Chapter 63: Chapter 63: The Prince’s Ambition

"Brant, the situation is critical. We can’t let everyone be deceived by Semon.

I believe we could also launch a sizable counter-attack on the Western Front!" Prince Noah said, finally voicing the idea he had been mulling over.

This wasn’t some spur-of-the-moment idea. In fact, it had occurred to him while he was touring the various regions.

The Beastmen troops were laughably weak. Faced with his army, they could do nothing but flee.

Of course, Noah knew that the vast difference in their forces’ combat strength was a contributing factor.

But according to his research, the Beastmen’s first couple of offensives were usually just probing attacks and posed no real threat.

They typically waited until the true onset of winter before launching their overwhelming, tide-like assault.

For one thing, this was to squeeze the last bit of value out of races like the Kobolds and goblins. After all, once winter truly set in, the Human Race wouldn’t be the only one freezing.

These lesser races were always the first to die off. At that point, the Beastmen command would no longer bother hiding its true strength.

For another, the Beastmen would have completed their deployments by then, while the humans would be struggling with the plight of the extreme cold.

Besides, if they delayed until the following spring, the Human Alliance would have likely finished its deliberations and begun to assemble its forces. By autumn, the tables would be completely turned.

Therefore, if he acted quickly enough, he could score a major victory on the Western Front. Semon’s achievements would naturally be overshadowed. After all, Noah was still officially first in line to the throne.

"But command of the Western Front isn’t in our hands. Will Marquis Oscillate cooperate with us?" Marquis Brant asked, frowning.

It was a very practical concern. Although their tour had been completely unimpeded, making it seem as if the entire army on the Western Front was under their control, that was only possible because of Marquis Oscillate’s cooperation.

In terms of age, Oscillate was more than a decade older than Louis III himself; he only appeared so young due to his power as a Tier Nine Gold.

The man was a perennial figure in Frank’s political scene. When he was already a general, Louis III was still just a prince, and Grantham was still a child playing in the mud.

There was a good reason Oscillate had remained a political powerhouse for so long. Before he had even officially taken up his post, he had already consolidated the support of half the great nobles on the Western Front. He took on the appointment amid thunderous cheers.

For the past few months, Oscillate had been diligent in his duties. Regardless of the situation at the front, everyone was very fond of their new leader.

If Marquis Oscillate refused to cooperate, the only forces Prince Noah could mobilize across the entire Western Front were the small number of troops from the Kingdom’s Standing Army.

It would be one thing if Oscillate supported Noah, but this was where the formidable nature of a political survivor became apparent.

The Marquis was one of those who truly stood at the apex of the kingdom, a master strategist on par with Louis III. From Oscillate’s perspective, there was simply no need to openly involve himself in the struggle for the throne.

For a man like him, a new king simply meant a new player to contend with; it wouldn’t affect his own standing in the grand scheme of things.

"Write a letter, quickly! I must report to my royal father. I need this great victory!" Prince Noah declared after long deliberation. In the end, he still couldn’t think of any way he could possibly persuade Marquis Oscillate.

The two of them were simply not in the same league.

Faced with this situation, Noah could only resort to his ultimate gambit: relying on his father.

Even among the kingdom’s master strategists, there was a clear hierarchy. And obviously, Louis III stood at the very pinnacle.

Regardless of who commanded the Western Front, everyone was, in name, loyal to the King.

If Grantham’s recent, sudden rise hadn’t upset the political chessboard, and if the Beastmen’s southern invasion hadn’t forced Louis III to confront the crisis, the royal family would still be the sole dominant power.

Noah wasn’t worried about whether his father would support him.

Semon had already cozied up to Grantham; there was no way Louis III would look upon him favorably.

If Semon actually succeeded in his bid to become the heir, it would be a personal failure for Louis III.

Having thought this through, Noah quickly penned a letter.

As for what methods Louis III might use to persuade Marquis Oscillate, that was no longer his concern.

....

"Sir, the new ledgers have been organized. Please take a look," Viscount Fuman said, handing over a document.

Although Robson had been made a Baron, the specific details of his fief and title had not yet been formally conferred.

The enfeoffment of a Baron was no small matter; such things usually required the King’s personal review and approval.

With Robson’s current achievements, there was sure to be no issue. Furthermore, with Valentino pulling strings for him, the Fengman Clan’s influence was not to be underestimated.

But some things were just a matter of procedure. It was just a formality for the King, and Robson could afford to wait.

Robson chugged a large mug of beast milk. It had originally been prepared for Huang Na.

Huang Na was in her juvenile phase, a critical period that would directly affect her ultimate potential and growth rate. Naturally, proper nutrition was essential.

Huang Na was one of Robson’s trump cards. Once she reached adulthood, she would become his powerful mount.

The most fundamental difference between a Warrior and a Knight was the mount. A mount was a Knight’s second life, their most trusted partner. A powerful mount was a tremendous asset to any Knight.

Unfortunately, even though Huang Na was considered a prodigy even among the Phoenix Race, this ordinary beast milk had little effect on her. Robson couldn’t get his hands on milk from magical beasts at the moment, so it was actually more effective to have her eat Magical Beast Meat directly.

"An extra hundred-plus sets of leather armor?" Robson said in surprise.

It seemed the show he and Knight Commander Elon had put on together had truly frightened the local nobles.

Not only had they coughed up everything they’d skimmed in the past two days, but they had also dipped into their old stashes to replenish the warehouse.

"Even so, Robson, we still have a major shortfall in military supplies."

"The walls of Qimo Fortress are completely substandard. If the enemy has a Magic Crystal Cannon, a single shot would bring them down. They can barely even withstand an ordinary catapult."

"The fortress’s entire Defense Array is no longer functional."

"The military equipment isn’t even enough to fully outfit your new recruits. And as for rations, by your standards, we can’t even last a week," Viscount Fuman grumbled.

Robson rubbed his forehead. It couldn’t be helped. Qimo Fortress wasn’t considered important by the high command. The entire Siriel Defense Line existed to protect the major cities of the kingdom’s western border; the Magic Barrier formed by those cities was the kingdom’s final shield.

Valentino’s defense sector was only responsible for the western flank of Ausine City. Qimo Fortress was in an even more awkward position, existing merely to fill a gap in the line and guard Blue Scale Port, which lay behind it.

That being said, just because others didn’t value the fortress didn’t mean he could afford to do the same.

Robson could ignore other matters, but he had to, at the very least, fully equip his one thousand new recruits.

’Should I go ask Valentino for help again?’

Even someone as thick-skinned as Robson felt a little embarrassed. Valentino had given him whatever he asked for recently, sending him both men and equipment.

’Besides,’ he thought, ’if I keep relying on Valentino, it will be much harder to become independent in the future.’