The Lord Of Blood Hill

Chapter 571: You Must Reform!

Once Howell, the King of Justice, has ten thousand trained soldiers under him, his confidence swells.Two guard legions and two regular legions are enough to make him stand tall again.

However, in the eyes of Peace Haven's officers, apart from the two guard legions that are barely worth looking at, the so-called regular legions are nothing but a mob of savage bandits, gathered merely to fill the numbers.

Even now, they still struggle to deploy in orderly formations. Calling them an army is already being generous.

Howell does not see it that way. When he first rose in rebellion, the people he led were using pitchforks, wooden spears, and similar equipment.

And now?

His soldiers now have bows, crossbows, war spears fitted with steel spearheads, and large numbers of metal weapons. In his eyes, that already makes them elites.

As for his own guard legions, every man even has a steel longsword.

Of course, the longswords for the newly formed guard legions are gifts from Elia.

What satisfies Howell most is that nearly half the soldiers in his guard legions are wearing metal armor.

Back then, with nothing but pitchforks and cloth clothing, how many noble armies had he stabbed through?

Now that his forces have undergone a complete upgrade, how could he fear the kingdom's suppression campaign?

At this moment, he even feels that, like Henwell, he ought to be taken seriously by the various countries.

But the blow soon arrives.

Divarak arrives in the war zone with his Fire Wolf Legion, and Pavaro arrives as well with the Blue Fist Legion.

At the same time, Third Prince Sundike also brings one of his own warbands, along with the Imperial Nineteenth Legion assigned to him by Diversion Bay, to the designated position.

The local nobles immediately rush over in a crowd and pour out their grievances to Prince Sundike, saying the rebels have committed every evil and that they themselves have suffered bitterly.

Now that the kingdom's troops have arrived, the rebels will surely be reduced to ashes.

For the next full week, everything is one banquet after another.

Prince Sundike is completely bewildered. Did he not come here to fight a war and suppress bandits?

Why are there so many banquets?

In the end, Prince Sundike truly cannot understand it, so he goes to ask Divarak what is going on.

Divarak smiles. "Your Highness, have you heard something Henwell once said? War is merely the final violent form of political struggle."

"War is also the continuation of political struggle. When war finally ends, everything still returns to politics."

"Why do you think the nobles here are fawning over Your Highness so eagerly? Is it because they want us to hurry up and wipe out the rebels?"

Sundike asks in confusion, "Is that not the reason? Should we not immediately deploy our directions of attack, hold a military meeting, and discuss how to assault the rebels?"

Divarak shakes his head. "They do hope we wipe out the rebels, but they hope even more to gain more from this war."

"Why are they trying to delay us? Because they are desperately organizing their own private troops."

"That way, they can conveniently follow behind us and seize territory. After all, because of the rebels, many nobles have been destroyed, leaving behind ownerless lands."

"At a time like this, they can gain a little military merit, then spend money to bribe Your Highness, have you speak a few good words for them in Diversion Bay, and in the end they gain more territory."

Prince Sundike stares with widened eyes, unable to believe it. "This... how is that possible? Even at a time like this, they are still thinking about such things?"

"Do they not know Henwell's elite army is still here? We do not even have confidence in defeating Henwell's army, yet they are already thinking about how to divide the fruits of victory?"

Divarak gives a bitter laugh. "Heh. Your Highness, does it feel absurd? Unfortunately, this is the truth."

"Your Highness, do you know why I understand it so clearly?"

"Because once, I was one of them. I only wanted more personal benefit and did not care at all about the reality of the situation."

Prince Sundike adds, "Until Henwell appeared."

Divarak does not deny it. "Yes. Until Henwell appeared. He made me understand that no backer of mine is useful."

"Only my own army, a powerful army, is my true backer and my firmest ally."

At this point, Divarak smiles bitterly again. "Sigh. In truth, this is not limited to this place. Many parts of the kingdom are like this."

"What you saw in the northwest is a completely different situation."

"There, military and civil administration are separated. The army maintains long-term training, and administrative personnel periodically inspect the army's equipment and exercise oversight authority."

"A considerable number of the officers there rose up from the bottom ranks. Your Highness has met Alioff, the warband commander of my Fire Wolf Legion, yes?"

Sundike nods lightly. "Yes. He is an excellent commander. He has his own understanding of war and command."

"In my opinion, if placed anywhere in the kingdom, he could serve as the commander of any legion, including elite legions."

Divarak's expression turns weary. "Exactly. But such an outstanding talent was not born a noble. He was born a serf."

"He grew step by step. He studied the various military knowledge that spread out from Peace Haven on his own, and he taught himself how to read and write."

"Then, step by step, he climbed from the bottom to his current position. In the near future, I will also hand the Fire Wolf Legion over to him to command."

At this point, Divarak looks at Sundike seriously. "Your Highness, do you know why we chose to support you?"

"Do you think we value you because you are obedient and easy to control?"

"If so, Your Highness is mistaken."

"I can also be considered someone who has reached the height of power. I am also a member of Ogiro, and my family rose with the kingdom's glory."

"Your Highness, you have seen it as well. Peace Haven is constantly improving and constantly growing stronger."

"But everyone around it refuses to learn from it. Instead, because it is outstanding, they want to destroy it."

"The reason we chose you is that you can see Peace Haven's strength, see Peace Haven's advanced methods, and are willing to follow that progress and correct your own shortcomings."

"Why are we suspected by everyone of colluding with Peace Haven? Because we do business with Peace Haven?"

"That is not the reason. Many people in the kingdom have interests tied to Peace Haven. Why are we alone being targeted?"

"Because we sent students to Peace Haven Military Academy. Because we are learning from Peace Haven's progress."

"That is all there is to it."

"Does it feel even more absurd?"

"It is as absurd as these nobles who, on the eve of battle, do not discuss military affairs but instead hold banquet after banquet, trying to gain postwar benefits."

"Your Highness."

"After you ascend the throne in the future, you must reform. You must learn from Peace Haven's progress."

"A new order is about to appear on the continent. If we do not change, if we do not become stronger, sooner or later we will disappear into history."

After saying this, Divarak kneels, his face carrying a pleading expression.

Sundike is moved. He had never imagined that Divarak, who usually looks so mercenary and slippery, also has this side to him.

Then Prince Sundike helps him up. "Count, we will work together. We must not let Ogiro remain this absurd."