The Lord Of Blood Hill-Chapter 22: Gathering Intelligence

Lately, Henwell feels like someone is secretly watching him, and given his suspicions about the people behind Fabio, he doesn't believe it's just his imagination.
Regardless of any schemes that might be targeting him, Henwell knows he must tread carefully.
So, what's his plan?
Henwell decides to leverage his one advantage—his youth.
In this feudal society, expecting the military camp to have strict discipline like in his past life is laughable.
There's an ancient profession within the camp—prostitution.
There's a saying that rings true: men, eager to flaunt their supposed masculine prowess, often show off in front of women. It's like a peacock in heat, spreading its feathers to impress the peahen, showcasing its allure.
In this ostentatious display, a lot of information surfaces, some of which can be crucial intelligence.
To officers and nobles, however, what does it matter if these tidbits get shared?
They're just a bunch of money-driven prostitutes, unlikely to even grasp what's being said, let alone sell the information.
Moreover, the women engage in their own form of rivalry. In ordinary life, they compete over what their men buy them. Here, they boast about whose patron is more noble, whose patron favors them more.
The criteria?
Naturally, it's about how much gold and silver their patrons give them, and equally, how many secrets they share.
However, these women aren't foolish; they know the importance of discretion. If someone were to inquire, they'd certainly keep their lips sealed.
But when facing a ten-year-old child, their guard drops significantly.
Especially when this child, Henwell, is well-liked in the camp, often bringing them rare goods, luxurious clothes, and expensive cosmetics.
Henwell acquires these items by trading with soldiers, cleaning them up a bit to win the women's favor.
As a result, Henwell frequently hears incredibly valuable information from these women. When they converse, they never suspect Henwell of listening in. Just as the men underestimate the prostitutes, the women similarly underestimate the child's ability to comprehend their discussions.
Little do they know, within this body of a child under ten lies the soul of someone over thirty.
Henwell now aims to extract information about Fabio and Obiken from these women.
In this place known as the Flower Tent, it takes Henwell only a day to gather a wealth of intelligence.
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Fabio is Obiken's youngest son, but he has no right to inherit a title. After his coming-of-age ceremony, he wasn't given his own estate or any assets. It wasn't until three years ago that his maternal uncle's family managed to secure him a knight's title.
However, it's not a hereditary title, nor is it a landholding knight's title—barely more prestigious than the lowest rank of lord, serving as a stepping stone into nobility.
Fabio has always been dissatisfied with the family's decisions, and his relationship with the family has been strained.
Obiken's heir is Fabio's older brother, a senior officer in the Fourth Legion of the Vorry Duchy, known for his outstanding abilities and military achievements. As the heir, both Obiken and Fabio respect his older brother.
Initially, Obiken intended to use this opportunity to place Fabio under his command in the Silent Battle Axe Legion for some solid training.
Then, once the war concluded, Obiken would have a reason to promote his youngest son, perhaps securing him a hereditary barony.
However, during the battle at Fire Eyes City, the Silent Battle Axe Legion was annihilated, and Obiken was forcibly withdrawn by his subordinates.
As he mentioned, while waiting in Wilderness City, he felt the fear of possibly losing his son for the first time. When he learned that Fabio had survived and returned, Obiken finally breathed a sigh of relief.
To keep Fabio out of harm's way, Obiken arranged for him to join the noble's private army, where the intensity of battles is minimal. When noble private armies clash, it's rare to kill opposing nobles; capturing and exchanging prisoners holds the greatest value.
What Henwell doesn't know is that Obiken moved Fabio to the noble's private army for another crucial reason—Kavize's departure.
As a formidable operative, Kavize wasn't just there to assist the allied forces and gather intelligence.
He had a significant mission, which was the primary reason Obiken brought him in: to ensure Fabio's safety.
So, when Kavize faked his death and left, Obiken couldn't risk keeping his youngest son in the perilous regular army any longer.
However, war is unpredictable, and despite Obiken's arrangements, unexpected events still occur. Wilderness City was breached, and chaos erupted in the camp outside the city.
Fabio managed to rally thirty thousand scattered soldiers back into the camp, much to Obiken's delight, feeling a sense of joy that his seemingly clueless son finally showed some initiative.
Consequently, Obiken quickly maneuvered to make Fabio one of the commanders in the noble's private army.
It was around this time that Obiken took notice of Henwell. Or perhaps, he noticed him again. Kavize was significant, so Henwell, being close to him, had already been investigated by Obiken.
Obiken is fully aware of Henwell's true identity, though Henwell himself is unaware that Obiken knows.
The intelligence Henwell has pieced together still has some discrepancies, particularly regarding Kavize, who is far more complex than Henwell imagines.
It will take Henwell a long time to fully understand this aspect.
Henwell is stunned by the intelligence he just received.
Half a month ago, during the urban skirmishes, Obiken's heir, a senior officer in the duchy's Fourth Legion and Fabio's older brother, was killed.
The manner of his death is irrelevant—on the battlefield, any kind of death is possible. What matters is that with the heir gone, Fabio becomes the prime candidate for succession.
Fabio's second brother didn't participate in the battle, although he possesses excellent business acumen. However, his skills in combat and leadership don't match up to Fabio's. Moreover, Fabio's second brother has a poor reputation, which is hardly ideal for a duchy's count heir.
Now, Fabio is effectively the commander of the noble's private army, leading nearly twenty thousand troops, excluding the infirm and elderly. This position is typically held by high-ranking nobility, and Fabio is doing a commendable job, largely due to the assistance Obiken has provided.
Even if Fabio's older brother hadn't died, Fabio's achievements might have earned him a hereditary viscount title after the war.
But now, as the best candidate for the count's succession, Obiken naturally has to elevate his attention towards his youngest son to a new level.
This development directly impacts Henwell's situation.