MTLNOVEL Chapter 781 - 511: The Princess's Determination_2
Chapter 781: Chapter 511: The Princess’s Determination_2
At this point, Lord White sighed softly and said, “In terms of food and supplies, it’s not that bad for now. There’s no need to worry about that. But our number of core fighters above Tier 3 are extremely lacking.”
“Hence, in the long run, we are still at a clear disadvantage. After all, Princess and Mr. Lane cannot stay here forever. Our enemies will eventually find an opportunity to strike.”
With that said, Lord White couldn’t help but shake his head in frustration.
Currently, he was the only Tier 4 powerhouse stationed in the fortress for the long term.
Although he had been at the peak of Tier 4 for quite some time, his ability to deter the opponent was undeniably limited due to his injuries not being fully healed.
“If that’s the case, it’s indeed true.”
Ariel Watson walked over gracefully and said, “Saint Night has always been a kingdom that indulges in underhanded tactics and is proficient in assassination and infiltration techniques.”
“If the enemies become desperate and target our high-ranking commanders, I’m afraid we might fall into a very passive situation.”
After finishing her words, Ariel shook her head helplessly, her eyebrows furrowed.
At this stage, with the power struggle in the Royal Capital unresolved, reinforcements would be hard to come by in the near future.
For a moment, the lively atmosphere from before suddenly deflated.
“Regarding the issue of supplementing the fortress with more powerful fighters, I have an idea.”
At this point, Leo Ray’s voice sounded in everyone’s ears.
Leo Ray had already thought of this while he was in the guest room.
What Leo Ray and his subordinates referred to as the last thing he needed to do here was precisely this matter.
“Oh? Please do share, Mr. Lane.”
On the other side, Lord White’s eyes lit up as he eagerly asked for advice.
“Of course, it’s about hiring mercenaries.”
Leo Ray replied with a faint smile, “As long as we have outstanding Tier 3 and Tier 4 mercenaries stationed here, everything will be resolved.”
“You’re right. Since our enemies can hire powerhouses from the Dark Devourer Association, why can’t we do the same?”
Hearing this, Ariel’s eyes sparkled, and she suddenly became enlightened.
“I must admit, Princess and Mr. Lane, I had considered this option as well.”
Lord White shook his head helplessly and continued, “However, hiring high-ranking mercenaries for combat is not an easy task.”
“Why is that?”
Ariel blinked her eyes in confusion as she asked.
“To answer your question, Princess, high-ranking mercenaries are rarely willing to take on war-related tasks, especially those with some reputation. Even more so for them.”
After nodding to Ariel, Lord White began to explain, “Firstly, high-ranking mercenaries often need to carry out cross-border missions, which can cause many inconveniences in enemy territories.”
“Secondly, war is a life-and-death struggle, completely different from ordinary escort, defense, and hunting of demon beasts tasks. The risk is too high.”
“Thirdly, mercenaries who are used to a loose and free lifestyle will find it difficult to adapt to the constraints of the military environment.”
“In summary, with these three reasons, it is difficult to find suitable mercenaries for our cause.”
After a pause, a look of embarrassment appeared on Lord White’s face as he continued, “Moreover, hiring Tier 3 mercenaries might be feasible, but Tier 4 ones are simply too expensive and difficult to bear…”
Hearing this, Leo Ray couldn’t help but laugh wryly.
Good grief. After going around in circles, it all came back to the issue of money.
And that was precisely what he was not short of.
As long as the Gold Dragon coins were in place, the three points Lord White mentioned would not be a problem — any mercenary would be eager to overcome them on their own accord.
Looking at Lord White’s embarrassed face, Leo Ray smiled faintly and said, “General White, you need not worry about the money issue. I will handle it with the lovely Fifth Princess. Therefore, I will take on the responsibility of recruiting the mercenaries.”
“That’s right, just leave it to the two of us!”On the other side, Ariel also puffed up her chest confidently and nodded, “I still have more than ten thousand Gold Dragons left! More than enough!”
“Ah, this…”
Hearing this, Lord White exchanged glances with a few Coldflame Army commanders, then spoke awkwardly, “Your Highness, forgive me for being blunt, but ten thousand Gold Dragons might not even be enough to pay the commission of one Tier 4 mercenary powerhouse…”
“What? Are those Tier 4 mercenaries made of gold?”
Ariel’s eyes widened, showing a look of disbelief.
Seeing this, Leo Ray shook his head helplessly.
Considering Ariel’s upbringing in the royal palace, where she was pampered and always protected by powerful guards, it was quite normal for her not to know about these things.
“It’s okay, I have my Mr. Lane!”
Then, Ariel stood next to Leo and proudly stated, “My Mr. Lane said he would handle it!”
“Well, I feel like I’ve become an ATM… but becoming an ATM for a future queen might not be such a bad thing.”
Feeling both amused and frustrated by the thought, Leo glanced at Ariel by his side.
He then nodded to the old general and said, “Ariel is right, leave it to me.”
Without a doubt, there are two important reasons why Leo is willing to pay this sum.
First, it’s to further balance the power between Coldflame and Saint Night, extend the stalemate between them, and create more opportunities for himself to grow stronger.
Second, since he is the one paying, the hired mercenaries will undoubtedly follow his orders, which will only prove beneficial to his future plans.
“In summary, either of these two reasons is enough for me to pay this sum. After all, money is just a number to me.”
With that thought, Leo raised his eyebrows slightly and said to the old general, “Alright, there’s no time to lose. I already have a plan for the selection of mercenaries, so let’s get going.”
“Right, let’s go.”
Ariel nodded from the side and chimed in.
“I’ll leave it to Your Highness and Mr. Lane, then. I will be waiting here for good news.”
After saying this, Lord White bowed slightly to Leo and Ariel.
Next, under Lord White’s guidance,
Leo, Ariel, and their subordinates returned to the Mountain Fortress. After meeting with Abigail and Amelia, they left the fortress from the rear.
Just as Leo was about to depart after bidding farewell to Lord White, who had walked them to the gate,
A determined yet slightly nervous voice from Ariel echoed in his ear, “As for the matter you mentioned earlier from the Otherworld, I’ve already thought it over…”
“Oh?”
Leo raised his eyebrows slightly and said, “It’s not safe to talk here. Let’s go back to Cyan Town first.”
With that said, Leo, riding on Taylor, dashed away, leaving a surprised Ariel behind.
As for the white giant wolf that Bianca had transformed into, it carried the still-recovering Linda, Serena, and Stella.
Thus, with great haste,
It took about half an hour for Leo and his eleven companions, together with Ariel, Burt, and Joshua, to return to the spacious and bright conference hall of Cyan Town.
“Your Highness the Fifth Princess, you can now share your thoughts.”
Seated in the hall’s main seat, Leo lifted his hand slightly and indicated for her to speak.
“Understood.”
Standing in a lower seat, Ariel took a deep breath.
Then, with unwavering determination in her eyes, she said, “I don’t know if I can do it well, but just as you said on the city wall, I want to personally end this power struggle, return to the royal capital where my father resides, and lead the Coldflame Kingdom to a new peak!”