I, the prince in distress, send money

Chapter 299 Every family has sutras that are difficult to recite

"Has the assassination team arrived at the mission location?"

At night, Chris, busy with his work, took a moment to log onto the players' forum. He glanced at the real-time updated quest posts by "Master Ao Nai He" and knew what they were up to.

To be honest, it was great for Chris that players had developed the habit of sharing their progress on the forum after receiving a big mission. He didn't need to painstakingly search through their action logs; he could simply open the forum and search for their ID to find out what they had done and what they were planning to do next.

"Hmm...with Valentine's help...he's already found a job as a castle guard and is planning to infiltrate...Wow, he's quite capable."

Chris exclaimed in admiration, then continued reading and discovered that things had taken a 180-degree turn.

"...On the third day, because he got into a brawl with other mercenaries and even killed someone with his fists, he was fired... hiss hiss hiss..."

Chris shook his head, unsure how to comment on the behavior of Ye Aonai and the others. He could only say that it was very typical of gamers.

What should we do next?
Chris was curious and wanted to read on, but their updates stopped there for now, so he had to give up and wait.

……

"Will the Kingdom of Bagnia really slip out of our control?"

King Albert III of Miniscia stood before the arched window of the tower, a gilded goblet trembling slightly in his white-knuckled palm. Twilight stretched the castle's shadow, enveloping the garden below.

"Twenty-three years... Will the peace that has lasted for twenty-three years disappear between the two countries in the future?"

He murmured to the cold wind, while the old general standing beside him looked up and gazed into the distance, unsure how to respond.

"General David, how many people and supplies have been gathered in Tavitsky?"

Upon hearing this, David opened the parchment scroll in his hand.

"Your Majesty, excluding the Bagnian mercenaries who can only march south to defend against an invasion by the Leterian Empire, the city currently has 8,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry, plus 30 new light cannons modeled after Bagnian designs. However, provisions..."

David, with his head of gray hair, hesitated for a moment, but continued speaking anyway.

"Currently, we only have enough troops to sustain ourselves for three months."

“Ten thousand regular troops, three months, and you can conquer Bagnia… No, you don’t need to conquer it. As long as Chris is willing to submit and continue to serve as our barrier to Bohemia.”

General David was greatly troubled by Albert III's words. He scratched his bald head and forced a reply.

“Your Majesty, please forgive my bluntness… Bagnia’s mountainous terrain is like pepper in a soup pot when ten thousand troops are thrown in… And Chris, based on the current intelligence, is a typical Bagnian barbarian.”

I'm afraid it will only last three months, unless I have the opportunity to engage him in a large-scale battle and annihilate most of his forces. Otherwise, in three months, ten thousand regular troops...

General David did not continue speaking, but Albert III knew what he was about to say, because last winter, a cautionary tale had already been learned. It was also because of General Otto's death that Minicia had gathered troops in Tavitsky this year.

The atmosphere suddenly turned cold. After a while, General David looked around and tried to persuade Albert III.

"Your Majesty, you should return as soon as possible. Tavitsky City is in chaos right now and it is not suitable for you to be here. Moreover, you entered the city secretly without bringing many guards. If something unexpected happens... I'm afraid something unbearable will happen back home."

Albert III sighed; he knew what General David was worried about.

Compared to neighboring Bagnia, the situation in the Kingdom of Minicia was not much better; his two sons and one daughter were also causing him a lot of trouble.

The eldest son is a good-for-nothing who excels at eating, drinking, gambling, and all sorts of vices. He feels secure in his position and has never considered the future.

The second daughter was ambitious and believed she had a chance to become queen. So she secretly befriended many influential nobles and church figures, trying to improve her status through political marriages and power struggles.

She frequently hosted lavish banquets in the palace, inviting representatives from various factions to participate, using this opportunity to win people's hearts and expand her sphere of influence.

She also secretly funded scholars and reformers who opposed the current king's policies in an attempt to establish her prestige among the people.

In short, the second daughter did everything except keep a private army.

However, Albert III did not have a high opinion of his second daughter, because although she was very ambitious, she did not grasp the key points. She liked to play political games to enhance her prestige and reputation, but she did not know that there was only one condition that was enough to be a king... military force.

Even if the second daughter succeeds, a queen who rises to power through nobility and religion is not a queen, but a puppet wearing a crown.

As for the third son, unlike the first two, one was a good-for-nothing and the other was ambitious, he was very talented, but he misplaced his talent.

This boy has become obsessed with gardening, and loves all kinds of flowers and plants. The estate allocated to him is full of edible and inedible things. For a prince, this is somewhat neglecting his duties.

At another time, Albert III wouldn't have minded his third son's preferences. However, with one of his two main characters ruined and the other having chosen the wrong skill path, only the last minor character remained.

However, despite his considerable abilities, the younger prince showed little interest in the king, which understandably worried Albert III.

However, Albert could not support his third son, nor could he even hint that he had a chance to become king. This was because although his eldest son was useless, once he realized that his position was being coveted and felt threatened, no one could predict what the ministers and nobles following him would do.

The second daughter can express her ambitions because she is a woman; others do not believe she has any hope of becoming queen.

The second daughter is even more ruthless. If she discovers a new rival, she will definitely try to assassinate or poison her, even if the third son is her brother. Albert knows his daughter's personality all too well.

This complicated family situation caused Albert a great deal of trouble, to the point that even with his gray hair and advanced age, he was still working hard outside.

Albert came to Tavitsky in person because he had no other choice. He was worried about the old King Bagnya in the city, and even more worried about the army's situation. He was really anxious if he didn't come and see for himself to have a clear understanding of the situation.

"Let's not talk about this anymore. I'm leaving tomorrow. Tonight, arrange a banquet so I can meet with Auckland and discuss the situation in Bagnia."

"clear."

(End of this chapter)