Build This Place into a Homeland

Although Hobart and Audrey's engagement ceremony had been kept simple, not a single guest who ought to have come was absent.

On the royal side, the Queen and Empress Dowager attended the wine party together, giving Duke Christine and Earl Hall ample face.

If not for the constraints of noble etiquette, Gowenton II would have wanted to attend as well and lavishly praise Hobart's victory in the Southern Continent at the party.

The nobles attending the wine party were mainly Earl Hall's relatives, or relatives of the Hall Family's relatives. Essentially, half the nobles of the Loen Kingdom were present.

Christine's guests were much simpler. He had few relatives in Backlund and did not wish to contact the Tudor Family, so he invited some comrades-in-arms and colleagues.

As for Hobart, his only noble relative was Christine. Thus, he mainly invited the managers and shareholders of Earl's Light.

However, those shareholders had long received invitations from either Earl Hall or Christine. In the end, Hobart only invited Lord Bradley, his trusted man planted in the House of Commons.

Since it was a wine party, there was no need for an opening dance. Everyone began socializing with glasses in hand as soon as they arrived.

Hobart and Audrey did not need much preparation either, so they only arrived around half past ten, having merely changed into relatively formal attire.

They were undoubtedly the stars of the party that day. The moment they appeared, many nobles gathered around them.

Thus, Hobart began holding forth. "...The Chief of General Staff of the South Baylam Duchy was highly competent. At the beginning of the civil war, he keenly realized that although the rebels outnumbered our forces twenty to one, their combat strength was not particularly strong.

"The decisive battle plan formulated by the General Staff