At noon, Oscar's thirty-thousand-strong army arrived at Leon's camp. Duke Horace's worries were finally eased, especially after hearing that Oscar had wiped out the remaining hidden troops. Duke Horace personally welcomed him, leading him to the main tent and praising, "General Oscar, this victory will restore our reputation in the East! Those messengers who delivered the news deserve immense rewards and promotions."
However, General Oscar frowned and replied, "My lord, only one messenger brought us the news."
Duke Horace was taken aback. "Impossible! I sent an entire squad of messengers; how could only one have survived?"
He immediately summoned the lone surviving messenger. The messenger, looking weary, kneeled and said, "My lord, we were ambushed by two assassins on our way. They were quick, and it seemed like they had noble backgrounds. I noticed they wore a golden crucifix emblem on their belts."
Duke Horace furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment before speaking gravely, "A golden crucifix… It could be a symbol of some kind of secretive organization. Could there be a larger conspiracy behind this?"
He turned to his trusted aides and ordered, "Send people to the capital immediately to gather the secret envoy. Investigate the origin of this emblem. We must uncover the truth behind this attack as soon as possible."
The next day, Maeldor called together Loka, the other leaders, and both Katherine and Irene for a brief meeting. Loka, his expression serious, looked at Maeldor and asked, "Why were your ambushes countered by the enemy?"
Maeldor rubbed his forehead, his mind replaying the events of the previous night. "The enemy ambushed us from behind. Their forces infiltrated our rear under the cover of night. The speed and precision of their movements suggest they knew our plans in advance."
Loka's gaze darkened. "Based on Katherine's intercepted letter from Horace, they must have gotten the information beforehand. Either our actions were exposed, or Strongson predicted the situation."
Maeldor nodded, but his brow remained furrowed. "But even if they predicted it, their timing was too perfect. They even knew the location of our ambush."
Katherine spoke slowly, "In the fire at Eldenia, we found clear traces of Eryndor's magic. This suggests that they've likely been observing and interfering in this war from the shadows. If they can control fire, ambushing your forces wouldn't be surprising."
Irene added, "The power of Eryndor's forces isn't limited to fire. There are rumors that their wizards can become ghosts on the battlefield, vanishing without a trace. Your ambush being countered might have been due to this."
Katherine smiled slightly as all eyes turned to her and continued, "How do we know all of this? It may surprise you, but the answer is simple—Strongson's streets. It's a place full of mixed elements, where news is more valuable than gold."
She paused and looked at Erin. "We used some methods to infiltrate Strongson's port authority. They carelessly mentioned a batch of ships. The ships didn't just bring supplies and provisions; they also brought 'guests from the Western Continent.' Later, we bribed a dockworker who told us these people wore black robes and strange bone decorations—this isn't a symbol of Eryndor, what else could it be?"
Irene picked up the conversation, her tone grim. "What's worse is that these people recently had secret meetings with Strongson officials. Perhaps the fire in Leon's territory was just the first step for them. Eryndor's people have likely already set their sights on the battlefield between Airtulan and Strongson."
Katherine surveyed the room and then fixed her gaze on Loka. "So, whether or not the enemy predicted our actions, the presence of Eryndor is undeniable. This isn't just a border war—it's a life-and-death game."
Maeldor, upon hearing this, cast sharp glances at everyone present. He said in a low voice, "If enemy spies are watching our actions in Airtulan, we need to investigate quickly."
The atmosphere grew tense as everyone exchanged complex looks. Loka thought for a moment before finally giving the order, "Send people to search the camp and increase our defenses. At the same time, we can't abandon our operations against Strongson."
Katherine softly spoke, "This war is far more complicated than we imagined. If we want to win, it seems we'll need more than just courage and strength."
Loka's gaze shifted between Katherine and Erin, with a hint of wariness but also a budding trust. He nodded, "Then please continue assisting us in uncovering the truth about Eryndor."
Maeldor fell silent for a moment before raising his head. "No matter who the enemy is, as long as there's hope, we will never retreat."