The massive allied forces marched slowly toward the border town.
Leading the formation stood the Knight Corps of the Six Great Families of the Fortress. The armor and attire of each Knight's family revealed their respective power. Most striking were the Knights under Duke Laine, whose steeds were short-tailed horses from the capital—long-distance runners with bodies larger than ordinary horses. Perched on these horses, the Knights exuded an air of majesty. Their armor, crafted by the Fortress's 'Hammer and Dragon Tooth' Blacksmith's Workshop, featured a gleaming silver breastplate carved with a massive lion's head and shoulder plates adorned with two wolf heads, as if roaring. Their cloaks were embroidered with intricate patterns, and red silk ribbons adorned their waists.
These Knights are no ordinary warriors. Each year after the Demon Month concludes, they are tasked with clearing out remaining demonic beasts from the city to ensure unimpeded land routes. Every member has accumulated extensive combat experience, and when it comes to solo combat, they are on par with the capital's Knight Corps—though outnumbered. That said, assembling a 150-strong elite Knight unit with the Duke's resources was already a staggering expenditure.
Duke Lane surveyed the elite force with satisfaction. With their might, no one in the Western Frontier could stand against him.
The mercenary troops marched in the center of the procession, their gear markedly inferior to the others. Most wore tattered chainmail or plate armor—some missing arm guards, others without helmets. A few were clad in cheap leather armor, armed with assorted weapons. They dispersed along the road, huddling in small groups, chatting and laughing as they walked, as if this was not a battle but merely a spring outing for sightseeing.
At the rear of the procession stood the free men conscripted by the Lords, dragging single-wheeled carts laden with provisions and tents, trailing behind the mercenary forces at a snail's pace. The disparity in speed stretched the roughly 1,500-strong contingent into an elongated column, forcing the vanguard Knights to halt periodically as the rear units caught up.
"Your Majesty," said Earl of the Elk, Hilthel Medrath, tugging at the reins to match the Duke's pace, "we're still a good distance from Border Town. If all goes well, we should reach by four o'clock. Should we let our troops rest overnight and resume operations the next morning, or launch an immediate assault on Lord Castle?" "Do you still want to sleep in the wild?" the Duke chuckled. "I think we should lie on the castle's grand bed instead of muddy ground tonight. Of course, royal dignity must be preserved. Upon arrival at Border Town, I'll send envoys to persuade him to surrender." The Earl of the Golden Flower walked slightly ahead, turning his head. "Knights have journeyed all day. Both men and horses are exhausted. Wouldn't it be unwise to attack directly? After all, Roland Wimbledon survived the entire Demon Month with his miners. I believe we should proceed with caution." "Ha ha, others may not know, but even you don't know the true nature of the demons, my old friend. They are indeed formidable in the wild—swift, powerful, and terrifying—but against a wall, most are mere targets. They're just beasts after all," the Earl of the Elk shrugged. "I'm amazed they built such a wall so quickly, but even that alone can't withstand my knights. They're not mindless fools." "Exactly." "And I've received a message from the North," Duke Lane remarked nonchalantly. "This year's Hermes has been heavily attacked by hybrid evil beasts, nearly bringing the New Holy City to its knees. The cause remains unclear, but it appears these beasts are specifically targeting the Holy City. The Western Frontier is merely a few escaped predators." As the ruler of the Western Frontier, his attention extends beyond this remote region. He maintains long-term intelligence networks across major towns, ensuring a steady flow of updates. The brutal Northern conflict isn't the main focus. Recently, he received a secret report from Cliff City: King Tefiko and Queen Giasia of the Azure Waters clashed fiercely in Eagle City, the Southern Frontier. According to earlier intelligence, Tefiko's forces were expected to arrive in Eagle City a month later.
The letter omitted details of the battle, focusing instead on Tefiko's return from Broken Cliff City. His army had dwindled to mere remnants, leaving him unable to secure the roads as he had before. Eyewitnesses reported that Eagle City was engulfed in a raging inferno, with black smoke columns rising nearly to the clouds—a spectacle that astonished the townspeople of surrounding areas.
Undoubtedly, whether or not the Queen of Azure waters met her end at Tifeco's hands, such a devastating loss dealt a crushing blow to the new monarch. The secret letter stirred Duke Laine's ambitions, prompting him to dispatch trusted envoys in multiple batches overnight to the capital and the Eastern Frontier, determined to ascertain Tifeco's current predicament. Should this dual-king conflict prove capable of dismantling the newly established regime, the new King would not hesitate to add another torch to the flames.
Now is the prime opportunity to establish independent rule. The northern troops are buried at the foot of the Holy City, while the south has just endured a devastating battle and needs to recover. As for the eastern frontier and the capital, they may take years to recover. By rallying forces to conquer the north, he could tear Graycastle in two. Once achieved, his territory and population would rival the Kingdom of Eternal Winter in the far north, making him a formidable rival to Graycastle's southeastern territories.
And he, Osman Lane, would be the first King of this land.
At this thought, the Duke flashed a smug smile. He hoped that after wrapping up this farce today, he could escort Prince back home the very next day. If fortune smiled, he would receive good news from his confidants at the castle in just three days.
As the sun dipped westward toward the mountain peaks, Laine glimpsed the faint silhouette of Border Town Castle... and beyond the town, a dense throng of human figures standing in orderly rows.
"Father, Duke," Raine Medd, leading the vanguard, hurried back to report, "Those ahead must be the Fourth Prince's guards. They're armed and clearly not welcoming us." "That's a relief," the Earl of Elk chuckled, "at least we won't have to trouble the castle to summon him. Go tell the Knights to slow down—we're still far from the charge." "Yes, Father," Raine replied, and set off.
Duke Lane raised his scope to survey the enemy formation. The troops in the view were peculiar—clutching bizarre weapons, they stood in two packed rows side by side. The weapons resembled spears, yet the tips were invisible and the grips too short. Their formation defied logic... Such a fragile line of defense—wouldn't it be breached in a single charge?
The Duke was perplexed. Though Prince lacked military strategy, his Knights and Imperial Guards were no mere lackeys. After a moment's deliberation, he ordered the mercenaries to lead the charge while the Knights remained in the assault zone, ready to assess Prince's true intentions.
Of course, the emissary for surrender was still to be dispatched. Duke Llane summoned a personal guard and said, "Go tell the Prince that I have no intention of harming him, but the King of Tifeco Wemberton has issued an order, and I must comply. If he surrenders now, he will not be harmed, and I will escort him back to the capital with the honors due to a Prince." The assembly of the army was a slow process—the knights took their positions one by one, while the mercenaries still gathered at the front line. At that moment, Duke Llane noticed four flickering flames on the enemy's position, which soon turned into a column of blue smoke. He frowned, thinking he had misread the situation, and was about to examine it closely through his binoculars when a series of thunderous explosions suddenly rang out in his ears!