33 Chapter 30 - preparing a response

Dante jumped to his feet, his mind reeling from what he had just witnessed. "How the fuck did they do that?" he blurted out, his shock palpable.

Nicholas shrugged, nonplussed. "Beats me, but now isn't the time to figure that out. Right now, we have to think about how we win this."

Dante sat back down, his mind racing. "Well, this changes quite a bit," he said slowly, trying to process the new information.

John spoke up, breaking the silence that had engulfed the room. "Umm, can I say something?" he asked tentatively.

"Did I not ask you to stay quiet?" Dante replied, his annoyance clear.

"I know, but I think I have an idea," John persisted.

"Just shut up and watch. Right now is not the time for this," Dante snapped, turning his attention away from John.

Nicholas took a moment to look at both John and Dante, who had finished their little exchange. "Oi, Dante, is this how I taught you, you feker?" he said, his tone admonishing. He then turned to John and said, "Also, who is this kid? Kid, you can speak freely. Any idea is welcome right now."

"I'm sorry, I'm just super stressed right now," Dante apologized, "I was going to introduce him to you later, but since you have already asked, this right here is the third prince of our empire, and the candidate I wish to put on the throne."

Nicholas looked at John and then back at Dante. "Is he her child?" he asked lightly.

"Yep," Dante confirmed with a nod.

"I'm sure that old bastard isn't taking this too kindly," Nicholas said, wondering about the high king's response to the whole thing.

"It doesn't matter anymore. He has little power in this. Eric and I both intend to make him the next emperor," Dante said, shaking his head lightly.

Nicholas looked at Dante with shock written all over his face. "You're working together with the emperor?" he asked incredulously.

"I'll take his head later, now is not the time," Dante said calmly.

Nicholas nodded, acknowledging Dante's words, and then turned his attention to the young prince who had been silent for most of the conversation. "What was your idea again, kid?"

John cleared his throat before speaking. "If we were to use guerrilla warfare against these barbarians, would it not make the whole process easier?" He continued, "We could make trenches in their path, fill them with spikes, drop fire from the top, and dig holes so that the marching beasts can't reach us as easily."

Nicholas considered the strategy and said, "Hmmm, I think that idea could work. It certainly needs much more refinement, but it could be used to stall the enemy long enough for reinforcements to arrive." Meanwhile, Dante looked at John in absolute shock, unaware of his strategic intelligence.

Nicholas then called for his butler, Walter, to gather all the generals for further deliberation. Dante didn't wait for Nicholas to finish speaking before giving the order.

"Good kid, he has the brains to think, better than you when you were his age," Nicholas said with a smile, looking at John.

Dante rolled his eyes and said, "Shut it, old man."

Nicholas then asked, "Now tell me more about what you want from me regarding the boy. I know you didn't bring him here purely to watch you strategize, and from what I can see, you didn't know the boy has a good head on his shoulders."

Dante's expression became serious as he replied, "I'm not sure how long this war will last or how many times I will be away in battle."

"You want me to train the kid in your stead, don't you?" Nicholas leaned back in his chair, finally understanding Dante's intentions.

"...you took the words right out of my mouth," Dante said after a brief pause.

"Haaaah, fine, I'll do it since you're asking, but if the kid fails to meet my standards, I'll ditch him at a moment's notice," Nicholas said with a serious expression on his face.

"I know. You almost did the same to me," Dante said, nodding his head lightly.

"Well then, kid, I suppose we'll be seeing each other a lot from now on," Nicholas said, turning towards John with a smile on his face.

"Yes, sir," John said, bowing his head lightly towards Nicholas.

"By the way, do you mind telling us how you thought of the plan at such a young age?" Nicholas leaned towards John.

John's face cringed at the question. 'Well, it was the strategy the northern nobles ended up using in my last life…is what I would say, but I can't really say that, can I?' he thought to himself.

"Well, the plan just naturally formed inside my head from what I saw on my way here, and from the information, I heard during the duke's meeting with his generals," John said, making stuff up, trying to keep his face composed so as not to let the old marshal take notice that John was making things up.

"Hmmm, I see. I suppose that can make sense. Well, kid, you're a smart one, aren't you," Nicholas said, nodding slightly. 'Not going to tell me honestly, are you, young kid? Fine, I'll let it go for now...we'll eventually know what you're made of.'

'He bought it?' John thought to himself, totally unaware that his little act had been caught by both the grand duke and Nicholas.

"Ahhahahahaha," John laughed at Nicholas's words in embarrassment.

The conversation continued awkwardly for a few more minutes before the hurried footsteps of a group of people interrupted them.

"My lord, we have arrived," one of the generals announced as he knocked on the door.

"Come in," Dante responded, motioning for them to enter.

"We came as soon as we could," one of the generals said.

"Please calm down and take a seat. The young prince here has offered us a unique solution to our problem," Nicholas interjected, hoping to ease the generals' anxiety.

"The prince?" the generals looked at John in surprise.

"I know it's hard to believe, but let's set that aside for now and discuss his suggestion," Dante said, understanding their shock.

"Yes, your majesty," the generals replied, their expressions becoming more serious.

"By the way, where is Beaumont?" Nicholas asked, scanning the room.

"I sent him on a special task just before I came here. Now, can we focus on the matter at hand?" Dante swiftly redirected the conversation.

"Of course," Nicholas acquiesced, and the group moved to a larger table on the other side of the room.

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A little while later, one of the generals said, nodding in agreement at the duke's explanation, "Hmm, while the plan is still in its infancy, we can definitely work out a strategy around it. It would make it easier for us to take care of the riders,"

"Why don't we start formulating a plan based on the prince's suggestion?" another general suggested.

"I see that you are all in agreement with the prince's suggestion," Dante said as he surveyed the room. "Very well, let's focus on a plan based on John's suggestion. Sir Nicholas, could you please take the prince out to the training ground? It's time for his morning training."

"Alright, brief me on the meeting later," Nicholas said as he led John out of the room.

*********

In an unknown location within the northern tundra, inside a fairly large wooden longhouse, a bulky man covered in fur and leather from head to toe knelt before a massive white-haired man with large tattoos on his body who sat on a wooden throne.

"My chief, the leader of the Shadow Warriors has arrived at the Glaciers Watch," the bulky man reported.

"Hmmm, they have decided to make their move, have they?" the chief said, considering his options. "Arvandus, send in the second legion towards their weakest link. What was it that they called it again? Something citadel?"

"The Frost Citadel?" Arvandus asked for confirmation.

"Yes, that place. Send the second legion there," the chief ordered. "I will be going to battle myself at the glacier's watch. That should distract those godless bastards long enough that the weak fortress will fall."

The kneeling man seemed hesitant. "You wish to fight so soon, my chief?"

"Since that beast bastard allowed me to rank up, I have been craving a fight. I wonder how strong Dante, I think his name was, has become?" the chief said, his bloodlust rising at the thought.

Arvandus interjected, "Please show some restraint, my lord. The young ones outside the house can't handle such bloodthirst."

The chief let out a dangerous degree of bloodlust out of pure excitement but quickly pulled it back in. "Ughum, arrange for a feast tonight. For tomorrow, we fight," he said, standing up from his seat.

Arvandus nodded, "As you command, my chief."