Accession of the Halfling

In the era of cold weapons, the greatest casualties in a battle often don't directly result from combat. When the battlefield reaches a stalemate, casualties may be minimal.

However, once the balance tips, the defeated side, disheartened and scattered, becomes vulnerable to pursuit by the victors, leading to widespread death.

Besides pursuit, unconventional methods such as massacring surrendered prisoners and using disease as a weapon can cause far more casualties than during a stalemate.

At this moment, Damian led his cavalry to charge through the battlefield, seizing the greatest advantage amid the chaos of Schmalen's army's morale collapse.

Despite Schmalen's army appearing formidable, it harbored significant internal risks.

Brigand knights sought only land and wealth, with slave capture as a bonus, while traditional knights aimed to expand their family's territory and honor, leading to conflicting objectives and hindering unified action.

After the chain reaction of morale collapse swept through the battlefield, the defeated brigand knights who accustomed to fleeing, swiftly turned tail and took their servants to leave the front line.

Although traditional knights mocked the brigand knights' weakness and even tried to blame the defeat on them, the speed at which these knights fled was no less impressive.

They had the finest warhorses, so they fled in a single breath. Their attendants could even lead away their own draft horses and equipment, leaving behind a group of bewildered low-ranking soldiers to fend for themselves as they fled.

Count Milhaus Schmalen couldn't bear witnessing this tragic scene.

Where is my mighty Boar King?

Where are my powerful knights?

Why have I suddenly failed?

Schmalen did not believe it was his lack of prestige that caused the army to distrust each other and ultimately lose the war. He could only attribute it to that cursed fellow Damian using magic.

He pressured his hobbit-like soldiers who had just lost their Wild Boar King: "Quickly find a way to dispel the enemy's spells! Damian must be a wizard! Otherwise, how could he defeat me?"

The halflings have no idea, reluctantly mounted their giant roosters, wielding spears, and joined the battle.

Honestly, it was Damian's first time seeing such massive roosters, which only reaching up to people's thighs.

Watching these small figures atop chickens, wielding meter-long spears, he couldn't help but feel some sympathy for them.

In cavalry charges, it's all about who strikes first and hardest. Could halflings on giant roosters withstand Damian's cavalry charge?

No way.

They thought the same, so after leaving Schmalen's main camp, they rode their roosters and swiftly fled the tent. The fluttering feathers of those roosters seem like Schmalen's first banner of shame after becoming a clown.

With his followers deserting, Count Milhaus thought of escaping. But as he and his guards were carrying off valuable goods from the camp, Damian appeared before him with a smile.

"Respected Count, greetings," Damian politely greeted.

[Congratulations on leveling up: Skill points available: 1]

This time, Damian chose to invest his skill points into strategy because he found that strategic efficiency was more beneficial. He didn't frequently attend knight gatherings and only needed to be able to defend himself on the battlefield, so his personal martial prowess was currently not important to him.

[Glory Warrior Level 1: Recruitment cost -5%]

Damian was pleasantly surprised that the skill he drew this time was very useful, capable of reducing recruitment costs. This was an extremely handy skill, and while its effects might not be immediately visible, the more troops he recruited in the future, the stronger its impact would become.

Aside from skill points, there were also spoils of war from this battle.

Schmalen looked up, observing the young and tall Damian, only able to slump to the ground and lament, "If I were younger and stronger now, perhaps I wouldn't have lost."

"I think you should consider reincarnation. With your pitiful command abilities, even your father might doubt whether you're really his biological son."

Damian shook his head and then ordered Schmalen to be lifted and placed into an iron-locked carriage.

This was the fate of a prisoner of war.

Of course, as a high-ranking count captive, Schmalen was a VIP in prison with a private room. Although uncomfortable on the carriage, his right to life was still guaranteed.

His fate was simply to wait for his family to gather enough ransom to redeem him.

Once, a baron lost to his opponent on the battlefield. Unable to pay the ransom for a long time, he ended up living in his opponent's house for eleven years. When he finally gathered the ransom and returned home to rule his castle, he encountered no obstacles. Everyone acknowledged the land was his. The capture of Richard the Lionheart is a very famous case.

Despite Damian killing Schmalen's troops, leaving corpses everywhere, his own side had nearly two hundred casualties in the field hospital.

It could be said it was a Pyrrhic victory.

[A total of 1279 gold coins were plundered. Would you like to exchange?]

The system converted the loot Damian's army gained from the battlefield directly into currency, giving Damian confidence to continue the war.

The surprises didn't stop there.

[Due to your outstanding performance on the battlefield, a nearby halfling wandering tribe has noticed your greatness. They have decided to join you.]

Halflings are a group adept at herding. Just thinking about having them breed horses made Damian almost unable to believe how precious the horses would become.

Thus, Damian immediately allowed the halfling tribe to join.

Given the current situation, although Damian won, he hadn't won completely.

After all, he had only reversed the situation for now. To continue advancing, Damian would face the tough task of dealing with the subordinates of Earl Milhaus who were entrenched in their castles.

To turn victory into profit, he still had a long way to go.

...

Milhaus County.

Jeffrey and Henrik, who had fled to the border, wiped the cold sweat from their foreheads in regret.

Henrik, who had deceived Damian, patted his chest repeatedly, "My god, we can run away now. How about go to the Duchy of Saxony?"

"I just fled from there," Jeffrey said irritably.

The brigand knight still remembered that Countess Conosa and Damian had once promised him a piece of land, making him a true noble.

This was very tempting for Jeffrey, who had spent his life on the run, so he thought of a cunning plan.

He turned to Henrik and said, "You should fly the flag of the brigand knight, go to those places with castles, and trick them into opening their gates. I guarantee your safety, and you'll also make a fortune!"