Chapter 73

“My lord… my lord.”

The drowsiness clouding my consciousness quickly dissipated.

I sat up, finding Kurt standing beside me.

“Is something the matter?”
“Sir Wolf has requested an audience.”
“Let him in.”

I climbed out of bed, accepted my coat from Kurt, and slipped it on. After quickly getting ready, I headed to the separate room where Wolf awaited.

Upon entering the room, I found Wolf kneeling. It was difficult to talk with him in such a posture, so I motioned for him to sit, then took a seat across from him.

“Any updates?”

At my question, Wolf pulled out a bundle of papers from his pocket and handed them to me. I took them and began reviewing the contents.

“Just recently, hostilities broke out between the royalist faction and the encircling nobles. However, the encircling nobles lack sufficient forces, leading to a stalemate.”
“I see… What about Count Kastaren’s movements?”
“He’s holding his forces back, letting the other nobles fight instead. It seems he’s keeping a close eye on their actions.”

Wolf’s words matched my suspicions.

So, it’s that noble I faced before. Back then, they engaged in a standoff with the enemy but withdrew their troops without fighting. And yet, they showed no sign of disbanding their army.

Perhaps they’re suspected of collusion, leading to growing distrust.

They must be wondering why everyone behaves as though they’re betraying one another. Without realizing, of course, that their own mistrustful nature is the root of the issue.

“Indeed, such opponents are vulnerable to indirect tactics.”

Just a slight shake-up within their faction, and their thin bonds of trust would crumble, leaving them suspicious of even their closest allies. Even so, their numbers are still formidable, making them a significant threat.

“What about Herbert and Erich’s situation?”
“They remain in a standoff, with no signs of an imminent clash. Additionally, there’s no indication that the enemy plans to send reinforcements.”

Well, given their defeats and attacks on the royalist nobles, no noble house would find it worthwhile to send reinforcements. Even though they operate as a coalition, every house ultimately prioritizes its own interests.

“How are the peasants?”

At this question, Wolf’s expression turned grim.

“About that… the number of fleeing peasants is rapidly increasing, with entire villages abandoning their homes. Some families stay behind, waiting for husbands conscripted into the army, but…”
“Because the nobles and knights are away?”
“That seems to be the case.”

Things are moving faster than I anticipated.

I had hoped to handle this more gradually, but the situation within our territory must be harsher than I thought.

We’ve started distributing maps to some extent, but the numbers are still insufficient, and the situation remains far from secure.

Kurt and Wolf both looked at me, their gazes seemingly asking, “What should we do?”

Hmm. The situation is less than ideal, but lamenting now won’t change anything.

We’re left with two options: stand by and watch or offer assistance.

“We have no choice but to help them.”
“How so?”

Kurt was the one to ask. That’s the real problem. I want to avoid direct confrontation while aiding them. Which means we’ll need to act covertly…

“We’ll disperse the army.”

Kurt tilted his head slightly, uncertain.

I began explaining, both for his understanding and to organize my thoughts.

“Under normal circumstances, scattering peasant soldiers would signify the dissolution of an army—they’d no longer be under the control of their knights.”

I paused to gauge Kurt’s reaction; he seemed to follow so far.

“However, our army consists of volunteers. Even if dispersed, they won’t fall out of control. Moreover, we’ve recently recruited skilled soldiers like those from the Gregory Mercenary Corps. I plan to assign small groups to each leader, allowing us to proceed in this manner.”

Kurt stroked his chin thoughtfully and nodded.

“Then, we’ll send these small units into enemy territory to assist and protect those fleeing.”

The enemy will likely mistake this for the dissolution of our army and lower their guard.

The noble I dealt with earlier won’t turn to attack the royalists, as I made sure to drive a wedge into their alliance.

Recruiting the experienced Gregory Mercenary Corps was a stroke of luck.

“For now, summon Gregory. I’ll explain the plan to him.”
“Understood.”