Chapter 86. Wolves Howling in the Wheat Field (1)
The Goddess Order released a statement regarding the territorial war exceptionally in time with Blanc’s declaration of war.
-Even if he is Baron Blanc, the Seeker of the Blue Star, the Order cannot shield him. However, the righteousness he possesses is correct, so we highly evaluate his courage in opposing the three families.
In effect, it was a declaration no different from supporting Blanc.
The Cardinals and priests planted by Gartaria and Prince Aleid could not stop the followers of the Pope and Blanc, and the forces newly recruited by Bartomyu at all.
Also, not only in Moirai but also in the Felix Royal Court, the arrangements prepared by Tolome and Neudorf were being activated.
“Isn’t this revealing the ambition of the Kingdom of Felix using Baron Blanc?”
Gartaria’s diplomat protested with his beard trembling, but King Frederick answered with a peaceful smile.
“Wasn’t this strictly started by Gartaria first?”
“But.”
“I judged back then that the cause held by the three Barons of Gartaria was sufficient to start a war, so I said I would not dare to intervene.”
The Kingdom of Felix, where the characteristics of the feudal system remained intact.
Due to the nature of the kingdom that strongly guaranteed the autonomy of the lords, even the King had no way to stop a territorial war with a justifiable cause.
That was why King Frederick did not intervene in the affairs of Cadmus and the three families of Gartaria.
Although, in truth, he had only used that as an excuse to pursue his own profit.
“Just like this time, I have no justification to intervene.”
And this time too, he was only moving for his own profit.
“However, the participation of Tolome and Neudorf, who are Meritorious Nobles, is crossing the line.”
Gartaria’s diplomat protested in a strong tone, but King Frederick was cunningly crushing his intent.
“Cadmus, Tolome, and Neudorf are already like one body. Besides, didn’t your side also combine three families to strike Cadmus in the first place? I see the conditions as equal.”
“But isn’t there Quiesco as well?”
As the diplomat said, if Quiesco was included, a total of four forces had joined the Cadmus Baron army.
“Gartaria does not acknowledge the existence of Quiesco, does it?”
King Frederick said with a smile.
“They would just be a mercenary corps hired by Baron Blanc, wouldn’t they?”
King Frederick was utilizing his specialty to continuously blunt the opponent’s sharp spear tip.
“Instead, I will ensure that other families or forces do not participate. This war will be a fight between those with justification to the end. I swear it.”
At King Frederick’s words, the diplomat could not find any grounds to refute and only trembled his beard with a flushed face.
As King Frederick said, it was the three families of Gartaria that started it first, and since Blanc was returning the justification they used intact, his actions could not be called unjust.
Moreover, since Gartaria did not acknowledge the existence of Quiesco, they could not dare interfere with whether a mere mercenary corps was hired or not.
‘It is a checkmate.’
The diplomat lowered his head, feeling that he could not reverse this situation with his power.
Eventually, everything started from the three families of Langketa, Vicious, and Kamora, so they had to take responsibility for everything that occurred due to it.
***
“You came taking your time.”
The heads of the three families, Langketa, Kamora, and Vicious, who received Blanc’s declaration of war, led their troops and joined at Norington as previously promised.
Compared to the Cadmus Baron army, which had to start from Moirai, pass through Baltimere, and arrive at Norington, the three families were settled nearby and had already been preparing for Blanc’s invasion, so they could build a camp two or three steps ahead of them.
“The most important thing in war is where you take your position.”
Baron Kamora said, moving his chin folded in two.
As he said, the allied forces of the three families had preempted the advantageous high ground and were welcoming the Cadmus army.
The position of the allied forces, which had already preempted the high ground on the hill, had a dense forest behind it, blocking any potential enemy detour, and a river in front, making it a terrain where enemies could not rashly charge.
Moreover, since they were on high ground, they held an advantageous point in the range of archers, so it was understandable for Baron Kamora to be confident.
“Is it Edwin Falangar, the Knight of Speed?”
Baron Vicious was figuring out the Cadmus army that was just setting up camp near the riverside.
As they expected, it was certain that Magnus and Edwin were acting as Blanc Cadmus' practical adjutants and field commanders.
“Magnus is not visible.”
“Are they trying to utilize them for other uses rather than forcibly mixing two forces?”
The Cadmus army was largely divided into troops commanded by Magnus and Edwin.
The abilities of these two had already been sufficiently verified, but whether the young greenhorn named Blanc Cadmus could properly handle two veteran commanders was the biggest variable for the Cadmus Baron army.
“By the way, it bothers me that the Quiesco Cavalry is not visible.”
“That is true, but they cannot enter Norington without passing through here where we are guarding. And they cannot enter our territories without passing through Norington.”
“It seems they are plotting something, but even if they do, they will eventually have to shove their faces in front of us.”
Since the Cadmus army started moving from far away, it was easy for the three lords to grasp their movements.
However, from the moment they reached the vicinity of Norington, it was difficult to grasp their movements as if they were wrapped in fog.
“They mean to cover for them since they are of the same Kingdom of Felix.”
“Well, even we would have done that much.”
Neighboring lords actively conducted reconnaissance activities only during the period when the Cadmus Baron army marched through the cooperation request of Tolome and Neudorf.
Although the eyes and ears of the three lords were closed by them, they did not care much.
“We predicted a situation like this anyway. We have prepared everything.”
Baron Kamora, who could be called the head of the three lords, banged his chest and spoke with an appearance full of confidence.
“Our troops are close to five thousand, while they are merely over a thousand! What is there to fear when we have troops close to five times theirs?”
As Baron Kamora said, it was true that the allied forces of the three lords had a numerical advantage compared to the Cadmus army.
However, saying there was a five-fold difference like Baron Kamora said was an exaggeration, and the difference was about three times.
However, even that much made the winning rate of the allied forces clearly higher, so Baron Kamora deserved to be full of confidence.
“Anyway, it is a war where nothing good comes from dragging it out long.”
Baron Langketa nodded at Baron Vicious' words.
“Since that cunning black wolf invaded exactly at the time to harvest wheat, just keeping the able-bodied men here instead of in the wheat fields is a loss for us.”
The three lords could not have swollen their bulk like now with just simple standing armies and mercenaries.
Because they had to conscript the able-bodied men of the territory who had to prepare to harvest wheat, it would be difficult to expect large profits from this year’s wheat farming.
Moreover, the three lords, Langketa, Vicious, and Kamora, had no choice but to expand their armaments always keeping war in mind thanks to the existence of Blanc threatening them.
As a result, they could show a dignified appearance against the Cadmus Baron army by gathering troops close to five thousand now, but.
If thought in reverse, this could be seen as a result created by gnawing at their own insides that much.
Outwardly, Blanc, who came down leading only mercenaries and supported troops without territory and foundation, looked precarious, but in reality, the situation of the three lords who had swollen their bodies excessively was not that advantageous either.
Furthermore, Blanc was a person with sufficient gold coins due to the arrangement Ulrich left behind, so time was rather on Blanc’s side.
However, the lords who did not know this fact thought it was advantageous for them the longer they held out.
“They are building barriers more than necessary.”
Baron Langketa discovered a suspicious point in the camp of the Cadmus army.
Although the Cadmus army was the attacking side, they were building wooden fences and camps elaborately as if they were intending a siege.
“Are they thinking of a long-term war? Even so, if they pile up wooden fences to that extent, it won’t be easy to get out later either?”
The Cadmus Baron army solidifying their defensive formation to the extent that it could be expressed as a castle made almost of wood.
Since they had experienced Magnus and Edwin, the actions they were taking now must surely have a trick.
“Hmph! Even if they do that, they eventually have to rush at us, so wouldn’t it all be in vain!”
“Hmm…….”
Baron Kamora’s words were correct, but Barons Langketa and Vicious could feel anxiety creeping up the back of their necks.
“Do not worry! If we just block this place, not only Norington but our territories will be safe!”
Baron Kamora was still banging his chest and confident, but.
“Baron! Baron Vicious!”
A messenger rushing in hurriedly broke that atmosphere.
“What is it!”
Baron Kamora looked disapprovingly at the messenger who broke his excitement, but it was also an urgent circumstance for the messenger to barge into the place where three Barons were gathered now.
“Huff huff…… Vicious' territory has been attacked!”
“What did you say!”
This time, Baron Vicious turned pale with fright.
His territory is burning?
“The Ca, Cadmus Baron army has invaded! They are burning our wheat fields and grain warehouses!”
“What does that mean! As long as we are guarding this place, not even a rat should be able to escape!”
The three Barons found it hard to accept the messenger’s report as a real situation.
However, as messengers continued to come in one by one, informing of the trouble in the Vicious territory, they had no choice but to accept that the current report was true.
“Where on earth did they slip through!”
Baron Vicious' scream-like astonishment echoed.
***
Magnus was looking at Blanc with eyes as if he were looking at something amazing.
“How on earth did you find out about this path?”
In the midst of the procession going down to Norington.
Blanc, confident that the spies of the three lords were no longer active through the scouts he released and the cooperation of nearby lords, led a series of troops and suddenly slipped away to a side road.
Leading the Quiesco Cavalry, his knights, Franz, and about 20 Tolome knights.
Blanc led them to a secretive passage that smugglers would use.
To use this passage, Blanc had secretly sent people to prepare.
This road, which was no different from evidence of an ordeal to him.
Fourth day of advancing, piercing through clumsily blocked roads with Franz’s reagents and crossing rivers by making rafts.
Since they had horses, they could arrive at the destination city much faster than Blanc expected.
Seeing the 130 or so soldiers who appeared suddenly, the city residents clearly showed signs of panic, but the target of the Cadmus detached force was not the city in front of their eyes.
“My father used to sit me on his knee when he was drunk and tell me about things from the past.”
Magnus felt sorry thinking he touched his painful past seeing Blanc whose eyes seemed to drift away as if recalling the past.
But Blanc’s words were a lie.
Blanc succeeded in sneaking out about a hundred soldiers using the secret route of gold smugglers.
The detached force of the Cadmus Baron army arrived safely at the city of corruption and sin, Baywood.
“Didn’t I tell you?”
Blanc’s eyes shone.
“That I would decide when, where, and how to fight.”
The Cadmus army was riding horses and marching without hesitation.
Blanc seized the initiative in this war with his aggressive movement.
The place Blanc targeted was precisely the territory of the Vicious family.
Monshau.