Chapter 252 252-The War Begins
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nHoward nodded, emphasizing, “These matters concern the lives of our soldiers and must be handled with utmost care.”
nHe then inquired, “Regarding the fifty iron swords, how many has Smith Schumacher delivered so far?”
nResarite replied, “Schumacher is working tirelessly day and night, but there are still over ten swords pending. Completing the entire order will take about half a month more.”
n“Alright,” Howard acknowledged.
nHe then asked another question, “How is the task I assigned to Bosiden progressing?”
nHoward had sent Bosiden to scout Patch’s village and, covertly, to gather the villagers’ support by having them sign a ‘declaration’ of will.
nThis ‘declaration’ was a claim to all rights and inheritances of the territory, legitimizing any future annexation of Patch’s village.
nResarite reported, “Such matters cannot be rushed. A few days ago, Bosiden informed us that his efforts to create a declaration in Kenfa Village were thwarted by Patch’s loyalists. He can no longer set foot in Kenfa Village.”
nHearing this, Howard felt a tremor of doubt.
nIf Bosiden couldn’t even enter Kenfa Village, how could he persuade the villagers to sign the declaration?
nWhen could the declaration for Kenfa Village be completed?
nAnna spoke up confidently, “Howard, don’t be afraid. These kinds of maneuvers are common among nobility. Since Patch has already discovered your plans, it’s unlikely you’ll achieve your goal by continuing. It might be better to withdraw Bosiden from Kenfa Village. I believe Knight Patch might change his view of you once he sees you’ve stopped pursuing the declaration.”
nHoward remained silent, contemplating the situation.
nMarguerite clasped the front of her dress nervously, suggesting, “Lord Howard, if Bosiden has been marked by Patch, then perhaps it’s best to recall him. We could send someone else to continue the declaration effort. Patch only recognizes Bosiden; with a different person, he won’t know.”
nResarite remained silent, waiting for Howard’s decision.
nHoward queried Resarite, “If we switch to another person, can we preserve the progress made so far?”
nResarite shook his head, “No, changing the person means starting the efforts anew.”
nHoward asked further, “On a scale of one to a hundred, how far had we progressed with Bosiden’s efforts?”
nResarite replied, “Bosiden is capable, and his initial progress in Kenfa Village was particularly smooth. Even though we’ve hit a standstill, we’ve achieved about 75% of our goal.”
nDeciding, Howard took out a pouch of coins and handed twenty silver coins to Resarite.
n“Give these to Bosiden, and tell him to continue his mission with this money.”
nResarite accepted the silver coins and bowed, “Thank you for your trust, Lord Howard.”
nTwo days later, in the afternoon, as Howard was sparring with Anna in the training field, Vettel returned with news that Knight Kaido was very pleased with Flandre and had sent a marriage proposal.
nHoward sheathed his greatsword and wiped his sweaty face with a towel handed to him by a maid before going to see Flandre. 𝑖𝘳𝑎.𝒸ℴ𝘮
nAt nineteen, Flandre was of perfect age for marriage.
nHoward showed her the marriage proposal from Knight Kaido.
nFlandre’s hands flew to her face, and she squealed in excitement, clearly thrilled.
nHoward nodded to the maid standing nearby.
nSeeing Howard’s approval, the maid left Flandre’s room, walked down the corridor, and informed Vettel at the end of the hallway, “The lord has agreed.”
nIn the realm of paperwork, Howard entrusted the transcription to Resarite, who, despite his seemingly rugged exterior, possessed a meticulous touch.
nThe document, once completed, met Howard’s exacting standards with its clear handwriting.
nHaving received the document from Howard, Vettel was tasked with delivering it to Knight Kaido.
nThis particular parchment signified the acceptance of Knight Kaido’s proposal to betroth Flandre.
nSubsequently, Howard ventured into the storeroom to meticulously inspect the quality of the Leather Armor in stock.
nSatisfied with what he found, he left the storeroom contentedly.
nMore than a fortnight passed, and Schumacher’s iron swords were finally ready.
nHoward personally visited to inspect these new creations.
nHe weighed an iron sword in his hand and casually inquired about various aspects of its craftsmanship.
nAfter a brief exchange, he stepped out of the blacksmith’s shop and, with a nod of approval, said to Resarite, “I am satisfied. Proceed with the final payment.”
nAs they walked, Resarite reported to Howard, “My lord, just a day ago, Bosiden successfully proclaimed the strength of Kenfa Village. Now, with our arsenal and armor fully equipped and the villagers trained under my guidance, they are well-prepared for battle. When shall we declare war on Knight Patch?”
nIt was just before noon, with the sun blazing in its full glory, casting a stark light upon Howard’s face.
nHe turned, inhaled deeply, and declared, “Now is the time.”
nAs the midday mealtime approached, a group of determined individuals emerged from Yami Village, led by the spirited Bosiden.
nTheir mission was to deliver a message to Kenfa Village, presenting Knight Patch with an ultimatum: surrender Kenfa Village or brace for imminent defeat.
nKnight Patch, upon receiving the message from Bosiden, was seething with fury.
nHis initial impulse was to abandon the chivalric code and brutally punish Bosiden, but his scouts reported that Bosiden and his party had swiftly departed after delivering the letter, making it impossible to pursue them.
nThis news only intensified Knight Patch’s anger.
nAs the battle officially commenced, the scent of gunpowder wafted into Baron Fernsouth’s nostrils.
nUnperturbed by his subordinates’ reports, the Baron casually continued watering his plants, dismissing the news as insignificant.
nMeanwhile, Knight Kaido, upon learning of the situation, was inclined to assist Howard.
nHowever, he found himself without a justifiable reason to deploy his troops.
nThe alliance with Howard could only be formalized following the marriage with Flandre, leaving Kaido powerless to intervene at the moment.
nKnight Zoron, on hearing the news, was filled with anxiety.
nHe feared that a victorious Howard would emerge stronger and potentially turn against him.
nIn preparation for the conflict, Howard began the total mobilization of his peasant soldiers.
nResarite, Anna, and Margaret tirelessly roamed Yami Village, Rui Village, and Safa Village, gathering troops for the cause.
nKnight Patch, in response, also called upon the peasant soldiers of Kenfa Village.
nOne of Patch’s subordinates suggested taking advantage of the time needed for Howard’s forces to assemble, proposing a preemptive strike against Howard’s gathering army.
nHowever, Patch, blinded by rage, slapped his subordinate, roaring, “Do you take me for a fool? Marching towards such a multitude would be walking straight into a trap!”
nThe reprimanded subordinate, nursing a sore cheek, dared not utter another word.
nA day later, Howard’s forces were fully mobilized.
nResarite, appointed as the commander, led the troops on behalf of Howard, poised to steer the course of the impending battle.
nInside the camp, Resarite pointed to a spot on the map hanging before them, explaining to Howard the optimal location for their attack.
nAnna and Marguerite, as Howard’s Knight Squires, stood protectively at his sides.
nHoward patted Resarite’s shoulder, reassuringly stating, “Go ahead with confidence; I trust you.”
nResarite’s strategy involved drawing Patch’s forces away from Kenfa Village and then swiftly seizing it, catching Patch’s troops off-guard and demoralizing them.
nHoward agreed with the plan.
nThe operation commenced.
nAnna led a small team to distract Patch, luring him into a chase.
nMeanwhile, Howard’s main force swiftly occupied Kenfa Village.
nUpon learning this, Anna circled back to reunite with the main force in Kenfa Village.
nOutside Kenfa Village, Howard, mounted on his horse, pulled the reins to halt.
nHe looked with concern at Anna approaching and asked, “Are you alright? Did you encounter any danger?”
nAnna shook her golden hair, radiant and angelic in the midst of the battlefield, and replied, “No, that foolish Patch kept cursing behind us, but couldn’t catch up.”
nMarguerite ran over and embraced Anna, anxiously inquiring if she was injured, her concern evident.
nThe morale among Howard’s troops was soaring.
nWith their numerical advantage and the tide of the battle in their favor, everyone was elated.
nAs Patch’s forces arrived, he hurled insults at Howard: “Howard, you dare to trick me! I’ll tear you apart!”
nUnperturbed, Howard replied with a chuckle, “Patch, harsh words alone won’t help you. If you want to win, you’ll have to defeat my army. Can you do that?”
nHoward’s forces were strategically positioned along the outskirts of Kenfa Village, with archers lining the relatively low walls.
nThe archers, bows drawn and arrows nocked, reflected a cold, lethal shimmer in the sunlight.
nPatch’s soldiers began to show signs of panic.
nKenfa Village was their home, now occupied by the enemy, filling them with alarm.
nPatch, out of options, resorted to berating his troops for their cowardice.
nHoward gave the command, “Archers, fire!”
nThe archers on the walls released their arrows, sending deadly shafts flying towards the enemy.
nPatch’s army, poorly equipped with shields, suffered heavy casualties under the barrage.
nHoward then ordered, “Full assault! Capture Patch alive!”
nA thunderous battle cry echoed as the gates of Kenfa Village opened, and Howard’s forces charged at Patch’s troops.
nMounted on his horse and wielding a lance, Howard pierced a soldier with each thrust, his steed galloping forward, barreling through any soldiers who dared block his path.
nThis content is taken from 𝘳𝑎.𝒸ℴ
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