Chapter 8: The Kind-hearted Person

The afternoon sun shone over the garden, casting dappled light on the lush green shrubs. Tiny white stones wound their way across the lawn in intricate patterns. Walking along the paths at such a time must be a rare pleasure. The green lawn resembled a finely woven tapestry, with small ponds serving as tears on that tapestry. Swans swam leisurely in the ponds, while tall trees stood by their edges, their reflections adding to the serene atmosphere. The ripples on the water sparkled gently, creating a breathtaking pastoral scene.

Several delicate white wicker chairs were casually placed around glass tables. Beautifully arranged flowers in crystal vases added a touch of artistry and vitality. In the distance, some noblewomen were chatting softly, their white embroidered sunshades and somewhat bulky bell-shaped dresses making them appear similar. Perhaps the only difference was that the young ladies’ hairstyles were simpler, while the noblewomen’s were much more elaborate.

Hoffman couldn’t lift his spirits. He was in a low mood. Even though the daughter of that minor noble was now trapped and easy to capture, he had no interest in it. Watching her show off in front of her companions filled him with irritation. He wondered how long this would continue. Would he have to live his life in humiliation, at the mercy of others?

Damn the Light Church! Those guys seemed to have been demoralized by the battle on the Bosen Plains. There had been no news for so long. That coward Oonia had disappeared since going to Marco. Did the Light Church really intend to give up Nicosia? But none of this was the most pressing issue for Hoffman right now. The greatest harm to him was the heavy losses suffered by the magicians. The court mage corps no longer existed as a functional force—more than half of its members were injured, and the few remaining were mostly weaklings who couldn’t be relied upon. Sometimes Hoffman hated his own stupidity and short-sightedness. Why had he fallen for that fool Philip? If the court mage corps had stayed out of it like mere onlookers, his situation would have been much better.

And now the combat strength of the court mage corps is utterly negligible. Forming even a few infantry regiments is extremely difficult. Financial constraints make it utterly unrealistic to restore the kingdom to its peak days with just three infantry regiments—forming a complete infantry regiment is already a remarkable achievement. This is Hoffman’s minimum requirement, yet even such a low standard proves so hard to meet. Morale is low, supplies are insufficient, funds are scarce, and the powerful nobles who support him are half-hearted; now they are even more disloyal. How can such circumstances lead to success? Without two good pieces of news, he fears he really won’t be able to hold on any longer.

The Fire Shadow Knight Corps has also yet to recover its strength. The knights’ loyalty is beyond doubt, but their battle-hardened skills cannot be developed in just a day or two. It is the orcs who pose a fatal threat to the kingdom, and now even Jazair has fallen into their hands—what kind of kingdom is this? Hoffman couldn’t help but let out a sigh from deep within.

Sometimes he wants to drown himself in alcohol and the arms of women, ignoring all those troublesome matters. Other times, he wants to pull himself together and prevent the Romanov family from declining under his leadership. The complex and changing situation leaves him distraught. A good piece of news can make him extremely happy, while a bad one can crush his spirits. Even Hoffman realizes he seems to have become as fragile as a sentimental woman.

That bitch Lenta—he should have known she wasn’t that simple. It’s a pity he was deceived by her skillful act of pretending to be loyal, believing she would do her utmost to serve him. At this critical moment, this bitch seemingly abandoned him to embrace Komer, but in reality, she was seeking her own way out and also finding a new protector for the Anson family. At this thought, Hoffman couldn’t help but snort coldly through his nose.

Komer undoubtedly saw through Lenta’s intentions; otherwise, he wouldn’t have secretly accepted the olive branch he offered. This minor noble is worlds apart from the naive and inexperienced person he was when they met in Cyprus. His skillful manipulation—changing his tactics at will—has become even more adept in his hands. On one hand, he allies with Kakiya to suppress him, on the other hand, he colludes with him secretly, while also undercutting him by embracing Lenta. Such masterful tactics seem only something that old politicians who have long been in politics could handle.

Times have changed; this is no longer the same as before. The once simple country noble has now become a powerful ruler capable of shaping the fate of the Kingdom of Nicosia. How could Hoffman not feel sorrow and sigh at such a transformation?

“Your Highness, General Matthew and Lord Taze have arrived,” the voice of a servant behind him pulled Hoffman back from his thoughts. Turning around, he saw two slender men stepping onto the garden path.

Hoffman did not dare neglect them and hurried forward to greet them.

“Matthew and Taze greet Your Highness.” Both Matthew and Taze had aged significantly over the past two years. Especially Matthew—his once imposing and fierce demeanor seemed worn down by the successive setbacks over the past year. His already graying temples made him appear even older and more exhausted, as he bore the responsibility of rebuilding the infantry regiments of three kingdoms.

“There’s no need for such formalities, my lords. Today is just a casual gathering. Come, let’s sit down,” Hoffman said with a smile, guiding them to seats.

Perhaps thanks to the warm sunlight and fresh air, Matthew and Taze relaxed somewhat. The heavy workload had left them exhausted, and the chance to rest improved their moods.

“Your Highness, hasn’t Parker arrived yet?” Matthew glanced around, unable to spot the person he was looking for, and asked with a frown.

“Hmm, not yet. He might be a while late,” Hoffman replied, also feeling troubled. He knew exactly why Matthew wanted to see Parker. In fact, Parker had already told him a few days ago that the treasury accounts were completely empty—there wasn’t a penny left. Matthew had been pestering him constantly about paying the soldiers’ salaries, and Hoffman, unable to cope, had come to him for help. Unfortunately, he was equally helpless—the taxes still hadn’t been collected. The noble lords were now feigning compliance while secretly waiting for him to collapse. They also kept shirking their responsibilities regarding tax collection, with some even showing open resistance. This filled Hoffman with fear—such resistance meant his rule could collapse at any moment, long before Kakiya or the orcs arrived.

“Your Highness, the Blue Dove Regiment hasn’t received its salaries for two months. If we don’t pay the officers and soldiers any sooner, it’s very likely to lead to mutiny,” said Matthew with a serious expression, emphasizing each word. “Your Highness, you know that the Blue Dove Regiment isn’t like the Fire Shadow Knights. They are proletarians with no source of income. Without salaries, they might flee or even rebel. And at present, the Blue Dove Regiment is the only force that allows us to maintain a decent army.”

Hoffman felt a bitter taste in his mouth. The Blue Dove Regiment was the last armed force established by the kingdom. Its loyalty was already inferior to that of the Golden Oak and Iron Cross units. Its soldiers were mostly people from various parts of the kingdom who had lost their land and livelihoods, joining only for the sake of salaries. Without that guarantee, it was only natural for them to scatter. But now, the Golden Oak and Iron Cross units had been largely disbanded, and rebuilding them was a distant prospect. With no reliable troops, funds, or supplies, the kingdom could only rely on the Blue Dove Regiment, the only force that still maintained some form of organization.

“Your Highness, what exactly is Parker doing? Why haven’t the taxes been collected yet?” Taze asked, raising his eyebrows.

“It’s complicated, my lords. Parker has done his best, but as you know, the situation is tough. Hmph, those guys are waiting to see how things turn. Kakiya is pressing hard, attacking me and demanding I step down and submit to him. Those damned Star Chamber judges have also sided with him, questioning the legitimacy of my heir and supporting Kakiya. Our own people sense that things are going wrong and worry that their efforts will go unrewarded. Hmph, so they’ve started to feign compliance while acting against us. There are no one to handle tax collection in the Finance Ministry either. Parker is helpless,” Hoffman sighed deeply.

Matthew remained silent, while Taze pondered for a while before saying, “Your Highness said there were good news from Homer, right?”

Hoffman’s brows furrowed. “Lord Taze, you’ve dealt with that guy, Komer before. If he suddenly claims to support me now, could it really be good news? We know his motives clearly—he just wants the situation between me and Kakiya to continue stagnating so he can profit from it.”

“Profit? What could he possibly gain?” Matthew said disdainfully. “It’s just enough time for him to catch his breath, so that Homer can gain a foothold.”