Chapter 265 265-The Assault on Mibo

Chapter 265 265-The Assault on Mibo

Subsequently, Portwan's decision underwent a drastic 180 degree turn.

He immediately resolved to withdraw from the conspiracy hatched by Count Mibo.

This shift effectively left Count Mibo's plot lacking the critical mass of conspiratorial force needed to confront their opponents.

The complete reasoning behind Portwan's decision remained a mystery to Howard, yet he surmised it was undoubtedly linked to a realization that the rise of Gokasu Barony would be detrimental to Portwan's own interests, prompting his withdrawal from the scheme.

Indeed, Portwan's considerations were straightforward.

Not being of noble birth, he couldn't pass on his city to his children.

His perspective was simple: any chaos could jeopardize his financial avenues.

For Portwan, Wislot was beyond his control, but the gold he amassed as mayor was indisputably his, untouchable by anyone else.

Recognizing that Gokasu Barony held no relevance for him, Portwan was naturally inclined to oppose Count Mibo's ambitions to expand his influence.

Howard and Nora exited the grandeur of Portwan's mayoral building, stepping into a bustling street scene.

Even though it was night, the streets were still crowded.

Vendors in both main streets and alleys came out for the night market, their voices contributing to a symphony of conversations, laughter, and haggling that ensured the night in Wislot would be anything but tranquil.

Having successfully navigated the challenging decision of whether to support Hof or Mibo, Howard felt a refreshing clarity of mind and body.

The situation had now simplified.

Mibo's conspiracy was thwarted, and Hof's title remained secure.

Then there was the matter of Hof's counterstrike against Mibo, to which Howard planned to respond opportunistically.

The decision was arduous, and even Howard found himself wavering more than once.

Ultimately, it wasn't so much that Howard chose Hof, but rather Portwan's reaction that guided Howard's actions.

Howard had revealed the truth to Portwan, but did not persuade him to abandon Mibo's plot.

It was Portwan's own decision to distance himself from Mibo, a choice independent of Howard.

Howard remained the loyal vassal, a true knight.

It was Portwan who deviated from the plan, and Mibo could not justifiably place blame on Howard.

However, being a noble with his own lands, Howard couldn't be sure if Resarite was currently at the castle.

After all, Resarite had his own domain to oversee, and Howard couldn't force him to stay at Castle Fernsouth.

When Bosiden returned, he brought Resarite with him, who appeared to be staying at Castle Fernsouth that day.

Eagerly, Howard spread a map on the strategy board and pointed to the locations of various baronies for Resarite, asking, "Resarite, you are an expert in warfare.

Help me see—if I were to go to war directly against Mibo, with his troops plus those of Hof and Portwan, could we still prevail?"

Resarite spoke with confidence, "My lord, I won't make bold claims about siege warfare; that's a matter of sheer numbers. But in a field battle, I assure you, our army will certainly not lose to Mibo's forces!"

Howard prompted Resarite to elaborate.

Resarite explained, "Listen, my lord. Mibo's soldiers are indeed formidable, conscripted from military castles, and I've heard that Mibo has equipped them well, enhancing their combat effectiveness."

"However, Hof's troops are insufficient in number. Hof previously borrowed gold coins equivalent to three years of taxes from merchants and hastily assembled mercenaries to attack Castle Fernsouth. Not only did they fail to seize the castle, but they also suffered heavy losses in both troops and finances."

"Hof can't even afford to replenish his castle's garrison now; in truth, he hardly has any soldiers left. As for Portwan's forces, they're even less of a concern. Portwan is merely a mayor, commanding a group of city guards armed with long spears."

"It's one thing for these guards to casually patrol the city streets maintaining order, but to expect them to stand against soldiers pulled from military fortresses? They would crumble upon contact."

"I'd say the fighting capability of city guards is only slightly better than that of conscripts from the outlying villages. In a real battle, they'd likely be the first to flee."

Howard, listening to Resarite, understood that they could indeed wage this war.

He also gleaned insight into why Count Mibo previously aimed to usurp Hof's title; it turned out Hof was perceived as an easy target due to his lack of soldiers.

That very night, Howard made the decisive choice to directly confront Mibo.

He immediately instructed Bosiden to head towards Mibo's domain to fabricate a claim, and at the same time, he gave Resarite some gold coins to procure reasonably good quality weapons and armor from the market for the soldiers.

As for the blacksmiths under Howard's command, they had been diligently delivering finished products over the past days, fulfilling their responsibilities commendably.

Since these blacksmiths were not paid, working under a gentleman's agreement to provide Howard with weapons and armor, Howard felt it inappropriate to press them for additional efforts, such as crafting extra iron swords.

So, he refrained from issuing such orders.

Once the plan was settled, Resarite was brimming with ambitious zeal, visibly excited by the prospect.

Bosiden, on the other hand, maintained an inscrutable calmness, his emotions unreadable.

As for Nora, just before leaving, she inquired of Howard, "Oh, by the way, my lord, what about Boshni from Yami Village? Now that she's at the court, she ought to be assigned some duties."