No Fault Is Merit

At the Emerald Palace, Caesar III, severely wounded, reappeared in public after a month of recuperation. His complexion was rosy, and he did not look like someone who had suffered serious injuries.

No one mentioned the assassination anymore. After the Orc Empire claimed responsibility, the Alpha Kingdom officially attributed the attack to the Beastfolk.

After a series of investigations, the nobles suspected of involvement were gradually released due to the lack of concrete evidence.

Everything returned to normal, as if nothing had happened, but the undercurrents were becoming increasingly turbulent.

No one believed that Caesar III would remain silent after such a major incident. The more he remained silent, the more panicked everyone became.

Not to mention the nobles suspected of involvement, even the senior officials in the court were extremely nervous, fearing that the fire would spread to them.

A tense atmosphere filled the air, but Caesar III remained unmoved. The search for the culprit had ceased, and no one had been held accountable, including the officials on duty.

"Have you all seen the battle reports from the front? The army's advance is quite impressive; it seems our Count Hudson has really put in the effort this time."

Caesar III's ambiguous smile left everyone completely bewildered. Was he satisfied with Hudson, or dissatisfied?

Unable to fathom the King's true thoughts, none of them dared to continue the conversation.

Everyone knew that Caesar III was seething with anger and desperately needed an outlet, and no one wanted to risk offending him.

"Why is everyone so quiet? Is the fighting not going well at the front?"

Caesar III asked the question again.

Realizing there was no way to avoid it, Grand Duke Affierro, the Minister of Military Affairs, replied nervously, "Your Majesty, the battlefield is unpredictable. It is certainly excellent that Count Hudson could think of using Beastfolk to fight Beastfolk."

It wasn't that he had a good relationship with Hudson and wanted to speak on his behalf; it was simply that, as the Minister of Military Affairs, he had to give a fair and objective evaluation in order to gain everyone's trust.

Whether militarily or politically, using Beastfolk to fight Beastfolk is in the interest of the Alpha Kingdom.

The only flaw is that this strategic plan came out too late. If it had been used earlier, the situation would have been very different.

However, this is not a reason to criticize or condemn. The fact that they were able to devise such a strategy and promptly implement it within the coalition forces is already quite remarkable.

"Yes, tell Count Hudson to keep up the good work. He must teach the Beastfolk a lesson they won't forget in the shortest possible time!"

Caesar III's words immediately caused a huge uproar among the people. Every word of a monarch is inevitably subject to political interpretation.

It was merely a "lesson," not a complete annihilation. Clearly, Caesar III had wavered in his resolve to the Annihilation of the Orc Empire.

In the past, when faced with such important matters that would determine the future of the kingdom, he would always consult with everyone first, but now he is acting unilaterally.

The aftermath of the assassination attempt has finally begun to unfold. No matter how things were outwardly presented, a thorn remained embedded deep within Caesar III's heart.

Perhaps it wasn't directed at everyone, but Caesar III certainly lost trust in the nobles suspected of involvement.

The changes in the court directly impacted the front lines. Recently, Hudson had clearly sensed something amiss within the military.

Relying on the prestige he had accumulated during this period, he could only barely ensure that the various units completed their tasks on time; many other tasks were beyond his capabilities.

"Your Excellency, Royal Capital begun so soon?"

The Coslo Family's intelligence network was still in its infancy and had not yet infiltrated the court. To understand the situation in the Royal Capital, Hudson had to rely on his father-in-law's influence.

This was also an exchange of equals. The Hollisir Family provided him with intelligence, and Hudson, in turn, used his authority to provide them with conveniences.

"The relationship hasn't broken down yet, but judging from the current situation, it's about to erupt soon."

The reason for bringing it up so early, besides the previous assassination attempt, is more importantly because the kingdom has gained too much from this war.

You built the new Northern Frontier defense line yourself, and you should know how much land the kingdom has gained this time.

Now, as long as we severely damage the Beastfolk, we can pocket that profit.

The nobles of the country are all eager to get a share of the spoils. A fierce battle is inevitable!

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Viscount Oran said with a hint of helplessness.

Under the prevailing circumstances, the Hollisir Family was vulnerable. They had originally planned to use this war to rise again, and had even chosen their development path.

Unfortunately, things went wrong at the last minute. In the breakout battle, the kingdom's Standing Army suffered heavy losses, and the Hollisir Family's influence in the military was naturally severely damaged as well.

This wouldn't have been a big deal, since all the noble families suffered losses along with them, which meant that no one was actually harmed.

Unfortunately, the family private army he had painstakingly built was also led astray by that incompetent Count Pierce, and was almost completely wiped out.

Every time he thought of this, he couldn't help but look at Hudson with envy. People with great fortune are different; while others suffer heavy losses in wars, the Coslo Family only grows stronger with each battle.

The Coslo Family, which was originally just a middle-class noble family, jumped directly into the ranks of the great nobles under Hudson's leadership.

Fortunately, it was his own son-in-law; otherwise, he seriously doubted whether he would have been so jealous that he questioned the meaning of life.

"Your Excellency, rest assured, no matter how much they make a fuss, we will get a share; it's just a matter of how big the slice will be."

With the Hollisir Family's foundation and this latest acquisition, returning to the ranks of the great nobles shouldn't be a problem.

Hudson offered words of comfort.

As their most important ally, the Hollisir Family had to be kept in check. Otherwise, even if they entered the circles of the great nobles, they wouldn't have a single guide.

A storm is brewing!

Hudson made a decisive decision regarding the King's orders—to selectively execute them.

Defeating the Beastfolk is necessary, but the prerequisite is to preserve strength first. As the commander-in-chief, he can only achieve continuous victories and cannot afford any major defeats.

Hudson has done everything he could. He has not only gained fame within the kingdom, but has also achieved considerable renown throughout the entire Human Alliance.

Perhaps many years later, he may be deified and become one of the few epic heroes in human history.

"Let's hope so! The Hollisir Family's military achievements are ultimately lacking. Even if they mobilize all their connections, they still don't have a clear advantage compared to their competitors."

Hudson, do you think you can create an opportunity for us to go again...?