep moving.

The marching speed was naturally a little faster than usual, and on the first day, Hudson led his troops forward sixty miles.

Then the speed naturally slowed down. The excellent performance on the first day was because the King's envoy came to accompany the troops, ostensibly to see them off.

It is essential to make a good impression in front of your superiors.

If it weren't for the fear of overreacting and causing trouble later, walking another twenty or thirty miles wouldn't be a problem.

After all, this is a homeland where safety is guaranteed, and soldiers don't need to maintain combat readiness at all times.

Even things like cooking and setting up camp were done by others.

Considering the mobilization and coordination capabilities of nobles in various regions, it was absolutely a miracle that this occurred in a semi-slave, semi-feudal era.

However, only the Alpha Kingdom possesses this level of cooperation. Nobles from other countries on the continent would be so cooperative.

All of this is thanks to the Orc Empire. It is thanks to the efforts of the Beastfolk army over hundreds of years that they have developed their teamwork skills.

The nobles along the way will do their best to cooperate, and the nobles participating in the battle will strictly enforce military discipline; everyone has long since formed a tacit understanding.

At the Emerald Palace, looking at the documents gathered in his hands, Caesar III was furious.

The reinforcements arrived, but the performance of this "200,000-strong" army was truly indescribable.

Apart from the Laite County Legion led by Hudson, which departed on time, all the other reinforcements encountered problems.

The reasons varied, but the final result was the same. In order to urge the various reinforcements to set off, Count Jose, who was in charge of overall coordination, had no choice but to complain to the King.

"Your Majesty, going out to support the Moxi Duchy is a difficult task, and it is perfectly normal for the people below to have some resistance."

At the time, the number of troops we stipulated was rigidly defined, but this presented certain difficulties for the provinces that were implementing it.

Count Jose lacked prestige; before this, nobility in various regions had never heard of his name, so it was normal that he couldn't intimidate his arrogant and fierce soldiers.

Instead, we should appoint a nobleman of high prestige to command the allied forces.

The Duke Newfoundland offered his advice.

As prime minister, he was fully aware of the difficulties faced by the local areas.

The slow progress stemmed from two main factors: the resistance from the nobles responsible for carrying out the mission, and the chaotic command of the hastily assembled team.

The latter, in particular, had a greater impact. Compared to the hastily assembled teams, those teams that directly deployed their forces by prefecture performed much better.

The more complex the forces, the higher the demands on the commander. Theoretically, sending an earl to command the allied forces would be perfectly feasible.

Unfortunately, Count Jose was merely Court Count, bestowed by the King. His title was high, but it was far from sufficient to command a complex coalition army.

If it weren't for the King's sake, and to give this "King's envoy" some face, I reckon the people below wouldn't even give him a second glance.

Giving face is one thing, but how to do it is another. Even if the commander of the Empty Head Earl wanted to establish his authority, he didn't have the ability to make an example of someone.

"Snort!"

After giving a cold shout, Caesar III said unhappily, "The Beastfolk have always been cunning, and the front lines have long been in danger. It is not appropriate for the kingdom's important generals to leave at this time."

Nobles with prestige all have their own affairs to attend to, and they are unlikely to be able to leave their posts.

"Fine, let Little Caesar go. It'll be a good opportunity for him to broaden his horizons and hone his military command skills."

The Crown Prince wanted to go to the battlefield for training, and everyone tacitly chose to remain silent on the matter. Rational politicians know that it's best not to get involved in such things.

In the Aslant Continent, it is common for King to go to the battlefield, and it is not surprising that Crown Prince go to the front lines to "gild their resumes".

This journey to the Moxi Duchy is fraught with uncertainty. While the Moxi Duchy wouldn't dare allow anything to happen to Crown Prince Caesar, the problem is, would the Beastfolk?

The battlefield is full of uncertainties. If something happens to the crown Crown Prince, wouldn't those who choose to support him at this time become the targets of blame later?

As for opposition, that goes without saying.

Doubting the Crown Prince's abilities not only offends the current King but also the next King, jeopardizing his future prospects.

Even if there were other nobles who could go and carry out this task, there are none now.

Upon receiving the news of the sudden high-level personnel reshuffle, Hudson decisively ordered his subordinates, "Pass down the order, the marching speed will be reduced to twenty miles per day from now on."

Tom, send someone to inform the official in charge of coordinating supplies. The reason is: the reinforcements from the various counties are too slow; we need to wait for them to catch up before we act together.

Traveling twenty miles a day only takes one morning, which is definitely a form of passive resistance.

There was nothing they could do; after all, Count Jose's title of commander-in-chief had suddenly Royal Capital.

There's no audience left, yet they're still acting so enthusiastically. Who are they trying to impress?

In officialdom, it's not enough to just perform well; you also need to stay informed about what's going on above.

Count Jose's need for everyone to reach the Moxi Duchy as soon as possible does not mean that the next commander of the allied forces also thinks so.

Especially since the new commander is the kingdom's top second-generation Crown Prince.

When Hudson first received the message, he thought someone was joking with him.

Such a dangerous mission, and the Crown Prince is leading the team?

Even if Count Jose is unqualified, a nobleman of high prestige can be appointed instead. If all else fails, a member of the royal family from a close line can be sent.

However, remembering the traditions of the Aslant Continent, Hudson abandoned his initial idea.

These reinforcements faced numerous dangers in the past, but it was safest for the Crown Prince to go there to gain prestige.

The people of the Moxi Duchy would never allow Crown Prince Caesar to go to the front lines. It's far easier to legitimately take advantage of the situation than to gain prestige within the country.

If Crown Prince wants to gain military merit in the country, he doesn't necessarily have to personally fight on the front lines, but at the very least, he must personally go to the front lines to participate in command.

In the event of a crushing defeat, the Crown Prince might also be lost. Throughout the history of the Alpha Kingdom, more than one King has died in battle, and even more princes have perished on the front lines.

Caesar III had only one son, so naturally he couldn't participate in such a high-risk gilding ceremony.

However, if one wants to secure the throne, without some military achievements, one will lack confidence when facing the powerful nobles of the country in the future.

In such a shareholding kingdom, the King is merely a major shareholder. If his prestige is insufficient, he can easily be controlled by minor shareholders who seize control of the management and usurp his voice.

This rescue operation is undoubtedly a good opportunity. All he needs to do is sit back and coordinate. If the front lines win, the Crown Prince will get credit; if they lose, someone will take the blame.

Hudson had absolutely no interest in fighting alongside these second-generation leaders. He was fine with sharing the spoils of war, but what he feared most was their misguided command.

As for currying favor with powerful figures, for a nobleman of his status, there is no point in trying to please the King unless he wants to develop his career in the central government.

Even a powerful ruler like Caesar III, who reigned for decades, never managed to foster a new, powerful noble family.

The kingdom has limited resources, operating on a typical "one person, one job" model. Unless a major family declines, no one can rise against the tide.

He usually stayed at home, farming his own fiefdom and living a peaceful, unassuming life. Trying to please the Crown Prince was a complete waste of time.

His current cautious approach is simply because he doesn't want to offend anyone and become the target of his authority.

With the march slowing down, Hudson had time to rigorously enforce marching discipline. Thanks to the efforts of the noble officers, the ranks became increasingly orderly.

With their almost synchronized pace, 15,000 people marching together, their sheer presence alone was awe-inspiring.

Judging from the expressions of the nobles along the way, they were all stunned by the military might. "Elite"—this was definitely an elite force.

They progressed at a snail's pace, without accumulating any military achievements, but Hudson's name had already resounded throughout half of the Alpha Kingdom.

Under the scorching sun, just as Hudson ordered a rest, a squadron of Griffon Cavalry appeared above the column.

Hudson glanced at the sky in the distance and then completely ignored it. A similar scene occurred more than once along the way.

It's only right to send Griffon Cavalry to scout out an extra large army passing through our sphere of influence.

High above the clouds, a magical eagle with golden feathers and sharp eyes stood out prominently.

On the eagle's back sat a richly dressed young man, who was looking down at the earth.

"Seeing is believing. I didn't expect the noble private army from Laite County be such an elite force. It seems this mission is getting more and more interesting."

Crown Prince Caesar said with a hint of excitement.

When leading troops into battle for the first time, stability should be the top priority. Leading an elite force into battle is always more reliable than leading a rabble.

"Your Highness, please do not be careless. Of the reinforcements the kingdom has sent this time, only the Laite County Legion led by Hudson is of any use."

The performance of the other five legions was, to put it mildly, disappointing. Once you see for yourself, you'll realize this mission is far from simple.

Count Jose, riding a griffin, hurriedly offered his advice.

He didn't get the position of commander-in-chief, but the position of deputy commander-in-chief did fall to him. Now his main task is no longer to lead troops into battle, but to keep an eye on the young Crown Prince in front of him.

Young people often have a tendency to be self-important, and the more prestigious their status, the more pronounced this tendency becomes.

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Count Jose did not want his Crown Prince to misjudge the strength of the allied forces, treat all the expeditionary troops as elites, and run off to take on tasks that exceeded the allied forces' capacity.

"Oh, I'll go see just how bad those legions really are!"

That it could make the Earl remember it so vividly.

But for now, let's go take a look at this interesting Hudson.

The fact that he was able to train such an elite force shows that his military training ability is among the best in the entire kingdom.

As they spoke, Crown Prince Caesar had already piloted the eagle and begun its slow descent.

The crowd hurriedly followed, and the quick-witted soldiers even took off the large flags on their backs and used them to signal, lest they be mistaken for enemies by the soldiers below.

Upon landing, Count Jose, who had previously served in the military, was recognized by nearby noble officers who hurriedly came forward to greet him.

"Your Excellency Count Jose, welcome. The legion commander will be there shortly. Please rest in the camp for a while."

It was clear that the noble officer was unaware of the changes in the high command and mistakenly believed that Count Jose was still the commander-in-chief of the allied forces, so he directly gave him the highest honors.

The main character was being ignored, and Crown Prince Caesar's dissatisfaction arose spontaneously. However, his natural acting skills made him accustomed to not showing his emotions.

However, the fleeting look of displeasure in his eyes was caught by the shrewd Count Jose, who quickly introduced him to the noble officer who had come to greet him:

"This is the new commander-in-chief of the allied forces— Crown Prince Caesar. Quickly summon Commander Hudson to come and greet him."