Knight: Becoming King of the World

Chapter 127: Chapter 106: Have I Been Too Easy on You?

Relying on the strength of his fortress, the Baron of Ximira Castle had never bothered to expand his army, nor had he taken their training seriously.

He merely maintained a force of a few hundred soldiers, all of them far from elite, like a nobleman living in a bygone era.

For the day-to-day patrols and protection of the affiliated villages and farms, he relied on the Militia organized by his subjects. The Baron of Ximira Castle wouldn’t even consider deploying his army unless a large bandit force appeared.

The officers and the minister immediately left the castle keep to muster all the soldiers and subjects within the walls.

Inside the castle study, the Baron of Ximira Castle sat in his chair, his face ashen. He had just heard a report on his defensive capabilities, and his heart was heavy.

He had originally believed the fortress’s sturdy walls were enough to repel any foe, but it now seemed he had been far too optimistic.

Soon, the minister returned to the study with news that shattered the Baron of Ximira Castle’s composure.

"My lord, after mustering our forces, we’ve found that including the Private Army and all the Militia within the castle, we can only arm just over eight hundred men for the defense," Aigbert said, his voice laced with helplessness.

The Baron of Ximira Castle’s jaw dropped. "And what of Henry’s army? Have the sentries seen them? How many men? How large is their supply train?"

The minister nodded and sighed. "I went to see for myself. Based on the distribution of tents and the size of their encampment, they have an army of at least two thousand men. The total number could be as high as twenty-six to twenty-eight hundred."

"They have a vast number of wagons—a rough estimate would be over a thousand. They could form a defensive wall for the camp on their own. The wagons are loaded with sacks, which I assume are grain and other supplies."

The Baron’s composure shattered. It truly shattered. He knew his numbers were nowhere near enough.

Henry’s army was massive and well-trained. They were battle-hardened veterans, true elites. In contrast, his own eight hundred men were not only outnumbered, but their training and equipment were also vastly inferior.

"Eight hundred men..." the Baron muttered.

’How is that enough? Henry’s army is at least two thousand strong. Our walls may be high, but we’re short on manpower. What are we going to do?’

’Are we really supposed to just defend these walls until we die of old age?’

The minister stepped forward. "My lord, while we may be outnumbered, we have sturdy walls and ample food and water. We can use the castle’s defensive advantages to hold out for a long time."

"In the meantime, we can request reinforcements from Count John. Perhaps he can dispatch troops to support us."

The Baron nodded, a flicker of hope in his eyes. "Yes, we should request aid from Count John at once. Draft the message immediately and send it by pigeon."

"As you command, my lord."

The Baron stood and walked to the hall window. The coming battle would be a grueling, protracted war, and the thought left him feeling lost.

’Why attack me? This place is nothing but poor, rugged backwater. Why not just let me drink myself silly and be happy every day? If you want to fight Count John, then go fight him!’

On the castle ramparts, the soldiers began to bustle about. They checked the Crossbow Mechanisms and prepared the armory’s small stores of rolling stones and hot oil.

The common folk were also mobilized. Though they were not Warriors, in a crisis like this, they had to don thick cotton robes, take up wooden shields and weapons, and become part of the defending Militia.

Outside the fortress, Henry’s army had completed its encirclement of Ximira Castle.

Henry stood at a distance, observing the castle’s defenses.

"Selas, Roland, what are your thoughts?"

Selas and Roland stood at Henry’s side. Selas spoke first. "My lord, the castle walls are at least fourteen meters high. This is a sturdy old fortress, with defenses far superior to the still-unfinished Westwood Laine Castle."

"There are six arrow towers on the walls, each providing the defenders with an excellent line of sight and firing angles."

Roland added, "I counted about two hundred defenders on the walls. They look poorly equipped, but their morale doesn’t seem low. The common folk are also actively moving supplies to prepare for the defense."

"Conservatively, the enemy’s numbers aren’t large, probably under a thousand. But there could be more. We can see too little of what’s happening on the ramparts from here."

Henry nodded. Even though the defenders were poorly equipped and trained, the sturdy walls and ample supplies of food and water were Ximira Castle’s greatest advantages.

"We can’t let the enemy just sit there comfortably. Claude!"

Claude stepped forward quickly. "My lord."

"I need you to organize the Engineers. We have enough rope, tools, and timber. I want you to build three Catapults. We’re going to use them to smash the castle walls open directly."

’We can always rebuild and repair the walls later. The goal now is to get inside and take the castle. This is no time for hesitation or timidity.’

"As you command, my lord."

Claude accepted his orders and departed, beginning to organize the Engineers and soldiers to build the Catapults.

Under Claude’s command, they selected suitable timber and began fabricating the main frames of the Catapults. Meanwhile, other soldiers prepared the ropes and stones, getting ready for the impending siege.

On the castle walls, the Baron’s minister and officers saw the enemy’s movements.

Their faces turned pale. Once those Catapults were built, the castle walls would face an unprecedented crisis.

"Austin, what’s wrong?"

Austin, the Engineer, frowned, gesturing toward the castle wall for a long moment before speaking. "I think attacking with Catapults is too time-consuming, and the post-war reconstruction will be a hassle."

Claude glanced at the wall. "Do you have a better suggestion? The lord is a wise leader. If your idea is sound, he’ll listen."

Austin thought for a long time before finally deciding he should speak with Henry directly.

He had initially been kidnapped by Henry, more or less. But his days at Westwood Laine had been happy ones, allowing him to experience dignity and honor. After bringing his family over, he had come to consider himself a member of the Westwood Laine community.

"Lord Baron," Austin began, "after careful consideration, I don’t believe we need to rely entirely on Catapults to destroy the walls."

Henry looked at Austin, whose arm was trembling with nervousness, and smiled. "Don’t be nervous, Austin. What’s your suggestion?"

Austin let out a breath and explained, "We can build Shield Carriers. This type of siege engine can provide cover for our soldiers as they approach the walls."

"A Shield Carrier is built with multiple layers of thick wooden planks and covered with rawhide on top, which can effectively block arrows and small projectiles."

"Can a Shield Carrier like that withstand fire from the Crossbow Cannons on the walls?"

"The power of the Crossbow Cannons is not to be underestimated, but the Shield Carrier’s design can minimize their destructive effect. We can leave enough space underneath for soldiers to safely approach the wall, and then they can use Cloud Ladders to quickly scale it."

Henry fell silent, his gaze lingering on Austin as he weighed the pros and cons of the proposal.

Shield Carriers would indeed reduce the damage to the walls, but it also meant his soldiers would have to face the defenders’ attacks directly. Casualties would inevitably be higher.

"Lord Baron, I understand your concerns."

Austin sensed Henry’s hesitation and said softly, "The Shield Carriers will indeed expose our soldiers to the Crossbow Mechanisms, but please, consider the post-war reconstruction."

Austin continued, "If you can preserve the castle’s integrity, you will immediately possess a fortified stronghold after the war."

"This will not only strengthen your influence in Ximira Castle and the entire eastern region, but it will also provide you with a strategic anchor point to further consolidate and expand your Control Power."

Henry looked Austin up and down, surprised that this Engineer possessed such strategic vision.

"Austin, you’re right."

Henry said earnestly, "I agree with your proposal. Begin construction of the Shield Carriers at once."

"Lord Baron, your wisdom will lead us to victory."

Henry waved his hand, dismissing Austin to carry out the order.

On the walls of the castle, the Baron of Ximira Castle and his minister were anxiously discussing countermeasures. They had no idea that Henry’s plan had changed, nor that they were about to face a brand-new threat.

"My lord, we must be prepared. No matter what strategy Baron Henry employs, we cannot abandon Ximira Castle."

The Baron clenched his fist. "You’re right. This is my home, and I won’t let anyone take it from me. Pass on my command: all soldiers and subjects are to hold their posts! We will show Henry that Ximira Castle is not so easily conquered!"

Over the next few days, Henry’s army began constructing the Shield Carriers. Timber was sawn and nailed together, and rawhide was stretched and fixed over the frames.

Time ticked by. As the day of battle drew near, both sides were deep in tense preparations.

During this time, Philip led the Grassland Riders and Warriors on a series of swift raids in the region surrounding Ximira Castle.

Their targets were bandits roaming the countryside. These men often took advantage of the chaos of war to pillage villages, but now, they had become pawns in Henry’s siege.

After several days of operations, Philip’s unit had captured several hundred bandits.

In addition to the bandits, they had also rounded up self-employed farmers, tenant farmers, and serfs from Ximira Castle’s affiliated villages, along with large quantities of grain. However, Henry ordered Philip to release them all.

"My lord, why?" Philip asked, confused.

"These people are our captives. Isn’t releasing them weakening our own siege efforts?"

Henry looked at Philip and said, "Philip, we are about to occupy this land. These people will become my subjects. I cannot treat them as expendable pawns. That would complicate the work of integrating and managing this territory later."

Henry had only decided on this course of action after his conversation with Austin. He hadn’t considered it before.

As the two were talking, Vasco suddenly entered the command tent.

"My lord, an arrow was just shot out from Ximira Castle. It has a note attached."

Henry took the note, puzzled. After reading it, he flew into a rage.

"The sheer audacity! Does he really think I’ve held back these past few days because I’m afraid of Count John?! Vasco, we attack the castle tomorrow!"

"Yes, my lord!"

Philip glanced at the furious Henry, then picked up the note that had been thrown to the ground. After reading it, he thought that the Baron of Ximira Castle had provoked the wrong man.

The Baron of Ximira Castle was threatening Henry, telling him to withdraw his troops because Count John’s reinforcements were about to arrive. He advised Henry not to gamble with his entire force.

’Gamble? Did Lord Henry look like he was gambling?’