Volume 3 Chapter 96 His highness’ invitation
In the Lampuri Kingdom’s northern borders, the temperature dropped quicker than in other places.
Shortly after fall came, there was a chill that filled the morning air. Even the healthy Viscount Leslie couldn’t help tightly covering himself with a large military coat and shrinking into it.
Feeling the faint warmth that the thin coat brought him, Viscount Leslie couldn’t help knitting his brows.
“Didn’t the army headquarters say that they were improving the gear for our northern army? It’s almost winder and the new coats haven’t been sent yet?”
Walking beside him was Muller who was a colleague in the northern army logistics department. He gave a bitter laugh when he heard this and he said, “The army headquarters says that every year, but you’ve already been in our northern army for over two years, when have you seen it happen once?”
“This isn’t correct, right? Compared to the magic machines sent last year when we were attacking the Muerto Mountains, just a few coats shouldn’t cost that much, right?” Leslie was a bit confused.
The bitter smile on Muller’s face became deeper.
“I say, Leslie, you’ve been in the logistics department for two years now, how can you not know what situation our northern army is in? Although the magic machines were expensive, they didn’t send that many, so it was only several tens of thousands of gold coins. If they want to completely change the gear of our northern army, that is much more money. Not mentioning anything else, our northern army has thirty thousand people, so even if it is just a new coat for everyone, that would be at least fifty thousand gold coins. Adding in the various daily necessities, do you think that the army headquarters can bear this?”
“Thirty thousand coats cost over fifty thousand gold coins? Isn’t that an average of close to two gold coins per coat?” Viscount Leslie deeply knit his brows, “I’ve only been in charge of assigning goods in the logistics department for the last two years, so I’ve rarely asked the price of the items. Why is it this expensive?”
Muller took a deep look at Leslie, “Leslie, you’re about to leave soon, so I’ll bring up the courage to tell you today. To be honest, the coat that you’re wearing costs one gold coin and eighty silver coins, but the actual cost is only around ninety silver coins.”
Leslie narrowed his eyes, not asking Muller where the other ninety silver coins went.
After all, he was from a large noble family like the Stagg Family, he experienced things that normal people didn’t. Adding in the fact that he had found some secrets in his two years of working for the logistics department. Now that Muller was reminding him of this, how could he not guess that there were some tricks here.
Thinking of how many soldiers he had seen in the past two years losing their lives or being crippled, Viscount Leslie couldn’t help giving a cold laugh before not saying another word.
The two continued walking along their route. Muller knew that the atmosphere was heavy, so he forced out a smile as he said, “Leslie, your transfer order should already be here, right?”
Leslie nodded, “It was approved the day before yesterday. I could have left tomorrow, but I decided to stay another two days and head out tomorrow.”
Muller looked at Leslie and thought for a bit before saying, “You’re being recalled to the officer branch of the army headquarters. I think that with your family’s influence, you’ll quickly rise up at headquarters. Before you leave the northern army, I have a few things to tell you. If possible, help our northern army however you can. The northern army has been hard during these past few years…..”
Leslie slowly nodded as his expression became serious, “I will.”
Muller gave a strong pat on Leslie’s shoulder. After hesitating a bit, he gave a sigh and didn’t say the rest of what he wanted to say.
Leslie shook his head and also patted Muller’s shoulder.
The two fell into silence once again.
After they finished their patrol, Muller’s expression returned to normal as he said to Leslie with a smile, “Since you are leaving tomorrow, do you want me to find our colleagues tonight to give you a farewell party?”
“There’s no need.” Leslie shook his head, “Didn’t you already give me one two days ago when you found out? If you do it again, you’ll just be using my name to drink. Of course, I want to drink with all of you again, but it’s a pity that I have something to take care of today. I’ll be leaving soon.”
“Is that so?” Mulled looked at Leslie for a while before suddenly reaching out his hands to hug him, “Then I hope that you can get promoted in the future.”
Leslie also hugged Muller before patting him on the back. He said in a deep voice, “Take care.”
The two hugged once more before separating. Muller waved his hand and walked back.
Seeing Muller leave without turning back, Leslie thought that a soldier who was experienced really was different, he didn’t hesitate at all.
Turning to look to the north for a while, Leslie then turned back to head back to his private room.
Butler Brunei already had two servants tidy up Leslie’s things. Seeing that Leslie was back, he said, “Young master, we’re leaving? The prince has been waiting for you for a long time.”
“His highness……” Viscount Leslie revealed a faint smile of contempt, but he quickly drew it back. He nodded to Butler Brunei, “Let’s go.”
Leslie leaving the northern army didn’t create many responses because in his two years here, other than a few people in the northern army which included Muller, not many people knew that he was from the Stagg Family.
There also weren’t many people who knew his transfer to headquarters.
For the over thirty thousand people in the northern army, he was just a normal person.
Of course, there were only a few people in the northern army that could have his highness Eric personally host a banquet for.
Leslie followed Butler Brunei to a small city closest to the Muerto Mountains and there he met his highness Eric who had specially come for an inspection of the northern army.
When they met, his highness Eric immediately pulled Leslie into a hug. He loudly laughed as he said, “Ha, ha, Leslie, we haven’t met in two years, but you’re much darker compared to before. When you return to Anvilmar City like this, you won’t be as welcomed by those young misses like before.”
Leslie touched his cheeks with a smile, “There’s no other way, the border is very dry during the winter, so I couldn’t maintain my skin. Then again, since I was a soldier, it wouldn’t be right if it was too white, right?”
His highness Eric broke out in laughter again, “Ha, ha, it seems like after staying in the northern army for two years, you’ve really changed compared to before. Come, come, sit down. Let’s eat while we talk.”
Although time was tight, the banquet that his highness Eric treated Leslie to was quite rich.
In this small city near the border, he had actually prepared a set of previous silver tableware and had spread a fine print velvet tablecloth. Adding in the fragrance from the table and the fine dishes made, just a single glance was enough to tell that quite a bit was spent on this meal.
Leslie looked over the table and silently calculated the cost of his meal with his highness Eric. He remembered how he had just put on the used military coat and he couldn’t help slightly knitting his brows.
His highness Eric had been paying attention to Leslie’s expression the entire time, so this small change couldn’t escape his eyes. He quickly asked, “What? Leslie, you’re not satisfied with these dishes? That’s easy, I’ll just have someone remake these, but we’ll have to wait a while and you have to remain hungry for a bit.”
Leslie quickly took back the strange look on his face. He waved his hand with a smile as he said, “It’s not that I’m not satisfied. I’ve just been eating rough food during my time in the northern army, so it’s been a long time since I’ve had delicacies like this. I was worried that my stomach couldn’t handle it.”
His highness Eric laughed, “It seems like you’ve suffered in these past two years, but that doesn’t matter. When you return to Anvilmar City, I guarantee that you’ll adapt to your previous lifestyle. Come, sit down, today’s meal will be a celebration of your leaving behind the harsh days of being in the army.”
Leslie silently sat down and looked at the rich spread over the table. He finally couldn’t take it as he shook his head with a soft sigh, “It wasn’t just me alone who went through harsh days. There are thirty thousand soldiers in the northern army, they are all the same as me and many of them have had worse days than me.”
“Of course, how could your life be good as a soldier. Didn’t you prepare your heart when you decided to go to the northern army two years ago?”
Seeing that his highness Eric didn’t care about the meaning hidden in his words, Leslie gave a nod and didn’t continue this topic. He changed the topic to discussing the matters of Anvilmar City.
While eating, Leslie suddenly asked in a casual manner, “Right, your highness, I heard that you’re planning to reorganize the northern army and attack the Sack Kingdom?”
“That’s right.” His highness Eric put down his dining utensils and said with a serious look, “In our conflict with the Sack Kingdom over the years, the Sack Kingdom always had the advantage. Now that we finally have control over the Muerto Mountains, we should take the initiative. If we don’t use this chance to attack the Sack Kingdom, it would be too unjustified. Right, Leslie, why are you calling me your highness? You’re regarding me as an outsider. With our relationship, we don’t need this, right? Just be like before, call me by my name.”
“It’s different compared to before.” Leslie shook his head with a faint smile. After thinking for a bit, he said, “Based on the situation, we do indeed meet the requirement for attacking, but your highness, have you thought about how much money it’ll cost to attack the Sack Kingdom?”
“Cost?” His highness Eric knit his brows as he looked at Leslie. Then he revealed a gentle smile, “Of course it’ll cost money to go to war, but with the full support of your Stagg Family, this shouldn’t be a problem.”
Leslie looked over at Butler Brunei who gave him a slight nod.
“Since it’s like this…..” Leslie nodded in acknowledgement before raising his cup to his highness Eric, “Then I hope that this attack operation will be a success.”
His highness Eric laughed as he held up his glass to toast Leslie’s before drinking the entire cup.
Leslie tilted back his head, using the wine cup to hide his lips that had curled into a cold smile.