Chapter 312 312-The Interception
According to a letter from Antonio, there has been a flourishing exchange of goods and culture between them and the indigenous inhabitants of the New World.
Now, a portion of the local population is willing to engage with Antonio and his group.
This news delighted Howard immensely.
The fences of Fernsouth Castle have been upgraded twice, and the barracks for the light infantry expanded thrice.
The military mobilization capability of Fernsouth Castle has grown exponentially, transforming it into an entity brimming with terrifying power.
Any enemy who underestimates Fernsouth Castle's military strength is bound to suffer a significant setback.
Howard had a meeting with Matilda, which went smoothly without any anomalies.
The conversation was filled with earnest guidance, yet Howard couldn't decipher the underlying intentions behind Matilda's actions.
Despite his financially constrained circumstances, Duke Jiakai Lyon awarded Howard 20 gold coins as a commendation, disregarding his own fiscal difficulties.
Lately, Rolf's relationship with the Governor of Venice has deteriorated significantly.
With the extinction of the last batch of fierce beasts in Ferrara, the Governor of Venice, belatedly realizing the situation, was consumed by immense anger.
Spies from Venice have become increasingly prevalent in Ferrara, and some unsavory characters are even looking for opportunities to assassinate Rolf.
Having heard these rumors, Rolf has gone into hiding, rendering him invisible to Howard recently.
Margaret's life of adventure has reached a pause.
With the absence of any more exotic beasts to hunt in Ferrara, the surrounding adventurers and bounty hunters have left, disillusioned.
Margaret has returned to her domain, marking a temporary end to her adventurous endeavors.
Objectively speaking, Margaret has profited from this venture.
Although her earnings are not as substantial as the fortunes directly amassed by Howard and Rolf, she has still managed to accrue a modest amount of wealth.
Margaret has enjoyed a modest windfall.
The Governor of Milan approached Howard for a business venture.
Howard agreed, delegating Vettel to discuss the specifics with the Milanese Governor.
Consequently, economic activities between the two parties began to flourish.
Howard commissioned the construction of 20 Caravel ships at Luka's shipyard.
Caravels, a type of escort ship, were highly popular in the Mediterranean.
As each Caravel was launched, Howard assigned them to escort his trade vessels.
The presence of these escort ships reassured merchants, encouraging them to invest more heavily in this lucrative trade route, thereby increasing Howard's profits.
Catherine's father came to Howard to sign an alliance treaty.
Out of respect for Catherine, Howard agreed to the treaty.
Despite his internal discomfort, he treated Catherine's father with the utmost courtesy and proper etiquette.
Fortunately, Count Terni, during his stay, seemed to have revised his opinion of Howard and refrained from making any controversial remarks.
The two maintained an amicable relationship until Terni's departure after a three-day stay in the castle, where he spent time chatting warmly with his daughter.
Howard often spent his nights studying maps by the window, where the moonlight cast a bright glow over them, reflecting light into his thoughtful eyes.
Sometimes, he would gaze intently at Florence; other times, his eyes would wander restlessly towards Romagna and Ferrara.
One night, Nora discovered Howard awake and engaged in a discussion with him about rapid advancement in their position.
Nora revealed her secret: she was the third in line to the throne of the Habsburg Kingdom.
In the kingdom's succession laws, women, as well as men, could inherit the throne.
This realistic law aimed to preserve the power within their family.
Thus, Nora was a potential empress.
Howard was initially shocked by the revelation, but recalling Nora's usual demeanor, he gradually came to believe her.
Nora confided in Howard that her reluctance to remain within her family was driven by a desire for an exhilarating adventure.
Now, by Howard's side, she felt her destiny shifting, craving even more excitement.
A week later, she quietly departed, and another week passed before an imperial edict arrived, appointing Howard as a Marquis and granting him a free city under the empire, with his title remaining intact and directly subordinate to the Emperor.
Howard accepted this honor.
However, Duke Jiakai did not share in this acceptance.
He saw the Emperor's decree as a trampling of his interests and, using this as a pretext, rebelled in an attempt to overthrow the Emperor's rule.
The military might of the Habsburg Kingdom, however, was beyond the Duke's reckoning.
In just fifteen days, the Empire's First Army forcefully breached every one of Jiakai's castles.
The Duke was imprisoned, his lands revoked, and from that day, the Jiakai territory had no Duke, falling directly under the Emperor's control.
Howard, eager to accelerate his rise, found his wishes fulfilled by Nora.
Now an esteemed noble and military officer of the Empire, Howard commanded the Empire's Second Army's cavalry division.
His troops, including conscripts from his own and Luka's counties, were all integrated into the army.
Two months later, during a rest and resupply at the camp, Howard, leading his heavy cavalry unit, was responsible for the camp's vigilance, actively campaigning for the Empire.
It was a rainy day, with a heavy downpour that was chilling to the bone, stirring up mud and water in the ground pits.
Anna, her hair soaked by the rain, approached Howard and said, "My lord, the rain is too heavy. Please, take rest in your tent. We can handle the watch here."
Bosiden reported, "My lord, Portia and I have scouted the nearby terrain. The area is surrounded by mountains on all sides, an ambush is unlikely. You can rest easy, sir."
Resarite added, "Please, my lord, go to your tent and rest. If the commander falls ill on the battlefield, it would strike a heavy blow to our troops' morale. For the sake of our fighting spirit, please take respite inside, Lord Howard."
Howard dismounted, his boots sinking slightly into the muddy ground as he stared intently ahead.
If he achieved remarkable success in this battle, Nora had hinted, a dukedom might be his reward.
Raindrops trickled into Anna's eyes, prompting her to blink thrice to clear them.
She continued earnestly, "My lord, forget about noble titles for now. The will of the people is changing. They prefer officials who accomplish real deeds and show tangible results, rather than lords who indulge in luxury all day."
Howard remained silent.
Three days later, as the rain began to subside, an enemy army of 32000 was marching towards Howard's camp.
Anna urged Howard to leave early, saying, "Howard, the enemy's numbers are greater than we anticipated. With our limited forces, we would surely be overwhelmed instantly. Let's quickly regroup with the main army!"
Resarite, with a grave expression, advised Howard, "My lord, this is not like the previous lordly skirmishes. This is a large-scale battle, a war between groups of lords. We don't need to face all the enemy lords alone. It's like using an egg to hit a rock, my lord."
Margaret chimed in, "My lord, the enemy's numbers are too great, we are no match for them. Let's retreat eastward for now and plan further once we join with the main forces."
Taking a deep breath, Howard said, "This area holds a defensive advantage for us. If we move slightly eastward, we can reach a terrain that is easy to defend but hard to attack. If we hold our ground here and wait for the main forces to join us, we might very well achieve a resounding victory."
Vettel, after a moment of thought, couldn't help but say, "My lord, this is a huge gamble. This is not like a business negotiation where it's alright if things don't work out. This is about the lives of so many people. Once we lose our troops, we might face wars from other nobles upon our return. My lord, please consider this decision very, very carefully!"
Howard responded, "Our numbers are actually not insignificant. We represent not only the forces from the counties of Nok and Luka but also troops from other parts of the empire." "Our army is a diverse mix. Aside from those we lead into battle, many nobles have contributed soldiers, though they themselves have not joined us here."
"Our strength is considerable, totaling over 9500 men, and along with the Briar Corps that Edward and I have invested in, we have an army of 13000. With 13,000 troops holding a strategically advantageous terrain, it's feasible to withstand an enemy force of 32,000 for a few days."
Portia, resting her chin on her hand, commented, "My lord, your plan seems viable, but battles can turn swiftly. A defeat can come as suddenly and unpredictably as an avalanche. We may not be able to hold out for days; at best, perhaps only an hour or two."
Anna interjected, "But the Empire's First Army is still a long way from us. It would take them at least a fortnight to reach here. It's an impossible task for us."
Resarite, however, had an idea.
He suggested to Howard, "My lord, during one of my previous military expeditions, I thought of constructing a makeshift fortress. It might help to delay and obstruct the enemy for a while."
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