Late August in Britannia, Valermy Camp, central military tent.
Representatives from ten duchies are all seated, with their ducal family crests hanging behind them. Except for Duke Berleon, who is engaged in battle with Estalia, and Duke Palarion, who did not respond to the call-up, all other dukes have sent their troops.
As the weather in Britannia gradually cools down by late August, the attending nobles await orders from Marquis Anxi. Marquis Connally-Ascot of Winfoort officially commands the army, though the actual command lies with Ryan.
"Ladies and gentlemen, in the name of the Lady and the King, we gather here to partake in this year's Knightly War. Let us drink to this!" Marquis Anxi, fully armed, raises his goblet.
"In the name of the Lady and the King!" Everyone raises their goblets and drinks in unison.
"For the Lady! For King Richard! For Britannia!" Marquis Anxi declares loudly.
"For the Lady, for King Richard, for Britannia."
Then a kingdom knight steps forward: "Please welcome Duke Glaskorl Anxi-Desmond to outline the battle plan for this Knightly War. A round of applause, please!"
Applause fills the tent. Marquis Anxi, of noble birth and some renown, reputedly performed well in tactical simulations at the knight academy. Naturally, everyone shows him respect, and the atmosphere is lively.
Ryan joins in the applause. His knowledge of Marquis Anxi is limited, so he opts to show respect.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the beastmen tribes within the Adenson Forest have plagued us for many years. For centuries, we've battled these minions of Chaos, enemies of the Lady, losing countless knights who now lie beneath the forest, merely containing these beasts' invasions. Despite this, many villages still suffer from beastmen attacks each year."
The young duke passionately delivers his speech, earning nods of approval from most. However, Gabriel de Bastonne, the commanding officer from the Duchy of Bastonne and third son of the "Beast Butcher" Duke Berchimond, frowns slightly.
He's not fond of Marquis Anxi's rhetoric.
The Duchy of Bastonne, named after the first Knight King Arthur before he assumed the throne and Arthur's birthplace, has been maintained by Arthur's direct descendants for centuries. This duchy encompasses the largest portion of the Adenson Forest and has always been troubled by beastmen tribes.
The nickname "Beast Butcher" reflects Duke Berchimond's achievements in slaughtering beastmen. Over the last few decades, campaigns against the beastmen have seen both victories and defeats. Yet, whenever the beastmen become a scourge, Duke Berchimond would lead his knights into the forest to drive them back. These contributions seem overlooked in Marquis Anxi's speech, irking Gabriel.
Raised well, Gabriel has learned patience. Now in his thirties, he's past the age of hot-blooded impulsiveness.
Marquis Anxi continues, "But the old era has passed, and dawn's light greets us! His Majesty has decided to launch a new Knightly War to eradicate the beastmen threat in the Adenson Forest once and for all!"
"Here is my plan." The duke outlines his strategy.
The Knightly Army will split into three divisions.
The left flank, led by Count Adelard of the Duchy of Lyonesse, comprises troops from three duchies. They will reach Yulsen Castle and advance along the forest's left edge, covering approximately one hundred eighty kilometers to the beastmen camp at Wanhell Rock.
The central division, under Marquis Anxi of the Duchy of Le Angoulême, consists of troops from five duchies. They, too, will head for Yulsen Castle, then move through the forest's middle, traveling around one hundred sixty kilometers to Wanhell Rock.
The right flank, commanded by Marquis Connally-Ascot, includes troops from the Duchies of Winfoort and Bastonne. They won't join the main force at Yulsen Castle but will depart directly from Valermy Camp, crossing about two hundred ten kilometers to Wanhell Rock. Marquis Anxi emphasizes this division as a "feint," intended to draw enough beastmen forces to aid the main battlefront without assigning them significant tasks.
"Rest tonight, and depart at dawn tomorrow. I, Anxi-Desmond, will await your arrival at Wanhell Rock!" Marquis Anxi proclaims confidently, holding the king's banner. The plan to divide the forty-thousand-strong army seems logical to prevent command chaos and leverage Britannia's numerical advantage.
Ryan ponders the strategy, agreeing with the divisional approach.
But why assign Winfoort and Bastonne's troops for a feint? On the way back, he muses over this, recognizing their combat prowess... Exactly, their strength is why Marquis Anxi chose them for the feint.
Walking side by side with Julius, the kingdom knight and eldest son of the Duke of Winfoort expresses displeasure at being designated for a feint: "He's guarding against us."
"It is indeed a precaution," Ryan squints, "This isn't the place to discuss..."
"Ah! Greetings, champion of the Lady, Grail Knight Sir Ryan," Marquis Anxi approaches with a group of knights, his expression changing upon seeing Ryan: "Greetings!"
"Hello, Your Grace," Ryan and Julius are stopped, courteously greeting Marquis Anxi.
"It's an honor to have such an esteemed Grail Knight join our Knightly War. I hope, Sir Ryan, you harbor no resentment for being placed in the right flank?" Marquis Anxi shakes hands with Ryan, smiling broadly.
"Oh, not at all. On the contrary, I thank you for the arrangement. I find it quite reasonable," Ryan suddenly responds warmly, "With your noble lineage and the king's full endorsement, this Knightly War is bound for success. As knights serving the Lady, there's no need for special treatment on my account."
Hmm? The Grail Knight is quite sensible. The young duke initially planned to assert his authority over the newly anointed Grail Knight, to clarify who commands this war. But since Ryan is so accommodating, further discussion seems unnecessary. The duke nods, smiling: "Of course, we're all knights of the Lady, fighting for Britannia. There's no special treatment or arrangements. If there's anything amiss, feel free to correct me, Sir Ryan, Sir Julius, haha~"
The praise from the Lady's chosen champion somewhat elates the duke. After briefly "encouraging" Ryan, he walks away head held high.
Once Julius and Ryan return to the Winfoort camp, Ryan shakes his head with a wry smile: "This battle won't be easy."
"Why flatter him?" Julius disapproves of the commander, entering their tent with a cold, stern expression: "You should've reminded him our foes are formidable, cunning beastmen led by 'Bloodhorn' Marlas and 'Heart-Eater' Groz Shaman. All knights who underestimated them lie buried in the forest."
"What could I do?" Ryan retorts sarcastically: "Warn him to be cautious? Or that he might lose? Challenge him to a duel? Or incite discord between King Richard and Duke François? I'd rather not waste time or quarrel over trivial matters."
"He is indeed overly confident. But what can we do?"
Julius sighs: "Originally, the command was to be given to Gabriel de Bastonne. Now, do you see why Marquis Anxi grouped Bastonne's troops with ours?"
"I understand," Ryan and Julius exchange knowing looks.
Both seasoned knights sense something ominous about this Knightly War, perhaps Marquis Anxi's confidence is misplaced.
Yet, recalling the duke's military education, they wonder if they're just being overly cautious.
Back in camp, many serfs greet the handsome young knights, especially Grail Knight Ryan, who responds graciously, appearing humble: "Let's just do our part."
"That's all we can do now."
At night, with the moon high, Valermy Camp bustles as serfs prepare for departure, and knights choose rest over brawling, staying in their tents.
Near the forest, serf infantry stand guard on watchtowers, the lowest and most despised soldiers, performing both combat and menial tasks, consuming the poorest rations, and enduring the harshest labor.
Two guards whisper atop a watchtower: "Hey, brother, think we'll succeed in this Knightly War?"
"Who knows? And what does it matter to us? Victory belongs to the knights, not us." The taller one leans on a roughly made spear, gazing at the distant forest.
"True. I just hope to return home safely, maybe with some rewards," the skinny one replies.
"I wish for a bag full of silver coins, full, not skimmed. As for becoming a sergeant, that's beyond my dreams," the tall one vents.
If serfs once hoped for promotion to sergeant, their experiences have turned such dreams into jokes. When discussing knights' promises of promotion for exemplary battlefield performance, laughter ensues.
Knights exploit their income, skimming off already meager wages, some even demanding serfs pay for their own funerals due to knights' financial strains.
In this dark era, only Grail Knights earn serfs' trust, never withholding wages or overlooking contributions, willing to promote the brave. Their presence boosts morale; even the relics of deceased Grail Knights can inspire serfs, although the Lady of the Lake disapproves of using their remains for such purposes.
"This Knightly War lacks Grail Knight participation!" the tall one sighs.
"Not true! A powerful knight from Winfoort has joined, a Grail Knight and champion of the Lady!" the skinny one corrects, then sighs, "But he's not with us."
"Same difference! Fool!" the tall one retorts, "I just hope to loot more, bring something home, and, damn it, survive."
"Right! Survive first, everything else comes later."
Unnoticed by the chatting guards, a blood-eyed crow perched on the watchtower flies off into the forest, its eerie gaze shimmering in the dark.
Flapping its wings, the crow vanishes into the woods.
"Caw—caw—"
Update! Votes, please!!!
___________________
(Support with power stones, comments or reviews)
If you guys enjoy this story, In support me on Patreon and get access to +200 advance Chapters
Read Ahead
Patreon.com/INNIT