Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Antonio knew that Bennett was a "lone wolf." His personality and abilities were well-suited for working alone. Forcing him to cooperate with others could easily cause problems.
At this moment, someone snorted coldly. It was a woman's voice, her face hidden under a hood. With a tone full of dissatisfaction, she said, "The Northwest Bay was always an insignificant place in our overall strategy. It seems Bennett, that brute, got some crazy idea in his head and became obsessed with causing trouble there. It's better that his plan failed; it might humble his arrogance so that he will obediently follow the larger plan in the future."
Antonio replied, "Master Bennett must have had his reasons. Let's begin today's meeting... Shall we start with the recent situation in the south of Aldor? I've heard that our greedy Duke there is in a bit of trouble?"
Everyone turned to Anbolov, the captain of the royal guard beside Antonio, who was responsible for managing affairs in southern Aldor.
Anbolov respectfully responded, "Yes, Your Highness."
"In March this year, Princess Catherine led the main forces of the kingdom's army south. By the end of the month, the kingdom's army easily defeated the southern forces near Thorn Fortress and continued advancing south. The princess's rapid advance caught Giles off guard. Having just pacified the southern factions, he had no time to rest his army before marching north again. The two sides are now facing off in the Fueral region, with multiple skirmishes, each side winning and losing some."
Antonio murmured thoughtfully, "Even with our assistance, it's still like this?"
One of the black-robed figures, hearing the prince's words, rasped, "Your Highness, according to the plan you set before your eastern expedition, aside from weapons and supplies, we also sent two batches of mages to assist Giles's army, totaling about thirty people. Any more, and we risk attracting the attention of secular powers and prematurely exposing our organization's secrets. But... if we go all out in supporting Giles, I am one hundred percent confident we can easily defeat Princess Catherine's army with the organization's current strength."
The old man from before added, "The mages we sent to support Giles excel in enchantment, which can greatly enhance the soldiers' equipment without drawing much attention. Additionally, there is the batch of [Secret Potions]."
Anbolov suggested, "I believe we should increase our support. Giles is still the relatively weaker side."
In the initial plan, they intended to keep the battle lines near Thorn Fortress. But now, it had moved to Fueral, much farther south than anticipated.
Antonio waved his hand dismissively, "Our fundamental goal is to plunge the Aldor Kingdom into chaos so that they are too preoccupied to interfere while we handle our affairs in Gabella. Whether the battle is at Thorn Fortress or Fueral, what difference does it make as long as Giles can hold out?"
The old scholar, Aldridge, sitting on the other side of the prince, chimed in, "Exactly. As for someone as ambitious as Giles, it's best to keep him half-dead. If we let him grow too strong, he might turn against us."
A flash of guilt passed through the old scholar's eyes. Stirring up civil war in the Aldor Kingdom went against his conscience, but for the sake of the long-term plan, he had no choice but to participate.
Anbolov expressed some concern, "However, based on the intelligence I've gathered from Aldor, the balance of power between Giles and the royal government is shifting."
"Oh?" Anbolov's words drew everyone's attention. To them, it would be a bad thing if Giles fell too soon.
The captain of the guard explained, "Princess Catherine's royal army... their equipment is steadily improving. Besides swords and spears, their armor rate is also increasing."
The old black-robed man was surprised, "Does the Aldor royal family have that much money?"
A raspy voice chimed in, "Impossible. Last year, they spent an enormous amount just raising funds for military provisions. Unless it's raining gold coins in Crystal Glare."
Aldridge stroked his beard and speculated, "Perhaps it's the contributions from the northern lords? If that's the case, we'll need to reassess the Aldor royal family. The Schroder family still holds some prestige."
Anbolov continued, "Our method of supporting Giles is also facing some challenges. Previously, we shipped supplies through intermediaries and then entrusted them to Horns Bay merchants to transport south to the kingdom. It seems the Aldor people have caught on to the involvement of Horns Bay merchants and have begun pressuring the governments there. As a result, the governments are now tightening control over their merchants."
The meeting room fell silent as everyone seemed to be thinking of ways to restore balance between the two sides—without overly exposing themselves.
The old black-robed man glanced at Antonio and said, "Your Highness, it's time to deploy our own naval forces. Send word to Edward."
Antonio only pondered for a moment before agreeing with his suggestion, "Alright, have Edward mobilize to transport the necessary provisions and weapons to Giles! Additionally..."
The prince's voice paused, his blue eyes sparkling as everyone listened intently for his next words.
"Order him to raid the coastal areas of the Aldor Kingdom, especially the royal family's territories."
Aldridge, sitting nearby, furrowed his brows. Sigh... This prince's heart was growing harder. But then again, such ruthlessness was a necessary tool on the path to kingship.
Clap! Clap! Clap! The raspy voice applauded sarcastically, laughing, "Gah gah, the old pirate king is back to his old ways. But Your Highness, let's turn our attention back to domestic matters. It seems your elder brother has been quite restless lately. Don't you have any thoughts on that?"
Antonio didn't look at him, but he knew what the man was implying.
The others felt some dissatisfaction—this guy's tone was too disrespectful in front of the prince. The old black-robed man coughed, reminding the other to mind his manners.
The raspy voice continued, "Your Highness, do you still cling to that naïve hope of peaceful coexistence between brothers? Hmph! Remember my words, Oliver Griffin will be the greatest obstacle to your first move. It's better to act sooner than later..."
Antonio lightly tapped his fingers on the table, and the raspy voice immediately fell silent.
"I'll handle that myself!"
A commanding gaze shot towards the owner of the raspy voice, who quickly lowered his head, "Yes, Your Highness."
"Next topic—the Horns Bay..."
...
After the meeting adjourned, everyone gradually left the room. The old black-robed man called out to the owner of the raspy voice, saying in a low tone, "Today, you were too disrespectful in front of Prince Antonio!"
"Heh!" the raspy voice retorted, "I'm just helping him grow up quickly. He'll have to face reality sooner or later."
"And have you forgotten? The Aldor royal family is allied by marriage to the D'Arshi family. Attacking Aldor means attacking D'Arshi... Our prince has always known what he wants and how to get it."
Hearing this, the old black-robed man fell silent.
(End of the Chapter)
---
Perks of Joining My Pa treon (pa treon . com / CinderTL)
- Read (FF) Ahead, Currently up to Chapter 556 as of 30Oct24.
- Daily Updates of 2+ Chapters
- Mass Releases (+6 on 29Oct24)
- 2 Other Stories to Read (More Coming in Future)
- Support My Hardwork. and Show Some Appreciation
Become a Paid Member For As Low As $1, Your support is my motivation😊
AND PLEASE LEAVE SOME REVIEWS, It only takes a few minutes. 🥺