Chapter 319 - 75: Meeting Count Sriphine Again
Chapter 319: Chapter 75: Meeting Count Sriphine Again
"Sir, this is basically everything," said Viscount Max.
A Personal Guard behind Robson stepped forward, took it, and handed it to him.
Robson skimmed through it. It was essentially a list of the military faction’s achievements beyond the border.
But this battle report had embellished their accomplishments.
’It claims they tied down the Beastman Army in Auric Province early on, but there was no Beastman Army in Auric Province.’
’It even listed some things they hadn’t done at all.’
"Gentlemen, how do you explain this part about taking Bai Ma Ferry?" Robson asked, looking at the two men.
The battle report was skillfully written, filled mostly with ambiguous claims.
Ultimately, whether the claims were true or not came down to the stroke of Robson’s pen. After all, they had won the battle.
"Sir, while pursuing the Beastmen, we took Bai Ma Ferry along the way."
"Rest assured, Sir. We preserved everything at the ferry. The boats weren’t burned by the Beastmen," Viscount Max stepped forward and said.
"Not burned by the Beastmen" really meant that they hadn’t taken the boats for themselves.
"Is that so? I was planning to dispatch troops at dawn, but it seems you two have saved me the trouble."
"These boats... It’s a pity I have no use for them," Robson said, his meaning clear.
’With or without you, I, Robson, could have taken Bai Ma Ferry easily. The boats are of little use to me. Trying to trade these things for military honors won’t work.’
Fortunately, Viscount Max and Count Sriphine had anticipated this. Count Sriphine stepped forward and produced another letter.
The Personal Guard once again delivered the letter to Robson.
Robson took it. The envelope was thick with papers.
Inside was a complete list of soldiers’ names.
"These are the soldiers who went to Bai Ma Ferry, a thousand men in total. It’s not convenient for us to command them, so we’ll have to trouble you to take care of them from now on, Sir," said Count Sriphine.
"Well... As you know, I don’t have much food on hand."
"I recently made some deals with Earl Uman. We want to reopen the Ancient Trade Route, but there happen to be three small towns along the way, in Auric Province."
"Oh, and I hear... I hear those towns are now in Count Sriphine’s hands. I wonder if the Count could do me a favor?" Robson asked with a smile.
As he spoke, Robson had a Soldier bring out a map and pointed out the towns’ locations for Count Sriphine.
Vio Town. According to Robson’s research, this place was more than just a stop on the Ancient Trade Route.
Vio Town possessed a small Magic Crystal Ore mine! This was something Robson had discovered in those journals. Logically, a find like this should have been reported to the Empire, but it was clear the two great families beyond the border wanted to keep it for themselves.
The other two towns were more ordinary. They had pastures for raising horses, but the land was unsuitable for farming.
Moreover, this area was indeed on the Ancient Trade Route—a trade route used by the ancient Beastmen and Dwarves.
At this moment, the value of the maps Robson had seized began to show.
Robson knew what resources the area produced, but Count Sriphine did not.
Count Sriphine looked at the town, somewhat puzzled. The location could indeed open a path between Ehrlichland and Ador Province, connecting the territories of Earl Uman and Robson.
’But the crucial thing is, those two territories could already be connected.’
Of course, on the maps of the Human World, the two places were separate.
But if one considered the entire region beyond the border, including the northern Beastmen territories, one would see that only a great plain separated the two domains.
The only concern with crossing the plain was interference from the northern Beastmen. Vio Town’s only advantage was that a mountain range provided a barrier, making the route more secure.
Upon hearing Robson’s proposal, Earl Uman was actually quite grateful.
It now seemed that Robson was genuinely taking action and had no intention of letting Uman charge ahead alone.
"Since you require it, Sir, I am certainly willing. Then it’s settled."
Count Sriphine agreed without much hesitation.
Territory was important, of course, but it depended on the type of territory.
The ones Robson was pointing to were all close to the Beastman Empire. Their only obvious purpose was raising horses.
But the lands beyond the border were vast; there were plenty of other places to raise horses.
Count Sriphine didn’t particularly need these territories. In fact, giving them away was a good thing; after all, nobles had a duty to defend their lands.
"I just wonder, Sir, if you are now satisfied with this battle report in my hands?" Count Sriphine inquired.
Hearing Count Sriphine agree, a wide smile immediately spread across Robson’s face.
"Battle report? Count, you’re speaking like we’re strangers."
"Though Valentino asked me to handle the report, you and I both know how things work, even if others don’t."
"A thing like a battle report? I’m just the one who processes it. You, sir, are a great general under Marshal Grantham. Even if only for the Marshal’s sake, I would never doubt you!"
"Is that so? To have earned such trust from you, Sir..."
"Ah! There you go again, treating me like a stranger!"
"The few of us here, we all guard the kingdom’s borders."
"After this battle, we are all brothers-in-arms who have faced death together! In the future, beyond the border, we must help one another and defend against the Beastmen."
"We’re all one family here, why speak as if we’re not?!"
"What you say is reasonable, Sir..."
In a cheerful atmosphere, everyone became one big happy family.
PS: One more Chapter to come, will be released a bit later.