A Divided Kingdom and the Beast Arena

"The main reason I invited everyone here today is to discuss the future of the kingdom. Due to the civil war, my Warhammer Kingdom has suffered heavy losses, and now the alien armies..."

"Snort!"

"Snort!"

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by two cold shouts, which made Joseph II's face turn ashen with anger.

He was the King of the Warhammer Kingdom, and he never expected that his subordinates would be so disrespectful.

Even if they are going through a division of the family, for the sake of the kingdom's reputation, they should at least put on a show in front of outsiders!

Unfortunately, Joseph II's illusions were ultimately shattered. Representatives from both camps demonstrated through their actions that they were unwilling to recognize him as King.

If it weren't for the rules of the game, it's uncertain whether King Joseph II would still be alive today.

Reality is cruel; political balance seems to be a game every monarch plays, but not everyone can play it smoothly. Once it goes wrong, one has to bear the consequences.

"Everyone, please calm down. We invited you here today to resolve the issue, not to escalate the conflict."

With the Ancient Remnants army pressing in and the Elves stirring, the Warhammer Kingdom is facing its most dangerous moment.

If you continue to cause trouble like this, everyone should know what will happen next.

We can't count on reinforcements from the Human Alliance anytime soon; we can only rely on ourselves now.

Count Renato said solemnly.

The fragmentation of the Warhammer Kingdom is what the Moxi Duchy wants, but only after the Continental War, not at this time.

Even a unified Warhammer Kingdom struggled to withstand the onslaught of alien forces; Warhammer Kingdom embroiled in internal strife had even less hope.

Desperate to buy time, Count Francis had no choice but to enlist the help of the various nations of the Northern Continent to mediate the internal strife within the Warhammer Kingdom.

"Count Renato, you've made a fool of yourself today."

We all bear responsibility for how the kingdom has come to this point, but some people are simply unwilling to admit it.

That's enough!

We're destined to be on different paths. Rather than forcing ourselves to stay together and fight amongst ourselves every day, it's better to just separate.

As he spoke, tears streamed down Marshal Borg's face. As a pillar of the Warhammer Kingdom, the thought of personally splitting the kingdom he had fought for for most of his life was an indescribable feeling.

But there was nothing he could do; people in aristocratic circles are often not in control of their own destiny. As a representative of the western nobility of the kingdom, his primary responsibility was to protect the interests of his group.

Having been suppressed by the eastern nobles for centuries, they finally gained the upper hand, but instead of gaining more rights, they triggered a civil war.

Having developed the situation to this point, he has no way out; the interest groups behind him are pushing him, their spokesperson, forward.

"Fine, let's break up then! It's not like anyone begged you to stay together! All you ever do is fight for power. Without you guys, the kingdom would only be better off!"

Chancellor Gaiyin countered sharply.

Since they've chosen the opposite side, they can't afford to lose face. It has nothing to do with personal preferences; everyone involved has interest groups backing them, and he had no other choice either.

In the blink of an eye, the negotiations reached a stalemate. Dividing the family property was not as simple as it sounded; it also involved the division of territory.

They've already fought a civil war; it's no wonder the border can't be settled in a few words. If we get bogged down in this issue, things will get complicated.

"Please calm down, both of you. Whether or not to split up is your internal matter, and as outsiders, we should not interfere."

But there's one thing you need to understand: the alien army is now pressing in, and the Warhammer Kingdom is in a critical situation.

The Ancient Remnants's army alone is already keeping everyone busy; if the Elves were to send troops as well, it would be even more troublesome.

At this critical moment, we need to temporarily set aside our differences and unite to overcome the difficulties together.

If you can't do that, then you can take a gamble and see if the alien army will show you mercy!

No matter how big the conflict of interest, survival comes first. You should think this through carefully; we don't have much time left.

Count Gustavo tried to persuade him.

As the Alpha Kingdom's envoy to the Warhammer Kingdom, he was on a mission. The fate of the Warhammer Kingdom was unimportant; the key was to buy time for his own side.

The longer these people hold on, the more time the Alpha Kingdom will have to prepare. Given this context, he naturally didn't want the situation to escalate into a major conflict.

"Count Gustavo, your reasoning is sound, but if some issues are not clarified now, they will become even more difficult to clarify later."

Putting aside other issues, after the division of the family, to whom does the King live?

We can't possibly continue to be the common rulers of both families, can we?

Alright, let's be magnanimous. Considering the heavy losses you suffered during the Beastfolk invasion, we'll let His Majesty the King accompany you.

Since the royal territories are mostly concentrated in the eastern region, dividing them directly by region would avoid further complications on this issue.

Marshal Borg said with a look of disgust.

At worst, we can be downgraded from a kingdom to a duchy. As long as we can get rid of that troublesome Joseph II, paying a small price is worthwhile.

The fact that the western nobles did not want Joseph II as King did not mean that the eastern nobles welcomed him.

During the last Beastfolk invasion, both the Alpha Kingdom and the Moxi Duchy entrusted their armies to their most capable generals, but Joseph II, in order to maintain political balance, personally led the expedition.

It's common for the King to personally lead troops into battle on the Aslant Continent, so there's nothing wrong with it.

But once a battle is lost, problems arise everywhere. Having squandered his fortune, Joseph II naturally became the most unpopular person.

He can't even try to shift the blame; he was the one who volunteered for the position of head coach, and he personally issued the orders, so naturally he has to bear the responsibility for the failure.

"Marshal Borg, you can't say that. Our political system is mature, our government is stable, and we can function on our own without anyone. In comparison, you need His Majesty to take charge more."

We've been friends for years, so how can we take advantage of this situation?

Your Majesty, there is no need to worry. The lands within the royal domain can be exchanged; we can easily transfer them over, which will also resolve the current territorial conflict in the process.

..."

When Chancellor Gaiyin his words, everyone was instantly dumbfounded. After all this time, the crux of the conflict between the two major factions of the Warhammer Kingdom, East and West, had actually become "not wanting King."

For a King to be so despised, Joseph II has certainly set a precedent in history. Needless to say, he should abdicate!

Considering Joseph II's questionable actions over the past few years, even the royalists have nothing to say.

If he hadn't insisted on his own way, the Warhammer Kingdom, with its strength, wouldn't have suffered such a crushing defeat in the war.

If they had responded proactively from the beginning, they would have had a good chance of preserving most of the kingdom's territory from the ravages of war.

The eastern nobles hated Joseph II for his disastrous leadership, which caused them to lose their homeland; the western nobles hated him for using the western Noble Allied Forces as cannon fodder in order to maintain the balance of power.

Normally, after such an incident, he should have taken the initiative to admit his mistake, abdicate, and assume responsibility to ease domestic tensions. Unfortunately, Joseph II stubbornly clung to the throne.

In the subsequent reconstruction efforts, Joseph II continued to pursue his balancing act, employing unconventional tactics to the fullest extent, leaving even the royalists speechless.

Renato and Gustavo exchanged a glance, both showing expressions of helplessness. Asking the King to abdicate was also a major taboo.

It wasn't that he was worried about offending Joseph II; his main concern was his boss's opinion. If this led to him being targeted, it would be a huge loss.

If they could avoid it, they wouldn't mind leaving and slamming the door behind them. However, the situation on the battlefield required them to mediate the internal conflicts within the Warhammer Kingdom, and even though they knew that getting involved in such matters would not end well, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it.

"Your Majesty, what is your opinion on this matter?"

Count Renato asked in an annoyed tone.

It's a miracle that the King has reached this level. Renato strongly suspects that if Joseph II continues his erratic behavior, he might end up on the guillotine.

Of course, the most likely outcome is a sudden death. Since the end of the Church era, there has been no precedent for executing King on the Aslant Continent.

"Snort!"

After giving a cold shout, Joseph II slammed his hand on the table and said, "Haven't you already made the arrangements? Why are you asking me?"

"So all they want is for me to abdicate? As long as the unity of the kingdom can be maintained, I can make concessions!"

In the past, this would have been an absolutely touching sacrifice, but now it's a joint coup by two factions, and there's no room for maneuver anymore.

"In that case, let the eldest and second princes succeed to the throne!"

To ensure fairness, the royal domain will be divided in two, and we will then decide by drawing lots which prince will become monarch on which side.

"I'm exhausted," said Marshal Borg.

Nothing is more cruel than destroying the kingdom you've fought so hard for your entire life. But things have come to this point, and splitting up is the best option.

Both sides have spilled each other's blood in the past civil war, and forcing them to sit together will only exacerbate the conflict.

The direct division into two, with the addition of the royal territory as a buffer, gave both sides a chance to calmly consider how to deal with the invasion of foreign tribes.

"Good!"

"Good!"

A barrage of cheers dealt a heavy blow to Joseph II, causing him to faint on the spot.

The crowd was terrified and hurriedly called for a priest to come and help. In Shareholding State, splitting up is fine, but if the King is driven to his death, that would be a much bigger problem.

Essentially, both sides chose two princes to succeed to the throne to avoid being branded as "traitors." If Joseph II were to die here, all their efforts would have been in vain.

Fortunately, it was just a fit of rage, and with the help of the priests, Joseph II survived. However, he was severely injured and never regained his former vigor.

News of the Warhammer Kingdom's split in two quickly caused a major upheaval across the Aslant Continent. Although each kingdom retained its own name and considered itself the legitimate successor, everyone knew that yet another kingdom had fallen.

The names "East Warhammer Kingdom" and "West Warhammer Kingdom" suggest that this was the result of a compromise between the two sides.

In normal times, all the human nations would have to intervene! If they play like this so recklessly, where does that leave the Royal Authority?

Even though the Warhammer royal family will still inherit the throne, everyone knows that the two newly crowned kings are likely to be figureheads.

There was no chance to struggle; Joseph II had squandered the royal family's fortune. The little remaining strength that allowed the royal lineage to be preserved was only due to the public's leniency.

Hudson didn't know what the monarchs of various countries thought, but he was quite satisfied with the current situation in the Warhammer Kingdom.

Sometimes "1+1" does not equal 2. When two conflicting interest groups separate, the chances of them betraying each other are reduced, and they can play a greater role on the battlefield.

What follows is all about protecting their own interests; I'm not worried they won't put in the effort. Even if the Warhammer Kingdom falls, many noble castles will still hold out.

The Ancient Remnants is just a general term; only they themselves probably know exactly how many races are involved.

With more people comes more trouble, especially a multi-racial alliance. While they are fighting for their own interests, they can still work together for the sake of victory, but once they have achieved their goals, the alliance will crumble.

Not every race possesses lofty ambitions. Most Ancient Remnants simply desired a piece of land suitable for survival; those vying for continental dominance were virtually nonexistent.

It's not that these people lack ambition; it's simply that their races are limited in number. Especially those small tribes with only tens of thousands of people—do they really think they're all Giant Dragon?

According to Hudson, once the Warhammer Kingdom survives the first wave, the Ancient Remnants will begin to split.

Realizing that humans are not easy to deal with, some races without ambition will choose to stop while they are ahead and turn their attacks into a way to clear out their rear.

For the Alpha Kingdom, having fewer enemies means a greater chance of victory. Even a few minor races might be the final straw that breaks the camel's back at a crucial moment.

Standing atop the pavilion, watching the knights challenge the monsters on the arena, and looking down at the cheering crowd below, Hudson realized that opening a "colosseum" wouldn't be bad.

Once the knights in their own territory have finished their challenges, the restrictions can be lifted, and knights from outside the territory can be attracted to come and challenge them by using the slogan "Whoever defeats the monster will own it".

Not only can they sell tickets, but they can also collect a registration fee.

Anyway, the remaining monsters are all stubborn ones among beasts, and they are not so easy to submit to. Even if you win, it will mostly be a waste of time.

You don't have to pay; you just need to lend a hand once. Hudson's request isn't high; he just wants to contribute during the Continental War.

"Mr. Jose, you've come from the Royal Capital. How much do you know about the Colosseum?"

Hudson asked with concern.

The plan was good, but it still needed people to implement it. The fact that only Beda City in the entire Southeast Province had an arena speaks volumes.

If this industry were so lucrative, nobles from all over would have jumped on the bandwagon long ago, instead of failing to gain widespread popularity until now.

"My lord, the operation of the Colosseum is very simple. It is nothing more than a venue, plus 'beasts' and 'men'."

Given the situation in Mountain Territory, meeting these conditions is not difficult; the key challenge lies in making a profit.

Relying solely on ticket revenue is barely enough to break even; the real money comes from the commission on betting on matches.

In addition, selling food, providing special services, and receiving compensation after fights are also important sources of income.

Given the actual situation of the territory, unless the arena is located in Dadir City to attract nobles from neighboring counties to watch, it will be difficult to achieve a balance between income and expenditure.

After listening to Jose's analysis, Hudson was also helpless. The Mountain Territory seemed to have everything it needed, but this sparrow was ultimately too small.

Light industry was textiles, and heavy industry was iron smelting. But these were all small workshops, and the workers were completely dependent on him, the lord.

Spending power is a joke. Even if Hudson were willing to pay wages in cash, these people wouldn't be able to spend it, or rather, they wouldn't be willing to spend it.

With the lord providing for their basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, people's desire to consume is practically zero.

Of course, their meager wallets also determine their low desires. Their life goal: to have enough to eat; their further pursuit: to eat well.

For spiritual pursuits, perhaps tickets could be offered as a reward. After all, you can't expect a bunch of guys who can't even pull out a few coins to spend money.

Raising everyone's income and changing the food ration system to cash payments is just wishful thinking.

Most of the territory's profits were used by Hudson for territory development, and a small portion was used to support the army.

The Mountain Territory is currently in a fiscal deficit, so what surplus value do we have to distribute?

If domestic purchasing power is weak, external purchasing power will also fail to pick up. With the Continental War looming, the nobles are all busy expanding their armies and preparing for war; who has spare money to spend?

"Then let's put the arena in Dadir City!"

The remaining monsters were all stubborn; they were defeated more than ten times in a row, but they showed no sign of surrendering.

We've tried everything – coercion and bribery – but nothing has worked. The chances of us being won over are very slim.

Let's just use it as a prize to attract knights from all over to come and challenge us. We'll follow our rules: whoever can subdue the monster after the fight will get it.

Let's set the registration fee at fifty gold coins. With such a small amount of money, people can exchange it for a chance to become Magical Beast Knight. I think quite a few people will take the bait.

After all, challenging someone in the ring is much safer than trying your luck outside.

As long as a few lucky ones succeed, there will be no shortage of popularity.

This way, they can save money on hiring gladiators. If managed well, the arena might even make some money.

Of course, whether the arena can make money is not the point; the key is that it can promote a martial spirit!

They say it's not the point, but when it comes to actual actions, it's all about money.

The more war-torn the times, the more valuable goods become. Take Warcraft cubs as an example; their price has skyrocketed by forty percent compared to before the outbreak of the Continental War.

This is because it requires long-term cultivation; otherwise, the price could rise even more dramatically.

The chance to gain a master from an adult magical beast, even a low-level one, would be highly coveted by minor nobles.

Compared to ordinary knights, Magical Beast Knight have a greater advantage, whether they are making great achievements or fleeing after a defeat.

Even with a low success rate, many people still can't resist trying it.

The registration fee may seem small, but the monsters they face are not just one, and the total cost after completing a round is not insignificant.

Moreover, signing up for the challenge isn't something you can do immediately. The waiting time also involves significant expenses.

Whether it's food, clothing, shelter, transportation, or watching a few games, everything contributes to Lord Hudson's profits.

If the profits are good, Hudson wouldn't mind expanding the industry further and capturing more monsters to put in the arena.

When necessary, they can even give the monsters a boost by feeding them some Hars's Growth Potion to stimulate the nobles' enthusiasm for participation.

"Count, won't the knights in the territory object to this?"

After all, our Warcraft Legion plan has only just begun, and many knights are eagerly watching.

Jose said with a slight hesitation.

As outsiders, there are usually many things to consider. Especially matters that affect the interests of the local knights, which require extra caution.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to everyone about this. If anyone has any objections, let them come to me. You just need to choose one person to be in charge of the arena."

Hudson said calmly.

The lack of Warcraft is only temporary; Maxim and Beldens have been quite busy lately.

They would leave early and return late every day, sometimes going out for several days in a row, just to scout out the Black Stone Mountain Range. Once they had a good understanding of the situation, it was time to take action.

Of course, for safety reasons, these magical beasts will not be sent to the Mountain Territory immediately, but will be taken on a long detour from the outside.

Even if a high-level magical beast were to track the scent, it would first trace it to other places.

Besides, if we're going to take action, we'll do it with restraint. It's not like we're wiping out all the low-level magical beasts in a region. Losing a few beasts in each area won't cause any real trouble.

In the world of Warcraft, it's a dog-eat-dog world where high-level Warcraft often snatch a few low-level ones to eat.

As long as they don't linger and try to seize territory, the local high-level magical beasts won't care. Even if they encounter each other head-on, it's just a matter of fighting.

As long as we maintain a proper balance, things will remain under control. The only problem is that this limits the number of magical beasts we can capture.

However, this is nothing special, as the number of knights in the Mountain Territory is already small. Even if you include the entire Coslo Family, you can't gather eight hundred knights.

Considering that the army also needs commanders, the Warcraft Legion only needs a strength of 300 men. Further expansion will have to wait until the younger generation comes of age.

Not all knights are qualified to challenge magical beasts. Those young knights who have just become knights are no match for magical beasts at all and can only raise magical beast cubs.

While the shortage appears significant, the actual demand isn't as high as anticipated. Continuing to capture monsters is primarily aimed at increasing the officers' survivability on the battlefield.

It's important to understand that most of these people were trained by Hudson. While their abilities might not be considered extraordinary, they've all at least survived countless battles and bloodshed.