Chapter 52: Siege

Oswald stroked his chin. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that the matter was full of treacherous undercurrents and hidden killing intent.

There was no doubt that Diana was a hopeless fool when it came to debasing herself.

But she did indeed love Thorne down to her bones, and she was wholeheartedly determined to take the Northern Territory for Thorne.

First of all, he could judge that Diana had not told Frank about possessing memories from the previous life.

Because that was far too dangerous. In Oswald’s understanding, Thorne in the story had been favored by destiny and had swept all before him all the way until he defeated the Demon King.

But for the heroines who had only experienced the previous life, they had suffered a complete defeat.

Their group had dragged the king’s most elite troops with them and wagered everything in the Northern Territory, only to be forced to the brink of the kingdom’s destruction. In the end, they had no choice but to use the Wishing Star to reverse time…

What? You say you succeeded? If you succeeded, why did you come back? Could it be that this time, what you want to replace is my throne?!

Right now, the only thing Oswald could not determine was whether the princess was using these nobles in order to take them for herself, or whether she was using them to make trouble for him.

In the previous life, they had transferred their assets so secretly. If her goal was to win over the nobles, there was no need for Diana to make such a show of it. She could have done it entirely behind Oswald’s back.

What if… Diana was deliberately luring him into punishing the nobles? Looking carefully, their contracts were filled entirely with strategic materials.

Oswald could tolerate them transporting sugar, but several hundred warhorses, right under his nose! Who could possibly sell off several hundred warhorses?

“Good. So you came here to play schemes with me.” Oswald laughed in extreme anger. He had never been able to figure out Diana’s legitimate reason for coming to the Northern Territory, but now, he understood.

What if Diana had told Frank that she wanted to help the king purchase strategic materials in the Northern Territory?

In that case, Frank would absolutely nod and agree. Diana could also use this open scheme to make trouble for Oswald.

If Oswald provided the materials, he would be weakening the Northern Territory’s strength. If Oswald refused to provide the materials, he would be offending the king’s authority. If Oswald both refused to provide the materials and punished the nobles, then that would be even better.

Because by then, he would have offended everyone inside and out.

Oswald took down the reports one by one. Killing intent gradually rose in him as he said in a low voice, “Eileen, is your blade still sharp?”

Eileen, who was kneeling behind him, straightened at once. “I am ready to serve the Duke at any time.”

Red looked up in stunned silence. What about me? Why did he not ask me? Has His Grace forgotten that I am the military officer here?

After organizing the reports and stuffing them back into the document bag, Oswald walked up to Red. His tall figure pressed down on Red until Red could hardly breathe.

“These people. You know what to do with them, don’t you?”

Red cupped his hands, understanding in his heart. “I understand. These nobles have brought disaster upon the Northern Territory, harmed the common people, and committed crimes too numerous to record! Please issue the order at once, Your Grace, and I…”

“No hurry.” Oswald’s gaze was dark as he smiled with cold amusement. “Have Morphy arrange it. On the night five days from now, I want a grand banquet. Remember, none of them may be absent.”

“Yes!”

Red took the document bag, his fingers trembling despite himself. What kind of report was this? This was clearly a death list.

After making all the arrangements, Oswald lit his pipe and gazed far into the horizon.

An urgent order silently left Ice City. The cavalry rode through the night and finally arrived at the Broad Valley City military camp before dawn.

“Report!”

“An urgent order from the Duke!!!”

Division Commander Kate, who had already gotten up, burst out of the toilet, pulling up his pants as he ran. With one swift step, he slid several meters on his knees and rushed in front of the cavalryman, shouting even louder than a rooster crowing.

“Your subordinate receives the order!”

The cavalryman was speechless. I have not even said what the order is yet.

“The Duke has ordered Division Commander Kate to swiftly assemble the army and lead the Second Regiment south to Ice City at once.”

“Yes.”

It had come. It had finally come!

Kate was wild with joy. Soldiers were maintained for a thousand days to be used in a single moment. At last, it was Kate’s turn to win merit and establish achievements.

After receiving the transfer order, Kate first verified it. Just as Kate was about to open it and take a look, the entire military camp behind erupted into commotion in an instant.

Squads of soldiers rushed out of their tents. To call them well trained, they swarmed forward while elbowing their comrades as they ran. To call them undisciplined, they at least knew to find their officers. By the time they reached Kate, they had already formed neat ranks.

The group stood on the ground like javelins, yet their mouths were filled with noisy chatter.

“Division Commander, which regiment is it?”

“Is it our regiment, Division Commander? It is our regiment, right?”

“Second Regiment. I heard it clearly just now. It is the Second Regiment.”

…

Former Second Regiment Commander Kate raised the transfer order in his hand, unable to hide the smugness between his brows. “It is the Second Regiment, all right. The Second Regiment! All members of the Second Regiment, pack your things. The army is heading south!”

One unit rejoiced while two were dejected. The soldiers of the Second Regiment jumped three feet high, racing all over the field and cheering, while the soldiers of the First Regiment and Third Regiment turned away in disappointment.

Ever since Count Londo had begun overseeing Broad Valley City, these soldiers had all understood one thing in their hearts. Perhaps before long, they would be able to march out and kill the enemy.

Why was that group of militia able to suppress bandits and go to the Western Territory, but they were not?

In terms of combat power, they left the militia far behind!

Besides, their training now looked quite proper. When Count Londo came to inspect them, even he sighed in admiration: They had the bearing of a strong army. It was time to take them out and let them see blood.

Federico, who had been promoted to company commander for his achievements in training troops, also grinned broadly. But as he laughed, he began to feel that something was not right.

South? What were they heading south to fight? There was not even a bandit in the south now.

Even if they were not heading north to fight the demon race, they should have been going east…

In the east of the Northern Territory, war raged fiercely. Both sides had set out massive formations, and after several fierce clashes in a row, they each sounded the retreat and withdrew their troops.

Jacob had played a little trick. A few days earlier, he had deliberately released news that Lady Luna had brought several thousand cavalry, frightening the allied noble army into withdrawing overnight. Jacob seized the opportunity to capture a large amount of grain, fodder, and supplies.

But at dawn the next day, when the nobles came forward to take a look, there were only four hundred extra cavalrymen on the other side!

Humiliated and enraged, they had increased the intensity of their attacks over the past few days, often fighting from daylight until deep into the night. Jacob, who knew Lady Luna’s plan, naturally let them do as they wished. As he retreated, he did not forget to throw out the captured grain and fodder again.

Late at night, Jacob held up an oil lamp and narrowed his eyes as he studied the map.

Judging by the time, Lady Luna should arrive at Fineleaf City tonight.

“There is no operation plan, and we do not need an operation plan.” Luna took the wineskin from her waist, looked at the flickering stars in the distance, and took a bold gulp.

Mead… no, honey water.

Because Luna said a military commander could not abstain from drinking, Eileen had no choice but to prepare this drink for her.

“I will take the lead. I do not need armor.”

The adjutant patted his chest. He had charged through thousands of troops before. This was his first battle as one of Lady Luna’s personal soldiers, so he had to leave a good impression.

“Good. Have a sip to bolster your courage.”

“Lady Luna, I will lead the army and open the way for you.” The female soldier refused to be outdone and stepped forward with her spear upright.

“Not bad. You have a sip too.”

The night wind whimpered. After the four hundred cavalrymen finished resting, they began helping one another put on heavy armor.

The adjutant took off his clothes, slung a bow across his back, carried a saber at his waist, and raised the only torch in the unit before riding out alone to open the way for the cavalry.

A single point of firelight appeared on the pitch-black earth. In the distance, the sound of horse hooves was swallowed by the wind, bringing with it the rustling scrape of heavy armor.

On the walls of Fineleaf City, the guards on watch noticed the light of the torch and hurried to report it.

“Who is it? Don’t you know no one is allowed into the city at night?”

The guards’ superior yawned, wrapped himself in a blanket, and came up onto the city wall.

Below, he saw one man standing bare-chested, holding a torch and waiting motionlessly in place.

“What unit are you from? What are you doing here?”

The guard captain stuck his head out and picked at his ear. Strange. Why was there a faint buzzing in his head?

“Captain!”

“What are you shouting for?” The guard captain curled his lip impatiently. These people had no sense at all. Could they not see that he was asking questions?

“Enemy attack!”

“Enemy, my—”

Before he could finish speaking, an arrow tore through the air and pierced his head.

Red and white matter spilled all over the ground. The guards’ expressions changed sharply. When they looked again at the bow-wielding figure below the city, they actually froze where they stood.

The earth thundered louder and louder like a war drum. The heavy cavalry had completed their acceleration, and in an instant, a vast tide of cavalry surged out of the darkness, charging straight toward the city wall.

“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”

Only then did the guards finally react. The alarm bell on the city wall was struck in wild disorder. By the time all the guards hurried to the top of the wall, the heavy cavalry had already dismounted in unison and drawn their bows.

“Loose!”

Luna drew her sword and roared, successfully igniting the flames of war.

The bowstrings released. A dense rain of arrows arced into the sky and instantly covered the entire stretch of city wall before them.

Without the slightest pause, the cavalry advanced, carrying scaling ladders as they rushed beneath the city wall.

The scaling ladder had not even been set firmly in place when the adjutant, who had long been waiting, bit down on his long saber and leaped upward to climb. In just a few seconds, he had reached the top of the wall.

The guards had been turned into porcupines by the arrows scattered everywhere. After losing their commander, they were one step slower. Seeing that the adjutant had already appeared over the wall, one guard hurriedly thrust his spear at him.

The adjutant easily dodged it, grabbed that guard in passing, and threw him down. The guard screamed in terror as he fell to the ground and spat blood. Amazingly, he had not yet breathed his last, but a dark mass of heavy-armored soldiers was already trampling toward him.

“Kill!”

People would always erupt with courage in desperate situations, but the guards entering tragic last-stand mode this quickly was something the adjutant had not expected.

He stepped forward and cut down one guard with a single slash. However, even more guards had already pounced at him, forcing the adjutant to retreat quickly.

A forest of spears formed, and the guards finally gained the strength to fight. On the wall on the other side, guards had also begun shooting arrows. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! The arrows struck the armor of the soldiers below the wall.

“WHOOSH!”

An unknown iron ball was thrown into the air, making a strange sound.

Upon seeing the iron ball, the adjutant hurriedly rolled over and hid beneath the battlement, covering his eyes with his arm.

With a resounding BANG, it was as though another sun had appeared in midair. A piercing light illuminated all of Fineleaf City until it was bright as day.

Every guard who looked directly at that light let out a wail. Their eyes burned with agony, so painful that their entire brains seemed to convulse!

In that brief span of time, the heavy-armored soldiers gradually climbed onto the city wall. They swiftly began forming ranks and started their slaughter like a bulldozer.

When these well-trained human tanks entered such a low-intensity battlefield, they were like wolves among sheep. In mere moments, they sent great sprays of blood scattering through the air.

The sounds of killing swallowed the screams. Presumably, no one in Fineleaf City would be able to sleep again tonight.

After waiting for about three minutes, the city gate opened wide. Luna silently wiped away the blood that had splashed onto her face, then led her mounted troops into Fineleaf City with a rather bored air.