Chapter 170: Chapter 149: Succession to the Throne, Cold and Ruthless
The Third Prince’s disgraceful behavior was on full display before Count Snisa and Count Jamie, but the two Legion Commanders didn’t look down on him. The truth was, the Emperor’s order was simply too outrageous.
The Emperor must have seen the Legion’s battle report. The disparity between the casualty figures and the number of enemies killed was so great that anyone could see the Lizardmen’s combat effectiveness was leagues beyond that of the Half-Beastmen.
Under such circumstances, he had specifically named the Third Prince’s Thirty-Fifth Legion and the Twenty-Third Legion to provide support. The implications were enormous.
Could the Emperor be unaware that the Third Prince and the commander of the Twenty-Third Legion did not get along? He definitely knew! That made the meaning of this order all the more intriguing.
"Your Highness..."
"Shut up! Say no more! I’m fine!"
Count Snisa looked at the Third Prince, who had flown into a rage in an instant, veins bulging on his forehead, and closed his mouth.
Count Snisa and Count Jamie were driven out by the Third Prince. The moment the door was shut, they heard an enraged roar.
The Third Prince’s rage seemed to shake the very ground. He slammed his fist into the wall, leaving a crimson stain of blood, but such an outburst did nothing to quell the fire in his heart.
’This wasn’t just a simple transfer of troops. It was a play for the succession of power, and I’ve clearly become a sacrificial piece in this game.’
He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He needed a plan, a plan that could get him out of his current predicament.
His gaze fell upon a map in the corner of the room. It was a military deployment map of the empire, densely marked with the positions and movements of various Legions.
He walked over to the map and examined it closely. His finger slid across its surface...
"Someone!" the Third Prince suddenly shouted.
An attendant quickly entered the room and stood respectfully before him.
"Go, and ask Count Snisa and Count Jamie to return," the Third Prince commanded.
The attendant acknowledged the order and left. The Third Prince returned to his desk and began to write a letter. He knew this letter would be his first move. He had to take each step with caution.
Soon, Count Snisa and Count Jamie, who hadn’t gotten far, were once again ushered into the Third Prince’s room.
They saw that the Third Prince had regained his composure and was sitting at his desk, a sealed letter placed before him.
"Your Highness, what are your orders?" Count Snisa asked.
The Third Prince looked up, his gaze firm. "I need you to do something for me."
He handed the letter to Count Snisa. "You must deliver this letter into the hands of the Second Prince. There can be no mistakes."
The two Counts exchanged a glance, both sensing the Third Prince’s urgency.
"Your Highness, we will see it done," Count Jamie promised.
The Third Prince nodded. He knew this was only the beginning. He had to tread carefully to find his footing in this complex power struggle.
’As for my father... the Emperor’s deployment order? Apologies, but the Legion has suffered heavy losses. Rations and supplies are being inventoried, the wounded are being treated, and weapons and armor are under repair. We are temporarily unable to dispatch troops.’
Unlike the Third Prince, the nobles ordered to remain in Hobia were completely at ease, either wandering around the city, gathering to drink and eat, or playing chess in small groups.
Boman was playing chess with Henry. Seeing that Henry had been coming and going alone for the past two days, he asked where Henry’s Attendant, Bain, had gone, wanting to have Bain come and play as well.
"Bain injured his left arm. He’s recuperating."
Boman expressed his sorrow over this, shaking his head. Then, he changed the subject and started chatting with Henry about the meaning behind the Emperor’s order.
"What do you think His Majesty’s order means? It’s no secret that the Third Prince’s relationship with the commander of the Twenty-Third Legion is tense."
"Who can fathom the Emperor’s thoughts? I have a few clues, though."
"Oh? Let’s hear them."
Henry pursed his lips and said, "The war in the southern desert has become a quagmire, consuming too much of the empire’s manpower and resources. To put it bluntly, for the past few hundred years, has the empire ever treated the people of the desert regions as human?
"If it weren’t for the immense wealth from trade that makes it impossible for the empire to abandon this place, do you think anyone would be willing to come here and eat sand?"
Boman frowned, understanding what Henry was implying.
"The Northern Lands, no matter how cold, have spring and summer seasons for cultivation. The grain yield isn’t low, either, and can support a large population.
"The First Prince has achieved outstanding military merit in the Northern Lands, and his reputation grows by the day. Meanwhile, the Third Prince is here suffering, losing troops and commanders. The favoritism in all this goes without saying."
Boman thought of the Second Prince and said, "Hmm... the heir to the title is the First Prince, there’s nothing to argue about there. It seems our Emperor is a ruthless one.
"Using his own son as a vanguard pawn to consolidate the desert forces, only to discard him when he’s no longer needed."
Henry shook his head and smiled. "The Third Prince is a clever man. He won’t just sit by and wait for his doom. Just watch. The great drama of Caladia is about to begin."
In the midst of their conversation, Henry beat Boman. Winning yet another game made Boman extremely annoyed, and he declared that he had already lost six games today and wouldn’t play with Henry anymore.
"Hmph, quite the expert, aren’t you, Henry? I didn’t expect someone strong in personal Martial Arts and strong at leading troops in battle to be so strong at chess too! Ever since I lost to you last time, I’ve been practicing with all the famous masters near my fief!"
Henry waved his hand humbly. "Don’t flatter me. What ability to lead troops do I have?"
Boman looked displeased and reminded Henry, "Those soldiers weren’t just your Private Army. Under your leadership, they actually held off a giant beast and even fought their way out of the city."
Henry paused, then quickly checked his panel. He found that his tactics skill proficiency had soared to 210, and he had also unlocked two new Passive Skills.
[⑤ Killing Like Cutting Grass (For each enemy killed, friendly morale +1)]
[⑥ Immovable as a Mountain (The army you lead will face enemy attacks without fear, morale +1)]
Combined with [④ Green Blood and Red Heart], the bonus effects were indeed terrifying, often capable of changing the course of a battle.
Ever since unlocking the [Total War Overlord] panel, Henry had practically ignored his [Personal Panel]. At most, he would glance at his experience points and add a point if he leveled up, forgetting about the Passive Skills he had unlocked.
After the two had some more tea-wine, Boman stood up, humming a tune as he swaggered off.
Henry smiled as he watched Boman leave. After seeing him off, Henry found Selas and Roland to act as his followers and went for a stroll into the city.
He didn’t go to the main streets or taverns, but instead wandered through various alleyways. These inconspicuous places often hid unknown secrets.
Whenever he encountered Free People, Henry would approach them and ask if they knew anyone who had fought the Lizardmen before.
He needed this information because those who had experienced battle with the Lizardmen could often provide a different kind of intelligence.
He questioned more than forty people and explored four alleys without any results.
Henry’s patience didn’t wane; searching for information was like panning for gold, requiring time and patience. Just as he was about to give up, he made a breakthrough.
An old man with a wrinkled face sat on the stone steps in front of his house, drinking hot tea. His cloudy eyes, which were looking at Henry, held something different within them.
"My lord, why are you looking for people who have fought the Lizardmen?" The old man’s voice was hoarse, but his tone carried an air of authority that couldn’t be underestimated.
Henry smiled faintly. "I just want to understand a bit more about the Lizardmen, sir. Do you know anything?"
The old man narrowed his eyes and said slowly, "When I was young, I fought in the wars against the Lizardmen. Those creatures are not easy to deal with."
Henry’s eyes lit up. He knew he had found the right person.
"Could you tell me more in detail? I’m very interested."
The old man nodded and began to recount his battle experiences from his youth.
Henry listened intently, asking questions from time to time. As the old man spoke, Henry’s brow gradually furrowed.
"So, you’re saying that every time the Lizardmen appear, their numbers and variety are greater than before?"
The old man was in the middle of boasting about how he had skewered a Lizardman with his spear when Henry’s question stunned him into silence.
After thinking for a long while, a look of terror appeared on the old man’s face. "That’s right! My lord! Every time the Lizardmen are repelled, they return in greater numbers, and the variety in their colors and sizes increases too!
"Heavens, no one has ever thought about this before! My lord, I heard a giant beast appeared this time? Nothing like that has ever appeared before!"
Henry was now almost certain of his theory about the Lizardmen’s current situation.
’In my memory, the reason the Lizardmen declined was that after the Ancient Saint left, any damage to their spawning pools would cause permanent damage to their population growth.’
’As for the specific reason why the powerful Lizardmen would come under attack by pirates, I can’t quite remember.’
’It’s been almost twenty years; I’ve forgotten a lot. Besides, this world seems different from the one in my memory. It can only be used as a reference.’
’But, judging by the current situation, not only are the Lizardmen not in decline, they’re actually growing stronger.’
’This is very strange. Could it be that the Lizardmen have learned to build spawning pools themselves? That would be too overpowered. Or perhaps they’ve reclaimed more of them?’
’That’s not impossible. After all, if the Lizardmen of this world were truly created by the Ancient Saint, then traces of them must have once appeared all over the world.’
Henry gave the old man a Dinar as a reward and made him promise to keep their conversation secret before bidding him farewell. He then returned to his quarters in the camp with Selas and Roland.
"My lord, are the Lizardmen really going to get stronger?" Roland, who had been holding it in the entire way, could no longer contain himself.
This battle with the Lizardmen had shattered his pride. He realized he wasn’t much stronger than the common soldiers. When faced with the Lizardmen’s weapons, he had actually entertained the thought of retreating.
It turned out that what he had always relied on was merely his fine armor, which was all that protected his life.
Henry shook his head and said, "Regardless, this is not good news."
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