Chapter 18, Choice_1

"In addition to the nobles near the front lines organizing defenses where they are, the rest of the noble armies have set out and are expected to arrive at the front lines in succession within the next five to ten days.

The nobles of the Hansen District closest to us are merely eighty miles away, but their march speed is torturously slow, even less than ten miles a day.

The nobles from the regions of Warren, Kadar, and Qiaomu are also less than a hundred and twenty miles away from us. However, they deliberately slow their marching speed, averaging less than twenty miles a day."

Before the middle-aged officer could finish speaking, Earl Piers' fury burst forth. It was simply an outrageous insult. The conscription order had been issued more than half a month ago, and the reinforcements were still on their way.

Uninformed people might think the Southeastern Province is vast, but in reality, the furthest noble territory from Ersel Fort is no more than four hundred miles away.

For such a short distance, it's no wonder Earl Piers is angry that they've taken more than half a month.

However, his anger aside, his underhanded scheme to let others fight for their own benefit before the rise of the Rebel Army was something he couldn't discuss openly. The current reactions of the noble families are the backlash from these schemes.

The example set by the nobles of the counties of Layton and Wharton has made the medium and minor nobles within the Southeastern Province wary of him.

The world is never short of clever people. If Hudson can analyze the problem, other nobles will also notice the clues.

For their own protection, everyone naturally shows off their prowess. Even though Earl Piers issued an order to block the news, it does not affect the nobles who want to find out about it.

There was no way out, all the nobles are one family. Even though Earl Piers is the number one noble in the Southeastern Province, most of his vassal knights come from medium and minor noble families.

Perhaps these people wouldn't betray their lord, but it's very likely they would provide some intelligence to their families. Surely, he couldn't expect everyone to be one hundred percent loyal?

"Fools!"

"They're all a bunch of fools!"

"The longer they delay, the stronger the rebel army will become. When the time comes, they will suffer..."

Earl Piers scolded in anger.

Deep down inside, he had already made up his mind to give these insincere, medium and minor nobles a good lesson.

But thinking so was one thing, acting was another, particularly complicated. Each of them was deliberately underperforming, leaving him, the leader, to face the rebel army on the front lines.

Even with a thousand careful plans, if they just wouldn't come, there was nothing Piers could do about it!

He couldn't just let the rebels advance and vent their anger on the other noble families, could he?

If he did so, the rebel army would likely be overjoyed. According to their style of action, they would mercilessly slaughter their way through, practically wiping out the Dalton Family.

As nobles, they enjoy a multitude of privileges but also bear corresponding obligations. Look at the nobles in Layton and Wharton Counties, they almost all died in battle.

Even if there were a few who slipped through the net, in the world of nobility, they were as good as 'dead'. 'The duty to guard the land' is the most basic obligation of a noble, something they can't just run away from.

If they lose their territory, it's equivalent to losing everything that makes them nobles. Their nobility, their family honor, all would be lost in one swoop. The harsh reality forces them to stay and fight to the death.

Of course, this doesn't include their progeny who are elsewhere. These are the seeds for the future; potential heirs who, in case of a disaster, could inherit the title and revive the family.

"Your Excellency Governor, now is not the time to address responsibility. The urgent task is to urge the nobles everywhere to lead their armies here to reinforce us as soon as possible.

Although Essel Castle is solid, it can't completely stop the progress of the rebel army. If the enemy bypasses the castle and sends troops into Bera to wreak havoc, we'd be in big trouble."

The middle-aged officer reminded.

This is not alarmist talk. As a rebel army, they don't need to play by the rules. They don't have a stable rear, so whether they're cut off or not isn't too important to them.

At that point, whether Earl Piers is willing or not, he will have to deplete the resources of his family and engage in a brutal fight against the rebel army to the end.

After some hesitation, Earl Piers, who had come to his senses, looked at the rebel army camp outside the castle, and resolutely commanded, "Send out the order: all nobles must arrive within three days.

Tell them the tragedy the rebel army brought to Wharton and Layton counties is for them to claim. As long as they achieve great feats in the coming battles, the vacant fiefdom will be their spoils of war.

I vow on the honor of the Dalton family: I will report the truth to the capital, ensuring that each meritorious servant receives the corresponding rewards."

The trouble he has caused himself must be borne by himself. There are some rules that must be observed if one wishes to mingle in the noble circles.

In order to salvage the situation, Earl Piers has no choice but to make a heavy investment. After all, the stakes have now become too high, beyond his family's ability to cope alone.

As for the two counties' territories, even if he wanted to monopolize them, the capital would not agree.

If he does not find a way to bring in the native nobles to co-sign, the Dalton family would not be able to withstand the pressure. There is a chance that the Royal Family will intervene.

If the Royal Family seizes this opportunity to grant a title to a prince, who will then govern the Southeastern Province, it would be quite uncertain.

To be able to firmly hold his position as a leader among the local lords, Earl Piers is not to be underestimated. After clearly understanding the potential interests involved, he made a decisive choice.

...

When the daily travel distance drops to about ten miles, the march turns into sightseeing. The tense atmosphere of war no longer exists, replaced by a gradually intensifying mood of entertainment.

Accompanied by the continuous advance, the Alliance's troops rapidly grew, attracting more and more nobles to join the group.

While more people do not necessarily lead to stronger power, they definitely mean better-informed intelligence. Under everyone's active efforts to make inquiries through their networks, more and more information came forward, and people gradually understood the situation.

With transparent information, all the nobles, including Hudson, laid down their concerns.

After mourning for the unfortunate nobles of Layton and Wharton Counties, they severely criticized Earl Piers, as if they wanted to devour him.

Of course, the criticism was limited to verbal attacks. It would be difficult for them to take action and fight for justice. After all, they were all wise enough to know their own strength and limitations.

The only thing they could do was to continue underperforming.

Since the rebellion was instigated by Earl Piers, he had to take responsibility for its aftermath. If it brought the kingdom's wrath upon him, he would no doubt suffer.

With someone holding the front line, and the rebels not threatening their own lands directly, they were hardly anxious.

As for the problem of delayed dates, they already had a ready-made excuse: rebel harassment.

If they say there was a rebel attack, then there was. The truth did not matter.

Earl Piers bore an undeniable responsibility for this rebellion. This served as a convenient stick to beat him with, and there was simply no way to delve further into this issue.

It wasn't until Earl Piers' military order came once again that the situation changed. Compared to previous purely obligatory service, now there were tangible reward promises.