Chapter 213: Chapter 177: Death Benefit
The Beastmen left almost overnight. After all, if they were too slow, the human army would have surrounded them, and escape would have been far from easy.
When they retreated, Robson was on the watchtower, using his spare time to study the books Prince Noah had given him. The news was brought to him personally by Valentino.
Robson wasn’t surprised by the news.
Robson and Valentino went to the city walls together. Prince Noah was already there, holding a wine glass and facing the direction of the Beastmen.
The moment the battle ended, Prince Noah had rushed over from the Ivory Tower.
’It seems Prince Noah has quite a few eyes and ears.’
"Hey! Look who it is! Baron Robson?" Prince Noah raised his wine glass toward Robson. If nothing else, the prince had truly mastered the art of putting on a show.
"His Highness Prince." Robson and Valentino stepped forward to salute.
Robson then followed Prince Noah’s gaze. Valentino stood just in front of him.
Robson knew that his nearly year-long tour on the Western Front was finally coming to an end.
He would most likely be heading to the Royal Capital with Prince Noah next.
Sometimes, when Robson looked back on the past few months, he felt as if he were living in a dream. The thought of heading to a Peace Zone next felt a little strange.
"Sir, you have once again defended the kingdom’s territory. On behalf of the Royal Family, I salute you." Prince Noah looked at Robson with a smile as a Knight behind him brought over two wine glasses, handing one to Robson and the other to Valentino.
Robson took the glass. ’The royal family really knows how to enjoy life,’ he thought to himself.
’These royal Personal Guards are ferocious in battle, one more so than the next, yet they’re just as impeccable when it comes to serving people.’
Robson took a small sip. In this world, it wasn’t a breach of conduct for an Officer to drink.
"Our battle is over, Sir," Prince Noah said with a sigh.
Prince Noah had initially come here to suppress Prince Samon’s prestige within the army, a move stemming from the conflict between Louis III and Marshal Grantham.
Over the past two-plus months, from the initial reforms to the later events at O’Neil Castle, Prince Noah had lived on edge. It was more thrilling than his entire life had been up to that point.
"Our battle has ended, but the war is far from over," Robson said, nodding in agreement.
"His Highness Prince, Sir."
Just as Prince Noah was about to agree, a voice called out from behind them. It was Viscount Fuman.
Viscount Fuman had been working under Robson recently, helping manage the army’s logistics.
It had to be said that Viscount Fuman had done an excellent job. The southern nobles possessed a natural talent for bookkeeping, and the Viscount himself was a decent sort who didn’t engage in any shady dealings.
It was easy to see why. Viscount Fuman had witnessed Robson’s rise on the Western Front, having been with him for practically the entire campaign.
Furthermore, the growth of his son, Bo Yang, had been plain to see. In just a few short months, Bo Yang’s military achievements were already sufficient to establish a new Baron Clan.
These benefits were more important than anything else. Viscount Fuman was no fool; he understood the difference between a single big payout and a steady stream of income.
Viscount Fuman had now resolved to send Bo Yang to gain experience under Robson’s command.
Anyone with eyes could see that after winning the Battle of Thermopylae, Robson had secured the support of both the Royal Family and the southern nobles. A promotion to Viscount was a certainty, and the fiefdom he would be granted would be anything but small!
The provinces where Robson was to be enfeoffed were also adjacent to the Fengman Clan’s lands.
The great noble families that had once dominated the north had almost all fallen to the blades of the Beastmen.
One might also say they were simply too foolish. Of the two leaders of the northern inland faction, the Fengman Clan had thrown in its lot with the southern faction, while the other branch now served Marquis George.
This group, the northern inland faction from beyond the pass, had originally been junior partners aligned with the Fengman Clan. Yet, when the Fengman Clan pledged its allegiance to Marquis Oscillate, they had stubbornly refused to follow suit.
Their doom was sealed from that moment on. No one, however, had expected them to be annihilated so quickly and so thoroughly.
The political landscape of the three northeastern provinces was now set for a major reshuffle. Within the kingdom, neither the southern faction, the northern faction, nor the Royal Family would stand idly by and let others carve up this prize.
From the current look of things, Robson had the backing of both the Royal Family and the southern faction, was supported by the Fengman Clan, and was guaranteed a foothold for himself in the three northeastern provinces.
Most importantly, the war wasn’t over yet!
It was just as Robson had said earlier: their battle was over, but the war was not.
The war between the Human Race and the Beastmen would likely only end with the forceful intervention of an outside power.
Take the three northeastern provinces, for example; large swathes of the territory were currently under Beastmen occupation.
Although the forces the Beastmen had deployed there couldn’t compare to those on the Western Front, there was still merit to be won, no matter how small the battles!
Based on Viscount Fuman’s understanding of Robson, he was certain that Robson would also accomplish great things on the Eastern Front. Having his son continue to follow Robson was another investment that couldn’t possibly fail.
If Bo Yang truly managed to accomplish something incredible alongside Robson, all the better. But even if he didn’t, it was no great loss.
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