Chapter 238 - 16: Rushing Back to the Royal Capital
Chapter 238: Chapter 16: Rushing Back to the Royal Capital
After all, it was clear to anyone that Prince Noah owed his accomplishments to Robson’s support.
After receiving the news, Robson relayed it to the two viscounts and the soldiers he had previously sent out.
Upon receiving their orders, the soldiers traveled day and night. By the time Robson awoke the next morning, the army was back to its full strength.
To Robson’s surprise, this batch of soldiers had clearly changed after returning from their homes.
From Robson’s perspective, all the soldiers of the First Regiment had a much greater spirit.
The First Regiment had always been the elite of the elite, but they were still Peasant Soldiers back then. No matter how much their bodies, skills, and awareness improved, the apathy of a peasant was ingrained in their very bones. Only a few of them seemed remotely sharp.
But after their return, Robson could clearly feel that the entire army’s spirit was different. To put it more abstractly, they had more morale; they seemed more like true elites.
For some reason, Robson recalled the night he faced the Beastman Wolf Cavalry. He remembered the moment Valentino’s Fengman Knight Order took their oath, and the spirit that had erupted from them—a sense of glory and pride that came from their very core.
Although the First Regiment’s spirit was still a far cry from that of the Fengman Knight Order, they were already showing the same potential.
This came as a huge surprise to Robson. The will and spirit of an army should never be underestimated; it was the foundation of the army’s soul.
And that soul determines whether an army can fight a tough battle—whether they can face certain death and emerge victorious.
The First Regiment’s combat prowess was undeniable, but in truth, aside from the final battle at Thermopylae, they had never fought a truly difficult war. And even that final battle at Thermopylae had been a defensive one.
The First Regiment was still a long way from the legendary legions he knew from history. The biggest thing they lacked was an army’s soul.
In the past, Robson had constantly improved the First Regiment’s pay and benefits to foster a sense of superiority, hoping it would help the soldiers cultivate that essential spirit. Naturally, the results had been minimal.
But now, a single trip home for these soldiers had solved the problem.
Robson watched the mothers and wives who had come to see off their sons and husbands and understood the source of this new spirit: social recognition.
The soldiers had brought home the rewards of their service and the praise of their noble lord. Their families recognized their sacrifices and lavished them with praise, which in turn fostered a sense of honor within the soldiers.
’Perhaps I’ve been going about this all wrong.’ He had thought that simply distinguishing the soldiers and giving the top performers a sense of superiority would be enough to forge an army’s soul, but he had overlooked the role of society as a whole.
’Still, this is for the best. A sense of superiority born from comparing soldiers to each other has major side effects. Not only does it hinder the unity of the army, but the fighting spirit it creates isn’t strong enough to make soldiers fight to the death in a desperate situation.’
’Compared to a spirit forged from internal competition, the recognition of their families is a much more powerful motivator. It will make the entire regiment far more resilient.’
...
After donning his armor, Robson went to the main gate of Odogin Town, with Valentino standing by his side.
Most of Robson’s immediate family had come to see him off. Lady Odogin and Miss Sarah looked rather sad, knowing it would be several years before they saw him again—not until his official wedding.
Also present were some of the "outstanding youths" sent by Viscount Donovan and Viscount Ferno.
The subjects they had promised, however, were not among them.
Moving the subjects would incur all sorts of expenses, and since Robson’s fief was still in the hands of the Beastmen, he planned to wait until the front lines were stable before arranging for their gradual transfer.
After all, Robson was due to receive nearly a thousand households—a population of several thousand people. This was no small number. If he wanted to move them all at once, he would have to be prepared for heavy losses along the way.
Watching Robson, fully equipped and ready to depart, Baron Otto couldn’t help but marvel at how much things had changed. ’In just one short year, the Odogin Family has produced a lion,’ he thought. His mind then turned to his new in-laws, and for a moment, he had no idea what kind of attitude he should adopt when he met Marquis Oscillate in a few days.
After all, in Baron Otto’s eyes, Marquis Oscillate was a true legend.
"Robson, this is from your mother and your sisters," Baron Otto said. "They organized a number of weavers to make it according to your specifications. Take a look."
"Go on, open it and have a look," Lady Odogin added, watching Robson with an expectant gaze.
Baron Otto had men bring the items forward—three large chests in total.
Robson opened one. Inside was a set of banners made from blue cloth. He took one out and unfurled it. On the blue field, the face of a phoenix was embroidered with golden thread and a few simple symbols. The border surrounding the phoenix was shaped like a ginkgo leaf.
This was to be Robson’s future family banner. The phoenix symbolized Huang Na, while the ginkgo leaf represented the Odogin Family. In the Human World, every family had its own banner and crest, and there were even specialized Heralds to manage them.
Most families preferred to use ferocious magical beasts for their family crests, like the dragon and bear of the Frankish Royal Family.
Of course, this didn’t mean the Frankish Royal Family actually possessed dragons and bears. It was merely symbolic, representing the nobility of the dragon and the fighting spirit of the bear.
Robson glanced at the other chests. They contained matching cloth coverings for body armor and barding for the horses. It was clear Lady Odogin had put a great deal of thought into this.
"Thank you, Mother. I love it," Robson said to Lady Odogin with a smile.
"I’m glad you like it. I hope the ginkgo leaf of our Odogin Family will keep you safe," Lady Odogin replied.
After that, Robson said his farewells to Baron Otto and his other relatives one by one. Finally, he helped Valentino onto her warhorse before mounting his own and donning his helmet.
Not all cavalry traveled in full armor, but it was a habit among the nobility—specifically, the nobility of the Frank Kingdom—to always remain armored.
Taking one last look at his family, Robson gave them a nod in farewell. Many of them waved back.
Turning back to face the army, Robson saw that the soldiers had already finished their goodbyes. Their homesickness sated, the men’s morale was high. After the extended period of peace, many were even a little restless.
"Move out!" Robson commanded the army behind him, tightening the reins of his horse.