NABC Chapter 306: Chapter 305: One More is Needed (1)
Chapter 306: Chapter 305: One More is Needed (1)
Chapter 306: Chapter 305: One More is Needed (1)
Returning to his office, Raul shot a cold look at his advisors and said,
"Update all intelligence on Fenris immediately. Contact Amelia and let her know we'll provide the necessary support. Tell her to rally the northern lords again."
The advisors responded with reluctant expressions.
"Amelia's abilities are unproven. Until recently, she was just a noblewoman sipping tea in elegance."
"The northern lords will never recognize her authority."
"Wouldn't it be better to choose another figure? She hasn't even subdued Baron Valois's rebellion yet."
"Even if she did defeat the Northern Allied Army, they were all incompetent. Wasn't it all thanks to the military forces left behind by the former Count Rayfold?"
At their objections, Raul frowned and retorted.
"So, do you have another option? We don't need Amelia herself; we need what she has. As you just mentioned, it's the military power of Rayfold. None of the northern rabble can muster such a force anymore."
The advisors fell silent. Though they opposed the idea, Raul was correct-they had no viable alternative.
Although Amelia's rebellion had tarnished her reputation, Rayfold still stood as a rival to Desmond in terms of military might. That strength was still among the best in the north.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
As Raul said, it wasn't about trusting Amelia, but rather about relying on Rayfold's forces. Still, their concerns hadn't entirely vanished.
"It may not be an issue now since it's only been a short time, but Amelia might ruin Rayfold in the long term. Or worse, she could incite rebellions across the territory, just like Baron Valois."
"That's why we can't leave her unchecked. Assign someone to monitor Amelia and ensure she moves according to our plans. Make sure she doesn't act on her own, like Harold did."
At Raul's directive, the advisors nodded in agreement.
The late Count Desmond had been far too independent to control. Assigning people to monitor him was often futile, as the process was left in his hands.
But Amelia was new to her position as a lord. She was likely struggling just to maintain order within her own territory. Assigning the right person to oversee her could ensure she followed the Duke's will.
The advisors, knowing little about Amelia, assumed she would comply easily.
Raul, however, didn't underestimate her as much as his advisors did.
'Indeed... Harold requested someone capable of dealing with Jürgen to be assigned to Amelia. But before we could send anyone, she handled Jürgen herself and succeeded in her rebellion.'
Whatever methods she used, she had been capable of eliminating the Northern Continent's finest sword. That alone made her a noteworthy figure, especially for a woman.
Raul gathered his thoughts and spoke in an icy tone.
"In any case, Harold was a potential liability we were considering removing, so this situation has worked out well. We'll restructure the north using our assigned figure and Rayfold's forces. Once that's settled, we'll deal with this Ghislain."
Raul had little time to waste on the northern matters.
Ghislain defeating Harold was impressive, but the kingdom had many greater lords far stronger than Harold.
The real conflict between the Duchy and the pro-royalist faction was only just beginning. Lords more powerful than Desmond were targeting one another.
Looking around at his advisors, Raul continued.
"We'll give Marquis Branford one last chance."
"A last chance?"
"Let him know that if he steps down peacefully, the transfer of royal power will proceed without conflict."
The advisors exchanged uneasy glances and shook their heads.
"Marquis Branford won't agree."
"He's the type who would rather break than bend, isn't he?"
"Whatever we offer, it will likely be in vain."
Raul nodded at their remarks. Marquis Branford's reputation for unyielding resolve was well known throughout the kingdom.
"I know that. But since His Grace seems a bit displeased right now, we should at least issue a warning."
"A warning, you say...?"
Raul's serpent-like eyes gleamed as he gave a cruel smile.
"That we'll drown the royal family and the pro-royalist faction in a river of blood."
***
When Ghislain gathered his vassals and declared it was time to begin their next endeavor,
Claude questioned him.
"What exactly are we doing?"
There was already a mountain of work to handle. Resettling the displaced residents of Desmond, consolidating villages, training new recruits-these were still ongoing tasks.
Before Ghislain could answer, Claude, exasperated, shouted,
"We're already repeating everything we've done back in our territory here, aren't we? We need to build residences, workshops, and farmlands, construct roads, produce more weapons, build casinos! We also need to recruit more administrators, fill the gaps in security, and do this, do that-ugh, why is there so much work?"
Claude's rant seemed endless. Those around him, hearing everything they'd accomplished listed out, grew pale.
All of this required immense manpower and funds. With increased population and territory, the scale of operations had grown exponentially. The workload was immense.
And now, starting a new project on top of it?
It felt easier to let the late Count Desmond kill them instead.
As Claude raged on, Ghislain chuckled and waved a hand dismissively.
"Relax. It's not as complicated as you think. This is something we can start thanks to taking
over Desmond's territory."
"What is it?"
"Let's review our ultimate goal. You all know who we'll be fighting next, don't you?"
""
At his words, silence fell over the group. Everyone knew the Duchy was behind Count Desmond. It was no longer a secret.
Claude no longer wanted to argue. It was pointless. If the lord decided to take something,
they'd inevitably find a way to go after it.
Of course, Ghislain wasn't targeting the Rodrick Marquisate simply because it seemed
appealing.
"That guy is the leader of the west.'
Just as Count Desmond had unified the north, Marquis Rodrick commanded the west, as one
of the kingdom's most powerful lords.
He already held sway over all the western nobles. In his previous life, Marquis Rodrick had
been the first to occupy the capital.
If they could strike him down in a preemptive surprise attack, there would be no one left capable of uniting the western nobles.
Ghislain had no intention of wasting resources in a prolonged war of attrition, fighting minor
lords one by one.
"I'm not saying we attack immediately. We're preparing to target this place. At this point, it's
no longer just about territorial skirmishes. If civil war breaks out, battles will erupt all over the kingdom."
"Hmm, you're aiming to capitalize on that opportunity," Claude nodded. Indeed, a direct confrontation with the Marquis in a one-on-one fight would be risky. But
with the pro-royalist faction collaborating, and Rodrick possibly dispersing his forces or leaving his territory vulnerable, the odds would improve.
"Exactly. Many nobles will move, and battles for strategic superiority will be constant. If we
exploit that chaos, we'll have a chance."
"How do you plan to prepare?"
"There's plenty to prepare. First and foremost, we need to maximize our mobility—that's our
greatest advantage."
"Mobility?"
"Yes. Our soldiers are already training to ride horses, and we're issuing lightweight Galbanium armor. In this kingdom, no one else has cavalry that combines defense and speed
like ours." That was true. Heavy cavalry was slow and poorly suited for long distances, while light
cavalry was fast but vulnerable, easily felled by archers.
Claude understood what Ghislain wanted.
"Then we need to expedite road construction."
"Exactly. Once roads connect our territories, we'll move even faster. But there's one more
thing we need."
"What else?"
"Think about it. What's the most critical aspect when moving from place to place?"
"Supplies?"
"Right. Even if supply lines are functioning normally, they can be cut off or become too
distant. We need contingencies for those situations. We might need to move very quickly at times."
"If we're short, we'll just raid for supplies."
"I don't stoop to something as shameful as raiding."
The former Raider King said this with complete confidence.
Raiding for supplies was, in fact, not a sustainable strategy. It was a last resort and rarely used
under normal circumstances.
It was also vulnerable to scorched-earth tactics and took time to execute. Worse, it
antagonized local populations, increasing the risk of failure.
Claude knew this but couldn't resist side-eyeing Ghislain, who had once proudly declared
himself a plundering king. He sighed and replied.
"Don't we already produce a lot of biscuits? We're also starting to make chicken jerky. Isn't
that enough?"
"Of course not. That won't sustain us for long."
In this era, there weren't many portable, long-lasting food options. Most were limited to
dried meat and hardtack.
But even those weren't enough for prolonged campaigns. They were bulky and could only
provide a few days' worth of sustenance if supply lines were cut.
Without steady supplies, their range of movement would shrink. That would hinder their
primary advantage: mobility.
That was something Ghislain couldn't tolerate.
This time, he intended to address the issue.
"We'll create a new type of field ration-something easy to carry and with an extremely long
shelf life."
A confident smile spread across Ghislain's face.