Chapter 99

“This is a report sent by the guild master of the Black Bat who infiltrated Rotheringen.”

“I thought it would take at least two days to send the report, so it’s surprising that it’s already here.”

Hearing that, Short Lieutenant spoke to me in a hushed voice, despite there being no one around.

“It seems that due to the intense clash between the citizens and soldiers in Rotheringen, the entrance and exit have become quite easy.”

If the castle’s defense commander wasn’t a fool, he would be doing his best to maintain a state of alertness. However, if the report suggests that access has become easier…

It can be inferred that the operation has effectively already succeeded.

[The guild master of the Black Bat reports that the serfs are very dissatisfied with the defense commander, who can’t protect them, and the soldiers assigned to guard them. Furthermore, the nobles do not trust the refugees and are reducing the food supplies for them.

As a result, some of the serfs protested with pitchforks and farming tools, claiming that whether they died by the hands of soldiers or from starvation was the same. They were executed a few days later.

As this situation continues, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain control within the city.

Moreover, it seems that the garrison troops inside the city can no longer fully trust each other.

Lastly, some of the troublemakers among our guild members have been executed for being branded as rioters due to working too fervently.]

From Maxburg’s perspective, this content would surely make their blood boil, but from my standpoint, it presents an optimal outcome.

First, by doing this, the defense commander can no longer conscript serfs into the garrison when I attack the castle.

Even if he were to lay aside his suspicions about the serfs, the other soldiers wouldn’t trust them.

This essentially means losing about 60% of the available military.

Additionally, even now, as I have yet to approach the enemy, those poor soldiers must be tormented by the fear of being assassinated and the exhaustion from continuous duty.

If I lay siege for just a few months, assuming no reinforcements arrive, I could take the castle without shedding blood.

However, we need to lure Maxburg’s forces to where we want them and annihilate them…

I must intentionally leak this information to hasten Maxburg’s movements.

“Very desirable. Short Lieutenant, ensure that this letter is sent to Duke Maxburg through one of your subordinates.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Short Lieutenant immediately left my tent to call one of his subordinates.

After a while, my adjutant, Captain Frost, entered.

“Good work, Frost. So, have you had any word from your father or Count Walt?”

“I received word that Baron Frost could arrive at the plains near Rotheringen by tomorrow afternoon at the earliest, or the day after tomorrow in the morning at the latest. Count Walt is currently marching with his company and is expected to arrive the day after tomorrow morning.”

“That’s ideal. Too ideal… was there no mishap?”

At my words, Frost reported in a calm voice.

“Count Walt attempted to besiege Salzburg, but due to the diligent defense commander Sir Roengrin at the castle, it was quite difficult to conduct the siege. Moreover, even during pillaging attempts, Sir Roengrin had his soldiers take in all resources and people in advance…”

“So they were unable to achieve any results and passed by the castle? I had hoped to pillage the major trading city of Salzburg… but it can’t be helped.”

“And some of the soldiers under your command were reported to have fallen ill and collapsed because they disobeyed orders to mix beer with cold water and instead drank them separately.”

“We trained them like that, yet they ended up like this. It can’t be helped… still, if we maintain losses below 2% during the march, that’s considered a success, and we’ll have to gather reports once we meet. Thank you, and as the war approaches, ensure that soldiers are limited to two mugs of beer and one wine per meal. Anyone caught intoxicated will be punished severely, regardless of rank or title.”

**

After I set up camp near the Rotheringen plains to confront the enemy, Count Walt and Baron Frost also established their own camps in accordance.

To commend the hard work of the soldiers under them, I hosted a banquet with cows, pigs, lamb, and some alcohol.

To exaggerate a little, the meat was provided in such excess that soldiers complained about the smell, but the alcohol was only offered in modest amounts to keep their spirits high.

Additionally, I couldn’t have brought along merchants to these remote areas, so the soldiers’ favorite ladies were not present.

The following day, I summoned Baron Frost, Count Walt, and commanders of the rank of captain and above to a meeting in the largest tent set up for my exclusive use.

“Scout Commander Lieutenant Valentine, I will report the current situation as per Your Excellency’s instructions. Duke Maxburg and his forces of 40,000 are near Helzman Castle in Mern, not in Hausenburg, and it is assumed they just passed Braunheim. It will take about 7 days for their entire force to gather.”

“I see… What is the enemy’s supply of food and resources like?”

“It is estimated that their food and supplies are at a similar level to ours. However, weapons and armor have not been issued to your average soldiers, while breastplates and helmets of our territory have been distributed to soldiers above the rank of thirty.”

“What about enemy morale?”

“Thanks to generous support from merchants, or perhaps because they are eating much better than usual, their morale is quite high. However, the nobles are extremely anxious due to fears that Rotheringen may fall.”

“Understood, you may return to your place.”

Once I finished speaking, Lieutenant Valentine swiftly returned to his seat, and I continued while pointing at the map.

“The location where we will engage in battle is this area of Rotherheim Plains, one kilometer to the left. We will establish our defenses here to confront the enemy as they approach Rotheringen.”

“Regarding defenses, do you intend to set up wooden stakes or trenches that would hinder the cavalry’s charge?”

“Listen closely. We will camp on this road that connects Rotherheim Plains and Rotheringen. Here, we will repel any enemy coming to rescue Rotheringen.”

The commanders nodded their heads at my words and began to speak.

“If Maxburg avoids a battle here, he would be abandoning his duty to protect his vassals. No one would follow him.”

“Yes, thus Duke Maxburg will surely have to clash with us. If those fools disregard Rotheringen, the citizens will surrender to us immediately. This would allow us to acquire Rotheringen without shedding a drop of blood. The Duke would never allow that…”

While most of the commanders were discussing favorably, Baron Frost looked at me and asked in a serious tone.

“However, if we find ourselves at a disadvantage, the enemy’s defense commander will strike us with soldiers and serfs. Then we would be trapped in a siege from both sides; how do you intend to handle this?”

As Frost pointed out, they would launch an attack on us from the rear as soon as they perceived us to be at a disadvantage.

However, if I do not fight here, Duke Maxburg will surely force us into a more unfavorable position.

I looked at them and replied in a decisive voice.

“The fools we have faced so far are nothing like Maxburg. For one, Maxburg will not be careless like Baron Santoburk, who fought a mere 20-year-old brat, nor will he be an incompetent such as Schwabin. Therefore, if I can avoid fighting with this level of disadvantage, he will… seek to enter our territory.”

“Even if that’s true… fighting with such risks is…”

“And the moment our territory starts to get raided, the serf soldiers, who were already demoralized, will start plundering the prosperous lands and raping women, thus boosting their morale. Before long, elite soldiers will be formed. You know that, right?”

Of course, not every serf who experiences plundering will become an elite soldier, but generally, soldiers who have tasted pillaging see a rapid increase in morale.

This is because, with the concrete hope of gaining something from plundering, and experiencing the thrill of overpowering weaker women, it births a motivation stronger than the fear of death.

Thus, desertion decreases significantly, and their attitude toward going to war changes drastically, making them much harder to deal with.

To exaggerate a bit, one serf who has tasted plundering is more frightening than two who have not.

The commanders and knights seem to have shared this sentiment, as they nodded in agreement with my words.

“That is indeed correct.”

“And for this battle, I have a hidden secret weapon that I’ve kept hidden out of fear that spies might hear it, as well as worries that Duke Maxburg would learn of it first and counter it. Baron Frost, did you bring the black soil that I instructed to take from Brime’s ship?”

“Yes, Your Excellency. But why did you order the soil to be brought?”

At his words, I responded in a playful tone.

“You’ll know when you bring it. I’ll show you something interesting.”

Shortly thereafter, one soldier brought forth the black soil I mentioned.

I placed a small amount of soil on a white plate in a position that everyone could see.

Then, I dropped an ember onto it.

With a ‘bang’, the black soil and the plate flew into the air.

The soldiers and commanders, shocked by the unexpected noise and the smell reminiscent of rotten feces and urine, stared wide-eyed in astonishment.

Walt even commented on it.

“It’s like the sound of thunder echoing, Your Excellency.”

He tried to act nonchalant, but clearly, the shock was too great for him to even use ‘yo’ in a formal setting.

I then laughed and said.

“We will fight with our backs to Rotheringen’s gates, and any stakes or trenches will be dug only in the rear. Furthermore, we will leave the weakest left side of the defense open. Also, all knights will dismount and prepare to fight as heavily armored infantry reserves. That’s all. If there are no objections, we will begin fortifications from tomorrow.”