Chapter 111: Stay Ready

Chapter 111: Stay Ready

Noah’s awareness shifted away from the eastern provinces of Caldris without his body moving at all. The transition was familiar enough that he no longer found the sensation disorienting, and within moments the captured cities, occupied roads, and Viridian camps disappeared from his immediate perception. In their place appeared a wide consciousness space created for the planetary lords participating in the campaign, with each participant represented by a projection of themselves around a large map of Caldris.

Commander Garran Aelwyn stood near the center of the gathering with his arms folded behind his back. The projection before him showed the kingdom divided into the operational sectors assigned before the invasion, with markers representing conquered cities, active battles, supply lines, and areas where resistance remained concentrated. The entire eastern region had changed since the last full briefing, and five provinces that once carried Caldris markings were now covered by Viridian occupation markers stretching from Eastwatch through Northwatch and Valemar to Redhaven and Stoneford.

The other young planetary lords appeared gradually around the map. Some immediately examined the eastern sector after noticing how completely its markings had changed, while others looked toward Noah before returning their attention to Garran. Several had already received fragmented reports of Viridian’s advance, but seeing all five provinces marked under the same control made the scale of the conquest difficult to dismiss.

Garran waited until everyone had arrived before beginning. "The eastern operation is complete. Eastwatch, Northwatch, Valemar, Redhaven, and Stoneford have fallen, while the remaining strongholds no longer possess enough coordination to threaten control of the region. Occupation forces are securing the provincial capitals, roads, granaries, and military facilities, so Noah’s assigned objective is officially complete."

The atmosphere around the map shifted after the announcement. When the campaign began, goblins had been among the least respected starting races represented by the participating students, and several planetary lords had expected Noah to struggle against disciplined human armies. Instead, Viridian had become the first civilization involved in the operation to complete an entire regional assignment.

Garran shifted the map toward the remaining theaters. "The northern, southern, and central fronts remain active. All three are still functioning, and none is currently considered in danger of collapse, but their progress has been slower. The north continues to encounter fortified resistance, the south has been delayed around several defensive concentrations, and the central front is facing the largest organized Caldris forces."

The central portion of the projection contained the densest concentration of enemy markers. Roads from several parts of the kingdom converged there, and the territories beyond them led deeper toward the political and military heart of Caldris.

The planetary lord responsible for part of the northern operation reported that his forces had already broken another defensive line and were waiting for siege equipment before continuing. A southern participant gave a similar assessment, explaining that his army had lost time around river settlements but still maintained the initiative. Garran acknowledged both reports without turning the briefing into a comparison of victories.

Noah studied the map while the remaining fronts were discussed. The differences in military capacity were obvious. Several planetary civilizations had enough strength to capture territory but lacked the manpower to leave large occupation forces behind without weakening their main armies. Others were forced to concentrate most of their available troops around one major objective before they could continue advancing.

Viridian no longer faced the same limitation. Hundreds of thousands of goblins were already distributed throughout eastern Caldris, and additional formations continued arriving through the Gate Beyond Heaven as part of the million-man deployment ordered by the Viridian throne. Garrisons could hold the conquered provinces while substantial forces remained available for further operations.

When Garran completed the central-front review, Noah spoke. "Commander, Viridian still has considerable manpower available. The east can be held with the forces already distributed there, and additional troops are continuing to arrive. I can provide armies to support the northern, southern, and central fronts if you want the campaign accelerated."

The silence around the map lasted only a moment before one of the young planetary lords reacted. His expression hardened as he looked directly at Noah. "You finished your assignment, so hold the territory you conquered. The rest of us do not need your goblins entering our sectors as though we are incapable of completing our own objectives."

Another lord from the southern front added that allowing Viridian forces into another assigned sector would create questions over command and credit. Their objection was clear without needing a prolonged argument. Noah’s offer sounded practical to him, but to several of the others it sounded like an implication that their own civilizations were failing.

Noah answered without raising his voice. "I am offering available manpower, not asking to take command. Caldris remains one kingdom, and destroying its resistance faster reduces the chance that it can reorganize forces against any of us. If you do not want Viridian support, then you do not have to accept it."

The first lord gave him a cold look. "Then keep the offer in the east. Finishing first does not give you authority over the rest of the campaign."

Garran raised one hand before the discussion could continue. "Enough. Noah made a military proposal, and the rest of you are free to dislike it without turning this briefing into an argument over pride."

The consciousness space quieted immediately. Garran looked toward Noah and continued in the same restrained tone. "Your proposal has merit from a manpower perspective, but I am rejecting it under the current circumstances."

Noah nodded once. "Understood."

Garran shifted several markers on the map as he explained the decision. "The northern, southern, and central fronts remain operational. Their commanders have not lost control, and their armies remain capable of completing their assigned objectives. Introducing large Viridian formations into those theaters now would create additional command problems without solving an emergency."

He indicated the boundaries separating the remaining operational sectors. "Each force has its own command structure, logistics, priorities, and territorial responsibilities. If I insert tens or hundreds of thousands of goblins into another lord’s theater, someone must decide who controls their movement, which objectives they prioritize, who holds captured territory, and how supply responsibilities are divided. I will not create that complication while the existing fronts are still functioning."

Noah understood the reasoning immediately. Viridian had the soldiers, but available manpower alone did not mean intervention was strategically useful. His eastern objective was already complete, and there was no reason to force cooperation on planetary lords whose armies had not yet failed.

Garran looked toward the other students before continuing. "This decision also applies in the opposite direction. None of you will interfere with another front simply because you believe you can finish the job faster. The operational boundaries remain in place unless I change them."

Several of the projections relaxed slightly after hearing that, but Garran had not finished addressing Noah. "Your eastern forces will consolidate their territory for now, but you are not to demobilize the formations that remain available."

Noah focused more closely on him.

"The current situation can change quickly," Garran said. "A front could suffer catastrophic losses, Caldris could concentrate an unexpected counteroffensive, or one of the remaining theaters could become strategically critical. If that happens, assignment boundaries stop being important compared to preserving the campaign."

One of the northern planetary lords frowned. "Are you planning to keep Viridian as a reserve?"

"That is exactly what I am doing," Garran replied. "Noah’s forces have already demonstrated that they can operate on a large scale, maintain supply networks, conduct sieges, and hold conquered territory while field armies continue advancing. The eastern operation is complete, so his available forces now represent the largest reserve I can redirect without stripping another active front."

The statement drew several uncomfortable looks toward Noah. A few of the same planetary lords who had objected to his proposal clearly disliked hearing Garran describe Viridian as the campaign’s primary reserve, but none openly challenged the commander.

Garran returned his attention to Noah. "Keep the Gate Beyond Heaven operating. Maintain transport capacity, preserve a substantial field reserve, and do not distribute every incoming formation among permanent occupation duties. If I authorize intervention, your commanders must be capable of moving immediately."

"How much should I keep ready?" Noah asked.

"Enough to affect a major front without requiring weeks of preparation," Garran answered. "You know your own military structure better than I do, so I will leave the exact number to you. What I care about is readiness."

Noah considered the scale of the eastern occupation. Eastwatch, Northwatch, Valemar, Redhaven, and Stoneford all required garrisons, patrols, administrators, supply guards, and troops capable of dealing with isolated resistance. Even after satisfying those requirements, Viridian could still keep a large army concentrated rather than scattering every formation across newly conquered territory.

"I can maintain that," Noah said. "If you call for support, the force will be ready."

Garran gave a short nod before returning to the broader campaign briefing. The remaining planetary lords reported their supply situations, expected siege timelines, and current troop strength, while Noah listened without offering further intervention. His proposal had been rejected, and there was no reason to repeat it.

The conversation eventually returned to the central front, where Caldris had gathered some of its strongest remaining formations. Garran warned the participating lords there against advancing too deeply without securing their supply routes, then reminded the northern and southern commands that victories near their current positions did not justify reckless pursuit into territory they had not scouted.

The meeting ended once Garran had finished assigning the next reporting schedule. The map faded first, followed by the projections of the other planetary lords, and Noah’s awareness returned to the conquered eastern region of Caldris.

Viridian banners flew above all five provincial capitals, while military traffic continued along the roads connecting them. Garrisons were still being organized, prisoners processed, resistant settlements disarmed, and administrative systems adapted to the new occupation.

Noah reached through his divine connection and issued instructions to Rakhar. The occupation would proceed normally, but a substantial portion of the army was to remain concentrated rather than being divided among local garrisons. Supplies for that reserve would be maintained separately, and commanders would prepare movement plans that allowed the force to leave the east quickly if new orders arrived.

Rakhar accepted the instruction without needing to know where the army might eventually be sent. The eastern campaign had already trained Viridian to move large formations through conquered territory, and keeping a reserve ready required far less effort than gathering one after a crisis had already begun.

Noah allowed his attention to move once more toward the distant northern, southern, and central fronts. He had offered to intervene and Garran had refused because there was no immediate need, while the other planetary lords had made it clear that they preferred to win their own campaigns.

Noah had no objection to letting them try.

The only instruction that concerned him now was Garran’s final one. Viridian’s conquest of the east was complete, but its armies would remain supplied, organized, and ready because the next request might not come as an offer for assistance. It might come after one of the other fronts had already begun to fail.