***
After leaving the treasury I remember I'd yet to claim my reward for the latest combat encounter.
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[Earned Experience List]
[Strategy Grade B x2]
[Defeat an A-grade opponent with D-grade power x4]
[You are now level 21]
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Having defeated Errante, my level jumped twice, from 19 to 21.
From 19 to 20, I got 300 points and from 20 to 21, I gained another 400 points.
Combined with the remaining 100 points, I now have 800 points.
The higher my level, the more experience I need to reach the next level.
Even with the x4 multiplier I only leveled twice.
Well, it's still important that I've levelled up. Since I had 800 points, I decided to improve my Power Level.
[Power Level is now 65]
I was left with 500 points so I decided to buy one more skill.
Since I had used flashy skills to boost morale in this war, I decided to get one defensive skill this time.
There seemed to be a lot of enemies with high power levels, and I needed a defensive skill that would allow me to escape if my strategy failed.
The problem is that I can't buy the skills I want.
The system automatically generates skills when I purchase them.
This way all the generated skills are equally powerful.
By using them over and over again my proficiency will increase and the skills will become stronger.
Anyway, what I needed now was a defensive skill.
So, I spent 200 points to buy it.
[Gained invincibility for 30 seconds]
I obtained a skill necessary for escape, but I felt that the time it lasted was not enough.
It would have been nice if it had a longer duration.
* * *
- - Bridget POV - -
"What did you say!? Have you lost your mind?" <King Bautor>
Bautor glared sharply at him and asked again.
"I've checked over and over, and it appears to be true!" <Captain >
The look in his eyes frightened the thousand-man captain into answering.
"20,000 troops wiped out and even Errante dead? That's bullshit!" <King Bautor>
Bautor kicked the thousand-man captain.
He fell to the ground and hurriedly knelt down again to adjust his stance.
But the fact remained unchanged, and he continued to bow his head.
"I told him that sieges are forbidden. How can 20,000 troops be annihilated!?" <King Bautor>
"Your Majesty, I'm not that far from...." <Rhonav >
Bautor swung the sword he had drawn.
Then, after receiving Rhonav's surrender and killing all the nobles he returned to the castle and started killing the maids.
"Oh, my God, please help me!" <Maid >
"Aaaaah!" <Maid >
Screams echoed in the lord's castle for a while.
After the carnage was over, Bautor muttered to himself under his breath.
"Errante..." <King Bautor>
He was one of the three swordsmen who had been most loyal to him and who would play an active role in the war to come.
Errante was not the kind of person who would die in vain like this.
How dare they kill one of my most important men?
"Is Errante really dead?" <King Bautor>
Isenbahan, who had been working to find out as much as he could about the situation, rushed in and knelt before Bautor, who was shaking with anger.
"It appears to be true, Your Majesty..." <Isenbahan >
"What are the details?" <King Bautor>
"Well, we don't know yet, Your Majesty. But I'll do everything I can to make it clear!" <Isenbahan >
Bautor shook his head at Isenbahan's words.
"That won't be necessary. I will march towards the capital immediately. I must kill the entire royal family of Roserun to comfort Errante's soul!" <King Bautor>
Bautor's eyes were bloodshot as he shouted.
* * *
- - Julius's POV - -
The first thing I did after the battle was to get rid of the food around the royal capital.
There are large fields surrounding the city, fortunately, the rice and wheat were not yet harvested.
I used my 30,000 troops, harvested everything nearby, and burned the fields farther away.
I had no choice because if I left them as they were, they would become food for the enemy.
Soon after, we received a scout's report from Rhonav that the enemy had started to advance; this was good news for me.
The death of Errante and the annihilation of 20,000 troops stirred their anger and the more they hurried, the better it would be for my army.
My thoughts were right since the enemy army hurriedly marched to the capital and set up a garrison in front of the city walls.
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[Bridget's Royal Army]
[Troops: 35,500]
[Morale: 90]
[Training level: 80]
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The well-trained troops were the only ones who could keep up with the rapid advance, so the first to arrive was the enemy's iron cavalry.
However, when it came to a siege, the iron cavalry would be of no use.
That is, at least until the gates are opened.
Because once the gates are opened, the iron cavalry will be the main attack force.
After organizing the garrison, the Bridget Kingdom's army immediately began their siege on the royal capital.
The fact that they had marched from Rhonav to King's Landing without rest was a major blunder on their side.
There was no way the supply troops could match the speed of their advance.
In other words, they left their rations at Rhonav, and only the main force marched forward.
The infantry troops marched with only enough food on their backs to eat immediately.
So if this becomes a long-term battle, they would probably plan to receive supplies through Rhonav, but that idea was just deadly poison.
* * *
- - Bridget POV - -
"Your Majesty, that is the royal capital of Roserun." <Isenbahan >
Bautor clenched his teeth as he looked at the royal city.
He still couldn't get over his anger.
"I think it would be best to figure out how the enemy defeated Errante before we charge in." <Isenbahan >
Isenbahan, the chief of staff, urged the hastening Bautor to be cautious once more, but Ganev, who was known as the Good Sword, glared at Isenbahan and raised his voice.
"You'll know that when you fight!" <Ganev >
Bautor nodded at Ganev's words.
"That's right. Isenbahan, don't make me say the same thing over and over again." <King Bautor>
"...I'm sorry!"
When Bautor glared at him, Isenbahan stepped back in panic.
"Ganev, you will lead the assault, don't be careless! Soldiers, it's time to conquer the capital of Roserun! A bloodbath awaits us!" <King Bautor>
At the king's command, Bridget's infantry began to charge at once.