Secret Talks

Victor whispered a few words to Viscount Benjamin, Benjamin turned around and looked at Victor with a complicated expression. Finally, he sighed, patted Victor on the shoulder, and returned to the group with Victor.

Everyone stood there stunned, including Veronica. No one could figure out what Victor had said to Viscount Benjamin that had caused such a change in Viscount Benjamin's attitude.

Later, even though Veronica tried her best, she couldn't get the answer out of Victor, and this became a question that would stay with everyone present for the rest of their lives.

However, Pim did make a small profit.

The group headed straight for Iron Mountain Fortress finally arrived before Sun.

Around nine o'clock in the evening, after Victor and Viscount Benjamin finished their dinner at the hospitality of the Count Colt family, the group went directly to a room.

"I sent you two letters this time to inform you that there is an important matter to discuss with you at Iron Mountain Fortress."

Count Colt gave a brief opening statement.

The father-in-law and son-in-law exchanged a glance and then answered in unison.

"Please enlighten me, Count Excellency." ×2

"Alex, you speak to the two of them first, and then I'll add to it."

"Yes, Father."

"Uncle and Victor, our Iron Birch Territory has always maintained contact with the Raine Kingdom military, and you are both aware of this."

"Recently, Count Laou Allen, the Commander of the First Fleet of the Raine Kingdom military, informed us that someone within the Raine Kingdom wanted to contact Grand Duke Silver Maple to inform him of the Iron Birch Family's plot to rebel."

Victor and Benjamin were both shocked. They couldn't understand why anyone within the Raine Kingdom would want to do this, when helping the Iron Birch Family overthrow Grand Duke Silver Maple would have been beneficial to the Raine Kingdom.

"Alex, I don't quite understand why anyone within the Raine Kingdom would want to do this. Does the Silver Maple Ducal House have connections with the powerful nobles within the Raine Kingdom?"

"How could that be? The great nobles of the Raine Kingdom look down on the Silver Maple Ducal House and our Iron Birch Family, these are just country bumpkin nobles from the countryside."

"Then why would they cooperate with Grand Duke Silver Maple?"

Alex sighed and said, "At first we were also puzzled, but Count Laou Allen explained the reason to us."

"As you all know, a serious border conflict occurred between the Fas Kingdom and the Raine Kingdom last year, in 1633."

Victor knew this, of course; Alex had explained it to him in detail before the campaign last year.

Alex continued, "The border conflict from last year has escalated further. The Western nobles of the Raine Kingdom are mobilizing their domestic Noble Council to support them, demanding that the king send Kingdom Army to help them invade the Fas Kingdom in retaliation."

"Originally, these things had nothing to do with us, but the Western nobles of the Raine Kingdom somehow discovered the previous eastward troop movement of the Raine Kingdom's army, and also discovered the Kingdom of the Raine Kingdom's plan to advance eastward and attack the Grand Duchy of Vera."

"They plan to inform Grand Duke Silver Maple about the cooperation between our Iron Birch Territory and the Raine Kingdom military, attempting to guide Grand Duke Silver Maple to strike first, have Mora eliminate us internal opposition, and then push Mora to prepare to defend against the Raine Kingdom's eastward expansion, thus cutting off the Raine Kingdom's idea of advancing eastward."

Victor never expected this to be the reason. It was utterly baffling. What were the Western nobles of the Raine Kingdom thinking? If the Raine Kingdom's eastward expansion plan succeeded, it would also benefit the Raine Kingdom.

At that time, the Raine Kingdom will have greater strategic space and be an easier enemy to deal with compared to the Fas Kingdom and the Tribal Alliance of the Skyline Grassland.

Victor stated his thoughts directly.

Count Colt shook his head with a wry smile, "You are also a nobleman. Nobles are willing to prioritize their own interests first. No one can guarantee that they can see further ahead."

"The Western nobles of the Raine Kingdom suffered heavy losses in the invasion of the Fas Kingdom. They need the Kingdom Army to help them attack the Fas Kingdom to avenge them, and at the same time, they can make up for their losses by conquering the territory of the Fas Kingdom."

"If the Raine Kingdom advances eastward, the Kingdom Army's army will inevitably be distracted and unable to help them take revenge, even if the Kingdom Army completes its eastward strategy."

"The Grand Duchy of Vera is too far away from the Western nobles of the Raine Kingdom, and they can't guarantee that they will gain any benefits. It would be better to simply stop the military's idea."

Victor understood, but he still had one question.

"But even if they leak the information to Grand Duke Mora and the Silver Maple Ducal House, we are not afraid. After all, even if the Grand Duke questions us, we can say that it is false. The Grand Duke would not dare to force the Northern Frontier nobles."

Alex sighed.

"If only that were the case, Victor. They didn't just Grand Duke Mora; they obtained the secret agreement signed between our Iron Birch Territory and the Raine Kingdom military."

Victor was stunned. How could such a thing have been obtained? The Raine Kingdom military has always been known as the strongest army in the central and northern parts of the continent, and is famous for its strict discipline.

Alex continued to explain.

"Actually, it's not just a problem with the Western Nobles of the Raine Kingdom. There are also many internal conflicts within the Raine Kingdom military. After all, their country has a long history, their military is very powerful, and there are many factions."

"Our partners are the Kingdom's Navy faction and the Central Army Corps directly under the Raine King, who hope to gain sufficient wealth and territory in the eastward expansion strategy."

"After all, these people are newly promoted nobles after King Ryan ascended the throne. They are reformists in the Kingdom Army, eager to gain more power and higher titles. The Raine Kingdom cannot satisfy them, so they can only look outside. We just happen to meet their requirements and were chosen by them."

"But there is a traditional faction in the Raine Kingdom military. They are conservatives. Although they live peacefully with the reformists under the control of the king, they will sabotage and interfere with the reformists' plans whenever they have the opportunity."

Victor understood.

"I never expected that the power struggles within the Raine Kingdom would affect us."

Count Colt said, "Whether the Raine Kingdom can send troops is not important to me. As long as the Northern Frontier nobles can unite around the Iron Birch Family, I am confident that I can defeat the Silver Maple Ducal House and the Loyal Nobles."

"But I worry that if the Northern Frontier nobles learn that the secret agreement has been obtained by Grand Duke Mora, some of them might think that the Raine Kingdom has abandoned its cooperation with us, which could lead to their betrayal."

Upon hearing this, Victor understood that the reason why the Northern Frontier nobles were able to unite around the Iron Birch Family to fight against the Silver Maple Ducal House was not only because of the strength of the Iron Birch Territory, but also because Count Colt was also using the banner of power to bluff.

Now that the tiger skin is about to be blown away, Count Colt is starting to get restless, and it's highly likely that he will lose control of the Northern Frontier nobles.