"Tie him up!" ordered the commanding officer. He's gonna have a lot of chats with the spy. The soldiers promptly heed his order. They swiftly approach the old man and secure his hands tightly behind his back using strong ropes.
The curious bystanders in the area watch the scenes develop with interest. They had witnessed the old man's daring escape from the tavern, but they remain unaware of his true identity as a spy.
Whispers ripple through the crowd as they exchange puzzled glances. Some people express concern, thinking the old man might be subjected to injustice. Others quietly speculate on the reasons behind his capture, creating their own stories based on the scant information available.
Amidst the murmurs and hushed conversations, a few brave individuals voice their opinions. They criticise the foreign soldiers' behaviour in treating the citizen of Bagyarosia.
"Sir, you can treat our people like this." said one of them to the soldiers who maintaining the perimeter around the old man.
The soldier glanced at them from the corner of his eyes, "Back off or I will hold you accountable for hindering us from the performance of our duties."
The air of authority exudes from the soldier intimidates him. Being as idiot and stubborn as many common people out there, the man refuses to back down. "W-What did you just say?"
To calm the situation down, the commanding officer feels a need to explain to the crowd. "Hear me out people of Wemeywesto. The kind old man you know is actually the spy working for Barlia. For years, he has been secretly feeding them with information about the city. Just last night, a group of assassins has infiltrate the palace and carried out a ruthless massacre on the king and all his courtiers."
The crowd fell into shock and disbelief. Their mind takes a few more seconds to process the commanding officer's words. Gaps of shock escape their lips as the news of the tragedy was revealed.
The demise of the monarch left them stunned and disoriented. It was too sudden, especially during this crucial time.
The old man freezes upon hearing the news. Multiple questions appeared in his head. Never did he plan on doing that. His job is merely to gather intelligence and deliver it out of the city.
The old man looks at the young officer with a myriad of emotions flickering across his face.
The commanding officer, on the other hand, looks at him with a subtle smile. A smile that was enough to convince his assumption.
In less than a second, everything clicked together.
His eyes widen, reflecting a mixture of surprise and fear.
"No, I am not-" He tries to deny it but found his mouth covered up, preventing words from escaping. The blame for this heinous act was unjustly placed upon him. The old man struggles to escape but multiple soldiers hold him down.
As the weight of the accusation settles upon him, the old man finds himself at the centre of a storm of accusatory glances and murmurs. The people no longer sympathize with him.
The commanding officer continues, "Calm down, everyone. Let me finish talking. Ryntum soldiers manage to kill a few of them but mostly manage to escape. And so, we are committed to hunting them down and ensuring the safety of the citizen. Therefore, I urge you to not fall into a panic when you see some people you know getting arrested."
"Sir, what about Bagyarosia then?" The murmur of the crowds grew louder and transformed into a chorus of concern.
With the king and nobles dead, the fate of this kingdom is uncertain as no heir to take the throne.
"Worried not. I'll send the letter to the King Rizieri of Ryntum, requesting him to take Wemeywesto as a part of his territory and bring all of you under his protection."
A flicker of relief washed over the crowds followed by a whisper of assurance. The word of this young officer gave a glimmer of hope to them as they recognized the benefits of integrating themselves with a stronger power.
The commanding officer leaves the crowds alone and went to the palace together with his soldiers and the restrained old man where he'll be interrogated.
[A/N: Map]
....
Erle Island, Blande.
Wagner, the naval commander, received the letter from General Braun with anticipation. He broke the seal and read the contents. A smile gradually emerges on his face as he read about his friend's successful capture of the Nedideters.
However, the next sentence causes him to frown. Braun request additional troops and asked him to land at the port town of Betbury instead. "This guy must have made a change in strategy." He muttered.
Immediately, Admiral Wagner called his trusted advisors and relayed the news to them. They discussed whether to stick with the original plan or follow Braun's request. Also, they need to consider the logistics of bringing additional troops down to the south. In the end, all of them agreed to follow General Braun as he know the most about the situation on the ground.
"Admiral, we have no problem with logistics but where do we get the troop?" His advisor raised his concern. It'll take a long time to travel back and forth from the north. In the meantime, the situation may change.
"Hmm..." Wagner fell in his thought. "We can conscript the manpower from people on this island to make up the number."
His advisor remind him, "We'll only be able to raise a few thousand untrained soldiers if we do so."
"It's okay, we have our sailors trained soldiers as well. They can teach them the basics. At least, the conscript wouldn't die uselessly."
Orders were issued, and preparations began. Wagner made sure that the ships were ready for the expedition, stocked with provisions and supplies to sustain the troops. Throughout the island, the navy spread the word spread about the success achieved by General Braun and his army.
The news was used to attract the island inhabitants to join the course. As a result, Wagner manages to gather many able-body men to serve as soldiers for the upcoming battle. Many of them were from farmer and fishermen backgrounds who never hold weapons in their life.
He instructed his officers to work with the sailors to teach them the basics of military tactics, such as how to handle a sword or a spear and how to form a shield wall. Thankfully, they are not so dumb and quick to learn.
The crash course lasted for two days before the fleet departed from the island to the south. It'll take approximately one and a half days to arrive at the gulf's narrow entrance.
Wagner understood the importance of entering the gulf undetected, considering it was a busy trade route. The timing was crucial. He aimed to enter the gulf during the late hours of the night when maritime activity was relatively low.
Therefore, he didn't directly go straight into the gulf. Instead, the fleet stopped at the coast of Herthet Island belonged to Sidegean Empire first and wait for the night.
After a long wait, nightfall finally draped its cloak over the island. Wagner stood on the deck of his flagship, looking up to the murky sky. The moon was hidden behind a thick layer of clouds and the faint glow of the stars pierced through.
"What a perfect weather," Wagner said. He then ordered the ships to sail under the cover of darkness.
To further conceal their presence, the admiral ordered the fleet to put out all unneeded lights, leaving only a few for navigation. Additionally, the ships maintained close proximity to one another and reduced their speed to minimize the noise created.
Silence is the key to their success and he didn't forget to emphasise it to his crews. The communication among the ships was done by signal flags and lanterns to relay orders and information.
As the fleet ventured near Durbotes, they saw the beam of light from the lighthouse scanning the sea. Wagner was aware of it and he's also aware that nobody actually wasting time staring at the sea for the entire night.
Nevertheless, he still does his best to avoid being hit by the light which could potentially expose their position.
Once they were clear of the lighthouse, Wagner ordered for one ship to land at Nedediters. The reason is to inform General Braun about their arrival and provide them with additional soldiers. The rest of the fleet, however, was ordered to pick up their speed and steadily towards Betbury.
For the rest of the journey, they remain vigilant, constantly scanning the surroundings and checking for any signs of danger.
....
"Huh?! There are still ships coming in at such a late hour?" question a man who lives on-site as a resident caretaker of the lighthouse. He is responsible for maintaining the property, performing routine maintenance, and monitoring the equipment there.
He just happens to see ships entering the gulf while he is about to make his routine check. Since he doesn't know anything about the war, the caretaker doesn't put too much thought into it.