Being a knight is not easy

Chapter 344 Election
A lord from the North waved his fist and shouted, "Who doesn't know the renown of our Grand Duke of the North? His army is invincible; the position of leader of the alliance is rightfully his!"

The nobles of the South were not to be outdone; they took pride in the Grand Duke's strategies and the wealth of the South.

A nobleman from the Southern Territory drew his sword, pointing the tip at the nobleman from the Northern Territory, and angrily retorted, "Hmph! You Northern Territory people only know how to charge into battle, but the position of Alliance Leader requires someone who can oversee the overall situation. Our Grand Duke of the Southern Territory is the most suitable candidate!"

Before the words were even finished, the two sides charged at each other. In an instant, tables and chairs were overturned in the conference room, and shouts of killing and angry roars mingled together.

The warriors of the North brandished their massive battle axes, their blades gleaming coldly in the candlelight, as they slashed at the nobles of the South.

The knights of the southern border nimbly dodged and counterattacked with their longswords, their blades flashing as they thrust towards the enemy's vitals.

The nobles from other realms retreated to the side, watching in shock as the sudden melee erupted.

The nobles of the western border looked at each other in dismay, not expecting the situation to spiral out of control to this extent.

The representatives from the East stood quietly in a corner, their eyes revealing a hint of indifference, as if assessing the pros and cons of this struggle for them.

"Stop! What kind of behavior is this!" An elderly nobleman from the southern border tried to dissuade them, but his voice was quickly drowned out by the noise.

During the fight, a nobleman from the North was slashed on the arm by a sword from the South, and blood splattered on the ground.

This further enraged the people of the North, and their attacks became even more ferocious.

The nobles of the South did not back down; they united closely to resist the Northern invasion.

The fight lasted for some time, and people on both sides were injured.

In the end, the meeting room was a mess, and the nobles from the North and South stood panting, their eyes still full of hostility, while the question of who would become the leader remained unresolved.

Viscount Wilke put down his teacup and said unhurriedly, "Why did you stop? Keep fighting! When everyone in the North and South is dead, we in the West will become the leader of the alliance."

His voice, though calm, was like a boulder thrown into a still lake, instantly creating ripples throughout the conference room.

His eyes held a hint of mockery and provocation as he swept his gaze over the nobles of the North and South.

The moment those words were spoken, the conference room fell silent again. The scene that had just been filled with fighting and shouts of killing vanished instantly, leaving only heavy breathing and the occasional sound of tables and chairs being moved.

The nobles of both the North and the South realized their lapse in decorum. They exchanged glances, their eyes filled with embarrassment and apprehension at Viscount Wilke's words.

Lang Jing, the representative of the Northern nobles, snorted coldly and sat down first. He straightened his somewhat disheveled clothes, trying his best to maintain a dignified demeanor.

Although he was annoyed by Viscount Wilke's words, he also understood that continuing the fight under these circumstances would only allow the Western Territory to reap the benefits.

The Southern noble representative, Lesteen, chuckled, removed his white gloves, nodded to Viscount Wilke, and then led his entourage to sit down. Lesteen's smile held a deeper meaning; he knew Viscount Wilke was warning them, and reminding everyone, that internal strife at this time would only harm everyone's interests.

He acknowledged Viscount Wilke's action, and also indicated that he would handle the matter of the alliance leader calmly.

Viscount Wilke watched their reactions with a sense of satisfaction. He knew that at this delicate moment, such a statement was needed to break the deadlock and get everyone back on track for rational negotiation.

"Gentlemen, we are gathered here today for the common good, not for internal strife."

"The position of leader is important, but if we turn on each other because of it, we will collapse before we even attack the Central Plains." Viscount Wilke picked up his teacup again, took a small sip, and said slowly.

The other nobles nodded in agreement upon hearing Viscount Wilke's words.

The representatives from the East also stepped forward from the corner. Earl Anthony said, "Viscount Wilke is right. We should renegotiate the position of leader in a more fair and reasonable way."

As a result, the atmosphere in the meeting room gradually calmed down, and everyone began to re-examine the candidate for the position of leader, no longer acting impulsively and emotionally as before.

However, the fierce battle just now still left a mark on everyone's mind. Everyone knew that behind this seemingly calm discussion, there was still a struggle between various forces.

Viscount Wilke presented three conditions for becoming the leader of the alliance. He slowly stood up, straightened his clothes, and scanned the people in the conference room.

"Gentlemen, I believe that to become the leader of the alliance, one must first have sufficient military strength and resource reserves. This is the foundation for leading our allied forces to victory, after all, we will be facing the vast lands of the Central Plains and numerous defensive forces." His voice was steady and powerful, and every word echoed clearly in the conference room.

"Secondly, one must have extensive connections to coordinate relationships between various forces. The nobles of our four realms and the Eastern Realm each have different interests and styles of doing things."

"The leader needs to be able to unite everyone and avoid internal conflicts." Viscount Wilke said, pacing back and forth, his eyes revealing confidence and wisdom.

"Finally, one also needs exceptional strategic vision. War is not simply about fighting and killing; from marching routes to logistical support, from dealing with counterattacks from the Central Plains to governing after occupation, everything needs to be planned in advance." After stating these three conditions, Viscount Wilke paused, observing the reactions of the crowd.

“At the same time, I think we need two vice leaders.” Viscount Wilke changed the subject. “These two vice leaders can check and balance the leader at critical moments and prevent the leader from making wrong decisions.”

After all, unchecked power can easily escalate into dictatorship, which would be extremely detrimental to our coalition. The vice-leaders can be selected from different regions; they can represent the interests of all parties, ensuring that all factors are fully considered during the decision-making process.

Langjing, the representative of the Northern nobles, frowned and said, "Viscount Wilke, your idea sounds reasonable, but who will determine whether these three conditions are met? And how will the vice-leader be selected?"

Viscount Wilke was prepared. He smiled slightly and said, "We can establish an evaluation committee composed of representatives from each region."

This committee is responsible for verifying whether candidates for the alliance leader meet these three conditions. The election of the vice-leader can begin with nominations from within each territory, followed by a vote by all nobles.

(End of this chapter)