Perhaps knowing that their team's mission tomorrow wouldn't be too difficult, young Master Soren actually joined their squad this time to participate in the battle. Their squad was originally formed to protect Soren, so both Caesar and Jelson had to ensure the young master's safety. Of course, Soren wasn't unprepared; he brought with him an exquisite set of Micali-chainmail, a sharp double-handed sword, and with this gear alone, his chances of survival increased by at least thirty percent. Additionally, Soren had two bodyguards with him, both of whom were physically fit and skilled at concealing their presence. Caesar felt that while these two might not individually be as strong as him, together, they would force him to retreat.
By the campfire, Baron Kyle and Baron Kashir had abandoned their previous pretensions of polite small talk.
"This city isn't as simple as it seems. Surely you has made preparations?" Baron Kashir said with subtle implication.
"Of course. My intelligence network may not be as extensive as yours, Baron Kashir, but I still know a few things," replied Baron Kyle.
"The lord of this city is the son of Marquis Philip, one of the three pillars of Shiloh, though he's an unloved son. But the value of this city is enough for us to make a substantial profit," Kashir fixed his gaze on Kyle. "I hear that Viscount West's army is already on its way here," he revealed.
"So, we must take the city within a day," Kyle responded, seemingly ready for this challenge.
"Exactly. Taking the city of a marquis' son within a day might be difficult for others, but for the likes of you and me, it's no problem," Kashir concluded, just as an elderly man draped in gray robes stepped out from behind him.
"With Master Jackson, a low-level magic apprentice, here, the siege will be much easier," Kyle smiled.
"True, but your Knight of the Will is the real trump card," Kashir said, admiringly. "A high-level knight's Squire, with the strength of a legion commander, is impressive," he added, raising his cup.
The two of them clinked glasses and drank.
"I heard your son is also involved in the siege?" Kashir asked, as if recalling something. "Considering it's a marquis' son's city, it can't be easy to capture."
"Only those who experience hardship can truly grow," Kyle replied coldly. "Let this be his training."
Kashir remained silent at this.
"Boom!" The sound of a trebuchet echoed as the siege began.
Countless soldiers, carrying scaling ladders, joined the assault. Caesar had just received the order to take the city gates before evening, signaling that the baron planned to capture Phalanx City within the day. This kind of siege was costly, requiring soldiers to throw their lives away. Once one gate fell, the others would likely follow.
Trebuchets and siege hammers were only available at the legion level, but their regiment only had homemade scaling ladders. The deep-rooted Kashir had two trebuchets at his disposal, which had been their primary siege weapon in the past.
Soon after, a messenger arrived, ordering the regiment to prepare for battle in one hour.
The soldiers, sensing the intensity of the situation, became restless. Caesar and Jelson quickly delivered the baron's orders and managed to calm the troops. "Jelson, I'll go first. Keep an eye on Master Soren," Caesar said, recognizing this as a moment to demonstrate courage. Whoever went first would face death, but to Caesar, it made no difference.
Jelson looked at Caesar, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, simply nodded in agreement.
The third squad's test assault was quickly over. Caesar, watching the city gates, saw that the third squad had barely reached the gates before being pushed back, with several casualties. Caesar's heart sank—this would not be an easy battle.
From what he observed, there appeared to be a full squad of defenders at the gate, and there was an overwhelming amount of oil and stones being hurled down. Why else would a squad be repelled before even reaching the gate?
"Something's off," Jelson said, also noticing the irregularities. "Normally, a small city like this, with only about a thousand inhabitants, would only have two squadrons of guards at most, supplemented by temporary laborers. But at this gate, there seems to be the strength of two full squadrons. What about the other gates?"
"They've probably enlisted refugees," Caesar speculated. "Those are just a mob and pose little threat. The real issue is the abundance of oil, stones, and arrows—it's unusual."
The third squad, made up of elite soldiers from the original third and fourth squads, had been one of their strongest forces. Yet, even they had been driven back. Caesar noticed that their captain, Chris, who was nearly as strong as York, had managed to chop down two barrels of oil thrown from above. But as he neared the wall, a torrent of arrows had blocked his way, forcing him to retreat. Despite his solid armor and fighting energy, Chris had still been pierced by multiple arrows.
The first and second squads followed suit, charging together, and everyone knew the real battle had begun. The siege escalated as both sides gave their all, with the sounds of battle echoing throughout the city.
In the dim light of dawn, inside the lord's mansion within the city, Grace was struggling violently in the hands of several soldiers.
"Let go of me, you beast!" Grace shouted, her eyes burning with fury.
"Dear sister, hand over the map to me," a thin, sinister young man stood before her, unfazed.
"You're dreaming! Where's Christine? Where have you taken her? Give her back!" Grace lunged at Willis, grabbing his collar, but was quickly pulled back by the soldiers.
Willis calmly adjusted his disheveled collar, "If you don't give me the map, you'll never see her again."
"She's your niece!" Grace cried out in disbelief.
"Niece? Ha!" Willis sneered bitterly, his face twisted with anger. "Did you ever treat me like family? While other noble youths were enjoying their time in the capital, I was sent to this godforsaken place. What happened to my mother? Where is she? I never even got to see her. Was she killed by that old man's other women?" He grabbed Grace's arm, shaking her violently in his rage.
Grace, hearing this, felt her heart die inside. She knew the truth—Willis' mother had been killed by her aunts when her father had been away. The reason? They couldn't tolerate a maid being on equal footing with them. The entrenched class system within the nobility made such acts possible. When her father, Marquis Philip, returned, he could do nothing but send Willis away to protect him. Now, looking at Willis's deranged face, it was clear he wasn't in any mood to listen.