The turmoil in the Near East did not stir up any waves, except for giving the nobles in the kingdom more to talk about.

Hudson's targeted movement of border troops, suppressed by the tacit agreement of all parties, soon returned to calm.

Now the eyes of the whole continent have converged on the southern continent. The ambitious Charles III, after establishing a separate papacy, began to do things again.

It is rumored that Charles III is ready to be crowned emperor. Hudson didn't know what the truth was, anyway, the news was boiling, and he, the front-line coach, was recalled to the royal capital for a meeting.

Becoming emperor in the continent of Aslant is a big event. It is not only a matter of the country concerned, but also the entire human race.

"Count Francis, tell us about the situation!"

Caesar IV said a little tiredly.

It can be seen that his life has not been easy recently. Like countless noble lords, the development of the royal domain also encountered a series of problems, which cost Caesar IV a great deal of energy.

The situation in the Near East is showing signs of deterioration again, and just as measures have been taken to deal with it, another change has taken place in the southern continent.

"In recent years, the power of the Frankish kingdom has grown very rapidly. Especially after the annexation of the orc kingdom, the development has been even more rapid.

Whether it is political culture or military economy, it is constantly widening the gap with other countries.

According to information gathered by the Foreign Ministry's envoy to the Franks, they have cleared the remnants of the orcs and sent millions of migrants to the region.

We did not find out the specific data. However, since the Continental War, the fleet of the Frankish kingdom has been traveling to the coastal ports of the northern and central continents.

A large number of immigrants from the northern and central continents entered the Frankish kingdom by sea. In addition to this, the war refugees who entered the Frankish kingdom by land were also a huge number.

If we refer to our neighbors, we know that more than eight million refugees poured into the Duchy of Mossi during the Continental War, and millions more after the war, and the Franks received only a few more refugees.

It is said that in order to attract refugees, the dragon knights of the Frankish kingdom were dispatched. The Navy directly incarnates the convoy, and this busy work is several years.

Even now, the Franks did not stop buying slaves from foreign races.

The most terrifying thing is that they have basically digested these refugees.

Originally, they were the strongest kingdoms in the whole continent, but after this transformation, their comprehensive national strength left the countries farther away.

It's not just us who have fallen behind, but even the kingdom of Ibya, which has also gained a lot in the war, is far behind them in terms of development.

Even the Holy See, which has a deep heritage, may now show signs of falling behind. According to this situation, the Frankish kingdom will be the only one on the continent for ten years at most.

The only one whose development speed can be comparable to that of the Frankish kingdom is the Moxies. However, the size of the Duchy of Moxi is too small, and its comprehensive national strength is less than one-tenth of that of the Franks, so it is completely incomparable.

Purely from the point of view of strength, even compared with the Terran empire in history, the Frankish kingdom can be regarded as a top ranking.

With the combined strength of the Frankish Kingdom, it is not surprising that Charles III wanted to be crowned emperor. The only problem is that they don't have a legal basis.

If he forcibly becomes emperor, it will cause turmoil within the human race. At least neither the Holy See nor the Kingdom of Ibbean wants to see this happen. ”

The speech of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Count Francis, made the atmosphere in the hall solemn.

The gold content of the first kingdom on the mainland is beyond doubt. Don't look at the Alpha Kingdom, which is also known as the third kingdom on the mainland, but the gap between the third and the first, that is, the Kingdom of Ibya.

It's just that you can't catch up with the boss, and now the gap between the two sides is still widening, which makes everyone unbearable.

This is still a simple calculation of military strength, and if you look at economic data, the gap between the two sides will be even greater.

If the Alpha Kingdom had the financial resources of the Franks, the Orc Empire would have been killed long ago. Even if the kingdom does not have enough troops, recruiting mercenaries can grind down the orc empire.

"Whether Charles III is emperor or not, the kingdom is beyond the reach of the whip. Given our special relationship with the Franks, I would suggest that it is better not to get involved.

Even if the Frankish kingdom becomes an empire, the probability of them unifying the southern continent is not very high, let alone unifying the entire human race.

Let's look at the excitement, if we don't solve the great enemy of orcs, no matter how lively the Southern Continent is, we have nothing to do! ”

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Marquis delgado, said with a nonchalant expression.

When the gap is large to a certain extent, the mind to do things will fade. Anyway, the distance between the two sides is far enough, even if the Franks toss flowers, it has little to do with the Alpha Kingdom.

"Your Excellency, if there is no interracial alliance that exists, I agree with you. Unfortunately, not now, we have to consider the ripple effects that will result.

The rumors may not be groundless, the Franks have not come out to refute the rumors, and the news of Charles III's proclamation as emperor is mostly true.

If the Holy See and the Kingdom of Ibliba accept it, I am afraid that they will collapse and a civil war will break out.

Once the two sides go to war, the Terran Alliance ceases to exist. Without the deterrence of the Alliance, the alien race would certainly not be as peaceful as it is now.

An orc empire is enough for us to be uncomfortable, and if we add the alien alliance, the military pressure on the kingdom is too great.

For the strategic security of the kingdom, we need more allies. In addition to the Duchy of Moxi, we also have to consider whether to include the three Central Continents in the alliance! ”

The words of the Prime Minister, the Archduke of Newfoundland, hit the heart of everyone's greatest fears. The Alpha Kingdom, which hangs alone in the northern continent, has always been in a dangerous situation.

It can be seen from the unleashed expansion of the Duchy of Moxi that the kingdom really needs allies. Everyone longs for the Principality of Moxi to be stronger, so as to share the military pressure of the kingdom, and they can't have the intention of suppressing it at all.

Also suffering are the three countries of the Central Continent, surrounded by an alliance of different races, they are also living a precarious life.

If it weren't for some unpleasantness with the three countries of the Central Continent before, the two sides would have formed an alliance long ago.

No matter how big the contradiction is, it is not worth mentioning in the face of survival. What's more, everyone was just a political game before, and it didn't get to the point of fighting each other.

After being beaten by reality, it is estimated that the ambitions of the three countries of the Northern Continent have been wiped out. If they can solve the alien threat on their doorstep, they will have to burn incense to celebrate.

The unrealistic dream of going north to fight for continental hegemony has now woken up.

"It is not difficult to form an alliance with the three countries of the Central Continent, and the key to the problem is how much benefit this alliance can bring to the kingdom.

Judging from the performance of the Three Kingdoms in the continental war, they also have a little combat effectiveness in the standing army, and their overall military literacy is far from that of the kingdom.

That is, fighting with aliens, the soldiers have no choice. If there is really a civil war among the human race, the kingdom family will cripple the three of them!

Once the two sides form an alliance, we will inevitably help them militarily and assist the three countries in training their armies.

As a neighbor that has had a conflict in strategic terms, once there is no threat from the alien race, we and the three countries of the Central Continent will be competitors.

Helping them improve their military strength now is likely to become a stumbling block on the way to the growth of the kingdom in the future.

We are taking such a big risk, as the beneficiary party, the three countries of China and the mainland must give us some compensation, right? ”

Hudson said with a smile.

He is not against the alliance, but the compensation must not be less. If he wasn't worried that the orcs might set off a new round of invasion in the next few years, he wouldn't have bothered to pay attention to the three kingdoms of the Middle Continent.

There is no way, who will let the three countries of the Central Continent not fight for themselves? The empty national power was actually pressed to the ground and rubbed by the alien race.

Strength is the right to speak, if you sit together again, when the three countries of the Central Continent face the Alpha Kingdom, they will be three points shorter in momentum.

"Marshal, I'm afraid this compensation is a little difficult to get.

The three countries of the Central Continent are busy licking their wounds, and many provinces have been destroyed in the war, and now they are not as rich as they used to be.

Looking at the changes in fiscal revenue, we can see that before the outbreak of the Continental War, the Hessian Kingdom, which had the highest income, could have 30 or 40 million yuan per year.

Now this number is directly cut in the waist. The book income is slightly higher than ours.

Because of the difference in the tax systems of the two countries, the tax collection of the kingdom also includes a part of the kind, and in fact, the financial situation of several of our companies is similar.

Of course, if we had asked for the return of the Hesses to the country of Korubia, I guess they would have agreed.

It's a pity that this doesn't make any sense, and after the baptism of war, Korubia was basically beaten to nothing.

The original royal city has long been reduced to ruins under the forbidden spell. The surviving population of the area is not as large as the garrison arranged by the Hesses, and the conditions for independence again are completely inadequate.

If the kingdom is directly occupied, it will increase the area of our border with the elves, and the gains will not outweigh the losses. ”

Count Francis shook his head and said.

If it had been profitable, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would have acted a long time ago. Until now, the relationship between the two sides has not broken the ice, and the main reason is that after the alliance: the kingdom pays more and gains less.

The near-perfect explanation made the atmosphere in the hall solemn again. Everyone is a poor ghost, and it is difficult to imagine how difficult it is to get benefits from each other.

……

It's not just the Alpha Kingdom that is feeling the pressure, since the news of Charles III's desire to become emperor has exploded.

The difference is that the members of the Interracial Alliance are eating melons and watching the excitement, but the major forces of the Terran are wailing.

The Frankish kingdom has signs of becoming a superpower, and the Holy See and the kingdom of Ibya, as rivals, how could they not react.

It's just that there are also a lot of contradictions between the two families, and they lack the motivation to unite, so they haven't come together for a long time.

If Charles III had been emperor, it would have been a different story at all. "Emperor" is not only a noble title, but also a terrifying political influence.

Wouldn't it be embarrassing for all the Terran countries to follow the Franks?

If they do not take measures to fight back, under the pressure of the hegemonic power, these competitors will probably decline completely in a few decades.

Civil strife is about to break out, and it is impossible not to panic. If it weren't for the lack of strength, the weight of the words, and the fact that it was just a rumor at present, I am afraid that many countries would have become lobbyists in the past.

The Kingdom of Hesse, one of the unlucky nations in the Middle Continent, is under pressure to go beyond its limits.

"Is the news confirmed?

Charles III, does that humil boy really want to be emperor? ”

Alexander V asked eagerly.

The royal family of the world is one family, the Hessian royal family and the Frankish royal family are also related to each other, and in terms of generation, Alexander V is still the elder of Charles III.

But it doesn't make any sense.

We're all pragmatists, and when it comes to making decisions, no one cares about these illusory kinships, or even exerts influence.

"Your Majesty, judging from the information gathered so far, the Frankish kingdom is indeed preparing for Charles III to become emperor.

However, the authenticity needs to be further verified. It is not clear that this is a smoke bomb released by the Franks, just to test the reaction of various countries. ”

The Marquis of Krasner replied apprehensively.

This answer is equivalent to not saying it, but the matter is big, and there are too many factors involved, and he doesn't dare to draw conclusions easily.

In the current international situation, the Kingdom of the Franks is of great significance to the Kingdom of Hesse. If there is a mistake in judgment and the relationship between the two countries deteriorates, then he will become a sinner of the kingdom.

"Humph!"

After a cold snort, Alexander V said in a cold tone: "You can't do such a small thing, what do you foreign affairs do to eat?"

Where does the kingdom spend so much money on diplomacy every year? ”

Faced with the questioning of his own boss, the Marquis of Krasner was helpless. Diplomacy is never about money, the essence is still based on one's own strength.

The performance of the Kingdom of Hesse in the continental war made the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs more than tenfold more difficult.

Buying intelligence purely with money, even if it can buy information, it is lagging behind. The big man who first learned the news was not something that could be bought by a little money.

But these words, he just held them in his heart. If he said it, he would have offended the military to death.

Despite the military's unfavorable performance in the war, it still does not change their unique position in the kingdom.

"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also achieved results. Thanks to the efforts of the diplomatic staff, our relations with the Kingdom of Alpha have now returned to normal.

If all goes well, maybe we have a chance to form an alliance. At least on the issue of countering the interracial alliance, our position is unanimous.

Once the deadlock is broken, the alliance between the three countries of the Central Continent and the Northern Continent will not be without operability.

Under the circumstance that the situation in the southern continent may change at any time, the establishment of a five-nation alliance in an attempt to protect itself is the best choice at the moment! ”

Duke Milton spoke.

Since the defeat of the continental war, the temper of the king has become more and more difficult to serve. As the prime minister of the kingdom, the Duke of Milton had to play the role of peacemaker.

"The Five-Nation Alliance?"

"Prime Minister, are you sure that the Alpha Kingdom and the Principality of Moxi are willing to form an alliance with our three kingdoms?"

Alexander V asked with a little surprise.

People always change.

Originally, he didn't look down on the Alpha Kingdom and the Principality of Moxi, and before the Continental War, he once took advantage of the decline of the two countries to start a northward expansion strategy.

However, a continental war brought the Kingdom of Hesse back to its original form, and Alexander V discovered for the first time that his neighbor to the north was so capable of fighting!

The change in strength has directly triggered a change in international status. Even the Duchy of Moxi, which he had never cared about, now had an international status equal to that of the Kingdom of Hesse.

Even though there is still a huge gap between the two sides in terms of population, politics, economy, and culture, the military alone has brought everyone to the same starting line.

Based on the results achieved by both sides against the Ancient Relic Alliance, it is generally believed that the Moxi army can fight better than the armies of the three countries in the Central Continent.

If it weren't for the fact that the three of them had a stronger background and relied on their comprehensive national strength to get back one point, I am afraid that their international status would be subservient to a principality.

The younger brother is still like this, and the Alpha Kingdom, which is even more brilliant in the war, is not to mention.

Obviously, the comprehensive national strength of the three countries in the Central Continent is stronger, but all parties generally believe that the military strength of the Terrans in the Northern Continent is stronger than that of the Terrans in the Central Continent.

In this context, once the Five-Power Alliance is established, the Kingdom of Hesse will naturally receive assistance from the Alpha Kingdom in military training.

The alliance focuses on complementary advantages, mutual benefit and reciprocity, and the things they get are worth a fortune, but the chips they can pay are pitiful.

So much so that the "strategy of the Five-Power Alliance", from the very beginning of its formulation, was put in the corner by Alexander V to eat ashes.

"Your Majesty, this time, that time!

How do you know if you can't do it without trying?

Even if the plan fails, the price we need to pay is actually not large. ”

……

Happy Dragon Boat Festival

(End of chapter)