Chapter 1298  The two military advisors noticed the shift in Oliver’s expression, so Alec quickly interjected, “Have you seen the archery skills of the Elite Marksmanship Unit, Marshal Prince? Or the ballistaes we’ve improved? They’re quite ingenious.”  “I have seen them,” Oliver replied curtly. When he first arrived at Southern Frontier, he had gone to oversee their training sessions.  Timothy recalled the visit as well. But at that time, they had just selected a new batch of archers and had been working on their accuracy. They hadn’t even had the chance to use the new ballistaes either.  “We also have matchlocks,” Louis added. “But when it comes to a direct  confrontation between armies, we won’t be relying on them. A sword is far more effective. Speed is the key.”  Matchlocks were more useful in close–quarter combat, where there was cover to hide behind. After firing a shot, one could reload while staying out of sight. However, in a face–to–face battle, before one could even raise the weapon, their head might already be taken off.  Louis added a few more points, but Oliver seemed disinterested.  Timothy recalled that Oliver favored matchlocks. So, when he saw Oliver’s reaction, he said, “I’ve heard that the Ministry of Defense is working on improving the matchlocks, and I believe they’ll be sending some to Southern Frontier soon.”  This was meant to be a morale booster for Oliver, who might feel at a disadvantage, with Sandoria using matchlocks while they wouldn’t.  But instead of cheering him up, the remark only solidified Oliver’s belief that his decision to flee had been the right one. The continuous shipment of weapons to Southern Frontier–even the matchlocks that had previously been underused–was proof of just how intense the imperiding conflict with Sandoria would be.  Everyone was frustrated by Oliver’s reaction but did their best to suppress their emotions. At such a critical moment, it was wiser not to provoke him. As the marshal holding the military command emblem–and being so petty–offending him would only harm the greater cause.  Fortunately, after discussing various strategies for defense and counterattack, Oliver did approve of their plans, though he added only the most superficial input. His suggestions were shallow, uninspired, mere regurgitations from military  Chapter 1290  textbooks, and entirely unsuited for the unique challenges posed by Sandoria.  By the time the discussion carried on into the late hours, fatigue had set in for everyone. Oliver finally instructed the servants to bring in some soup to sustain them.  As everyone had eaten their fill, they politely declined the offer for more, but Oliver smiled warmly and insisted, “This soup you must try. It’s a mushroom soup made from mushrooms that my wife had someone sent from the capital. She made sure to have some brought for you all, but I forgot. Now that you’re all here, it seems only right to share it with you.”  Hearing Oliver mention his wife, their thoughts turned to Zoey. With Oliver’s concubine and son returning to the capital, no doubt rumors would swirl about Zoey’s reputation and how it might be affected.  The servants brought in five bowls of soup. One was handed to Oliver, and the rest were distributed among the four men. The mushroom soup was paired with fresh meat and ham, simmered to perfection, and the aroma was intoxicating.  Alec examined the mushrooms carefully. It wasn’t that he distrusted Oliver, but certain mushrooms were poisonous, and one could never be too careful. He inspected the mushrooms closely, but they appeared safe to eat, so he relaxed and began drinking.  The others, seeing no reason for suspicion, followed suit, sipping the fragrant soup.  Oliver glanced at them, blowing lightly on his bowl before drinking his own. The mushrooms, of course, were safe to consume. However, the illusion powder, ground into fine dust, was sprinkled in just before serving and mixed well so no one would notice.  The dose wasn’t heavy, so its effects wouldn’t kick in for another hour or two–by which time they’d have already returned to their quarters. Even if someone noticed something was off, they’d likely just assume it was from overdrinking.  By the next day, if anyone didn’t wake up or experienced severe vomiting, the military physicians would naturally step in to treat them.  Oliver waited until they had finished the soup, then had his servants escort them out  They left in high spirits, as this was the most pleasant discussion they’d had since receiving the scout’s report. Oliver hadn’t been entirely dismissive this time and even showed signs of approval now and then.  Chapter 1298  Louis leaned toward Timothy, saying quietly, “Maybe we’ve misjudged him. He wasn’t difficult at all tonight, right?”  “Misjudged? Not at all,” Timothy replied. “It’s just that with the enemy army pressing in, he needs us to fight. Of course he’s being more cooperative.”