flstandardbreds Chapter 479: Splitting the Knights
Chapter 479: Splitting the Knights
Soon Jules was invited into the office, followed by Anderson and Savile, the former centurion of the White Lion Knights.
When Jules learned that Franche-Comté was under siege, he was extremely anxious.
Feeling depressed, he chose to drown his sorrows in alcohol, and after drinking, he went to the barracks to gather the White Lion Knights who were still inside to fight against Yoda's army. Soon they encountered a Yoda team of a thousand men.
After fighting a battle and sweating all over, Jules was almost sober.
He looked around and saw the defeated Yoda army lying on the ground in disorder, with blood staining the ground red.
At this time, Jules no longer felt the joy of victory, but was filled with worry and self-blame.
His act of taking his troops away from Wendam without authorization was undoubtedly a serious violation of military discipline.
He felt that his military career was almost over, and he would be punished at best, or thrown into prison at worst.
In this way, while Jules led the knights to continue defeating the Yoda army, he waited for news from Wendam in agony.
He hoped to offset his sins by accumulating military merits, or at least not to implicate the knights who came out with him.
As the war ended, Jules also received the attendance notice from the Midland Noble Court.
"So you were dismissed from your position as deputy leader of the White Lion Knights by King Mitlan, right?"
John asked.
"Yes, and these two unlucky guys."
Jules looked at Anderson and Savile standing beside him and said, a hint of helplessness and bitterness in his voice.
When the court finally made its verdict, Jules felt relieved except for a momentary sigh.
For so many years, the pressure of war and the burden of responsibility have been on his shoulders. Now that his military career is over, he feels as if he has put down a heavy burden.
"So, are you willing to come and serve me again?"
John extended an olive branch, knowing full well how important Jules' abilities and experience would be to the new country.
A veteran who has been through many battles, his combat skills and military qualities are urgently needed by the new country's army.
Jules waved his hand and said:
"I'm old now, and I want to find a leisurely job. If possible, I want to bring my family here."
"Okay, I happen to have some vacant houses near the inner castle... the palace. Where would you like to stay?"
"North Port?"
John asked in disbelief:
“It’s very cold there in the winter, and it’s not suitable for retirement.”
"But it's by the sea, and I've never seen the sea in my life, so I want to go see it."
"Okay, I'll ask Beigang to make the arrangements then."
At this time, John leaned forward slightly and continued to ask:
"Uncle Yule, how is my father doing now?"
"When my eldest brother heard the news that you became king, he was very happy. He often talked about you, and he, who didn't drink before, began to gather nearby nobles for drinks, telling everyone about his son becoming king. Count Milo also often visited my eldest brother, and the two got along very well..."
John felt a warm feeling in his heart as he listened to the news from his parents.
Although he is busy with state affairs on weekdays, he is always concerned about his family far away.
Jules saw that John looked somewhat touched, so he continued:
"John... um, I don't know what to call you. You haven't contacted your family for a long time. Now that the situation has stabilized, I think you might as well write a letter to your family to reassure them. With your status, once your letter is delivered, it will surely make my eldest brother feel very happy and bring more glory to the entire family."
"Sure. I'll start writing the letter after I finish these things. I also hope to bring my parents over to enjoy their good life."
After finishing the matter with Jules, John asked the two people next to him if they were willing to work for him, and Anderson and Savile agreed readily.
"Your Majesty, we are willing to serve you and will not let you down."
Anderson said firmly.
"Yes, Your Majesty, we will do our best to contribute to the new country."
Savile echoed the sentiment.
John nodded with satisfaction:
"Okay, in that case, I will first settle you near the inner castle. Once there is a suitable military organization, I will immediately assign you to your posts."
After solving the employment problems of the three people, John began to arrange an important meeting.
He summoned Hawke, Charlie, Payen and the centurions of the two knights. At the meeting, John glanced at everyone with a steady gaze, and then began to explain the Kingdom of Helderland's next military reform plan.
"Everyone, our original knights performed outstandingly on the battlefields in the past, killing many enemies time and time again, and made great contributions to the establishment and stability of the country."
John's voice echoed in the conference room. He paused and continued.
"However, with the development of the times, a new form of warfare is coming. Soon, more destructive gunpowder weapons will appear, and more advanced weapons and equipment will be deployed on the battlefield in the future. By then, the role of the Knights will be greatly weakened."
The atmosphere in the conference room became solemn. Everyone understood the fact that John said. The Kusha's siege artillery and the large number of artillery of the Yoda army were the biggest factors causing damage to the Knights.
John seemed to see everyone's concerns, and he continued:
"However, I am not prepared to abolish the Knights."
"Everyone knows that this world is no longer the world we know. I'm sure everyone has seen some of those monsters."
John has always believed that the biggest threat to him in this world is the Hand of God and his apostles. He already knows that the Eclipse will come in a few years, and once Griffith opens the Eclipse, the apostles will run out from all over the world like fountains.
Therefore, John hopes to take this opportunity to transform the Knights Templar from heavy cavalry against mortal armies to super soldiers against the apostles.
After hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement. If someone had said that there were monsters in this world a dozen years ago, they would probably have thought that the other person was drunk.
But after hearing, seeing and fighting so many apostles, they already know that there are still things in this world that are beyond human cognition. In such a world full of unknowns and dangers, it is vital for everyone to guard against the threat of apostles.
John continued:
"Currently, our Knights are facing many problems. All the thousand-man teams are not fully staffed, and there are even several thousand captains who are unable to serve because they are seriously injured."
"Under such circumstances, we need to re-plan the Knights. I decided to station the thousand-man teams in different territories. At the same time, we will recruit the best soldiers from the garrisons of various places and the returning Black Watch veterans to replenish the troops, continuously restore the size of the Knights, and even expand it further, so that the Knights can regain vitality."
After a moment, John added:
"In order for the Knights to better cope with future challenges, we cannot limit ourselves to traditional horsemanship and melee weapon training. Knights also need to learn ranged weapons, including firearms."
In John's opinion, facing the inhuman apostles, only an army that is at the peak of all human qualities and equipped with powerful weapons and equipment can completely resolve the threat they bring.