The First Magic World War

The four nobles who stood between Charles and Sesath had also convened a military council.

At the council, Baron Eckson spoke passionately, asserting that Charles had ten defeats, while the four-noble Allied Army possessed ten victories.

"Viscount Constantine is our hero from the Black Phoenix, and it's absolutely impossible for him to defect to the Farsians!"

"He is lying, slandering, trying to disrupt our resolution to resist to the death."

"Although Charles enjoys some notoriety, he is merely a writer who gained fame through literature. It is said that in Fars, he is just a civilian official dealing with paperwork. His current status is all because he courted Princess Anne. His military achievements are all faked! Can you believe that one man can write, race chariots, compose operas, and battle on the frontlines? Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous."

"The Fars, Inglima, Byron, and Lionheart Dynasty each harbor their own schemes, and there's no way they could truly unite. Moreover, they have come from afar and will inevitably be unable to sustain their effort."

"My lord Counts! Can you actually believe such preposterous and outrageous rumors..."

At this moment, a scribe burst in, handing a document to his master, Count Nottingham. The count glanced at it and, without showing any emotion, passed the document to Count Barnett, who was beside him. Count Barnett wore a look of surprise after reading the document, but he crumpled it up immediately and did not pass it to Viscount Angelo.

Baron Eckson was about to inquire when another scribe entered, this time giving the document to Count Barnett. After a quick look, Count Barnett passed it to Viscount Angelo.

The viscount's expression became complicated and markedly somber after reading it.

Some time later, two scribes came in one after another, each delivering the documents they brought to their respective masters.

Baron Eckson saw the short first line on the document: "Viscount Constantine has committed treason..."

The Baron's vision went dark, and a feeling of dread followed. The documents sent by Charles to the three nobles, which Nottingham, Barnett, and Angelo had all shown him to demonstrate their resolve and clear conscience earlier, blatantly encouraged them to capture the sole objector as a token for surrendering to Fars. He turned to look at the three nobles with a surge of panic and suddenly shouted, "I swear my undying loyalty to Earl Mecklen!"

"Counts Nottingham, Barnett, and Viscount Angelo! Let us discuss what kind of ceremony to use to welcome Earl Mecklen's inspection of his loyal Sesath!"

Count Nottingham smiled slightly and said, "As Baron Eckson wishes."

Count Barnett and Viscount Angelo also said in unison, "What Baron Eckson says makes sense."

Baron Eckson wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He was terrified that if he had reacted a moment slower, he would have been attacked by the trio, beheaded, and his head presented to Charles as a gift.

Now he deeply regretted killing Charles's messenger.

Baron Eckson had not expected that Constantine and his son would surrender too?

Charles hadn't anticipated that his "threat" would work so well either! This time, not only the original three nobles but even the Baron who killed his messenger were willing to submit, even proactively expressing their desire to become vassals to the Mecklen Family.

The nations of the Old Continent were different from the modern nations on Earth; each country was comprised of a portion of counties directly governed by the Emperor and noble territories. Noble territories were, both nominally and substantively, the private property of the nobility—they only needed to pay taxes to the Royal Family and fulfill certain obligations, but the Royal Family could not deprive them of their land under any pretext.

You see, the Fars Empire had wanted to turn Southseraph and Behemoth into directly governed major districts, but even after Ferdinand's death, they clenched their noses and acknowledged Duke Joseph.

Count Nottingham, Count Barnett, Viscount Angelo, and Baron Eckson surrendered; it was as if they brought their own territories and became vassals of the Emperor of Brittany. They simply switched allegiance to a different Emperor—their noble status could not be stripped away.

However, if Baron Eckson swore fealty to Charles, that meant something entirely different.

That implied the Baron wasn't loyal to the Emperor of Brittany, but to Earl Mecklen!

In Europe, there's a similar old saying, "The vassal's vassal is not my vassal!"

After considering for a moment, Charles gladly accepted the surrender of the four nobles, as well as Baron Eckson's fealty. He immediately led his forces into the territories of the four nobles, and when Count Nottingham, Count Barnett, Viscount Angelo, and Baron Eckson saw Andreas affirming the loyalty of Viscount Constantine and his son to Charles, they harbored no further doubts.

After all, when would you ever see a father present while his son is absent, or a son present while his father is absent?

They all belonged to nobility from remote regions of the Black Phoenix Dynasty and the information they received wasn't all that timely; Charles really had pulled the wool over their eyes.

It was the first time for Charles to accept the surrender of nobles, to accept them swearing fealty to His Majesty the Emperor of Brittany and to himself. He found it novel and immediately acted on behalf of His Majesty to proclaim the inviolability of the four nobles' titles, wealth, and territories. Moreover, he took the opportunity to bring their personal Knighthoods under his control.

This action was, in fact, against protocol, but the four nobles did not dare utter a word of protest because they not only saw Andreas but also witnessed a full nine Sacred-level knights!

They even saw the former Grand Commander of the Fars Empire's Royal Knights Order!

Kratos' reputation soared in Fars and even within the Black Phoenix Dynasty, he was universally known—after all, he was among the topmost rank, barring Viscount Constantine, no one in the Black Phoenix Dynasty dared claim they could defeat this paragon of the Mount of Light!

With such powerful forces and a luxurious array of Sacred-level champions at his disposal, Charles could have seized their military authority or done something even more unorthodox, and they would have had no choice but to silently endure.

Having overcome the four obstructing nobles, Charles' path forward was now clear except for Sesath.

The one who had guarded Sesath for generations was also a member of the Meisu Family, though Sesath was just a baronetcy. The current holder of that title was none other than Baron Melime Meisu!

Baron Melime Meisu was a low-profile individual, with no one certain about his actual strength, but it was nearly common knowledge that he owned a fleet, including two Magical Alchemy Warships!

Therefore, although Charles had subdued the four nobles and increased his Sacred-level followers to fourteen, he still did not dare to underestimate Baron Melime Meisu.

When his army approached Sesath, he did not immediately assault the fortress. Instead, he sent an earnest missive urging surrender, hoping the Baron would prioritize the greater good and the lives of Sesath's residents over stubborn resistance. He pleaded quickly to surrender to avoid the calamity of war and the ensuing loss of lives.

However, as Charles expected, the Baron resolutely rejected the call to surrender.