"Report!" A general clad in gray armor knocked on the thick doors and shouted loudly from outside.
"Disturbing!" Inside the room, a refined woman withdrew her hand from a nobleman's chest and sighed in annoyance. Lord Bauman, the ruler of the city of Waidou, commanded sternly, "Come in! Speak quickly!"
The woman seemed unsatisfied, resting her delicate arm on the King's neck, and pouted, "My lord..."
"Humph!" Bauman, who had lost interest, pushed the woman away from him, and the numerous gold chains hanging on him swayed in the candlelight, emitting a soft glow.
"My lord! There's terrible news... The border garrison, guarding the western front, led by General Lirel, has been utterly defeated," the general said in a low, sorrowful tone as he entered the room, avoiding eye contact.
"What?" Bauman's face turned furious upon hearing that his general had been defeated, and so many soldiers lost. "Was it Mene's forces or Seris's?"
He slammed his hand on the table, creating a resounding noise. "Lirel, that fool! What was he thinking?"
Just yesterday, he had been reveling in the joy of capturing thousands of Mene's civilians. Today, he received this earth-shattering news. He had thought that the outcome of the conflict between the two countries was at least ten days away, during which he would have settled the displaced civilians and prepared for a war.
However, everything had turned out differently. The war had broken out two days ago, and his field army was practically wiped out.
"According to the reports from the fleeing soldiers... Yesterday afternoon, Seris's Black Knights bypassed our scouts and suddenly appeared on General Lirel's flank. Caught off guard, Lirel could only fight hastily and fell in the chaos, and the entire army was annihilated," the general reported uncomfortably.
"Weren't they just in a battle with Mene's main force? Are Mene's forces a bunch of fools? They couldn't defeat a single Seris soldier? Tell me!" Bauman shouted angrily, sweeping away the cups and dishes in front of him.
"My lord, according to the intelligence, Seris's cavalry wasn't numerous, only about 300 men. It's unlikely they can spare more troops to attack us. Perhaps it was just a raid. If we consolidate our forces and retreat to defend within the city, there should be no imminent danger..." the kneeling general advised cautiously.
Bauman hesitated, weighing his options. If he withdrew his troops now, it would mean abandoning the civilians he had plundered. As soon as Seris's cavalry arrived, these civilians would quickly return to their original homes and leave Waidou. Was it all for nothing? Bauman found it hard to accept. Yet, he had no means to confront Seris's cavalry. He was torn about what to do.
"Gather all our forces immediately, defend Waidou, and find Laurence!" Bauman glanced at the kneeling general and then pointed his anger at the woman beside him. "You, take your reward!"
After careful consideration, he believed that preserving his foundation was the more prudent choice. He could reclaim the population later, but if he lost the city, he would have no hope of a comeback.
"Lord!" The weeping woman sat helplessly on the ground as she heard her fate.
"Thank you, my lord!" The kneeling general lowered his head, a sly smile on his face, thanking Bauman.
Without sparing a glance for the woman who was now crying, Bauman extended his arms. A few maids approached, adorning him with armor, struggling to fit it over his somewhat portly frame.
Soon, wearing the armor, the robust Laurence, commander of Waidou's navy, entered Bauman's residence with a longsword strapped to his waist, exuding a commanding presence.
Laurence was the commander of Waidou's naval forces but rarely set foot on land. He was a true aquatic creature.
Seeing his subordinate, Bauman immediately gave orders, "Laurence, Seris's cavalry is on the way! Prepare your forces!"
"I told you before, capturing those civilians would bring trouble. Such wrongdoing will incur divine retribution!" Laurence said, coldly pressing his chin with the sword.
"Now it's too late to say anything! Just do what you're supposed to do! I'll do what I must!" Bauman scolded him, poking his finger at Laurence's chest in frustration.
Laurence looked at Bauman's finger on his chest and, without expression, nodded and stepped back, walking away. "I'll prepare the fleet for departure."
"I'll get you someday, you bastard!" Bauman muttered, watching Laurence's retreating figure, then exhaled deeply.
...
Chris wiped his sword as he gazed at the imposing city of Waidou. This was no mere castle; it was a genuine city with a port.
Around him, warhorses grazed while refugees organized themselves and began the journey back to their homes in the east. In just five days, Chris had saved countless civilians who had been coerced from the eastern plains of Mene to Waidou. He had also vanquished at least 350 Waidou soldiers.
The loss of 300 cavalry was not negligible, with 50 lying on the path. Without heavy weapons, Chris had fought numerous battles, all true to the death.
"My lord!" Riding a tall horse, Chris's deputy, Koria, reported loudly as he reined in his horse beside Chris. "The artillery has arrived!"
"Very well! Rest for a while! We'll begin the assault on Waidou this afternoon," Chris knew that five days was already a lot of time to spend. He couldn't afford to delay further. He needed to finish this fight immediately.
As for Waidou's navy and that detestable Lord Bauman, he had lost interest. Even if they managed to escape this time, he would settle scores with Bauman in the future.
Chris waited for his main force the entire morning. He personally supervised the positioning of the artillery outside Waidou's walls. In no time, 20 cannons were lined up, ready to fire.
"Let them witness what true war is!" Chris rode his horse, looking at Waidou's city walls beyond bowshot range. As his orders were relayed, the cannons boomed one after another.
"Boom! Boom!" It felt as if the very ground shook. One projectile after another flew toward the distant target, blossoming like devilish flowers on the city walls of Waidou.
Shattered stones scattered with the shockwaves, and thick smoke billowed everywhere. The city walls were in chaos, and the earth quaked from the bombardment.
Chris squinted as he watched the city walls of Waidou slowly crumble and collapse. He regretted not having a telescope to carefully observe this magnificent spectacle.
He didn't bother sending anyone to negotiate. He was preparing his own assault and waiting for Waidou to open its gates.
No one could withstand the roar of the cannons. In a world with magic, no soldier would dare to face a "magic army."
"It seems their courage is nothing more than this," Chris said, pressing his sword hilt. He gave a rather low assessment. He spurred his horse and led his forces forward.
The city gates of Waidou were opened from inside, and the soldiers guarding the city knelt on both sides, lacking the courage to even glance at Chris. He had no interest in arguing with these incompetent soldiers. He led his forces straight to the residence of Lord Bauman.
...
Bauman panted heavily as he ran, tearing off his armor as he went. His already bulky figure seemed even more unwieldy now.
Just moments ago, he had been standing on the city walls, awaiting the attack of Seris's soldiers, confident that his well-prepared defenses would repel them. He had thousands of arrows and rolling logs, ready to crush Chris's assault. However, the enemy's attack had been unexpected. The city walls had inexplicably exploded, creating strange shrieks that sliced through everyone's bodies, as sharp as swords.
Bauman had witnessed a soldier's head being cleaved in half by a flying shard of iron. His ears were still ringing from the deafening explosion. He couldn't hear the cries of those around him, which only added to his confusion.
Even now, he hadn't fully regained his hearing, and he was now the only one left among his guards. His only thought was to escape the terrifying explosions and find an opportunity to rebuild and return to exact vengeance for today's humiliation.
