The Lord Of Blood Hill-Chapter 169: The War’s End
Count Marcus and others confront Fabio, demanding, "What happened? Why did you collaborate with Billie to annihilate Kosen's fifty thousand elite troops?"
Fabio sighs, "I didn't intend to! According to our agreed schedule, I arrived at the battlefield planning to observe before making a move. Somehow, Princess Catherine knew our position and sent someone to coordinate with us! What was I supposed to do? Just sit there and do nothing? That would have been even harder for you to negotiate! "
Count Lowel, with a grim expression, retorts, "But you didn't have to go all out! Now the Kosen Kingdom shows signs of preparing to attack us!"
Lowel is the most troubled among them. He guards the northern border, and all his holdings are adjacent to the Kosen Kingdom. Now, with the threat of retaliation, Lowel's domain is the first in line.
Fabio throws up his hands, "I didn't go all out. There were envoys from the Grand Duke and liaison officers from the command center with my troops. They can attest that I held back as much as possible. My forces, over ten thousand strong, engaged a Kosen legion of less than ten thousand, and I had to be cautious the entire time to avoid prematurely routing them."
"But Princess Catherine's knight order, though small in number, struck unexpectedly. The Kosen Kingdom didn't anticipate it. Their cavalry was routed, and their central forces were shattered! Plus, the garrison from Yosui City blocked Kosen's retreat. What was I supposed to do? Turn around and attack Billie's troops to let Kosen escape?"
Seeing his son being criticized, Obiken calmly addresses Lowel, "Fabio's subsequent offensive also helped relieve pressure on you. Now that the Kosen Kingdom understands our strength, they won't dare act recklessly. They're just bluffing."
Hearing this, Marcus asks, "Fabio, why did you continue to follow Princess Catherine in the subsequent offensives?"
Fabio responds coldly, "Even though I dislike your political games, I understand that Billie has already shown its strength. If we continue to hold back, we'll be seen as all talk and no action!"
"I need to make sure this princess from Billie understands the power of the Iron Wall Legion. I can't start a conflict with her, so I had to use the Kosen Kingdom's forces to prove our might! Otherwise, why do you think Billie is still willing to negotiate even after their big victory?"
Everyone actually understands that Fabio handled the situation well. It's just that this development has put Vorry in a passive position, forcing them to concede more of their gains. Since Fabio won't take the blame, they can only argue for a while.
Fabio himself is quite frustrated, with no outlet for his anger. Before parting ways with Catherine, he can't help but ask how she knew his marching route so well and had such precise information about his army's speed and position.
Catherine smiles sweetly and replies, "Because someone told me! I can't reveal who it is, but let's just say it's someone who should be quite familiar with you!"
Fabio's first thought is that his own father might be setting him up. But then he considers it unlikely. After thinking it over, he realizes that everyone is a suspect, even Grand Duke Amir.
With a heavy heart, Fabio returns to Yosui City, still troubled by the mystery.
Over the next two months, the two nations finalize the specifics of the ceasefire agreement. The Kingdom of Billie loses its northeastern territories, with over a million square kilometers falling under the control of the Kosen Kingdom. Fortunately, this area is sparsely populated, so the loss of population isn't as severe.
However, the Vorry Duchy also takes a significant bite, seizing nearly a million square kilometers of land, including the western Luon City and northern Yosui City. These regions are densely populated, resource-rich, and fertile, causing a substantial blow to Billie.
Yet, this ceasefire is only temporary. Once Billie has recuperated, they plan to reclaim what they've lost. The Vorry Duchy is well aware of this. It now becomes a race against time: will the Vorry Duchy manage to consolidate these territories first, or will Billie recover its strength sooner? The outcome will determine the timing and result of the next conflict.
For now, the high-ranking officials of both nations maintain an appearance of harmony and closeness, even beginning discussions about Karitan's marriage.
Princess Catherine, who achieved significant military success, has been reassigned from the northern front. As she heads south with her formidable army, she receives a warm welcome from the public.
Despite various factions' reluctance to see Catherine receive such accolades, they have no choice but to promote her achievements. After all, among all the battles, Catherine's accomplishments shine the brightest.
On the main battlefield, after several fierce engagements, Catherine's forces have crushed three of the Vorry Duchy's legions. In the recent northern battle, ten Kosen Kingdom legions have fallen to the Princess of War.
Of course, three of these victories are credited to the Iron Wall Legion, but the Kingdom of Billie attributes them all to Catherine. They desperately need to boost morale and inspire the populace.
However, the kingdom is now contemplating how to manage Catherine. Stripping her of military command? A good idea! But most of the troops under Catherine's command are loyal to her personally. Regardless, she cannot remain in the capital. Her political influence has grown too significant, posing a direct threat to the princes.
At this time, Catherine faces her own set of dilemmas. After much contemplation, she summons Henwell's spy. "Tell your master that I am grateful for his help. The favor he asks of me seems small, and I shouldn't refuse. But I must apologize; I truly can't fulfill it now."
Two weeks later, Henwell receives the message. After burning the secret letter, he drafts several more, dispatching messengers to deliver them. With prisoner exchanges underway, Henwell sees an opportunity to retrieve the bodies of Rudolph and others who perished in the Kingdom of Billie.
After all, they are merely bodies, not significant figures for either nation. However, Catherine's response makes Henwell realize that he may have underestimated the situation. Someone seems intent on using this issue to cause trouble for him.
Meanwhile, Grand Duke Amir reassures Arius, "Tomorrow, you will depart. Now that you're a prince, you'll need to focus on governing Yosui City."
After some conversation, Arius suddenly speaks up, "Father, there's something. When Henwell covered for me, some of his men died. Technically, they died for the duchy, and more so for me. I wish to include their bodies in the prisoner exchange list. I think, since they're just bodies, the Kingdom of Billie shouldn't be too..."
Grand Duke Amir's smile fades, "No! Your task now is to prepare for the wedding. Go and get ready."
Arius falls silent, and as he turns to leave, Amir adds, "That Henwell, he started the conflict on his own and now occupies noble lands. I've spared him, which is already a significant concession! He has no right to make demands of me now."
Arius pauses, not turning back, and after a moment, he softly replies, "Understood. I will convey your message to Henwell, Your Majesty."
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Chapter 169: The War’s End
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