235. Let’s Attack First. (2)
Zvalter had a blank expression for a moment before asking,
“Are we suggesting we strike first?”
“Yes. We can’t just keep getting pushed around, can we?”
“I understand your feelings. We’re on the same page. But realistically, that’s impossible. The land is vast, and there are too many tribes. With our current strength, it’s not feasible.”
“Does that mean we’re just going to wait again?”
“That’s the best option. The six tribes that were close by are already gone. Without them, the situation will improve significantly.”
Zvalter knew what he meant.
But Ghislaine had no intention of waiting.
Nearby tribes being wiped out? What does that even matter? Eventually, new ones will settle in and start causing trouble again.
They couldn’t just let that happen. They needed to stabilize the rear properly this time.
“I don’t intend to completely wipe them out. There are too many capitals, and they are scattered everywhere. We don’t have the leisure to hunt them all down. Instead, I plan to scare them off for now so they won’t come near here.”
“Is that really necessary? If we’re not careful, the barbarians could retaliate and regroup. That could actually put us in danger.”
It’s not difficult to sweep away small tribes one by one. But if the barbarians unite like this, it would bring serious trouble.
For the financially struggling Perdium, avoiding the large-scale gathering of the barbarians was the best approach.
Zvalter tried to soothe him with concern in his voice, but Ghislaine shook his head.
“The food crisis is severe for the barbarians as well. Just because we sit idly by doesn’t guarantee they will. Ultimately, if we do nothing, some will band together again and attack us.”
“Hmm…”
Zvalter found it hard to refute and only sighed.
The barbarians would continue to attempt raids in small tribal units just to survive.
If that keeps failing, they might gather again on a large scale.
The fortress won’t fall. The problem is that if the front line is breached like this, the barbarians will start rampaging within the kingdom.
The other territories that suffered damage would undoubtedly hold Perdium accountable.
Sigh, I always end up worrying about the same things.
It was far too difficult for one territory to shoulder the entire responsibility. Especially for a poor territory like Perdium, it would be even harder.
It would be nice if the kingdom could lend a hand, but everyone was too busy scheming and fighting for power.
“Ugh…”
Zvalter fell into deep thought.
The strategy of Perdium throughout history had always been the same: block the roads and defend.
Not because it was the most efficient, but because they simply didn’t have the means to move out and act.
“It’s not because that’s the most efficient way. I was never in a position to go out and take action in the first place.
But when my son suddenly suggested we charge in first, I couldn’t help but feel conflicted.
‘Ghislaine makes a point. But should we really go out and fight?’
I was filled with anxiety since I had never attempted anything like this before. It was a solution that completely contradicted Zvalter’s personality, which pursued stability and maintenance.
As Zvalter hesitated, Ghislaine spoke of his principles.
“As a knight, you know well, Father. In a fight, is it more advantageous to strike first or to be struck?”
“Well… it’s certainly advantageous to strike first.”
Zvalter didn’t use crass phrases like ‘first strike for the win’ like Claude would. He was a dignified northern noble after all.
But Ghislaine threw away that dignity and stated the harsh reality.
“Yet, we have always been the ones to take the first hit. Because of that, we’ve continued to be impoverished.”
At those words, Zvalter bristled. How dare he speak as if he were being struck by his own father!
“Whoa! We did counterattack and block everything, didn’t we? Well, sure, we sometimes lost out because of those sneaky bastards like now… But, as you know, we can’t maintain the front over an extended period…”
Ghislaine didn’t listen to such excuses. The important thing was that we were always the ones to be hit first.
“I know the reasons. I understand them fully. But if we don’t take revenge, they’ll keep poking at us. I can’t stand that. Now that I don’t have to hold back, we’re going!”
“…”
Zvalter pondered. Who the heck did this temperament come from?
‘It must be from my mom. It’s definitely not my personality. I’m not this harsh.’
Before Zvalter could respond, the fellow safety-seeker Claude piped up.
“I’m against it.”
“Why are you against it?”
“Oh, you got horses, right? Why are we purposefully looking for a fight? Is everyday life lacking that much excitement for you? We’re living plenty dynamically as it is!”
“So we should just leave it be?”
“Let’s form a big village near the fortress and gather people. Back in the day, we couldn’t find a way to sustain them, but now we have plenty of food, so it’s possible!”
While Zvalter understood Ghislaine’s argument, he also agreed with Claude that there was no need for further conflict.
The nearby barbarians had disappeared, so there wouldn’t be any tribes attacking us for a while. Even if another tribe allied against us, we could prepare everything before they arrived.
Why fight when we could solve the problem without it?
Randolf, who had been listening from the side, chimed in.
“I think that would be better. There’s no guarantee that the barbarians will unite again, and even if they do, it’ll take time for them to fight amongst themselves, giving us plenty of time to establish a new village.”
At this, other retainers of Perdium nodded along. They didn’t avoid fights, but they also weren’t eager to pick any quarrels.
The fatigue they felt from the battles with the barbarians was tremendously overwhelming.
Ghislaine surveyed everyone and stroked his chin.
“Hmm…”
Seeing him in thought, Claude regained his confidence and pushed forward again.
“How does that sound? My idea is good, right? We’ve got over two thousand horses, and we can protect people safely! It may not be perfect, but it’s definitely better than now.”
‘I really don’t want to get involved in this war…’
Claude hid his true feelings, but Ghislaine responded with a nod.
“I don’t want to.”
‘Why doesn’t this guy ever listen to what I say?’
Hiding his true thoughts, Claude timidly asked.
“…Why?”
“We need to make sure they don’t dare to attack us here again. Since we’ve come this far, we should at least do that, right? And two thousand horses won’t be enough.”
“I should make it so they can’t even think about repainting this place. Since we’ve come this far, we might as well go all the way, right? And about 2,000 horses isn’t even close to enough.”
Ghislaine had no intention of stopping just at this level. If he thought it was going to end here, he wouldn’t have bothered showing up at all.
‘I need results within three months.’
Baron Valua’s civil war would distract Amelia for a while, but that didn’t mean she could be absent for long.
After all, who knows what Harold and the Duke Faction might cook up?
He might have suffered a considerable loss from the assassination attempt, but Desmond would surely recover quickly since he was from the Great Territory. Dragging this out for over three months would only bring trouble.
‘I can’t just leave this place unattended if I want to focus on the civil war to come. I have to establish order here. They should tremble in fear just at the mention of our name.’
Stabilizing the rear would allow Perdium’s army to move freely when it was truly necessary. He couldn’t let the Barbarians swarm in through the gaps in their troops.
Knowing Ghislaine’s resolution, Zvalter asked, already aware of the answer.
“You’re going to go ahead even if I oppose it, right?”
“Of course. But if you help, it’ll make things much easier. We really need the cavalry and Perdium’s knights.”
After all, the Knights of Penris were bound to be inferior in horsemanship compared to the Barbarians. However, the knights and cavalry of Perdium were just as capable as the Barbarians.
Everyone here hadn’t just been on the defensive; they had also been chasing and fighting against the Barbarians.
Zvalter took a deep breath, steeling himself as he replied.
“Alright, this time we’ll strike first.”
It was pointless to try to dissuade his son anyway. It was better to increase the chances of success a little.
The news delighted the very people who were supposed to be on guard—Perdium’s knights and soldiers.
“Finally, we’re going to take those guys down!”
“Haha! This is great! I was getting sick of just blocking and running away every time!”
“This time, we’ll really teach them a lesson!”
Everyone was so excited they could hardly contain themselves.
To save whatever troops they had left, Perdium had never once launched a preemptive strike.
Winning a few battles without complete extermination wouldn’t make much of a difference anyway.
But now, Ghislaine had brought along a whopping 400 knights. With that number, they could easily wipe out a few small tribes.
He almost couldn’t help but say, “Can we go kill some Barbarians now?” but with Ghislaine suggesting they move first, he couldn’t help but feel thrilled.
“With the Grand Duke, it won’t be hard at all!”
“Of course! After all, he’s the one who created that insane Mana Circulation Method!”
“Let’s stick together this time!”
They all knew very well how Ghislaine had performed in the Perdium warfare. His achievements had proven that it wasn’t just luck.
He had also displayed tremendous skill during this battle. There was no longer any doubt about Ghislaine’s capabilities in warfare.
They had seen the prowess of the Knights of Penris as well; they had definitely mastered that damn Mana Circulation Method.
Numbers just had a way of overpowering; if they all charged together, even the toughest opponents wouldn’t be able to withstand it.
The joint forces of Penris and Perdium completed their preparations for departure. There wasn’t much to prepare; they could simply use the fortress as a base.
As Zvalter, decked out in armor and exuding authority, emerged, Ghislaine said, “I’ll lead the troops and come back.”
“What? Why? What about me? I’ve prepared everything!”
“Someone has to stay behind to defend this place. Don’t you agree? Other tribes could move at any time, right?”
“Really? Isn’t there a chance that another tribe could move?”
“Ugh…”
Zvalter shot a glance at Ghislaine. She pretended to be all tough, but it was obvious she was just making excuses to command solo. Somehow, he felt left out.
‘Honey, why do you have to rush off like this…’
If he only had a wife, they could be all lovey-dovey waiting right here.
“Oh well, do as you please. When have you ever listened to me?”
Zvalter reluctantly gave his consent. Just in case, someone had to stay back at the fortress.
The overall commander was Ghislaine. Now that she held a higher title than Randolf, the commander of the Knights of Perdium, and as the heir of her family, she had plenty of justification.
As soon as Ghislaine climbed onto her horse, she raised her hand and shouted.
“We’re departing! Stay close behind me!”
Four hundred Knights of Penris and twenty Knights of Perdium, supported by two hundred cavalry, charged toward the nearest Barbarian tribe’s stronghold.
Barbarians move their bases whenever the seasons change or situations alter. So they needed to push quickly from the locations that were confirmed.
Thud thud thud thud!
With over six hundred horses galloping at once, the ground trembled, and clouds of dust rose into the air.
At that moment, their intended targets, the Barbarians, were enjoying a peaceful afternoon.
“Oh! I wanna go raiding!”
“I heard that some other guys teamed up recently to hit those losers?”
“We should’ve joined them, right?”
“Heh, they’d let us tag along? Not likely! Those losers would be picking each other apart.”
“But food is running low at the fortress. Let’s either loot someone else or find another way into Ruthania.”
While they were gossiping, the tribe’s Great Warrior shouted loudly.
“It’s time for a hunt! Everyone, gather up!”
They didn’t survive solely through raiding. They also hunted monsters and beasts roaming the nearby mountains and forests.
However, since the amount of game was limited, they had no choice but to fight when encountering other tribes.
Only a large tribe occupying the area near the Forest of Monsters could afford some freedom in that regard.
Smaller tribes would sneak into the Forest of Monsters, risking their lives to avoid the watchful eyes of the large tribe’s warriors.
The Forest of Monsters was so vast it stretched beyond Perdium to the northern lands, making it easier to find prey as long as they weren’t caught entering.
“Hey? What’s that?”
“What kind of guys are coming our way?”
“Enemies! Prepare for battle!”
The Barbarians, who were getting ready to go hunting, were suddenly startled by the sight of an army rushing toward them.
They thought it was another tribe invading, but it wasn’t. Everyone wore shining armor and carried spears.
Thud thud thud thud!
As the ground shook, the Barbarian warrior confirmed the approaching figures and shouted in surprise.
“T-those are the fortress guys! Why? Why are they here all of a sudden?”
The losers they had never seen before were charging at them with terrifying momentum.
Caught off-guard by this unprecedented encounter, they flailed about in confusion. They had never even considered defending against enemies that had never invaded their territory before.
Watching the Barbarians scatter chaotically, unable even to prepare for battle, Ghislaine smiled cruelly.
She had resolved not to be treated like a loser anymore. No, that determination had been brewing for a long time.
She had just been biding her time.
Now was the moment to collect the debt for all the past harassment and plundering.
Ghislaine raised her spear at an angle and shouted.
“Let’s wipe them out!”
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