Master of Drawing Cakes

After a long and arduous journey, Hudson arrived at Flying Bear Fortress. Looking at the towering city walls before him, Hudson's expression improved considerably.

Besides the main city, there are more than a dozen castles of varying sizes nearby, all closely connected to Flying Bear Fortress.

Compared to the main city, these castles clearly lack the weathered appearance of time. It's immediately obvious that they were hastily constructed.

It was clear that the Elvin Family had put a lot of effort into the city's defenses. Unfortunately, they weren't very lucky; their main force was lost on the battlefield early on.

"Welcome, Count Hudson and Viscount Racquel!"

A cheerful voice came from the welcoming crowd.

Judging from the fully armed appearance of the newcomers and the army behind them ready to go, it was clear that they were not there to welcome them, but rather to run away.

It seems they were eager for this rotation and didn't want to stay on the front lines for even a moment longer.

"You're too kind! What are you looking for?"

Hudson feigned ignorance and asked.

The middle-aged officer was slightly embarrassed after the topic was brought up.

It's normal to switch and leave, but rushing to leave like this is going too far.

They were forced into this situation; the fall of Bertley Fortress had terrified the defenders of Flying Bear Fortress.

Laibolong Family couldn't stop the Beastfolk army's advance, so these individuals were even less capable.

The calm is now because the Beastfolk had previously consolidated their forces to launch a full-scale attack on Bertley Fortress.

Before the Battle of Bertley Fortress began, the defenders of Flying Bear Fortress had already suffered heavy losses. The two legions stationed there were thoroughly ravaged by the Beastfolk.

We finally got a shift change and a chance to rest. If we don't run fast, we won't be able to escape once the Beastfolk army comes.

"Your Excellency, we've been waiting for you."

After days of fighting, we were exhausted and worried that the fortress might be in danger.

Now that you're here, we can go back and rest a bit, and catch up on some sleep.

The Flying Bear Fortress is yours!

Count Hudson, Viscount Racquel, we'll take our leave now, and meet again after the war...

After exchanging pleasantries, the middle-aged officer couldn't wait to lead his troops away, giving them no chance to stop.

Hudson was speechless upon seeing this.

However, after seeing the procession leaving the city, they immediately understood what was going on.

Clearly, these guys only knew that Bertley Fortress had fallen, and had no idea of the heavy price the Bearman Imperial Court had paid. They mistakenly thought that the enemy would attack immediately, which is why they reacted so excessively.

Explanation was impossible; the person was in a hurry to leave, and Hudson couldn't be bothered to keep them.

The war has only just begun. We're fine now, but who knows when we'll be lying in bed? Making friends at a time like this only adds to our troubles.

As he watched the two legions depart, Hudson instinctively noticed that their ranks were much shorter than those of a normal legion.

During wartime, if the main combat units at the front are not at full strength, there is only one explanation: they have been lost on the battlefield.

Seeing one leaf, one can know that autumn is coming. The heavy losses are definitely not limited to the defenders of Flying Bear Fortress. It is likely that the defenders along the entire defensive line have been ravaged by the Beastfolk.

The foreign garrison has left, but the Elvin Family remains. Although one of the family heads has died, it doesn't mean their obligations are fulfilled.

Unless one can relinquish the inherited title and territory, the lord's obligation to defend the land remains inescapable.

As a member of the aristocratic group, Hudson was well aware of how closed off this group was, and that once they abandoned their foundation, there was almost no chance of taking it back.

Staying behind is a near-certain death, while starting a new business is a near-certain death. Even if one could truly let go of everything, the outcome wouldn't be much better.

Without noble status and unprotected by the rules of the game, they are like fat sheep just released from the pen, ready to be slaughtered by anyone who sees them.

Voluntary relinquishment is different from that of exiled nobles. In the latter case, the fiefdom was lost, the patriarch died in battle, and the heir could not inherit the territory, but in law, he was still a legitimate heir.

In theory, as long as the Moxi Duchy recovers its lost territory, they can still inherit the land.

The Elvin Family's choice was similar to that of other nobles. The new patriarch fully cooperated in defending the city, and if they succeeded, everyone would be happy.

If they cannot hold on, they will arrange for the younger generation to leave, sacrificing a new head of the family and the remaining family army, waiting for the day when the duchy recovers the lost territory and takes back everything they have lost.

Having taken over the city's defenses from the young Viscount William, Hudson, accompanied by a group of trusted officers, began to patrol the city. His life was at stake, and he dared not be careless.

In Dapes City, the good news brought a slight improvement to Chris IX's gloomy expression. Had he received such good news before the fall of Bertley Fortress, he would definitely have held a celebratory banquet.

But it was all too late; a tactical victory could not make up for a strategic mistake. The greatest significance of the "good news" was only to boost morale.

"Has the battle record been verified? Did they really annihilate a Behemoth Cavalry regiment?"

Chris IX asked with concern.

Using artistic methods to report achievements has long been the norm.

The principality needs to appease the people; if it doesn't embellish the reports of daily defeats, no one can stand it.

This time, however, is an exception. The feat of annihilating a Behemoth Cavalry regiment is already significant enough. To embellish it further would seem too contrived.

"Your Majesty, our Military Affairs Department has verified the battle results multiple times. The Laite County Legion and the Newly Formed 23rd Legion did indeed annihilate a Behemoth Cavalry regiment on the way."

Martins answered with absolute certainty.

This performance is truly phenomenal. No matter how you nitpick, you can't find any flaws.

The embellishments in the battle report simply concealed the fact that the Behemoth Cavalry had first fought a bloody battle with the enemy before being surrounded.

Minor flaws in the details are trivial. The process of the battle is not important; the key is that the number of Behemoths captured is accurate.

Real, tangible results speak for themselves. If this happened a few more times, the Behemoth Clan would definitely not be able to withstand it.

"That's good. Let's get straight to the publicity! This good news will be a significant boost to the morale of the domestic military."

Chris IX said calmly.

"Your Majesty, it's not without its problems. The battle results and reports are impeccable, but the casualties are a major issue."

According to the data they reported, the Laite County Legion lost more than 2,800 warhorses, Newly Formed 23rd Legion lost 500 warhorses.

However, according to the information we have, the entire Laite County Legion does not have two thousand warhorses, so how could they have lost so many warhorses!

We sent someone to communicate with Count Hudson, but he insisted that the losses were only so great and demanded that we replenish his supplies as soon as possible.

Martins said with a hint of helplessness.

Exaggerating battle losses is nothing new.

In the event of a victory, as long as the amount of exaggeration was not too great, the Military Affairs Department would tacitly approve it as a reward for meritorious officials.

If things go too far, then someone has to be sent to investigate. Under normal circumstances, everyone abides by the tacit understanding and won't go too far.

The Military Affairs Department only approves the supplies; the actual responsibility for replenishing them lies with the subordinate Logistics Department. If subordinates are allowed to falsify reports, logistical work becomes impossible.

Over time, the Logistics Department also learned their tricks. They would usually calculate a number based on the information they had, and then use that as a standard to cut back on the reported battle losses when replenishing supplies.

For example, the Newly Formed 23rd Legion reported a loss of 500 horses, but in the end, they might only receive 300.

The Laite County Legion was an exception; as a guest force, they weren't bound by unspoken rules. Once the Military Affairs Department confirmed the casualty figures, the Logistics Department had to provide the full amount.

Having learned their lesson the hard way, the Logistics Department now avoids Hudson like the plague, and would never dare to cut into his supplies.

If things escalate, these unspoken rules that can't be openly discussed can't be used as an excuse for them to evade responsibility.

How many horses did the Laite County Legion lose?

Chris IX asked with concern.

"According to the news from the Logistics Department officials stationed at Flying Bear Fortress, the amount of fodder received by the Laite County Legion has only decreased slightly."

Based on this, it can be inferred that they lost no more than two hundred warhorses, and possibly even less than one hundred. Even including navigable horses, the total losses would not exceed five hundred.

Based on the intelligence we've gathered, this Count Hudson is particularly fond of cavalry. In addition to a standard cavalry regiment, he is also equipped with a large number of crossbows.

All the soldiers of the Laite County Legion had learned to ride horses. This siege of the Behemoth Cavalry was a transformation of infantry into cavalry. They deployed as many as 3,500 Nag Horse Cavalry alone.

Some of these nags were obtained in exchange for weapons and equipment captured on the battlefield, while the majority were extorted from our Logistics Department. Their original nags that accompanied the army were still pulling carts.

If this continues, I strongly suspect that the Laite County Legion will become a cavalry regiment before the war is over.

Martins couldn't help but complain.

As Minister of Military Affairs, he liked all the capable troops.

Even though the elite legion needed more supplies, he didn't even blink. He'd seen plenty of the cunning tactics of his generals.

This was the first time he had encountered a strategy of transforming an infantry legion into a cavalry legion.

Despite his complaints, he didn't explicitly voice any objections. Although it went against the rules, the powerful had special privileges.

"Give it to him!"

Chris IX rubbed his forehead and said.

After a moment's hesitation, he added, "Tell Count Hudson that the warhorses are a minor issue."

"If he can kill another five thousand Behemoth Cavalry, or annihilate ten thousand other royal troops, I'd gladly convert them all into cavalry!"

Drawing a pie in the sky, a blatant drawing of a pie in the sky.

If they could really wipe out so many elite Beastfolk, the Laite County Legion probably wouldn't have many men left. With their numbers gone, the promised equipment upgrades wouldn't be a problem.

It would be even better if there weren't too many losses. By sacrificing some equipment, they would gain an elite cavalry legion, and the Moxi Duchy wouldn't lose out.

As for whether Hudson could transform elite infantry into elite cavalry, with the precedent of annihilating the Behemoth Cavalry Regiment, Chris IX was not worried at all.

Against the Evil God

"Your Majesty, regarding the matter of rewarding meritorious officials, what do you think should be done? Should we follow the old practice and accumulate them first, then calculate them all at once after the war?"

Chancellor Herczeg asked tentatively.

Even if his own son is on the battlefield, just basking in the glory of war, it's still glory. As a beneficiary of the system, it's natural for him to care.

With his eldest son's fate uncertain, he now has to devote more energy to his second son.

Rackel's individual ability may be average, but he was lucky and got a strong teammate from the start, so he could just sit back and win.

Given his luck, the probability of him surviving this chaotic era is very high. Furthermore, he's young and still has a lot of potential for development. He's a viable candidate to be groomed as a backup heir to the family.

"Send someone to ask them for their opinions. With their previous contributions, many people's merits are enough to be promoted to a higher rank or to be exchanged for a fiefdom."

If they wish to settle accounts, the duchy can offer them settlement rewards. Titles, fiefdoms, gold and silver jewels, beautiful women, and cultivation resources are all options they can choose.

If we are not planning to settle accounts, then we will follow the old practice and accumulate the accounts until after the war for final accounting.

The Military Affairs Department must do a good job of providing relevant explanations and clarifications to prevent any problems from arising.

As for the Laite County Legion, their titles cannot be promoted, so let's reward them with some gifts instead!

The Foreign Affairs Department continued to engage with them, trying to win over as many nobles as possible. They were willing to be more generous with titles and fiefdoms.

Especially that Count Hudson, if we could win him over and have him stationed in the Northern Frontier, we could also..."

Chris IX's words, seemingly unintentional, were actually meant for everyone to hear. His main concern was that his subordinates weren't working diligently, since no one wanted a share of their profits.

Although the Moxi Duchy has little appeal to the nobles of the Alpha Kingdom, as long as they are offered substantial benefits, they can always entice a few fools to come over.

After so much time and no results, it's hard to believe that the lack of effort from subordinates is unrelated to their passive resistance.

The fact that they've specifically designated someone to garrison the Northern Frontier is the best promise they can make to the nobles within the country. After this war, there are probably very few nobles left who would still be willing to be neighbors with the Beastfolk.

Based on the Alpha Kingdom's past experience, the Orc Empire launches a full-scale invasion every few decades. It's quite possible that we might encounter a second one in our lifetime.

Borders always need to be guarded. If you don't want to go, then you can only let someone else go.

If the nobles of the duchy don't want the northern territories, and it ends up falling into the hands of the King, the royal family can't be made to take the fall, can they?

Directly under the central government?

Putting aside the fact that there's no precedent for this, the problem is that nobody is at ease! Judging others by oneself, if you're a certain kind of person, most others probably aren't much better.

Although no one said it aloud, everyone knew that the rapid collapse of the Augsburg defenses was definitely related to the bureaucrats who oversaw its construction.

No one was held accountable because the guys who oversaw the construction of the defense line back then are all dead now. The last unlucky guy fell on the battlefield along with the defense line.

This isn't something that can be solved by simply replacing the people. When noble lords build their own castles, if a problem is discovered, they can simply redo it. Costs are completely insignificant compared to their lives and property.

But bureaucrats are different; no matter how clean they are, it's useless. Budgets are ultimately finite and cannot be arbitrarily revised.

Even if a problem is discovered, they will choose to cover it up to protect their own positions. As long as the Beastfolk don't launch a full-scale invasion during their term, the bomb won't explode.

Having learned a lesson the hard way and paid a bloody price, no one wants to go through that again.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured. Our Foreign Affairs Department will certainly do its utmost to accomplish this!"