Chapter 16: Preparations II

3rd Pov

On the border with the Duchy of Hyarlia, more specifically at an Outpost called "Frieden des Engels", we can see several Dulocian soldiers doing intensive physical training, with others training hand-to-hand combat with the bayonets of their muskets.

Every week more soldiers came from other borders to join the Outposts that were part of the borders with the Duchies, with everyone preparing to bring Dulocian Justice to all the true culprits who carried out the attack on Kriegsparadies.

The commander of the place, called Edward, was signing some papers while reading everything with extreme care, until someone knocked on the door, with Edward giving permission to enter, it was then that another officer entered the room.

"Kommandant, Oberleutnant Charles" Said the officer now identifying himself as Charles while saluting Edward, who nodded.

"Kommandant, we have received information that 10 more soldiers will be coming to Freiden des Engels, along with a small caravan with more supplies for the raid we will make" Charles said as he took a paper that was with him and read what was written aloud before handing it to Edward, who read it carefully.

"Hmmmm, I understand... I will communicate with those responsible for logistics, dismissed" Edward said seriously to Charles, who nodded before saluting and leaving the office, closing the door behind him carefully.

Duloc City

In the Capital of the Lordship, more specifically in Joseph's "Palace", we can see our protagonist talking to Joseph while looking at a map involving the Duchies, with some chess pieces that symbolize the forces of the Duchies, while other pieces represented Duloc's troops.

"Our strategy against the Duchy of Hyarlia will be to use our Cavalry to advance first. There is only one Fortress on the border that is responsible for defending the surrounding villages. If we cut off their supply lines and surround them, they will have to either attack us desperately or surrender after a while. Meanwhile, the rest of the troops will advance to take the only city in the border region, which is under the control of Baron Marcus Di Maria." Oliver said as he moved some chess pieces around the map while explaining his plan.

"Hmmm... But what if the Baron receives news quickly from the Fortress? They can use birds to send letters, allowing him to quickly gather militias to counterattack." Joseph said as he looked at Oliver seriously, who responded quickly as if he had expected this.

"Don't worry, Mi'lord. For that, we will have soldiers who were once professional hunters to be Scouts to keep an eye out in case any force comes against us. We will also have experienced ex-hunters to kill any bird that leaves the Fortress, whether during the day or at night. Men who are used to staying even in the darkness of night to kill their hunting targets." Oliver said proudly until he noticed that Joseph had an eyebrow raised.

"I know, Mi'lord, that you are having doubts, but don't worry. We have another person who will be present. This man is considered the greatest hunter in this region." Oliver said with a smile, with complete confidence in this person.

"And what is his name?" Ferdinand asked, interested.

"His name is Henry, but many call him 'The Woodsman' or 'The Huntsman', being someone extremely well-known in the Southern region of the Lordship for the hunt he brought to the village of Saltzburg, he joined the Army after his family's home was rebuilt, besides wanting a steady income, but from time to time he would go out hunting and sell the animals he hunted for extra income" Oliver answers as he remembers about the man, not noticing the look of surprise on Joseph's face.

'The Woodsman? THAT Woodsman?!' Joseph thinks, if that's true, he had a person from Fairy Tales by his side.

The Woodsman or The Huntsman, a man who was responsible for opening the belly of the Big Bad Wolf in the story of Little Red Riding Hood, someone essential to saving her and her grandmother from the wolf that had pulled a Nikocado Avocado and swallowed them both.

Joseph was worried, that this would mean that he had changed Little Red Riding Hood's story, he couldn't let a little child and her grandmother become food for a wolf, and he would need to warn Thelonius quickly so that he could let the police with maximum surveillance involving an anthropomorphic Wolf, in case he tried to make victims.

"Hmmm.....okay, that should help with the problems" Joseph said while nodding.

"Anything else?" Joseph asked while looking at Oliver, who nodded negatively, he was then dismissed, and with that our protagonist was alone in his office, until he picked up a bell and rang it, calling a servant who arrived quickly.

"Call Minister Thelonius, I need to speak to him" Joseph ordered while looking seriously at the servant, who bowed before going to where Thelonius was to call him.

Joseph could not allow Fairy Tale stories to change in a way that innocent people would die, if necessary he would deal with the Wolf himself.

Kriegsparadies

Kriegsparadies changed after the attack that happened against them, the survivors of that attack became hardened people, ready to kill, but most importantly: they became people wanting revenge.

Preparing to be part of the offensive force against the Duchy of Gisla, everyone there always trained intensively, familiarizing themselves with the new firearms, in addition to the officers preparing strategies to use against the enemy, thinking of both optimistic and pessimistic scenarios.

"Baron George Vasgi's fiefdom is known for having the best Horses in the southern region of the Duchy, so we can expect Cavalry coming against us" Said an officer as he placed a knight chess piece on a map.

"Yes, then we better have our troops prepared for that, in addition to having Scouts ready in case they use their Cavalry to attack us by surprise at night" Said another officer with his eyes darkened by his pickelhaube.

"Also, perhaps we should consider plundering Baron Vasgi's territory..." Said another officer with blond hair and black eyes, but then the commander of Kriegsparadies shook his head in denial.

"We can't, those lands will become part of Duloc in the future, we shouldn't touch what will be the property of our Lord von Farquaad" Said the commander seriously as he looked at everyone there, who began to nod, showing that they understood.