Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Beastmen’s Movements

"Eric, let’s split our forces here," the Northern Bear Race Chieftain, Bro, said coldly.

Eric had been put down by General Dor earlier, a classic case of the carrot and stick.

Dor was a true master of this method. Right after putting Eric in his place, he immediately gave him a chance to prove himself. Not only did he give him an opportunity, but he also gifted him a Beast God’s Horn.

This item was one of the few Magic products from the Beastman Grassland. Its production method was rather bloody, however, so most of them were relics from when the Beastman Empire was still in its glory days.

For this mission, Eric and Bro were to act together. There were no specific metrics; the only goal was to wear down the enemy.

But "wearing down the enemy" was a very vague directive. How were they supposed to wear them down? To what extent? It was impossible to express with specific metrics.

Judging by the instructions from above, as long as they made a move, the mission would likely be considered complete. As for how much the enemy was worn down, wasn’t that just a matter of how Eric wrote his report?

As long as they didn’t throw away their troops too obviously, it would be recorded as a meritorious deed. And if they actually achieved some real results, it would be a bonus on top of their credit.

Besides, the ones charging weren’t even his own troops. His own forces only needed to oversee the battle from the rear.

No cost, no metrics, credit for success, and credit just for trying—a perfect four-in-one mission. Eric naturally wanted to seize this opportunity. He was going to recoup all the losses his Wolfman Corps had suffered previously.

"I hope you clumsy brutes don’t slow me down," Eric sneered.

The Wolf Race and the Northern Bear Race were not on good terms. The Wolf Race was backed by the Gray Dwarves, while the Northern Bear Race was backed by the Beastman Royal Court.

Putting them together was, in fact, also a result of the rivalry between Dor and Kase.

"If a single enemy breaks out of Mold Fortress, I will report it truthfully to His Highness," Chief Bro threatened.

On this campaign, Eric was responsible for blockading Mold Castle, while Chief Bro was responsible for Qimo Castle. It all came down to whose battle record would be more impressive in the end.

Watching Bro’s retreating figure, Eric sneered. Dor had sent him here to compete and even gave him a Beast God’s Horn. It was clearly to let him steal the show.

The Wolf Race had always held an advantage over the Northern Bear Race. Now, with the support of the Beast God’s Horn, their superiority was even more certain.

...

"This is the mission we’ve accepted. While defending, we must ensure we preserve the combat effectiveness of our own troops."

"From now on, gentlemen, your performance will determine your eligibility for military funding. I will report every achievement truthfully to the Marquis and the Prince."

"I and my legion will be abstaining. How much funding you can secure will depend on your own abilities."

In the meeting, Valentino was explaining the current situation to the officers present.

’Just as Robson had predicted, Valentino ultimately chose to build her prestige by cultivating a righteous public image, just as her ancestors had.

This time, she was even abstaining from the division of funds, which meant that from now on, securing this military funding would truly be a matter of individual merit.

Robson had been coveting this military funding for a long time. With money, he could expand his army, and with a larger army, he could get more money.

Not to mention, every military honor earned on the battlefield now would, in the future, be converted into land and titles for him, Lord Robson.

This was what Robson had been striving for. The Odogin Family’s title would surely go to his elder brother, and of course, Robson would no longer be satisfied with a mere Barony now.

The war would be long, and there was still plenty of room for Lord Robson to perform. Leaping straight to the rank of Count was unlikely—there was no precedent for it, not in the Kingdom, not on the entire Valent Continent.

Every Count had relied on the accumulation of several generations. An Earl Clan could produce a regional Governor and hold seats in the Kingdom Council or even the Human Alliance. If Robson followed the conventional path, his chances were slim.

But if he couldn’t become a Count, he could still find a way to become a Viscount.’

As Robson thought this, he looked around at his colleagues, who were all rubbing their hands in anticipation, and his heart tightened.

’Robson certainly wasn’t the only one with this idea. The one thing humanity didn’t lack was ambitious nobles looking to climb the ladder.

It seems this money won’t be easy to get...’

...

"Earl, you called for me," Robson asked.

After the meeting, Valentino kept Robson behind alone.

"Yes. I have heard of your heroic deeds from others, Sir, and I wished to arrange a special task for you."

Seeing Robson approach, Valentino put down the documents in her hand and spoke.

It was called a special task, but in reality, Valentino wanted to establish a benchmark by cultivating Robson, thereby building a reputation for herself as a just person.

In truth, Valentino hadn’t originally intended to cultivate Robson like this. No matter how outstanding Robson was, he was still just a Knight.

But when Valentino tried to find someone else to cultivate, she made the awkward discovery that she didn’t seem to have anyone suitable.

How could any truly powerful nobles of Viscount rank or higher follow a fledgling Countess like her? Even with the Fengman Clan’s excellent political reputation, no one was going to bet their family fortune on Valentino’s abilities.

But with those people out of the running, Valentino discovered her best option was, surprisingly, Robson. Although he couldn’t compare to the elites, he was more than a match for anyone else—in fact, overwhelmingly so.

First, to establish a benchmark, you needed a positive figure with some renown. Otherwise, if no one knew of your character, even your achievements would attract swarms of malicious rumors.

Second, this person had to have real ability. After all, if the benchmark she set up now were to collapse later, the blow to her own reputation would be fatal.

After thinking it over and over, it seemed Robson was the one who best fit these conditions.

Ever since the nobles from Sunset Fortress had been reassigned to various defense sectors, Robson’s name had started to spread.

Tales of him risking his life to save his lord, of sheltering his comrades—the stories grew more and more legendary with each telling. The crucial part was, they were all true.

The nobles from Sunset Fortress could all attest to it.

As for his strength, Valentino had personally witnessed Robson’s army in action, so she was quite confident on that front.

"Please give your orders, Earl. I will not shrink from the task," Robson said.

’It wasn’t as if he had a choice. A Countess, and his direct superior at that, had come to him with a task. Could he possibly refuse?’

"According to intelligence from our Griffin Caval, the enemy’s main force is gathering towards East City and North City. Naturally, I must position our main forces in those areas.

However, while West City is more fortified than East City, we cannot simply leave it undefended. Therefore, I want to assign you to defend the West City front alone.

Rest assured, the Fengman Clan’s Knight Order and reserves will be on standby at all times. I will also arrange for a unit of Mages to assist you in defending the city," Valentino said.

’Her words were half-truths. The Beastmen’s main force was indeed in North City; after all, the areas to the west and east were too small for the Beastman Camp to even deploy properly.

But the real reason wasn’t that their forces were stretched thin, as Valentino claimed. The Beastmen they were facing now were just rabble. Even with reinforcements coming later, it wasn’t enough to put Mold Castle in a dire situation.’

Hearing this, Robson understood. Putting it all together, he grasped Valentino’s plan.

’If this had happened to any other noble, they probably wouldn’t be happy even if they knew Valentino was trying to cultivate them.

Defending a whole section of the wall alone sounded impressive, but the price to be paid was not small.

But Robson was different. With his Mount & Blade system, as long as there was a war, there was no way he could lose out. Being alone was actually better.

It was just a question of whether he profited more or less.

And Mages, too? Those guys were precious. It seemed the Countess was truly taking this seriously; otherwise, she wouldn’t have handed over something so valuable for Robson to use.

To be honest, Robson was quite curious about them. Could his Mount & Blade system grind Magic experience?’

Despite this, Robson still put on a troubled expression.

’Every little bit more you could squeeze out was worth it. Who would ever complain about earning too much?’

"Well... Earl, you know that I want to contribute to the Kingdom, but my forces, at a full count, number just over a thousand.

If I fail to hold the line, my fate is a small matter, but letting the Beastmen break through would be a major disaster," Robson said with feigned difficulty, sighing from time to time as if he were truly lamenting the waste of such a fine opportunity.

What Robson was saying now was, in fact, his most pressing problem: he had too few soldiers!

He currently had several thousand empty slots for additional soldiers, but he simply didn’t have the men to fill them.

Valentino smiled upon hearing this. The issue of troop numbers was a minor one.

"That will be no problem, of course. I will arrange for a batch of men to report to your army."

A few troops were something she, Valentino, could certainly afford to provide.