Chapter 613: Volume 16: Hazy Darkness - 6: Hidden Agendas
"Your Highness, it is merely a temporary capital relocation. Currently, the Beastmen’s two armies are nearly forming a pincer movement, and the Blue Dove Corps can hardly withstand the northern Beastman Army. Once Jazair is encircled, the kingdom will truly be finished. If we temporarily withdraw from Jazair and retreat to the south, the kingdom could then catch its breath, allowing us to assess the situation, observe the Beastmen’s next move. The vast central region could serve as a buffer zone. If the Beastmen are only out to plunder, then there’s little more to say, but if they intend to occupy the land long-term, then so much the better. As the vast central region acts as a buffer zone, the deeper they penetrate, the greater the pressure they will face. Whether it’s from the Four Great Lords or the Northern Alliance to the west of the kingdom, the kingdom might gain even greater support."
A subtle smile appeared on Palermo’s face, his somewhat puffy eye bags always looking lackadaisical, yet his verbal analysis was incredibly precise.
"Oh? What do you mean by that? Those Great Lords are clearly in league with the Beastmen, nothing more than bandits. How would they support the central Kingdom of Nicosia? As for the countries of the Northern Alliance, they have been sitting on the sidelines up to this point, showing no intention of lending a hand. They all seem eager to see the kingdom’s downfall and demise. In such times, they refuse to send aid, so you’re saying they’ll suddenly develop a conscience later?" Katya asked with some confusion, although she also knew that her business confidant, or rather partner, was equally exceptional in political insight. Over the past few years, she had navigated many a crisis under his guidance.
"Heh, why do you think the Great Lords would tacitly cooperate with the Beastmen? It’s because the central policies of the kingdom threaten their survival. I suppose someone must have brokered a deal with the Beastmen, which explains their actions. But no matter who it is, I believe they would never readily hand over the entire northern territory of the kingdom as a bargaining chip. Neither the Four Great Lords nor their brokers are simply looking to exploit the Beastmen to drastically weaken the central authority of the kingdom, so the kingdom can no longer interfere with the affairs within their territories. But the Beastmen may not be willing to follow the commands of the Great Lords and their brokers. They too are approaching with an exploitative attitude. This is a deadlock; when the Beastmen exceed their limits, it will be time for the Great Lords and their brokers to strike back. At that time, the kingdom might instead become a bystander. No one wants to see the Beastmen’s blades at their throats, whether it’s the Great Lords or other allied nations."
Palermo’s voice was somewhat coarse, but the implication in his words was unmistakable. Everyone needs to gamble for their own interests—be it exploitation or collaboration, once the bottom line is crossed, allies could become enemies.
"Do you think, given the current arrogance of the Beastmen, that the Ferdinand and Heine families could still turn the tide?" She shook her head slightly, a curious sparkle lighting up Katya’s delicate face, clearly intrigued, yet she still disagreed with Palermo’s perspective.
"Your Highness, you underestimate these Great Lords. The Four Great Lords are in this together, not to mention there is a hidden broker behind them. Although I can’t guess who their broker is, the fact that they dare to gamble so greatly proves that this broker is no simple character. Without absolute confidence, the Four Great Lords wouldn’t easily take the plunge," said Palermo, his face revealing an inscrutable smile.
Pondering and nodding thoughtfully, Katya seemed to taste the underlying meaning. Indeed, the struggle between the Four Great Lords and the central kingdom had been ongoing for years. The central Empire had also enacted some specific policies in the past to which the Four Great Lords either resisted passively or disobeyed secretly, but they had never been as brazen as this time to openly break with the kingdom. Although it seemed that the Ferdinand family claimed they had to flee due to a sudden Beastmen attack, it was clear to any discerning observer that the St. Nicholas Fortress could not have been taken by a mere Beastmen raid. If that were so, the Northern Border fortifications of the kingdom would be as good as nonexistent. After all these years, the Beastmen had never breached any fortress cluster, so how could they succeed at the St. Nicholas Fortress this year?
And where did the Beastmen in the west get their battering rams? Katya would never believe that the Beastmen would suddenly have a surge of intelligence to create battering rams on their own. Dozens of battering rams were not a small number. The workshops or factories of ordinary mortal nations could not provide so many battering rams on short notice, especially not under the tight embargo of the Northern Alliance. The mystery was too intriguing.
"Palermo, are you suggesting the Church of Light••••••?" Katya’s complexion changed slightly. If the Church of Light was also involved in this conspiracy, then it would be terrifying. The kingdom could be said to be utterly powerless to turn the situation around. After careful consideration, the mysterious broker seemed to be none other than the Church of Light. Even if the church factions of those Northern League countries had the intention, it was unlikely that they had the power to influence the Great Lords to such an extent.