There was no choice, they were pushed to this. Shortly after the war broke out, the Northern countries reached an agreement to jointly resist the Orc Empire.

But the final result was the Alpha Kingdom and the Moxi Duchy struggling, while the other countries only shouted slogans without really contributing.

Anyone in this position would feel unjust.

Of course, this would be somewhat unfair to the Orton Duchy and the Ruilin Kingdom, as they too had made efforts.

However, their efforts were like trying to accomplish something from a thousand miles away—with no significant results. This type of contribution, difficult to measure, was easily overlooked.

Seeing the reactions of everyone, Caesar III suppressed his smile and asked with a hint of hesitation, "Do you think it's necessary for us to continue increasing our input on the Moxi battlefield under the current situation?"

It was clear that he was torn inside. On one hand, he hoped that the Moxi Duchy could hold on for a longer time, buying the kingdom more time; on the other hand, he was worried that consuming too much force on the Moxi Battlefield would affect the kingdom's subsequent plans.

Despite the current suffering of the Moxi Duchy, the intensity of the conflict on the Northern Border of the Alpha Kingdom were no less intense.

The once invincible Five Great Dukes of the North were all worn down by the Orcs to a point of having no spirit left, and most of their fiefs had already fallen.

The nearby Orc tribes had even moved in en masse to occupy the land that originally belonged to them.

Not only the Nobles of the North suffered heavy losses; all provinces that had participated in the war complained about their problems.

"Your Majesty, the international situation has changed. The Human Alliance has decided to clear the field, and the Orcs will find it hard to retreat unscathed this time.

From a diplomatic perspective, offering the Moxi Duchy some help now would enhance the kingdom's international image and assist in rebuilding the political landscape of the northern region after the war."

Count Francis suggested.

As Minister of Foreign Affairs, he had to consider the long term. While everyone else was focused on the war, Count Francis was already considering the post-war international situation.

In the northern region of the human world, the Alpha Kingdom was always the most powerful. However, this strongest kingdom had almost no international presence.

It wasn't because they didn't understand international politics, but because they had the Orc Empire gnawing at their heels, forcing the kingdom to devote all its energy to resisting the Orc invasion.

With so much going on at home, it was only natural to minimize engagement in the affairs of the other nations in the northern region.

"Your Majesty, the situation in the Moxi Duchy is deteriorating to a point that is almost unrecoverable. Even if the Expeditionary Army achieves a major victory, it will not change much.

Once the Orcs make up their mind, the fall of Dapes will only be a matter of time. Even if the kingdom sends more troops, it will still be like trying to put out a near fire with water from afar.

As for their planned breakout, it is not very feasible from a military point of view. The Orcs are not fools—there's a good chance that Dapes right now is a huge bait.

The goal is to lure out Moxi people's army from the fortresses and look for a chance to annihilate them in a field battle.

The kingdom's troops are very precious and there's no need to waste too much time on the Moxi. If possible, it is best to find an opportunity to withdraw the expeditionary force.

As for the issue of post-war political landscape, I believe it's more appropriate to consider it after the Orc Empire has been severely hit.

No matter how the international situation changes in the future, the core factor that will decide everything is power. As long as the kingdom's power is strong enough, no one would dare to ignore our existence."

Duke Eufeele, Minister of Military Affairs, firmly cast his opposition vote.

With both support and opposition appearing at the same time, the ministers quickly split into two factions, arguing incessantly.

The meeting ended without reaching a consensus.

But for some issues, no conclusion is a conclusion in itself. Caesar III's silence was a political statement in itself.

Isn't the "dragging on" strategy a kind of gentle yet elegant refusal?

Everything boils down to interests. If the Orc Army did not head towards the Orton Duchy but chose a country bordering both the Alpha Kingdom and the Moxi Duchy, it would be a different situation.

After the meeting ended, Caesar III brushed aside his unpleasant mood and ordered the Palace Minister with a frown, "Write a decree to elevate Viscount Hudson to the rank of Count."

Attracting hearts and minds was always a necessary lesson for a king. Even if some anger existed deep in his heart, Caesar III would never show it.

Anyway, from the current situation, as long as the Expeditionary Army does not have any major problems, Hudson becoming a real Count after the war is very likely.

While others might not be sure, Caesar III could clearly see that several of the major nobles in the kingdom were already falling behind, and being replaced by others was just a matter of time.

Transition of Major Nobles was not necessarily a bad thing for the kingdom. As long as it wasn't a result of one Major Noble absorbing another to become bigger, the king didn't need to play the villain.

The procedure of bestowing titles to Count level Fief Nobles was quite complicated. Not only was enough military merit needed, it also required the approval of the king and the Noble Parliament.

If a shift in the old and new nobles took place, even more problems would arise. Until the end of the war, there would be no time for implementation.

In comparison, the title of "Court Count", which could not be passed down to generations, was not as valuable. As long as the king agreed, the title could be bestowed directly.

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