Being a knight is not easy

Chapter 346 Chips
The Northern nobles were the winners in the final assessment. When the result was announced, the atmosphere in the entire conference room seemed to freeze for a moment, followed by cheers from the Northern nobles.

Therefore, the Northern nobles will mobilize 400,000 elite troops.

The moment this number was uttered, everyone present gasped in shock.

Four hundred thousand is an extremely large number, especially for an elite army.

The so-called elite troops, at the very least, were knight apprentices, far superior to ordinary soldiers.

Although the knight apprentices have not yet become true knights, they have already undergone rigorous training and possess combat skills, physical qualities, and fighting will that surpass those of ordinary soldiers.

Lang Jing was overjoyed; his already resolute face was now brimming with pride and excitement.

He stood up, bowed to the nobles around him in thanks, and his eyes revealed the pride of a victor.

"Thank you all for your recognition. I, the Northern Frontier, will certainly not let you down." His voice echoed in the conference room, full of confidence and power.

Justine looked utterly annoyed.

He sat in the chair, his hands clenched into fists so tightly that his nails were almost digging into his palms.

His eyes were filled with resentment. He had originally been very confident in the strength of the Southern Territory, but he never expected that he would ultimately be defeated by the powerful military strength of the Northern Territory.

"Just a little bit more..." He sighed inwardly, unable to hide the frustration on his face.

However, the results of this assessment affected more than just the North and the South.

The nobles of the West were silently calculating in their hearts. They knew that after the North became the leader of the alliance, the situation would change, and they would have to readjust their plans to adapt to the new situation.

The nobles of the Eastern Territory were also contemplating their situation. The growing power of the Northern Territory put them under greater pressure, and they were increasingly worried about their prospects in the struggle for the position of vice-leader.

As the chair of the evaluation committee, Mrs. Aishar watched all of this calmly.

This result is only a stage in this power struggle; more challenges and opportunities await us.

Lady Aishar gently tapped the table, drawing everyone's attention, and then slowly said, "Now that the Northern nobles have become the leader, we need to discuss the selection of the vice leader. This is also a crucial step that relates to the future direction of our allied forces."

Her words reignited the lively discussion in the conference room.

Without any hesitation, Justin stood up and said, "Alliance Leader, if our Southern Territory has lost, does that mean the Vice Alliance Leader will also lose?"

His voice carried a hint of resentment and anger, his eyes fixed on Mrs. Aishar as if seeking a positive answer.

His body trembled slightly, revealing his inner excitement, after all, this concerned the Southern Territory's status and interests within the coalition.

Lady Aisha smiled and nodded: "That's natural. One of the vice-leader positions will naturally be given to the Southern Territory, since you will be the main force in the upcoming war."

Her smile was like a spring breeze, bringing a touch of relief to the tense atmosphere.

The strength of the Southern Territory should not be underestimated. Giving it a vice-leadership position would both appease its sentiments and ensure the stability of the allied forces.

Lester nodded in satisfaction. He sat back down in his chair, the annoyance on his face gradually fading, replaced by confidence and anticipation.

The position of vice-leader also implies considerable power and benefits, at least guaranteeing key interests for the future of the Southern Territory.

Count Anthony of the East wore a grave expression. With the South having secured a vice-leader, the next step would be a showdown between the East and the West. The East was already at a disadvantage in this power struggle within the coalition, while the West was powerful and ambitious.

He worried that the Eastern Territory had no chance of winning in this struggle, which would mean that the Eastern Territory would only be a supporting player in future wars and gain very little benefit.

Count Anthony frowned and said in a low voice to the Eastern nobles beside him, "What should we do in the East? The Western power is too great; it will be difficult for us to compete with them."

The nobleman beside him shook his head helplessly: "We can only do our best. Perhaps we can emphasize the unique geographical location of our eastern border and the unique role it may play in the war."

Viscount Wilke and Marquis Sonata of the West exchanged a meaningful glance.

They are fully prepared to win this competition with the East.

Viscount Wilke thought to himself, "While the Eastern Territory has its unique features, our Western Territory has far more advantages. Whether it's military strength, economic power, or connections, we are second to none."

Marquis Sonata nodded slightly, as if responding to Viscount Wilke's thoughts. His eyes revealed a firmness: "That's right, we in the Western Territory are determined to obtain this position of vice leader."

At this moment, the atmosphere in the conference room became tense again, with everyone's attention focused on the upcoming competition for the vice-leadership position between the Eastern and Western territories.

Both sides started by offering the bargaining chips they could initially use.

A tense and oppressive atmosphere permeated the conference room, as if the air itself had frozen.

All eyes were on Count Anthony and the representative from the West.

Count Anthony gritted his teeth and said, "We can send 100,000 elite troops to fight."

Although his voice was firm, a hint of helplessness was still visible in his eyes.

After all, these 100,000 elite troops represent almost the largest military force that the Eastern Territory can currently muster.

Marquis Sonata and Viscount Wilke exchanged a glance, their expressions full of surprise.

They originally thought that after the internal strife in the Mechanicus, and then being used as a pawn by Middle-earth to attack the West, the East should be severely weakened and its military strength should be almost gone.

I never expected that the Eastern Territory would still possess such a powerful force.

Marquis Sonata frowned slightly, thinking to himself, "It seems we underestimated the strength of the Eastern Territory. These 100,000 elite troops are not to be underestimated; their combat power on the battlefield is absolutely not to be taken lightly."

Viscount Wilke reassessed the situation in his mind: "The Eastern Frontier's move has indeed caught us off guard. However, we in the Western Frontier are not without countermeasures." A sly glint flashed in his eyes.

Marquis Lestin of the Southern Territory raised an eyebrow slightly when he heard that the Eastern Territory could muster 100,000 elite troops. He turned to the person beside him and said softly, "The Eastern Territory is going all out. The addition of these 100,000 elite troops will have a significant impact on the power structure of our allied forces."

The Marquis of Langjing in the North stood with his arms crossed, watching all this with a serious expression.

Whether in the East or West, whoever becomes the vice-leader will influence the decisions of the leader and the future direction of the coalition.

Count Anthony, observing the reactions of the Western Territory representatives, felt a sense of pride, but also knew that this was only a temporary advantage.

He knew that the Western Region was the weakest of the four regions and the latest to develop, and its foundation was still somewhat lacking.

After Lesteen's defeat, when he pulled out his chips, he almost always raised the price to the limit, exceeding his expected target by a full ten thousand.

(End of this chapter)