Chapter 337 (1/2)
Conditions
Enjoy the fourth release of the week!
In the end, the second highness insisted that he follow Lorist to the war zone
”Your Highness,” Lorist said, ”even though House Kenmays and House Shazin are our allies, they are still considered nobles of the Iblia kingdom Given the hostile situation between thedom, I am rather worried for your safety I think it's best if you don't head to the frontlines”
The second highness patted on Lorist's shoulder with a smile
”No worries With Brother Locke around, I don't have to worry for my safety As for Baron Shazin and Count Kenmays, since they're your allies, I believe they wouldn't be interested in a kingdo there to take a look, not to meddle in military affairs I believe I will be treated well as a fellow knight there to observe the tide of war”
And so, Lorist had no choice but to bring the second highness along
Four days later, Lorist and coe that stretched across Metropoulos River and arrived at the borders of the Madras duchy
The Northlands's ar point After destroying the ene their troops, Count Kenmays and Baron Shazin ordered their troops to athem press their attack into the duchy They set up camp where Baron Silas' castle once stood The baron had been hung some years earlier The troops fortified their camp so heavily that it seemed they intended to stay there for quite a while
Lorist had received a letter fro that the army wouldn't press their assault and instead cooped up at the castle ruins atop the mound As Lorist predicted, the Madras duchy's nobles' private forces, as well as the duchy's ely attacking the allied army's camp Those hectic times lasted for more than ten days until the Madras forces lost more than five thousand men from their assaults They finally halted their attacks and sent a er to the enemy's camp
”Locke, your plan to stand our ground instead of attack truly is marvelous! Hennard himself said if we had continued to advance, ould've been attacked by the private armies and the duchy's main force It would no doubt have multiplied our casualties All we had to do was occupy this area and defend it to crush their counterattack atte a sweat! Umm, who is he?”
When Count Kenan to boast about how effective the latter's strategy had been, until he saw the s with excitement
Lorist briefly introduced the two, causing Keniven that he was a noble of the Iblia kingdoht in front of hi and had also coht to observe the battles, so Ken about his presence
The second highness, on the other hand, acted very a the Kenuilds back during the tiht it was for thedom, as well as mention how much he adhness and Kenmays were already close to the point they decked shoulders like long lost brothers and chatted happily without end
When they arrived at the tent, Shazin Hennard had also just returned After Lorist introduced the second highness to the baron, the second highness expressed his friendly and familiar attitude once more However, Shazin didn't really trust the display and maintained a formal and polite demeanor
The reason Lorist had to rush over was that of the er At first, Kenh the duchy be restored and for the allowance of crossing through Metropoulos River with low taxes for er would return quickly after being sent back with an agreement to all of the count's requests Since it had already been achieved, there would no longer be a reason for their troops to stay In essence, they would have to withdraw their forces once more and the ould end
Not knohat he should do, the count wrote to Lorist while he tried to delay the duchy as best he could After hearing about the count's explanation, Lorist laughed
”Don't care about them We just have to mind our own business For noe h resources to winter here If you have time on your hands, sweep some of the local nobles' castles or demand they pay a tribute for the war Only attack them if they don't comply”
”What if their er comes to object to our actions?” asked Kenmays
”Simple Who was the cause of this war in the first place? It's none other than the arrow outposts situated at the duchy's defensive line that not only forbade passage through the river but also sunk two of Hennard's fishi+ng boats We must have the duchy pay for their mistakes as well as make up our military expenses Just otiate,as possible All we have to do is maintain the status quo until winter is over We reement and not some nobody who claims to be able to accept the conditions on behalf of the duchy Only then ithdraw our forces”
Kenh
”That's right! Spending so much time in this military encampment has rusted my mind I didn't even think of such a siht about how easy it was to defeat the duchy The ht we had lucked out, but I almost ended up tricked by thee the agreement after ithdraw our forces and deploy their troops at the bank of the river once more”
”All we have to do if that's the case is launch another attack,” said Hennard confidently
”Locke, if the duchy accepts the rest of our conditions, what do we do?” asked Kenht
”Then we have no choice If Duke Madras is willing to pay such a price, ill have to withdraever, we can use the excuse of not trusting thearrison a division of troops two reasons The first is to protect the bridge and the second is to ensure safe passage for the merchant convoys from The Northlands,” replied Lorist
”Very well, we'll do just that I'll tell the ain If they are able to abide by our conditions and show the duchy's sincerity, ill agree to end the war”
Originally, the second highness only intended to watch their discussion with a s was off the e to speak
”Apologies for interrupting, Brother Locke, Count Kenmays, may I ask you the reason for this war?”
”Oh, Your Highness, it all started like this Duke Madras sealed off the crossing point at the river and even sunk two of House Shazin's fishi+ng boats This attack was rees to no longer seal off the river and reopen the trade routes, allowing our merchant convoys to conduct business within the duchy, ill end the war,” answered Kenmays politely
”Does thatto conquer the duchy and oals as well, won't it?” asked the second highness curiously