Saving What Is Worth Saving (4)
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- - Julius POV - -
Lunan was definitely headed for destruction and the king was dead.
Visigoth riders were acting as criers all over announcing the imminent fall of the capital and the death of the king.
If the king had chosen to fight a desperate battle at Lunan Castle, the outcome might have been different.
If they struggled until Julius returned from Roserun, the situation of the war might have been different, assuming that Julius would even bother assisting this falling kingdom.
Of course, he was not that kind of king, so Julius had expected him to die on the run.
Thanks to this, Duke Fran got Lunan Castle and I got a reason.
The battlefield became a place where I could think only of my own interests while resenting the destruction of Lunan.
As soon as I confirmed the king's situation at Lunan Castle, I rushed to the barrier.
After confirming that Zeff and Elheat were together, I then headed to Voltaire Castle, giving myself two days to get there.
In any case, I was supposed to be in Roserun.
The King of Lunan had instructed me to go to Roserun.
It is important to note that although I left a little early, I actually went to Roserun, because I need to be seen as the one who tried to save Lunan but could not.
If I become the lord who refused to save Lunan from danger, it will be me who will be blamed, not the king who ran away.
That's why I had to physically go to Roserun even if only for a day before slipping out.
I will take advantage of everything available to me to achieve unification!
The people's mind is important for unification, so it was only natural to win it, even if it meant using cowardly methods.
And so, two days later, I arrived at Voltaire's territory, the very morning after Zeff, and Elheat arrived themselves.
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[Castle Voltaire]
[People's spirit: 60]
[Voltaire's Territorial Army: 3000]
[Infantry: 2,500, Archers: 500]
[Training: 30]
[Morale: 30]
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[Reinforcements]
[Aquitania Iron Cavalry: 9830]
[Troops: Heavy Cavalry]
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The Territorial Army is 3,000 men.
Quite a few, but it's a reasonable number.
This is not a border territory.
It would be strange to have more troops.
Their primary purpose is to just generally police the territory not repel invaders.
The information that the system gave me to check was not much different from what I had expected.
Though I did get an accurate count of how many men, or horses we lost in exchange for saving Elheat.
The walls of Voltaire Castle were low.
It was not a castle that focused on defence.
It was because it was neither a border, nor a royal capital, or a major barrier.
It was not a place that could be used as a strategic point.
The reason for sending Zeff and Elheat here was solely for the sake of the people.
Voltaire is a territory located in the northern part of Lunan and on the way to Aquitania from the royal capital of Lunan.
As such, it was also a territory that many refugees passed through.
I needed to do something here to attract their attention.
To create a rumour in my favour.
"Who the hell are you?"
A man who looked like a vassal of Voltaire shouted at me as I appeared alone and stood before the castle gate atop my steed wearing my personal Black Iron Armour.
The gates were tightly closed and I could see the procession of refugees everywhere.
A castle is meant to protect only the center of a city.
So just because the gates are closed doesn't mean that the refugees can't escape to the southwest.
He seemed to have realized that the armour I was wearing belonged to Aquitania, as he did not attack me.
As I tried to reveal my identity, the gates suddenly opened.
A man jumps out from behind the open gate.
It was the same warrior who had questioned me from atop the gate earlier.
"Oh, my God! Are you Count Julius Aquitania?"
He exclaimed with a rather nervous look on his face.