Chapter 248: A Tempting Opportunity

Stepping out of Rulans's bedroom, Ronin found his mind occupied by the two proposals put forth.

Should he serve as a logistics officer, or step into the shoes of a commander?

A logistics post, no matter how one looked at it, seemed like nothing more than a padding of credentials.

It was akin to someone adding their name to a tournament registry; when the victory was secured, they could readily write the achievement into their ledger and boast of it to the world.

Yet, reflecting upon it, Rulans had only offered such a path because he still lacked a true understanding of Ronin.

They all presumed Ronin to be merely an advanced-tier peak knight and an apprentice mage, entirely unaware that he had already ascended to a dual-class level five transcendent.

Furthermore, after allocating his attribute points over this recent period, his knight progress had reached 1096/1500, marking his entry into the late stage of the silver tier.

Though a gold knight held a significant advantage over a silver one, the gap was not as insurmountable as that of the meteor tier, meaning victory remained within reach.

Given his exceptional physical constitution, formidable combat prowess, and the supplementary aid of his various spells, Ronin could hold his own against an ordinary gold knight, keeping them at bay even if he could not claim outright victory.

Moreover, he commanded three transcendents and a level six dragon, allowing him to traverse the battlefield entirely at his own whim.

Even if the Boland bandits were backed by Moonlight Valley, and even if Jesus commanded meteor-tier knights, it was certain that no such knight would appear in this impending clash.

For the emergence of such a figure would signal an escalation into total war, preventing the forces from being dismissed as mere brigands, and presenting a direct threat to every noble house.

In this coming conflict, a gold knight represented the pinnacle of available military might.

Thus, Ronin harbored few anxieties regarding his own safety.

"In that case, to the battlefield I shall go."

His choice had crystallized within his mind.

"Going to the front has its merits; it will spare the Wubei territory from expending too much of its own men and materials."

After all, Wiggins had made it clear that since Ronin represented the Wushan family, he had no need to bring a grand host.

When the time came, bringing a trusted confidant or two would be more than sufficient.

The candlelight flickered within its streetlamp glass, casting a pale glow across the castle pathways, until a silhouette ahead caught Ronin's eye.

"Holwart?"

Ronin asked in surprise, "What brings you out here at such a late hour?"

By the look of him, Holwart seemed to be waiting for someone.

"Young master."

Holwart offered a slight bow, speaking with polite deference, "The master requested that I await your return. If it is convenient, he asks that you visit his study."

Oh?

Ronin had not expected Wiggins to seek him out so late, nor did he anticipate that the man would be so remarkably eager regarding this war.

"Very well, let us go now."

"Please, follow me."

Though the news of Chishan Town had not yet been made public, Holwart could already discern a shift in the disposition of the nobility.

The abrupt, informal conclusion of the banquet, followed by everyone converging on Rulans's quarters, all pointed toward a monumental upheaval in the outside world.

Yet, despite his profound curiosity, Holwart knew such matters were far beyond the station of a butler to inquire about.

Before long, Ronin arrived at Wiggins's study.

"You have arrived, Ronin."

Wiggins gestured for Holwart to close the door behind them before asking, "What instructions did your grandfather leave you with?"

Ronin took a seat upon a chair, relaying Rulans's instructions without reservation.

"Grandfather gave me two options: I may either go to the front lines or take charge of supply transportation, avoiding direct combat entirely."

This was hardly a profound secret, and he saw no reason to conceal it.

"And which do you choose?" Wiggins pressed immediately.

Ronin shook his head, "I am still considering it, and will give grandfather my answer in due time."

"I understand your grandfather's intent; he fears some misfortune might befall you at the front. But rest assured, a commander need not always charge into the fray. Look at me—I am merely an advanced knight, yet I have seen dozens, if not hundreds, of battles over the years without facing any real danger."

It was evident that he desperately wished for Ronin to assume command at the front lines.

"I shall give it thought."

Rather than challenging the man's claims, Ronin shifted the subject, "What business brings you to summon me at this hour? How may I be of service?"

Seeing that Ronin had bypassed his prompt, Wiggins felt a brief flash of irritation, but he reined it in, knowing he still required Ronin's cooperation for the matters at hand.

"I desire for you to serve as the commander in this upcoming campaign!"

Discarding all pretense, Wiggins stated his objective directly.

"I intend to mobilize half of the knight squads and soldiers from the four orders, combining them with the forces of the other lords to launch a massive offensive. Not only will we drive the Boland bandits from Chishan Town, but we shall reclaim as much territory as possible!"

"When victory is secured, your renown and merit as the commander of the allied forces will be impossible to ignore. I can then use the occasion to recommend to your grandfather that the administrative rights of Chishan Town be transferred to you!"

"Did you not ask me this afternoon to sell you iron ore at a discount? Well, once Chishan Town is yours, you will have no need to purchase it from me, for the entire iron mine of Chishan Town will belong to you."

Hearing this, Ronin's heart skipped a beat.

Yet, why was Wiggins suddenly looking out for his interests so thoroughly?

"If I recall correctly, the administrative rights of Chishan Town belong to Coreyn, and that iron mine..."

"That was in the past!"

Wiggins cut Ronin off, letting out a displeased grunt. "Coreyn has been a profound disappointment. A single knight order possesses over a hundred professional knights, yet he lost more than half of them. After such a catastrophic defeat, he can no longer remain the commander of the Fifth Knight Order!"

"Chishan Town was lost under his watch. Once we reclaim it, those administrative rights will never be returned to him!"

Chishan Town did not belong to the Jishi Territory; reclaiming the administrative rights would not strip Coreyn of his noble title or diminish his actual lands.

Softening his tone, Wiggins offered Ronin a smile. "Your grandfather holds you in high regard now. If we win this battle and I voice the proposal, the likelihood of you securing Chishan Town's administrative rights is exceedingly high."

He held up four fingers. "When that time comes, I will not demand much. A mere forty percent—no, thirty percent. Bringing me six thousand gold coins each year will be quite enough."

Ronin could not help but smile.

Strip away the grand words, and Wiggins's sudden zeal was entirely driven by the extra income the Chishan Town iron ore provided; he simply refused to swallow such a loss.

Nevertheless, the proposition set Ronin's own thoughts in motion.

With Wiggins marshaling such an immense force, reclaiming Chishan Town was highly feasible, and seizing the administrative rights in the aftermath was indeed a distinct possibility.

Even if things fell short and he failed to secure full control, he would still likely walk away with a substantial share of the iron mine.

This presented an excellent shortcut for securing iron resources for the Wubei territory.

"Well? Does it interest you?"

Wiggins bared his teeth in a grin. "This is a magnificent harvest!"

Taking a deep breath, Ronin replied with a smile, "Since you have laid everything out so perfectly, I would be remiss not to try."

Wiggins laughed heartily, offering praise without hesitation, "Spoken like my true son! Now, go rest well and prepare for the campaign. Leave the mobilization to me!"

Carrying his smile with him, Ronin stepped out of the room.

In truth, there remained one further matter he had left unspoken, namely the distribution of the iron ore.

Though Wiggins had his uses, such as the pre-war mobilization, it was patently absurd for him to claim a thirty-percent share of the iron resources based on that alone.

Yet, there was no need to debate such matters at present.

The ink was not yet dry on the contract, so to speak, and to rush into dividing the spoils now would betray a most unseemly impatience.

Rhonin had never been one to underestimate an adversary, least of all an opponent like the Boland Bandit Corps, whose background was far from ordinary.

To believe victory assured simply by virtue of superior numbers was precisely the kind of arrogance that invited defeat.

"And yet, this is indeed an opportunity that cannot be allowed to slip away."