Chapter 281
Chapter 281 – It’s Our Turn to Help. (1)
“Bring Count Proud here immediately!”
Before Desmond’s army attacked Stonehaven Fortress, Marquis Branford erupted in tremendous anger upon hearing the news that the 2nd Corps had been annihilated.
Nobody anticipated that Count Desmond would make such a sudden move.
With reports of troop mobilization, everyone expected some level of civil war to erupt and felt on edge.
However, nobody dreamed that he would recklessly raise an army alone and wipe out the Kingdom’s forces without any notification.
Count Proud, who was staying in the capital as “the Duke’s voice,” was forcibly dragged before Marquis Branford.
“Y-your Excellency, I hope you have been well…”
“Count! Attacking Penris without a justification! Is this truly the Duke’s will?!”
“T-that’s not the case with Count Desmond, he has nothing to do with us…”
“Are you trying to play word games in front of me?!”
As Marquis Branford’s eyes glinted with rage, Count Proud lowered his head.
Count Desmond had maintained a stance of neutrality until now, but it was no secret that he was aligned with the Duke faction.
Nobody was a fool; they had already caught on during the Cabaldy war.
Thinking he could no longer deny it, Count Proud stammered as he began to speak.
“W-we also don’t know what’s happening right now. This isn’t really the intention of Baron Joseph… No, it’s not the Duke’s will.”
The Duke faction was indeed preparing for civil war. However, it was meant to be a last resort.
Raoul wanted to grasp the kingdom with minimal damage. That’s why, despite the long and troublesome process, he had been coercing and enticing the lords of each region.
Creating a reasonable justification, he intended to kill them off after only leaving behind those who would definitely not be swayed, and easily seize the kingdom.
That was the Duke faction’s basic strategy. Until that scoundrel Ghislaine caused a ruckus.
“But I never expected even Count Desmond to act on his own like this…”
Raoul was deeply infuriated. He hated it when the battlefield he created began to shake.
Now, for Raoul, Count Desmond was no longer an ally, but a pawn that could be treated recklessly.
“We… promise that we will not interfere in this matter. We will not make joint attacks with Count Penris.”
As Count Proud took a step back, Marquis Branford continued.
“Are you pretending not to know despite being in the same faction? You’re not taking any responsibility?”
“We didn’t interfere in Count Penris’s matters before, did we? Wouldn’t it be better for you to step back too…?”
He meant to treat it like a personal matter as it had been before.
Marquis Branford’s lips twitched. Count Proud was trying to read the room and think quickly.
“At this point, Penris is finished. We can’t defeat Count Desmond. Whether the Crown Prince faction intervenes or not is irrelevant.”
He commanded an army of 30,000 troops. It was obvious Count Penris would not last long and would soon lose his head. Even if the Crown Prince faction tried to suppress Desmond afterwards, they would have to bleed considerably.
Count Desmond was a capable individual. His subordinates were no joke either. The Crown Prince faction might end up shattered and dragged into a protracted war.
“If that happens, it’ll be to our advantage. We can wait for the right opportunity to spark the civil war. It’s not that we lack power; we are just biding our time.”
The Duke faction was powerful. Even now, they could easily upend the kingdom whenever they wished.
Yet the reason they did not start a civil war was that Raoul, the mastermind of the Duke faction, was overly fixated on minimizing harm.
As if there was somewhere else they would need to exert their strength after taking over the kingdom.
Whatever the reason, Count Proud thought that thanks to Raoul’s inclinations, the Crown Prince faction was still alive.
Marquis Branford, glaring at Count Proud, touched his forehead and smiled.
“What a tangled web you’ve woven. The fall of Penris is a foregone conclusion, so you’re planning to use Desmond to provoke us. If we strike first, you get to weaken him through battle, and if we fall back, Penris gets eaten safely. Either way, it works for you, huh?”
Count Proud did not respond and lowered his head. After all, Marquis Branford was not expecting an answer.
The Duke faction drew a line stating that this was unrelated to them. In such circumstances, there was nothing the Crown Prince faction could do. Except to fight Desmond after the fall of Penris.
Seeing Count Proud’s relaxed demeanor, Marquis Branford wore a cold smile.
“I can’t tolerate your machinations any longer.”
“It’s a misunderstanding. We don’t want war, so we’re not interfering. Your Excellency.”
“Right, of course. I’m tired of your word play. Toleo.”
Marquis Branford called the Knight Commander standing beside him. Toleo wore a look that said the moment had come and bowed his head.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Immediately imprison that scoundrel and capture all the Duke faction nobles in the capital.”
“As you command.”
As Toleo raised his hand, the knights nearby immediately seized Count Proud’s arms. The guard knights who had accompanied Count Proud were also subdued at once.
In the sudden turn of events, Count Proud exclaimed, flustered.
“W-what? Your Excellency! What’s happening right now? I handle diplomacy for the Duke faction! According to tradition, my safety must be ensured!”
“If Count Penris is defeated, I will slice off your head along with all the Duke faction nobles and send them to the Duke.”
“W-what?!”
Count Proud blinked in disbelief. Was he really going to start a civil war over some rookie up north?
And that wasn’t the only unbelievable statement coming from the Marquis.
“Housekeeper.”
“Command me.”
“Tell the 3rd Corps, which is stationed closest to the north, to support Count Penris immediately.”
“Understood.”
“Among the territories affiliated with the Duke faction, where is the weakest?”
“The places easiest to capture are Baron Harrington’s territory in the north and Baron Collind’s in the east.”
“Good. Inform Marquis Macquarie to occupy those two territories the moment Count Penris is defeated. Desmond will gather his own troops for the assault.”
“…Understood.”
None of the retainers dared to stop the Marquis even with such extreme orders.
When the Marquis issues a command, it must be followed. No one can defy the Marquis’s authority.
That was how the House of Marquis Branford operated.
With a look of disbelief, Count Proud shouted.
“Your Excellency! You would provoke a war without any justification! You can’t do this! Are you really going to incite a civil war? We have nothing to do with Count Desmond!”
Count Proud couldn’t believe that Marquis Branford had come to such a decision, even witnessing it directly.
No matter how much he favored Count Penris, risking the fate of the royal family and the Crown Prince faction over such a flimsy reason was insane!
It seemed like everyone—Count Penris, Count Desmond, and Marquis Branford—had gone completely mad.
Marquis Branford glared at Count Proud, snarling.
“Do you think I’ll keep dancing to your schemes and wordplay indefinitely? No long speeches are needed. If you wish to live, you better pray that Count Penris wins. Take him away!”
“Your Excellency! Your Excellency!”
Count Proud screamed in near panic as he was dragged away.
A heavy silence descended upon the great hall. The retainers were crushed by Marquis Branford’s fury and didn’t dare exhale properly.
After quite some time, the housekeeper finally spoke.
“Your Excellency… Are you really alright with this?”
The one who had made the greatest effort to avoid civil war until now was Marquis Branford himself. He understood the true power of the Duke faction.
The defensive strategy of the Crown Prince faction and the passive attitude of the Duke faction had allowed the current power structure to be maintained.
Until that scoundrel Ghislaine showed up and shook things up, leading to Count Desmond’s sudden announcement.
Marquis Branford closed his eyes and sighed.
“Count Penris… no, it seems the moment we accepted Ghislaine Perdium, our fate was sealed like this.”
He knew he was exceptional, but he’d grown more rapidly than he had anticipated. Eventually, there was no way he could avoid a clash with Count Desmond.
Count Desmond would be well aware that if he didn’t trample down that budding power quickly, it would endanger him.
Though Marquis Branford tried to nurture Ghislaine with the kingdom army and protect him until he grew stronger, he never expected his actions to be so utterly reckless.
The housekeeper replied with a somewhat solemn expression.
“The 3rd Corps will not arrive in time. The quickest route goes through Duke faction territories which they will need to return through.”
News of the destruction of the 2nd Corps had just come in. They might already be embroiled in a siege.
The 3rd Corps was stationed farther south than the 2nd Corps had been. Given the roads were still incomplete, even if they set off right away after receiving orders, it would take at least over a month to reach the Penris territory.
The poor Crown Prince faction lords from the north wouldn’t be much help either. Sending troops that were few in number and poorly trained would only increase their losses.
Marquis Branford nodded knowingly.
“Currently, Ghislaine cannot defeat Count Desmond. He will inevitably lose.”
“If he were to retreat, he could save his life. Marquis Perdium is still intact.”
“Right, but he’ll still have to relinquish Cabaldy. Perhaps even Penris.”
That would render the effort to support Ghislaine meaningless. How long would it take for someone who lost all his resources and techniques to recover his status?
Perhaps it could be possible, but with Count Desmond blocking the way?
And the demise of Perdium was only a matter of time. There was no way Count Desmond would leave behind such aftereffects.
“Regardless, Ghislaine will end here. But we have to fight Count Desmond. The Duke faction will watch the situation leisurely, waiting for us to weaken.”
“Your Excellency…”
“Civil war will happen sooner or later. Rather than waiting for it, it’s better for us to initiate the fight. Otherwise, we’ll be slowly eaten away like this, unable to fight back, until we all die.”
With that final remark, Marquis Branford closed his eyes.
His decision would prompt the royal family and the nobles of the Crown Prince faction to prepare for war. Despite his desire to avoid civil war, he had finally reached the point where he’d have to start it with his own hands.
The only way to buy time and preserve more strength was to have Ghislaine win.
‘That’s impossible.’
No matter how remarkable he was, that wasn’t feasible. Marquis Branford shook his head, discarding the lingering thoughts.
Realistically, it didn’t make sense to deploy more of the Kingdom’s forces for protection. Once the civil war broke out, similar incidents could happen again.
Had Ghislaine been stronger than now, the civil war would’ve begun elsewhere first.
And so, Clifton, the commander of the 3rd Corps, swiftly received the orders from Marquis Branford.
“The objective is to support and rescue Count Penris. If we determine that Count Desmond has triumphed and Count Penris perished before the 3rd Corps arrives, we shall attack Baron Harrington’s territory of the Duke faction. Hm, that’s not going to be simple.”
Nodding a few times, he called for his deputy right away.
“Prepare to mobilize as quickly as possible. We’re going to help Count Penris.”
The 3rd Corps of the Kingdom army, having received Marquis Branford’s orders, began their march towards Penris.
*
The chaos brought on by Count Desmond’s attack was not limited to the Crown Prince faction.
Now a Marquis, Ghislaine’s father, Zvalter Perdium, also wore a look of shock upon hearing the news.
“Count Desmond… has invaded Penris? And even annihilated the 2nd Corps?!”
“Yes! They’ve already entered the territory of Penris!”
“I, I can’t believe it…”
In the wake of such shocking news, Zvalter stumbled momentarily, unable to steady himself.
He had known a war would erupt eventually. After all, Count Desmond had been behind the Perdium conflict.
However, after joining the Crown Prince faction, he had somewhat let go of that worry.
In the end, even if civil war occurred, the Duke faction and Crown Prince factions would clash together. He and Ghislaine had expected to be part of that struggle.
“I never thought I would have to face Count Desmond alone… that he would even attack the Kingdom’s forces…”
Zvalter muttered, still in disbelief. He had considered the possibility, but he never expected the invasion would come so abruptly.
“Brother! Get your wits about you!”
Zvalter, lost in thought, felt his heart sink at Randolf’s shout and snapped back to reality.
He couldn’t just stand there like this. The news reaching Perdium meant that a battle was already underway.
“Y-yes. I-I must hurry to assist Ghislaine… But what about the fortress? I need to leave some soldiers stationed there…”
Even a seasoned veteran like him was greatly shaken by Count Desmond’s sudden invasion.
Desmond was known as the strongest domain in the north. Claiming he had raised an army of 30,000 felt like a horrifying reality that could lead to the death of his son.
No, perhaps his son was already dead. With this thought, Zvalter’s mind went blank again.
“Then I need to reorganize the troops… the Perdium forces need to be prepared…”
Grabbing Zvalter’s flailing arms, Randolf yelled.
“Brother! Think straight! We need to mobilize the entire army to assist the Grand Duke!”
“Right, but I’m discussing how many to leave at the fortress…”
“What does that matter? We’re in a ceasefire state after all!”
“I can’t trust those people. So, we need to leave some soldiers to watch…”
Caught between his hefty responsibilities and worries for his son, Zvalter could make no swift decisions.
In the last Cabaldy war, he had also left some troops at the fortress while mobilizing.
Back then, there was room to either assist or persuade Ghislaine to withdraw because he was attacking.
But now the situation was entirely different. Ghislaine must hold off Count Desmond’s great forces. Even a single recruit would be valuable.
“Brother! If the Grand Duke is absent, that renders everything useless!”
“What?”
“This fortress! The supplies! The Mana Circulation Method! The barbarians! Our Perdium’s progress! None of this could’ve been managed without the Grand Duke!”
“…”
While shaking Zvalter’s arm, Randolf shouted again.
“So even if we lose this place! Even if the north goes up in flames! As long as the Grand Duke remains, we can recover everything! We should abandon this place! We’re in a ceasefire, so let’s leave these barbaric bastards behind!”
“Leave… here?”
To Zvalter, who had lived his life guarding the fortress, to abandon this place felt like throwing away his responsibilities.
Especially, he couldn’t trust Woroka, the leader of the barbarians. That sly bastard had only agreed under pressure from Ghislaine’s power.
He had already obtained some food supplies, so if they left now, he could very well try to take the fortress himself.
What if they received news that Ghislaine was dead? Woroka would undoubtedly grow bolder and take advantage. He would lose his son and the fortress.
If that happened, not only would it be impossible to reclaim the fortress, but the barbarians’ plundering would escalate. The north would plunge back into chaos.
Despite all this, Randolf spoke as though it meant nothing.
“The Grand Duke’s life is at stake! Your son could die! Just how long are you going to live just for everyone else? You’ve lived your whole life like this, so now just take care of your family! Don’t you feel guilty to your deceased sister-in-law?!”
“You…”
“If Penris falls, do you think we’ll be safe? Do you think Count Desmond will spare us? Elena will also die! Damn it! Brother! When did you become such a fool? Get a grip!”
Hearing Randolf’s words, Zvalter felt as though a bucket of cold water had been tossed over him and his senses returned sharply.
That was right. Even if they guarded the fortress, it would all be for nothing if Penris was captured. Count Desmond had been trying to destroy Perdium from the start.
If he stayed like this, both Penris and Perdium would be destroyed. The situation had become so dire that there was no room to think of anything else.
Shaking off the fog from his mind, Zvalter pushed away from Randolf and spoke.
“…Y-yes. Let’s save Ghislaine first.”
Clap!
Zvalter forcefully slapped his own cheeks, as if to rally himself, and shouted.
“All troops will move to Penris without exception! Send a messenger ahead to inform Homern to prepare!”
Every soldier at the fortress was summoned without exception. They had already received news that Count Desmond was attacking Penris.
The strongest territory in the north, with an army of 30,000. Even on hearing such a shocking report, none of them were frightened. Rather, their fighting spirit ignited.
There was a reason why they could respond this way.
Skoban, who had come to deliver military supplies and was coerced into helping, drew his sword and shouted loudly.
“The Grand Duke is in danger!”
At the same time, other knights and soldiers also drew their weapons. To them, Ghislaine was now the hero and benefactor of Perdium. They could not allow him to die.
They all shouted in unison.
“This time, we’re going to help the Grand Duke!”
“Waaaaaah!”
With a great roar, the Perdium army began their march towards Penris.
