Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 1 Red Grace Inn (1)
Chapter 2 Red Grace Inn (2)
Chapter 3 Dawn Academy (1)
Chapter 4 Dawn Academy (2)
Chapter 5 Young Noble
Chapter 6 The Origins Of Battle Force
Chapter 7 The First Days Since Reincarnation
Chapter 8 Battle Force And His Days As A Mercenary
Chapter 9 Dynamic Vision
Chapter 10 Aquametal Technique
Chapter 11 Incador Medal
Chapter 12 The Pawn And The Announcement
Chapter 13 Academy Head Levins
Chapter 14 Lakefront Residence
Chapter 15 A Fleeting Moonlit Dream (1)
Chapter 16 A Fleeting Moonlit Dream (2)
Chapter 17 A Fleeting Moonlit Dream (3)
Chapter 18 A Fleeting Moonlit Dream (4)
Chapter 19 A Fleeting Moonlit Dream (5)
Chapter 20 A Fleeting Moonlit Dream (6)
Chapter 21 A Fleeting Moonlit Dream (7)
Chapter 22 Locke And Els (1)
Chapter 23 Locke And Els (2)
Chapter 24 Locke And Els (3)
Chapter 25 Locke And Els (4)
Chapter 26 Els’S Request
Chapter 27 Final Preparations
Chapter 28 Selling Books And Requesting Help
Chapter 29 Settling Bills At The Inn
Chapter 30 Battle Force Awakening Course
Chapter 31 Pulse Reading (1)
Chapter 32 Pulse Reading (2)
Chapter 33 Journal Entries And The Duels
Chapter 34 Dueling Period
Chapter 35 President Peterson’S Thanks
Chapter 36 Attendant And Carriage
Chapter 37 Ambush On The Streets
Chapter 38 Counter Kill
Chapter 39 Aftermath
Chapter 40 The Duels Continue
Chapter 41 Counting Earnings And Beggars
Chapter 42 Arrival Of The People From The Family
Chapter 43 Troubles Within The Family
Chapter 44 The Fanatical Female Students
Chapter 45 The Decision
Chapter 46 Convoy Plans And The Oath Of Allegiance
Chapter 47 Knights And Gifts
Chapter 48 Northbound Journey Strategy
Chapter 49 The Academy Armory
Chapter 50 In Which Els Reports For Duty
Chapter 51 The Sloph Slavers
Chapter 52 Slaughter
Chapter 53 Occupying The Bastide
Chapter 54 Reorganization And Maidservants
Chapter 55 Ambush And The Yields
Chapter 56 Baron Miranda
Chapter 57 Various Preparations For The Journey
Chapter 58 The Journey North Begins
Chapter 59 Kill Them All
Chapter 60 Camp Intrusion And Takeover
Chapter 61 Arrival Of The Convoy
Chapter 62 Offense And Defense
Chapter 63 Breaching The Camp
Chapter 64 Winter Night Massacre
Chapter 65 Conclusion And Reorganization
Chapter 66 Mister Tim
Chapter 67 Josk’S Wish
Chapter 68 Strategizing
Chapter 69 The Battle Begins
Chapter 70 Troop Deployment
Chapter 71 Success
Chapter 72 Freiyar
Chapter 73 Trust
Chapter 74 Surprise Attack Successful
Chapter 75 The Final Assault
Chapter 76 Rounding
Chapter 77 Conference Of The Nobles
Chapter 78 On The Road
Chapter 79 A Withered Tree Crumbles Easily
Chapter 80 Forming Yet Another Convoy
Chapter 81 Telesti
Chapter 82 Viscount Kermas
Chapter 83 River-Crossing And Arrival
Chapter 84 Takeover
Chapter 85 The Plan Of The Kenmays Family
Chapter 86 Construction Staff Appointment
Chapter 87 Homecoming
Chapter 88 Power Struggle Rumors
Chapter 89 Inheritance Ceremony
Chapter 90 Three Chief Supervisors And Irina
Chapter 91 Sword Crisis
Chapter 92 Knight Belnick
Chapter 93 Enticement
Chapter 94 Midway Skirmish
Chapter 95 Family’S Forbidden Area
Chapter 96 Whitedeer Mound, Bread And The Slave Camp
Chapter 97 Mercenaries And Metal Armor
Chapter 98 Lorist’S Plan
Chapter 99 Maplewoods Bastide
Chapter 100 Barbarians, Gold Mine And Plotting
Chapter 101 Mistakes
Chapter 102 Trap
Chapter 103 Melee Outbreak
Chapter 104 Bloodshed And Remorse
Chapter 105 Repercussions
Chapter 106 Reward
Chapter 107 Supply Transportation
Chapter 108 The Pitiful Grandmaster Ciroba
Chapter 109 A Meeting With Telesti
Chapter 110 Intermission
Chapter 111 Breakthrough
Chapter 112 Blissful Night Life
Chapter 113 The Chosen Location And The Duel
Chapter 114 News Of The Mountain Barbarians
Chapter 115 An Unwelcome Guest
Chapter 116 Baron Camorra
Chapter 117 Tabik'S Demand
Chapter 118 The Issue Of Compensation
Chapter 119 The Decision To Deploy
Chapter 120 The Days Of The Expedition
Chapter 121 Duke Loggins'S Plot
Chapter 122 Return In Futility
Chapter 123 Urgent Reinforcement Request
Chapter 124 Warzone Merchants
Chapter 125 Battles Of Nobles
Chapter 126 Knight Carnival
Chapter 127 The Plot Of The Kenmays Family Head
Chapter 128 Request For Peace
Chapter 129 Knight Waxima
Chapter 130 Troop Deployment
Chapter 131 The Massacre And The Suspension Bridge
Chapter 132 Josk'S Fire Arrows
Chapter 133 Rolling Boulders
Chapter 134 Surprise Takeover
Chapter 135 Completion
Chapter 136 Out Of Options
Chapter 137 Aftermath Matters
Chapter 138 News Of The Kenmays Family
Chapter 139 Celebratory Banquet
Chapter 140 Shock
Chapter 141 The Whereabouts Of The Convoy
Chapter 142 Charade The Demon
Chapter 143 The Experiences Of The Messengers
Chapter 144 Hennard'S Ransom
Chapter 145 Release
Chapter 146 Departure
Chapter 147 Dilemma
Chapter 148 The Mounted Archers Unit
Chapter 149 Blockade
Chapter 150 Small Mountain Village
Chapter 151 Bypass
Chapter 152 Noble Rank Elevation
Chapter 153 Trivial Problems
Chapter 154 Lorist'S Strategy
Chapter 155 The Citadel'S Weakness
Chapter 156 Kill During The Darkness Of The Night
Chapter 157 Burn When The Winds Are Strong
Chapter 158 Worriless Journey North
Chapter 159 Assault During A Snowy Night
Chapter 160 Strategies And Plans
Chapter 161 The Long Wintery Night
Chapter 162 Gentle Spring Rain
Chapter 163 River Crossing
Chapter 164 Conditions And Request
Chapter 165 Plunder, Move, And Destroy
Chapter 166 Battle Preparations At Firmrock Castle
Chapter 167 Auguslo'S Counterattack
Chapter 168 Female Unit
Chapter 169 Felicitas Settlement
Chapter 170 Ridden With Matters
Chapter 171 Female Secretary
Chapter 172 Messenger And Alliance
Chapter 173 Top Kek
Chapter 174 Magical Beast Wave
Chapter 175 Central Town
Chapter 176 Goats In The Town
Chapter 177 Wrapping Up
Chapter 178 Ballistas And Metal Materials
Chapter 179 Daily Life Within The Dominion
Chapter 180 Count Kenmays'S Visit
Chapter 181 Facing The Magical Beast Wave Again
Chapter 182 Military Reorganization
Chapter 183 Sid Steel Armor
Chapter 184 Princess Sylvia
Chapter 185 Count Kenmays'S Letter
Chapter 186 A New Sea Port
Chapter 187 Development Plans
Chapter 188 The Ultimatum
Chapter 189 The Onset Of War
Chapter 190 Before The Battle
Chapter 191 Ballista Storm
Chapter 192 The Unfortunate Blademaster
Chapter 193 Confrontation With Princess Sylvia
Chapter 194 Victor Of The Duel
Chapter 195 Four Family Alliance
Chapter 196 Prisoners And Letter
Chapter 197 Escort
Chapter 198 Settling Down
Chapter 199 Master-Disciple Conversation
Chapter 200 Reidy'S Request
Chapter 201 A Failed Experiment
Chapter 202 Assaulted [Cliffhanger 1 Of 5]
Chapter 203 Grueling Battle [Cliffhanger 2 Of 5]
Chapter 204 Bloody Battle [Cliffhanger 3 Of 5]
Chapter 205 Executed [Cliffhanger 4 Of 5]
Chapter 206 Enslaved [Cliffhanger 5 Of 5]
Chapter 207 Mortification
Chapter 208 Wooden Shack
Chapter 209 House-Building
Chapter 210 Barbarians
Chapter 211 Departure
Chapter 212 Setting Out
Chapter 213 Analysis
Chapter 214 Royal Capital
Chapter 215 Arrangements
Chapter 216 The Decision Of The Duke
Chapter 217 Visit
Chapter 218 Whale Island
Chapter 219 Grandmaster Sid
Chapter 220 Flying Fish Of Dawn
Chapter 221 Tax Collection
Chapter 222 Arrival Of The Dominion Lord
Chapter 223 Tax Collector
Chapter 224 Hector
Chapter 225 Whitebird Restaurant
Chapter 226 Farama Village
Chapter 227 Imperial Capital
Chapter 228 Paradise Gathering
Chapter 229 Davey And The Princess
Chapter 230 Face-Smacking
Chapter 231 Flipping Out
Chapter 232 Leaving
Chapter 233 Breaching Five Camps In The Night
Chapter 234 Investigation
Chapter 235 Discussion
Chapter 236 Heading To Morante City
Chapter 237 At Sea
Chapter 238 Matters Back At Home
Chapter 239 Port Troubles
Chapter 240 The Secret Of Gunpowder
Chapter 241 Glassmith
Chapter 242 The Curious Case Of Luxcrimson Winery
Chapter 243 Unforeseen Changes
Chapter 244 Shocking Developments
Chapter 245 Two Letters
Chapter 246 Blockade At Sea
Chapter 247 Bathing In Blood [Cliffhanger 2 Of 3]
Chapter 248 Escape [Cliffhanger 3 Of 3]
Chapter 249 Senbaud
Chapter 250 Threat And Expropriation
Chapter 251 Dispute Within The Chikdor Merchant Guild (1)
Chapter 252 Dispute Within The Chikdor Merchant Guild (2)
Chapter 253 Mayflower Merchant Guild Assault Incident
Chapter 254 Setup And Counters
Chapter 255 The Glass War
Chapter 256 The Haphazard War
Chapter 257 Clash Of The High-Tiers
Chapter 258 President Peterson'S Conditions
Chapter 259 The Second Highness'S Assault
Chapter 260 The 5Th Day Of The 4Th Month
Chapter 261 Furybear
Chapter 262 The First And Third Young Masters
Chapter 263 Research And Improvements
Chapter 264 Firearms, War News, And The Nightmare
Chapter 265 Assault From The Hanayabarta Kingdom
Chapter 266 The Aftermath And The March Into Battle
Chapter 267 The Wait
Chapter 268 The Terrible State Of Silowas
Chapter 269 The First Household Blademaster
Chapter 270 Meeting Of The Four Families
Chapter 271 Battle Report
Chapter 272 The Death Of Duke Urubaha
Chapter 273 Before The Expedition
Chapter 274 Money Of All Things Comes The Fastest
Chapter 275 Battle On Shore
Chapter 276 Karman
Chapter 277 Hector And The Slave Camp
Chapter 278 News From Tarkel
Chapter 279 Changing Strategic Arrangements
Chapter 280 Encounter
Chapter 281 Setup
Chapter 282 Arrival
Chapter 283 Royal Capital
Chapter 284 Drunken
Chapter 285 Dueling Grounds
Chapter 286 Three Floors Underground
Chapter 287 Taking Action
Chapter 288 Secret Path
Chapter 289 Trap
Chapter 290 The Ploy
Chapter 291 The Persuasion
Chapter 292 Termination
Chapter 293 The Death Of A Nation
Chapter 294 Arrangements
Chapter 295 Dread Monument
Chapter 296 Garrison Division
Chapter 297 Surrender
Chapter 298 Shocking News
Chapter 299 Reconcilliation
Chapter 300 Refusal
Chapter 301 Jillin Harbor
Chapter 302 The Child'S Play Siege
Chapter 303 Anna And Arri
Chapter 304 The God Of War'S End
Chapter 305 The Odd Situation
Chapter 306 Return To Morante
Chapter 307 The Plight Of Dawn Academy
Chapter 308 Nostalgia
Chapter 309 Dauslyke Hotel
Chapter 310 President Bejisanro
Chapter 311 Preparations
Chapter 312 Arson
Chapter 313 Closing Act
Chapter 314 Ridden With Matters
Chapter 315 Reasons For Coming
Chapter 316 Huge Purchase
Chapter 317 Charade Returns From Seclusion
Chapter 318 Viscount Eidis
Chapter 319 The Duke'S Welcome
Chapter 320 Welcoming Banquet
Chapter 321 Count Chujway'S Narrative
Chapter 322 Duel
Chapter 323 Intelligence Center
Chapter 324 The Tournament Begins
Chapter 325 Three Requests
Chapter 326 Apologies
Chapter 327 The Princess'S Heart
Chapter 328 Missed Initiative
Chapter 329 Dominion Replacement
Chapter 330 Plan Of Attack
Chapter 331 Incident And New Equipment
Chapter 332 The Trouble With Compact Crossbows
Chapter 333 Arrival Of The Second Highness
Chapter 334 Refusal
Chapter 335 Reinforcement
Chapter 336 Negotiations
Chapter 337 Conditions
Chapter 338 Pledging Allegiance
Chapter 339 Lobbying
Chapter 340 Regret
Chapter 341 Landing
Chapter 342 Occupation
Chapter 343 Suggestion
Chapter 344 Reason
Chapter 345 An Audience
Chapter 346 Settling Debt
Chapter 347 Letter
Chapter 348 Gold Coins (1)
Chapter 349 Gold Coins (2)
Chapter 350 Bank, Entitlement And Real Estate
Chapter 351 Update On Catapults And Cannons
Chapter 352 Reidy'S Encounters
Chapter 353 Ambush, Pursuit And Assault
Chapter 354 Demongrass Swamp
Chapter 355 Gold Eagle
Chapter 356 Second Highness, The Path Seeker
Chapter 357 The Second Highness'S Strategy
Chapter 358 Made It In Time
Chapter 359 Captive
Chapter 360 Igloo
Chapter 361 Drinking Session
Chapter 362 Surprising Pledge Of Loyalty
Chapter 363 Banquet And Entitlement
Chapter 364 Strategy And Deployment Meeting
Chapter 365 Rainy Season
Chapter 366 Extermination
Chapter 367 City Entrance
Chapter 368 Escape
Chapter 369 Pursuit
Chapter 370 Humiliation Of The Duke
Chapter 371 Arrival
Chapter 372 Tower Defense Tactic
Chapter 373 Onset Of A Great Battle
Chapter 374 Open-Field Battle Preparation
Chapter 375 Victory
Chapter 376 Retreat
Chapter 377 Boblige Mountain Range
Chapter 378 Two Pieces Of Bad News
Chapter 379 Eidelwoke
Chapter 380 100 Thousand Barbarian Cavalry
Chapter 381 The Bloody Battle Of Pedro (1)
Chapter 382 The Bloody Battle Of Pedro (2)
Chapter 383 The Eccentric Queen
Chapter 384 Scheme
Chapter 385 Galini Beloput
Chapter 386 Three Requests
Chapter 387 Property And Taxes
Chapter 388 Mayor Doboff
Chapter 389 Barbarians And Gold Mine
Chapter 390 Jaeger'S Consolidation
Chapter 391 Persuasion
Chapter 392 Admitting Loss
Chapter 393 The Barbarians Cometh
Chapter 394 Defeating The Barbarians
Chapter 395 Gold Mine Obtained
Chapter 396 Insomnia
Chapter 397 Untitled
Chapter 398 Decision
Chapter 399 Effect
Chapter 400 Right Of Inheritance
Chapter 401 Way To Settle The Debt
Chapter402 Marital Bliss
Chapter 403 Negotiations
Chapter 404 Salt Merchant Committee
Chapter 405 The Storm Brews Again
Chapter 406 Inspection
Chapter 407 The Oddity Of The Second Highness
Chapter 408 Carriage Track
Chapter 409 War In The South
Chapter 410 Before The Grand Wedding
Chapter 411 The Wedding
Chapter 412 Survey
Chapter 413 Second Highness'S Scheme
Chapter 414 Changes
Chapter 415 Crossing The Border
Chapter 416 Meeting
Chapter 417 The Allies
Chapter 418 Plotting
Chapter 419 Declaration
Chapter 420 The Battle Begins
Chapter 421 War
Chapter 422 Trenches And Mud Walls
Chapter 423 Stalemate
Chapter 424 Flooding
Chapter 425 The Two Dukes' Decisions
Chapter 426 Rescue
Chapter 427 Migration
Chapter 428 Hot Spring Valley
Chapter 429 Word Of The Swordsaint
Chapter 430 Method
Chapter 431 Three Methods (1)
Chapter 432 Three Methods (2)
Chapter 433 All Quiet On The Southern Front
Chapter 434 The Line Of Succession
Chapter 435 Round Up And Hunt
Chapter 436 Envoy And Conditions
Chapter 437 Moonlight Stones
Chapter 438 Argument
Chapter 439 House Nordingham
Chapter 440 Submission
Chapter 441 Distribution Of Rewards
Chapter 442 Big Business
Chapter 443 Return To The Northlands
Chapter 444 Dealing With Matters
Chapter 445 Trouble And Busywork (1)
Chapter 446 Trouble And Busywork (2)
Chapter 447 Knight Lundmorde
Chapter 448 Conspiracy
Chapter 449 Helplessness
Chapter 450 A Peaceful Year
Chapter 451 Joint Development
Chapter 452 Contract Singing
Chapter 453 Hostage
Chapter 454 Rescue
Chapter 455 Swordsaint'S Domain
Chapter 456 Platinum Beach
Chapter 457 Refusal
Chapter 458 Lorist'S Considerations
Chapter 459 Secret Plot
Chapter 460 Deal Sealed
Chapter 461 Prepare For War!
Chapter 462 Start The War!
Chapter 463 Baron Abott
Chapter 464 Surprise Attack Ongoing
Chapter 465 Siege
Chapter 466 From Attack To Defense
Chapter 467 Danger
Chapter 468 Resolution
Chapter 469 Triumph
Chapter 470 Fall Of The City
Chapter 471 The Coming Of The Rainy Season
Chapter 472 Regroup
Chapter 473 Banquet
Chapter 474 Reply
Chapter 475 Envoy Krilos
Chaper 476 Invitation
Chapter 477 Lashing Out
Chapter 478 Severely Injured
Chapter 479 Awakening
Chapter 480 On The Run
Chapter 481 Hunter'S Cabin
Chapter 482 Recuperation
Chapter 483 Internal Strife (1)
Chapter 484 Internal Strife (2)
Chapter 485 The Feral Wolves And The Magical Bear
Chapter 486 Karitoke
Chapter 487 War On The Plains
Chapter 488 Bad News
Chapter 489 The Loyalty Of A Scoundrel, The Loyalty Of A Traitor
Chapter 490 Various Matters
Chapter 491 Human Resources
Chapter 492 Heavy Military Reorganization
Chapter 493 Tying Up Loose Ends
Chapter 494 Reinforcement
Chapter 495 To Deploy Or To Not Deploy
Chapter 496 Invincible Fleet
Chapter 497 Northsea
Chapter 498 The First Encounter
Chapter 499 The Second Naval Battle
Chapter 500 Conclusion Of The Battle
Chapter 501 Lorist'S Preparations
Chapter 502 Intel And Final Battle
Chapter 503 Captain Woodleis'S Worries
Chapter 504 Confident Of Victory
Chapter 505 Decisive Naval Battle
Chapter 506 Suicide Charge
Chapter 507 Messed Up Victory
Chapter 508 Meeting After The Battle
Chapter 509 Decision And Promise
Chapter 510 Plan
Chapter 511 Befuddle
Chapter 512 Occupation
Chapter 513 Fall Of The City
Chapter 514 Trouble
Chapter 515 Crisis Control
Chapter 516 The Angle Of Merchants
Chapter 517 Miscalculation
Chapter 518 Pitfall Trap
Chapter 519 Jindoz'S Gift
Chapter 520 Auguslo'S Trust
Chapter 521 Charade'S Plan
Chapter 522 Economic Measures
Chapter 523 Response To The Peace Negotiations
Chapter 524 Leaving The Camps With Nothing
Chapter 525 Dinag'S Encounters
Chapter 526 Protest
Chapter 527 Shocking News
Chapter 528 Rather Miss Than Meet
Chapter 529 Merciless
Chapter 530 Loan Problems
Chapter 531 Two Letters
Chapter 532 Agreement And Rumors
Chapter 533 Two Conditions
Chapter 534 Callisto Hills
Chapter 535 War Discussion
Chapter 536 Approaching Battle
Chapter 537 Duel
Chapter 538 Day Of The Grand Battle
Chapter 539 Duel Of The Swordsaints
Chapter 540 Grand Victory
Chapter 541 After The Battle
Chapter 542 Year 1781
Chapter 543 Arrangements
Chapter 544 Report
Chapter 545 Independence Pact
Chapter 546 Debate
Chapter 547 War Council
Chapter 548 Mountain Path
Chapter 549 Sandbag
Chapter 550 Duke Nikolas
Chapter 551 The Change Of The Tides
Chapter 552 Knight Wecksas
Chapter 553 Count Mireitas
Chapter 554 Duke Peterson'S Demands
Chapter 555 Surrender
Chapter 556 Reconciliation
Chapter 557 Retreat And Leasing Land
Chapter 558 Dominion For Rent At 3000 Gold
Chapter 559 Study
Chapter 560 Still So Busy At Home
Chapter 561 Enfeoffment Talks
Chapter 562 Secret Intel From The Trade Union
Chapter 563 Enfeoffment And Arrangements
Chapter 564 Alisa'S Marriage
Chapter 565 Blissful Union
Chapter 566 Belief And Supervision
Chapter 567 Dean Claude'S Request
Chapter 568 Who Would Assassinate You?
Chapter 569 Arrival At The Imperial Capital
Chapter 570 Terrence-Donkey Whip
Chapter 571 Invitation And Murder
Chapter 572 Kill Them All
Chapter 573 Flipping Out And Falling Out
Chapter 574 Turning Back Suspicion-Filled
Chapter 575 Marquis Krilos'S Frustration
Chapter 576 Suggestion To Demilitarize
Chapter 577 Entanglement
Chapter 578 Free Citizens
Chapter 579 Auguslo'S Provocation
Chapter 580 Plundering Incident
Chapter 581 Auguslo'S Objection
Chapter 582 Huge Blunder
Chapter 583 The Obstructive Andelou Merchant Guild
Chapter 584 Malek'S Defenses
Chapter 585 Taking A Few Steps Back
Chapter 586 Auguslo'S Handwritten Letter
Chapter 587 The Bird Called Bolga
Chapter 588 Trade War
Chapter 589 Lack Of Manpower
Chapter 590 Celebration And Budgets
Categories Genre: Action, Adult, Adventure, All, Comedy, Completed, Drama, Ecchi, Fantasy, Harem, Mature, Romance, Slice of Life Status: Completed ______
Total Chapters in book: 591
Estimated words: 1635811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 8179(@200wpm)___ 6543(@250wpm)___ 5453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 1635811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 8179(@200wpm)___ 6543(@250wpm)___ 5453(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 591 Page No. 590 Page No. 589 Page No. 588 Page No. 587 Page No. 586 Page No. 585 Page No. 584 Page No. 583 Page No. 582 Page No. 581 Chapter 340 Regret
Regret
Enjoy the second release of the week.
The sound of the horn resounded nonstop across the dry, withered plains as a group of soldiers marched into view on the horizon. They brought with them various banners and stood in the distance. Not long after, a few mounted men seemed to utter something, followed by some inaudible, confused cries from the men at the back. They began to move once more and headed for Duke Madras's camp at the foot of the mound.
The second highness could still remember clearly the time the messenger of Duke Madras once again visited the army's camp to urge the army to leave the duchy in a day's time after the four houses pledged their allegiance to him.
However, when Kenmays revealed the new conditions of retreat, the messenger laughed with insult laced eyes.
"Lord Count, are you treating the duchy like an ox you can simply slaughter? Do you think His Grace will agree? Don't forget a huge ox will have a pair of fearsome horns. As the messenger, I have no right to criticize you for how ridiculous your ambitions are. I can only repeat what you said word for word to His Grace. But I have to tell you one thing before I leave: since you want war, we won't disappoint you."
After the messenger's departure, the second highness was completely riled up and he instantly gave a spirited speech, which basically boiled down to how negotiations have fallen apart and that the army should use the chance to strike the duchy and take the rest of Delamock to gain as much territory as possible before they can ready themselves. That way, they can afford to drag the war on or crush them utterly.
However, the four nobles merely looked at the second highness with expressionless faces. Baron Shazin was the first to speak out. He explained that there was no longer any need to attack Delamock. He would instead raid the nobles' orchards and farmlands. Given his understanding of Delamock, he felt there would be no point in attacking the well-defended castles since they would have to station soldiers thereafter occupying them. It was no good to fragment their forces.
With a stern face, Baron Felim also criticized the second highness's plan. It was already the 10th month and winter would arrive in a month. It wasn't possible to take the whole of Delamock in just 35 days, not to mention the fact that apart from Kobo, the rest of Delamock worth taking were only manors of other landed nobles. Given that Kobo was a fortified city with 20 thousand men guarding it, it was incredibly hard to take. The army wouldn't be able to take the city quickly and any attempt to do so would only incur unnecessary losses.
Kenmays smiled and advised the second highness that there was no need to be in such a hurry. The messenger would require at least ten days to deliver the news to the duke, it would be the 11th month by the time word reached him. The duchy's forces would have less than half a month to prepare for winter, whereas their own army was mostly ready. By the time spring comes, the enemy would be severely weakened because of their lack of preparation and victory would be within their grasp.
In the end, Lorist concluded that they would go according to their predicted course of action and ignore the army that the duke would no doubt send. They would only fight after the duke gathered his army in spring the next year. Lorist expressed his confidence in the army's might. They would be able to take the duchy far more easily if the duke's army was wiped out first.
The strategy meeting ended on that note, with the four nobles leaving immediately without giving the second highness a chance to convince them otherwise. The second highness grit his teeth after everyone else left and regretted that he didn't ask for the right to guide the army's actions when he signed the agreement.
The contract of oath was a guarantee a liege gave to his vassals. As long as the vassal carried out the task given by their liege, they could go about it however they wanted without needing the permission or interference of their liege.
Usually, an oath contract came in three copies. Apart from the liege and vassal's copies, there would be another one for public announcement. The second highness's oath contract came in four copies, one each for him and the four nobles with the final one used for public announcement. During the new year, Kenmays would represent the four houses at the annual celebration in Gildusk and announce the agreement to the nobles currently deprived of dominions by the Nortons and Kenmayses. According to Kenmays, the agreement signaled the return of those nobles to the second highness's rule.
At first, the second highness wanted the smaller noble houses to sign the contract with each of the four houses respectively, but Kenmays mentioned that the act might make others think the second highness was intentionally trying to sabotage the alliance between the four houses. It was imperative that the four houses worked together to conquer the duchy, so all four houses should be involved in a joint signing. Only thusly would all the houses be in the same boat with regards to reputation and casualties.
Kenmays added that he would like to personally sign the agreement independent of the other houses because he didn't want to be dragged into the same pit with them. He said it would definitely incite Lorist's suspicion and the others by making them think the second highness had some private arrangements or benefits for House Kenmays. If it were allowed to come to pass, not only would the alliance be affected, the second highness's plan to reclaim his throne would also be ruined. So, Kenmays said he was willing to get into the same boat as the four houses, even if it meant potentially greater losses for him, so the second highness managed to successfully regain power in the kingdom.
The second highness praised Kenmays's sensible considerations and agreed to follow his suggestion for the four houses to sign the same agreement, with the conditions Kenmays stipulated. When the second highness stamped his finger on all six copies of the contract, Lorist, Felim and Shazin all nodded in acknowledgment. The second highness couldn't be more riled up. He thought the four houses were now at his beck and call. He would use them to wipe out his enemies and conquer the realm.
However, Lorist refused his suggestion to deploy soldiers almost immediately. When the second highness brought up the plan to conquer Delamock, he realized he didn't have any right to command the four houses' forces despite being their liege. Even the second highness' guards reported to the four houses. Apart from gold-ranked knight Ripleid, Glacia and his three silver-ranked knights were back at the Norton dominion recruiting soldiers and guarding the Whitelion Legion's equipment.
Not willing to give up, he sought out Lorist and the rest and tried his best to convince them once more to follow his plan and storm the duchy while the duke was busy moving his own troops in to position to defend against the upcoming assault, saying that allowing the enemy to gather their forces was the biggest mistake they could ever make. After all, Duke Madras had the advantage in terms of both terrain and manpower. Even if they fought to a point of losing, they would still be able to go on the defensive and drag on the war.
However, there was only a month before winter arrived, so the second highness suggested that even if they weren't able to conquer the whole of Delamock, it was still better than nothing if they managed to wear down on the forces of the duchy and force the troops at Delamock to be unable to receive reinforcements or support. That way, they could deliver the final strike when the enemy was worn out even further by the coming winter.
Since Lorist mentioned that he wanted to wipe out the duke's army in one go, the second highness intelligently changed his rhetoric. He said they had to decrease the enemy's combat strength before the final fight instead of sitting around and watching the enemy gather their forces. Given the current situation, the duchy was like a huge ox which the sole wolf that was their own army intended to hunt. The wolf ought to open as many wounds on the ox as possible to stall the ox from launching into a life-ending charge. Only after the ox bled most of its vitality out should the wolf engage in the killing engagement and spell the end of the duchy.
To convince Lorist and the rest, the second highness went so far to use himself as an example, citing his loss two years prior to the allied noble army in Anderwoff. Back then, he didn't command his troops to wipe out the allied noble army in one go and instead engaged in three to four smaller skirmishes which all ended in the horrible loss of the nobles. However, the nobles of Anderwoff continued to fight to the death even after Anderwoff had been taken. Having been driven to Majik, they continued to struggle against the second highness's forces until they received aid from the Union and the four central duchies which ultimately resulted in their triumph.
That was the reasoning behind his argument that Lorist's plan for an all-out battle wouldn't guarantee the duchy's fall. The second highness felt the army might repeat his mistake and end up in a huge predicament. He maintained that only by attacking first and conquering the nobles' manors in Delamock and crippling the duchy's forces was the way to go and that the army had to grasp the chance instead of leaving their troops cooped up within the camp doing nothing.
Lorist didn't bother to argue with the second highness and merely brought out a map of the duchy and began a simple simulation. Given the current state of the allied army, if they wanted to take the nobles of Delamock's manors, they would have to split up into four contingents, each contingent containing 20 thousand men. Only then would they be able to conquer the manors of those nobles. Even at the lowest possible casualty ratio of one to one, each of the four units would lose at least half their numbers after conquering around five of those manors and would have no choice to retreat, ending up with only a third of Delamock under their control.
The biggest weakness of the strategy was how there wasn't a way to encircle Kobo mainly due to the fact that the duchy's reinforcements would arrive far too quickly. The duke would either send his strongest unit, Seamountain Legion, to disrupt their plans or send 20 thousand garrison soldiers stationed at the Sanderson Hills, making it extremely dangerous for the troops on the way to Kobo, even threatening the safety of the camp at the riverbank.
If they sent 50 thousand men to encircle Kobo, the duke's reinforcements wouldn't be able to deal with it. If they did that, however, the duke would send his troops to attack the camp at Metropoulos. If the camp was destroyed, the consequences would be unimaginable. They might lose their only way of retreat and perhaps be eliminated completely.
Lorist didn't hesitate to point out that the reason the second highness failed his attack on the Redlis kingdom wasn't that he had gotten into a drawn-out, to-and-fro battle with the nobles, but that he had his supply lines cut, which ended with the defeat of the troops stationed at Kanbona. Naturally, the second highness's ill-prepared resources also contributed to the problem when they had to battle for an unexpected amount of time. However, it still seemed the second highness hadn't yet understood where he truly failed and almost had them repeat his mistake.
Embarrassment turned into anger as the second highness stressed that the forces of the Nortons and Felims could secure the camp at the riverbank during the attack. That way, they would be able to guard the camp and even press the attack on the nobles.
It was then that Felim objected profusely and called the second highness out for not understanding his and the Nortons' forces. So far, the allied army's main force lay with Shazin and Kenmays, most were heavy-armored infantry only proficient at defense and interception. Not only that, Shazin's two cavalry divisions currently served as scouts and the camp had been set up in a way that would make it easier for the infantry to defend from enemy assault and spend the winter.
Letting the defensive infantry troops attack the nobles all the while defending the camp along with the Norton cavalry legion, which was optimized for attack operations, was nothing short of idiotic. Felim insinuated that even if his troops and those of the Nortons guarded the camp, it wouldn't be able to support the heavy infantry troops that returned from the attack. The resource consumption during winter for the mounts of two legions was already astronomical.
"There's no need to argue further. We'll stick to the plan as previously discussed. All we have to do from now to winter is defend the main camp. As for whether we attack, that can wait. Your Highness, you ought to take a bath, calm down, and get some rest. Don't waste any precious time," said Lorist before he left.
The second highness almost coughed up blood from his anger.
What do you mean take a bath and get some rest?! Did he mean I was wasting his time?!
The angered second highness brought out the contract and tried his best to find a clause that would allow him to assert some control over Lorist. As he scoured the contract, he realized he had been duped by Kenmays, who had dug him a huge pit into which he had jumped willingly, to say the least.
All of the clauses in the contract were ran through the second highness and mandated by him personally. But after re-reading the contract, he hurriedly brought out a map of the empire and realized that even if he could reunite the empire, apart from House Fisablen's Wild Husbandry Province, the entirety of the Iblia kingdom would fall under the jurisdiction of the four houses. As long as the alliance held, a third of the empire's territory would forever be out of his reach.
Take, for instance, Delamock, which the second highness promised to the landed nobles deprived of their dominions. Most of them were vassals of House Norton, and Delamock would belong to the Nortons in the truest sense after the duchy was eliminated.
The worst part was how the second highness elected Lorist as the governor of Windbury. He had forgotten that Windbury was the capital of Winston, so even if the nobles of Winston were on the second highness's side, a governor like Lorist wasn't. And in the chain of command, any order the second highness had for the nobles of Winston had to go through Windbury first, so Lorist could just intentionally not pass the orders on while he dealt with the nobles himself.
The second highness's regret amplified. He had practically given the whole of Winston to the Nortons. He later discovered another clause that severely disadvantaged him: there was no date for when the Nortons had to help the second highness reclaim his throne. Not only that, the territory promised to the four houses would be in effect right after the duchy's conquest whether the second highness regained his throne or not.
For instance, the second highness had promised Sidgler to Kenmays as his hereditary dominion with the count promoted to duke with the only condition being the conquest of the Madras duchy. Not only that, as long as the four houses conquered Winston and Windbury, Lorist's term as governor would be effective immediately and Windbury would fall under his control.
I was blinded! How could I believe Kenmays, a person from a sly merchant family?!
The second highness despaired with his realization, especially the one where he didn't stipulate when the four houses had to reclaim his throne. It could happen right after their conquest of Madras, or even 20 years later! The four houses would only have to sustain the second highness in The Northlands in the meantime while they carry out their strategy to suck as many benefits out of him as they could.
Even though the second highness felt rather generous when he was giving away almost all the benefits of conquering the Iblia kingdom to the four houses to ensure their loyalty, he realized that the current situation allowed the four houses enough territory to found their own kingdom after he reunited the empire. He almost wanted to cut his own hands off and wondered how he could be so misguided to put his thumbprint on such a contract.
There were no lieges that dared to go back on their word on an oath contract. After all, it was the most sacred form of agreement there was. It represented the promise of the liege to the gods and their ancestors. The second highness knew the contract was the only document ensuring the four houses' loyalty. If he truly breached it, not only would all his reputation and trustworthiness be gone, the four houses could use it as an excuse to revoke their pledge of allegiance to him and return to being rogue nobles. Not only would he not gain a single thing for which he had bargained with the four houses, he would also gain four mighty enemies.
Currently, the second highness was standing at the top of the castle in the middle of the mound where the camp was built. He looked at the horizon and saw the duchy's forces gathered at a campsite one kilometer away, busy digging moats and building up their defensive line. He also saw rows of carriages bringing in all sorts of resources.
I hope they gather as many as possible. I can only be patient and wait for spring to come now. Perhaps after the four houses' army clashes with the duchy's and end up crippled, I can rise again. Maybe the only way I can go about this is to let the army get entangled with Duke Madras at Delamock while I build up Whitelion Legion on the sidelines to regain control over the situation, thought the second highness.
Total Chapters in book: 591
Estimated words: 1635811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 8179(@200wpm)___ 6543(@250wpm)___ 5453(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 1635811 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 8179(@200wpm)___ 6543(@250wpm)___ 5453(@300wpm)
______