NOVPUBClaude took a deep breath and began to argue.
“Why does the lord have to discipline them? Are you a barbarian trainer or something?”
It hadn’t been long since the last war, and now Ghislain was talking about another campaign? Against those rugged barbarians, no less.
Claude wasn’t the only one with a shocked expression; everyone else also looked bewildered.
But Ghislain replied with a matter-of-fact expression, as if what he was saying was obvious.
“Well, who else would handle them if not me? My father may be dealing with them for now, but who’s next in line if not me?”
“...”
Technically, he wasn’t wrong. Handling the barbarians had always been a duty of the Ferdium family, which was why they held the title and duties of the border marquis.
“Alright, I get that you’re the designated successor... but weren’t we discussing how to procure horses?”
“Oh, those guys have plenty of horses.”
“So, since they have a lot of horses... you’re planning to take them by force?”
“Exactly. Who says we can’t engage in a little pillaging ourselves? This time, it’s our turn to take from them. I won’t live my life getting taken advantage of.”
“...”
Claude looked at him with a slightly exasperated expression.
The horses bred in the northern barbarian lands were famous for their resilience, and the barbarians were adept at horseback riding.
Their way of life revolved around raiding and moving swiftly on horseback.
But barbarians were weak in siege warfare. Spread across various tribes, they weren’t well-coordinated, and with most of them on horseback, they had limited effectiveness in attacking fortresses.
Understanding their limitations in sieges, they typically avoided the fortress, skirting it to raid the kingdom instead.
For this reason, the strategy of blocking the routes and tracking them down from the northern fortresses had worked well, allowing the impoverished Ferdium family to defend against the barbarians over the years.
Now, however, Ghislain was declaring his intention to steal horses from the barbarians, who practically lived on horseback.
“Uh, are you sure about this? If it were that easy, Ferdium wouldn’t have struggled so much over the years...”
“It was tough because they were poor. They needed to beat them back but lacked both manpower and food. But now? Do you think we can’t take them on? Those guys fight among themselves, even without us.”
“...”
The vassals had no words and lowered their heads.
Ferdium had always struggled for various reasons, unable to undertake large-scale subjugation due to the need to conserve their forces.
But Fenris now? With food surplus and four hundred knights? The barbarians were loosely gathered into small tribes, so as long as they were willing, they could beat them as much as they wanted.
“They’re struggling with famine just like us. We need to take the horses before they start eating them. And, I had a tough childhood because of those guys. Now, I’m here to settle the score.”
Hearing that, Belinda nodded vigorously.
“Exactly! Lord Ferdium was so busy dealing with the barbarians that he couldn’t even give you a proper allowance. The reason you were a bit rebellious as a child was probably because of the lack of pocket money.”
“...”
Out of words, Claude looked around. Judging from their faces, the other vassals seemed to share his mixed feelings.
It was somewhat burdensome to embark on a new campaign in the middle of focusing on territorial development. But after hearing Ghislain’s reasoning, it didn’t seem as challenging as he had initially thought.
Claude turned to Belinda, his usual companion in opposition.
“What about you, head maid? Are you against this?”
After a brief moment of thought, Belinda gave a refreshingly straightforward answer.
“I’m in favor.”
“What? Why? You always oppose going to war.”
“I don’t like those guys.”
“...You’re going to start a war just because you don’t like them?”
“Yeah, what else am I supposed to do?”
Claude had no response. Honestly, could there be a stronger reason for war?
Clicking his tongue, Claude looked for someone else to object.
“Master Fergus! What do you think?”
“Hahaha... I’ve never liked those barbarians either.”
‘It’s hopeless.’
The people of Ferdium held a surprisingly deep-seated disdain for the barbarians.
Shaking his head, Claude looked at Ghislain and voiced his concerns.
“Still, most of our forces are infantry. Are you sure we’re ready for this? The barbarians excel at mounted combat. If they run, our efforts would be wasted. And while we have plenty of knights, they lack endurance.”
“We can coordinate with Ferdium to get cavalry support. We’ll draft some of the infantry for supply duties, while the rest stay back to defend the territory.”
Claude and the other vassals nodded. The Fenris knights were known for their explosive power, capable of overpowering anyone in numbers.
With cavalry to support them, they’d be able to conserve strength and maintain prolonged combat.
“Alright, we’ll prepare right away.”
“Great. I appreciate that the opposition has gotten a bit shorter.”
‘We’ve halfway given up because he never listens.’
However, every venture Ghislain undertook ended successfully, so he’d earned some trust along the way.
Regardless of the vassals’ unspoken thoughts, Ghislain was relieved that the resistance had decreased. Since he would be leaving to lead the army, handling this as swiftly as possible was ideal.
‘I need to take care of this while Harold and Amelia are occupied. The ducal family is preoccupied with the royalist faction, so now’s the chance.’
So he had waited until Amelia’s rebellion began, despite delays in construction caused by transportation issues.
Even without the need for horses, it was about time to deal with the barbarians. It was essential to secure the rear before any larger wars began.
Having Ferdium divide its forces would be detrimental at a critical time. When you feel the itch at your back, it’s best to scratch it.
“It’s all part of the plan, so let’s move swiftly. Summon all the knights.”
At Ghislain’s command, everyone moved busily. With increased strength and food supplies, the others also felt more confident.
They had become one of the most prominent territories in the North, no matter what anyone said.
Preparing for war, Claude assessed the territory’s atmosphere and shook his head.
‘It’s strange. All of this has been achieved thanks to our lord’s crazy schemes. Well... maybe I’ll help out a bit.’
Claude tried to ignore the thought that he’d been forced into compliance every time.
Ghislain had given people confidence, and his actions matched that confidence by increasing their power.
As he continued his preparations with a relaxed mindset, Ghislain approached Claude and said, “You’re coming, too. Pack your things.”
“What? Why me? I’m terrible at fighting!”
“Strategy and logistics support.”
“...”
Claude deeply regretted not opposing the plan more vehemently.
* * *
“Waaaaaaah!”
In the northern fortress, a fierce battle with the barbarians was underway.
“Get up there!”
Numerous barbarians were swarming the fortress. They wore leather trousers suited for horseback riding and animal fur coats.
With skull helmets and battle axes, they embodied their fierce disposition.
Fending off the barbarian warriors scaling the walls, Zvalter encouraged his soldiers.
“Hold them off! We can repel them!”
Six small tribes had united to attack the fortress. While they were numerous, they could still be held off.
Zvalter’s concern wasn’t that the fortress would be overrun.
‘The real problem lies elsewhere. They’re likely bypassing us as we speak.’
The barbarians knew they were weak in siege warfare. Thus, even if they attacked a fortress, it was usually just to keep Ferdium’s forces occupied.
The real attack came from raiding parties moving to plunder northern villages.
Such tactics were rarely used, as they were costly for the barbarians.
However, due to the famine, they were forced to take more drastic measures. They, too, had tribes to feed, and fights even broke out among them more frequently.
“Brother! No, my lord! If this continues, several other northern territories will be attacked. They’ll place all the blame on us!”
“Ugh...”
Zvalter groaned. He was used to being blamed, but the thought of innocent lives being lost filled him with frustration.
What could he possibly do?
‘We can’t leave the fortress under the current circumstances.’
Although conditions had improved, they still needed to conserve their forces. The barbarians were spread across the vast northern lands.
If they suffered significant losses in a skirmish, word would spread, and other barbarian tribes might unite and invade again.
‘If we get whittled down like that, this place will eventually fall. There’s no other solution...’ n𝚘vp𝚞𝚋.com
Ghislain had made it sound easy to Claude, but the reality was far from simple.
The other lords were reluctant to risk their forces and barely provided token support. The ducal faction’s nobles showed no interest, while the royalist faction was too busy checking the ducal faction.
Only Ferdium...
Only Ferdium was left to fight this lonely battle.
‘I had hoped to request help from Ghislain... but I never expected the barbarians to unite and attack so soon.’
Shaking off his disappointment, Zvalter raised his voice.
“Drive them back! Once
they retreat, we’ll form a pursuit unit!”
Knights and soldiers gritted their teeth and threw themselves into battle.
“You filthy bastards!”
“Will you stop coming already?!”
Improved skills and conditions had boosted their morale, but constant exhaustion and hardship weighed heavily on their spirits.
They were simply holding on by sheer determination and the hatred they had accumulated.
Those who couldn’t endure it had already left. That was why Ferdium constantly faced a shortage of knights and had traitors like Jamal and Philip, who had kidnapped Elena.
Zvalter knew all too well how tough it was to rely solely on a sense of duty.
“Stay strong! We’ll prevail as always!”
He steadied his resolve once again. But everyone knew that even if they drove them back, it wouldn’t be a real victory.
The only reason they could hold out was that the barbarians weren’t unified.
There were countless moments of wanting to give up. But Zvalter always gave his best, for his family, the people, and the kingdom.
He scanned the battlefield with weary eyes.
‘I’m getting old...’
The once young and fierce Wolf of the North was growing weaker.
His skills had improved, and he’d gained wisdom with age, but his spirit was worn down by the harsh northern winds.
And once the spirit weakens, even the strongest body cannot hold up.
‘I just want to rest.’
Even Zvalter, known for his strong sense of duty, was beginning to feel this way.
But the people of Ferdium still followed him with unwavering loyalty.
He had a unique quality—a sense of kindness and responsibility that looked after everyone and never abandoned his duty.
The people of Ferdium were inspired by his noble spirit, willing to risk their lives for this difficult journey.
Unlike the weary Ferdium forces, the barbarians’ confidence grew.
“Hey! Be careful, you idiots!”
“You crazy bastards! We’re not here to conquer today!”
“Hold back and just buy time!”
The barbarian war chiefs tried to rein in their warriors, but their bloodthirsty nature was hard to control.
Most barbarian warriors relished combat, and the sight of blood sent them into a frenzy.
The original plan was to occupy Ferdium’s forces while other groups raided for supplies.
But in their overzealous attacks on the fortress, the intensity of the battle increased, leading to higher casualties among the barbarian warriors.
Slash!
“Gaaah!”
“Die, you bastards!”
“No, you die! You filthy scum!”
As the battle escalated, tension and animosity built up between both sides. For those defending, the fight was more grueling than for those attacking.
The barbarian war chiefs yelled from all directions.
“Fall back! Rest for a bit before we attack again!”
“We just need a couple more days! Then the others will bring the supplies!”
“These idiots are easy pickings! The North’s pushovers! Hahaha!”
The barbarians laughed heartily.
Despite the losses, they had managed to tie down the fortress’s forces. They were here due to famine, but they were clearly enjoying the battle.
As they retreated, mocking the Ferdium forces, the soldiers watched them with exhausted eyes.
No cheers erupted, even though the enemy had taken significant damage and was pulling back.
Because they knew this wasn’t a real victory.
Even now, the barbarians were bypassing them to invade the northern territories of the kingdom.
Knowing this, they were forced to remain at the fortress.
The sense of helplessness and humiliation at being unable to act weighed heavily on them.
But even more overwhelming was...
‘We’re so tired...’
The knights and soldiers of Ferdium were stronger than before, but the weariness within them had only grown.
‘I just want to rest...’
‘When will this fight with these people end...’
‘Someone, please...’
But that was just a futile wish.
This conflict would never end.
It was the same in the past, the same now, and would continue in the future.
This fight would only end if they fled or died.
Yet they didn’t give up.
These were the last remaining elite forces in the region, living with the pride of defending the kingdom’s northern borders.
As they watched the retreating barbarians in silence, a knight noticed a dust cloud on the horizon and muttered.
“What’s that? Are reinforcements arriving?”
The only force that traveled on horseback around here was the barbarians.
Normally, they moved in small groups, so seeing them gather in such numbers was unusual. It seemed the famine had emboldened them.
“Prepare for battle again! Another wave is coming!”
Knights shouted commands from all sides. It was clear that additional forces from the barbarians would make things tougher, but they had no choice.
It was their duty to defend this place, even at the cost of their lives.
As everyone, weary but resolute, picked up their weapons again, a knight’s eyes widened.
“Huh? That flag...?”
It was a symbol very similar to Ferdium’s—a white wolf on a black background. But this one had a red wolf instead.
The emblem of Fenris.
Whoosh!
The symbol of the newly rising power in the North.
The soldiers could see the red wolf’s banner flying as the troops approached.
Thundering hooves grew louder, and others could now see the figures more clearly.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The earth seemed to quake under the galloping horses, led by a figure at the forefront.
A soldier recognized the figure and shouted loudly.
“It’s the Grand Duke! The Grand Duke has brought the army!”
Ghislain was charging toward the fortress, with the barbarians positioned at their backs.
