Translator: Cinder Translations
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Regarding Ophina's suggestion, most people didn't have much hope due to the stereotypical views of the Northwest Bay.
Only a few found it worth trying, such as the military logistics officers, who knew that a significant portion of the kingdom's supplies and munitions came from the Northwest Bay.
In terms of military rations, canned goods from the Northwest Bay were well-received by many soldiers, especially in the southern regions with higher temperatures where food storage was challenging. During long marches or when nearby towns were not available for supplies or requisitions, canned goods proved to be very useful.
For military equipment, a supplier named "Northwest Industries" occupied a substantial share of the kingdom's weapons and armor sources. The quality was merely average, but the large quantity and low prices allowed the kingdom's army to maintain a significant edge over the rebels in terms of armor coverage, making Northwest Industries invaluable.
It was strange how the Northwest Bay could produce so many weapons and armors, considering the local lords were also engaged in battles themselves.
Clearly, if the lords of the Northwest Bay provided these military supplies to their own soldiers, their wars would not be simply described as "peasant brawls."
As the discussions continued, Catherine gave Ophina a discreet signal to discuss this privately later.
Since the focus had shifted to the Northwest Bay, the meeting gradually turned to the ongoing Pretender War that erupted earlier in the year.
"It's obvious that the faction led by Earl Parker will absolutely not acknowledge the legitimacy of Maltz Kent's claim to the title."
"It's frustrating. At a time when the nation is in peril, instead of rallying to defend it, they're engaging in internal strife. They're so ungrateful."
"There is a silver lining, though. The lords of the former Northwest Duke's faction have always been disdainful of the royal family, and Parker's faction is still aligned with the royal family. Suppressing those local lords might actually be beneficial."
"Ultimately, it's all for their own benefit. I don't believe they're truly loyal to the royal family. Any conflicts should be resolved by the king himself! Settling things privately is unacceptable."
The royal representatives dispatched to the Northwest, such as Hansel Abbott stationed in Alden and Emerson Wilde stationed in Emden, often aligned with the stance of the local lords in their reports to Crystal Glare. They would criticize the opposing royal representatives for distorting the truth, spreading rumors, and making unfounded accusations.
These contradictory reports confused the king and his ministers, making it hard to discern who was right. However, most of the court still leaned towards opposing the Duke's faction, as the factions of Alden and Byerldine in this faction had provided large amounts of food to the army affected by the fires and the "Northwest Industries" established by them had supplied the army with a substantial quantity of low-cost weapons and armor.
Duke Dodge pondered, "Which side is currently gaining the upper hand?"
Ophina replied, "The latest news is that the Duke's faction is in a downturn. It seems they are planning a desperate, all-out effort."
"Neither side is inclined to call a halt?"
"There were rumors of a ceasefire, but clearly, no agreement was reached."
Duke Dodge turned to Catherine and said, "Your Highness, once the disputes among the Northwest Bay lords are settled, could we assign them to guard Vibern? Then we could redeploy Walk's forces to the south to deal with the rebels."
Through secret channels, the kingdom's high command had essentially concluded that the Duke of the East, Vibren, had aligned with Giles, though he had not openly declared support yet.
To prevent a potential surprise attack from Vibern, Catherine had to leave a force of up to 25,000 men under Duke Walker to guard the eastern front. This large force, merely preventing possible enemies, resulted in a significant waste of resources, otherwise, Catherine's main force wouldn't be stuck in the Fueral region, unable to make progress.
Perhaps this was exactly what Giles intended? His allies only needed to distract the kingdom's army.
Ophina agreed with Duke Dodge's suggestion: "Among the lords opposing the Northwest Duke's faction, Earl Grayman has played a key role. His family was exiled to the Northwest Bay due to a court struggle long ago, and he has contributed greatly to the supply of southern troops. It's likely he wishes to restore his family's honor with the royal family. If we could restore the Grayman family's honor in the name of His Majesty, I believe this earl would certainly commit to serving the country diligently and inspire other lords."
Her words seemed to imply high regard for Grayman's faction.
Catherine was somewhat swayed by their words and nodded, "The disputes in the Northwest Bay haven't settled yet, and it's uncertain who will emerge victorious. Let's wait until the dust settles before sending envoys."
Although the princess said this, she felt a bit resentful. If it weren't for the current rebellion, a royal decree could have been issued to compel both factions to at least show some respect to Crystal Glare and negotiate, but now they had to wait for the victor to emerge and seek his support.
This situation was caused by the royal power being constrained by the southern rebellion, leaving no resources for other matters. Rushing to send envoys might make things worse and further endanger the already declining royal authority.
Thinking this, Catherine felt even more animosity toward Giles the traitor.
At this moment, Viscount Klein looked at her and said, "Your Highness, the Northwest Bay has always been quite desolate. How can those lords' forces possibly withstand the wealthy eastern region?"
Catherine smiled, "From your expression, I gather you've already thought of a solution?"
Klein laughed, "Yes. We can mobilize the Highland Barbarians to join the Northwest forces in guarding the eastern region. It's time for the chief of the Herloff tribe, oh no, I should say Earl Herloff now, to demonstrate his loyalty to the kingdom."
Herloff was a tribal chief who had switched sides during the Highland Barbarians' rebellion last year. Due to his internal support, Catherine was able to quickly quell the rebellion, and he was later rewarded with the title of Highland Earl.
Catherine was pleased with Klein's suggestion. In recent years, she had been promoting young generals into senior military positions, with Klein and Leicester being among the best. The former was modest and meticulous, while the latter was reserved but had a natural intuition for military matters. Both, along with Ophina, were her capable subordinates, and being close in age, they were easier to communicate with compared to older generals.
"Let's do it!" The princess made a firm decision.
After the meeting adjourned and everyone was leaving, Catherine called Ophina aside.
"Come to my room and tell me about Eileen's recent situation. Oh, and also about the Thunder Hammer you mentioned in the meeting."
(End of the Chapter)
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