The Vastness of Magical Destiny

Chapter 99 - 99 21 Nicosia (2)

?Chapter 99: Chapter 21 Nicosia (2) Chapter 99: Chapter 21 Nicosia (2) “An offensive? Are you insane, Mathew? Our power is barely enough to defend ourselves, how could we possibly take the offensive? Do you really believe the Iron Cross Corps has the capability to confront the Beastmen head-on? That’s absurd!” The normally steady Minister of Internal Affairs could not help but exclaim.

Seeing that His Majesty the King was also looking at him with doubt, the dressed military officer hurriedly explained, “No, Tez, you misunderstood me. What I mean is that we should not be passive in defending within our own territory but rather take the initiative to defend outwardly. Now that Myron, Meine, and Susoer have fallen, although most of their northern fortresses have been destroyed, some of the fortress castles in the south and near our border region remain intact. But due to the fall of their countries, the soldiers within these fortresses have disbanded. We could move into these fortresses: firstly, it would push the defensive line beyond our borders; secondly, it would show the Central Three Kingdoms (City-states) that our overseas defensive operations are actually for the protection of their safety. From this perspective, we could also ask the Three Kingdoms to pay for the military expenses. Wouldn’t that cover all the expenses of the Iron Cross Corps?”

The explanation of the dressed military officer made both the elder and the Minister of Internal Affairs’ eyes light up. It was indeed a good idea, effectively strengthening the defense of our border region and achieving the purpose of training the army. What was more ingenious was the opportunity to ask for military funds from the Central Three Kingdoms (City-states). Why not go for such a win-win proposition?

“Mathew, Tez, the two of you come down and discuss the feasibility of this matter with Parker. If it’s feasible, then act on it without delay. I feel that the kingdom’s army is too weak now. Relying solely on the Border Guard to defend the frontier is outdated, especially now that the Beastmen’s attacks are becoming increasingly fierce. I think it’s necessary to change the way our military is organized.”

The elder’s words made the dressed military officer and the Minister of Internal Affairs tense up. The formation of the Iron Cross Corps had been unprecedented in recent decades. If there were to be an expansion of the military, it would mean the kingdom was about to form a third corps—the Blue Dove Corps. The last time a Blue Dove Corps was formed dated back over a hundred years ago when the kingdom faced all-out war with its southwestern neighbors. If the Blue Dove Corps was to be formed, it would be announcing to all the kingdom’s citizens that the kingdom was in a state of emergency, necessitating war mobilization. This would have a significant impact on the entire kingdom’s populace. As for whether there would be any negative repercussions, no one could say for sure at this point.

“Your Majesty, once the Iron Cross Corps is fully trained, I believe they will be able to handle the Beastmen’s provocations. If we were to expand the army further, firstly, our finances would probably become even more strained; secondly, it could provide some neighboring countries, particularly within the Alliance, with an excuse to claim that we are reckless in our military buildup. I’m afraid that public opinion may not be in our favor in that case,” Tez said after much deliberation, feeling that he still needed to voice his opinion for Your Majesty’s consideration.

“What is your opinion, Mathew?” The elder did not respond to the Minister of Internal Affairs’ opinion but instead threw the question to the dressed military officer.

“Er, Your Majesty, my concern is to understand whether Your Majesty’s purpose in expanding the army is solely against the Beastmen or if there are other intentions. If it’s just against the Beastmen, my opinion aligns with that of Lord Tez. If Your Majesty has other intentions, then I wouldn’t dare to speak recklessly,” replied the dressed military officer, very tactfully, ensuring his words were leakproof.

The Minister of Internal Affairs seemed to catch some hints in the dressed military officer’s words. His eyes flickered with sharpness. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then, as if remembering something, swallowed his words and instead fixed his gaze on the elder’s face.

“Tez, it’s just the three of us here now. Why don’t you speak frankly about the problems and dangers the kingdom currently faces? This may help us to see the situation clearly and determine the strategies we need to adopt,” the elder suddenly deflected, ignoring the opinions of the two.

The Minister of Internal Affairs paused, then realizing the elder’s intent, collected his thoughts for a while before speaking slowly, “Currently, the kingdom faces three main problems and difficulties. First, of course, are the relentless military offensives from the Northern Beastmen, which seem to be escalating, forcing the kingdom to further strengthen our military power to counter the Beastmen threat. But this also brings a negative issue—military expenditures severely exceeding the budget, causing financial strain. Second is the internal resistance from the kingdom’s Great Lords, who outwardly comply but inwardly oppose, covertly resisting the ‘Utrecht Decree’ issued by the kingdom, preventing the kingdom’s financial revenues from being realized as anticipated and undermining the authority of the Central Kingdom. In the long term, this may be a bigger threat than the one posed by the Beastmen. Third, the division between the Church of Light and the kingdom regarding the right to proselytize within the kingdom’s territory continues to cause a lingering chill in their relationship, which also affects the relationships between the kingdom and some countries in the Western Alliance. While it seems not to have affected the kingdom’s operations at present, it cannot be overlooked, especially given the unresolved power struggle between the Great Lords and the Central Kingdom’s authority. The stance of the Church of Light is highly significant and deserves our utmost attention.”

“And these three issues combined vaguely suggest that the operation of the kingdom’s authority has already been affected by these negative factors, and at certain critical moments, it appears to be quite severe,” The Minister of Internal Affairs concluded his view and then added specifically, as if he felt it was not yet clear enough.