Chapter 252 Chapter252-The War Begins
Howard nodded, emphasizing, "These matters concern the lives of our soldiers and must be handled with utmost care."
He then inquired, "Regarding the fifty iron swords, how many has Smith Schumacher delivered so far?"
Resarite replied, "Schumacher is working tirelessly day and night, but there are still over ten swords pending. Completing the entire order will take about half a month more."
"Alright," Howard acknowledged.
He then asked another question, "How is the task I assigned to Bosiden progressing?"
Howard had sent Bosiden to scout Patch's village and, covertly, to gather the villagers' support by having them sign a 'declaration' of will.
This 'declaration' was a claim to all rights and inheritances of the territory, legitimizing any future annexation of Patch's village.
Resarite reported, "Such matters cannot be rushed. A few days ago, Bosiden informed us that his efforts to create a declaration in Kenfa Village were thwarted by Patch's loyalists. He can no longer set foot in Kenfa Village."
Hearing this, Howard felt a tremor of doubt.
If Bosiden couldn't even enter Kenfa Village, how could he persuade the villagers to sign the declaration?
When could the declaration for Kenfa Village be completed?
Anna spoke up confidently, "Howard, don't be afraid. These kinds of maneuvers are common among nobility. Since Patch has already discovered your plans, it's unlikely you'll achieve your goal by continuing. It might be better to withdraw Bosiden from Kenfa Village. I believe Knight Patch might change his view of you once he sees you've stopped pursuing the declaration."
Howard remained silent, contemplating the situation.
Marguerite clasped the front of her dress nervously, suggesting, "Lord Howard, if Bosiden has been marked by Patch, then perhaps it's best to recall him. We could send someone else to continue the declaration effort. Patch only recognizes Bosiden; with a different person, he won't know."
Resarite remained silent, waiting for Howard's decision.
Howard queried Resarite, "If we switch to another person, can we preserve the progress made so far?"
Resarite shook his head, "No, changing the person means starting the efforts anew."
Howard asked further, "On a scale of one to a hundred, how far had we progressed with Bosiden's efforts?"
Resarite replied, "Bosiden is capable, and his initial progress in Kenfa Village was particularly smooth. Even though we've hit a standstill, we've achieved about 75% of our goal."
Deciding, Howard took out a pouch of coins and handed twenty silver coins to Resarite.
"Give these to Bosiden, and tell him to continue his mission with this money."
Resarite accepted the silver coins and bowed, "Thank you for your trust, Lord Howard."
Two days later, in the afternoon, as Howard was sparring with Anna in the training field, Vettel returned with news that Knight Kaido was very pleased with Flandre and had sent a marriage proposal.
Howard sheathed his greatsword and wiped his sweaty face with a towel handed to him by a maid before going to see Flandre.
At nineteen, Flandre was of perfect age for marriage.
Howard showed her the marriage proposal from Knight Kaido.
Flandre's hands flew to her face, and she squealed in excitement, clearly thrilled.
Howard nodded to the maid standing nearby.
Seeing Howard's approval, the maid left Flandre's room, walked down the corridor, and informed Vettel at the end of the hallway, "The lord has agreed."
In the realm of paperwork, Howard entrusted the transcription to Resarite, who, despite his seemingly rugged exterior, possessed a meticulous touch.
The document, once completed, met Howard's exacting standards with its clear handwriting.
Having received the document from Howard, Vettel was tasked with delivering it to Knight Kaido.
This particular parchment signified the acceptance of Knight Kaido's proposal to betroth Flandre.
Subsequently, Howard ventured into the storeroom to meticulously inspect the quality of the Leather Armor in stock.
Satisfied with what he found, he left the storeroom contentedly.
More than a fortnight passed, and Schumacher's iron swords were finally ready.
Howard personally visited to inspect these new creations.
He weighed an iron sword in his hand and casually inquired about various aspects of its craftsmanship.
After a brief exchange, he stepped out of the blacksmith's shop and, with a nod of approval, said to Resarite, "I am satisfied. Proceed with the final payment."
As they walked, Resarite reported to Howard, "My lord, just a day ago, Bosiden successfully proclaimed the strength of Kenfa Village. Now, with our arsenal and armor fully equipped and the villagers trained under my guidance, they are well-prepared for battle. When shall we declare war on Knight Patch?"
It was just before noon, with the sun blazing in its full glory, casting a stark light upon Howard's face.
He turned, inhaled deeply, and declared, "Now is the time."
As the midday mealtime approached, a group of determined individuals emerged from Yami Village, led by the spirited Bosiden.
Their mission was to deliver a message to Kenfa Village, presenting Knight Patch with an ultimatum: surrender Kenfa Village or brace for imminent defeat.
Knight Patch, upon receiving the message from Bosiden, was seething with fury.
His initial impulse was to abandon the chivalric code and brutally punish Bosiden, but his scouts reported that Bosiden and his party had swiftly departed after delivering the letter, making it impossible to pursue them.
This news only intensified Knight Patch's anger.
As the battle officially commenced, the scent of gunpowder wafted into Baron Fernsouth's nostrils.
Unperturbed by his subordinates' reports, the Baron casually continued watering his plants, dismissing the news as insignificant.
Meanwhile, Knight Kaido, upon learning of the situation, was inclined to assist Howard.
However, he found himself without a justifiable reason to deploy his troops.
The alliance with Howard could only be formalized following the marriage with Flandre, leaving Kaido powerless to intervene at the moment.
Knight Zoron, on hearing the news, was filled with anxiety.
He feared that a victorious Howard would emerge stronger and potentially turn against him.
In preparation for the conflict, Howard began the total mobilization of his peasant soldiers.
Resarite, Anna, and Margaret tirelessly roamed Yami Village, Rui Village, and Safa Village, gathering troops for the cause.
Knight Patch, in response, also called upon the peasant soldiers of Kenfa Village.
One of Patch's subordinates suggested taking advantage of the time needed for Howard's forces to assemble, proposing a preemptive strike against Howard's gathering army.
However, Patch, blinded by rage, slapped his subordinate, roaring, "Do you take me for a fool? Marching towards such a multitude would be walking straight into a trap!"
The reprimanded subordinate, nursing a sore cheek, dared not utter another word.
A day later, Howard's forces were fully mobilized.
Resarite, appointed as the commander, led the troops on behalf of Howard, poised to steer the course of the impending battle.
Inside the camp, Resarite pointed to a spot on the map hanging before them, explaining to Howard the optimal location for their attack.
Anna and Marguerite, as Howard's Knight Squires, stood protectively at his sides.
Howard patted Resarite's shoulder, reassuringly stating, "Go ahead with confidence; I trust you."
Resarite's strategy involved drawing Patch's forces away from Kenfa Village and then swiftly seizing it, catching Patch's troops off-guard and demoralizing them.
Howard agreed with the plan.
The operation commenced.
Anna led a small team to distract Patch, luring him into a chase.
Meanwhile, Howard's main force swiftly occupied Kenfa Village.
Upon learning this, Anna circled back to reunite with the main force in Kenfa Village.
Outside Kenfa Village, Howard, mounted on his horse, pulled the reins to halt.
He looked with concern at Anna approaching and asked, "Are you alright? Did you encounter any danger?"
Anna shook her golden hair, radiant and angelic in the midst of the battlefield, and replied, "No, that foolish Patch kept cursing behind us, but couldn't catch up."
Marguerite ran over and embraced Anna, anxiously inquiring if she was injured, her concern evident.
The morale among Howard's troops was soaring.
With their numerical advantage and the tide of the battle in their favor, everyone was elated.
As Patch's forces arrived, he hurled insults at Howard: "Howard, you dare to trick me! I'll tear you apart!"
Unperturbed, Howard replied with a chuckle, "Patch, harsh words alone won't help you. If you want to win, you'll have to defeat my army. Can you do that?"
Howard's forces were strategically positioned along the outskirts of Kenfa Village, with archers lining the relatively low walls.
The archers, bows drawn and arrows nocked, reflected a cold, lethal shimmer in the sunlight.
Patch's soldiers began to show signs of panic.
Kenfa Village was their home, now occupied by the enemy, filling them with alarm.
Patch, out of options, resorted to berating his troops for their cowardice.
Howard gave the command, "Archers, fire!"
The archers on the walls released their arrows, sending deadly shafts flying towards the enemy.
Patch's army, poorly equipped with shields, suffered heavy casualties under the barrage.
Howard then ordered, "Full assault! Capture Patch alive!"
A thunderous battle cry echoed as the gates of Kenfa Village opened, and Howard's forces charged at Patch's troops.
Mounted on his horse and wielding a lance, Howard pierced a soldier with each thrust, his steed galloping forward, barreling through any soldiers who dared block his path.
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