Cullen hadn't closed his eyes in two days, and he hadn't actually rested much before that.

Eighteen days have passed since I was trapped, and there is still no hope of breaking out, and the situation will only get worse as time goes on.

Lacking the necessary supplies for survival, the knights were forced to kill their beloved horses, but this was a drop in the bucket compared to the sheer number of the army.

What's worse is that there is no water source in this valley, and the soldiers of the empire have dug two wells by digging hard.

Without the right tools, they had to dig with their hands and with their own swords...... It took an unknown number of swords to find some groundwater.

But this level is spread on everyone's head, which is to moisten the throat, and after so many days, everyone's body and spirit have reached the limit.

Since yesterday, the army has begun to show a large-scale attrition, and in just two days it has lost almost 2,000 men.

Combined with the more than 2,000 people who had died in the previous battle, there were less than 6,000 left in Cullen's hands.

I don't know how many of these 6,000 people will be able to see the sun tomorrow.

Thinking of this, Cullen's body was obviously very tired, but he didn't feel the slightest sleep.

He got up from the blanket and put on a garment and walked out of the tent.

The valley is quiet at night, with fallen leaves covering the mountain stream, and boots rustling on it.

The head of the Figuerola family remembers that when he was a child, he used to pass through a small valley when he sneaked away from his father to play in the city of the lake.

And he was not very lucky that day, and he also met a gang of robbers.

At the time, Cullen was only sixteen years old, and he had only one attendant of his age.

The retinue pleaded with Cullen to escape, saying that he would risk his life to drag the robbers and buy time for Cullen.

However, Cullen rejected his suggestion, drew his sword at his waist, and chose to fight alongside the retinue, facing the five robbers in front of him.

Cullen followed what his follower said, "It was my decision to sneak out of Rock Snow City, you dissuaded me but I didn't listen, so I can't leave you and run away now, and let you bear the mistakes I made." ”

Cullen and his retinue eventually defeated the bandits, who outnumbered them, and it was the first murder in Cullen's life, and the deceased was a drunk, red-faced man.

The thought of the past made the head of the Figuerola family slightly distracted, until the guard outside the tent called him, "Lord Marquis." Cullen came back to his senses.

Glancing at the guards who saluted him, it was a very young guard, Cullen remembered that his name seemed to be Asso, from a small noble family with no territory, and he had been his bodyguard for less than three years.

Aso is good at swordsmanship and riding, and is very loyal to the Figuerola family.

Cullen is optimistic that he can become a knight in the future, and this expedition also takes him with him in the hope that he can accumulate some military merits.

But now Cullen noticed that although Asso was still standing straight, his body was weak, his whole body was emaciated, and his eyes were sunken.

Cullen reached out and patted Asso on the shoulder, asking, "How is it, are those dwarves moving tonight?" ”

The young guard shook his head, "Just like the other day, only a few guys are sneaking around from behind the rock wall. ”

After a pause, he added, "Lord Marquis, send a few more people to break through and try it, while it's getting dark now." ”

Kulen shook his head, "It's useless, those dwarves have formed an alliance with the wild tribes in the mountains, no one is more familiar with this mountain than those wild people, and sending people to break through is just a waste of death." ”

Aso clenched his fists, and the look on his face was furious. "Those guys, obviously the envoy they sent to the royal capital not long ago just said that they hope to live in peace with us forever, how can they be so treacherous."

Cullen didn't think there was anything about it, although there has always been a saying on the continent of Brattis that oaths are more important than gold, but for countries and countries, only interests are eternal.

Just like those savage tribes, they have been fighting with the dwarves on the other side of the mountain for thousands of years, and the two sides have long formed a blood feud, but as long as the interests are enough, they can also abandon their old hatred and temporarily become allies.

Not to mention that Edward II also released cruel words before his death, saying that he would help his two neighbors set things right.

However, Cullen did not intend to say these words to Asso, who did not need to know so much.

The head of the Figuerola family said to the young guard, "Go and fetch me Sir Judit and Ilkander of House Emanuel." ”

Not long after Asso went, he brought the two to Cullen.

Ilkander doesn't seem to have a good night's sleep tonight, he hasn't even taken off his armor, in his words, I don't want to be cut off in my sleep, if I really want to die, then I will die in battle!

As for Yudit, the head of the Mariel family, he had completely lost his fighting spirit at this time, his eyes were dull, his face was pale, and he looked depressed.

Cullen frowned, "Wake up, Yudit, I have important things for you. ”

Yudit's face was dazed, as if he hadn't heard at all.

Ilkander snorted coldly, went up and grabbed Yudit by the collar and slapped the latter in the face.

Yudit was scraped by his palm and spun around in place, and finally stopped looking like a log, and when he saw the person who attacked him, Yudit was even more furious.

"Boy, what are you crazy about, even if your father Theodosius is here, he won't dare to be so disrespectful to me, is the Emmanuel family planning to go to war with the Mariel family?"

Ilkander pursed his lips disdainfully when he heard this, "When is this still going on, and you still want to use your identity to suppress me?" Anyway, everyone is going to die, I don't care who you are. ”

Yudit couldn't help but be a little discouraged by what he said.

yes, the big guys are going to die, what's the point of dwelling on these at this time.

But Yudit then thought of something, and his eyes showed a hint of hope, and said to Kulun.

"Lord Marquis, shall we ...... Surrender. There are so many enemies, and they already occupy the favorable terrain, they don't even have to use their hands, as long as they push the rocks off the top of the mountain, few of us will survive. ”

As he spoke, he glanced at Ilkand beside him, fearing that the grumpy young man was going to do something to him again.

The main reason is that now is different from when I was outside, the title and the status in the family are useless, and it is useless to be beaten.

But this time Ilkander didn't say anything, just stood still.

And his reaction actually explained his attitude, not that he was greedy for life and afraid of death, but mainly that they did not have any chance of winning, and if they resisted, they would only die in vain.

Cullen actually knew what the two were thinking.

He was not disappointed, because Judit was right, this was already an impossible battle to win.

But instead of agreeing to Yudit's offer to surrender, he asked rhetorically.

"Like you said, those dwarves can kill us at any time, so do you know why they haven't done it yet?"

(

Some people died, but not completely......