Chapter Eighteen: Choices

"Apart from the nobles closest to the front lines who are organizing local defenses, the noble armies from all regions have already set out. They are expected to arrive at the front lines within the next five to ten days.

Currently, the closest nobles to us are from the Hansen region, only about eighty li away, but their marching speed is truly snail-like, with a daily march of less than ten li.

The nobles from regions like Warren, Kadar, and Qiaomu are also less than one hundred and twenty li away. However, they are deliberately slowing their march, with a daily speed not exceeding twenty li."

As soon as the middle-aged officer finished speaking, Count Pierce's rage erupted. It was simply too much to bear; the conscription orders had been issued over half a month ago, and the reinforcements were still on their way.

One might think the Southeast Province was vast, but in reality, the furthest noble territory from Ethel Fortress was no more than four hundred li away.

For such a short distance, it had taken over half a month of dawdling, so it was no wonder Count Pierce was angry.

However, anger aside, his earlier scheme of sitting back and watching the conflict unfold, hoping to reap benefits, could not be brought to light. The current reactions of the nobles were the backlash from those selfish schemes.

The cautionary tales of the nobles from Wright and Whitton counties had made the minor and medium-sized nobles within the Southeast Province wary of him.

This world was never short of intelligent people. Just as Hudson could analyze the problem, other nobles would also find clues.

To protect themselves, everyone naturally had to use their own methods. Although Count Pierce had ordered the news to be suppressed, it had no effect on nobles who wanted to gather information.

There was no other way; all nobles were family. While Count Pierce was the foremost noble in the Southeast Province, most of the Knights under his command came from families of minor and medium-sized nobles.

Perhaps these people would not betray their lords, but it was quite possible they would pass on some information to their own families. One couldn't expect everyone to be one hundred percent loyal, could they?

"Idiots!"

"All of them are complete idiots!"

"The longer this drags on, the stronger the rebels will become. When the fighting starts, they'll have a rude awakening..."

Count Pierce berated them.

Deep down, he had resolved to teach these disloyal minor and medium-sized nobles a lesson.

But thoughts were one thing, and actual execution was very troublesome. They were all being passive and letting him, the boss, take the brunt of the fighting against the rebels.

Even with all his calculations, if they simply refused to come, Pierce had no recourse!

He couldn't possibly let the rebels pass through to cause trouble for the other nobles, could he?

If he did that, the other nobles would likely be overjoyed. Given the rebels' methods, a complete massacre along the way would essentially spell the end for the Dalton family.

Nobles enjoyed many privileges, but they also bore corresponding obligations. Looking at the nobles of Wright and Whitton counties, they had almost all perished on the battlefield.

Even if some escaped, in the world of nobles, they were considered "dead." "Responsibility for one's territory" was the most basic obligation of a noble; it wasn't something one could simply run away from.

Losing one's territory was equivalent to losing everything as a noble. Noble status, family honor, all lost in one fell swoop. The cruel reality forced them to stay and fight desperately.

Of course, this didn't apply to the family members outside. These were the seeds; if something unforeseen happened, the exiled noble children could still inherit the titles and revive the family.

"Your Excellency, now is not the time to assign blame. The urgent matter is to urge the nobles of all regions to lead their troops here for reinforcement as soon as possible.

Although Ethel Fortress is strong, it cannot completely halt the rebels' advance. If the enemy bypasses the castle and divides their forces to cause trouble in Beda, it will be a big problem."

The middle-aged officer reminded him.

This was not alarmist talk. The rebels didn't need to play by any rules. Since they had no stable rear, their rear lines were not important to the rebels.

If it came to that, regardless of Count Pierce's willingness, he would have no choice but to use his family's reserves and fight the rebels to the bitter end.

After a moment of hesitation, Count Pierce, who had finally reacted, glanced at the rebel encampment outside the castle and, with a grim determination, said, "Issue an order. All nobles must arrive within three days.

Tell them that the rebel-ravaged Wright and Whitton counties are waiting for them to claim. As long as they achieve great merit in the upcoming battles, the unclaimed fiefs will be their spoils of war.

I pledge the honor of the Dalton family: I will report truthfully to the Royal Capital and ensure that every meritorious individual receives commensurate treatment."

The trouble he had caused must be borne by him. To navigate the noble circles, certain rules had to be followed.

To salvage the situation, Count Pierce had to make a significant sacrifice. After all, this gamble was too big for him to handle alone.

Even if he wanted to swallow the two counties whole, the Royal Capital would not agree.

Without finding a way to bring the local nobles to co-sign, the Dalton family couldn't withstand the pressure, and it was possible the royal family might even intervene.

If the royal family found an excuse and sent a prince to take over, it would be difficult to say who would be in charge in the Southeast Province.

Count Pierce, who had managed to secure his position as a regional lord, was not incompetent. After clarifying the potential interests involved, he decisively made his choice.

When the march slowed to about ten li per day, the journey turned into a leisurely tour. The tense atmosphere of war disappeared, and a more festive mood gradually emerged.

As they advanced, the alliance's ranks rapidly grew, with more and more nobles joining their ranks.

More people didn't necessarily mean greater strength, but it certainly meant more reliable information. Through their extensive networks and deliberate inquiries, more and more information flowed in, and they gradually understood what was happening.

With the transparency of information, nobles, including Hudson, gradually let go of their worries.

After mourning the unfortunate nobles of Wright and Whitton counties, they began to heavily criticize Count Pierce, wishing they could tear him apart.

Of course, this criticism was limited to words. It was difficult to get them to step forward and uphold justice. After all, they were all intelligent people who knew their own capabilities.

The only thing they could do was to continue their passive resistance.

Since Count Pierce had allowed the rebellion to fester, he was responsible for cleaning up the mess. Otherwise, if the kingdom held him accountable, he would face dire consequences.

With someone holding the line at the front, and the rebels not posing a threat to their own territories, they were no longer in a panic.

As for the delay in their arrival, they had already devised countermeasures, with excuses readily available: rebel harassment.

If they said rebels had attacked, then they had; the truth didn't matter.

Count Pierce bore undeniable responsibility for this rebellion, which served as a ready handle, making it impossible to delve too deeply into this issue.

The situation only began to change when Count Pierce's military order arrived again. Compared to the previous purely obligatory service, there were now promises of tangible rewards.