Chapter 49

Chapter 49 - Medieval Bulldozer (1)

What Roxanne was aiming for was the outpost of the House of Duran, Codon Castle.

"It does not look like a very sturdy castle?"

That was Eugene's impression after scanning the entirety from the hill. The castle was built on a plain, and since there was no river flowing nearby, it had no moat either.

However, between Morad and Duran, it was a place that became a tremendous strategic stronghold when both families pressured each other.

"It's a castle with a short history. The House of Duran, who had bowed their heads as the number two in the west, built it while aiming for regional hegemony."

"Did the House of Morad only watch while this was being built?"

"At that time, the current Count was not the head of the family. Because he did not have an inherited territory yet, he had to just open his eyes and watch."

The previous head who is now dead. It is said he was a weak character who had excellent business acumen but neither political insight nor charisma.

"It's said he advised several times that they must attack while the castle was under construction, but was rejected every time. Due to that matter, the relationship between father and son completely fell out, and it's said he didn't even show a single teardrop at his father's funeral."

When the support force numbering exactly 100 appeared, the expressions of the garrison on top of the castle walls became even darker. On the contrary, the envoys Roxanne sent had extremely bright faces.

"Thank you for coming to me. It must not have been an easy choice."

Upon arriving at the commander's barracks, Roxanne stood up and welcomed him.

Most of the knights with her were the second or third children of their families. All they had were their bodies and equipment. Even if Roxanne's skills and popularity were outstanding, it was an unavoidable phenomenon so long as she was not the successor. Since it was also an amazing thing that the knights followed her this voluntarily.

"After I replied to you, Sir Roxanne, a letter from Lord Timothy arrived. As a knight, I came to keep the promise I made first."

"Yes, I suppose so."

The corners of Roxanne's eyes curved like crescent moons, and the knights also smiled. Because everyone here had used this worldly wisdom at least once.

"That aside, it seems your numbers are exactly the same as when you left?"

"Although there were injured, there were no dead."

"Amazing. Even having already finished the job and returning is amazing, though."

For Roxanne, who heard the details of the subjugation via carrier pigeon, it was nothing but surprising.

To subjugate even four Bugbears and pirates without losing a single subordinate. Independent of his individual valor, it meant his capabilities as a commander were also tremendous.

"But how did you catch the pirates? Those fellows are bothersome guys who bite like wolves and run away like rabbits."

Since it was an urgent dispatch, only the results were briefly summarized and sent, so Roxanne did not know the detailed particulars.

"...I was lucky. I was able to strike properly when the pirates were defenseless."

If he said he smashed longships with a javelin, everyone would look at him as if he were a braggart. Eugene answered to the extent of not telling a lie.

"Luck is also a skill, and capturing it is the ability of a commander. I welcome you joining my army once again. I am truly reassured."

When the strategy meeting ended, Roxanne personally took Eugene and guided him through the camp.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

In a place covered by a large tent, dwarf blacksmiths were manufacturing siege ladders.

Next to it, an almost completed battering ram boasted a magnificent presence. It was a weapon of the maximum punching power that humanity of this era could produce.

"Are you going to pound the castle from the front?"

"Codon Castle is on a plain, has no moat, and does not have double gates either. Since we have a new battering ram, I'm going to try breaking through the castle gates. If that doesn't work, we have no choice but to dry them out and kill them."

"The ladders are for insurance, huh. I hope there is no need to use them if possible."

"The war is only just beginning. It would be troublesome if we had to cross the castle piling up mountains of corpses."

Siege warfare in this era inherently relied on surrounding the enemy and starving them out as the basic method. No matter how superior the troops are, the moment they try to climb the castle walls, severe casualties will occur.

"How much food is stockpiled in the castle, I wonder?"

"Not even 3 months' worth. We smashed their supply unit."

"Oh! That is good news."

"Can't you see this?"

Roxanne pointed to the area around her eyes with a mischievous smile. Fading dark circles remained on her beautiful makeup-free face.

The time when they just decided to attack Codon Castle. Roxanne found out Codon Castle's supply plan through planted spies.

Leaving the underprepared main body to her adjutant, she personally led the knights and elite cavalry and dashed out. Towards the end, she even took stimulants received from the clerk and continued a forced march without sleeping.

As a result, they succeeded in annihilating the supply unit that was moving vulnerably to hastily supply food to the castle.

"To think they merely watched while building something like that. The incompetent grandfather almost ruined the family. Shouldn't we take it over using this opportunity?"

There was a reason Roxanne confidently attempted a siege battle.

* * *

The internal circumstances of Codon Castle were even worse than Eugene thought.

"Sentence him to 30 lashes of flogging for the crime of being unfaithful in his guard duty."

"P-Please forgive me! I will never doze off again!"

At the garrison commander's order, the crying and begging mercenary was dragged away. 30 lashes of flogging is a punishment no different from half-dying.

"Since it wasn't even perimeter guard duty, please grant him mercy." The adjutant spoke carefully.

The person dragged away dozed off while guarding one of the wells inside the castle. In the current situation where morale is at rock bottom, strict punishment could act as bad news.

"If we let one fellow off, the other fellows will also slack off. Absolutely not."

The garrison commander is a self-made person who, starting from a mercenary background, won the title of knight and even castle commander.

If he only defends the castle, he was promised the status of a noble along with an appointment as a formal lord of the castle. He truly had no choice but to engage in defending the castle with a life-staking resolve.

"What happened to the support troops that were supposed to come?"

"The House of Morad had reinforcements of as many as 100 men arrive yesterday."

At the agitation of the mercenary captains, the garrison commander gritted his teeth.

- Timothy's army is aiming for Goldford. Since blocking that place is urgent, there are no support troops.

This was the reply of the head of the family to the request for support troops.

Goldford is the granary of the House of Duran and a hub of transportation. Its dimension of importance was different from Codon Castle.

- The Emperor said he will send knights separately. Join forces with them and hold out somehow.

What the head promised as if doing a favor was merely a handful of troops.

'Damn it. To defend the castle, we need an army and supplies, not a small number of knights!'

From the garrison commander's perspective, his insides burned, but there was no way.

That night, the knights and cavalry sent by the Emperor joined through the back gate of Codon Castle.

"Sir Geist. Thank you for coming."

The garrison commander bowed respectfully.

The numbers were small, but imperial guards were included. If one were to pick the strongest knights in Roman, Geist is counted within the five fingers.

"I am sorry the numbers are small. The support troops of His Imperial Majesty had to head to Goldford."

"I am extremely grateful for the help, but with our current circumstances..."

The garrison commander trailed off. No matter how outstanding the knights were, the difference in troops and supplies was too great.

"I understand it is a difficult circumstance, but you must endure. If the main army of Goldford is only defeated, those fellows will also withdraw."

Geist also knew the situation was disadvantageous. However, he is an imperial guard. He has a duty to place his faith in the Emperor and produce results with what is given.

The brilliant Emperor also understood the value of Codon Castle and hoped to look forward to the future through a ceasefire somehow. That was the reason the House of Duran could propose a ceasefire even though they had received the reward of a Count title in advance and had not achieved any notable merits.

* * *

The next morning.

Small-scale cavalries faced each other for a meeting. While holding their families' flags, the escorting knights glared at the opposing side with stiff faces.

Since it was a place for negotiation and Eugene was not a vassal, he remained in the camp.

"I know you have formally applied for a ceasefire, but to think you brought so many troops."

To the garrison commander, the sound of tinkering and making something in Roxanne's camp was grating. Because it contrasted too much with themselves, who were in such poor condition that they couldn't even fix one broken catapult in the castle.

When he looked at the food piled up like mountains and the heavy infantry with good complexions, his breath caught.

"Do you think we'll accept it if you want to stop after only you guys beat us up excitedly?"

"Did we not include sufficient sincerity? I heard Lord Timothy was tempted."

"Because he is a person who takes after his grandfather and passes over things saying all's well that ends well. But Father and I are different."

Roxanne rolled up her sleeve. A sword wound that had not entirely healed lay across it. The garrison commander intuited that it would be difficult to reach a peaceful compromise.

"Winter will come soon."

"It's just the beginning of autumn, you're exaggerating."

"I acknowledge that your troops are numerous, Sir, but still, you cannot cross the castle walls of Codon."

"I already know well that the circumstances inside the castle are not good. Even if winter comes, the ones who will suffer are you guys."

In all aspects—troops, food, morale, and justification—Roxanne's army had the upper hand. The more the conversation continued, the more the garrison commander felt himself shrinking.

"I will wait for the time of two days. Pull down that flag." Roxanne pointed to the flag of the House of Duran fluttering above the castle gates. "If everyone is disarmed and opens the castle gates to surrender, I will guarantee your lives. You, your adjutants, and even down to the soldiers, everyone."

"What a generous treatment."

Roxanne closely resembled Count Morad and was famous for being cruel to those who antagonized her.

"Since I came as a commander, not a knight, I cannot just act according to my temper. So are you going to accept it or not?"

"We will absolutely not surrender. Whether you win or lose, massive blood will flow. Because fighting a castle is by no means an easy thing."

"Well, I wish you luck." Roxanne smiled broadly. "There shouldn't be a need to unnecessarily waste time and troops, right."

One knight behind the garrison commander drove his horse and stepped forward. It was a giant wearing flamboyant armor.

"This is Sir Geist, an imperial guard sent by His Imperial Majesty."

The garrison commander said to Roxanne, who was asking with her eyes who that fellow was.

"There is no need to go in a squalid manner, is there? Instead of uselessly sacrificing the soldiers, let us settle it in a manner befitting nobles. By sending out our respective best knights to fight."

Geist was demanding to settle the outcome through a duel instead of the armies.

"Hey. Weren't you the commander of that castle? Even if he is the Emperor's knight, are you just going to watch him babble as he pleases like this?"

The garrison commander's face turned red with shame. Exactly as Roxanne said, it was a clear overstepping of authority, but it was also true that there was no way. At this rate, they were on the verge of collapsing on their own by the time winter came.

"Are you scared? If you're scared, it's fine to tuck your tail."

The garrison commander forced a smile and made an obvious provocation.

"I will accept."

However, Roxanne nodded her head.

"...!"

"Why are you both surprised after proposing it? Did you think I would refuse?"

At the two men's dumbfounded expressions, Roxanne chuckled. She felt an intense thrill at completely grasping and shaking the situation herself.

'To think she would really accept.'

Geist felt both bewilderment and hope simultaneously.

This duel application was not discussed in advance. He had thrown it out dogmatically as if struggling. Because comparing the inside of the castle to the besieging army he saw up close, there seemed to be absolutely no chance of winning.

"Let's do the duel at noon tomorrow. I can decide that much, right?"

"Of course." The garrison commander also nodded his head. Because for right now, they had to overcome the crisis.

If Geist and the imperial guards won for them, it would be equivalent to solving the problem in a completely unanticipated manner. And that probability was not low. Because the excellent knights of the House of Morad had all followed Timothy.

* * *

"I need people to go out for a jousting duel."

When Roxanne returned and explained the situation, the knights stepped forward with an excitement bordering on madness.

"I will fight!"

"I am a relative of Sir Gauss. Please grant me the opportunity for revenge!"

"I have trained up until now for this fight! Please grant me the glory of the vanguard!"

A duel taking place before the eyes of countless warriors. The audience is a knight's strength, and the victory gained there would be sweeter than anything else.

If they establish merits in the duel, it will absolutely reach Count Morad's ears as well. To the knights who were second or third sons, it was a shining opportunity for success.

"Sir Geist is also among the opponents."

"The swords of Morad are no less sharp than the Emperor's swords!"

Even though it was an extremely dangerous opponent, the knights did not bend. Fanaticism that believes one's own courage will defeat all enemies, far from calculating the odds of winning. That is precisely what a knight is.

However, regrettably, at the point Roxanne accepted the duel, one spot had already been decided.

"Why are you saying nothing, Sir?"

Roxanne, harboring a peculiar smile, gazed at Eugene. Everyone's gaze concentrated on him.

"Uh..."

Eugene, who hesitated for a moment with his arms crossed, continued his words.

"I thought I was already included, was I not?"

"Pfft."

At his reaction, asking back with a somewhat reluctant face, several people including Roxanne could not hold back and laughed.