Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

[Maplestone City]

[City Hall]

The Battle of River Valley Village has been over for more than half a month, and the commanders of the allied forces finally have the opportunity to sit down and discuss the distribution of the spoils.

Although in the Kingdom of Galloping Horses, everyone knows the saying: "Don't start a fire until you have hunted your prey."

However, in a certain sense, the disposition of spoils tests the wisdom of the decision-makers more than the acquisition of spoils.

Therefore, whether from the side of Mont Blanc County, Thunder Group County, or Riverside County, all treated it as a formidable enemy and gave it top priority.

Colonel Gaisa Adonis, Colonel Skur Meklen, and Lieutenant Colonel Magash Colvin each brought a large number of attendants. Apart from the clerks responsible for handover work, every formal officer not bedridden due to injuries was called to bolster their numbers, and even some esteemed "honorary officers" were allowed to attend.

The large contingent from the three sides arrived at City Hall, crowding the negotiation venue prepared in advance by Iron Peak County to the point of no standing room.

Mason couldn't help but exclaim at the sight: "Why are there so many people?"

Winters also was amused and helpless.

Because on the Iron Peak County side, besides the essential accountants and scribes, only Winters and Mason attended this meeting.

Bard did not attend—the real Civil Guard Officer is still in Vernge County compiling the statistics of fallow farmland and organizing the resumption of cultivation with all his might;

Although Andre had plenty of free time every day, he always detested such occasions that involved verbal sparring, and nothing could convince him to come. Yet he left a message: "If a fight breaks out, remember to call me."

As a representative of the "academic faction officers" within the Iron Peak County military, who did not belong to Winters' direct line but made immense contributions, theoretically, Colonel Seber also had the right to attend the meeting on the distribution of the spoils.

However, considering Colonel Seber's unique charisma, Mason cautiously excluded the Major from the negotiation personnel, ultimately deciding only Winters and Mason would attend, while Colonel Seber, as a "critically important strategic reserve," stood ready at any moment.

Hence, the Iron Peak County side prepared only two interconnected meeting rooms for this negotiation.

According to Mason's original idea, one room would be reserved for the clerks and one for the representatives from each side, more than enough.

The actual scene in front of Mason's eyes was: people in the meeting room were pushed to the edge of the tables, unable to enter, chest to back and elbow to elbow, except for some space around the officers' seats. Others were squeezed in the narrow meeting room, suffering and trying hard to maintain decorum and dignity.

So much so that the clerks next door couldn't help but lower their heads and chuckle at the sight of the sweating "officer lords."

The three officers were also slightly embarrassed but none was willing to speak first.

On the empty side of the meeting table, Mason and Winters decided to open the hall of the City Hall after consulting each other, inviting Colonel Gaisa Adonis, Colonel Skur Meklen, Lieutenant Colonel Magash Colvin, and their attendants to rest in the hall.

Colonel Seber, who was on standby, made an emergency appearance—the Major who had been itching for action for a long time arrived at the venue with excitement but was dejectedly surprised to find there was no fight—however, as a social butterfly who had once been active at Kingsfort, Seber Carrington handled this situation with ease.

The Major quickly found people to bring in drinks and meals, and summoned all the official officers of the Iron Peak County Military who were in Maplestone City to accompany them, smoothly resolving the minor farce.

When the doors of the meeting room were shut again and the room restored to quiet and solemnity, Winters finally said the opening line he had rehearsed countless times in his mind.

"Gentlemen." Winters nodded to the three officers: "Let's have a discussion."

"Following the segmented discussion process." Mason cleared his throat, took over Winters' speaking authority and said methodically: "Captain Montaigne and I think the 'spoils' can be divided into three subcategories—the war preparedness storage in Maplestone City, enemy personnel captured by various units, and the jurisdiction from Vernge County to Mirror Lake County."

Saying this, Mason nodded to the assistant behind him with a red birthmark on their face. The latter then presented three dossiers to the three officers.

"Gentlemen," Mason explained calmly and modestly: "The materials my unit has captured, the personnel detained, and the New Reclamation Legion assets received in Vernge County are all registered in this dossier, not a single item less or more."

Upon hearing this, the three officers glanced sideways.

Including Colonel Gaisa, the three officers assumed the meeting was chiefly about dividing the Maplestone City war preparedness storage, unsuspecting that these two youngsters would first deliver such a wake-up call.

A detailed inventory of captured materials, personnel detained, and received legion assets?

Colonel Gaisa, Colonel Skur, and Lieutenant Colonel Magash hadn't prepared these things, and it's questionable if they could even assemble them.

The New Reclamation Legion—as well as any army built under Ned Smith's philosophy—has one notable characteristic: officers oversee both administrative and military operations.

That is, in the Alliance's regular army, officers are both logistics officials and military commanders.

With the heavy mortal and injury toll on formal officers during the Battle of River Valley Village, the administrative management of the three-county troops, including Mont Blanc County troops, was on the verge of collapse; many departments' accounts became a chaotic mess.