Debts of Favor

"What reinforcements have arrived?"

Hudson asked incredulously.

The Human Alliance's reinforcements had been lingering in the Moxi Duchy for two months without any sign of activity. It's no wonder they've arrived at the front lines so quickly; it's hard not to be surprised.

In fact, this "fast" is relative. They had already set off while Hudson was still on his way to the North.

They dawdled their way to Augsburg, only to stop again. They didn't take action until the Northern Expeditionary Army decided to break out.

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Considering the distance, their arrival at Purple Thistle Pass at this time could only be considered a normal marching speed.

"Yes, Earl. This is the document from the Purple Thistle Pass garrison to you, and the rest are documents from the various forces of the Human Alliance reinforcements."

Hudson was so angry that he wanted to curse as soon as he received a thick stack of documents from the messenger.

The bureaucrats of the Human Alliance Council failed to appoint a military commander-in-chief, and all the reinforcements acted independently.

Now he suddenly understood why the Orc Empire was so active and had been able to continue existing.

If the Human Alliance continues to play like this, it's a miracle they can Annihilation of the Orc Empire.

The alliance comprises over a hundred factions, large and small, and the sheer difficulty in coordinating their internal relationships is enough to be suffocating.

Without a unified military commander, everyone was doing their own thing, yet they were still able to beat the Beastfolk back; it was purely a matter of overwhelming force.

Getting angry is pointless; the documents still need to be reviewed. These are all official documents, and each one represents a faction.

After quickly scanning through the largely similar official documents from various parties, Hudson's patience had run out.

Just by looking at the pile of documents in front of him, he knew that the biggest task ahead was not fighting, but coordinating the various reinforcements from the Human Alliance.

It's impossible for him to reply in his own handwriting. He has to write over a hundred letters, so he probably won't be able to sleep tonight.

"You've traveled such a long way, you lot should go and rest first! Tom, summon all the officers of noble rank (viscount or higher) in the army for a meeting."

Deliberations are trivial; what they really need to do is help write official documents and replies.

Such delicate work can only be done by the middle and upper echelons of the nobility. If it were handed over to lower-ranking subordinates, who lack sufficient political experience, their replies would likely turn out to be disastrous.

Official documents were sent from all sides, though the general meaning was similar—routine greetings followed by their respective plans for the upcoming operations.

However, when it comes to specific details, each family has a different focus. Out of mutual political respect, a targeted response is necessary.

Hudson was speechless that the workload had increased so much before they had even met.

But if we have reinforcements, we might as well use them. The best course of action is to get them here first.

The Beastfolk have now divided their forces, and the cavalry they left behind to pursue the Northern Expeditionary Army are no match for the allied forces.

In the Behemoth army camp, Prince Butzwig was enjoying a roasted leg of lamb with a contented expression. The plates of spices beside him seemed to speak of his extravagance.

This invasion to the south may not have yielded many other gains, but the Orc Empire still made a fortune in terms of economic benefits.

They were constantly fighting and robbing along the way, and they managed to steal quite a few good things.

Spices that were originally quite valuable have now become ordinary food on the Prince Butzwig's table.

In the past, this high-end product had to be paired with monster meat. Ordinary beef and mutton were simply not qualified to be placed with these spices.

"Your Highness, Duke Daniel invites you to join forces to annihilate the Alpha Kingdom's reinforcements, seize the enemy's defenses, and then advance deep into Alpha territory to destroy the Alpha King..."

Before he could even utter the final word "country," Prince Butzwig's large leg of lamb had already fallen to the ground. His mouth hung open, unable to close for a moment.

The information was so explosive—a swift and decisive attack that would annihilate the Alpha Kingdom —it sounded like a joke to him.

The goal was to concentrate the power of the entire Orc Empire, and countless Orc Emperors had devoted their lives to it, yet none of them had been able to achieve it.

With only their limited forces, all of whom were cavalry, even if they managed to fight their way into the heart of the Alpha Kingdom, they could only look at the city walls and sigh in despair.

After calming down, Prince Butzwig took out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth and began to make plans.

Duke Daniel, he knew him quite well. This war god of the Silvermoon Wolf Tribe would never propose such a fantastical plan without a special reason.

Considering the current situation in the Orc Empire, he suddenly understood. It wasn't that Duke Daniel had lost his mind; on the contrary, it was because he was too clear-headed.

The best, and only, way to reverse the decline of the Orc Empire is to create a spectacular victory.

Victory on the battlefield can not only suppress domestic conflicts, but also stimulate the various ethnic groups on the mainland who are watching from the sidelines.

Neither the Warhammer Kingdom nor the Moxi Duchy is powerful enough; the only way to truly intimidate the rest is to target the Alpha Kingdom.

The problem is that it's only theoretically feasible. Everyone knows the strategic significance of destroying the Alpha Kingdom, but the problem is that he really sees no hope of success.

Is this the difference between a seasoned battlefield general and a war god?

Just as he was about to say something, Prince Butzwig noticed his advisor giving him a meaningful look, and he immediately understood.

"Tell the messenger that this matter is too complicated for me to make a decision on my own, and that I must first consult with Behemoth Emperor."

Whether it's militarily feasible remains to be seen; but politically, he absolutely cannot get involved.

Even if they win, it will arouse even greater fear Behemoth Emperor, and whether they can escape unscathed is still unknown.

If they lost, needless to say, they would definitely be held accountable. He didn't believe the Behemoth Emperor would show any mercy in legitimately eliminating a threat to his throne.

In any country rife with barbarity, the struggle for imperial power is extremely fierce. Order and rules apply nowhere; only the law of the jungle prevails.

Although the matter may seem to have been settled, the struggle for the throne among the Behemoth Clan is far from over.

As the new Orc Emperor, Alex's reputation within the Royal Court is not high due to his previous personal reputation.

Including Prince Butzwig, there were several other challengers who possessed the strength to threaten his throne.

There has been no internal strife because the current situation is too complex, and no one dares to take any rash action that could trigger an unpredictable crisis.

Not moving doesn't mean not moving. If Alex wants to secure his throne, he either needs to eliminate his rivals or subdue them for his own use.

When factional struggles arise, it's no longer up to Prince Butzwig to decide. Even if he wanted to step down, the interest groups behind him wouldn't allow it.

At almost the same time, Marquis Usuhu in the Lionmen camp also received a similar message.

Compared to Prince Butzwig's pretexts for delay, Marquis Usuhu's actions were much more decisive and efficient.

"Have someone tell Duke Daniel that his grand strategic plan is open to whoever wants to do it, but don't drag me into it!"

Marquis Usuhu said irritably.

He didn't understand the strategic plan proposed by Duke Daniel at all. Experience told him that the best way to deal with plans he couldn't understand was to stay away.

"Your Excellency, this cannot continue! We must move towards reinforcements, otherwise..."

He had only spoken halfway through his sentence when Count Pierce already felt the pressure. There was nothing he could do; the news he had painstakingly tried to suppress had still spread throughout the army.

Although the decision that day was led by Count Pierce, it was also a collective choice. Even though everyone was very unhappy, they were too embarrassed to criticize him, the leader, on this matter; at most, they just grumbled in their hearts.

But things are different now. Seeing Hudson keep his promise and selflessly provide aid everywhere, everyone's feelings are complicated.

If they hadn't been so clever, their losses would have been significantly reduced. Those nobles who had personally died in battle were especially tormented.

People are always used to shirking responsibility and are unwilling to admit their own petty thoughts, so they simply shifted the blame to Count Pierce.

No problem, it's all because of this boss's bad leadership that we've ended up with this bitter outcome.

This deep-seated self-shirking of responsibility fueled endless resentment towards Count Pierce among the group. They were now at a breaking point; the slightest misstep could cause the team to fall apart.

"Alright, let's head over there now! But we'll have to trouble Viscount Oran to send someone to coordinate things with Count Hudson."

Ultimately, he couldn't withstand the pressure. Between the safety of the army and his reputation, Count Pierce chose the former.

Unfortunately, it's still a little too late. The original group has dwindled to less than three thousand people, and the noble children have suffered heavy losses.

To reunite with reinforcements, they would still have to face the hunt of the Beastfolk army. No one knew how many would ultimately survive.

Even if there are still scattered soldiers in other places, under the constant pursuit of the Beastfolk, it is unlikely that the number of troops that can be gathered in the end will exceed ten thousand.

Such a heavy loss was a fatal blow to most of the nobles in the province, including the Dalton Family and Hollisir Family.

It can be said that, apart from Count Pierce, Viscount Oran had the most complex inner world.

Like most of the middle-ranking nobles who had the opportunity to take their place, he originally planned to secretly sabotage his teammates to clear obstacles on the road to his own restoration.

Unexpectedly, without him even lifting a finger, everyone suffered heavy losses.

At the last minute, they had no choice but to ask their son-in-law for help. If Hudson had followed the plan agreed upon by both parties, the Hollisir Family might have been doomed as well.

When interests are at stake, kinship disappears; the world of the aristocracy is pragmatic. Backstabbing is commonplace, let alone simply standing by and watching someone die.

"No problem!"

Regardless of his inner turmoil, Viscount Oran readily agreed. However, deep down, he inevitably held a grudge against Count Pierce.

Having just stood someone up, and now expecting help from others, is clearly putting them in a difficult position.

Asking him to mediate now is clearly an attempt to leverage his special relationship with Hudson to break the deadlock.

After all, it involves marriage ties. If Hudson doesn't intervene, he can forget about staying in aristocratic circles.

The aristocracy is a relationship-based society; no one wants to associate with someone who is ruthless and heartless. Even if it's just for appearances, one must lend a helping hand.

No one suffered any loss; the only one whose reputation was damaged was Viscount Oran's. However, faced with the eager gazes of the nobles in the province, he simply couldn't bring himself to refuse.