novelraw Chapter 187 : War Summons
Chapter 187 : War Summons
Chapter 187: War Summons
Inside the Hall of Audience, Monica sat upright in the central main seat. Standing to her left and right were members of the Kasein Family, along with all the current vassal lords of Red Eagle Territory and their household knights.
However, though they were members of the Kasein Family, in truth, they were all supporters of the Traditional Faction 一 that is, relatives of her father Tyrot Kasein and second uncle Hans Kasein. Not a single supporter of the Bloodline Faction, to which her third uncle Wade Kasein and fourth uncle Arsenes Kasein belonged, was present.
A young soldier with three red feathers on his helmet hurried inside and handed a letter-report to the nearest clerk. The clerk received it and immediately jogged toward Monica, presenting the report.
The young soldier watched Monica open the report, then dutifully spoke up:
「Marquis of Red Eagle, this is a War Summons jointly signed by the Southern Duke and the Commander of the Kingdom’s Southern Army. Marquis of Red Eagle, please issue a call to arms to all vassals within your territory and ensure that within two months, your forces enter Garris Territory—」
「No.」
Before he could finish, Monica shook her head and rejected it outright.
「What?」 The soldier responsible for delivering the message froze, unable to react.
「Our Red Eagle Territory is already at war with Fertile Territory. There is no way I can divert troops to support Garris Territory right now.」 Monica shook her head. 「The three lords of the Fertile Plains 一 Western Wind Territory, Spring Breeze Territory, and Eastern Mountain Territory 一 suddenly launched an unprovoked invasion on our White Mountain Territory in the Shattered Diamond Mountains. I have only just repelled their invasion, and I have already organized my army for a counterattack. And now, with just this piece of paper, you expect me to abandon all prior losses? Even if I agreed, do you think my vassals would agree?」
The current situation was completely beyond the messenger’s expectations.
But he was merely a low-ranking messenger, responsible only for delivery. Matters involving noble interests were beyond his understanding, and he dared not comment further. Helpless, he could only say:
「I am very sorry, Marquis of Red Eagle. I am only a minor messenger. I do not understand the matters you speak of. My duty today is only to deliver this summons———」
Monica tossed the letter-report back at him and said coldly:
「What summons? I saw no such thing.」
The messenger looked down at the discarded report, clearly already unsealed, lying by his feet, utterly dumbfounded. 「You—You just opened it.」
「What do you mean I just opened it?」 Monica frowned, her refined face now radiating anger. 「Ask everyone here: did anyone see me receive your summons? Since you entered, all you have done is demand that I immediately dispatch troops to Garris Territory. You have said nothing else. Moreover, for a proper War Summons, the absolute minimum is a team of one Bloodline Knight, four guards, and two military officers. So perhaps you could explain why you stand here alone?」
The War Summons was the second-highest category of military draft in the Tyrella Kingdom, second only to the Royal Summons.
It was normally issued by the Royal Military Command as a strategic directive, but it did not dictate specific military actions. For example, in this case of reinforcing the Western Region, once the military command issued the strategic order to the Southern Army, the commander of the Southern Army had the authority to determine whether to issue a War Summons. Such summons would call upon every available military force in a designated area 一 from a minor barony to counties, marquisates, and even duchies.
If a barony were summoned, the consent of its direct liege 一 a count or marquis 一 was sufficient to draft it into service. But if a count or marquis were to be summoned, then the consent of their liege lord 一 a duke 一 was required.
Notably, only the Royal Summons of the Tyrella Kingdom could compel a duke. Below the War Summons ranked the Lord’s Summons: a duke summoning counts and marquises, a count or marquis summoning barons, and a baron summoning knights.
To prevent misuse or forgery, every War Summons had to be delivered by a messenger team jointly dispatched by both issuer and endorser.
Such a team was composed of: one Bloodline Knight of the endorser (in this case, the Southern Duke) as leader, one officer of the issuer (the Southern Army Commander) as deputy leader, four guards appointed by the issuer, and two military officers appointed by the endorser, making a total of six. Each side verified and supervised the other.
This man, with three red feathers in his helmet 一 symbol of urgent military orders 一 was clearly of the Southern Duke.
「Marquis of Red Eagle, the situation is urgent. Lord Aparnel instructed me to deliver the summons ahead of the others. The full messenger team will arrive tomorrow or the day after in Red River City, delayed only due to the heavy rains in Red River Territory.」 The messenger now realized the seriousness of the situation and hurried to explain, lest he find himself in a coffin soon.
「Guards, detain him.」 Monica did not waste words. 「If the messenger team has not arrived here by the day after tomorrow, you will hang at the city gate.」
At her words, guards immediately dragged away the pale-faced soldier.
Curiously, whether intentional or not, the discarded report on the floor remained untouched.
Soon after, Monica dismissed everyone, leaving only Lily and Anna behind.
Yam and Akar had already returned to White Mountain Territory and Gem Territory five days earlier, braving the rains.
After hearing Monica’s arrangements, they felt reassured, and once the rain subsided somewhat, she ordered them to return to their respective territories to prepare for war mobilization. Akar would lead troops through White Mountain Territory to join the Kasein Family in invading Fertile Plains, with Eastern Mountain Territory as his objective; Knight Commander Dean would stall Baron Russell of Western Wind Territory; while Monica’s father Tyrot would lead his forces into Spring Breeze Territory.
Of course, this had been Monica’s plan from the start. But with the rain affecting the frontlines, she was uncertain of the current situation. Specific operational strategies would have to be worked out once Yam and Akar reached White Mountain Territory.
Her only goal was simple: seize this opportunity to inflict such pain and fear upon Fertile Plains that they would never again dare covet White Mountain Territory.
As for setbacks on the front?
Monica did not believe in such a thing.
Even her grandfather’s funeral had been leveraged for her advantage. Unless the Count of Fertile personally intervened, the three lords of the Fertile Plains had no chance of victory. The only question was how much territory she could bite off.
The ideal result: all three lords of Fertile suffered heavy losses.
The next best: Western Wind lost little, but Spring Breeze and Eastern Mountain were devastated.
The worst: no chance to counterattack, and no spoils to seize.
But even the worst case carried no losses for Red Eagle Territory 一 or rather, no losses for the Kasein Family.
This was why Monica had dared act so boldly. She intended to force the messenger team to pressure Count Shuvaric, compelling Fertile to acknowledge the invasion as their doing and to pay war reparations.
Lily watched Anna pick up the discarded report, glance through it, then asked: 「This War Summons… it cannot be fake, can it?」
「It is real.」 Anna sighed. 「But sending just this one messenger without even a deputy leader? They look down on us too much.」
「From any angle, we of Red Eagle had no chance from the start, did we?」 Monica said indifferently. 「Fertile still has a Sixth-Tier bloodline user. Count Shuvaric can easily live another thirty to fifty years, and his son is already Fourth-Tier, close to Fifth. He may well ascend to Sixth. Even if not, the Antares Family has birthed a genius of the third generation who surely will rise to Sixth in time.」
Hearing Monica’s self-mocking tone, Lily and Anna could only feel helpless.
Red Eagle Territory looked strong but was gravely lacking in foundation. This generation’s Marquis of Red Eagle had not even reached Fourth-Tier. Worse, the Kasein Family had no one with Sixth-Tier potential, and even its few Fourth-Tier bloodline users were elders already half in their coffins.
「How do you plan to handle this matter?」
「Anna, what do you think?」 Monica countered.
「This summons must be destroyed. I suggest we burn it. Hiding it leaves danger. Whether we ever received or opened it no longer matters. As long as it disappears, we retain room to maneuver and a cover story. Responsibility will not fall on us.」 Anna said firmly.
Lily understood immediately.
That detained messenger would not live long. Willingly or not, the blame of “losing the summons” had already been placed on him. Unless the messenger team wanted them all buried together, they would have no choice but to align with Monica and silence him.
After that, whether Monica demanded they return and reissue the summons, or whether she struck a bargain, the initiative lay entirely in her hands. Count Shuvaric would have no choice but to bow.
Of course, risks remained.
But would Monica care?
Anna already saw Monica’s plan: if Count Shuvaric refused to yield, Monica would refuse to send troops through Bayor Territory to Garris Territory. Then, the Aust Empire’s army would invade Bayor, dragging war into Red Eagle Territory itself, with Bayor the first to burn.
And Bayor’s lord was none other than Wade Kasein, Monica’s third uncle.
As the spiritual leader of the Bloodline Faction, his safety was essential. That faction would pour all its support into saving him, only to be bled dry. In time, the Traditional Faction’s dominance within the Kasein Family would be secured, at least for Monica’s tenure as marquis.
If Monica went further and withdrew all resources from Red River and White Mountain into Gem Territory, erecting a consolidated defense there, surrendering Red River and White Mountain to the Aust Empire, what then?
Inevitably, the empire would spread its offensive both north and south.
North, they could push through White Mountain and conquered parts of Heye Territory to strike Fertile Plains.
South, they could march through Forest Territory into Longwind Territory, the domain of Baron Cold Ridge.
Either way, both Fertile and Cold Ridge were vassals of the Southern Duke. What had that to do with her, a Marquis of Red Eagle aligned with the Karla Royal Family?
Monica’s scheme was bold to the point of madness. If Count Shuvaric could use an overt scheme, why could she not?
Would he pay for invading White Mountain, or not?
「Was it your idea to send Baron Wade to Bayor?」
「Yes.」 Monica did not deny it. She realized Anna had already guessed her plan. 「Too many within the Kasein Family support my third uncle’s claim to the marquisate. Though he insists it was Grandfather’s will that I inherit, and swears to uphold it, personal will cannot always override collective interest.」
Anna’s face remained calm at the confirmation, though her heart surged with joy.
Her gaze fell upon Monica’s swelling belly, and inwardly she prayed: Monica, do not disappoint me at the final moment.