Chapter 52

Chapter 52 - Medieval Bulldozer (4)

The garrison smashed as if a giant boulder had rolled over them. That spectacle made the will to resist disappear from the garrison soldiers remaining in various places of the castle.

"Kneel, you bastards!"

"Hesson! That guy isn't dead yet."

Those who were fine knelt in a row after being disarmed, and those who were severely injured received the blade of mercy.

Meanwhile, the knight who established the greatest merit was having his injuries checked.

"I am fine. Because it is much less than when I smashed the ships last time."

Valda meticulously observed Eugene's upper body and nodded.

"You really are perfectly fine. At any rate, it's a ridiculous physical body whether in strength or durability."

"Throwing a javelin abuses only the right arm, but when pulling the battering ram, I used the muscles of my entire body evenly. Actually, this side has much less fatigue."

"A battering ram exists to break castle gates, it does not exist to ram into infantry forming a phalanx."

"I was also planning to just break the castle doors and pull out, but when I actually saw the inside, my mind changed."

After the castle gates broke, the infantry visible through the observation window in the front looked too appetizing.

"Master said that a warrior must know how to lend an ear to the advice instinct offers."

"That means to concentrate on the so-called 'chilling feeling', it does not mean to do reckless things."

"Thanks to that, didn't I minimize allied casualties? Even though the castle doors were broken, the elite infantry was blocking the entrance. If we had just fought, there would have been many dead and injured."

Since Eugene's judgment was correct as a result, Valda also said no more.

Finding the best path on the battlefield is a knight's virtue. It is not something for her, a magician, to argue about right or wrong. She was afraid that excessive advice might limit the judgment of a knight in the prime of his growth.

Roxanne approached Eugene, who had finished his injury check.

"Seeing you dash out alone, I wondered what on earth you were trying to do. You always exceed my imagination, Sir."

At Roxanne's words mixed with laughter, the escorting knights looked at Eugene with eyes full of respect.

Martial prowess that struck down the Emperor's imperial guards in one or two exchanges. On top of that, a charge that pierced through the castle gates and the defending troops entirely.

Considering charging valiantly at the enemies as the greatest virtue are knights. The crazy charge they saw for the first time in their lives rather made their hearts hot.

"It is thanks to the dwarves who prepared an excellent battering ram. If not for them, I would have become fish meat in front of the castle doors."

"I know. I shall bestow rewards upon the dwarf blacksmiths."

"You must not forget the subordinates who pushed the battering ram together with me either? Thanks to them, I could use my strength without worrying about getting stabbed in the back."

"You have truly many people to take care of. Do not worry. Isn't a gold mine for times like this?"

The clerk next to Roxanne wrote down all the reward recipients Eugene mentioned.

"With this much, you must have exceeded Father's passing mark by far. I will congratulate you in advance on becoming a lord."

"Thank you."

Even in Eugene's own thoughts, he was certain he had done as much as he could with this.

'Finally, a fixed income.'

A profession with much uncertainty like a knight needs a foundation, even if it's small. An existence that will offset the mercenary wages that go out even if he just breathes is greatly welcomed.

* * *

Meanwhile, the external situation was also changing rapidly.

Two messengers of the House of Morad drove their horses. Their target was Roxanne's army currently attacking Codon Castle. Since they were in the middle of an attack, carrier pigeons using homing instinct could not be used.

"Damn it! Won't we get whipped for delivering such news? She's a lady famous for having a dirty temper."

"It's an excessive worry. She is not a person to vent her anger on the wrong person."

What the messengers had to deliver was news of defeat. The main army led by Timothy had been chased out of Goldford.

- We must absolutely establish merits that will overwhelm Roxanne's. We will capture Goldford Castle.

Goldford is a core territory of the House of Duran and one of Roman's largest granaries. The name was attached because during the harvest season, golden wheat flows like a river.

- Would it not be better to choose a somewhat easier target?

The vassals advising to aim for another target were not few either. If they take it, they can deal a massive blow, but the opponent will also try to desperately defend it.

Timothy was not completely an idiot either.

- Isn't it harvest season right now? It overflows with food and supplies to pillage in all directions. Moreover, just by holding out here, the flow of logistics is blocked. Those fellows will also be anxious to just stay cooped up inside the city.

- That is true, but.

A location where the results upon capture are immense, and merely holding out is a profit. It was troublesome for the vassals to object as well.

In reality, as the flow of logistics was cut off and even the catapults were becoming half-completed, an intercepting army popped out of the castle.

The problem occurred when Timothy excitedly bit the bait.

- Charge in the name of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor!

Support troops sent by the Emperor appeared from the right and began to pour out a fierce attack. It was an elite army composed mostly of cavalry.

- Beat the Morad bastards to death! Make them fertilizer for the wheat fields!

From the left, the allied army of Duran's vassals stormed in.

A situation where they suddenly came under a siege attack! When Timothy stuttered and fell into panic, the competent vassals quickly analyzed the scene.

- Aim for Duran's allied army of vassals! Knights, charge!

Duran's allied army of vassals was infantry-centric. They were in a state where they had maneuvered hastily to overstretch and complete the encirclement. The soldiers were exhausted, and the solidity of their formation was disturbed.

The vassals of Morad who grasped that successfully escaped by breaking through a single point of the left-side besieging army.

"To what extent are the damages? I could not hear that."

"They lost all the supplies they took, and many mercenaries fell. However, the knights and direct subordinate soldiers were mostly unharmed."

The mercenaries thrown as sacrifices during the escape process died considerably, but mercenaries originally existed to be used for such purposes.

* * *

Inside Codon Castle, construction was in full swing.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Shirtless dwarves wriggled their thick muscles and hammered from all directions.

"Hurry! We must fix the hinges by today!"

Taking the castle is meaningless if they cannot defend it. The castle doors Eugene destroyed were in a state where they absolutely could not be repaired and used, so they had to be newly made.

"Since materials and artisans are sufficient, we will complete it soon."

Torim, the dwarf representative, reported to Roxanne, who came to inspect.

Beside Roxanne are Eugene and Valda. Because whether in martial prowess or wisdom, they were more outstanding than anyone she brought.

The siege weapons that captured the castle were dismantled, and all additionally brought timber and iron plates were fully mobilized.

"We will make it much sturdier than the original castle doors. Please trust us."

The dwarves below Torim had relieved faces. They bowed their heads deeply towards Eugene, not Roxanne.

- Thanks to you, Sir, everyone could achieve their final long-cherished wish. When we return to the underground kingdom, we will praise that name.

Eugene recalled Torim's gratitude right after the siege battle. It's a place he definitively wishes to visit someday, and they will certainly be of help.

"Now if only Lord Timothy wins for us, it would be perfect."

"Are you speaking sincerely?"

At Eugene's words, Roxanne, who had been looking around pleasantly, raised an eyebrow.

"Are we not on the same side?"

"Holding the same flag does not mean they are an ally. Since olden times, the most dangerous enemy on the battlefield is..."

"A stupid ally."

"Hmph! So you said those words knowing it well?"

"Lord Timothy may be an enemy, but the knights and soldiers he leads are on our side."

"...!"

At Eugene's unhesitating words, Roxanne unconsciously looked around. It felt as if their positions were somewhat reversed.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

"Pull! Harder!"

"Ehei!"

Eugene's voice was quiet, and everyone was working while shouting loudly, so no one heard.

"It's the first time I've seen a person who speaks more directly about Timothy than me."

"I joined you, Sir Roxanne. I am in the same boat, so to speak. I don't play sly guessing games like a snake. Do you also not like direct words, Sir, whether it's advice or jokes?"

"... I will not forget that mindset. Still, be careful with your words. It will be troublesome if it enters the ears of others besides me."

Unlike her warning tone, Roxanne's face was full of smiles. Perhaps finding that atmosphere looked good, Valda took two steps back.

What Eugene needed most right now were gold coins and the connections of great nobles. Roxanne was an existence who could solidly take care of both.

However, regrettably, the good atmosphere did not last long.

"To think Timothy was caught and the army is retreating to Goldhill."

Roxanne, who received the messenger's report, held her forehead, perhaps feeling a throbbing headache. Conversely, the messenger had a face that couldn't believe the castle had already fallen.

"I knew he was incompetent, but to think it was to this extent. Taking those elites and ruining it? And losing to become a prisoner?"

Perhaps to establish his dignity as a commander, Timothy had been encouraging combat while holding a sword at the front.

Because of that, when the siege attack began and the frontline troops fell into chaos, he was captured instantly. The vassals had no time to save him or anything. For if they pointlessly delayed retreating, the entire army would be in danger.

"Anyway, since the main forces of the family have all been preserved, it is fortunate."

"That's why I am staying quiet right now."

If several knights and private soldiers had also been lost, Roxanne's reaction would not have ended at this level.

Furthermore, the knights of the House of Morad dealt massive damage to Duran's allied army of vassals even while retreating. It was to the point of being surprising that they even captured some nobles as prisoners.

"Since the Emperor's support troops left straightaway for another place, it will be safe here."

"Because there are shouts for help from all directions, they won't be able to stay in one place. And this castle only has meaning between our two families, Morad and Duran."

Codon is a barren and artificially created stronghold, so its population is also small. For the Emperor, who had his own problems to handle, there was no reason to send an army all the way here.

If so, it was 1 win and 1 loss in combat, but close to a victory in war. Because they lost something that could be resolved with money, and gained something that could not be resolved with money.

Roxanne, whose thoughts reached that point, relaxed her frowning face. Except for the family's crumpled face, it was not a bad situation.

"Will you be staying here for the time being?"

"We should solidify this castle we obtained after much effort."

"What will happen to the castle's ownership?"

"Naturally, our family will take it."

If it were a general territory it might be a different story, but it is a castle closer to an outpost with a very short history. Even if they swallow it ignoring bloodline or succession, conventionally there is no problem.

* * *

The head of Duran threw away the thought of retaking Codon Castle with an army. Because winter was imminent, and the main army of the House of Morad was alive and well.

They pleaded to return the castle as they would even add compensation money to Timothy, but the envoys were even denied entry to the castle.

"Are you not afraid of His Imperial Majesty's wrath in a situation where the main army was defeated?"

"There must be over 10 places asking for help, how long will it take to return after circling all those? Imagine how magnificent this castle will have become by that time."

Roxanne looking down arrogantly with her arms crossed from the watchtower above the castle gates. Bluffing and such didn't even work at all.

"If you come out like this, it is no different from permanently turning your back on the House of Duran. Please think carefully."

"It's not something the side that attacked arbitrarily without a declaration of war should say, right? Could you say the same thing to the wives and children who lost their heads of household due to your despicable attack? Even the garrison commander broke the promise after suggesting we decide the castle's ownership through a duel."

Duran's envoys bit their lips. It couldn't continue like this. They had to produce results somehow.

"There must have been a misunderstanding in the communication between both sides. The garrison commander I know is not such a person. Please allow us to meet with him."

"That is not difficult. I will let you meet him right now."

"Thank you!"

The envoys were surprised since they didn't think she would actually grant it.

"Send out the garrison commander!"

Roxanne shouted towards the inside of the castle.

"Mmph! Mmmmmmph!"

The garrison commander, whose mouth was gagged while tightly bound, struggled while shedding tears and snot. He was placed on the launch pouch of the repaired catapult.

"An experience of flying in the sky is not something just anyone can do. This is an honor in its own way."

At the figure of the dwarf approaching with a smile, the garrison commander trembled.

"Fire!"

As the dwarf cut the rope with a woodworking axe, the counterweight rotated, and the garrison commander was launched into the sky.

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmph!!!"

The tightly bound body flew over the castle wall towards the envoy group.