Chapter 4: Target — Katyn!

Looking at this group of people with blank eyes and confused minds before him, Fumer was extremely annoyed. He had originally thought Livonia was like a backyard, with the people of Bessarabia in the west not daring to interfere, and the Nicocians far to the east, separated by vast distances. Three thousand troops should have been more than enough, but no one expected them to suffer such a major setback here.
If only he could see this guy, Mainet—Fumer really wanted to hang him up and ask how he could lead these three thousand troops. Could those peasants holed up in three small castles really swallow up three thousand elite soldiers from the Kingdom of Knozo? Fumer didn’t believe it; there must be something strange going on.
It was a pity that this fool, Mainet, hadn’t been released like the others. As the commander of Knozo’s army in Livonia, he certainly wouldn’t be released for free. But that didn’t matter—once those three castles were taken and Livonia reclaimed, everything would return to normal. Fumer believed the Nicocians didn’t have many troops. If they truly had a strong army, they wouldn’t hide sneakily in castles. That proved their guilt.
“Hmph, these tiny castles think they can resist our army’s attack? These Nicocians really overestimate themselves.”
While observing the castle’s structure, Fumer also carefully assessed its defensive system. To his relief, the Nicocians had placed too much emphasis on aesthetics, neglecting the castle’s defensive capabilities. There were only four symbolic arrow towers and two assault battlements. From what he could see from the walls, the castle didn’t seem to have powerful weapons like crossbows or trebuchets, which put him at ease.
“Lord Fumer, should we prepare for an attack right away?”
“No, don’t rush. I think we still have time. We shouldn’t be hasty. Since we’re already here, we have no intention of leaving in shame. We’ve already lost three thousand men—I don’t want to pay more for these few small castles. It’s not worth it. Maybe we can solve this problem with other methods.” Fumer shook his head. His deputy was too impulsive and lacked composure, which wasn’t good.
“But we…”
“Don’t be impatient. Where are our magicians?”

“They have set out from Hesse and are heading south; they should arrive here within two days.”
“Hmm, good. Order the vanguard to advance all the way to the Zuck Valley to see where these guys came from. Could they really have sneaked in from Bessarabia? Or do they have other paths through the Little Greenland Forest?” Fumeier nodded calmly. “But no matter where they emerged from, their fate will be the same. With such a small castle, I’m sure our magicians will show them what true magical attacks are like—they’ll regret it for life.”

Before receiving the urgent report from Livonia, Komer had already realized a huge mistake he had made: he hadn’t sent enough magicians to accompany Dragoamo’s army. It was a mistake that could doom Livonia. Komer didn’t want to waste time regretting it; it was more important and urgent to find a way to fix it.

After immediately sending a group of magicians led by Newman, Komer fell into anxiety. Livonia was too far away from the Caucasus. It would take at least three days to reach Lake Nesse by ship from Fortress Bruce, and then another few dozen kilometers on foot to reach the Zuck Valley. By the time Newman and his group set out, the reinforcements of infantry had also just boarded the ship and set off not long ago.

Komer could only hope that Dragoamo and his men would be smart enough. It would be ideal if they could hold out for a while by using favorable terrain. If they really couldn’t resist, their only option would be to flee into the Little Greenland Forest and wait for follow-up troops.

The Knossosians wouldn’t go without their own magic troops—they would soon make Dragoamo’s orc army suffer greatly. Facing the powerful magical attacks of the Northern Alliance, Komer believed his side probably didn’t have the conditions to win or gain an advantage. But it would be a shame if Dragoamo and his men really retreated into the Little Greenland Forest. The Knossosians would then know their attack routes, and once the Zuck Valley was completely blocked by them, even with the arrival of follow-up troops and Newman’s group, it would still be difficult to reclaim Livonia from the Knossosians—likely at a much higher cost.

Those three thousand reinforcements also worried Komer. They were all inexperienced recruits who had only received basic training. Although they had basic combat skills as orcs, they now had to face the superior Knossosian regular army. This battle wouldn’t be easy.

Komer wasn’t unable to mobilize his troops—the Minglan Knights and Homer Knights were strong and well-equipped, the Gothen Knights also possessed considerable combat power, plus there was the Stormtroop unit composed of barbarians. Such formidable forces could easily withstand any external enemy, but Komer couldn’t deploy them yet. The Atticans in the front were advancing steadily, making a direct war inevitable. Although the orcs had subtly hinted they wouldn’t interfere in the war between mortals, Komer never trusted such appearances. To suppress the orcs, only force would do—Komer only believed in the power under his own control, as that was the most reliable.

A complete victory on the front was what Komer wanted as the best outcome—to thoroughly defeat those from the Northern Alliance and drive them out of Nicomedia’s territory. Only then could he win the trust of the Basarabians. Right now, the Basarabians were already struggling under the dual pressure from the Church of Light and the Northern Alliance. If they weren’t given a boost to lift their spirits, all previous efforts might go to waste.

As Newman and the others set off for Livonia, Komer set everything aside—it was time for him to step in.

Advance fully!
Target: Katyn!