Bernard

Saxony Duchy, Lüneburg.

This is a top-tier castle, not particularly large, but exceptionally sturdy and tall, belonging to the Biron family of Bernard I, which has been operated for decades.

As is known, a city can expand at will, but a castle must maintain a suitable size, otherwise it would look ridiculous if its soldiers cannot fill the top of the walls.

Hence, even though it stands atop the entire Saxony Duchy, the place where Bernard I resides is very simple and plain. The only thing valuable in the room is a lion's skin sold by an Italian merchant.

"Humph, nonsense!"

Bernard I's son, known as 'Little Lion' Bernard the Younger, a 28-year-old knight, crumpled up the letter from the south and threw it into the trash.

He paced around the room, denouncing Damian of Gothingen, "A hypocritical monk trying to deceive us into sparing Gothingen? What a joke, is he thinking all of us in Saxony are fools?"

Meanwhile, his sprightly old father Bernard I, who dressed in a sober black robe, picked up the letter from the ground and unfolded it gently.

"Don't hurry, Little Bernard. I've told you many times not to easily trust your own judgment, as it will blind you."

Bernard I read Damian's letter word by word, even though the other party was just a monk from a remote countryside.

"Father, do you really think we should accept that kid's term?" Little Lion widened his eyes.

He was a proud son of the Saxony Duchy, while the other party was just a villager from a remote countryside, their statuses were incomparable in Little Lion's view.

However, Bernard I, who came from the military, did not despise the other because of their lower status.

He considered his words and said, "What he said…is not without reason…"

Under the influence of the Diplomatic Formula Book, Bernard I began to seriously consider the new strategic direction Damian had offered.

Frisia, which is part of the future Kingdom of the Netherlands, is currently a chaos-ridden land, with endless internal and external wars.

After lending 6000 elite troops to the young Conrad II, Bernard I's remaining forces could only decide on one direction of attack.

Should they attack the Duchy of Frisia, or the three counties to the south?

This is not a choice.

Although the Duchy of Frisia is chaotic, it is a wealthy maritime area. With ports like Zealand welcoming guests from all directions, pirates liquidating loot, and merchants trading, nearly making a fortune. Especially the Viking pirates trade in the North Sea, usually liquidating in Normandy and the Duchy of Frisia.

The former is because everyone is relatives, and the relationship is close. The latter is purely for commercial profit.

In fact, the majority of feudal lords and clerics publicly condemn this behavior, even launching punitive expeditions against some towns to drive pirates and their trade.

But secretly, if the town and merchants could turn in enough profits, and ensure that pirates would not attack their jurisdiction, then most feudal lords are happy to see a group of pirates spending the last coin in their wallets.

"I want you to go to Frisia." Bernard I, after forty minutes of thought, finally made a decision when his son was getting impatient.

Yes, this war is not only for Saxony to reclaim the dower lands, it is not just to establish prestige while the Emperor is heading south.

It is also Bernard the Younger's first major battle under his command.

For old Bernard, although he feels healthy, a nearly 60-year-old man should consider arranging for his son's future. Recommending his son to his subjects is the first step to establish authority.

And what Bernard the Younger needs to deliver is a resounding victory.

Old Bernard gathered as many troops as he could, about three thousand men, and handed them to his son.

"But…" Bernard the Younger couldn't accept it, instinctively wanting to refuse.

He didn't want to go to the Duchy of Frisia. It was a place of utter chaos, full of swamps and forests. With opposing forces messy and factions entangled, Little Bernard felt he may don't have enough capacity to take it down.

He wanted to go to the three counties in the southwest because Kassel, Gothingen, and Weimar had just gone through a summer of turmoil with greenskins and bandits, making it seemingly easy to conquer.

"Go!"

Old Bernard's hand, like dry bark, slammed on the table, startling Little Bernard.

"Yes, father."

Little Lion bowed his proud head quickly in front of the old lion.

When the son left the room to organize the troops, old Bernard's wife entered.

"Why are you so angry with your son?"

Old Bernard, re-reading Damian's letter, didn't turn back and coldly chuckled, "The little brat is too arrogant, only wanting meat and not willing to eat shit."

"Speak nicely." Hildergard put down the dinner.

"I want him to experience hardships and temper himself."

Old Bernard actually had his own thoughts.

When Damian mentioned Frisia, hoping old Bernard would spare Gothingen, old Bernard realized his strategic choice was wrong.

Since it's about tempering, then it must be a place exceptionally challenging for Little Bernard.

The old man prefers the power of the Duchy of Frisia over Gothingen, not expecting his son to easily win the first battle, which would only inflate his arrogance. As for what his son thinks, the old man doesn't care.

…

The next day, during a public meeting, young Little Bernard found old Madi, sitting in the corner.

"Knight Madi, is this the response from Gothingen to the Saxony Duchy? It's Utterly disrespectful and arrogant."

The young Little Lion shoved the letter in old Madi's face, frightening him, making him tremble like a helpless old man.

In front of the robust younger Little Lion, he was like a donkey bent over by a millstone.

The nobles of Saxony laughed uproariously.

Mocking both old Madi's frailty and their own military's intimidation of the enemy.

Watching old Madi's foolish appearance, young Bernard Little Lion arrogantly sneered, "Tell your son to clean his neck and wait. If he hasn't been defeated by next year, I will gift him my wife and sword."

…

"Knight! Forward, forward, forward!"

On the flat ground between the Free City and Gothingen Castle, a group of knights was gathering together, training concentrated dismounted combat.

Damian stood on high ground, occasionally joining in to point out the flaws of novice knights.

The siege defense was Damian's only chance for victory.

Knowing how many enemies there were, but the characteristic of medieval castles is that no matter the number of enemies, as long as the castle itself is held and all exits blocked, the enemies had to retreat where they came from.

After all, always at a numeric and terrain disadvantage at the point of contact, his troops, however numerous, couldn't deploy in front of the castle, making them practically useless.

Thus, Damian gave up on his knights' mounted combat capability, focusing on training their foot combat and skills for fighting on the walls.

"Listen, once enemies attempt to climb the walls, immediately gather and send them to hell." Damian shouted at the young knights.

Apart from the knights' foot combat, how to destroy enemy ladders, how to quickly eliminate climbers on the ladders, how to use molten lead, how to cautiously use logs as weapons, Damian meticulously trained the soldiers over and over in each combat subject. Even the nearby peasant militia participated under Damian's supervision.

"They're busy as bees, as if I can't do anything, leaving me to entertain you." At the top floor of Gothingen Castle, Countess Conosa elegantly received Lady Shayla from the monastery.

Lady Shayla, her expression was slightly pale, returned, "Don't joke, milady. If you also can't do anything, wouldn't I become a useless person?"

Conosa smiled gracefully in agreement, the two women superficially sparring with each other.

In fact, Conosa has been extremely busy. Besides appeasing the nobles, she, like Damian, has strengthened her resolve to resist.

Especially after observing Damian's command of the troops' continuous training, she realized that as long as the army is united, it's not entirely impossible to hold the castle over winter without losing it.

However, Lady Shayla She looks preoccupied with heavy thoughts.

After a brief chat, Conosa, extremely busy, had to apologize and hurriedly leave to meet the next batch of local nobles to discuss financing their military service.

And Lady Shayla, seizing the moment the maid was not paying attention, quietly rode off from Gothingen Castle, heading towards Damian's training field.

"Lady Shayla?"

Damian was surprised to hear the visitor's name.

When Damian approached Lady Shayla, she was wearing a loose dress, accompanied only by two maids.

"Lady, are you looking for me?"

As soon as Lady Shayla heard Damian's voice, she quickly turned around.

Her face was wan, her eyes notably ringed with dark circles.

"What's wrong with you recently?" Damian furrowed his brow..

Unexpectedly, Lady Shayla punched Damian in the chest, reproaching, "Isn't it all your fault? If it weren't for you, would I be in this state?"

Damian was stunned, then suddenly seemed to realize something.

He remembered.

Before, Lady Shayla had dragged Damian's hand to feel her flat belly, claiming she was pregnant. But Damian remembered her belly was still flat, and her expression was calm, so he didn't care, thinking Lady Shayla was bluffing.

Who knew…

"Yes, just as you thought. I accidentally got pregnant." Lady Shayla helplessly touched her belly.

Her husband Andreas was already at an almost infertile age, she hadn't yet figured out how to deceive him.

But she's a devout Christian and wouldn't have an abortion.

Moreover, there wasn't safe abortion technology in this era.

"This… Why don't you hurry home?" Damian chastised, letting the maids take Lady Shayla back to her estate near Nancy.

But Lady Shayla refused, looking earnestly at Damian, "If you let me go back, then you have to come with me. You're still a priest and can leave Gothingen. I can't allow my children to lose their father. Even if they are born out of wedlock."

Even in a regular legitimate marriage, if it can't be proven that the children are of biological parentage, or say they are the product of the mother's affair, then they are undoubtedly illegitimate.

And Lady Shayla had long known Damian's talent.

She wanted to take Damian back to serve as her chancellor, to govern the land.

Wouldn't that be safer and happier than staying in a borderland like Gothingen?

Leave?

"No, I have never thought of leaving." Damian would never leave. His hometown, his reputation, and his career were all in Gothingen, how could he run away so easily?

"But… you have to come with me. I've heard that the Saxony Duchy has already organized an army of three thousand, under the leadership of young Bernard Biron, and has left Lüneburg!" Lady Shayla, gripping Damian's hand, looked deeply distressed.

But Damian, hearing this news, was suddenly overjoyed.

Right, young Bernard Biron, wasn't he old Bernard's son?

The young lion, sent for his first campaign, must have been dispatched for practice.

This proved that the Diplomatic Formula Book had taken effect, giving Damian another month to prepare. He could keep preparing until winter arrived.