240: Chapter 124: Attack of Wolf Territory_3 240: Chapter 124: Attack of Wolf Territory_3 “A joke, a small village with barely a hundred people, and I have many times their number in troops—do we really need to drag this out into a siege?”
Canis scoffed and shook his head, “Knight Henkel, don’t mistake me for that green Wolf pup of the past.
The Kantadar people I’ve killed, the enemy camps I’ve taken down, far surpass your…
Young Master Lang stopped speaking and sighed, then gestured around with his hand, “Wacht Castle is but half a day’s journey from here, and then another half a day to Farolis.
If we don’t quickly penetrate the Thorny Flower Territory through this weak spot, and wait for the enemy’s army to reinforce, this place is like a gateway, backed by mountains to the north and the Nightmare Forest to the south.
If we delay, how will we break through once we lose the initiative?
“This campaign is meant for revenge on those despicable weeds—looting and killing, not conquering.
Such a small village, it wouldn’t hurt to let those refugees and ragtag militia die in waves.
We then swiftly swoop in from behind, breaking into the village.
“As the fulcrum, we can turn the nearby villages to scorched earth, and from there comfortably retreat.
Stopping now, as you suggest, sluggishly fighting…
once the enemy reinforcements arrive, do we retreat in disgrace?”
Having said all that, Canis stood by his sword, looking disdainfully toward the distant small camp.
Even with equal forces, he had taken down countless such villages in Mamor County.
Now the troops he led, although over half of the seven hundred soldiers were hastily gathered rabble, such rabble also had its use—least of all did their deaths cause any grief.
After taking Leding Castle, the Wolf Territory surely wouldn’t miss these few hundred men.
And if this could provoke an extreme reaction from the Thorny Flower Family, they could then urge the King and the Royal Faction to arbitrate and strip Eriv of his lands.
The loss of life would be even more negligible.
“Knight Yom, take your detachment and scout the forest to the south of Longka first.
I don’t want any unexpected ambushes once the battle begins,” Canis turned and commanded.
“Ascov, lead your detachment and the archers in the rear.
Have the four militia detachments in front use fire pots to burn that laughable wooden wall…
“Rosen, your detachment will wait until those militia break the low wall and draw the enemy’s attention.
Then you’ll attack from the left flank on my command…”
Commands flowed from Canis with practiced ease; he then looked back at the somewhat downcast old knight.
Not wishing to wound the loyalty of this elder vassal of the family, he softened his tone slightly.
“If you want to be that cautious, then, Sir Henkel, I order you to lead the two reserve units.
Cross the river from the ford we passed earlier, go along the North bank, bypass the wooden wall.
When the fight starts, quickly establish a pontoon bridge to cross the river and reach the battlefield.
Assault the enemy’s flank and rear…”
Henkel’s old face seemed to hesitate, but he closed his mouth and listened to the orders, tightening his grip across his chest.
Indeed, the Young Master had grown strong.
Considering his achievements in Kantadar, he, an old wolf who had long stood guard at Wolfenhol, should no longer see him as that impulsive child of the past.
Canis, leading the Wolf Family knights with their banners flying, rode down the hillock, pressing on quickly following the infantry.
He had no intention of merely presiding over the center; if those Thorny Flower weeds were holed up within the high walls of the Inner Camp, so be it.
But if they dared to step into the battlefield between those two walls, Canis swore to personally avenge Sir Gab.
Following the family’s knights, Henkel slowly let his warhorse fall back, then approached the Northern Wizard sitting on horseback.
“Master Met, is it not even permissible to survey the battlefield with your ‘Eagle Eye’?” Henkel asked the magician, humbling himself.
“No, according to the anti-witchcraft laws, the will of the King above all, the Northern Wizard may only serve as observers and witnesses in the internal conflicts of the Orland Lord…” Met, holding his spear blade Magic Wand, was unwavering and shook his head.
This was the accord struck with the King, allowing the Northern Society to persist in Orland after the civil war—a “tacit understanding” that could not be breached.
At least, for the time being…