Chapter 7: Eradicating the Threat at Its Root
The chaos in the kingdom’s north seemed to have no impact on Homer, located in the southeastern peninsula. To the northwest of Homer lay the Lundberg region controlled by the Ferdinand family and the Thirins region controlled by the Haine family, serving as natural barriers. If the orcs wanted to reach Homer, they would have to break through the Lundberg region or cross the vast central areas of the kingdom to get there. But currently, the orcs were still engaged in battles with the kingdom’s army in the north and west, and the kingdom’s forces were showing signs of strain, though they could still hold out for a while.
In fact, for Philip, the orcs breaking through the kingdom’s northern defenses brought little joy. While the threat to Homer had disappeared, the threat posed by the orcs was growing increasingly apparent. These creatures clearly did not follow the agreements set forth. Wolf riders had begun appearing frequently along the Colorado River. According to the agreement, the ten miles west of the Colorado River were off-limits to the orc armies, but the orcs seemed to have completely forgotten this rule.
It was not surprising that the orcs would not keep their promises, but showing their ferocity so early worried all the mortals involved in this plan, including Philip. The orcs’ strength also filled all mortals with fear—they had easily crushed the Royal Golden Oak Regiment, one of the kingdom’s finest elite units. Neither Homer’s nor Lundberg’s nor Galle’s infantry could compare in combat strength to the Golden Oak Regiment. If these orcs truly settled in the north, vast areas of the kingdom’s center, even Homer itself, could become targets of their attacks. Could Homer’s infantry withstand the orc armies?
Yet for now, Philip wasn’t too worried about this. With the kingdom’s direct territories acting as a shield, Homer would not be in danger in the short term. The Ferdinand and Haine families would be more concerned about this issue than he was. What he needed to focus on was still the threat from the south. The kingdom would be unable to interfere with his actions for a long time to come, so it seemed time to address the problem in the south, a disaster he had created himself.
“Karl, you must have an accurate explanation for the reasons behind our defeat in the last battle against Leon, right?” The soldier standing before Philip was Karl Liebknecht, the commander of Homer’s Storm Infantry Regiment—a professional soldier with considerable expertise both in tactics and combat skills.
Militarily, Philip no longer fully trusted those noble knights. Though they seemed impeccable in loyalty, warfare couldn’t be resolved solely by the bravery and loyalty of knights. Historical experience told Philip that choosing professional soldiers might be more reliable. Karl Liebknecht officially took command of the Storm Infantry Regiment only after the disastrous defeat at Leon. Although he had been in charge for not long, he had already gained respect.
“Your Highness, the situation has been largely investigated. In fact, our army held a decisive advantage throughout the early stages, especially with the help of magicians. We were almost victorious, but our troops didn’t expect that those orcs had the support of magicians. Our magicians were counterattacked, and due to lack of preparation, the situation turned, leading to our defeat.”
Karl Liebknecht’s angular face seemed carved with lines of resilience. His thin yet effective leather armor appeared to be made from special scale armor. The beast’s head emblem on his shoulder emitted a sinister glow, with fine straps tightly connecting the scale armor, giving it a neat appearance. Over it was a cloak adorned with strange patterns, indicating that this warrior had also fought against knights or magic practitioners. Only such individuals would use protective spells from magicians on their armor and cloaks to enhance their defenses. This warrior invested just as much effort in his equipment as knights, even emphasizing practicality. Even in front of the grand duke, he always maintained a vigilant stance with one hand on his sword and the other on his heart as a sign of respect—a necessary gesture for a professional soldier.
“Is that all?” The ruler of Homer showed disbelief.
“Well, of course, there were also some internal factors within our army. For example, our soldiers lacked practical combat experience, especially in dealing with magical attacks. From what I’ve seen, our past drills against magical attacks were mostly repetitive, outdated, and too mild. In actual combat, if the enemy truly had magicians, they wouldn’t use such weak spells to attack.” Karl Liebknecht didn’t want to blame his predecessor, but failing to reveal the truth meant he couldn’t honestly address the grand duke.
“Hmph, it seems I’ve spent so much food and supplies to raise a bunch of good-for-nothings! A few thousand regular troops can’t even defeat some miners in tattered clothes wielding sticks—what use is such an army?” Philip showed an angry expression. Though it wasn’t directed at Karl Liebknecht, it still made Karl feel uneasy.
“Your Highness, we can’t blame them entirely. Without systematic and rigorous training, they can’t become a competent army. The intensity and quality of their previous training were far too weak, so they struggle to cope with complex battlefield situations. I’m currently conducting intensive training for them, and I believe results will soon appear,” Karl couldn’t help but defend the soldiers who were now under his command.
“Hmph, I can’t wait. The issue of Leon must be resolved. Doesn’t the Royal Court think Homer is incapable of fulfilling his responsibilities and duties in governing Leon? I think it’s necessary for me to prove to them that as long as they don’t interfere, those half-orcs in Leon will submit completely to me,” Philip said arrogantly, impatiently.
“What? Your Highness, you plan to use force against Leon now?” Karl Liebknecht was shocked.
“Of course. This is the best opportunity—we can’t miss it. The kingdom is preoccupied with its own affairs; where do they have the strength to help that guy in Caucasus? I can provide you with fifteen magicians and spellcasters as assistance, and the Order of Knights can send a group of knights as backup. As long as you take Leon, I’ll immediately declare the abolition of Komer’s fiefdom in Caucasus, allowing you to deal with Caucasus in one fell swoop,” Philip said proudly. “Without the kingdom’s support, I don’t see what he has to counter our magicians, knights, and warriors!”
“Your Highness, do you mean Caucasus has no magicians? In Leon’s last defeat, weren’t the magical attacks carried out by magicians provided by the kingdom?” Karl Liebknecht asked hesitantly. After all, he wasn’t very familiar with magical resources. According to the soldiers who escaped, the enemy had unleashed quite fierce large-scale magical attacks—a concern that lingered in Karl Liebknecht’s mind.
“Huh? Magicians? There are magicians even in that remote place in the Caucasus? That’s the silliest joke I’ve ever heard, Karl. Do you know what it takes to support a magician? Noble birth, a good reputation, wealthy lands, and ample funds—none of these can be missing. More importantly, you must provide them with everything they need: magical materials and books for research and experiments, testing grounds, and a favorable research environment, and so on. The Caucasus wants to recruit magicians too? Let them think about it in a hundred years.” Philip said disdainfully.
“But I heard that there are some suspicious people around Baron Komer as well; they might very well be magic practitioners.” Karl Liebknecht was a careful man and wasn’t fooled by the grand duke’s words.
“Heh, maybe there were some magicians back then, but they were members of the kingdom’s court mage corps. They should have left long ago. The kingdom needs them more now. Or maybe Komer has managed to recruit one or two magic apprentices through some means. But do you really think he can compete with the mage corps we have here in Homer?”
Philip was displeased at being questioned about his assumptions and impatiently tapped the armrest of the carved wooden chair. The exquisitely carved chair was fitted with luxurious Zagallo silk, with interwoven fishbone and floral patterns creating stunning colors. Its curved, inward-facing legs gave it a touch of Rococo style. Philip’s bulky buttocks sitting on it seemed like a waste of such fine craftsmanship.
Karl Liebknecht, on the other hand, had no doubts. The nations of the continent and some powerful lords took pride in establishing their own mage corps as a sign of strength. But not everyone could afford the expenses of maintaining such a corps. Even the needs of just one magician were enough to deter smaller lords. Thus, only those powerful lords dared to indulge in the pretense of having mage corps, though they weren’t mere decorations—they could play a crucial role at times.
“But Your Highness, the Storm Infantry Regiment isn’t fully trained yet. I hope we can wait a little longer.” Karl Liebknecht didn’t want to send untrained soldiers into battle at such a time; he wanted more time to complete their training.
“No, Carl. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’ve been looking forward to this battle for a long time. Once Leon and the Caucasus are dealt with, I’ll give you more power and more time. But right now we must first deal with this threat in the south. I’m already regretting having raised such a dangerous ‘tiger.’ Thankfully, it hasn’t grown yet. If we keep indulging it, who knows how much trouble it might cause me.” Philip firmly rejected the other party’s suggestion. “Get ready right away. The floating bridge at Fort Brooke is about to be completed. Once it’s done, you must head to the battlefield immediately. This time, I really want to see who else will come to help him!”