People in this chapter: (Haraus Hera), (Bremont Hera), (Akron Brandz), (Rutgers Hallengoth), (O'Neill Terweden), (Edward Hallengoth), (Griffin Prais), (Ralph Maggs).

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Chapter 034: (Pre-War Council)

Half a month ago, after the southern expedition passed through the Rochester Bridge Pass and entered the Rhodoc area, the private armies of the princes of all walks of life, with the tacit consent of King Harlaus, burned and plundered everywhere.

This area has long lost the ability and will to resist under the repeated suppression of successive Duke Harungos.

The Rhodoks were mountain people, unable to resist the Swadian cavalry, so they could only use infantry armed with bows and spears to rely on the terrain to stop the Swadian knights.

The Swadia soldiers were barely able to resist the Rhodoks, and in ten days they swept through all the Rhodok villages within a radius of fifty leagues north of the Umeya River, relying on the speed of the cavalry.

The water resources of the Umeya River enrich large areas of land on the north and south banks. The flat and open Northern Plains are the second largest grain producing region in the Principality of Rhodoc, and it is also the weakest area defended by the Rhodoks.

Every year, wheat, vegetables, fruits, livestock, fish and shrimp produced here are continuously transported to Marasburg, Kurmarburg, and Fort Aitesco, and even shipped to the Western continent through the trading port of Estina.

When most of the young Rhodoks heard the news of the Swadians' march south, they fled their villages with their families and sought refuge from their noble lords in Marasburg and Kurmarburg. Only a few old and frail old people still guard their land.

Edward did not take part in the ugly deeds of the noble lords who burned and plundered the commoners of Rhodok. The honor of a knight always reminded him that as a knight, he must firmly remember the eight virtues of knighthood and keep the vows he once made before the Father.

The young and confident Knight Edward Harengoth met with King Harauth and asked for permission to lead thousands of knights from the Third Banner Battalion of the Sanctioned Knights to the west and capture the heavily defended trading port of Estinina.

On this day, noon.

King Haraus summoned all the lords and knightly officers of the Great Expedition to the south in his spacious and luxurious tent to discuss the next step of military action.

'Kamen Rider' Prince Braimon Hera sat at the bottom left of the king, followed by Baron Kane Greer, the head of the Knights of the Guards in red lion iron armor, followed by a middle-aged nobleman with a long face, and young Edward at the end of the seat on the left.

Sitting at the bottom right is Earl O'Neill Tweden, followed by Count Akron Berlands, then Baron Griffin Prais, Baron Rogers Hallengoth, and obese Baron Ralph Maggs.

Among the people who participated in this military council, except for Edward, who was a knight, the rest of the people present were noble lords with knighthoods. Edward was able to qualify for such a high-ranking aristocratic council by virtue of his fact that he was the commander of the Third Banner Battalion of the Sanctioned Order.

King Harauth asked, "When will the mercenaries arrive in Rhodoc?"

"Already on the way," replied the royal clerk respectfully. "We are expected to be at our location in five days at the latest. ”

"Brammon," said the king, looking at his son. "When the mercenaries arrive, they will be under your command. ”

"Yes, father!" replied the prince in a calm tone.

Aside from the king himself, only Prince Blemon could command these mercenaries who worked for money. In any case, mercenaries only follow the orders of their employers. The noble lords want to command the mercenaries to fight, they will not buy it at all, and it will even cause bloodfight.

It's not that the mercenaries are loyal to their employers, it's just their way of begging for a living. 'Reputation' is more important to a mercenary than anything else, even their lives. A mercenary who has lost his credibility is equivalent to losing everything.

If a mercenary or a mercenary organization casually reneges on and does not fulfill the contract with the employer, even if the mercenary is very capable, or if the mercenary organization is paid cheaply, the mercenary will never get an employment contract from the next employer.

The king withdrew his kind gaze, turned to the crowd and spoke, "Now I would like to invite you to discuss our next military action. ”

The first to speak was the Bull Rider. "Estinina is extremely important for our rear supplies," Count Berlands emphasized. "As long as the port is captured, the food and medicine needed by the army can be transported directly from the port of Albert to the front line by water. ”

The port of Estynina is the third seaport town of the Duchy of Rhodoc. The port is located on the southern shore of 'Dolphin Bay', the westernmost part of the 'Northern Plains', with the sea on the northwest side of the harbor and the mountains on the south, with only a tall and fortified gate on the east.

In the past, the Nord and Western Europeans trade oars, merchant ships and large flat-bottomed cargo ships occupied most of the port's docks, but now the harbor is in a state of depression except for a few dilapidated fishing boats.

"The city east of Estinina is high and thick-walled, and the Count of Rezisen has a heavy garrison in the city to defend it," pointed out the Count of Sweden. "According to the spies, there are at least 2,000 defenders in the city, and it will take tens of thousands of soldiers to take this town for a long time. ”

Many years ago, members of the Dark Order of the Kingdom of Svadia had infiltrated the castles and villages of the Rhodoks. Of course, there are many Svadias who are executed every year on charges of espionage in Rhodok. This includes women and the elderly.

Not only in [Estinina], [Marasburg], [Kulmarburg] and other castles located in the border area, there are spies and killers of the secret organization, but also in large cities such as [Aaron] and [Viruga], there are Swadia agents who have been lurking in the city for a long time to find out the news.

"Attacking this town by land alone will inevitably cost our army dearly in casualties," Prince Blemon proposed. "If we can attack this town from both land and water at the same time, our army will be able to take this town in a short time with very few casualties. ”

"Your Highness is very right," echoed the Count of Sweden, who was sitting across from the prince. "With the help of the navy, our army will indeed be able to capture this town in a short time. ”

The Count of Sweden was quite capable of marching and fighting, and his army was also an elite division in the kingdom of Swadia. Especially in the battle against the Nords in the north, the Count of Sweden was always able to win more with less with the elite knights under his command.

"The Royal Fleet was responsible for defending against the Nord naval forces to the north and protecting merchant ships entering and leaving the port of Paraven. Not long ago, His Majesty ordered Commander-in-Chief William to send warships to intercept the Nords' merchant ships heading south, and I am afraid that they will not be able to draw extra warships!"

Edward did not say anything, but sat quietly at the end waiting for the king's order. Several times during this time, his half-brother looked at him with cold, disgusted eyes. Although Edward also hated his brother opposite, he did not show it easily.

The cunning Baron Griffin never said a word, but Baron Maggs, who sat next to Rutgers, made a few stupid and ridiculous suggestions. I really don't know if he's really stupid, or if he's pretending to be stupid.

King Haraus, who sat at the top of the seat, pondered without saying a word. After nearly two hours of debate and controversy, the nobles and nobles present at the banquet fell silent, waiting for their king to give the final order.

"Send a bird to Earl William with news," the king spoke. "Let him lift the blockade of the Nords, immediately send as many warships as possible to the south, attack Estinina from the water, and cooperate with the land army to attack from the east, west, and north at the same time!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" replied the clerk, who stood on the left behind the king, in a low voice. And quickly recorded the king's orders.

"Your Majesty," asked Count Berlands. "Excuse me, who are you going to send to capture Estini?"

"Knight Edward and Ser Rutgers each led their cavalry to capture the town of [Estina] and the nearby villages," the king ordered in a deep voice. "The army led by the Count of Bellands and the Count of Sweden continued southward to attack [Marasburg]. ”

Edward, who sat next to Prince Bremont, did not want to be in the company of his half-brother, but he did not dare to disobey the king's orders. He could only respond respectfully: "Obey, Your Majesty!"

And when Baron Rutgers, who was sitting at the bottom of the right side of the council, heard the sound of the king ordering him to be in charge of attacking [Estina], his face suddenly became extremely embarrassed. He replied a little stiffly: "Obey, Your Majesty!"

At this moment, the king of Harauth suddenly stood up and announced, "This port must be taken!" and his tone was unmistakable, and everyone present was shocked.

After the council, the cunning and sinister Baron Griffin Prais and the ruthless Baron Rutgers Harungus gather in the tent of the foolish and arrogant Baron Ralph Magus to discuss their next steps.

In the past six months, they have harvested abundantly in the northern plains, where most of the villages have been sacked and burned by their cavalry. The Counts of Sweden and Belllands tried to restrain their knights and soldiers from doing evil deeds that harmed the civilian population.

However, Baron Griffin was unscrupulous in collecting the money of the Rhodoks, and Rogers ordered his soldiers to capture young men everywhere in case they could bring them back to the territory to cultivate the farms, while Baron Ralph, who had a special preference, sent people to rob the Rhodok girls everywhere.

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