7th October 299
*Bam!!*
The door to the Count's office was forcefully open. The butler hurriedly comes in as if something big had just happened.
"Something bad just happened, milord!!", the butler said while gasping air to breathe. The old butler has run as fast as he can from the main entrance to the lord's office just to inform the count.
"What is it?"
"Mabadszent and Westley have fallen. In addition, Csorvar has turned against us"
"What!!! How is that even possible? Didn't Richard just have 4000 people and he is in the southwest, not northwest?"
"They are fighting on two fronts my lord. Richard led an army to the southwest and his son, Rizieri led an army to the northwest. That's how two cities can fall on the same day."
"Damn it, Ryntum's father and son. Not to mention, Csorvar too. The previous investigation states that Baron Csorvar never had contact with her daughter for years. How come he suddenly leans on Ryntum's side?!!"
"I think Baron Csorvar changed his attitude after his daughter became Ryntum's lady of the house.", speculated the butler.
"Haaaa...", the count tries to retain his calm before throwing another question, "how is Richard able to capture a fortified city like Mabadszent in a short time?"
"From the mouth of the witness, they used a new device that can throw stones to the city wall from hundreds of meters away", The butler was also dumbfounded by the discovery. Until now, he himself couldn't believe what he heard.
"How can they get their hands on such things?", to the best of his knowledge, there is no weapon with such capability that has ever existed.
"According to the spies in Bideford, Ryntum's youngest son is the one who designed that thing."
"That damn brat again, why are there so many ideas in his head? First paper and now this".
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
"Milord", the maid meekly called.
"What is it?!!", Count Gyalcakes rebuked.
"There is a package for you from someone called 'Riz Ryntum' ", the maid replied.
Hearing that, Count Gyalcakes commanded the maid, "Hurry up and bring it here!".
After hearing the butler's report, he is clearly not in a good mood.
Soon, the servant carried fourteen luxurious decorated chests to the count's office.
"Hurry up and open it", Count Gyalcakes wants to know what that kid has brought to him.
The moment the maid opened the chest, the maid screamed.
"Aaaaarrrgggghhh!!".
The rotten smell penetrates the entire office. There was a human thigh inside the chest. He was shocked to the core but still wanted to find out what was stored inside another chest albeit he could guess its content.
After opening all the chests, Count Gyalcakes face contorted and turned pale. His is widened because he could not believe some humans are mad enough to do this.
Inside the chest is Maria's body which was cut into fourteen parts and each part was put into the chest individually.
There is also the letter of 'greeting' from Riz to the count.
'What kind of monster that I have provoked.'
For the first time in his life, he felt a chill in his bone. He has killed a lot of enemies himself but never been so ruthless.
....
Richard is looking at Rafoldrod, another fortified city northeast of Mabadszent. The population here is just around 2000 people.
The news of the Mabadszent capture in one day has already reached Rafoldrod. The people of Rafoldrod are tense.
The Rafoldrod garrison are holding their weapon tight. They can see the enemies are constructing the so-called trebuchet.
While waiting for the artillerists to assemble the trebuchets, he asks his commander, "how is the situation on the north front?"
"Young master Riz has captured Westley City and killed Thomas Gyalcakes. Now he is waiting for Baron Coreton to surrender."
"I see. Did the scout find out whether the count sent reinforcement here?"
"Milord, according to the scout, aside from 800 local forces, the count has sent 1000 people as reinforcement."
"Just one thousand? Nothing will change with just one thousand hiding behind the wall.", Richard mocked Count Gyalcake's decision. "Hurry up and assemble the trebuchets, let's finish this fast."
After saying that, Richard went to his tent and started to write a letter to his son in the north. As he wrote the letter, the bombardment started.
....
*Boom* *Boom*
"What should we do sir? We have no way to counter that attack", Henry's retainer looks at him. Henry himself already heard about this devastating weapon.
"Let's destroy those things", Henry decided after giving it some thought. If he is sitting here waiting, the wall will collapse.
He could literally see the wall shaking.
Soon, he gathered 500 cavalry to destroy the trebuchets.
"All of you have only one job to do which is to destroy the trebuchets. As long as those things were destroyed then we will have a chance to win.", Henry tried to arouse their courage and fighting spirit.
....
The gate of the town opened. Richard can see the dust scattered showing that there is a large movement in the area.
"So they have decided to come out" Richard called his commander, "get ready, they're coming to destroy the trebuchets."
The commander deployed the 500 cavalry to face 500 Rafoldrod cavalry. A fearsome mounted engagement happened as soon as both sides clashed.
Shortly after the clash, the Rafoldrod's commander who was leading the cavalry was slain. Seeing this, the Rafoldrod's cavalry went on rage.
They push back the Bideford's cavalry with all their might, totally forgetting what their original mission is.
Seeing this, Richard's commander ordered the archers to get ready. He then ordered the Bideford's cavalry to slowly retreat, luring the Rafoldrod cavalry into the archers' shooting range.
"Shoot!!!", the commander shouted to the archers. Thousands of arrows fall like heavy rain, penetrating Rafoldrod's cavalry.
The Rafoldrod's cavalry was annihilated without touching the trebuchets.
Henry who is on top of the wall is witnessing the cavalry obliterated by Bideford lose all of his hope.
He decided it was better to negotiate with Richard.
"Roan", he shouted his retainer's name.
"I want you to go to the Bideford's camp and tell Richard that I want to negotiate."
Pretty soon, the gate was opened again. Roan is walking toward the direction of Bideford's camp while holding the white flag.
Richard ordered the artillerists to stop the bombardment and meet the messenger.
"What do I owe you the pleasure?", greet Richard.
"I come here on behalf of milord to tell you that he is willing to negotiate."
"Hahaha... negotiate? Are you sure that you're not mistaken with surrender?", Richard laughed and ridiculed the messenger at the same time. It is truly laughable that a town which is already about to fall is thinking that they are on equal height.
Roan in his opposite can only endure with Richard's mockery. Ignoring Richard's mockery, "Milord, Henry said that as long as you can guarantee the life of people within the town, he is willing to surrender".
"Tell your lord that I will guarantee the well being of the people in Rafoldrod. He needs to wave the white flag on every defense tower and open all the town gates."
If by next morning you don't as I said, we will continue to bombard your wall", Richard added. He will take this chance to save some ammunition and time.
Roan stood up and left the camp. He needs to convey Richard's word to Henry.
"Sighhh..I guess we have no choice", Henry decided to surrender after hearing Richard's word.
....
On the next morning of 10th October, white flag can be seen on every defense tower. Henry followed Richard's instructions.
Richard entered Rafoldrod with his army. The streets were empty as they were afraid that the Bideford army would loot them.
Some peeking through the window.
He goes directly to the town hall where Henry is waiting. "From now on, this town is under my rule. I will retain your position as the mayor of this town.", Richard informed Henry about his decision.
Of course he will remove Henry if he turns out to be problematic to him. For now, he needs someone capable of administration.
Richard then planted his flag on the ground to signify Ryntum's rule over this land.
"Rest for today. Tomorrow we will depart for Tegrot. We will end the Gyalcakes!!!", Richard shouted to his army.
"Long live Ryntum!!"
"Long live Bideford!!"
His army shouted for their another victory.