Unlike others, Ghislain had no intention of dragging things out.
It would have been great to extend the war into a long-term siege and claim an easy victory, but that wasn't an option now.
Ghislain had indeed timed his actions to coincide with the drought, but it was only to make things easier to acquire and to set the stage so the Duke and Royalist factions would find it hard to intervene openly.
Now, capturing the castle as quickly as possible was the priority.
'The Marquis Branford will block the Duchy's movements.'
He had chosen the Marquis as his guardian precisely for such scenarios. The Marquis, looking to solidify his influence in the North, would do everything in his power to protect Fenris.
The only remaining issue was the Duchy's response. While they would hesitate to provoke a civil war immediately, they would certainly attempt to mobilize Count Desmond.
'I must capture this place before that happens.'
Though Ghislain's forces were intercepting every messenger trying to leave the castle, there was no way Count Desmond hadn't caught wind of the situation.
Count Desmond was cautious, but he wasn't foolish enough to stay idle under these circumstances.
'Regardless of orders from the Duchy, Count Desmond will surely act.'
If this territory was lost, it would deal a significant blow to Desmond's plans for regrouping and strengthening his forces.
Thus, no matter how dire the drought, Desmond would have no choice but to move.
'Count Cabaldi knows this as well, which is why he's staying put.'
The enemy's food supply was already depleted. Starving to death was a given, so launching an offensive would be the logical move.
Yet, the lack of any action clearly indicated that the enemy was waiting for reinforcements.
Though the current situation was in Ghislain's favor, he knew this advantage wouldn't last forever.
'I must always stay one step ahead of the enemy.'
The timing was right, the preparations were in place, and now it was time to take the castle swiftly.
Of course, Ghislain had no intention of resorting to a brute-force siege. He lacked siege weapons, and most of his troops were infantry. While he had a fair number of knights, they were still limited.
Attempting to take the walls in this state would only result in heavy casualties.
Launching a siege without overwhelming weaponry and forces was sheer folly—hence why he hadn't brought siege engines in the first place.
Minimizing losses was always key; only then could he rapidly consolidate greater strength.
"I've received intelligence that other lords are preparing to assist Count Cabaldi. We must capture the castle before that happens."
At Ghislain's words, the troops groaned in disappointment but began digging tunnels.
They understood why they were digging. Without siege weapons, tunnels were their only option.
It didn't matter who was sending reinforcements; because of them, they now had to endure this additional hardship.
The dwarves, too, realized why Ghislain had brought them along—they were specialists in tunneling.
For those capable of carving out subterranean cities in solid rock, digging tunnels was child's play.
"Ugh! Just when I thought we'd get some rest, it's back to work! This damned land is endless work!"
Grumbling all the while, Galbarik gathered the dwarves and began planning the tunnel design.
There were two main ways to use tunnels to attack a castle:
One was to undermine the walls and collapse them, while the other was to dig into the castle and infiltrate it.
Both carried significant risks, but the latter had a much higher success rate.
If the walls were brought down, a full-scale battle would ensue. But if they infiltrated the castle, they could strike from behind and create chaos.
"We'll dig as carefully as possible to ensure we aren't discovered during the infiltration."
At Galbarik's words, Ghislain shook his head.
"No, prioritize speed over stealth, even if it gets noisy."
"If we're discovered, we could fail. Are you sure about this?"
"It's fine. Just dig toward the rear of the castle. Right now, speed is the most important thing—before reinforcements arrive."
"Fine, I'll dig as fast as I can."
The goal of reaching the back of the castle significantly increased the distance they needed to cover, but that wasn't a major issue.
Hard ground? The mages and knights could break through it. Excavation and reinforcement? With thousands of soldiers, sheer manpower would suffice.
Under the dwarves' direction, the tunnel was dug at an incredible speed.
Everyone understood that time was of the essence, so despite the difficulties, they focused solely on the task.
However, there's always someone who grumbles, no matter the situation.
"Ugh! Why did I get dragged here to do this filthy, degrading work? This dust is suffocating me!"
Kane, who had been forcibly recruited, cursed endlessly as he swung his pickaxe.
Raised as a noble, he had never done such backbreaking labor, and it enraged him.
Despite his complaints, he lacked the courage to escape. After enduring Ghislain's "training" upon being recruited, his fear of the man far outweighed his frustrations.
The thought of being caught and possibly executed kept him in line.
"Damn bastard! He's my cousin, for crying out loud! He could've at least given me a commander position! Instead, I'm stuck doing this!"
Kane cursed Ghislain nonstop while he worked. It was the only outlet for his pent-up anger.
Even after all the "training," his habit of swearing proved he had some grit.
"You bastard! Just wait! When I grow stronger, I'll tear you apart! This doesn't work for someone like me! Ugh! Why am I so good at this, though?!"
Thanks to his natural strength, large build, and his family's mana cultivation techniques, Kane was surprisingly adept at digging.
Galbarik, observing Kane with satisfaction, clapped his hands.
"Hey, Kane, or whatever your name is. Stop talking nonsense and move these."
He pointed to carts piled high with bags of dirt.
At this, Kane's eyes burned with rage, and he shouted.
"What? Move these? Do you have any idea who I am? Are you looking to die?!"
Even the dwarves, who were treated as slaves, openly disrespected him, driving Kane to the brink.
But Galbarik remained unfazed, ignoring Kane's fury.
"Who are you? According to the lord, you're just a newly acquired slave. A strong and sturdy one at that."
The dwarves genuinely didn't know Kane's identity—Ghislain had ordered those who knew to keep it secret.
He wanted Kane to be treated as a slave so everyone could push him around freely.
Unaware of this arrangement, Kane could only erupt like a madman.
"I'm a noble! I'm not someone who does this kind of degrading work!"
"Well, if you're a noble, then I'm the Elf Queen. Now, hurry up and move those bags before I bury you in this tunnel."
"Arrgh! I'll kill you!"
When Kane raised his pickaxe in fury, Galbarik smirked and said calmly.
"Oh? You really going to hit me? Should I tell the lord? Maybe have him shackle you?"
"Ugh… Ughhhh!"
Kane, his face red with frustration, dropped his pickaxe and began to cry. He was so angry that tears came out instead.
The thought of not being able to hit anyone or vent his anger filled him with despair.
If only he'd paid back that cursed thousand gold, even if it meant emptying his parents' vault…
Galbarik, seeing Kane sobbing, patted him on the back. He wanted to put his arm around Kane's shoulders, but he wasn't tall enough.
"Hey, hey. Don't cry. After we finish, I'll share some hidden booze with you. Us slaves know each other's pain."
"Hic, sniff…"
It was utterly humiliating, but the promise of alcohol made Kane nod while still crying.
"Good. Now hurry up and move those carts. You know the lord's temper—we don't have time to waste."
Kane wiped his tears and moved the carts diligently. His pride stung, but Galbarik was right—delaying would only provoke Ghislain's wrath.
As the Fenris army busily dug their tunnels, Count Cabaldi received news that threw him into contemplation.
"The Fenris army has split into two."
"What?"
The main Fenris force, which had been stationed north of the castle, had divided, with half moving toward the eastern gate.
"Why would they split their forces?"
The idea of attacking the divided forces crossed his mind, but Count Cabaldi dismissed it.
Even if they were split, the Fenris troops numbered 1,500—a force too large to eliminate quickly, and engaging them might invite a pincer attack.
'They don't even have siege weapons, so it's unlikely they're attacking both sides…'
After some thought, Count Cabaldi summoned his court mage.
"Can you find out what they're up to? Specifically, the troops moving east?"
"Can't we see them clearly from the castle walls?"
The mage tilted his head in confusion.
The Fenris troops had set up their camp at a safe distance to avoid trebuchet fire. From the castle walls, it was easy to see their formations and even count the tents.
Count Cabaldi shook his head and clarified.
"No, of course, we can see their overall movements. But I want to know exactly what they're doing—whether they're just standing around or working on something behind the scenes."
"Understood. The distance makes it difficult to sustain the spell for long, but I should be able to observe them briefly."
"That'll suffice."
The mage climbed the castle walls and cast a detection spell.
For a third-circle mage, the detection spell consumed significant mana. Coupled with his poor eyesight from years of reading, it was no easy task.
Still, the mage's vision was better than a knight's, so he quickly scanned the Fenris camp.
After briefly holding his pounding head from the flood of information, he rushed back to Count Cabaldi.
"They seem to be working on a project."
"A project?"
"I couldn't see clearly, as they've erected large tents, but I saw soldiers busily moving carts filled with dirt and heavy sacks."
Hearing this, Count Cabaldi instinctively rubbed his forehead and chuckled.
"So, the whelp's planning to dig tunnels."
Without siege weapons, there weren't many ways to take a castle.
Tunneling was one of the most common methods.
Northern castles, except for a few in the major territories, lacked moats, making them easier targets for tunneling.
"Heh, so the brat's worried the Royalists might mediate. But like the novice he is, he's too obvious. Who digs tunnels so openly? Hahaha!"
Tunnels had to be dug in secret to be effective. If discovered, they could backfire spectacularly.
Normally, such tactics involved diversions to draw the enemy's attention elsewhere.
But since the Fenris army lacked siege weapons, their strategies were limited, making their actions predictable.
"What a pathetic fool. He's trying to wage war with luck and food supplies. The last war he won with traps? Clearly, his father's skills are at play here."
Count Cabaldi couldn't stop laughing.
Seeing Ghislain now, he felt no anger—just amusement. How could someone be so clumsy in everything they attempted?
"With such pitiful military prowess, couldn't we just march out and crush him now?"
After a brief consideration, Count Cabaldi shook his head. Once the tunnel's location was confirmed, it would be easier to ambush and eliminate them.
There was no need to take unnecessary risks when a safer option was available.
He quickly issued his orders.
"Place vibration sensors around the castle walls and determine the direction of their digging! Prepare traps and position troops in that area!"
Water-filled bowls and jars were placed around the castle and buried in the ground.
The vibrations from the digging would create ripples, revealing the tunnel's direction.
Three days later, a knight rushed in with news.
"We've identified the direction! It seems they're digging toward the southern gate."
"What? You already found it? And it's the southern gate, not the eastern one? They're taking such a roundabout route? But why are they digging so fast?"
Considering the distance they were covering, their speed was impressive.
Count Cabaldi clicked his tongue, realizing Ghislain's intentions. If successful, it would indeed be highly effective.
"The fool isn't trying to collapse the walls but to infiltrate and attack us from within. Are you certain it's the southern gate?"
"Yes, it's confirmed. There are no other activities to suggest otherwise."
With the direction pinpointed, the tunnel would be complete in two or three days. Count Cabaldi sprang to his feet and issued further commands.
"Concentrate our main forces at the target location and prepare to ambush. The moment they emerge, kill them all. Then, open the gates and strike the disoriented enemy!"
"What about the walls?"
"Hmm. Since they lack siege weapons and are mostly infantry, any approach is likely a distraction. Still, station some defenders just in case. Archers alone should suffice."
"Understood!"
Confident in his victory, Count Cabaldi laughed.
No matter how large the enemy forces, a single decisive battle could wipe them out if their commander was inept.
The foolish Baron Fenris would lose his troops the moment they emerged from the tunnel.
"Hahaha! Thanks to that whelp, my reputation will soar. This is perfect."
Imagining himself turning the tide and claiming victory even before reinforcements arrived brought a smile to his face.
The other nobles would admire his military prowess, and even the Duchy would be impressed.
As Count Cabaldi confidently prepared for battle, two nights later, the Fenris army finally began to move.
Watching their approach, Count Cabaldi burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Look at that fool! Moving so conspicuously at night—what are they thinking?"
Even as the enemy approached, he felt no fear. There were no battering rams, ladders, or anything else of note. They were bound to be struck down by a hail of arrows.
The obviousness of their movements screamed distraction.
"Are the troops in position at the target location?"
"All ready, sir."
"Good. I'll oversee it personally. The time has come to kill that whelp."
Count Cabaldi laughed heartily as he moved toward the ambush site, his knights following with similarly confident smiles.
But as they laughed and chatted arrogantly under the dark night sky…
Dozens of massive, unidentified shadows suddenly appeared in the air above them.
[T/L: Please support me and read 105 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]