Chapter 245: Having It Both Ways

Seeing that Fabio doesn’t quite grasp his point, Henwell explains, “You’ve been hesitating too much. That won’t do. When you reach a crossroads, you have to choose! Wavering and pacing in place won’t solve anything. You need to ask yourself honestly—what is it that you really want?”

Fabio replies, “What do I want? Of course, I want the Iron Wall Legion to grow stronger, so everyone’s lives improve!”

Leaning against the carriage wall, Henwell gently shakes his head. “No, that’s too broad. Wanting the Iron Wall Legion to be strong is a big-picture goal. The real question is: which part of the Iron Wall Legion do you want to strengthen?”

Without hesitation, Fabio says, “Obviously, I want all of them to be strong! The Iron Wall Legion is a whole!”

Henwell sighs, “Ah, Fabio, you should understand this better. To you, the Iron Wall Legion is a whole. But don’t forget, when the Iron Wall Legion was first formed, it was made up of two completely different groups: serfs and nobles. In life-or-death situations, people could overlook their origins.”

”But now, the Iron Wall Legion faces no threat of collapse. Gradually, people start to take sides based on profits. Serfs rally with serfs, nobles with nobles. I bet the new nobles promoted in the Western Regions over the past few years have split into two factions—the old noble faction and the newly risen serf faction.”

”The nobles have a natural advantage, making it easier for them to gain noble titles. Whether it’s competing for officer positions or noble titles each year, the nobles hold an absolute edge. The serf faction has to work harder and achieve more just to get the same rank or title. That’s where the unfairness comes in.”

Fabio explains, “I’m not biased! It’s mainly because the noble faction’s ancestors already earned merits. When you add those up, the nobles don’t actually use fewer merits than the serf faction’s newcomers.”

Henwell shrugs, “Sure! That’s your perspective. But from the serfs’ point of view, it’s different. They see themselves working harder and earning more merits than many nobles, yet they still don’t get promoted.”

Fabio falls silent again. Some things just can’t be changed.

You can’t just dismiss the merits accumulated by the noble faction’s ancestors in the name of fairness now.

Fabio says, “But this doesn’t directly relate to making the Iron Wall Legion stronger, right? Even if there’s friction between the two sides, they’re both loyal to the Iron Wall Legion!”

Henwell nods, “That’s true! They are loyal to the Iron Wall Legion, loyal to you as their leader. But to become an elite legion, you can’t have two factions. Whether it’s my legion or the kingdom’s top forces, they all have just one faction.”

”Without factions, there’s a shared goal and a fair environment. The only difference between an elite legion and an ordinary unit is willpower.”

”Ordinary units can’t hold up once they lose about thirty percent of their men. Elite legions can endure over half their casualties—even total annihilation—and still refuse to retreat.”

“The serf faction in the Iron Wall Legion fights fiercely to earn promotions, forging a stubborn fighting spirit. The noble faction, like other top legions across the continent, carries the honor of nobility, which also fuels a strong will to fight.”

”So, you have to choose: a noble-honor legion or a serf-grit legion. Choosing one means abandoning the other. You don’t really think you can have your cake and eat it too, expecting the Iron Wall Legion to become stronger without paying any price, do you?”

Fabio hesitates a moment, then asks, “Is there really no way to have the best of both worlds?”

He chuckles awkwardly, feeling a little embarrassed by his own wishful thinking.

Henwell looks at him deeply. “You know what? I have to say, Fabio, you’re one lucky guy. Normally, one side has to be cut off and sacrificed. But right now, you actually have a very rare opportunity—something you could barely call having it both ways.”

Fabio’s eyes brighten as if he finally understands. “You mean… my father?”

Henwell nods. “Exactly! Your father—the Duke Obiken—is the key to solving your problem. No matter how much you resist him, one thing you can’t deny is that you’ll inherit the Western Regions’s dukedom someday.”

”Right now, you can assign the noble faction of the Iron Wall Legion under Duke Obiken’s command. I’m sure those nobles will be thrilled. After all, from their perspective, this is laying the groundwork for you to secure the dukedom.”

”Your father is a cunning old ‘fox’; he’ll carefully manage those capable and battle-hardened noble officers. Don’t forget, it was your father who commanded the Silent Battle Axe Legion, an elite force. His military skills are hardly any less than yours. Those promising talents you hand over will be well nurtured.”

“At the same time, your father can take the blame for any conflicts arising from dividing the Iron Wall Legion, protecting your reputation. Meanwhile, you can focus on reorganizing and strengthening the serf faction alone. If luck is on your side, you might end up with two elite legions!”

“That’s why I told you to seek out Duke Obiken. As his only qualified heir and the backbone of your family, he’ll be more than willing to help you solve this headache. Plus, your father needs more power to reinforce his current dukedom.”

Henwell looks at the suddenly enlightened Fabio and shakes his head with a sigh. “You really are one lucky guy. In most places, a class split like this would require bloodshed, rebellion, and purges.”

”But you happen to have this golden opportunity to carry out reform and transformation with almost no loss. Listen carefully to your father’s plans—he’s far smarter than you and will handle things far more smoothly.”

Henwell can already predict how that old fox Obiken will play this.

He’ll forcefully pull the noble faction out of the Iron Wall Legion, then let Fabio put on a show—acting like he doesn’t rely on nobles or family ties to get things done.

Fabio will stick with the serf faction, those struggling commoners.

This move will immediately resonate with the serf faction members who have no family backing. They’ll be fully on board with all of Fabio’s upcoming reforms.

Fabio becomes their spokesperson, they want everyone to know that even without family support, someone can still carve out a great career.

Does Henwell have selfish motives? Of course!

Once Fabio inherits the dukedom, those two elite legions will reunite under his command. The conflicts never truly disappear; they’re just temporarily shifted aside. The stronger the two factions get, the wider the rift between them grows.

When Henwell is ready to make his own big move, the new Iron Wall Legion will face a reality: the only true self-made leader who rose to the top without family backing is the lord of Blood Hill from Peace Haven!

Only the lord of Blood Hill can truly represent their interests.

Thanks, Fabio, for the army you helped me build!

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Note: From a political perspective, I’ve always believed that to be a good leader—whether of a company, a school, or any organization—the most important thing isn’t just improving your own skills or the group’s overall ability. It’s about balancing the different factions within the group to ensure stability and unity. This also prevents pointless internal conflicts between factions.