Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World-Chapter 639:

TL: Rui88

“That is how it is. Please be sure to convey our request to Count Grayman.”

Marquis Joe Foster was in his study, entertaining an honored guest.

The guest’s name was Friedrich Liszt. They had met several times before, when Liszt was the commercial representative of the Todd Shipping Firm from the Northwest Bay in Horn Bay. The Foster family had business dealings with them.

But now, Liszt was the official representative of Count Paul Grayman, the most powerful lord in the Northwest Bay. The content of their discussions was no longer just ordinary business.

“I will faithfully convey your intentions, my Lord Marquis.”

Liszt said respectfully to Foster.

Although it was not the first time, his heart was still filled with infinite gratitude for Count Grayman. When he used to come to the Foster family’s residence for the shipping firm’s business, the person who received him was often an ordinary person in charge of a certain part of the Foster family’s business. The true head of the family, Joe Foster, was a rare sight.

The few times they did meet should probably have been called audiences.

Liszt remembered that at that time, the Marquis was high and mighty, and he was nothing more than an insignificant figure in his presence, extremely humble.

But now, he was being treated with courtesy by the Marquis, and in his private study at that.

Marquis Foster asked with a smile, “I wonder… what is Count Grayman’s attitude towards this war happening in Horn Bay?”

“Attitude?” Liszt replied, “My Count sympathizes with the oppressed coastal people.”

“Oh, that is good.” The Marquis seemed rather satisfied. “If possible, would he be willing to send troops to assist in this just war?”

“Send troops? No, no, no, no!” Liszt shook his head like a rattle-drum. “Count Grayman is a lord of Ordo. No matter how he personally feels, he cannot bypass the kingdom. The Count’s loyalty to the kingdom is beyond doubt.”

“Oh, of course!” Marquis Foster waved his hand. “We have no intention of asking Count Grayman to do anything presumptuous. But…”

He smiled and said, “I heard that there is a mercenary company hired by Count Grayman stationed in Horn Bay, right on Lion’s Horn.”

“Your meaning is?”

“Compared to a traditional army, mercenaries are a rather flexible tool, are they not? What’s more, I have heard that that mercenary company is composed of Horn Bay people. Well, can we rent this army from the Count?”

“If Count Grayman agrees, it should be no problem. It is just that I am a little confused.”

Liszt asked with a puzzled expression, “Our mercenary company only has a little over two thousand men after recruiting some new members locally. Forgive my rudeness, but is the Alliance army’s manpower so scarce that you are interested in even these two thousand men?”

“Oh, of course not.” Marquis Foster answered decisively. “It certainly has not reached that point. Although we have been… a little unsuccessful recently, our treasury and manpower are both ample. It is just…”

He smiled. “We always have to plan for the worst-case scenario. I hope your mercenary company will be even stronger by then.”

As Liszt got up to leave, Marquis Foster suddenly called out to him.

“Mr. Liszt, has the Holy See contacted you?”

“Not to my knowledge.”

“That is good. Please allow me to remind you slightly that the Horn Bay Church and countries like Collins are extremely conservative and backward, as can be seen from the previous protracted witch hunts. If they were to occupy the entire Horn Bay, this land would fall into a lasting decline, and prosperous cities would become lifeless. I think Count Grayman, who has always supported commerce, would certainly not like that scene.”

Liszt nodded. “I will remember your reminder, Lord Foster.”

—

“Oh, my goodness! Seviya, do you know, I just faced Marquis Foster again, and I was neither servile nor overbearing from beginning to end.”

As soon as he got back into the carriage, Liszt could not wait to show off to Seviya, who was waiting for him inside. Although he had already dealt with many important figures in the Council as the Grayman family’s envoy because of the lease of Lion’s Horn.

But at that time, there was no beautiful woman to whom he could confide.

“Is that so? Then you are really amazing, Lo-rd Lis-zt.”

Seviya deliberately drew out her words to “compliment” him.

But she immediately asked, “How is the situation in the Horn Bay Alliance? Did the Marquis reveal anything?”

As the main force of the New Protestant Army, the Horn Bay Alliance largely represented the situation of the entire New Protestant alliance of nations.

Liszt said, “This war still has a long way to go. The Alliance has deep pockets, with both money and men.”

Although Marquis Foster had to some extent revealed his pessimism, and was even prepared to hire troops from foreign countries…Liszt did not tell Seviya this; Seviya was not his colleague, so he could not tell her everything.

“Damn it!” Seviya said resentfully. “What a bunch of idiots! They had already fought so far and were about to pick the big peach of Collins.”

Although the Horn Bay Alliance’s attitude towards spellcasters was still unclear, as long as they could punch the Church hard, Seviya was happy for their victories and sad for their defeats.

—

On the main road to Goen, a large army was marching with firm steps.

They were the so-called Crusader Army, a large army mainly formed by the inland countries of Horn Bay at the call of the Horn Bay Church, specifically to fight against the New Protestant Alliance.

At this time, the commander of this force, Webster, was riding on horseback with his troops, carefully thinking about the next battle plan in his mind.

Webster had been sent by the Holy See with the Holy See’s army to rescue the Crusader Army from its predicament. He was very experienced in combat.

After arriving in Horn Bay, he combined the army he had brought with the original Crusader Army to form a new Crusader Army.

Someone on a fast horse caught up.

“General, a new batch of military supplies has arrived. Please sign for it.”

“Finally arrived.” Webster reacted, took the parchment and quill pen handed to him by the other party, and hastily signed his name.

“General!” The man looked at him with great admiration. “Congratulations on winning a great victory, which at one stroke wiped away the shame brought by the failure of the Northern Army. The Horn Bay people, I mean those devout Horn Bay believers, are all thanking us.”

The failure of the Northern Army referred to the matter where the Crusader Army took a detour through neutral states to attack the northern coastal countries, but ultimately suffered a disastrous defeat near Hydra in the Duchy of Eton.

“Thank you! But I must remind you.” Webster looked at the person who had come. “The victory we just won relied on those large quantities of military equipment. If we want to continue to win such victories, please ask the gentlemen at the rear to be sure to pay close attention.”