Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 713 Warlike Sentiments
After the emperor personally set the tone for the entire meeting, the kingdom's high-ranking officials involved in the agenda were immediately filled with excitement, and the atmosphere in the council hall became heated.

Count Fagan, who had just been promoted to Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom, looked around the room and saw several close political allies casting encouraging glances at him. He then straightened his crisp uniform, rose slowly, and bowed to Harvey, saying, "Your Majesty, before implementing the grand plan of northward expansion and eastward advance... we should not completely forget the southern countries with unstable political situations and frequent regional conflicts."

He barely uttered a word before glancing up and seeing the emperor on the throne nod slightly. His initial anxiety was instantly quelled, and he quickly continued, "Please forgive my bluntness, but the royal families and nobles of the southern border are currently embroiled in constant internal strife, completely disorganized and dragging each other down... If this continues, they will be unable to provide us with the necessary assistance in establishing a united front. They would probably be more interested in being spectators who hide behind our country and reap the rewards of victory!"

These words undoubtedly aroused the anger of the high-ranking officials present... It was already common knowledge in the Southern Territory that the newly formed United Kingdom had gone to the North alone to fight against the alien race. Faced with the common enemy of all mankind, apart from the spellcasters of the Federation who still chose to stand up and provide selfless support, not a single secular country in the Southern Territory had expressed any attitude of sharing the same hatred with them.

This can no longer be described simply as shortsighted and selfish... Even the cave dwarves, elves, and sea creatures, who have never had close contact with humans, have invested some resources in this long and crucial war, making the internal situation and relationships of the human race seem like a joke.

Asdaren chuckled and slowly rose to his feet, saying, “I believe that even now, our country should no longer consider itself an equal to the other nations of the Southern Territory. Gentlemen, you must be aware of this… Saint Valen and the Northern Federation Kingdom, whether in terms of land area, resources, or most importantly, military strength, are unmatched by any other nation.”

He paused, and seeing that no one present objected, he continued, "Therefore, in the war to resist the invasion of alien races, it is not us who beg them for the support and assistance they deserve, but rather we who demand that they pay the price for this war that concerns the survival of humanity, in order to prove their worth."

As His Majesty's chief political advisor, and also the head of several important departments of the kingdom, Asdaren has always been tough in his actions and words... but no one dares to express dissatisfaction, after all, he and Reiner, who is also a minister of state, are His Majesty's most trusted close advisors and are the most knowledgeable about the emperor's thoughts and intentions.

In a sense, their attitudes were roughly equivalent to the emperor's own will.

Earl Fagan, somewhat intimidated by the chief advisor's aggressive demeanor, swallowed hard before whispering, "But what if... what if they still refuse to support us? There are dozens of kingdoms and duchies of varying sizes in the Southern Territory. Not every duke or king has sufficient foresight and wisdom. It's well known that some pure-blooded fools born from incestuous marriages are common among the nobility."

Count Fagan's initiative to ridicule the outdated problems of the aristocratic class made the high-ranking officials, who occupied most of the seats in the hall and were mostly commoners and deserters from the wastelands, feel much closer to him. They subtly drew a line between him and the other nobles in their hearts... and even couldn't help but whisper and agree with him.

“If they’re not willing to contribute their manpower and resources…” Harvey picked up where Asdaren was about to reply, and said calmly, “that means they have no value. Since they don’t choose to stand on our side, they naturally have no reason to continue existing.”

"Your Majesty...do we intend to completely antagonize the southern kingdoms? Wouldn't that put us on two fronts...?"

Pierce stood up with a grim expression, chuckled, and said, "Apart from the seven wizarding kingdoms led by Orland, the rest of the Southern Territory are weak and useless. There's no question of making enemies on two fronts or waging war on multiple fronts... The military only needs to dispatch two battalions, along with a squadron of combat airships, and at most fifty special operations teams composed of bloodline warriors and battle mages, to carry out decapitation strikes through tactical infiltration and pinpoint raids... I can even assure His Majesty that every three days, the Northern Army can remove a Grand Duke or King of any of the Southern Territory from his gilded throne!" Although these words sounded extremely arrogant, coming from the mouth of General Pierce, the army's commander-in-chief who was practically a war maniac... no one dared to stand up and question him on the spot. The image of the Northern Army's invincibility was already firmly established in the minds of the people and officials throughout the kingdom. Their undefeated record against powerful alien races was also strong proof of the army's strength.

Many of the officials present were staunch advocates of war and naturally aligned themselves with the military faction, which was absolutely loyal to the emperor. When General Pierce, the leader, took the initiative to state his position, they immediately echoed his sentiments and began a heated discussion.

Harvey leaned calmly on his throne, making no attempt to stop the belligerent mood from spreading throughout the hall... In certain special moments, extreme emotions could actually unite them, making them work together to achieve their goals.

Once the atmosphere was sufficiently built up, Harvey coughed lightly, bringing the topic back on track.

“Your suggestions all have merit. It is indeed unreasonable for us to fight against the alien races in the wasteland while they hide in the rear and reap the benefits… Although the only thing that the Southern Kingdoms are truly valuable to us is their population, it is better to contribute even a little bit. At least we should have the right attitude and be proactive.”

He paused, gesturing to Asdaren and Earl Fagan who were not yet seated. “It’s not about launching a war without a declaration, directly invading other countries to plunder and seize. The Chief and Minister Fagan are fully responsible for handling this matter… We will first try diplomacy and then resort to force. The New Alliance will assist in the negotiations with the Seven Wizarding Kingdoms, while the military will be responsible for assisting in the talks with other secular kingdoms.”

Asdaren and Earl Fagan exchanged a knowing glance, then simultaneously turned their gazes toward Commander-in-Chief Pierce.

His Majesty's meaning couldn't be clearer.

Dealing with the seven wizarding nations that possess a large number of spellcasters requires leveraging the relationships within the new alliance to mediate and primarily aim for cooperation. After all, whether they are research mages or battle mages, they are important foreign talents for the United Kingdom during times of war, and the best option is to use gentle methods to attract them to join voluntarily.

As for ordinary secular kingdoms... simply make your request directly.

People, resources, money, land—everyone must have the right attitude and take the initiative to contribute something to prove their value... otherwise, they have no reason to exist.

(End of this chapter)