This was a small courtyard, consisting of two rooms and a gatehouse. After entering, the two hurriedly made their way to the central room of the house.
As they entered, the woman in front removed her cloak, revealing her full appearance. She was a woman in her mid-twenties, with an oval face, a sharp chin, and delicate skin, with smooth hair. Her tired face gave her an almost sickly beauty. The girl in her arms also appeared pale, her thin arms and legs felt weightless in the woman's grasp, and she seemed to be ill, with an unnatural flush on her cheeks.
"Miss, Master of city still refuses to help us," said the person behind her, also revealing her face. She was an elderly woman, around sixty, with a wrinkled face, clearly a servant of the lady.
"Sigh, he is struggling to save himself, how could he possibly send soldiers to escort us?" The woman said wearily. "Raffi, go and bring some soup for Christine."
She gently patted the little girl in her arms and set her down on a chair before turning to give instructions to the servant who had just entered.
"Miss, the food at home is running out," the young maid said in a trembling voice.
The woman was taken aback and asked in surprise, "Didn't I just pawn my earrings and bracelet? Isn't that enough for two more meals?"
"Madam, the price of food has risen in the city, and even with money, it is hard to find anything," Raffi explained quietly.
"Well, we'll make do for as long as we can. If worse comes to worst..." The woman touched the sapphire necklace around her neck, the last and most valuable piece of jewelry she had.
The maid, following her orders, brought a simple bowl of noodle soup, the only food left in the house. Neither the woman nor the two servants ate; they could still endure, but the sick little girl could not. The two servants, clearly well-mannered, did not show their hunger; the elderly servant quietly went to the gatehouse to stand guard, and the maid, after a nod from the lady, went to her room to rest.
The woman carefully fed the soup to the little girl. The girl, sitting quietly in the chair, drank the soup without a fuss, as if savoring a delicious treat. "Auntie, you should drink too," the girl's soft voice said.
"I've already had some, little Christine. Drink up, and get better soon," the woman responded kindly.
"Yes, get better quickly!" The little girl nodded eagerly.
"Auntie, please drink too," came the girl's voice again during the night.
The woman's name was Grace. She was no ordinary woman, but the daughter of a marquis, and one of the most famous beauties in the Kingdom of Shiloh. Her father, Philip, was one of the three marquises who governed the kingdom's provinces. As the beloved daughter of a marquis, she had been the jewel of the capital and the pride of the kingdom. But now, she was just an ordinary woman—one on the brink of despair.
Grace had just finished feeding Christine and had settled her to sleep. With all their money spent, she could not take Christine to a doctor, and even if she had the money, it would be difficult to find one. Doctors were being forcibly recruited into the army due to the war, and the kingdom was in a state of crisis. Only those with strong military power, such as her brother, the lord of Phalanx City, Willis, had access to any medical assistance.
After putting Christine to bed, Grace quietly sat by the bedside. The night was cloudy, with no moonlight, as dark as the shadow over her heart. She thought of her father, the once-renowned Philip, now a frail old man.
Shiloh had three provinces, each governed by a marquis: Philip, Campbell, and Clark. The three marquises were entrusted with the kingdom's defense. Now, only two remained. Marquis Clark had died fighting the enemy at the Gordon Highlands, while Marquis Philip and Marquis Campbell remained, stationed at Entel City and Ellis City to defend the capital.
A month ago, her father had called her to meet and ordered her to pack her things and flee with her older brother's daughter, Christine, to her brother, Willis. "The kingdom is at a life-or-death crossroads," Philip had said, his hair now white with age. "Hurry, take Christine to Willis. His territory is close to the Mophy Forest, and you can ask him for soldiers to protect you as you cross the forest to the Kingdom of Calaman. I have estates there, and once you reach Calaman, you'll have food and shelter."
Philip's voice had been urgent as he gave his final advice. "Remember, don't come back. The royal family is watching our family closely to prevent anyone from deserting. The men in the family won't have a chance. Only you and Christine are allowed to leave. You must survive, for the bloodline of the Philip family!"
So, Grace had taken Christine and a small group of guards to seek refuge with her brother, who had always been overlooked and despised by the family. Perhaps due to the neglect and disdain he had faced in his youth, Willis showed no affection for Grace and Christine. He even sent away most of his guards to defend the city and left them to fend for themselves in a small house on the outskirts of town.
"I see what he wants—he's after the map to cross the Mophy Forest and the property in Calaman," Grace thought, recognizing his intentions. Though they had planned to leave together, his behavior made it clear he intended to abandon them and take everything for himself.
Fortunately, some of the soldiers in the city recognized Grace, the daughter of the marquis, so Willis dared not act too openly and confined them instead.
Christine lay quietly asleep, while Grace covered her with a blanket. Grace herself couldn't sleep, exhausted from hunger. She and her two servants had not eaten all day, and she had only managed to sneak a couple of pastries earlier at her brother's residence. Willis seemed determined to force them into an impossible situation.
As Grace forced herself to sleep to escape the gnawing hunger, noises of shouting and cries suddenly came from outside, growing louder and more frantic as if the city was descending into chaos.
"What's happening?" Grace hurried to the door to check.
"Miss, it's terrible. The army of the Garrel Kingdom has surrounded the city!" the old butler's voice came in panic. "We must leave now, before the city is fully encircled."
Grace quickly returned to her room, picked up the still-sleeping Christine, and followed the butler and maid as they fled with the crowd. The area they were in was populated by wealthy nobles, so following their escape would at least lead them in the right direction. There was no time to waste; they could only fight for their lives. Both the butler and the maid had training in fighting energy, so Grace hoped they could lead them out of the Mophy Forest.
Outside, Baron Kyle and Baron Kashir sat around a campfire, roasting a wild chicken. "This was caught by my guard, Harvey," Kashir said with a laugh. "Kyle, you're in for a treat tonight."
"To eat something roasted by Kashir, it's an honor," Kyle replied modestly.
Around them, soldiers were moving quickly, preparing for the siege. They had already discussed the plan: Kyle would block one gate, Kashir would block two, and they would leave one gate open, giving the people of Phalanx City a way out.
The reasoning behind this strategy was to prevent Phalanx City from making a last stand. By giving them hope, they would avoid committing all their forces to a desperate fight. The gate left open wouldn't be an easy escape, however. Kyle's cavalry squadron was stationed there to intercept fleeing merchants and nobles, the real prize for their efforts. With knights serving under Sir Will, they felt confident in their plan.
As the chicken finished roasting, the siege was complete. Nearly a thousand soldiers had surrounded the city, even guarding the northern gate that had been left open as a retreat route.
As the troops rested and replenished their supplies, they prepared for the next phase of their mission: attacking the city at dawn. The task ahead was straightforward—most of the soldiers were accustomed to these sieges, having faced similar situations in other captured cities. The third squadron, which was assigned to cleanup duty, felt the least pressure.
For Caesar, who had been through four years of military service, seeing so much bloodshed and death, the least dangerous task was a welcome relief. Even if the rewards were small, he was grateful for the chance to stay alive.