After inspecting the upper city, Vera returned to Anke’s tent to report her findings.
However, she found Anke wearing a suit of shiny, high-quality armor and holding a short sword, striking various strange poses in front of a mirror.
Noticing Vera’s entrance, Anke immediately dropped his poses and tried to look solemn.
“Your Highness, what are you doing? Why have you suddenly put on armor?”
Vera looked at Anke with curiosity. For a human, wearing a full set of armor was exhausting.
Unless they were on duty, heading to a battlefield, or attending a specific ceremony, no one would be willing to carry more than ten pounds of heavy iron around.
Anke clearly didn’t fit into any of those three categories.
“I’m going out of the city, of course. And you arrived just in time, Vera. I was waiting for you. Quick, hang my flag on your flag lance. We’re going out.”
Anke stepped forward, pulled a folded flag from beneath a table, and handed it to Vera.
“Going out? Have the escorts been arranged?”
Vera took the flag and asked in confusion. She hadn’t heard Anke give any orders to arrange an escort party.
“No escorts. Just you and me.”
Anke pointed a finger at himself and then at Vera.
“Just the two of us?”
“Just the two of us.”
Vera looked into Anke’s eyes, trying to find a hint of a joke, but unfortunately, there was none.
“Your Highness, you must give me a reason. Otherwise, even if you force me with a direct order, I will not agree.”
Vera shook her head. She had already indulged Anke’s recklessness once before; she couldn’t let it happen a second time. If she agreed now, would there be more instances?
‘Anke is the puppet king I am focusing on cultivating,’ she thought. ‘If he gets used to running around and something happens to him, what then?’
Vera would absolutely not indulge Anke any further!
“Time is tight. I originally planned to explain it to you slowly once we were out. But since you’ve asked, I’ll tell you. I intend to gather the remnants of Earl Oca’s forces that were scattered by Gros and bring them to Border City.”
“Gathering Earl Oca’s broken troops? Your Highness, how can you be sure those soldiers will follow you back? Is such a risk worth it?”
Anke’s reason was somewhat logical, but Vera didn’t understand why he would take such a risk.
“Of course it’s worth it! While Earl Oca is my enemy, his soldiers are not. Besides, I was the one who lured the Barbarians to attack them, forcing them to bear the brunt of an assault meant for me. Earl Oca’s army was completely unprepared for battle. Once ambushed by the Barbarians, they were bound to collapse. Those soldiers will either die under Barbarian blades or freeze to death on the snowy plains. I’m going out to bring back as many as I can. It will strengthen Border City’s power and prevent the Barbarians from growing stronger with captured equipment. Plus, I’ll feel better about it.”
“You really are kindhearted. But even so, why not take more escorts with you?”
Vera’s resolve was weakening. She was starting to be swayed by Anke, but she still had one more question.
“If I took men with me, I’d have to take at least 200 or 300. Not only would that make us a larger target, but it would be easier to discover us. Wouldn’t that weaken the defenses of Border City?”
“Sigh, let us go then, Your Highness. However, please make sure to stay behind me.”
Vera unfurled the red, gold-trimmed Double-headed Black Dragon Flag that belonged exclusively to Anke and attached it to her flag lance. She gave it a few practice swings before rolling it up and speaking to Anke.
“Understood. Don’t worry, Vera. I’ll protect myself.”
Vera and Anke rode their horses out through the rear gate of Border City.
Because Anke was wearing a thick cloak that hid any identifying features, the Imperial Guard Knights guarding the gate didn’t recognize him.
They simply assumed Vera had received another secret mission from His Highness.
Once outside the city, the two headed straight for the Keluoke Army Camp where Earl Oca’s forces were stationed.
By the time the camp came into Vera’s view, the Iron Jaw Tribe’s sneak attack had already begun.
The Iron Jaw Tribe, having suffered a loss at Anke’s hands, had regained their confidence by preying on the exhausted Kerok Army.
The Kerok Army’s camp hadn’t even finished its perimeter walls.
The Barbarian army tore through the Kerok forces like a sharp knife through flesh.
The Kerok Army, having just completed a forced march and barely rested, had very few units capable of putting up a fight.
Only the Guard Knight Guard under Louis and Kerok’s personal retainers stood a chance against the Iron Jaw Tribe.
The snow was trampled into foul, black mud. Frozen fingers could not grip weapons, and the newly recruited conscripts trembled uncontrollably as they stared into the fangs of the Barbarian Giant Wolves…
“Young Master, you are the commander of this army! You must step out and stabilize the men!”
Louis, mounted on his warhorse, used his spear to thrust aside several Barbarian soldiers as he charged toward Kerok, who was surrounded by a protective circle of retainers.
“You want me to expose myself now? There are Barbarians everywhere! Do you want me dead? And how did a useless piece of trash like you let the Barbarians reach the camp! You’ve ruined me! I don’t want to see you! Get lost!”
Kerok grabbed whatever was nearby and hurled it at Louis. Although he didn’t hit him, the act made Louis’s heart grow colder.
“Young Master…”
However, as the captain of the Guard Knight Guard for House Oka, the oath he took upon becoming a Knight forced Louis to endure Kerok’s fury in silence.
He held onto a faint hope for a miracle — that the young master would suddenly change his nature, take up his responsibility as commander, and stand forth to stabilize the army’s morale.
Even if Kerok did nothing, as long as he didn’t run, the soldiers would still have a core to rally around and wouldn’t completely scatter.
But the miracle Louis hoped for did not happen. Kerok remained concerned only for himself, fleeing in a panic through the chaos, shielded by his retainers.
“Ignore him! Quick, protect me as we leave! If you get me out of here, I’ll give you all ten gold coins!”
Nearby, the voices of the Knights under Louis could be heard calling for help.
“Captain Louis! Where are you? The Barbarians are too strong! We can’t hold them back!”
“Vice-captain, don’t go! That guy is strong!”
Louis could only tighten his grip on the reins. Giving up on his expectations for Kerok, he turned back to fight side-by-side with his fellow Knights.
As for Kerok, his wish to escape didn’t come true.
Saliva from an Iron Jaw Giant Wolf dripped onto Kerok’s trembling eyelashes. The warm, foul-smelling wetness spreading in his crotch was being frozen into an icy crust by the cold wind.
Despite being surrounded by his guards, he was caught by Gros before he could even leave the camp.
Gros ordered several Wolf Riders to send Kerok to the Iron Jaw Tribe’s camp. He then picked up the Family Crest Ring that Kerok had dropped, tossing it casually in his hand.
“Refreshing! This is what a battle should look like! Take a hit from Big Barton’s TRUNK SMASH!”
In the center of the camp, Big Barton, riding a Giant Wolf, swung a massive club. The force sent the vice-captain of the Guard Knight Guard flying, along with his warhorse.
“Tonight, we eat horse meat sauce!”
Big Barton steered his Giant Wolf toward the fallen vice-captain. He raised his club, intending to crush the man and the horse together.
“Stop!”
At that moment, Louis arrived. He lunged with his spear toward Big Barton, saving the vice-captain.
“Interesting. You’re quite skilled for a human.”
Big Barton touched the bloody scratch on his face where Louis’s spear had grazed him. His blood began to boil with the desire for battle.
As the captain of the Guard Knight Guard, Louis’s strength was considerable. He held his own in the fight against Big Barton.
Unfortunately, Louis’s solitary efforts could not salvage the defeat.
“Knight, your lord has already been captured. Cease this pointless resistance and surrender.”
Gros threw the family crest token he had taken from Kerok in front of Louis, attempting to persuade the powerful Knight to give up.
News that the commander, Kerok, had been captured by the Barbarians spread rapidly through the camp.
Clang— the first spear hit the mud.
“Run!”
“Run for your lives!”
Panic-stricken wails spread like a plague…
The remaining Knights were still fighting, but with their commander captured, morale had completely collapsed. There was no longer any hope for victory.
“Hahaha, surrender… Surrender to Barbarians? Never! There are only dead Knights, never living cowards!”
Louis gave a bitter laugh, bracing himself to die on the battlefield.
At that exact moment, a new flag was suddenly raised in the middle of the camp.
Louis recognized it. It was a flag that belonged exclusively to the royalty of the Black Cross Empire.
“That flag… it’s Anke! It’s the Fourth Prince, Anke!”
The blood-red flag snapped loudly in the cold wind. The eyes of the ferocious Double-headed Black Dragon seemed to light up, like a beam of light piercing through the smoke of the battlefield!
“SPEARS IN HAND, FOLLOW ME!”
The war flag cut through the wind and snow.
“KILL THE BARBARIANS, SEIZE A PATH TO SURVIVAL!”
The edge of a sword deflected a Barbarian arrow!
The voice that followed caused Louis to feel completely revitalized.
“The Fourth Prince, Anke?”
“How is that guy Anke here!”
Gros was stunned when he heard the voice. Shouldn’t Anke be hiding inside Border City? Why was he here?