Chapter 294 - 58: Midnight Raid
Chapter 294: Chapter 58: Midnight Raid
With all that settled, Robson breathed a sigh of relief.
’To be honest, I’m not sure what role these two pieces—Earl Uman and Viscount Edwin—will play in the future,’ Robson thought. ’But as the saying goes, one must plan three steps ahead for every one taken.’
The current granting of fiefs beyond the pass was already fraught with tension. The area bordered Beastmen territory, meaning it was destined to require a powerful leader for humanity to truly establish a foothold there.
’Someone has to take up the mantle of leader beyond the pass. So why can’t that person be me, Lord Robson?’
After their recent discussion, the situation beyond the pass had become much clearer.
First, the Northern Faction was finished. Robson had Earl Uman, its leader, firmly in his grasp.
With the Northern Faction out of the picture, the contest was now between the Military Merit Faction and the Robson-led Southern Faction.
Overall, Robson held a much stronger position in this contest than Count Sriphine.
Thanks to his maneuvering, Robson now held three trump cards.
The authority to report on the war, Earl Uman’s defection, and the support of the Fengman Clan and Marquis Oscillate.
Any one of these would have been enough for Robson to work with; now he had all three. The future balance of power beyond the pass was essentially set. It all came down to how well Robson could play his hand.
A nominal leader and a de facto leader were two very different things.
Count Sriphine’s main concern now should be how to protect his hard-won title and the Military Merit Faction beyond the pass.
After all, with Marquis Oscillate backing Robson, the two of them were bound to clash in the future.
’In my opinion,’ Robson mused, ’the smartest thing Count Sriphine could do right now is rush to the battlefield. He can’t let me claim all the battle merits for myself. Unfortunately for him, that’s easier said than done. The real difficulty isn’t in securing the merits, but in whether he’s even aware of the need to do so.’
’It’s hard to act on something you’ve never experienced or even conceived of.’
As far as Robson was concerned, he truly had the upper hand.
Once the three men had established their new relationship, the atmosphere instantly became cheerful and lively. They chatted and laughed together so freely that anyone who didn’t know better would have mistaken them for childhood friends, rather than three strangers who had just met.
Viscount Edwin, in particular, had a swift change of heart once he understood the situation. He immediately began heaping all sorts of flattery on Robson.
Even Earl Uman was taken aback. Although the recent battle had taught him a great deal, he was still young. In some respects, he was no match for a wily old veteran like Viscount Edwin.
Fortunately, Robson saw right through Viscount Edwin’s intentions. ’He wants to compete with Earl Uman for my favor. In other words, Viscount Edwin wants to be my proxy in Ador Province.’
The three didn’t stay together for long before going their separate ways. After all, they all needed to rest.
Watching Viscount Edwin’s retreating back, Robson stopped Earl Uman, who was about to leave. He used his battle aura to keep his voice low.
"You need to watch Edwin yourself. If the opportunity arises, cut him loose," Robson said, looking at Earl Uman.
Earl Uman was stunned for a moment. He turned to look at Robson, confirming that he had heard correctly, and then gave a slight nod. The anxiety that had been weighing on him finally eased.
Earl Uman had seen how Viscount Edwin acted. Honestly, he had been worried that Robson might give in to the viscount’s flattery and elevate his status.
Robson had him completely under his thumb now. If Robson had decided to do that, Uman would have had no choice but to accept it.
But now, after Robson’s words, he felt much more at ease.
Robson nodded. ’If I were as young as Uman, I might have actually fallen for Viscount Edwin’s act. But alas, beneath my youthful appearance lies a mature mind.’
’In Ador Province, Earl Uman is the key player; everyone else is secondary. No matter how sweetly Viscount Edwin talks, he can’t make himself an Earl. And since he’s not an Earl, the Kingdom Government won’t prioritize him for the position of Governor. If I couldn’t even figure that much out, I’d be a complete fool.’
’Besides, this Edwin... he deserted on the battlefield, and now he’s backstabbing his former master. It’s true that everyone acts in their own self-interest, but his behavior is still galling.’
"Alright, you should head back for now," Robson said. "Let your Soldiers get plenty of rest. A moment of shame is nothing. This war is far from over."
Hearing Robson’s words, Earl Uman’s eyes widened, and he immediately bowed deeply.
"Thank you, my lord, for this second chance."
A "second chance" might be an exaggeration, but it was close to the truth. The meaning behind Robson’s words was clear: Uman was to get his army ready and bide his time. In the future, Robson would give him an opportunity to erase the stain on his honor.
Robson nodded. ’The art of managing people isn’t just about appealing to their self-interest; the best way is to appeal to their emotions and interests simultaneously. Of course, you can’t appeal to emotions without first providing tangible benefits. When it comes to factions, shared interests are the strongest bond of all.’
Not long after Earl Uman left, Robson lay back down on his newly made wooden bed. He had barely fallen asleep when two notifications suddenly sounded in his mind.
"Your Tier 5 Frank Elite Cavalry has been killed by a Tier 3 Jackal Werewolf Shooter..."
"Your Tier 5..."
Hearing the notifications from the Mount & Blade system, Robson, who had been sleeping lightly, snapped his eyes open.
’What’s happening?’
Robson immediately opened the Mount & Blade panel. The two latest messages on it were highlighted in blood-red.
’An enemy attack!’ Robson realized instantly.
"Guards!" Robson shouted outside his tent.
The words had barely left his mouth when the two personal guards from outside entered, their hands already on their swords.
Seeing that Robson was alone in the tent, the two guards relaxed their grips on their swords in unison and looked at him.
"My lord, what are your orders?" one of the guards asked.
"Quick, go get Claude, Knight Commander Elon, Ais... and Earl Uman. Bring them all here," Robson commanded.
Normally, Ais would be on guard while Robson rested, but Ais had been through a lot over the past few days, so Robson had sent him to get some rest as well.
"And one more thing," Robson said. "Bring me my map."
"Yes, my lord!"
After receiving their orders, the two guards pulled open the tent flap, turned, and left. Moments later, two new guards took their place at the entrance.
Robson was lost in thought for a moment. When the guards had pulled open the flap, he’d caught a glimpse of a light drizzle through the opening.
The northeast was further south than the northwest, and it seemed the first of the spring rains had already arrived.
It was then that Robson realized the war had already been going on for a year. If it dragged on any longer, it would interfere with the spring planting.