The End of an Era

"Good!"

"Very good!"

"You guys, haha..."

The Duke Cavadia's desperate laughter was chilling.

The reality is too cruel; judging from the reactions of all parties, it is clear that an agreement was reached in advance.

With ceasefire negotiations underway, the withdrawal of the main force is only a matter of time, and the case of reselling military supplies should also come to an end.

The evidence in the hands of the Alliance Investigation Team is sufficient to implicate the five dukes. If they continue to dig deeper along the chain of evidence, they will surely implicate more nobles of the kingdom.

In investigations, it's never about uncovering as many people as possible. The problems uncovered so far are enough for the alliance to use as leverage in negotiations.

"Better to die for your friends than for yourself." The group of nobles from the kingdom, feeling guilty, didn't want to waste time in uncertainty. Even if it meant losing all contact with the Orc Great Plains, they wanted to close the case as soon as possible.

With the collective will of all parties, the investigation into the resale of military supplies has reached the five dukes, and it's time to bring it to a close.

Fortunately, they have enough influence to back them up. Using them as a warning to others is enough to give the outside world an explanation.

These were merely the apparent reasons for the misfortunes of the Northern Nobles; what truly drove Duke Cavadia to despair was the warning issued by Duke Affierro.

The meaning is very clear: either they take the blame for reselling military supplies and bear full responsibility, or everyone forces the blame onto them to convict them.

Whether passively or actively, the blame will inevitably fall on their heads in the end.

The only difference is that if they come out and confess, it saves them some face and leaves them with some dignity.

After the laughter subsided, Duke Cavadia asked bitterly, "Your Excellency, we have nothing to say about the case of reselling military supplies."

The evidence is all here, so we don't need to say anything more.

"In consideration of the great contributions we have made to the kingdom and to humanity, could you please give us some time to make our final arrangements?"

Witnessing the demise of the five dukes of the North, Hudson felt a deep sense of unease. Clearly, even the great nobles were not entirely safe.

Although he was behind all of this, the root cause of the downfall of the five dukes was actually their failure to adjust their mindset in time and grasp their own position.

The charge of reselling military supplies has always been ambiguous. When they want to deal with it, they can make a huge fuss; when they don't want to deal with it, they can simply pretend they didn't see it.

Essentially, it was the decline of the Orc Empire, the disappearance of the defense pressure on the Northern Frontier, and the loss of the special status that the Northern Nobles originally held.

If the Five Great Families adjust their mindset in time, they should also join the buying frenzy for supplies while other nobles are making up for their losses.

It doesn't matter if you offend someone; as a high-ranking noble, you don't lack a few disguises. Just change your identity and go buy it. It's all business; who has the time to investigate the buyer's background?

Joining the rush to buy supplies, while not necessarily filling all the gaps, can at least fill most of the gaps.

Not only that, but with the addition of these few families, the shortage of strategic materials will likely be difficult for most nobles to cover, and the number of unfortunate people implicated in the military supply smuggling case will inevitably increase significantly.

Everyone participated, and everyone left behind holes, which is equivalent to normal transportation losses.

If everyone works together to cover it up, even the alliance's investigation team will have a hard time finding anything. At least no one will keep providing clues to the other side and constantly guiding the investigation team to find evidence.

Unfortunately, these five unfortunate souls clearly didn't realize the seriousness of the situation beforehand. Or rather, they reacted too slowly, and by the time they realized the problem, they were already in danger.

It is true that the Northern Nobles are a large group, and the Kingdom has always taken good care of them. They even have considerable renown within the Human Alliance, but that is based on the premise that they are useful to the Kingdom and to the human race.

Having lost its greatest value, trying to continue to occupy its original privileges is clearly a path to self-destruction.

"Your Excellency, please make yourself at home!"

"I am a great man," said Duke Affierro, feigning generosity.

Even though there were some differences from the original plan, he was still very happy that the five dukes were gone, the Northern Nobles were severely weakened, and the biggest threat to the Royal Authority in the kingdom had been eliminated.

Having witnessed five dukes make their wills and arrange for heirs to take over the family business, Hudson immediately understood what they were going to do next.

They were destined to die, so they could arrange their own death and announce to the outside world that they had contracted the plague, thus preserving their final dignity.

If you were executed by the alliance or the kingdom for reselling military supplies, you would lose all your dignity.

Frankly speaking, the kingdom's approach still showed some consideration for human feelings. The accountability was limited to the individuals involved, without implicating their families.

Their deaths were meant to provide an explanation to all parties, ensuring that their descendants could still inherit titles and fiefdoms. The great nobles remained great nobles, merely experiencing a temporary setback.

Ciss, who had always followed Duke Cavadia, was deeply hurt at this moment. As an illegitimate son, he had no right to the inheritance.

No matter how much her father doted on her, at a time like this, she could only step aside.

Tears streamed down his face, and even from dozens of meters away, Hudson could feel the sadness in his heart.

When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. When a towering tree falls, how can the birds and beasts that depend on it for survival remain unaffected?

With the arrival of his adopted brother, this pesky illegitimate elder brother, if he doesn't take advantage of the chaos and run away quickly, he might not even have a chance to leave.

But in this vast world, where could he find his final resting place?

Returning to the Southeast Province? Forget about it. From the moment he chose to step out, his path home was already cut off.

The incident happened so suddenly that even the family's internal affairs couldn't be arranged, and Duke Cavadia simply didn't have time to make arrangements for his illegitimate son.

There are many similar unfortunate individuals among the Northern Nobles. This sudden change of power will inevitably trigger a new round of reshuffling.

Many who are attached to this political group will face the prospect of having to choose sides again. Countless others will be ousted from the center of power.

The deaths of the five dukes marked the end of this peculiar political group of the Northern Nobles. The Five Great Families might continue to band together for mutual support, but representing the entire North would be impossible.

With an era gone, Hudson's work became increasingly busy. As the commander-in-chief, he inevitably faced disciplinary action, but the cleanup work still fell to him.

There's no chance of a power grab; everyone knows just how troublesome the follow-up work will be.

When it comes to the distribution of post-war profits, even the slightest oversight in the work will trigger a large-scale disturbance. Without a doubt, the person in charge on the front lines will take the blame.

Hudson personally experienced how each day felt like an eternity. He had originally wanted to share the burden with Duke Affierro, but that cunning fellow, once the situation was settled, immediately turned tail and ran back to the Royal Capital.

The mess at the front lines was all dumped on Hudson. Now he not only had to ensure the logistics of the Allied forces, but also appease the morale-collapsed Northern army, control the plague, and convene a group of noble officers to discuss the distribution of spoils.

Despite their best efforts, they managed to maintain order at the front lines, albeit barely. But that was all; trying to do more was clearly beyond their authority.

Ultimately, as the commander-in-chief, he only had the right to make suggestions regarding the specific distribution of benefits, not the final decision-making power.

It goes without saying that Caesar III, who always liked to mix things up and play the balance game, would definitely not let this opportunity pass him by.

Everyone knows what's going on, but people's dissatisfaction is still directed at him, the head coach.

"Tom, send this report to the Royal Capital!"

Hudson said, sounding slightly tired.

He had a mountain of work to do, making him more exhausted than if he were fighting a war. But at a time like this, he couldn't just quit and leave.

The "rights" and "responsibilities" of nobles have always been equal. Having enjoyed the benefits brought by the commander-in-chief, they must now assume the responsibilities and obligations of the commander-in-chief.

Hudson would never desert his post. Right now, he just wanted the alliance negotiations to end quickly, and then to finalize the distribution of profits within the kingdom so he could pack his things and go home.

Counting the days, two years have passed since he led his troops into battle. And it has been almost three years since the outbreak of war.

The prolonged war has exhausted the entire Alpha Kingdom. It can be said that every day the war continues brings heavy losses to this ancient kingdom.

At the Emerald Palace, Caesar III, as the victor in a new round of political struggle, was in high spirits.

Although he took the blame for Hudson and was suspected by many of them of plotting against the Northern Nobles, it was not a big deal.

The deaths of the five dukes dealt a heavy blow to the Northern Noble Faction. The internal power shifts alone would prevent this small group from causing him any trouble for the next few years.

The power of the Royal Authority was further consolidated. The noble forces within the kingdom returned to a state of balance, and the era of one dominant power was over.

The only problem was that his health was deteriorating. Despite the excellent situation, blood appeared in his coughs.

With his health failing, Caesar III could only accelerate the process of grooming his son. With external threats gone and the internal situation generally favorable, as long as the King didn't deliberately court disaster, nothing major would happen.

"What do you think, Little Caesar, of the land allocation plan submitted by the Count Hudson?"

"I asked Caesar III expectantly."

"This report is rife with the scent of compromise. Count Hudson is using the kingdom's interests to curry favor with others!"

Crown Prince Caesar said with a furrowed brow.

This wasn't the first time the front lines had sent similar reports. However, each time, none of them satisfied him.

Especially when it comes to the specific allocation of fiefdoms, it all boils down to four words: human relationships and social customs.

Originally, military achievements were an important criterion. Unfortunately, the main task of the army was to escort supplies, so no one's merit was much higher than another's.

Going back further, it's a bunch of guys who lost a battle; talking about their war achievements is just a load of nonsense.

If we really break it down, Hudson's expeditionary force actually had the advantage in this respect.

Unfortunately, most of these military achievements were made in the Moxi Duchy. Their master had already paid the reward, and the kingdom could not possibly pay it again.

In the final allocation of fiefdoms, the primary consideration is the contribution made to the kingdom, rather than the contribution made to allies.

Fortunately, Hudson wasn't one to abuse his power for personal gain; he followed all the rules of the political game. As a result, every proposal he submitted was rife with considerations of personal relationships and power dynamics.

"Um!

This was an inevitable outcome. Regardless of who was in Hudson's position, the final reports submitted would be largely the same.

Give your feedback and send the report back for revisions!

"I can say that without changing my expression, "Caesar III said.

What appears to be a power struggle between the commander-in-chief and the King is actually a power struggle between the nobles at the front and the Royal Authority. Hudson, as the commander-in-chief, is merely an intermediary.

Politics is inherently a process of constant probing and compromise. Unless the situation becomes one-sided, bargaining will be a lengthy process.

"Continuing to revise it probably won't yield any results. Hudson isn't the type to handle things; he keeps asking for instructions and reporting on even the smallest problems, as if he has no opinions of his own."

Knowing his style, he'll probably convene another meeting with a group of high-ranking nobles, and then come up with a solution that's full of compromise!

The Crown Prince said with dissatisfaction.

He had never liked Hudson. Even after so much time had passed, he still couldn't forget his tragic experience in the Moxi Duchy.

In his view, the great defeat that day was largely due to the absence of Hudson's First Army; otherwise, the outcome of the war would have been very different.

However, he had received a complete royal education and hid his hatred very well; outsiders had no idea that he harbored a grudge against Hudson.

"The Count Hudson, capable of commanding a million-strong army, has absolutely no independent judgment. Little Caesar, is this your assessment?"

Caesar III asked with a disappointed look.

Although Hudson didn't achieve any major feats since becoming commander-in-chief, the fact that he could command a million-strong army without causing chaos was itself a remarkable achievement.

Especially considering the kingdom's vast army, most of them are hastily assembled cannon fodder units. They'd explode anywhere if left unattended.

From beginning to end, Hudson's position as head coach was on a powder keg. His greatest achievement was preventing the powder keg from exploding.

As for achieving great deeds and establishing a career, no one would be foolish enough to imagine that a motley crew could achieve any amazing results on the battlefield.

Perhaps sensing the change in Caesar III's attitude, the Crown Prince frowned slightly and said, "It cannot be said that the Count Hudson was completely without his own opinions, but his performance during his tenure as commander-in-chief was not satisfactory."

In the subsequent war against the Orc Empire, the Kingdom Army was reduced to mere spectators, causing our international standing to plummet.

While the heavy losses suffered by our troops earlier were partly to blame, as the commander-in-chief, Count Hudson should also bear some responsibility.

This explanation is flawless. In the eyes of many Kingdom radicals, Hudson's performance was indeed subpar.

However, this judgment is exactly the opposite of the older generation's view. Only by personally experiencing the terror of the Beastfolk can one understand the importance of a "steady" commander.

"Idiot!"

"Among so many veteran generals in the kingdom, none of them have raised any objections. Why should you, a defeated soldier, be the one to comment?"

Hudson may not have accomplished much, but he preserved the kingdom's strength and gained enough influence. Isn't that more valuable than the victory you mentioned?

As the Crown Prince, you need to think objectively and fairly, not be led by others!

Caesar III couldn't help but reprimand him.

Clearly, he was not angry because the Crown Prince underestimated Hudson, but because he was worried about his son's judgment of people.

For a ruler, focusing solely on the problem itself when faced with one is undoubtedly very dangerous.

Ironically, this biased way of looking at problems is the hardest to change. Without a fundamental shift in perception from the depths of one's heart, it is difficult to achieve a strategic extension of vision.

In an instant, Crown Prince Caesar's face darkened. He shouldn't have been blind to these problems. But his deep-seated prejudice led him to choose to ignore them.

After realizing this, he felt not relieved but even more burdened. It's always easy to discover your own problems, but difficult to change them.