Righteousness as Hostage
"Who?"
A cry of alarm startled the patrolling soldiers, who immediately grabbed their weapons and prepared for battle.
After a short while, without finding any movement, the bearded captain said irritably, "Claire, what are you shouting about?"
Do you know how scary it is to scream like that in the middle of the night?!
After being reprimanded, Claire protested with a wronged expression, "Captain, I didn't shout anything. I clearly saw two figures pass by and then disappear from sight!"
Upon hearing this explanation, the bearded captain's expression changed. In the ordinary world, one might doubt that they were seeing things, but in the extraordinary world, a figure could easily flash by.
Either a skilled enemy soldier is passing by, or there really is a ghost. Either way, it poses a deadly threat to this patrol team.
"Don't let your mind wander, keep patrolling!"
Although he said that, he had secretly decided to go back and report the news.
If we've made a mistake, at worst it'll all be for nothing. But if it's an enemy expert who's infiltrated, then something big is bound to happen.
The patrol team was lucky; the journey was uneventful, and apart from a few wolf howls in the distance, nothing happened.
When the bearded captain reported the news, unrest had already broken out in the camp, and two patrol teams had not returned to camp on time.
Such accidents are not uncommon. But those were always due to sudden bad weather that slowed down the patrol team's movements, or attacks by wild animals that delayed them.
The situation is clearly different now. Not only has the team not returned on time, but they haven't even sent out a distress signal.
The officer on duty realized something was wrong and immediately reported it to his superiors, which quickly passed up the chain of command to Hudson.
"Pass down the order to the Second Legion to conduct a full search within a 30-mile radius. The members of the Venerable Council are to accompany them. They must find the missing soldiers!"
"Yes!"
Anyone who dared to cause trouble near his military camp was practically defying the heavens. Hudson had a vague feeling that something was amiss.
Even if the Beastfolk were to attack, they would choose to break through the weakest point. What use would it be to come here and take a few patrolling soldiers?
Trying to launch a sneak attack?
It's not that Hudson is bragging, but there aren't any Beastfolk main forces of more than a legion that come here just to give him battle credits.
The idea of tens of thousands of troops infiltrating is a pipe dream. The allied forces at the front lines aren't dead; even if they're blind, they wouldn't let tens of thousands of enemy soldiers slip through their fingers.
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Especially with air force patrols overhead, tens of thousands of troops had nowhere to hide on the vast grasslands.
Since the Allied Forces set out, the largest number of Beastfolk that have successfully infiltrated the region has been just over a thousand.
And just as they were about to cause trouble, they inadvertently exposed their whereabouts and were wiped out by the allied forces that rushed to the scene.
Hudson was more inclined to believe that these guys had simply taken the wrong path and accidentally stumbled into his territory, since it was just a small group that had infiltrated.
Hudson glanced at the map of the grain transport route hanging in the tent and shook his head inwardly.
For safety reasons, each grain transport team is equipped with at least a regiment of soldiers, and there are also air force patrols overhead.
Even if a Beastfolk squad launches an attack, the nearby human alliance can provide timely support. At the very least, the air force can arrive immediately.
Unlike Griffon Cavalry, wyvern mounts have a significantly higher carrying capacity. Two or three more people can easily ride on a single dragon.
For this reason, the infiltrating Beastfolk team dared not make any moves during the day and only came out to operate at night.
When marching in complete darkness, finding a target is difficult enough, let alone accurately assessing the enemy's strength.
Often, the offensive is launched in a muddled manner, and the battle ends in a muddled manner as well.
Compared to the number of raiding parties sent by the Beastfolk, their achievements were truly underwhelming. In any case, Hudson, the transport captain, never felt any pressure.
Realizing that something was wrong with the Beastfolk, but not knowing what it was, Hudson could only order increased vigilance.
In Lutetia, the Human Alliance Council is once again embroiled in controversy following the Alpha Kingdom's plea for help.
Unlike in the past, this time it's not a matter of agreement or disagreement. All-out war has broken out, and our own troops are fighting on the front lines; providing support is essential.
However, when it came to the specific number of experts needed to be sent, disagreements arose.
Ordinary mages are not even qualified to participate in clearing a channel in the ocean; only a very few high-level mages have the ability to do so.
Due to the sheer scale of the project, completing the cleanup in a short time requires the combined efforts of several high-level mages.
Getting these mages to do manual labor is much harder than sending them to the battlefield. Even if the leaders of major powers personally intervene, they can only try to persuade them with kind words, and might even get a good scolding in return.
No matter how difficult, a solution had to be found. After rounds of arguments, a preliminary consensus was finally reached. Just as they were about to engage in in-depth discussions, a new proposal from the Alpha Kingdom representative broke the silence of the meeting.
Asking for money is much harder than asking for people. Everyone knows that war is a money-devouring beast, and Annihilation of the Orc Empire is destined to be a protracted war.
Once the alliance takes on this responsibility, it must be held accountable to the end.
Ten million, twenty million, thirty million... these are all too small a scale. Without spending hundreds of millions of gold coins, it's simply impossible to complete this epic mission.
Putting aside everything else, since the outbreak of the war, the total military expenditure of just the four kingdoms of the Alpha Kingdom, Moxi Duchy, Warhammer Kingdom, and Duchy of Orton has already exceeded 100 million.
Before the war, this was a number that no one dared to even imagine. But with the outbreak of war, it was squandered away just like that.
This figure is equivalent to the total population of the four countries mentioned above, with each person contributing two gold coins to the war effort.
The actual proportion should be higher, because due to the war, the population of the four countries has decreased significantly, and the per capita share has also increased accordingly.
To raise funds, the Moxi Duchy first issued war bonds, then the Warhammer Kingdom issued post-war reconstruction bonds, and then the Alpha Kingdom issued war bonds.
The only Duchy of Orton that did not incur large-scale debt was because they were engaged in too much warfare and did not have time to spend their huge military expenses.
"Count Predrag, didn't your country just issue war bonds? Why are you short of money again?"
Bishop Montesol asked skeptically.
At the beginning of the year, bonds worth over 30 million gold coins were printed, and recently another 20 million gold coins worth of bonds were launched. The Alpha Kingdom has surpassed the Moxi Duchy and become the undisputed king of bonds.
While military spending is a bottomless pit, it can still be roughly estimated. Clearly, such a large sum of money cannot be spent all at once.
"Your Excellency, our second batch of bonds has failed to sell."
Perhaps we've reached the market's limit, or perhaps the market is worried about our repayment ability. In any case, people are no longer keen to buy our war bonds.
Currently, all of our military spending comes from the funds raised through the bonds issued at the beginning of the year, and two-thirds of that has already been spent.
It's understandable that the market is worried about our repayment ability. The Beastfolk didn't engage in a decisive battle with the allied forces; instead, they deliberately retreated, attempting to continue their resistance.
If this continues, no one knows how long the war will last.
As everyone knows, the Alpha Kingdom has suffered heavy losses in this war, and its post-war fiscal revenue will most likely be halved.
If the kingdom's debt continues to balloon without limit, it's very possible that in the end, we won't even be able to pay the interest!
Count Predrag said without changing his expression.
They've laid their cards on the table: the Alpha Kingdom is facing financial problems. If the Alliance isn't willing to lend a hand, it will be difficult for them to sustain the logistics of their frontline army in the long run.
After secretly calculating the economic benefits in their hearts, everyone looked at Count Predrag with pity.
The idea that Alpha Kingdom should raise bond interest rates was immediately abandoned by everyone.
The problem now isn't the interest rate; if the debt continues to increase, eventually we might not even be able to recover the principal.
No money, no money. Compared to deadbeats who refuse to pay their debts, these debtors who genuinely have no money are the most troublesome.
Amidst the tension, there is a sense of peace.
Judging from the responsible attitude shown by the Alpha Kingdom, it is clear that they are taking the debt problem seriously and have no intention of giving up.
As long as we take a proactive approach, there is a solution. In particular, the Alpha Kingdom has recovered a large amount of lost territory; once it recovers its strength, the debt will no longer be a problem.
"Count Predrag, the Alpha Kingdom was the biggest beneficiary of the Annihilation of the Orc Empire. To be fair, you need to compensate the Alliance."
Compared to the benefits your country can obtain, it is not unreasonable for us to only ask your country to bear the military expenses.
Your country is now facing financial problems; you should take proactive measures to resolve them, instead of shifting the blame to the alliance!
Bishop Montesol said righteously.
The Church was already worried about how to suppress the Alpha Kingdom. Now that it could see its mortal enemy in financial crisis, it was overjoyed and would not lend a hand.
"Your Excellency, we have taken measures, and the bonds have been printed, but they are not selling."
As everyone knows, the Church is the wealthiest state on the entire continent. If Your Excellency the Bishop could represent the Church and purchase these war bonds, we would certainly not trouble the Alliance!
Count Predrag replied with a smile.
It is a well-known fact that the Church is incredibly wealthy. However, this wealth mainly stems from the past, as the Church has been spending more than it earns for centuries, and its reserves have been nearly depleted.
If it weren't for the need to make money, the Church wouldn't have clashed with governments around the world. Its current notoriety is partly due to historical issues and partly due to conflicts of interest.
Judging solely from paper revenue, the Church's financial income remains the highest in mainland China. However, it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality.
The high-ranking members of the Church are all accustomed to their current luxurious lifestyle, and to ask them to lower their standard of living would be the greatest heresy.
"Snort!"
"That's just sophistry! If your country raises bond interest rates..."
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but Bishop Montesol swallowed them back. It was a paradox; if he followed the other party's pre-set script, any answer would be wrong.
Bonds with low interest rates are hard to sell, and with high interest rates, even the principal may not be protected, making them even harder to sell.
Everyone now misses the good old days when the Moxi people sold war bonds. Not only were the interest rates high, but repayment was also guaranteed. Now, they've directly levied a repayment tax, forcibly imposing it on the domestic nobility.
The same operation cannot be replicated in the Alpha Kingdom.
The Moxi people could endure it only when their country was on the verge of collapse and their homes were destroyed; to refuse would mean the destruction of their families and lives. Even if it harmed their own interests, the nobles could only grit their teeth and accept it.
Now is the era of a major counter-offensive. Even if the war is forced to end prematurely due to lack of funds, the nobles of the Alpha Kingdom can accept it.
In this context, it's unthinkable to exploit them for a long time.
In any case, ending the war early means everyone loses face. If the Human Alliance can afford to lose face, then the Alpha Kingdom can do the same.
"Alright, you two. We're all working for the sake of human dominance, there's no need to keep arguing over such a trivial matter."
The Alpha Kingdom is facing financial difficulties and is unable to afford the high costs of war; this is a pressing issue that needs to be addressed.
But the war must continue. All the races on the continent are watching us. If it ends in such a humiliating defeat, how can humanity's dominant position be secured?
Regarding the funding shortfall for the war, the Alpha Kingdom proposed three solutions. In addition to the first two, there was also the option of auctioning off land in the Orc Great Plains.
Don't rush to reject it. The natural conditions of the Orc Great Plains are relatively good. As long as the threat of the Beastfolk is gone, it can become fertile land.
Even if we don't need this land now, our descendants will. If we miss this opportunity, it will be very difficult to acquire so much quality land again!
Charles III enthusiastically promoted it.
Unfortunately, the representatives present were all cunning old foxes, and no matter how he tried to persuade them, they remained unmoved.
No matter how much potential development value there is, the Orc Great Plains are currently just a blank slate.
It's unclear how many resources would be needed to develop it. The benefits would only be enough to support a few descendants, offering no real improvement for the entire family.
These are all lessons learned in blood. Of the noble families that were tricked by the Alpha Kingdom into moving north and settling down back then, how many are still left?
Having learned their lesson once, they wouldn't want to try again. Unfortunately, everyone has learned their lesson and isn't interested in the empty promises made.
The atmosphere immediately turned awkward, and Charles III was powerless to change it. No one was willing to invest heavily in the Orc Great Plains, and he himself was equally unwilling to invest heavily in the north.
Large investments and long payback periods are only one factor. What worries him most is the security issue; the Beastfolk are retreating all the way and are not going to engage the allied forces in a decisive battle.
Once the Five Great Royal Families of the Beastfolk successfully withdraw from the Great Plains, the difficulty of destroying them will increase several times over.
"This is a matter of great importance, and we cannot make a decision in a short time. I think it would be better to put it aside for now and discuss it again after the war is over."
Regarding the war funding shortfall, the alliance will subsidize a portion, while the remaining shortfall will be covered by the Alpha Kingdom. Everyone should contribute by first purchasing the war bonds they have issued.
Lower interest rates are fine, since we're all allies.
This concerns the hegemony of humanity; we cannot afford to concern ourselves with such petty matters!
Count Georgievich spoke up to smooth things over.
Although I wanted to see Charles III make a fool of himself, the current situation required prioritizing the greater good.
As the second largest human kingdom, Illyria is also a beneficiary of the continental hegemonic system.
Compared to their own tangible interests, the petty squabbles with the Frankish Kingdom were utterly insignificant.
The solution was almost a compromise, and although none of the parties were very satisfied, it was a solution that everyone could barely accept.
Apart from a few poor fellow victims of war, the representatives of the remaining major powers whispered among themselves before finally choosing to accept the situation.
Tens of millions of gold coins is an astronomical sum for any country. But when it's divided among hundreds of factions, the amount suddenly becomes acceptable.
Especially since this money was lent out and can be recovered in the future. The only problem is the rate of return, which is ridiculously low.
That's right, the interest rate on the Alpha Kingdom's war bonds has dropped again. Just a few days ago it was 4% annual interest, but by the time it was submitted to the Alliance meeting, it had fallen to 1%.
With an extremely long repayment period of twenty years, coupled with an annual interest rate of one percent, it's no wonder that no one is interested in it.
Looking at the pitiful interest income, perhaps feeling that his previous performance had been lacking, Charles III waved his hand grandly and said:
"All for the sake of human hegemony, we will waive the interest on the 1.8 million war bonds that the Frankish Kingdom has purchased this time!"
An annual income of a mere 18,000 gold coins, equivalent to the income of a wealthy baronial estate, was hardly worth Charles III's attention.
By paying a small, inexpensive price, one can gain a good reputation and, incidentally, strengthen relations with the Alpha Kingdom. It seems like a win-win situation.
"Since the Frankish Kingdom is so generous, Illyria cannot stand idly by. Let's waive the interest on our 1.5 million bond as well!"
Count Georgievich said with a chuckle.
Even if we lose the battle, we can't lose face. As the second largest kingdom on the continent, we've always been rivals with the Frankish Kingdom, and we can't afford to lose in terms of morale.
The leaders set a good precedent; now it's time to test the relationships between nations. In the blink of an eye, dozens of factions with good relations with the Alpha Kingdom have offered to forgo their interest income.
Bishop Montesol, who had initially just been observing the spectacle, suddenly noticed the strange looks people were giving him and instantly realized something was wrong.
"I got scammed again!"
Realizing this, Bishop Montesol immediately inwardly cursed Charles III's entire family.
As a religious organization, the Church should have taken the lead in this kind of reputation-building activity.
Unfortunately, his grudges with the Alpha Kingdom affected his judgment, causing him to miss the best opportunity.
Not only was he outmaneuvered by Charles III, but he was also outmaneuvered by a group of continental nations. Whatever choice he makes now, he will inevitably face criticism.
No wonder everyone cooperated so actively. I originally thought it was the Alpha Kingdom that had attacked, but it turns out they were after the Church.
Paying ten thousand or eight thousand gold coins for an opportunity to damage the prestige of the Church seems like a huge win.