Translator: Cinder Translations
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The Aldor court, which was also closely following the situation in Horns Bay, soon received the news that the war had ended.
This caused quite a stir in Crystal Glare, with much discussion being thrown about.
King Rodney the 18th carefully read the intelligence reports from each battle. The performance of the 5,000 Aldor soldiers and the 20,000 Horns Bay mercenaries trained under the Alden system on the Hestia battlefield was truly impressive. In particular, the 20,000 Horns Bay mercenaries were able to quickly and accurately adjust their formation after the collapse of the right-wing allies, blocking the threat from the flank.
Rodney the 18th believed that the new army trained by Alden instructors would be no worse than the Horns Bay mercenaries. Moreover, his soldiers and the Alden soldiers both shared the same Aldor bloodline.
This strengthened the king's confidence in forming a new army. Undoubtedly, the events in Horns Bay were a powerful punch to those old-fashioned opponents of his military reforms. The Alden army had once again proven its combat effectiveness through actual battle. What reason could there be not to emulate a winner?
However, regarding the Alden army, or rather the lord Paul Grayman, who commanded this army, not all words were praise.
Many had complaints about his involvement in the Horns Bay war, even if it was under the name of a civilian group from Lion's Port.
"Though he's a sword-wielding lord, engaging in battles with foreign forces without the kingdom's approval is highly inappropriate!"
"Doesn't he even respect His Majesty the King?"
"Someone should be sent to the northwest bay to discipline Lord Grayman."
Those who already had grievances against Paul Grayman expressed their dissatisfaction, with some even suggesting that the most powerful lord of the northwest had fallen to the level of traitors like Giles and Vibern.
"But defending his own territory and property from invasion is the inherent right of a frontier lord!"
"Indeed, Collins was the one who invaded first, and Grayman's actions were entirely legal!"
"The kingdom has an obligation to assist its vassals. Shouldn't we be glad that a lord could take care of his enemies without troubling the royal family?"
There were also many who spoke in defense of Paul.
In the end, it was Rodney the 18th who quelled the debate. Paul Grayman was exercising the legitimate powers of his sword-wielding nobility!
In the king's statement to the court, it was clear that Marquis Grayman remained loyal to the kingdom. His army used the title of Horns Bay Volunteers rather than any official designation, and there was an even greater piece of evidence—Paul Grayman had sent soldiers captured in the Horns Bay war under Giles' command to Crystal Glare for the kingdom's government to handle. This showed that, in Paul Grayman's eyes, the king was still the highest arbiter of Aldor.
Beyond these matters, the war in Horns Bay had caught the attention of many, and new weapons from the northwest bay, such as muskets and cannons, were revealed to the world. These weapons, which could nearly level the physical and power differences between both sides, sparked curiosity in many.
This included Rodney the 18th, who had long been coveting the firearms of the northwest bay. These weapons had repeatedly proven their worth, and the king was eager to acquire them.
The royal relationship with Paul Grayman was likely to deepen.
If the Horns Bay war had given the Aldor court a sense of confidence and anticipation, then for Giles in Five Goat Fortress, it could only be described as fear.
The powerful undead army had been Giles' trump card. He had once used this army to sweep away southern rebels and withstand the royal army's southern campaign. The army's discipline, obedience, and disregard for casualties made Giles proud.
Previously, due to the restrictions on the potions provided by the Arcane Order, the size of his undead army could only be maintained at 6,000 soldiers. However, Giles had spent a great deal of money secretly recruiting spellcasters, and after hard research, they had discovered some key elements of the potions, allowing them to produce substitute potions. Though the effects weren't as strong as the original, they were enough to satisfy Giles.
As a result, the undead army grew beyond 6,000, and with the supply of the imitated potions, the army's size had finally reached 10,000.
However, what happened in the Horns Bay war shattered the pride of the Great Wolf Duke.
Though the initial night attack on Lion's Port failed, Giles attributed it to the enemy's overwhelming numbers and the lack of cooperation from the Collins forces outside the city.
But when Lion's Port officially entered the battle, the undead army he relied on was utterly defeated by Alden's muskets and cannons. Payotn had known about the powerful penetrating power of Alden's firearms and had prepared the soldiers with thick armor, but once the fighting began, they found that the armor was useless. The projectiles easily pierced through the armor.
In the face of such overwhelming firepower, the undead soldiers, who had been raised with expensive potions, were killed one by one, just like the cannon fodder soldiers. Even Payton, one of Giles' trusted officers, was killed by Alden's firearms.
After hearing about the defeat of his army, Giles, who had once been full of confidence, suddenly fell into deep worry.
What troubled him even more was that the Aldor court was hiring officers from Alden's army to train their own soldiers. Though he was far from the northwest bay, he was close to the royal territory, and the large-scale training by Rodney the 18th seemed to be aimed not only at the orcs but also at Giles.
He had to act immediately; he could not sit idly by.
Giles also thought of the Arcane Order.
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The ripples caused by the Horns Bay war in the outside world did not affect Paul Grayman.
Before formally dispatching troops, the intelligence department led by Cecil had already investigated the general situation in Horns Bay.
Cultural geography, customs, food, and various plant and animal knowledge were all compiled into books and distributed to officers and soldiers for reference, much like the preparations for the defense against the orc invasion.
In preparation for a possible war, Lion's Port had stored up war-related materials such as food, gunpowder, ammunition, military uniforms, and boots, and had mobilized a large number of personnel to maintain transportation lines. These preparations ensured the smooth conduct of the subsequent battles.
Paul had absolute confidence in his well-prepared army. When the news of victory came, he was naturally pleased but did not show much emotional fluctuation.
After instructing the relevant departments to properly handle the military's compensation and rewards, he focused on preparing for his wedding with Catherine.
Alden was finally about to welcome its new mistress.
(End of the Chapter)
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