As evening fell, an urgent letter shattered the tranquility of the castle.

  The Skull Society had unched a rebellion in Dadier City. Many nobles, including Viscount Alphonse, had been sughtered. Count Piers, the governor of the southeastern province, was furious and ordered the nobles of the province to mobilize to suppress the uprising.

  The consequences of poor communication were now evident. Although the Skull Society's rebellion had started over a month ago, the Coslow family had been completely unaware.

  By the time the mobilization order arrived, Baron Redman was still in the dark about the situation on the front lines and could only passively accept the command.

  In truth, one didn’t need detailed intelligence to understand the severity of the situation. If it had been an ordinary rebellion, the neighboring lords would have joined forces to crush it. A province-wide mobilization wouldn’t have been necessary.

  A single barony was being asked to contribute five hundred men. The st time such a rge-scale mobilization had occurred was a century ago during the invasion of the beastmen, but that had been undertaken with ample preparation.

  Issuing such an order now, in Hudson's view, suggested that Count Piers had likely lost his mind due to the colpsing situation.

  An army wasn’t stronger simply because it had more soldiers. Five hundred untrained serfs would be far less effective than the castle's guard.

  Especially since they were only given three days to prepare—an enormous fw. Weapons, armor, and provisions all needed to be gathered, didn’t they?

  This was a purely obligatory conscription, and the higher-ups weren’t even providing food or supplies. It was no wonder resentment was brewing among the lower ranks.

  "The situation is urgent, Hudson. What do you think of this mobilization?"

  Baron Redman asked, rubbing his temples in frustration.

  With his two eldest sons away, he now had to rely on Hudson, who seemed to have some military talent, to help him navigate the crisis.

  As for the rest of the territory’s inhabitants—unfortunately, Baron Redman was a traditional noble and had no habit of consulting commoners.

  "Father, the situation is still unclear. It’s not wise to commit the family’s main forces to this battle.

  The mobilization order only demands five hundred soldiers. We should conscript five hundred able-bodied men, give them some basic training, and fulfill the order for now."

  Hudson replied cautiously.

  Though the family only had a guard of a few dozen men, that was the result of decades of effort by Baron Redman. If they were wiped out, it would take at least a decade to recover.

  In contrast, a serf army was expendable. Even if hundreds were lost, it wouldn’t shake the foundation of their rule.

  For nobles, war wasn’t entirely a bad thing. At the very least, it helped reduce the surplus popution.

  "Hmm, Dadier City is one of the major cities in the southeastern province. The local nobles were quite powerful, yet they were wiped out by the rebels. This is no simple matter.

  It’s a pity I received the information so te. If we had prepared earlier and trained an elite force, your noble title might have been within reach."

  Baron Redman mented.

  An opportunity had arisen, but due to a ck of preparation, they couldn’t seize it. It was truly a tragedy.

  Of course, this was just a passing sentiment. Even if Baron Redman had been given the chance, he might not have been willing to risk everything.

  After all, the Coslow family was already established. Even if their position wasn’t entirely comfortable, it was hard to commit to a desperate gamble.

  "Father, there’s no need to feel regret. This world is never short of opportunities. Even if there are none, we can create them. The key lies in strength.

  Many people are likely eyeing this rebellion. The rapid rise of the rebels probably has more than a few hands behind it.

  With our current strength, even if we achieve great feats on the battlefield, we’d be lucky to gain a knight’s fief or two.

  Count Piers isn’t known for his generosity. Climbing the ranks under him would be no easy task."

  Hudson said with a cold smile.

  Though he had never personally sughtered a pig, he had seen pigs run.

  The rebellion had been raging for over a month, yet not only had no army been organized to suppress it, but the news hadn’t even spread. If Count Piers hadn’t deliberately allowed this, it would have been impossible.

  The innocent often suffer for their possessions.

  The estates left by the extinct noble families had clearly been targeted. However, bound by the rules of the game, there was no way to engage in "the big fish eating the small fish."

  The Skull Society’s rebellion had simply provided the perfect opportunity. In such a context, how could Hudson dare to snatch food from the tiger’s mouth?

  "You don’t have faith in Count Piers?"

  Baron Redman asked, puzzled.

  After several months of interaction, he had long realized that Hudson was no ordinary fish in a small pond. As for his previous mediocrity, the baron believed it had been a deliberate act of hiding his talents.

  After all, Hudson was only the third son. If he had shown too much promise, not only would his stepmother have been hostile, but even the eldest son would have viewed him with disdain.

  Now that he was about to strike out on his own, these issues were no longer relevant. It was only natural for him to dispy his abilities and vie for family resources.

  Unaware of his father’s assumptions, Hudson had recently gained more influence within the household. Being able to discuss matters te into the night with Baron Redman was a clear sign of this.

  "Morale is low, and the troops are hard to lead.

  Count Piers’ pn may seem perfect—using others to do his dirty work with impeccable finesse, leaving no evidence. But in the world of nobility, who needs evidence?

  The simplest logic: whoever benefits the most is the mastermind.

  Even if they manage to seize the juiciest prize this time, as one of the twelve great nded counts of the kingdom, how much stronger can they really become?

  For such minor gains, earning the enmity of their subordinate nobles is hardly worth it.

  Remember, among the nobles who were wiped out, many were his own vassals. Such a master, I dare not serve."

  Hudson said mockingly.

  He was a professional at verbal sparring. Back in his keyboard warrior days, he had been an expert at criticizing everything.

  No matter the issue, if he wanted to criticize it, he could always find a pile of reasons.

  Now, his goal was simple—to convince Baron Redman to take a passive role in the upcoming war.

  Though it might not be entirely ethical, it was the safer option.

  After all, their family wasn’t a vassal of Count Piers and had no obligation to fight for him. Even if they accepted the mobilization, they still had a high degree of autonomy.

  "Understood. I’ll consider it further."

  Baron Redman said hesitantly.

  Regardless of what kind of person Count Piers was or what his future held, for now, he was still the ruler of the southeastern province.

  Openly defying the boss under his watch required courage. Unless the small and medium nobles collectively resisted, the first to stick their necks out would likely be the first to fall.

  "Father, how about I lead the troops this time? You can stay and manage the territory. If anything goes wrong, there’ll still be room to maneuver.

  After all, this mobilization is too rushed. I doubt anyone will be fully prepared.

  If we just give the serfs some basic training and put together a presentable-looking army, we can blend in with the rger forces and get by."

  Hudson said with feigned confidence.