To the Front Lines
The army appeared outside the Dapes City and was immediately warmly welcomed by the entire Moxi Duchy.
Chris IX personally led a group of princes and nobles to greet him, presenting him with the highest level of reception ceremony.
Despite knowing it was all a show, Hudson was in a good mood. It's better to be valued than to be looked down upon.
Of course, the reason they received this treatment was not only because the Wright County Regiment was the first reinforcement to arrive, but also because of the impressive military bearing they displayed.
If you send a rabble instead, they'll wreak havoc on the local areas as they advance. Before they even reach the front lines, their infamy will have spread throughout the country, leaving them with no basis for political propaganda.
The synchronized steps of tens of thousands of people walking together were enough to greatly impress the entire Moxi Duchy.
I've personally confirmed that this is a truly elite force, definitely not some shoddy operation.
As for why such elite troops come from a remote county, that's an internal matter for the Alpha Kingdom, and there's no obligation to explain it to outsiders.
While the army was encamped outside, Hudson accompanied Crown Prince Caesar into the city for a banquet.
Unlike before, in order to establish the image of a self-disciplined general, it is necessary to stay in the military camp for a long time.
The necessary social engagements involving military affairs were clearly different in nature from the banquets hosted by nobles along the way; these were official business.
The noble officers below them naturally had no choice but to obediently stay at the camp. Even if they wanted to go, they wouldn't receive any invitations to banquets.
For the ruler of a nation to personally invite Hudson to a banquet was already the limit of his courtesy and respect.
The barons and knights below them were of such a vastly different social standing that they were not even qualified to attend such a banquet.
There's only one way to break the restrictions: a victory celebration.
Riding a horse through the bustling Dapes City, the air was thick with the tense atmosphere of war.
Only two hundred miles from the front line, and seemingly with three lines of defense along the way, each one was actually weaker than the last.
The vast plains contributed to the strength and wealth of the Moxi Duchy, but also determined the strategic difficulties of Moxi Duchy defense.
Apart from the Augsburg defense line, which was built on the foothills of the Parhat Mountains, the subsequent defense lines were all constructed on the plains.
Having lost its most important defensive line right from the start, Hudson didn't know how to evaluate the Moxi Duchy.
They were called useless, but now, relying on the second line of defense, they have temporarily blocked the advance of the Beastfolk army.
They were quite formidable, yet they somehow managed to lose their most crucial line of defense.
If the Augsburg defenses are held, even if the Beastfolk army launches a concentrated attack, the Moxi Duchy can hold out for a long time.
Now, all we can do is hope for reinforcements from our allies.
The lavish banquet not only broadened Hudson's horizons but also made him marvel at the wealth of the Moxi Duchy.
They dared to squander money like this even during wartime. I don't know if they were truly wealthy or if they had never experienced the devastating effects of Beastfolk beatings.
In contrast, as soon as the war broke out in the Alpha Kingdom, the King took the lead in stopping the banquets. The two sides' expectations of the losses in the war were on completely different levels.
"Princess Anne and Princess Susan have arrived!"
Beautiful women can attract attention anywhere, especially those with added status and charisma, who are even more alluring to men.
The two beautiful women, one tall and one short, instantly attracted a large number of young men. Seeing the crowd gather around, Hudson silently chose to observe from afar.
These two individuals before him were not people he could even begin to fathom. The Aslant Continent was strictly hierarchical; when King's daughter married, political marriage was indispensable.
They were either princes from various countries or the eldest sons of great noble families. That's just how the game is; marriages that cross social classes are destined to be unblessed.
Judging from the scene, it was clear that, on the surface, the two princesses treated all those who fawned over them equally.
In reality, Crown Prince Caesar received significantly different treatment. Although he said little, his eyes said it all.
Besides the group of young talents who were engrossed in the moment, a number of onlookers, including Hudson, noticed that something was amiss.
Everyone here is intelligent; no one is foolish enough to sabotage things at this crucial moment. As the heir to the Alpha Kingdom, Crown Prince Caesar has the right to enjoy preferential treatment.
For the important figures present, if they could actually arrange a marriage between a princess and Crown Prince Caesar, it would be absolutely beneficial to the Moxi Duchy.
Perhaps the King have already discussed this matter in secret. Otherwise, why would the Alpha Kingdom have so many powerful nobles, and why would they insist on having Crown Prince Caesar lead the delegation?
Even if it's just for show, appointing a deputy would suffice. To let a prince who has never been to war command a large army is inherently irresponsible.
Hudson dared not provoke the high and mighty princess, and he kept his distance from the noble ladies and young women below as well.
There's nothing I can do. I don't recognize any of them, so who knows who they are?
Even romantic encounters have their timing. If you're not careful at this crucial moment and offend someone without realizing it, you could easily get taken advantage of.
"Hudson, aren't you going to chat with the noble ladies?"
As he was enjoying his meal alone, a strange voice rang in his ears. Looking in the direction of the voice, Hudson paused for a moment, then smiled and said:
"Let others have this opportunity. I already have a fiancée, so I'm not going to join in the fun!"
This is the truth; he really has no interest in noble ladies who are only to be looked at but not touched.
Unlike Isabelle, a courtesan, even if one were taken into her household, it would only be a fleeting affair.
If he were to become involved with a noblewoman of equal or even higher status, he would find it difficult to explain to his fiancée.
The marriage alliance might not work out and could instead turn into enmity. After all, for nobles, courtesans are just something to play with.
Melissa has already raised quite a few men, and her mental fortitude has probably been honed by her father's actions.
No matter how much she is favored, a songstress is still just a songstress and can never threaten the position of the mistress.
But it's different if it's a noblewoman. If this extramarital affair continues, it can easily turn into the mistress taking over and becoming the wife.
Although divorce is not common in Aslant, widowhood still exists!
No one could tolerate something that might threaten their position. Especially before a wedding, there's no possibility of tolerance.
"That's a real pity! If this news gets out, I'm afraid many noble ladies will be secretly heartbroken."
"Look over there, there are several noble ladies staring at you."
Chancellor Herczeg joked.
Hudson's appearance is only average, not the type to be universally adored, but he has already risen to fame and exudes the charm of a strong person.
Admiring strength is a woman's innate instinct.
Crown Prince Caesar's status is too high for most people to reach, while a rising star like Hudson is a favorite among aristocratic ladies.
"Is that so? Then it's truly a pity."
However, my charm is nothing compared to that of His Excellency the Prime Minister.
The group of wealthy ladies over there are now eagerly waiting!
Seeing that Chancellor Herczeg was deliberately getting close, Hudson put aside his concerns about the difference in their social status and started joking around.
Since he's a guest now, even if he's a little impolite, it's not a big deal.
"Hudson is quite the talker, but I am very confident in my own charm."
Even now, there are still plenty of wealthy women who want my body. Unfortunately, time waits for no one, and my body isn't as strong as yours.
Hearing Chancellor Herczeg's narcissistic words, Hudson secretly rolled his eyes. A pot-bellied man like that, daring to talk about charm.
If it weren't for the added advantage of being a prime minister, probably no one would have paid any attention to him, let alone offered themselves to him.
A closer examination of the identities of these noblewomen reveals that most of them either married into declining aristocratic families or were widowed.
They can have so much fun simply because no one is watching. Or perhaps it's because they have to make sacrifices to gain some family benefits.
Morality has always been a luxury. For the rotten aristocracy, it simply doesn't exist.
Not knowing the purpose of Chancellor Herczeg's visit, Hudson simply fobbed off the conversation with trivial topics. As for specific matters, he brushed them off completely.
Let's show our stance with concrete actions: If there are any issues, talk to Crown Prince Caesar; he's just a nobody and won't get involved.
It's certainly unethical to directly shift the blame to the eldest son, but who can blame him when Crown Prince Caesar is busy chasing women right now?
Deep down, Hudson already sensed something was wrong. The Moxi Duchy was using a honey trap; if the young Crown Prince fell for it, things would get really messy.
The only saving grace was that he had made preparations in advance and labeled the Wright County Legion as "elite".
An elite army is a luxury in any country. No one will abandon an elite force unless absolutely necessary.
The worst-case scenario is bad luck and running straight into the Beastfolk force. A pseudo-elite army against a true elite army—the scene is simply unimaginable.
Of course, if the Behemoth Legion were to suffer a defeat in the open field, it wouldn't be a big deal.
With equal numbers of troops, no human army can compare to the Behemoths in terms of combat power.
Even if they suffer a defeat against such a formidable opponent, no one will doubt the fighting strength of the Wright County Legion.
A persona of being skilled in warfare won't collapse, but a persona of being "lucky" is hard to maintain.
Unless they encounter the Behemoth Legion and are able to safely evacuate with the majority of their troops, they can shamelessly announce to the outside world that they have escaped unscathed from the Behemoth Legion.
As fate would have it, just five days after the banquet, Hudson received orders to send troops.
"Your Highness, our troops have not all arrived yet. With only the Wright County Legion's strength, if we rush them to the front lines, we probably won't even make a ripple."
Hudson argued forcefully.
He had made up his mind that if he didn't get a satisfactory answer, whoever wanted to send troops could do it.
Even the Crown Prince cannot force a nobleman to lead troops to their death.
If things escalate, Hudson will certainly have a hard time, and Crown Prince Caesar's reputation will also be affected.
No one likes someone who has a biased stance, not even the Crown Prince. Before making a decision, the Crown Prince must prioritize the interests of the kingdom.
"Hudson, don't be angry. I wouldn't have agreed to the Moxi Duchy's proposal if I hadn't been forced to."
The situation on the front lines is so urgent that the Terence Defense Line, painstakingly built by the Moxi Duchy, is now on the verge of collapse.
The morale of the soldiers on the front lines has been greatly affected, and they urgently need some good news to boost their morale.
The Wright County Legion is heading to the front lines primarily as a show for the lower and middle-ranking officers and soldiers of the Moxi Duchy; they do not need to be immediately engaged in combat.
All we need to do is take the army and patrol the front lines to show the soldiers of the Moxi Duchy that reinforcements have arrived.
After the mission is completed, the Wright County Legion will be redeployed to garrison the castles further back. As long as the front lines don't collapse, we'll basically not encounter Beastfolk armies.
Seeing Crown Prince Caesar's relaxed expression, Hudson was speechless. On the surface, the Moxi Duchy's proposal was perfectly sound.
But the battlefield is ever-changing. If you really get to the front lines, will it still be as simple as the Moxi people say?
"It's highly unlikely that we'll encounter the Beastfolk army," which means there's a possibility of encountering them. But what exactly that probability is, probably no one can say for sure.
Judging from Crown Prince Caesar's expression, he had clearly already agreed to the Moxi people. If he refused now, Lord Hudson would be caught in the middle.
After all, they promised not to participate in the war, it was just an armed march.
"Crown Prince Highness, if the Moxi people can guarantee it, then going to the front lines is not out of the question."
But let me make this clear upfront: if something goes wrong and we need to be sent as reinforcements, then we'll have to decide based on the situation.
The banners of the five major Beastfolk Five Great Royal Families have now appeared within the territory of the Moxi Duchy. Even if not all of their main forces have come, at least one or two-tenths have arrived, and the number is still increasing.
If they were to encounter something, heavy losses would be inevitable, and whether they could escape unscathed would be an unknown.
For your safety's sake, Your Highness would be best advised to remain in Dapes City.
"Hudson said, annoyed."
Whether it was due to the honey trap or not, Crown Prince Caesar was able to bypass him, the frontline commander, and directly agree to the Moxi people's conditions. Hudson wouldn't dare take him to the front lines.
If something goes wrong on the battlefield and the situation gets out of control, as the King's vassal, he has no way to abandon the Crown Prince and run away.
For safety's sake, it's best to leave this destabilizing factor to the Moxi Duchy.
As long as they don't stay together, even if something happens to the Crown Prince, he can absolve himself of responsibility.
As if provoked, Crown Prince Caesar glared angrily at Hudson and demanded, "How can this be allowed?"
If I'm not with the troops, what am I as a commander?
"Hudson, don't forget I am the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces!"
Seeing this, Hudson was also somewhat bewildered. Judging from Caesar's behavior alone, he wasn't sure if he was acting or genuinely enraged.
"Your Highness, our mission is an armed parade. Naturally, the faster the better."
You represent not only yourself, but also the Alpha Kingdom. You must not bring shame to the kingdom in terms of etiquette.
If you were to personally go to the front lines, the sheer volume of ceremonial equipment and supplies would be a major problem. This would significantly reduce troop mobility.
Hudson made it up off the top of his head.
While it's true that a grand display representing the kingdom is necessary, it depends on the situation. To expect these rules when you're already on the battlefield is simply a joke.
Seeing that the conflict was showing signs of escalation, Count Jose hurriedly spoke up to persuade him, "Your Highness, Hudson is right."
The kingdom's reputation cannot be lost, but these items are indeed unsuitable for the front lines. If they were to encounter the Beastfolk army and accidentally fall into Beastfolk hands, the consequences would be dire.
Ultimately, they were knowledgeable about military matters. Hudson worried that Crown Prince Caesar would cause trouble on the front lines, and Count Jose was equally concerned about Caesar's safety.
Unlike human civil wars, Beastfolk don't care about status or rank. They'll kill anyone, not just Crown Prince, but even King.
"Snort!"
After letting out a cold shout to express his displeasure, Crown Prince Caesar turned and left without looking back.
Whether he was genuinely angry or just putting on an act, Hudson didn't have time to delve into it; in any case, he knew he was temporarily rid of this trouble.
Without a direct superior, how to fight on the battlefield was entirely up to Lord Hudson.
"Hudson, I apologize. His Highness the Crown Prince is in a bad mood lately, which is why he was a little out of sorts just now."
You'll need to take good care of things in the military. Especially once you're on the front lines, the Moxi people might not actually keep their promises.
If things go wrong, you'll need to make on-the-spot decisions. As for military orders, unless they're delivered by our own people, you can disregard any orders relayed by others.
Count Jose said rather awkwardly.
Crown Prince Caesar could simply walk away, but his deputy had to stay behind to clean up the mess. He couldn't afford to offend the Crown Prince above him, nor did he want to offend the powerful nobles below him.
Along the way, Hudson had experienced firsthand the Wright County Legion's control.
Even though the nobles below wanted to flatter the Crown Prince, not one of them dared to take any action.
As a result, the Crown Prince's orders had to be approved by Hudson before the officers and soldiers would carry them out seriously.
This is also the origin of the conflict between the two sides. They finally had a chance to command the army, but found that they were just a rubber stamp. Any normal person would be angry.
The fact that Crown Prince Caesar could hold back his anger shows he has a good temper.
Even the best temper has its limits. The unpleasant conversation just now made Caesar realize that his dignity had been seriously challenged.
It's understandable to persuade him to stay, but at least a decent reason should be given. Using a ridiculous excuse like "etiquette" made him feel like his intelligence had been deeply insulted.
What's even more infuriating is that his deputy not only didn't stand by his side as the commander, but instead echoed his sentiments.
A delightful misunderstanding escalated the conflict, leaving Hudson somewhat bewildered.
From beginning to end, he believed that Crown Prince Caesar was acting. With a beautiful princess by his side in Dapes City, who would be so foolish as to go to the front lines to experience the clash of swords?
Explanations are futile; such matters only become more complicated with further attempts to cover them up. Crown Prince Caesar was ultimately just a youth untouched by the harsh realities of society, not yet accustomed to the blatant misrepresentation within aristocratic circles.
If you can't even handle this little grievance, you won't be able to live a normal life in the future. None of the high-ranking nobles in the kingdom are easy to deal with.
When the King is slightly weak, they become arrogant and overbearing. Even a powerful ruler like Caesar III suffered no shortage of humiliation at the hands of his own nobles.
To become a qualified King, one will have to endure many more instances of being rebuffed by nobles. If one's heart isn't strong enough, one might be driven to death by anger.