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Chapter 85 - 85 84 Veteran Warriors _1

85: Chapter 84, “Veteran Warriors” _1 85: Chapter 84, “Veteran Warriors” _1 Everything has a difficult beginning, but once the first transaction is completed, the rest will follow smoothly.

Whether by chance or as a result of receiving some news, other nearby neighbors came to visit the next day.

Like the unfortunate Kurelio, they too received a friendly greeting from the lord of Maple Town.

Unlike Kurelio’s misfortune that fell from the sky, and unlike the nobles who came with soldiers to snatch people, they merely picked up a few refugees along the way.

Although their method was similar to Hudson’s previous approach, they were not led astray by him.

The fact that their masters have not come knocking on their doors yet proves their character.

Whether it’s one sheep or a flock being herded, it’s the same.

Hudson doesn’t mind playing the mediator and reselling a favor thrice.

Whether a compromise can be reached ultimately depends on them.

As for selling weapons, that’s just a regular add-on.

It’s not that Hudson wants to make money from them, but instead uses their money to help them.

Equipped with iron weapons, even serf soldiers who’ve just put down their hoes, will have a certain level of lethality.

Attacking in formation with spears four to five meters long, even if they can’t kill, can surely scare quite a few people.

If it really came to fighting, a few hundred serf soldiers could at least achieve a ratio of fifty to one.

If they were lucky, they might even reach ratios of ten to one or eight to one.

Of course, they would have the greater losses.

The enemy, after all, consists of elites from the Northern Border.

To exchange eight or ten times the losses with the enemy is not a disadvantage.

This is the backbone of negotiation.

If they have the power to inflict dozens of casualties on the opponent on the battlefield, it would make the lord of Maple Town think twice before taking action.

Unlike those mature domains with surplus population, fighting a little with their neighbors, and suffering tens of casualties is not a big deal.

As a lord in his entrepreneurial period, every labor force in his domain is valuable, especially the elite soldiers painstakingly trained.

Losing a few or a dozen soldiers in a battle may not seem like a major problem, but the trouble is that this is not the Northern Border, they cannot replenish their numbers in a timely manner.

With only a few hundred private soldiers, a few minor conflicts could reduce their strength by a tenth, which they can’t afford.

As local bosses, they are not so easily subdued.

Regardless, there are rules in the PK battles among nobles.

No matter how bad things get, they can’t kill each other.

Failure is just the beginning.

The essential steps that come next are to call for friends and think of ways to turn the situation around.

Once the war begins, they need to come several more times and completely defeat the enemy to end the dispute.

Fighting and killing in the world of nobility is merely a spice of life, more typical are the matters of human relationship.

The smart ones know how to weigh the pros and cons.

…

In Maple Town, just after arranging the time to take action with his allies from the Northern Border, intending to simultaneously exert pressure on the native nobles, Katelai received an invitation from Hudson.

“Uncle Holman, I think I’ve done something stupid!”

Speaking, Katelai hands over the invitation in his hand.

An intense distress has risen between his brows, as if filled with endless regret.

In ordinary people’s eyes, it’s just a mediation document, but in Baron Katelai’s view, it’s undoubtedly a signal of Salam Mountain’s three knights leaning towards Hudson.

If not handled properly, should a conflict arise in the future, he will face a Baron’s territory and three knight’s territories.

What leaves him speechless is: this passive situation is created by his own hands.

Handing over a potential competitor’s henchman to Hudson, Baron Katelai regrets so much he could slap himself.

Being a neighbor with the notorious Mountain Baron was unfortunate enough, and now he sent three knights to him.

Although the invitation suggests they have not truly united yet, Baron Katelai believes it’s only a matter of time.

“Katelai, you can’t be blamed for this.

The development of a domain cannot exist without its people.

Even if time could be reversed, we would still have to do the same.

Those three unfortunate knights did want to form an alliance with the Mountain Baron, but it also requires his acceptance.

There is a huge gap in power between them; it is not so much an alliance as it is subservience.

Due to their combined strength and geography, these three knights must make a choice between us and the Mountain Baron.

Given the divide between the nobles of the North and South, even if we were to extend an olive branch, they would surely tilt towards the Mountain Baron.

What this does is simply bring forward the time for this decision.

The labor required to develop a domain makes this a worthwhile price to pay.

The only problem is the Mountain Baron’s involvement.

If we want to extort them, they probably won’t easily compromise.”

Despite his nonchalant words, deep inside, Knight Holman was not at ease.

The Koslow Clan alone was difficult enough, and adding three small knight families completely blocked their path south.

If that were all, it would still be bearable.

The real trouble is that if the relationship between the two sides can’t be handled well, the Maple Domain could be threatened from the back even if it turns in a different direction.

The Maple Domain has several detached territories.

For major nobles, a few detached territories can be managed, but the tiny Baron’s Territory needs to focus its lands for development.

There are several nobles standing in the way of consolidating territories.

Any sort of territory exchange involving interests is hard to negotiate.

This land exchange storm will likely have to be resolved on the battlefield.

It can be said that from the start, all the northern nobles were pushed towards war by Earl Piers.

This present disruption over seizing people merely provides a reasonable excuse for war.

In name, they demand people; in reality, they want to force their neighbors to accept a land swap.

With their military strength, most of the Northern aristocracy have the power to compel their neighbors to compromise.

Unfortunately for Katelai, a powerful neighbor has appeared to the south.

Of course, the best solution would be to combat this threat through warfare, but alas, Katelai lacks the confidence to initiate the conflict.

Unlike Baron West, who commands an army of 800, Katelai wouldn’t have been in such a dilemma.

…

The soft sunlight spills upon the earth and the ceaselessly flowing Wash Flower Stream exudes a unique charm under the autumn wind.

As the boundary between the Mountain Domain and Maple Domain, both sides of Wash Flower Stream feel like two different worlds.

On one side, lush grassland and abundant wildlife, and on the other, serfs laboring vigorously.

Although this season’s harvest isn’t substantial, even a mosquito is meat in their eyes.

For generations, these serfs have appreciated every grain of the precious crop.

Most crucially, once they begin working, their food standards also improve.

Compared to the initial bare minimum living provision, they see an increase of over fifty percent.

Going from half-filled to almost satisfied, this is a remarkable breakthrough for the ordinary serfs who have just experienced turmoil.

A humble stone bridge separates the territories as the five lords gather to discuss the future development plans of the southern Layton County.

Casting a glance at the band army the three knights brought, Hudson gave them a slight nod of acknowledgment.

Ragtag troops are still troops; if not in battle, they can still intimidate.

Before engaging in real combat, no one knows how much damage these 800 ragtag troops could inflict.

Maybe fifty, maybe thirty, for Baron Katelai, regardless of the number, it wouldn’t be worth it.

The key point is the private army of the Mountain Baron.

Judging only by the formation, the 300 troops Hudson had brought were undoubtedly the Kingdom’s Elites.

The uniform marching steps of just 300 men give off the aura of a formidable army, extremely intimidating.

Conversely, the 300 elites from the North that Baron Katelai is leading seem somewhat inferior in terms of presence.

Two hostile forces, opposing each other across a stream.

Under the surrounding aura of their mutual aggression, the nearby eight hundred miscellaneous soldiers only feel discomfort.

Witnessing this scene, Baron Katelai, who initially had some ideas, completely banishes the impractical thoughts deep within.

This formation, this aura, they can only be seen as battle-hardened elites.

Even though such a troop appeared in the hands of a small noble from the South, making it seem a bit out of place, Katelai prefers to trust what he sees.