Chapter 232: I Can’t Live Being Trampled On (1)

Claude took a deep breath and began to complain.

"Why is the Lord in charge of discipline? Is the Lord some kind of barbarian drill instructor?"

How long had it been since the war ended, and now he was talking about another campaign? And against the rough and unruly barbarians at that.

Not only Claude but everyone else wore expressions of disbelief.

But Ghislain, looking as if what she said was the most obvious thing, replied.

"Then who else would be in charge of them, if not me? Right now, my father is handling it, but eventually, it'll be my turn, won't it?"

"...."

It wasn't wrong. The duty of dealing with the barbarians had always fallen to the Perdium family. That was why they had the authority and responsibilities of a margrave.

"That… no, fine. I understand that you're the designated heir in charge. But… weren't we just discussing how to acquire horses?"

"Ah, those guys have plenty of horses."

"Since they have a lot of horses… you're planning to take them?"

"Exactly. Why shouldn't we pillage? It's our turn to plunder from them this time. I can't live with being trampled on."

"...."

At those words, Claude made a face as if he'd had enough.

The horses from the northern regions where the barbarians lived were renowned for their toughness. For that reason, barbarians were skilled in horsemanship.

Their livelihood revolved around rapidly moving from place to place, pillaging wherever they went.

However, because of this, the barbarians were weak when it came to siege warfare. Scattered across various tribes and mostly composed of cavalry, they were poorly suited for prolonged engagements.

Knowing this, the barbarians usually avoided fortresses and instead bypassed them to enter the kingdom.

Thus, the tactic of blocking key routes with northern fortresses and pursuing them proved effective, enabling even the impoverished Perdium family to hold out against the barbarians for many years.

But now, Ghislain was declaring that they would take horses from the very barbarians who lived off their horses.

"Hey, is this really okay? If it were that easy, Perdium wouldn't have struggled so much all this time…."

"They struggled because they were poor. We needed to crush them, but we lacked troops and provisions. But do you think we can't crush them now? Those guys fight among themselves anyway."

"...."

The vassals, left without words again, lowered their heads.

Perdium had always faced hardships for various reasons. With the need to conserve troops, they couldn't easily launch punitive expeditions.

But now, Fenris? They had an abundance of food and 400 knights. Since the barbarians were organized into small tribes, it would be easy to crush them if they decided to.

"They're struggling with famine too. We need to seize their horses before they end up eating them all. Don't you agree? And I had a tough childhood because of those guys. It's time to collect on that debt."

At those words, Belinda nodded vehemently.

"That's right! The Lord of Perdium had no money because of dealing with the barbarians, so the young master didn't get much allowance. It's no wonder he went astray in his youth—it was all because of the lack of allowance."

"...."

Left speechless, Claude looked around. The other vassals seemed to feel the same way, all glancing at each other nervously.

While focusing on developing the territory, engaging in war again felt burdensome. But after hearing Ghislain's reasoning, it didn't seem as challenging as they'd thought.

Claude turned to Belinda, who had always been his ally in opposing Ghislain, and asked.

"What about you, hesd maid? Are you opposed?"

Belinda hesitated briefly before replying briskly.

"I support it."

"What? Why? You've always opposed wars!"

"I hate those guys."

"…You're going to war just because you hate them?"

"Well, I hate them. What do you expect me to do about it?"

Claude had no response to that. After all, could there be a more straightforward reason for war?

Clicking his tongue, Claude turned to someone else.

"Sir Fergus! What do you think?"

"Hahaha… I've always despised the barbarians too."

'It's hopeless!'

The people of Perdium harbored deeper resentment toward the barbarians than he had realized.

Shaking his head in resignation, Claude turned back to Ghislain and continued.

"But most of our troops are infantry. Is this okay? The barbarians excel in horsemanship. If they flee, it'll be all for nothing. We may have many knights, but they lack endurance."

"We'll coordinate with Perdium and get cavalry support. Pull out a portion of the infantry to handle supplies, and leave the rest to guard the territory."

Claude and the vassals nodded. The Fenris Knights, unmatched in destructive power, were unstoppable in direct confrontation. With cavalry to support them, they could conserve energy for prolonged battles.

"Understood. I'll start preparations immediately."

"Good. I like how the opposition is getting shorter these days."

'It's just that people have half-given up on arguing with you.'

Still, Ghislain's track record of success in everything he did had earned him some trust.

Regardless of what the vassals truly felt, the reduced opposition was a relief for Ghislain. Leading an army and leaving the territory meant everything needed to be resolved swiftly.

'I need to act while Harold and Amelia are tied up. This is our chance while the Duchy is focused on the Royalist faction.'

Thus, despite delays in construction due to transportation issues, he had waited for Amelia's rebellion to begin.

Even aside from the need for horses, it was necessary to deal with the barbarians at least once. Stabilizing the rear was essential before a larger war erupted.

Splitting Perdium's forces during critical times was undesirable. It was better to eliminate threats completely.

"This was all part of the plan, so don't worry and move quickly. Summon all the knights."

At Ghislain's command, everyone bustled into action. With increased strength and abundant provisions, the others also seemed more confident.

After all, hadn't their territory become one of the most prominent in the North?

As he prepared for war, Claude observed the mood in the territory and shook his head.

'It's remarkable. All this was achieved thanks to the Lord's craziness. Well… I guess I'll cooperate a little.'

Claude tried to dismiss the thought that he was always forced to cooperate anyway.

After instilling such confidence in his people and cultivating the power to match, Ghislain truly was a remarkable lord.

As Claude leisurely prepared for the expedition, Ghislain approached him.

"You're coming too. Pack your things."

"What? Why? Why do I have to go? I'm terrible at fighting!"

"As a strategist and for rear support."

"...."

Claude deeply regretted not opposing more vehemently.

***

Waaaaahhh!

In the northern fortress, a fierce battle against the barbarians was underway.

"Climb up!"

A multitude of barbarians surged toward the northern fortress. They wore leather pants suited for horseback riding and fur tops made from animal hides.

Wearing skull-shaped helmets and wielding battle axes, they looked as if their belligerent nature was on full display.

Fending off barbarian warriors climbing the fortress walls, Zwalter encouraged the soldiers.

"Hold the line! We can repel them!"

Six minor tribes had joined forces to attack the fortress. Although their numbers were considerable, it seemed manageable to fend them off.

What Zwalter worried about wasn't the fortress being captured.

'This is bad. They must be circling around elsewhere.'

The barbarians knew they were weak in siege warfare. Even if they attacked a fortress, it was usually not to capture it but merely to pin down Perdium's forces.

The real danger lay with the detachments moving to pillage elsewhere. While some attacked the fortress, others infiltrated the northern villages to plunder.

Such tactics were rare because they were costly even for the barbarians.

But the famine had driven them to take such bold measures. After all, they too needed to feed their tribes. Their internal conflicts had only grown more frequent.

"Big brother! No, my Lord! At this rate, several other territories in the North will be invaded. Those bastards will hold us responsible!"

"Ugh…."

Zwalter groaned in frustration. Being blamed was nothing new and didn't bother him. But thinking about the innocent people who would die boiled his insides.

What exactly could they do in this situation?

'We can't leave the fortress right now.'

Even though their circumstances had improved compared to before, conserving their forces was still critical. Barbarians were spread all over the vast northern lands.

If they ventured out and suffered significant losses, the news would spread, and other barbarian tribes might unite and attack again.

'If we keep getting chipped away like that, this place will eventually fall. There's no other way….'

Although Ghislain had spoken to Claude as if it were a minor matter, the reality was far from simple.

Other lords, intent on preserving their forces, provided only token support and pretended not to notice. The noble factions of the Duchy cared little for this place. The Royalist faction was too focused on countering the Duchy's faction to pay attention.

Only Perdium.

Only they had fought this lonely battle in the North for so long.

'I had hoped to request help from Ghislain… but to think they'd attack in unison this quickly.'

Zwalter shook his head a few times to shake off his regrets and shouted loudly once again.

"Repel them quickly! Once they retreat, organize a pursuit team as soon as possible!"

At his command, the knights and soldiers clenched their teeth and threw themselves into battle.

"You bastards!"

"Stop coming already!"

Thanks to improved training and better conditions, their morale wasn't low. But the lingering fatigue and weariness that never seemed to fade weighed on them. Most of them suffered from chronic despondency.

They endured only by burning with positive thoughts and the accumulated hatred from past grievances.

Those who couldn't endure eventually left. This was why Perdium constantly struggled with a shortage of knights, leading to betrayals from figures like Jamal and Phillip, who once kidnapped Elena.

Zwalter knew well how hard it was to endure here on responsibility alone.

"It's okay! We'll win as we always do!"

He steadied himself again. But both he and everyone else knew the truth: even if the barbarians retreated, it wouldn't be a true victory.

Only because the barbarians weren't united and moved in separate tribes could they manage to hold out this much.

Many times, he had wanted to give up. But Zwalter, for his beloved family, the people of the territory, and the kingdom, gave his utmost every time.

Zwalter, with weary eyes, surveyed the battlefield.

'I'm getting old now….'

The Wolf of the North, once youthful and brimming with spirit, was steadily weakening.

His skills grew sharper, and his experience deepened, but his heart was worn away daily by the harsh northern winds.

And when the heart weakens, no matter how strong the body, it is bound to collapse.

'I want to rest.'

Even someone as responsible as Zwalter couldn't help but feel this way. It was no surprise that others felt similarly.

Still, everyone in Perdium followed their great lord, Zwalter, until the very end.

He possessed something special.

A kindness that cared for and loved everyone, and a sense of duty that never abandoned his responsibilities, no matter how hard it was.

The people of Perdium, moved by his noble conduct, gave their lives willingly and followed him through these arduous times.

While the soldiers of Perdium grew more exhausted, the barbarians became increasingly audacious.

They became so aggressive that they almost forgot the strategy they were supposed to follow.

"Hey, watch it, you idiots!"

"You crazy bastards! We're not here to capture the place today!"

"Keep your heads down and just stall for time!"

The barbarian great warriors tried to control their warriors, but their belligerent nature made them hard to rein in.

Most barbarian warriors delighted in battle, and the sight of blood drove them mad with frenzy.

The original plan was simply to pin down Perdium's forces so other warriors could raid and plunder.

But the battle-crazed ones became too fervent in attacking the fortress, causing the conflict to escalate and their casualties to increase.

Slash!

"Ughhhh!"

"Die, you bastards!"

"No, you die, you sons of bitches!"

The more the fighting intensified, the more emotions flared, and resentment built on both sides. The battle, seemingly endless, was inevitably more grueling for the defenders than the attackers.

The barbarian great warriors yelled from all directions.

"Pull back now! Rest for a bit and come back later!"

"Just hold out for two more days! The others will bring food by then!"

"These guys are idiots! You Northern fools! Hahaha!"

The barbarians laughed loudly.

Though they suffered significant losses, they successfully immobilized the fortress's forces. Their primary purpose for coming was hunger, but they couldn't deny that such fighting was fun.

Mocking the Perdium forces, the barbarians began retreating like a receding tide.

The soldiers of Perdium watched them with eyes full of fatigue.

Even as the enemy retreated with heavy losses, they did not shout in triumph.

They knew this wasn't a real victory.

Even now, other raiders were bypassing their defenses and invading the northern regions of the kingdom.

Knowing this, they still had to stay and guard the fortress.

The helplessness and humiliation of merely enduring weighed heavily on them.

But above all…

'I'm tired….'

The knights and soldiers of Perdium had grown stronger, but so had the weariness lingering deep in their hearts.

'I just want to rest….'

'When will this fight against these barbarians finally end….'

'Can someone, anyone, please….'

But such hopes would never come true.

This was an endless struggle.

It had been so in the past, was so now, and would be so in the future.

The only way to escape was to run away or die.

Even so, they didn't give up.

They were the last elites who remained here, living with the pride of protecting the northern borders of the kingdom.

As they watched the retreating barbarians with weary resignation, one knight muttered while staring at a rising dust cloud in the distance.

"What is that? Reinforcements?"

The only armies traveling on horseback in this area were the barbarians.

Usually, they moved in small groups. For them to gather in such numbers was rare. It seemed even they were desperate from the famine.

"Prepare for battle again! A follow-up force is coming!"

Knights shouted orders everywhere. They knew reinforcements for the barbarians would make things even harder, but there was no choice.

Their mission was to protect this place at all costs.

Forcing their exhausted bodies upright, they grabbed their weapons again. Just then—

One knight's eyes widened, and he stammered.

"H-huh? T-that flag?"

It was very similar to the emblem of Perdium, which had a white wolf on a black background. Only the wolf's color had been changed to red—it was the flag of Fenris.

Whoooosh!

The symbol of a newly risen power in the North.

Across the approaching ranks, the red wolf flag fluttered prominently.

As the sound of hoofbeats grew closer, the figures became clearer to the others as well.

Thud, thud, thud!

The ground seemed to quake as the horses thundered forward, led by a single figure at their forefront.

A soldier, recognizing the leader's identity, shouted at the top of his lungs.

"The Young Lord! The Young Lord is leading the army!"

Ghislain, riding at the head of the army, was charging toward the fortress from the rear of the barbarians.

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