Chapter 87. Wolves Howling in the Wheat Field (2)
The wheat fields were burning.
The farmers could not hide their despondent expressions watching that sight, but they had no choice but to bow their heads saying thank you to the soldiers in front of their eyes.
Because the Cadmus army left at least enough wheat fields for the village people to make a living.
Moreover, if their mood twisted, it was unknown if they would strike them down with the swords they were holding at any time.
“Thank…… Thank you. Baron.”
An elderly old man came forward and bowed his head to the young man with black hair.
“War is a harsh thing. I hope you understand well how great the favor I bestowed upon you is.”
Blanc said looking into the map without even looking at the village chief bowing to him.
“We will never forget the grace Baron Blanc has shown!”
Although the village chief’s words stemmed from fear, they were also words coming from sincerity.
The old village chief knew well that it was wartime, and in such a situation, commoners like him would find it difficult to even preserve their lives, let alone avoid looting.
However, the Cadmus army only requisitioned food provisions and did not commit looting or murder.
Although they burned the wheat fields which were like life.
“We have gone through all the nearby villages.”
Blanc folded the map and ordered the soldiers.
“From now on, we will strike the direct territory of the Vicious family.”
As soon as Blanc’s words ended, his soldiers answered loudly.
“Move out.”
Magnus drove his horse next to Blanc and thought about his actions so far.
‘He is a big vessel.’
The Baron who just turned sixteen was experienced and calm like a person over forty.
With the vigor of that age, he might have invaded Vicious' castle right away leading the soldiers, but Blanc chose the method of slowly tightening their necks instead of doing so.
Since they were moving quickly utilizing the cavalry’s superior mobility, there was no way for the troops remaining in Monshau to do anything.
Moreover, since he did not take lives recklessly and granted a sliver of mercy to the territory people, the evaluation of Blanc Cadmus was rather rising in the vicinity of Monshau even though he was in the position of an invader.
This phenomenon was also a result of Baron Vicious squeezing the territory people excessively to expand armaments.
‘He is securing both justification and practical benefit at the same time.’
He thought Princess Isabella whom he served was also excellent material, but Baron Blanc whom he watched up close was displaying his ability without hesitation even though he was younger than her.
“I respect the Baron’s thought of valuing human life, but due to that, the marching speed is slowing down.”
However, agreeing with Blanc’s actions and assisting him as an adjutant were different meanings.
Magnus worried about the slow marching speed of the Cadmus army and offered an opinion to cut down what needed to be cut down and go, but.
“How is it? Is this enough.”
“What do you mean?”
Blanc smiled coldly and said.
“Since we are poking around slowly like this, wouldn’t Baron Vicious' butt be restless?”
‘Hmm…….’
Magnus realized that Blanc’s intention was not simply striking Vicious' territory.
“Are you trying to draw out Baron Vicious' army?”
Blanc nodded quietly at Magnus' answer.
“But Baron, would he turn his army and return all the way here?”
Magnus did not know to what extent Baron Vicious' military talent was, but anyone could see that blowing away the main camp of the Cadmus army camped in front of Norington would be a better choice than turning the army all the way here.
Moreover, there was no way the two allied lords would permit his departure.
“Even if we cannot necessarily draw him out, wouldn’t we be able to greatly shake Baron Vicious' composure?”
Blanc looked far away.
“Furthermore, if the wind blows in my direction, perhaps he might lift his heavy body.”
Magnus did not know exactly what Blanc’s last words meant, but since he was establishing military merit excellently for now, he nodded.
“Let’s move.”
When Blanc’s order fell, the Cadmus army spurred their horses and ran.
***
“Eight villages have been looted so far. Also, it is said the wheat fields that were just before harvest have been completely burned.”
“Ughhhhh……!”
Baron Vicious had a cold nature, but his will was not that firm.
“And it is said the direction of advance they are currently moving is toward where Vicious Castle is.”
Hearing the report that the detached force of the Cadmus army was running toward his castle, Baron Vicious found it hard to find his reason.
Watching Baron Vicious swallowing his anger, Baron Langketa spoke with a solemn expression.
“It is said the traces of the Cadmus army were found from Baywood. It seems they used a secretive passage that sewer rats would use.”
Baron Langketa and Baron Kamora, who succeeded in tracking the Cadmus army’s traces, quickly racked their brains.
They wondered if they used a side path they didn’t know, but the situation was confirmed that they moved through Baywood.
Since Langketa and Kamora’s territories were at some distance from Baywood, the unidentified secretive road would not have led to their territories.
Moreover, unless Blanc running wild in Vicious intended to leave the battlefield altogether, he would not enter their territories which were at some distance.
“Are you watching a fire across the river because it is not your business!”
Baron Vicious shouted trembling his hands, but he also knew well in a corner of his heart that it couldn’t be helped.
Because turning the army to Monshau from here right now was the worst of bad moves.
Moreover, even if he turned the army like that, Baron Vicious was not confident in handling Prince Aleid’s anger that would strike afterward.
“There is no choice but to lock the castle gates firmly and prevent damage to the main castle at least.”
Baron Langketa thought of the best countermeasure Baron Vicious could take in the future along with comfort.
“The damage to the villages will be unavoidable.”
It was good to consider that the villages that were in the Vicious territory were almost all swept away by the Cadmus army already.
The Cadmus army moved more elusively than any other unit due to the unique mobility of cavalry and the strong discipline of the Quiesco Cavalry.
“Anyway, it is late to turn back now. Since they are troops centered on cavalry anyway, if you lock the castle gates firmly, they will not dare to attempt a siege.”
Since it was an enemy running wild in the rear area where great defense was not prepared, they had no choice but to bear the damage they caused intact.
“……Our vision had become too narrow! On the target called Baron Blanc!”
Since the rising star Blanc was growing day by day, the hearts of the three lords gathered here had no choice but to be impatient.
It was their fault for not being able to look a little more coldly and widely.
“Who would have known he would use the hole of rats leading merely a hundred or so cavalry?”
As Baron Kamora said, the tactic Blanc was choosing now was an ingenious and unconventional action enough to be called a trick.
Not only did he pull out troops using a smuggler’s route, but Blanc, who could be called the commander, was moving personally risking danger.
However, a trick was a stratagem that eventually had to hit a limit because it was not an orthodox method.
“Rather, how about striking the main camp of the Cadmus army now? As you can see, aren’t they in a state where a gap in troops has occurred as the cavalry slipped out?”
Baron Vicious cited valid grounds and said how about striking the main camp of the Cadmus army now, but if one saw Baron Vicious' pale face, anyone could know it was not a conclusion reached through cold judgment.
“Hmm…….”
Baron Kamora thought Baron Vicious' words also had a point, but.
“They built the camp too solidly.”
The main camp of the Cadmus army, which already knew Blanc’s plan, was firmly prepared.
Moreover, the existence of the river crossing between the two camps was a problem.
‘The existence of the river we thought was advantageous to us is rather helping the defense of the Cadmus army.’
Baron Langketa realized that the existence of the river was holding their ankles.
Since whichever side charged first would receive great resistance by the river, eventually this war was in a situation where the side moving first had to be disadvantaged.
“Eventually, the Cadmus army troops that slipped out separately are only centered on cavalry! They may be able to run wild in all directions and be annoying, but they will not be able to capture Baron Vicious' castle!”
Baron Kamora said trembling his chubby cheeks.
“I request reinforcements! We must also pick only cavalry separately and save Monshau!”
Baron Langketa and Baron Kamora did not welcome that request, but they also knew well that it was the only action they could take here right now.
“If we gather our cavalry, isn’t it over 300? Even if the Quiesco Cavalry is a strong army, if they join the soldiers waiting in my castle, they will be able to defeat them!”
Baron Vicious' words also had a point.
“Do not worry!”
Baron Kamora banged his chest and guaranteed.
“I have already sent a request for reinforcements to Prince Aleid. I will ask those coming down from the capital to go to Monshau for rescue first.”
“Ohh…… Baron Kamora.”
The cunning Baron Kamora said he requested reinforcements, but in fact, it was a situation already promised by Prince Aleid’s side.
Baron Kamora, acting as a link between the Prince and the lords, was cleverly inflating his credit and solidifying his position.
“And as Baron Vicious said, let us also pick our cavalry separately to move!”
Anyway, the allied forces just had to counter the incoming Cadmus army.
Since the greenhorn named Blanc Cadmus was a person without foundation, the moment the gold coins he possessed ran out, the army in front of eyes would naturally dissolve.
Since he would try to settle the matter even unreasonably before such a time came, the allied forces just had to hold out until then and occupy the advantageous high ground.
Baron Kamora, who interpreted Blanc’s rear disturbance now as a struggle to end the war quickly somehow, intended to solidify the rear defense firmly through the allied forces’ cavalry along with Prince Aleid’s reinforcement troops at this opportunity.
“So Baron Vicious, do not worry too much!”
Baron Kamora tapped his protruding belly and guaranteed.
“How can they pierce the castle gate with only cavalry? Historically, such a thing has never happened even once!”
***
“Lord Franz! We must get out now!”
“Not yet, not yet! If I just install it there, the magic circle is complete!”
Franz sticking a solid lump emitting a foul smell closely to the castle gate of Vicious.
To escort him, Tolome’s knights were holding shields and receiving arrows and stones Baron Vicious' army poured from the castle wall.
“Those bastards are pouring oil!”
“Lord Franz!”
“Just this!”
However, Baron Vicious' army, noticing that they were trying to do something suspicious to the castle gate, was mobilizing everything to drive out the uninvited guests with all their might.
Although it was Baron Vicious' army with merely 300 or so remaining, they were enough to block the Cadmus army which was about 100 strong.
As long as the castle gate was not pierced.
“We cannot block the oil!”
No matter how much the knights were striking away flying things using excellent shield techniques and Aura, boiling oil was impossible.
The moment the cauldron of boiling oil was mounted right above the castle gate.
“My world shall burn white!”
The white thunderbolt Blanc emitted accurately struck Baron Vicious' army’s oil cauldron.
“AAAAAH!”
“The cauldron burst!”
Soldiers who were covered in the hot oil they prepared instead fell outside the castle wall screaming terrible screams.
“Lord Franz, you must come out!”
“Done!”
As soon as Franz spat out the words that he succeeded, Rakshar who was waiting picked him up and ran out like a thunderbolt.
Tolome’s knights held shields and chased Rakshar, escorting him.
“Ha! Hahaha!”
“You consumed too much time!”
“I did! Why would I have done that! I did it because I wanted to succeed!”
Franz was excited, messing up his red hair wildly.
“Blowing away a castle gate with my reagent? Isn’t it truly an exciting thing? I really wanted to succeed!”
Watching Franz whose eyes were shining like a five-year-old child, Blanc touched his temple as if he had a headache.
“Will it be possible?”
“Now I just have to throw the catalyst.”
Franz picked up a reagent bottle from his bosom and smiled toward Blanc.
“Honestly, I can’t gauge it either.”
“Pardon?”
“Because I haven’t tried injecting up to that amount.”
Franz smiled grinningly and looked at Blanc.
“Even in imagination.”
At the same time as finishing those words, Franz aimed his throwing weapon that looked similar to a crossbow at the castle gate.
“Just the things stuck there would be worth over 100 gold at least.”
Knights raised shields to escort Franz who was concentrating on aiming with one eye closed.
“If it succeeds, it will be the most expensive firework in the world.”
When Franz pulled the trigger, a reagent bottle containing an ominous red catalyst stretched out like an arrow.
It was a reagent of a color similar to Franz’s reddish-brown hair.
Blanc could feel madness lingering in Franz’s smile watching the reagent bottle fly.
“It’s thrilling.”
It was pure madness.
CLANG-.
The moment the small reagent bottle flew to the huge castle gate and shattered.
The black solid lumps Franz had attached began to glow as if they had been waiting.
“Everyone prepare for explosion!”
Blanc sent a warning to his soldiers as soon as he recognized the identity of the madness, but.
“……!”
Instantly, with a violent explosion sound as if the earth’s axis was shaking, ears became deaf for a moment.
Blanc staggering, unable to come to his senses for a moment at the massive explosion sound.
Something huge flew and embedded itself next to such Blanc.
‘My god…….’
It was a fragment of the castle gate that had been blocking them until just now.
WHOOSH.
Something was pouring down like rain over the head of Blanc who was dumbfounded.
“Stone powder?”
Blanc turned his head with blank eyes.
At the end of Blanc’s gaze, there was a red-haired handsome man laughing madly even in the midst of the rain of stone powder falling.
“Th-is is it! This is exactly it! UWAAAA!”
Blanc was blank for a moment at the series of spectacles detached from reality, but he was a Regressor who had undergone various ordeals.
He was a man like a wolf who did not miss an opportunity.
“The castle gate is gone! All forces charge!”
The Quiesco Cavalry and Tolome’s knights came to their senses at Blanc’s shout.
Befitting elite soldiers, they quickly came to their senses and marched without hesitation toward Vicious Castle obeying Blanc’s order.
And Baron Vicious' army could not stop them.
Because nothing existed anymore in the place where the castle gate used to be.