Chapter 396 - 392: Pigeon Tail Town Attacked
By the time Duane’s army occupied the Star Sea Islands, the Akutas Kingdom was already embroiled in war on all four fronts.
To the east, the Asando Kingdom and the Fidun Kingdom had seized several border cities and were actively pushing inward.
To the north, the Kasa Kingdom advanced as if through unmanned territory, conquering the entirety of the vast Golden Plain within a month. Their forces were now aimed at Duke Cindy Pike’s castle.
However, after occupying the Golden Plain, they deliberately slowed their advance, as if they had suddenly decided to pursue a more steady and cautious approach.
In contrast, the advance of the Pruck Kingdom from the east was not going smoothly.
The main force on this front was a combined army of Duke Kelvin and the various great Nobles, which had been expected to break through and penetrate deep into the heartland in an instant.
But whether it was the Duke’s men, the allied forces of the Nobility, or the Royal Family’s own army, they all met with fierce resistance.
Duke Kelvin stood on a hillside by the Golden Coast. Behind him was the camp he had fought hard to capture; before him lay the army of the Akutas Kingdom.
"Duke Cindy’s troops are actually here..."
His brow was furrowed, unable to comprehend this maneuver from the enemy.
’Logically, shouldn’t Duke Cindy be more worried about their main base right now?’
’Or is it that to counter the powerful Kasa Kingdom, the Akutas Kingdom’s own Legions are resisting in the north, and Duke Cindy has been assigned to the eastern front?’
Although it was a possibility, Duke Kelvin felt a deep sense of unease.
"Pavel, have Marquis Sean’s troops not reached the front yet?" he asked.
Count Pavel shook his head. "No. I heard he’s mobilizing, but on the front lines, there are only a few hundred soldiers in small squads, all for show and no substance."
It was a situation where you couldn’t say the Smith Clan hadn’t sent troops, because they had arranged for a few hundred soldiers. But you couldn’t say they had truly committed either, as not a single Advanced-level combatant had arrived.
Clearly, the Smith Clan had not answered King Eric’s call.
’His Majesty’s judgment was correct, but to actually act on it is risky,’ Duke Kelvin thought.
𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎
But the arrow was already nocked; it had to be loosed.
Pigeon Tail Town. Ever since Keldert had won third place in the martial arts tournament and received this Baron’s Territory, it had been largely managed by men sent by Marquis Sean.
Though it had only been a few years, the place had developed with astonishing speed.
Tall city walls and sturdy fortresses had already been built, but by comparison, very little farmland had been cleared.
Pigeon Tail Town was much like Duane’s Mountain Village; its food consumption was almost entirely covered by the Marquis’ Territory.
As a Kingdom Baron, Keldert didn’t mind his father intervening in the management of his Territory.
After all, he had only obtained third place because Marquis Sean had manipulated the outcome. The value of Pigeon Tail Town wasn’t for him to develop, either; it was essentially a military fortress.
But Keldert’s mood had been foul of late.
The King had already sent him several letters in a row, demanding he dispatch the Pigeon Tail Town garrison to the battlefield.
But these soldiers were not under his command. He had hurriedly sent a letter to Lintao City to request his father’s instructions, but a response was long overdue.
Keldert paced worriedly back and forth in the courtyard. ’What on earth is Father thinking?’
"Baron, this is bad!" A flurry of panicked footsteps approached from outside.
The newcomer was the Defense Officer of Pigeon Tail Town, one of his direct subordinates.
"What is it, Fuller?" Keldert felt a sudden, baseless unease.
"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"
Fuller shouted, "At least several thousand troops are marching on Pigeon Tail Town!"
"What? Has the front line collapsed?"
Keldert’s face fell. "That’s impossible! With so many allied forces, Count Kudro holding the line, and several of the Kingdom’s great Legions, how could it collapse?"
’Even taking a huge step back, let’s say the front line did collapse, they wouldn’t attack my Pigeon Tail Town, would they? Wouldn’t it be better to attack the Duke’s Territory to the south?’
"The enemy is flying the ’Frost Giant Axe’ battle standard! It’s Count Kudro!"
Fuller also couldn’t believe it was true, not until he had seen the Frost Giant Axe battle standard with his own eyes.
"They’re probably almost at the city walls by now!"
Keldert felt his mind go blank for a moment. ’What is Count Kudro doing, sending troops here?’
’Could it be that he’s trying to force Marquis Sean’s hand, thinking he won’t deploy his troops?’
’But even if that’s the plan, he should go to Lintao City to apply pressure! Why come to Pigeon Tail Town and make things difficult for me, the second son?’
"Let’s go take a look!" Keldert sprinted outside.
Over the past few years, although his power hadn’t broken through to the next level, he had reached the Peak of the Earth Tier. As the second son of a Marquis and a Baron of the Kingdom, he had a certain amount of courage and wasn’t afraid of what Count Kudro might do to him.
Upon reaching the top of the city wall, Keldert could already see the Frost Giant Axe banners fluttering below. The tall figure seated on the Striped Tiger was none other than Count Kudro, His Majesty King Eric’s loyal hound.
"Count, what is the meaning of this?" Keldert demanded sharply from the top of the wall. "The fighting on the front is fierce! Why have you brought your troops to my Pigeon Tail Town?"
Kudro sneered and announced loudly, "Keldert, your father has betrayed the Kingdom! By order of His Majesty Eric, I am here to reclaim Pigeon Tail Town. If you know what’s good for you, open the gates immediately and come down to surrender!"
Keldert felt a chill run through his body.
Without a doubt, Count Kudro’s actions had to have the King’s support. But he couldn’t believe it—how could his father be charged with treason?
"Count, surely there has been a misunderstanding!"
Keldert shouted back, "My father is a Marquis of the Kingdom, and my older brother is the King’s son-in-law! How could the Smith Clan possibly commit treason?"
"Heh. You should ask your father that, not me."
Kudro gripped the great axe hanging from the tiger’s back. "I’ll give you one minute to think about it. If you don’t do as I say, don’t blame me for storming the town!"
Keldert looked at the enemy soldiers, already prepared for battle. His own men had only just begun to assemble; they were no match at all.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.
"Count, even if my father has rebelled, you should be going to Lintao City! What’s the use of coming to my Pigeon Tail Town? I am a Baron of the Kingdom..."
"Shut up, Keldert!"
Kudro’s patience was wearing thin. "Did you really think we don’t know how you got your Pigeon Tail Town?"
As he spoke, he glanced to his side. His daughter, Tara, urged her warhorse forward a few steps.
After four years of nearly single-minded training, coupled with the support of the Holy Radiance Court, Tara’s power had advanced even further. She was now a Shooting Star Warrior.
Tara’s gaze was as gloomy as ever, and her voice was even more cold and merciless.
"Come, Keldert. We didn’t get to fight last time. This time, let me see if you really had the strength to take that third-place title!"
Keldert clenched his fists and looked at Fuller, signaling him to get ready. Meanwhile, he continued to try and stall the attack with words.
But it was clearly useless.
In truth, King Eric had set his sights on the Smith Clan long before the war even began.
This powerful Marquis in the north made him deeply uneasy, and he had to find an opportunity to eliminate him.
Now was the perfect time.
"Enough, Keldert! Your minute is up."
Kudro’s roar ignited the flames of war. "All men, charge into Pigeon Tail Town! Kill any who resist on sight!"