Chapter 186 - 167: Entering the Pass
Chapter 186: Chapter 167: Entering the Pass
"His Majesty the King, as a father, surely wishes to see Your Highness achieve great things.
"It’s just like so many families, whether they are Peasants, Free People, or nobles—they all hope their children and grandchildren will make something of themselves.
"Unfortunately, now those families, those mothers and fathers, have sent their children to me, and I can’t even guarantee that their sons will be protected by a decent suit of armor or receive a nutritious meal.
"Before the battle, the war drums thunder; after the battle, cries of mourning rise...
"In the end, it’s my fault as Commander-in-Chief for not doing enough." Robson sighed. There was a hint of genuine emotion in his words, as he did, after all, possess a soul from an era of peace.
But more than that, it was a hint.
Prince Noah wanted the military honors, and he, Robson, was willing to cede them. For someone like Robson, who wasn’t even a Viscount yet, it was impossible to ascend to the heavens in a single leap on military merit alone. That is, unless he was like Marshal Grantham, turning quantity into quality through decades of constant victories in exchange for the kingdom’s acclaim.
But it would be a different story if those military honors were in Prince Noah’s hands. His Highness the Prince personally went to the front lines, fought bravely, and even managed to defeat the enemy’s elite forces.
Once that news was publicized, the morale of the entire kingdom’s army would soar!
However, while he, Robson, could give up the military honors, Noah couldn’t just take them for free. He had to offer something in return. A win-win situation—wouldn’t that be wonderful?
A smile appeared on Prince Noah’s face. It was so much easier talking to a smart person. Many things weren’t exactly glorious and couldn’t be said so bluntly; one could only hope the other party would understand the hint.
Clearly, Robson was that kind of person.
’As expected of someone personally promoted by that Oscillate. The old fox really has a good eye for people,’ Prince Noah thought.
If Marquis Oscillate hadn’t set such a high price, Robson and Valentino would be a political match made in heaven. Prince Noah might have even tried to arrange something to win Robson over to his side.
Prince Noah also understood Robson’s conditions: the batch of armor from before, and the issue of his army’s food supply going forward.
Although Prince Noah had given Robson the equipment previously scrounged from Sirich City and the major nobles to use, he never said it was his to keep.
After all, it was worth over ten thousand Gold Coins. He, Noah, was only a Prince, not yet crowned; the royal treasury was not under his control.
"Sir Robson, rest assured. The kingdom will not neglect any noble who has rendered meritorious service, and my father the King would never slight a loyal subject who has served the royal family well!
"As for this armor, on behalf of the royal family, I award it to your army, Sir. We will continue to supply you in the future," Prince Noah said.
It was impossible to know if he was telling the truth about future supplies, but at least he had secured the current batch of armor.
Robson paused. What he had actually meant was whether he could get a little more.
’Prince Noah’s talk of "supplying in the future" should be taken as a joke. The future, the future... who knows when that "future" will ever be?’
This armor was different from a fief. A fief involved the schemes of the Fengman Clan and Marquis Oscillate; they would never stand by and watch the royal family arbitrarily break a contract.
But this business with the armor, in the end, could only be considered a private deal between Robson and Prince Noah. It couldn’t be escalated to a conflict between factions. In a factional conflict, everyone keeps each other in check, and no one is happy if you break an agreement. A private deal, however, truly depended on one’s character.
Once the Battle of Thermopylae was over, assuming it was a success, Prince Noah would most likely be used for propaganda. He might go to the central front to increase his influence in the army, or go on an international tour visiting relatives, using the momentum of a great victory to boost his international prestige.
And he, in all likelihood, would be preparing for his enfeoffment and his marriage to Valentino.
In the future, the two of them would have little to do with each other. In fact, in Prince Noah’s mind, Robson’s backer, Marquis Oscillate, had screwed him over before. While Prince Noah was the direct cause of the defeat on the Western Front, Marquis Oscillate’s inaction was also a contributing factor.
When Prince Noah no longer needed Robson, why on earth would he supply armor to Robson’s army?
"Ah, His Majesty and Your Highness are truly benevolent. I, Robson, and the young lads under my command will never forget this kindness for the rest of our lives.
"It’s just a shame... in the cruel war to come, who knows how many loyal souls will be lost..." Robson sighed.
Prince Noah thought to himself, ’Just as I expected.’
’Anyone favored by Oscillate can’t be anything good. Every last one of them says one thing and means another.’
"The entire Western Front is short on military supplies right now... Alas, this is indeed an oversight by the government and our royal family.
"It pains me that I, Noah, must stay on the battlefield and watch our Warriors fight the enemy so ill-equipped, yet I have neither the power nor the ability to change any of it..." Prince Noah lamented with a sigh.
Robson suddenly found it strange. ’We won the battle, so why are the two of us getting all sentimental?’
Robson also understood Prince Noah’s meaning: he couldn’t do it.
It made sense. Prince Noah was, after all, still just a Prince. The previous batch of armor he’d helped Robson acquire had come from his own private funds.
He reckoned Prince Noah’s private funds were probably close to depleted. ’How much savings can a Prince possibly have?’
Besides, with the fighting on the front lines so intense, where weren’t fine suits of armor needed?
He, Noah, had not yet secured power within the cabinet. For now, Noah had only completed the first stage of his training as Crown Prince, establishing his own network of contacts and gaining widespread recognition in the international community.