Chapter 87: You can't run away from me~
The conference room fell silent upon hearing the unaltered words of Valarie which meant only a single thing, how much one wanted to interpret them differently. According to her, the solution to all these situations of sudden regression of manpower can be overcome by recruiting new soldiers.
From a general perception, it would have been the most generic idea one could have come up with, but the singularities Valarie regarded in her statement were mere kids of the Pristine Academy.
Sure, there were some rare talents in the academy, and all the students who wears the emblem of Ranghaur's one and only elite academy were in one way or another, special. But just that. Even with special talents and skills, they were kids who have nearly no experience in the field.
They would surely be future warriors but right now they were quite weak to view them attaining a considerable place in capital defense.
Though various felt like snorting at Valarie's suggestion, no one dared to. More like, in fear of going against her words, no one actually uttered anything and kept their mouth shut as they waited for the prince to speak, which he naturally did.
"Lady Valarie...recruiting students with such low true combat experience would be nothing more than asking them to cleave themselves with their own blade. No offense Headmaster Rowell, but Academy doesn't teach how it feels to be in a real life and death situation."
Prince Charles despite being so young was able to utter those words at the end because he himself has faced such situations where a single mistake could have taken his life. He wasn't the potential successor just because he was the eldest. Rather it was the hard work and dedication he put behind his role.
The white-bearded headmaster had no particular reaction hearing the blond boy's remark since he himself knows that despite how much he sends students for expenditure until they have the backup of professors, they would never learn how dirty the actual battlefield is.
Mostly everyone nodded and agreed with the statement Charles came up with and thought, that this must be the first time Valarie had made mistake in evaluating her thoughts before voicing them.
But...
"Then we can prepare them."
The room which began to whisper to themselves buzzed down to a notch once again when Valarie spoke in support of her previous suggestion. Quite fixated on the idea, she seemed.
"The students in the Academy has passed those test which makes them special from the general abundance and if supplied them enough resources along with some top-tier instructions, then I don't think there could be any other possible method of mass recruiting so many warriors at once and provide the capital with the support, it requires."
The already noiseless conference room fell under even more silence.
Some were, in general, baffled to see the Duchess talking this much for the first time since in the past she generally stayed silent and only gave her view on matters when urged. But today, she seemed severely determined to ensure the Capital's vanguard. As expected of the lady!
Others were astonished to hear Valarie's point of view on the matter which despite being harsh for the youths was a plausible initiative for a better future. And the way she dictated it, made the people present inside the hall think of their previous review on the issue once again.
It goes without saying that those who get the chance to get enrolled in the central academy affiliated with the Ranghuar Capital, are no ordinary students to shrug about. They have already achieved a little accomplishment by getting admitted to the Academy and showing their worth to become prodigies who can protect their motherland.
Charles was silent for a long minute as he awaited any objection he was expecting from the council members, but just like him, they also must have reconsidered their thoughts after hearing the Duchess' reasoning for the proposal she forwarded.
"Headmaster, Rowell. What is your opinion regarding Madame Valarie's proposition?"
All the gazes except for Valarie's shifted toward the old man who stayed mostly silent throughout the meeting and only spoke when it was required.
With his fingers caressing his long facial hair, the old man spoke in a tone that gave off a tinge of uncertainty.
"If what Madame Duchess propose is to be followed and my students get exposed to a higher degree of tutelage then I suppose, turning them into a strong pillar of the empire would not be impossible."
Previously it was Valarie that was why no one spoke but this time someone from the group raised their voice to rebuke the statement.
"Ranghaur is in dire need of soldiers and grooming students who have majorly learned under the shade of well-trained professors would be extremely difficult since most of them have yet to face what reality has to offer. They are youth who needs to see the bright sky and explore new things which every child is entitled to, so sending them off like this seems an injustice to them. Not to talk about the guardians of those youths who would never agree to send off their children to the battlefield."
"Duke Kalwarine."
The only female in the room again spoke up making the red-headed Duke choke on his breath since he primarily thought to be responded by the headmaster who was convenient to argue with. But Valarie gave no room to follow up with any discussion as she intervened ruthlessly.
"Once the enemy breaches the last line of defense there would be no home to return to. Not for the students or their parents. If they want to live, they have to either fight or leave the land they regard as their birthplace since serving Ranghaur should be the first and foremost duty of each and every living creature breathing out there. And if it's about how a parent would feel to send their children to the battlefield, then you don't have to worry, since as a mother I can guarantee, my son's servitude toward the empire would make me the proudest. So speak only when you have any other reasonable excuse to cross my proposal."
By the time Valarie concluded her words, the hall dropped way beyond abyssal silence with the red-headed duke sweating profusely, thinking about how he ended up triggering Valarie's annoyance. He was careful with his words and spoke only those terms which any normal person out there would have agreed to.
But the way Valarie held herself until the end, it seemed Kalwarine was proposing something against Ranghaur while being subjected to his emotions and Valarie just put him in his place by bringing up the fact that no one in the room could have dared to reproach. Heck, even the emperor would have felt a loss for words in this situation.
Prince Charles looked around the room once again, while inspecting everyone's take on the matter and the heated reasoning Valarie came up with. But no one seemed man enough to bring what they have preserved in their mind as a rebuttal.
Since Charles had no qualms about his aunt's decision and in general the idea seemed concrete and dependable, the prince sighed and spoke in a much lighter tone this time.
"Since no one seems to be against Madame's suggestion, shall we initiate planning the procedure and requirements so I could forward it to, Your Majesty?"
"Y-Yes, of course, your highness."
"I-If it's the council's decision then why not..."
Soon the room began to buzz with small chattering related to their proceeding thoughts on the matter and how they should be taking things in order to make the best out of it.
After affirming that the council was now with her proposal, Valarie leaned back on her chair and with a small charming grin she muttered under her breath.
'Now you can't leave your mama, baby~'
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A/N:- I know it's absurd but Valarie had this in mind that was why she ever proposed the idea. Talk about extreme.
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