King
Chapter 751 - 751 37 Unexpected Temptation_1

751: Chapter 37, Unexpected Temptation_1 751: Chapter 37, Unexpected Temptation_1 Stepping into the capital once more, Hudson palpably confronted an air of melancholy.

Clearly, the death of Caesar III had not only influenced the upper echelons of the kingdom but had also pervaded the common folk.

Perhaps influenced by the atmosphere, he attended a gathering in the evening.

The table full of exotic delicacies couldn’t muster Hudson’s appetite.

Unlike regular feasts, there was no fine wine or beautiful women this time.

Even the smiles on people’s faces were very scarce, and when they did happen, they seemed forced.

Human nature is the most complicated.

When the King was alive, the restrained major nobles yearned for his death; yet, when Caesar III really died, everyone seemed to remember his virtues.

Listening to the discussion of the international situation by the nobles, most of them, like Hudson, held a pessimistic view of the future situation.

Especially the border nobles in the southern part of the kingdom expressed more fears.

The hinterland had unexpectedly become the frontline of future conflicts, which caught everyone off guard.

Relatively speaking, the Southeastern Province was in a better condition.

At the very least, there were some mountains in between as barriers, so there’s no need to face the pressure of the Black Forest Kingdom for the time being.

The real problem was that Caesar III died too early.

Initially, everyone estimated that the King could support for another three or five years.

With such a long buffer time, the kingdom’s debt crisis would have been basically resolved; the emerging nobility of the kingdom who could maintain their family property would have been firmly established; and the reclaimed land would have been almost reintegrated into rule.

As for the provinces in the central and southern regions of the kingdom that were less affected by the war, they have moved out of the shadow of the war and regained their vitality.

With the strength recovered to seventy to eighty percent, even if the new monarch had limited abilities, he could still protect himself in the complex international situation.

But unfortunately, reality was cruel.

Caesar III did not live as long as expected, and the suppressed contradictions now pose the danger of premature explosion.

Seeing the continuous calls for unity, Hudson knew: Unity was a word moving further and further away from the Alpha Kingdom.

Those from the Northland did not appear at the gathering, but in Hudson’s mind, there were images of them laughing at the kingdom’s plight.

Unity is important, but it is based on the premise of being in line with one’s own interests.

Perhaps when the southern nobles are weakened and the kingdom is on the verge of collapse, then they will again talk of unity.

…

“Honorable Earl Hudson, you are a military expert.

According to the current international situation, if the major countries in the central region advance northward one day, where do you think they’ll launch the attack from?”

With the question from Count Carlos, Hudson was thrust into the spotlight, the focus of all eyes.

“Honorable Count Carlos, such a hypothesis is meaningless.

The major kingdoms of the central region are not as solid as iron; we cannot view them as a whole.

Even if they all want to advance northward, their strategic objectives are not identical.

Maybe they would join forces in name, but for the actual combat, they would still fight separately.

If you look at the map of the continent, you’ll know that there are too many entry points for the countries in the central region to choose from.

If we want to defend against their invasion, all border provinces in the south of the kingdom need to build defences.

Perhaps we can be a bit optimistic; they are just probing and are not ready for the invasion now!”

Hudson said helplessly.

He thought he was pessimistic enough, but these people were even more pessimistic, always considering what to do if the enemy attacks.

It’s a good thing to have a sense of crisis, but if it gets too intense, it amounts to needless worries.

It’s a historical issue.

The Alpha Kingdom has been facing the threats of Orcs for many years.

Every occurrence led to a bloody battle, instilling a sense of crisis deep into their bones.

The measures to deal with the threat were directed against the Orcs.

Now the battleground has shifted to internal human conflicts, and the traditional thinking model clearly can’t keep up.

After all, the Orcs can unscrupulously advance south, while the countries in the central region are restrained by multiple factors and must behave according to the rules.

It’s impossible to change everyone’s viewpoints in a short time.

Hudson’s words only served to firm up the idea of building defenses among the people.

Stepping away from the discussing circle, Count Orlan came over, pulled Hudson to a corner, and whispered:

“Hudson, word is, you’re about to become a father.

How is Melissa doing now?

What seemed like a casual family chat had deeper implications.

He cared about his daughter and grandchild, but even more, he was concerned about the marriage alliance between the two families.

Melissa and the child in her womb are the bond of the alliance between the two families.

“Don’t worry, Count.

Melissa is in excellent condition, and the child in her belly is also very healthy.

If you count the days, the child should be born by the end of the month.

It’s a pity that I’m currently tied up with some pressing matters in the capital, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to make it back in advance!”

Looking at Hudson’s regretful expression, Count Orlan gave a faint smile.

Perhaps conscious of the severity of the occasion, he immediately put the smile away.

“Rest assured then.

The child will be proud of having you as a father.

The domestic and foreign situations are both tense, and your staying in the capital is the right thing to do.

Those brutes in the Northland, they’re starting to feel restless.

The Rocknard clan is your enemy, so people in the North need to be cautious.”

Hearing Count Orlan’s reminder, Hudson immediately realized that trouble could be brewing.