Knight's Journey

The army moved forward slowly and in an orderly fashion, with Caesar adjusting his stance atop his warhorse. This was going to be a battle, and people would die. So, every time before a fight, Caesar would take a moment to center himself. He had seen many stronger men than him perish at the hands of weaker foes, and to him, this was a failure to perform, leading to the loss of life. He didn't want to become one of those people, so he strived to maximize his potential.

The warhorse had been selected from the logistics department when Caesar was promoted to squadron leader. Each squadron leader had their own horse, and under Uncle York's guidance, Caesar had chosen a chestnut-colored horse. Back in those days, warhorses were worth more than human lives. A single warhorse could be traded for a full suit of armor worth 80 silver bucs, and this armor was in such high demand that it could still be used after the wearer's death. But once a horse died, there was no way to replace it. This explained why the baron had a cavalry squadron but only provided horses to the squadron leaders.

"Ha, ha!" Caesar urged his horse forward as he rode through his squadron. The soldiers' morale was critical before battle, so his purpose in riding through the ranks was to make his soldiers aware that their commander was nearby.

"Caesar, when will we reach Phalanx City?" a voice called out. It was Gulas, a burly man with a thick beard. Among the people Caesar knew, only Uncle York was stronger than him. He had been transferred from the first squadron and was now leading the first team of Caesar's squadron. After a few days of interaction, Caesar felt he could trust this man.

"We're marching at full speed. If we keep this up, we should arrive by this evening," Caesar replied after a moment's consideration.

"Ah, so the battle won't be until tomorrow?" Gulas asked, slightly disappointed.

Caesar glanced at him. "Of course not. Tonight, we'll surround the city, rest for the night, and we'll attack at dawn tomorrow." Caesar had realized that Gulas was a fighter at heart. He probably would've been a beast in battle, given his physique.

Caesar didn't add that the reason they wouldn't attack until the morning was that they needed to rendezvous with Baron Kyle's forces. Without the support, an assault with just one baron's strength would have been too costly. Despite their victory over the Royal Army of Shiloh Kingdom, even a sinking ship has its last nails, and Phalanx City was said to be under the control of a baron.

At 2 p.m., hundreds of infantrymen sat in circles in the woods along the side of the road, organized into small teams. Occasionally, groups of cavalry would gallop along the trail. Baron Kyle and several squadron leaders sat atop a large tree stump, discussing something. The rings on the dark yellow stump were densely packed, showing the long life the tree had lived before being felled.

At that moment, a group of cavalrymen galloped towards them, and the leader quickly dismounted and approached, saluting. "My lord, when will Baron Kashir's forces arrive?" Baron Kyle asked impatiently, his tone tinged with irritation.

"Lord, Baron Kashir's forces are expected to arrive in about half an hour," the rider reported.

Baron Kyle waved his hand dismissively, signaling the rider to leave.

"All units, stand up! Prepare for battle!" The squadron leaders, who had already received orders, immediately got their men in line, and the squads were quickly grouped into battalions. Within minutes, the five-line formation was ready. The cavalry also followed orders and began marching forward, moving as quickly as a thunderstorm.

When Baron Kashir's forces arrived, they saw the well-organized military ranks of Baron Kyle's troops. Baron Kashir smiled and walked over to greet him. "Apologies, my lord. We were delayed by a group of refugees."

Although it was an apology, Baron Kashir's smile and demeanor gave off no sense of regret.

"No problem, we haven't been waiting long. We'll need your help with the siege," Baron Kyle said, his earlier irritation now replaced with politeness.

"I must say, every time I see your troops, I can't help but envy you. Truly a magnificent army," Baron Kashir remarked as he looked over the soldiers, though his eyes were mostly fixed on the cavalry in the distance.

Baron Kashir had some cavalry, but only a handful—less than twenty—were with him, clearly his personal guard.

"You flatter me," Baron Kyle humbly replied.

The two continued chatting, as if there was no urgency to leave.

Caesar observed that Baron Kashir's soldiers were mostly infantry, but there were many more of them than Baron Kyle's, roughly six hundred strong, with only a few cavalry. These riders were clearly elite and kept close to their lord, offering personal protection. It seemed that both barons were bringing their full forces this time. From past collaborations, Caesar had a general idea of Baron Kashir's forces.

While Baron Kyle's troops were well-disciplined, Baron Kashir's were more relaxed. Caesar noticed that some of Kashir's soldiers didn't even hold their weapons correctly, a clear sign of new recruits. Some of them had sun-baked skin and hunched postures, as though they had just come from the fields. At first glance, they might not seem too bad, but compared to Kyle's well-trained soldiers, the difference was glaring.

After some more idle chatter, Baron Kashir suggested, "It's getting late. Let's move out."

"Indeed. Let's go," Baron Kyle agreed. He signaled for the squadron leaders to return to their units, and the soldiers began marching along the trail.

On Kashir's side, his commanders also called the troops to attention, and soon, both armies were on the move. Though Kashir noticed the difference in discipline, he only frowned slightly, then continued chatting with Kyle, both men riding side by side with their horses led by servants.

Caesar's squadron was positioned at the rear, linking up with Baron Kashir's forces. They couldn't hear what the two barons were discussing, but they assumed it was either gossip about some noblewoman in the capital or tales of their most recent plunder. "Ah, nobles and their frivolous interests..." Caesar muttered to himself with a shake of his head.

Among Baron Kashir's soldiers, Caesar recognized many familiar faces—men he had fought alongside before. When they saw him, their eyes filled with admiration. They quickly realized the change in his position, and many of them looked envious. Caesar nodded in acknowledgment, as most of them were small team leaders like himself. Despite their humble origins, these men had made their way up the ranks through sheer capability. Caesar always followed the principle of making friends to open more paths in life.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Phalanx City was engulfed in darkness. Although a small city, its dense streets and buildings showed that it had once been prosperous. Now, however, the streets were littered with yellowing leaves and refugees who sat on the ground. The shops were mostly closed, with the few open ones having been forcibly opened by refugees. The broken doors spoke volumes of the chaos that had unfolded here. It was hard to believe that this was the same prosperous and beautiful Phalanx City from just a year ago.

In a dark alley of the city, two figures in black cloaks hurried along, one of them looking somewhat bulky, suggesting that more than one person was hidden beneath it.

"Miss, it's getting dark. We should hurry," came a voice from the second cloak.

The figure in front, a woman with pale skin and golden hair, quickened her pace. Despite her obvious exhaustion, she maintained her composure. Beneath her cloak, she carried a small girl, no older than eleven or twelve, wrapped in elegant but flimsy clothing. The girl was clearly weak, yet she clung to the woman silently, without complaining.

The two stopped in front of a wooden door at the end of the alley. The man in the second cloak knocked softly, and a few moments later, a young maid peeked through a crack in the door. Upon seeing who it was, she quickly opened the door, and the two entered, shutting it behind them. The surroundings were plunged into darkness once more.