Chapter 257 Chapter257-The Challenge
"I must confess," began a local of Yami Village, "not long ago, a down-and-out nobleman named Resarite arrived here. His lands had been confiscated by a lord, a blow that left him deeply affected. However, he lent his aid to our lord and, in doing so, earned his trust. Guess what became of him?"
Knight Kaido, gripping the railing from above, inquired, "What happened to him?"
Bosiden replied with a hint of pride, "He is now the lord of Rui Village, having regained his noble status. Now, when people see him, they have no choice but to respectfully address him as 'Lord Knight'."
At this, Knight Kaido's eyes sparkled.
He glanced towards a man standing beside him.
This man, his Knight Squire, had accompanied him to Castle Fernsouth.
Acknowledging Knight Kaido's inquisitive look, the squire nodded subtly in response.
Changing his tone, Knight Kaido addressed Bosiden, "It seems Lord Howard indeed has an extraordinary knack for leadership. I am willing to pledge my allegiance to Lord Howard."
With that, Knight Kaido led Bosiden to the lord's hall and began drafting a document.
Once completed, Bosiden took the paper and, upon reading it, a smile crept onto his face.
"Your decisive action is commendable. Lord Howard will surely reward you handsomely in time."
After Bosiden departed with the document, not long passed before the Chancellor of Knight Blima arrived at Knight Kaido's domain, seeking an audience.
However, the guards at the gate barred his entry, declaring that Knight Kaido had sworn fealty to Baron Howard and was no longer a vassal of Knight Blima.
The chancellor, driven by frustration, began to berate Knight Kaido's disloyalty and heartlessness at the village outskirts, only to be eventually persuaded to leave by the guards.
In the evening, within his domain, Lord Howard was busy training peasant soldiers when Alonso approached with news: "My lord, Zoron has sent his family to deliver five gold coins."
Handing over a small bag of money to Howard, Alonso watched as he opened it and counted.
Indeed, there were five gold coins.
Sharing a knowing smile, Howard said, "Good, release Zoron then."
Alonso inquired, "Zoron's family resides in Pitz Village. Shall we expel them from there?"
Howard shook his head.
"It hasn't come to that yet. In the world of noble warfare, there are codes of conduct to be upheld. Since the opposing side has abided by the rules of nobility and has lost the war along with their title, we must respect their personal property. Let them continue to live in Pitz Village."
"In the future, once my affairs have expanded, if he can change his gluttonous habits, I might even consider him for my heavy cavalry."
Alonso praised Howard's foresight, "My lord, your thoughts are beyond the ordinary. This way, we neither break the noble codes, nor do we lose the opportunity to make use of Zoron in the future. After all, as a knight with systematic military training, he possesses considerable combat abilities."
Suddenly, a guard arrived with news: "Knight Blima's Chancellor is here."
Howard, taking a towel from a maid, wiped the sweat from his face and said cheerfully, "Let him in."
Shortly after, the chancellor entered the lord's hall, his face devoid of any smile, and handed a document to the maid.
She, in turn, presented it to Howard, who sat leisurely in his chair.
Unfolding the document, Howard discovered it to be a declaration of war.
Raising it slightly, he asked in a mocking tone, "From where does that gluttonous knight get the courage? I didn't initiate an attack on him, and yet he dares to come after me?"
Knight Blima's chancellor remained silent, offering no response.
After dismissing Knight Blima's chancellor, Howard turned to Alonso, "Inform Anna, Margaret, and Resarite that we are headed for a decisive battle against Knight Blima!"
"Once this battle is won," he continued, "I shall take Castle Fernsouth and truly become Baron Fernsouth."
Two days later, the conscripted soldiers from Howard's six villages had assembled.
They set off toward Castle Fernsouth.
Knight Blima, lacking strategic foresight, had declared war but failed to seize the opportunity to attack.
Instead, he hoarded his forces within Castle Fernsouth, inadvertently granting Howard the chance to gather his troops successfully.
Anna, Margaret, and Resarite all arrived, engaging in a long conversation with Howard as if reuniting with old friends after years apart.
Having received five gold coins as ransom from Zoron, Howard was now able to repay his debts.
He forcefully returned the five gold coins to Anna, stating, "This only repays the loan from the day I usurped the baron's title. I'll pay you back for the agate gems later."
Anna teased Howard, "Look at you, the once-poor boy now flush with cash. Where did you get this money?"
Howard shared the truth with Anna, who smiled knowingly.
Bosiden arrived with Knight Kaido's document, slightly disheveled yet unable to hide his joy.
"My lord," he exclaimed, "Knight Kaido has pledged his allegiance directly to you and will send troops for the battle!"
Anna expressed her surprise, "What? How is that possible? I've heard that although Kaido is a warrior, he's also incredibly astute and strategic. I thought he would feign compliance and delay. How could he agree so readily?"
Margaret smiled, "It seems to be the work of Lord Howard's Chancellor, Bosiden."
Bosiden modestly replied, "I dare not take credit; it's all thanks to Lord Howard's reputation."
Howard, having perused the document, expressed his satisfaction, "Well done, Bosiden. You're invaluable."
Bosiden, tidying his hair with his hands, responded with a smile.
Resarite, holding a map, approached Howard and spread it out on the table, pointing to a castle depicted on it.
"My lord, this is Castle Fernsouth. The castle is easy to defend but hard to attack. The once-vibrant Baron Layton met his demise here and succumbed to depression upon his return. In this battle, we cannot rely solely on brute force; we must employ strategy."
Howard, reminded of his own past experiences, reflected aloud, "Yes, let's not even mention Layton. Just consider my own experiences. I was once summoned as a knight to defend Castle Fernsouth."
"We were facing Baron Hof, and their forces were twice the size of ours, a formidable sight. Many were afraid, but I was not."
"Because I understood how sturdy this castle beneath our feet was. I knew that with a solid defense, we wouldn't lose to Hof."
"And indeed, my thoughts proved correct; we eventually repelled Baron Hof."
Anna added, "My family has a saying: 'Fear not the strong fortress, but the resolute hearts within.' It means the strength of a fortress is just an external condition, but united hearts can achieve greater victories."
"My point is, maybe we can find a way to appeal to the people within Castle Fernsouth."
Howard, turning to Anna, asked gently, "Oh? So, Anna, do you already have a plan in mind?"
Anna smiled and said, "Knight Blima lacks leadership, his men have little faith in him. I've already established contact with the captain of Knight Blima's guards. When necessary, we can have him open the gates for us."
Margaret looked at Anna, surprised and impressed, "Wow, Anna, you're incredible! Does this not mean we can take Castle Fernsouth effortlessly?"
Anna held her head high with pride, "It's all thanks to my family's teachings and guidance."
Resarite found the plan feasible, and Margaret had no objections.
The final decision rested with Howard, and if he agreed, the operation would likely proceed smoothly.
Howard, cautious as ever, asked Resarite about the estimated number of enemy troops.
Resarite replied, "Around 300, but these are all castle soldiers, well-equipped and trained. A direct confrontation would lead to heavy losses on our side."
Taking a deep breath, Howard looked into Resarite's eyes, "If I put all my forces under your command to fight Knight Blima's 300 men on open ground, what are our chances of victory?"
Resarite shook his head, "On open ground, since they are castle troops, they will likely have heavy cavalry patrolling the surroundings, making a surprise attack difficult. And with their heavy cavalry on the battlefield, they become an almost insurmountable obstacle."
"Even on open ground, it would be tough to defeat them."
"Knight Blima is relying on the quality of his single soldiers, anticipating to overpower us with their superior training, considering our lands consist mostly of villages."
Howard inquired, "How many heavy cavalrymen might the enemy have?"
Resarite responded, "Maintaining a heavy cavalryman is costly; only the most powerful lords can afford a sizable heavy cavalry force. Given Knight Blima's apparent lack of capability, I would estimate at most three to five heavy cavalrymen."
"But even a small number of heavy cavalry should not be underestimated. Their charge on open ground can be terrifying."
Howard understood that heavy cavalry were essentially a type of knight, distinct from the nobility-born knights with titles.
These heavy cavalrymen, lacking noble titles, were nonetheless equipped with superior gear and robust horses, receiving the best resources available.
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