Nobles Divided into Two Factions Over Interests

Nobles Divided into Two Factions Over Interests

"A military council is for discussing how to deal with the orcs, not for you to form factions. Since the Baron of the Frozen Earth is not coming, we will not consider the defense of that territory."

Count Winter then addressed the two counts in a somewhat cordial tone.

"Love, Muya, you should be more familiar with the Black Goat Orcs. Tell us what you know."

Love Weiss, the current heir of the Weiss Ducal Family, and Muya Soron, an elderly man who had personally experienced the war in Northwind Province years ago.

Generally, at meetings like this, people only addressed each other by their noble titles. No one had expected Count Winter to be so familiar with these two.

The nobles who did not know why speculated about the relationship between the three counts, while those who knew the past sneered.

Back then, Count Winter had been one of the loudest voices calling for the Northwind Province's local nobles to be stripped of their titles.

"Count Soron, you are older than I am. You should speak first."

Count Weiss looked toward Count Soron, showing this old man a fair degree of respect.

"Then let this old man tell you."

Muya Soron was far tougher and more robust than he looked. He walked over to the crude map of Northwind Province nailed to the wall.

"Fifty-three years ago, I personally took part in a battle when a million-strong Orc Army led by Black Goat Orcs marched south into Northwind Province. In that battle, Northwind Province lost half of its military strength."

"The fortresses on the Fragrant Mountain Plains were all destroyed. Grand Duke Northwind's Frost Wolf Cavalry Legion lost twelve thousand elite soldiers and never recovered, even by the time the Empire went to war with Northwind Province."

Upon hearing this, many nobles wore sorrowful expressions.

"Yes. If not for that battle, how could Grand Duke Mayers have taken Northwind Province so easily?"

Someone sighed, but a friendly noble beside him quickly reminded him that they were now nobles of the Empire and could no longer dwell on the past.

Over there, Count Soron continued gravely.

"When the orcs marched south that time, the fortresses on the Fragrant Mountain Plains were breached from underground. Fortresses that had stood for over a century could not even stop the orcs. The Black Goat Orcs are far more cunning than we imagined."

"Because the fortresses fell, Northwind Province lost more than a third of its population. I dare say that even today, those numbers have not fully recovered."

"When facing orcs led by Black Goat Orcs, my suggestion is to take the initiative. We cannot simply defend."

"The Black Goat Orcs will devise all sorts of ways to destroy our defenses. Only by taking the initiative and slaughtering the orcs, killing enough of them that they cannot survive this winter, will the orcs naturally retreat to the Northlands. Even the Black Goat Orcs cannot force them to keep attacking."

Hearing Count Soron's words, many lords nodded in agreement.

Why? It was simple. If a million orcs marched unhindered into Northwind Province, who would suffer the greatest losses?

Would it not be the nobles' territories? Their fortresses were only fortresses, not solid cities.

"Muya, if we are to take the initiative, where do you think would be best to fight the orcs?"

Count Winter looked at Count Soron and asked.

"On the Fragrant Mountain Plains. A vast grove of fragrant mountain trees once grew there. After decades of recovery, it has largely returned. We can use the dense forest to divide the orcs and effectively kill those unprotected orcs."

"I do not agree."

Someone rose to his feet. It was Viscount Hogg, the governor of Silver Stream County in Northwind Province, widely recognized as one of the province's strongest viscounts, with a formidable army under his command.

"We do not yet know the number of orcs. If there truly are a million, the Fragrant Mountain Plains alone cannot stop them. Even with fortresses back then, it was impossible. Now that there are no fortresses, it is even less possible."

"The dense forest can divide the orcs, but it can also hinder our cavalry charges. Are we supposed to give up our cavalry advantage and fight the orcs with infantry?"

Count Winter turned to Viscount Hogg again and asked.

"Then how does Viscount Hogg think we should defend?"

Viscount Hogg said proudly.

"Each county should construct its own defensive line, while concentrating its forces and waiting for the orcs to arrive."

"Count Winter's Flying Wolf Cavalry can serve as links between the counties. If one county is not attacked by the orcs, it can send troops to reinforce the others."

"Use defense in place of offense. Since the orcs must attack fortresses and cities, they will certainly suffer great losses. Once enough of them have died, they will naturally retreat to the Northlands."

After the viscount finished speaking, someone stepped forward.

"I agree with Viscount Hogg's method. Defending and counterattacking will inflict more casualties on the orcs than fighting on the Fragrant Mountain Plains."

"Ridiculous. Defend? Our territories are all in the northern part of the province, directly facing the orcs. Even if we hold them off, so what? Our territories will already have been completely looted."

"Will recklessly charging into the Fragrant Mountain Plains stop the orcs? Our cavalry cannot make use of its advantage there at all."

"Cavalry? A single warhorse costs three hundred Gold Coins in Northwind Province. Do you have that much cavalry?"

"Having little does not mean having none. Only cavalry can crush the orcs. Infantry is at a disadvantage against them."

"The Fragrant Mountain Plains are the only route for the orcs to march south. Mountains lie on both sides. As long as we put enough pressure on the orcs there, they will naturally retreat."

"The last time the orcs marched south was five years ago. Five years! What kind of lives have they been living in the Northlands? How could they retreat so easily?"

At the meeting, these nobles split into two factions once more. One faction consisted of nobles from the northern parts of Northwind Province, whose territories would certainly be the first to suffer the impact. The other faction held relatively southern territories; even if the orcs broke through, not many would reach their lands.

Silver Stream County in particular lay at the southernmost edge of Northwind Province, close to Winged Gorge.

At this point, the clearly divided factions had shifted from local nobles and southern nobles to a divide based on the regional difference between northern and southern territories within the province.

In the end, it was all about interests.

"Enough!"

Watching the nobles argue without end, Winter immediately let out a roar. The pressure of a Sanctuary Knight descended, making the hall feel somewhat suffocating.

"Since we cannot reach an agreement, then raise your hands. The minority will obey the majority."

"Who agrees with taking the initiative?"

Winter said this, glanced at the number of raised hands, then asked with a smile.

"Who agrees with what Viscount Hogg proposed?"

After saying that, Count Winter raised his hand. More than sixty percent of the nobles present chose to agree.

This outcome was not surprising.

When Northwind Province had been conquered, the vast majority of territories had been redistributed. Given a choice, these nobles naturally chose the warmer south, farther from the orcs. Only when they had no alternative would they choose lands in the colder northern part of the province, where there was less fertile farmland.