Hostility

"What, you refused?"

"Caesar III I said unhappily."

The way he looked at Count Lauren changed, as if to say: You're incompetent, you can't even handle this little thing.

"Your Majesty, Count Hudson's refusal is unwavering, and I truly have no other choice!"

As he spoke, Count Lauren was almost in tears. This was truly not his responsibility; the other party had firmly refused, and he, as the King's special envoy, was powerless to do anything about it.

There are many instances of forcing someone into a position, but to forcibly appoint a military commander when someone refuses is utterly absurd.

Rubbing his forehead, Caesar III was at a loss for words, and the atmosphere in the room became exceptionally strange.

Regardless, a military commander is always needed. It's awkward when no one wants to take on a mess they know is a disaster.

The commanders appointed for the previous Southwest Front Army and Central Front Army were all veterans of the Alpha Kingdom, with distinguished military achievements, yet they still met a tragic end.

With past examples to draw upon, capable noble officers naturally wouldn't want to jump into the trap. Those who were willing to go, however, were met with distrust.

The mess we made before was already big enough; if another wave comes, no one can handle it!

Julius Caesar III had initially worried that the concentration of military power would disrupt the political balance within the country. Now, he suddenly realized that the issue was no longer about balance.

Based on the performance of the Southwest Front Army and Central Front Army, they were nothing short of a hot potato. If the kingdom had more troops, Caesar III wouldn't have even given them a second glance.

The main problem was the consequence of blind optimism. All the capable noble sons went to the Northern Expeditionary Army to gain military merits, leaving behind only those who were more trouble than they were worth.

"Your Majesty, although Count Hudson has declined the position of commander-in-chief, we can allow him to temporarily take command of the troops."

Of all the kingdom's generals, he was the most adept at enforcing military discipline. His soldiers were the most obedient, never leaving their camps without orders.

The Southwest Front Army and Central Front Army now desperately need a commander with such strict discipline to reverse the unhealthy practices within the military!

"The Minister of Military Affairs Duke Affierro, spoke with righteous indignation."

Even a hot potato needs to be taken on. Hudson, with his strong abilities, excellent performance, and lack of connections or background, is undoubtedly the best choice.

"Lauren, how does the Count Hudson govern his army?"

"I ask with concern, "Caesar III asked.

Pulling a team that's rotten from top to bottom out of the mire is no easy task.

The previous commanders did take measures, but unfortunately, they ultimately failed.

"Your Majesty, I am not entirely clear on the specifics of how the Count Hudson governs his army."

However, in the Southeast Front Army camp, I heard bursts of wails, which were probably the screams of soldiers being punished for violating military discipline.

Perhaps the strict discipline of the Southeast Front Army was forged through rigorous military law.

Count Lauren said uncertainly.

This answer did not satisfy everyone. Even the strictest military law needs to be enforced. When officers also become corrupt, the strictest military law becomes nothing more than a decoration.

"Snort!"

"If you don't know, then send someone over to learn. The Military Affairs Department, quickly arrange for capable personnel to go there. Those mediocre people shouldn't be sent to cause trouble."

Lauren, make another trip and make sure that Count Hudson takes over the Southwest Front Army and the Central Front Army.

"Pass down the order to have these two units converge on the Southeast Front Army. I don't want to hear any more bad news!"

Caesar III gave the order in anger.

In the Moxi Duchy, Crown Prince George warmly welcomed the reinforcements from the Human Alliance. To be precise, this welcoming ceremony had been ongoing for almost half a month.

There was no other way; the Human Alliance was comprised of too many factions, each with its own internal conflicts. Getting them all to arrive at the same time was simply too difficult.

"Your Highness, Grand Master Blake of the Church 'Order of Judgment Knights has arrived."

The attendant's words sent a chill down everyone's spine. Even after hundreds of years, the infamous name of the Order of Judgment Knights remained a shadow in the hearts of many.

Unlike ordinary Knight Order, the Order of Judgment Knights have long since evolved into a hodgepodge, including not only knights who run on the ground, but also knights who fly in the sky, and even a navy.

This behemoth, comprising land, sea, and air forces, boasts a total strength of 80,000, making it more powerful than many other countries.

The fact that the Grand Master of the Order of Judgment Knights personally led the team is enough to demonstrate the importance the Church attaches to this operation.

The Earth Dragon Legion made a stunning entrance, giving people a sense of earth-shaking movement from afar; their massive bodies made it clear that they were not to be trifled with.

Seemingly dissatisfied with being overshadowed by the Earth Dragon Legion, the flying dragon in the sky let out a roar, instantly grabbing everyone's attention.

When faced with two groups of pretentious soldiers, the ordinary cavalry accompanying them paled in comparison. Even though they were the elite of the elite, they became insignificant in the face of extraordinary troops.

"Let's go, hurry and greet them!"

As soon as George finished speaking, a new group appeared on the horizon. Their equally massive forms, like mountains, marched towards them.

Another dragon roar echoed in the sky, the sound slightly different from the previous dragons, but it did not diminish their imposing entrance.

Without waiting for his subordinates to report, George knew just by looking at the lineup that this was the Tyrannosaurus Rex Legion and Pterosaur Cavalry of the Frankish Kingdom.

Among all the countries on the continent, only they dare to confront the Church so directly. However, compared to declaring the Pope illegitimate, this minor confrontation is nothing.

The clash between the two powerful factions has put Crown Prince George in a difficult position. Both are among the most elite forces in the human race, and he cannot afford to offend either of them.

Unfortunately, the two families ended up together, making the reception a major problem. It was impossible to be in two places at once, and welcoming one first would inevitably offend the other.

Even though he secretly favored the Frankish Kingdom, George was uneasy about involving the weakened Moxi Duchy in this factional struggle.

"This is really lively! How about I join you?"

A cheerful voice descended from the sky, instantly turning the embarrassed George into a shrewd man. With two opposing forces entangled in this situation, a single misstep could lead to utter destruction.

Now that the situation has become a three-way power struggle, the circumstances have instantly changed. The emergence of the Iberian Kingdom has temporarily brought this conflict to a close.

The Giant Eagle Cavalry, Vulture Cavalry, and Griffon Cavalry are a veritable hodgepodge of air force units, but unfortunately, they are not as awe-inspiring as the "sub-dragon species" mentioned earlier.

However, the Raptor Legion on the ground is no less formidable than the previous two. They are slightly smaller in size, but their advantage lies in their greater agility.

As the second strongest country on the mainland, Illyria truly deserves its title.

The clash between the three powers was truly a spectacle. The remaining reinforcements all became much more low-key.

Compared to these three behemoths, other human forces, while possessing considerable strength, are generally far inferior.

The three major forces each contributed 30,000 troops, accounting for 30% of all reinforcements, but their combat strength accounted for far more than half, making them the undisputed force of choice.

At the Southeast Front Army camp, Hudson once again received uninvited guests. He had no temper with this group of nobles who had come to learn the ways of military administration.

In this era of strict knowledge secrecy, the act of stealing knowledge so openly is something even Hudson doesn't know how to criticize.

Deep down, he had already sent his regards to Caesar III and his family many times, but on the surface, he had to warmly welcome the guests.

Almost all the kingdom's great nobles sent representatives, and he really couldn't afford to offend them.

Seeing the envious glances that were faintly visible in the crowd, Hudson knew that Caesar III had stirred up a lot of hatred for him this time.

Is it really necessary to be so petty just because he refused to take on the role of commander-in-chief?

Despite his thoughts, Hudson still joined the others in praising His Majesty the King's wisdom. He truly couldn't afford to offend him; the boss had far too many ways to make things difficult for his underlings.

A moment of pleasure can lead to a tragic end. This is especially true for aspiring nobles like Hudson, whose fiefdoms are yet to be settled; they cannot afford to offend the King.

Giving him face is fine, but getting him to fall into the trap is out of the question. What's the difference between acting military command and being the commander-in-chief?

Since everyone wants to learn, then go ahead and learn. How much you learn depends entirely on your own ability; Hudson certainly won't teach you on his own initiative.

Leading troops into battle primarily depends on talent. If you're not good enough, then you're truly not good enough; no matter how many military books you read or how many military strategies you learn, it won't change your fundamental nature.

Experienced generals are honed through practice, not valiant ones. Mass production can only produce junior officers, not "renowned generals."

"Your Excellency Count Hudson, where does your military discipline place the dignity of the nobility?"

A dissenting voice rang out, Hudson knew that troublemakers had arrived. Those now being punished were a group of aristocratic descendants who had just been caught in the crossfire by the study observation group.

Strict military discipline comes at a price. The Southeast Front Army, mostly a motley crew, managed to maintain perfect discipline over civilians, but the price was the suffering of a group of privileged young men.

The operation is very simple: if someone is being unruly, they are dragged out and beaten, and the beating is done in front of their soldiers.

If one beating isn't enough, you can have another. Anyway, in the Southeast Front Army, you'll get plenty of beatings.

The groans and cries in the military camp mostly came from the troublesome aristocratic officers. As for the serf soldiers below, with their masters having been flogged, how could they not know how to behave?

Occasionally, some people, not believing in such superstitions, would leave the severed heads hanging on the flagpole outside.

Hudson never hesitated to deal with people, no matter who they were.

He didn't cut off the noble officers' heads, he just gave them a beating. That was already giving face to the families behind these guys. To talk about noble dignity is just ridiculous.

"A bunch of guys without any aristocratic manners, a complete disgrace to the nobility, unworthy of aristocratic dignity. Do you see any problem with that?"

As he asked the question, Hudson's sharp gaze locked onto the young nobleman. An invisible pressure forced him to take three steps back.

I wanted to say something more, but my morale had already collapsed. The words were on the tip of my tongue, but I ended up stammering.

Despite a resounding victory in the brief exchange, Hudson felt no joy. It wasn't that the nobles lacked character, but rather that the nobles who had challenged him lacked character.

The reason is very simple: the younger generation of elites are all on the front lines. Those who remain in the country are either certain they lack military talent or are simply waiting to die.

Only a very few, having been seriously injured in previous battles, had to stay behind to recuperate.

The fact that someone jumped out to cause trouble so quickly is enough to prove that there are many people in the kingdom who do not welcome him, a new player.

There was nothing that could be done; he was just too young.

People simply couldn't tolerate someone younger than themselves and from a worse background being above them.

This would make them lose face, and their original excuses would no longer be valid. Their failure to rise up was due to their own incompetence, not to any special objective conditions.

For most of the younger generation, Hudson, this "other people's child," is both a role model and an annoying figure who pulls them back to reality.

The one who had just spoken out seemed to be from the North, judging from his accent. Hudson vaguely understood the source of this hostility.