Chapter 510 - 244: Urgent Order from the Royal Capital
Chapter 510: Chapter 244: Urgent Order from the Royal Capital
At these words, Louis III shot up from his throne.
His clouded, old eyes suddenly grew sharp and clear, as if he had once again become the wise King Louis III.
"Kemal has withdrawn his army!"
Those five short words stirred a thousand waves in Louis III’s heart.
The significance of that statement was immense.
A King of the Franks who manages to die of old age will typically experience three Beastmen invasions. However, in the Frank Kingdom, most kings die from overwork, so they usually only see two.
Louis III could just barely be said to have experienced three: once when he was three, once when he was thirty, and this was now the third.
However, of the previous two wars, the first was the final battle of his grandfather, Sun King Louis, and the second was spent cleaning up his father Louis II’s messes.
The war that would truly define Louis III’s historical legacy was this current one, the Beastmen’s southern invasion.
Kemal’s withdrawal meant the war was truly entering its final stage.
It was early August. The allied forces would typically wait until October to withdraw. The next two months would determine Louis III’s future reputation, as well as how much the Frank Kingdom stood to gain from this war.
How could Louis III not be thrilled?
But the excitement didn’t last long.
’Kemal has withdrawn his army now, but the Eastern Front...’
Louis III’s brows furrowed.
Robson had no Dragonhawks, so his letter arrived at almost the same time as the one from Marquis Oscillate.
At this moment, Louis III still didn’t know the situation on the Eastern Front.
Although Kemal’s current retreat meant the war could reach a very satisfactory conclusion, if possible, he still hoped to send that man to meet the Beastmen’s so-called Beast God.
It wasn’t just about fame and fortune; more than that, it was about hatred.
The Frank Kingdom had lost the last war so miserably, and it was primarily because of this Beast Emperor Kemel.
The enemy’s so-called wise monarch is one’s own detestable foe. Louis III had been fighting Kemel his entire life.
Hearing this, Daniel Chancellor smiled and presented another letter he had hidden up his sleeve.
Monarch and subject, they were also friends in private, so there was no harm in a little joke.
Louis III saw the letter—or more accurately, the ginkgo flower on it.
Ever since the beginning of the year, this emblem had become incredibly dazzling in the political landscape of the Frank Kingdom. The Heralds of every clan had committed it to memory, for everyone knew it represented the kingdom’s next heaven-blessed prodigy.
Louis III’s heart pounded when he saw the letter and looked at Daniel.
Daniel Chancellor’s face was also wreathed in joy.
Seeing this, Louis III already had an inkling of what it was about and smoothly took the envelope from Daniel’s hand.
"To His Majesty King Louis III, Your humble subject..."
Louis III read the entire letter, word for word.
"Excellent!"
"Excellent! This Robson truly has not disappointed me!"
After finishing the letter, Louis III slapped his thigh and shot to his feet in excitement.
The letter detailed the events at the Tiger Race Royal City.
The Royal City, conquered in a single night!
What a military achievement!
At that moment, Louis III was overjoyed, and not just because he now had a chance to kill his nemesis.
More importantly, the future was secure! Louis III no longer had to worry that Prince Noah would be left without capable support.
As for whether Robson might become the next Grantham, Louis trusted in his son’s abilities.
Collecting himself, Louis III let out a long breath.
"Relay my orders. The three provinces of Ehrlichland, Ador, and Auric are to be exempt from taxes for thirty years to encourage development beyond the frontier. Furthermore, inform the Counts of these three provinces, along with any powerful Viscounts, that they should prepare to send representatives to the Kingdom Council.
"Tell Robson that if he can stop Kemel, I have plenty of ways to give him what he wants," Louis III said.
Hearing this, even Daniel Chancellor was inwardly shaken.
This reward was far too generous!
After all, Robson hadn’t even defeated Kemel yet. This meant everything offered now was merely a prelude; the real prize was still to come.
However, upon seeing Louis III’s faint, unreadable smile, Daniel began to understand.
’It seems Louis III intends to prop up Robson.’
’The Southern Faction, with the addition of Robson, has already become a behemoth.’
’No matter how much Louis III trusts Oscillate, he absolutely cannot allow the Southern Faction to grow so large. The best solution is to support Robson and have him break away to form his own power base.’
’With the old noble house of Fengman and the newly powerful Robson, a bit of maneuvering could be all it takes for them to establish their own faction.’
’The King’s reward made it clear: seats on the Kingdom Council!’
’The ability to send representatives to the Kingdom Council was basically the mark of a powerful noble officially recognized by the Kingdom.’
’Seats on the Kingdom Council were the very foundation of a political faction.’
’Typically, a decent Viscount Clan would have one seat, while an Earl Clan would generally have three.’
’But that was for typical cases. For newly established Earl or Viscount Clans, the Kingdom would usually make them wait some thirty years to prove their strength before making a decision.’
’And what does giving council seats to the frontier nobles have to do with Robson?’
’To ask that would be pure self-deception. Who couldn’t see that the lands beyond the frontier were Robson’s territory now?’
Mulling this over, Daniel couldn’t help but feel emotional. ’Chaotic times truly do forge heroes,’ he thought.
’Under normal circumstances, for Robson to get this far from being the second son of a Baron, it would have taken at least three hundred years.’
’And now? It had been less than two years!’
’Moreover, he was so young—three or four years younger than Prince Noah himself.’
The thought of Prince Noah made Daniel Chancellor smile, a genuine smile from the heart.
’The Frank Kingdom’s new generation is full of young heroes. If their talents are managed properly, the Kingdom will be secure for the next sixty years!’
With that thought, Daniel Chancellor bowed to Louis III.
"As you command, Your Majesty."
...
The operational efficiency of the Frank Kingdom’s central government was remarkably high.
At Louis III’s command, the entire bureaucratic system of the Royal Capital sprang into action.
Of course, the Beastman Empire’s southern invasion was also a contributing factor.
The pressure of the invasion had brought out the strongest vitality of the organization.
Louis III did not send the order directly to Fengman City.
He knew Fengman City only had a few griffins. Instead, he summoned Marquis George, intending to borrow the Marquis’s few express Dragonhawks to deliver the message to the front.
Marquis George’s domain wasn’t far from the Eastern Front; as the crow flies, it might even be closer.
Although Marquis George and Louis III had recently been at odds, upon receiving the news, George knew how to act when faced with a matter of such great importance.