Chapter 49

The current situation of our army can be summed up in one phrase: “a cat that has completely cornered a rat.”

It has already been a month since we surrounded the city of Helzman, and if Sergeant Short’s report is accurate, they will have run out of food entirely and won’t even have the strength to hold their weapons.

If the soldiers are at a point where they have no strength to wield weapons, the citizens, who rank lower than the soldiers in terms of food supply, will gradually be starving to death inside the castle…

At this point, it would be better to wait until they open the gates themselves rather than rushing in.

Because if we attempt a siege carelessly, it could result in significant losses, much like a trapped rat biting a cat.

Moreover, in a situation where food is completely exhausted, if the commander of the defenders is a level-headed person, he will surely be tempted to use the citizens as human shields to improve the internal food situation…

If that happens, we would lose innocent citizens’ lives, as well as public sentiment and soldiers unnecessarily.

In such a state, if by any chance Count Nante recklessly attempts an attack on ‘Helzman’ disregarding the opinion of those around him, and is overwhelmingly defeated, they would surely come storming back at us, leading to our 100% annihilation.

Therefore, in order to avoid the worst-case scenario, we must keep the ‘assault on the castle’ as a second priority and continue the siege.

While I was lost in thought, I picked up my pen to write down our future course of action when I heard Ela calling me.

“My lord.”

“Oh, who is it?”

“A messenger with a letter from Count Croilet has arrived.”

“Let him in.”

A moment later, the messenger knelt on one knee and presented the letter to Ela.

When I received it and began to read, it contained completely unexpected content.

Surprised, I approached the messenger, shaking his shoulder as I asked.

“Messenger, is this seal really my father’s? Is this even possible!?”

The messenger, having done nothing wrong but being mistreated, replied in a voice filled with grievance.

“I do not know what it says. I was merely ordered to deliver it to Count Croilet as quickly as possible.”

Right, it wouldn’t change anything to get angry at the messenger.

I let out a deep breath and patted the messenger on the shoulder.

“My apologies, it’s not your fault. I was just angry for no reason.”

“It’s alright.”

“Have you had your meal?”

Upon hearing that, the messenger scratched his head and replied.

“I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.”

“Stay here for today and rest. And since I got angry, I’ll provide you with a meal that the knights eat. Do you like beef?”

The messenger’s eyes brightened at that and he nodded vigorously.

“You will have two beef steaks tonight. When I give the order, the soldiers in charge will prepare it.”

“Yes, thank you!”

With that, the messenger hurriedly ran out.

After he left, there was news on the letter on my desk that was the worst news for me next to a ‘defeat.’

[In the war declared to seize the territory of Count Helzman, soldiers under Count Nante have committed acts of rape, looting, and murder in the villages near the Linz plains.]

If we just held on for one more month, we could have negotiated with the enemy’s commander and entered without losing a single soldier…

Why is that pig Schwabin sitting there and spoiling things that were going well?

Once this news gets out, they will ignite their anger thinking it’s better to die from hunger here than to be looted and violated.

Under these circumstances, I must resort to the tactics used to lower the enemy’s morale to an extreme.

**

The next day at dawn, I summoned all commanders of the rank of captain or higher who were stationed in the already completed siege network to my tent.

The knights each comfortably took their seats, but the captains seemed confused about whether they should stand behind the knights or sit in a corner, likely because it was rare for a noble like me to directly call them to a strategy meeting.

I looked at them and said, “Please take your seats. I will start speaking once you are seated.”

As my words ended, the confused captains began to sit down in the places prepared for them just like the knights.

“Yesterday, according to a message received from my father, Count Nante raided a village near the Linz plains. I am very concerned about this matter.”

Upon hearing this, one knight raised his hand and asked with a puzzled voice.

“Isn’t raiding common in warfare, Your Excellency? It’s actually rare for a family like Count Croilet to carry all their food with them, and generally, a significant portion is supplied through looting in enemy territories. There are also bad things that happen in the process.”

Indeed, more often than not, all armies in this era eat the supplies they transport or receive from villages when marching through their own territory.

And when entering enemy territory, they consume their transported provisions or loot to supply food for the soldiers.

Moreover, to comfort soldiers going on a ‘no-pay’ war, offenses against women or even killing for fun happen quite often.

Thus, what the knight said could be considered entirely reasonable, but…

“Yes, looting is common in warfare. However, the problem lies in… if this news reaches the enemy, their thoughts will change. As reported previously by Sergeant Short, the reason the enemy’s morale is currently low is that they think they can save their lives by surrendering. But if my lord, Count Nante, plunders other villages…?”

The knight who asked responded with a serious expression.

“The citizens and soldiers inside the castle will unite saying, ‘If we are going to die anyway, let’s fight.’”

“Exactly. And if their food supply runs out, they may resolve to open the castle gates and prepare to fight us, leading us to suffer considerable losses. We might even face defeat. Although the enemy’s garrison is only 1,500, when combined with those who would join in the fight, there would be over 5,000 men. No matter how much they are rabble, those who are prepared to die will be different.”

Indeed, from the perspective of besieging the castle, we are outnumbered by dozens compared to the enemy, yet there are accounts of 100 knights attacking a castle in the First Crusade with the determination to die, as seen in the siege of Jerusalem and so on…

Even in seemingly hopeless situations, if one charges forward with the resolve to die, such miracles can occur.

There is no guarantee this would be any different here.

Then Frost, who was sitting in the highest position among the knights, looked at me and asked.

“What is your strategy then, Your Excellency?”

“I do have a strategy. It’s a very simple yet certain tactic.”

Thinking back to the time I claimed to have ‘a tactic’ before achieving victory over the Celt and Margrave Santoburg, the knights’ eyes sparkled with anticipation.

To meet their expectations, I unfolded a map roughly depicting the layout of Helzman Castle and our encampment surrounding it, and continued explaining.

“First, since we have already completely surrounded the enemy, Count Nante likely does not know that his territories have been raided yet. Therefore, we must ensure they do not hear the ‘news of the raid.’ And supply officer, how much food supplies do we have left?”

The suddenly called supply officer looked at me with a serious expression and replied.

“We can hold out comfortably for another seven months with the supplies we have. If we conserve a bit, we can stretch it to nine months.”

As they are wary of a large-scale engagement due to the rivers between us, it is likely a resolution will come within a month, no matter how long they prolong it.

Thus, our opportunity to directly attack this castle will only last at most another month…

“Then how long could we last if we host a banquet every day?”

“Normally, a banquet consumes about double the usual supply, so we could last approximately three months.”

I approached the supply officer, who answered swiftly despite the unexpected question, and patted him on the shoulder.

“Very capable. Thank you.”

“Thank you.”

Then I returned to my seat and continued.

“Now, in order to create infighting among the enemy and lower their morale, we will repeatedly inform them daily, ‘If you surrender, no one will die.’ At the same time, we will host banquets in a location beyond arrow range every day and let them enjoy themselves.”

Hearing this, the knights looked at me with puzzled expressions.

However, it seemed they acknowledged that if they followed what I said, they would indeed lower the enemy’s morale, as no one raised any objections.

“Moreover, we cannot be negligent in our vigilance. So, let two companies pair up, with one company standing guard at the ramparts for one day while the other rests. For those given rest, allow them time for a nap if they wish. And let’s capture the pigs brought from each village, clean their bladders with water, fill them with air, and stitch them up for use. That’s all, you are dismissed.”

**

The day after the military meeting, the sounds of slaughtering pigs and cows echoed loudly from our barracks.

“Quack!!”

“Moo~!!”

Upon hearing those sounds, the enemy soldiers on the castle walls and our own soldiers, who had been asleep, suddenly dashed out of the barracks.

“Why are we slaughtering cows at dawn?”

“Could it be that our lord is treating us to breakfast after all our hardships?”

“Weren’t we told in our training that we would only eat hardtack in war?”

I moved past the bewildered soldiers and went towards the side where the soldiers were slaughtering the cows and pigs.

And raising my voice so that the enemy soldiers could hear, I shouted.

“Brave soldiers of Croilet! I thank you for your dedication. Therefore, a banquet has been prepared, so eat, enjoy, and rest to your heart’s content! Except for those who are on guard duty until further notice, you are free to eat, sleep, and play!”

With those words, cheers erupted among our soldiers.

“Long live Count Croilet!”

“Who would have thought we’d be having a banquet in front of starving enemies…”

“Haha, this is quite amusing!! Now I understand why the high-ups say that the suffering of the enemy is our enjoyment!!”

I turned my back on the cheers, shouting towards the enemy soldiers.

“O poor people of Helzman, who are starving to death! If you open the castle gates now, I will guarantee food and your lives! Just as I saved the serfs from your villages before!!!”