The Regressed Mercenary's Machinations-Chapter 275: I’ll Buy Us Some Time (2)

Stonehaven Fortress—the largest, most formidable fortress protecting the southern front of Fenris territory.

Gillian managed the training recruits in the southern region, centering them here at Stonehaven.

“Is everyone assembled?” he asked.

“Yes, just as you ordered, Instructor.” The one answering with a casual tone was Lucas, a self-proclaimed “genius of spear fighting,” who had quickly risen in skill and was temporarily assigned as Gillian’s deputy.

Gillian had already sent all essential resources, including trained recruits and iron supplies, to Ghislain. Now, he’d gathered the scattered forces and supplies from the southern area here in the fortress.

He nodded, observing the soldiers and knights positioned along the fortress walls. Only 1,000 seasoned soldiers and 100 knights remained.

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The soldiers wore polished silver armor, and from appearance alone, they could pass as knights. These elite soldiers had endured harsh training since the Cabaldi War, earning their reputation.

The 100 knights, outfitted in new black armor, held the rank of “Ten Commander,” each responsible for leading ten soldiers.

Gillian knew that even with just this force, they could easily overwhelm a small or medium-sized territory. But...

His gaze shifted beyond the fortress walls.

‘Desmond...’

The massive army of 30,000 encamped outside dwarfed his forces. Desmond wasn’t called the strongest in the north for no reason. His forces included numerous elites and highly trained knights.

Even knowing he couldn’t defeat them, Gillian was resolute; retreat wasn’t an option.

He addressed his men in a firm voice. “Our goal isn’t to defeat them. We’re here to buy time for our lord to complete his preparations.”

The knights responded with a nod, showing their understanding. Gillian continued calmly, “If they break through here, they’ll reach the heart of our land swiftly. We must hold the line, no matter what, to delay them as long as possible.”

A network of roads connected this fortress to the central cities and castle of Fenris. If the enemy breached Stonehaven, Desmond’s army would advance swiftly to the lord’s castle.

Lucas, chewing his lip in thought, spoke up. “Wouldn’t it be better to retreat? Knowing the Lord’s temperament, he wouldn’t want us to throw away our lives. He may have a foul temper, but he’s loyal to his people. We could always come back and reclaim it later, right?”

Gillian shook his head firmly. “No. We’ve achieved too much here. If Count Desmond takes this place, it will be nearly impossible to reclaim.”

“Won’t the Royalists eventually help us reclaim it?”

“If they do, they’ll use it as a pretext to seize control for themselves. Besides, the Duke’s faction might even send reinforcements to Desmond.”

Lucas had no retort, his expression troubled.

The Cabaldi territory, already rich in iron, had developed significantly. The standard of living had risen, with a growing population due to new settlers. No lord would simply conquer it and let it go; it would only invite endless conflict.

Gillian’s gaze sharpened as he surveyed the knights. “Our lord’s dream lies here.”

“...”

“We came this far with him. Think of all the work and preparation we’ve done to secure this place. If we lose it, everything we’ve worked for becomes meaningless.”

One knight raised his hand. “Is anyone allowed to retreat if they want?”

Gillian gave a fierce smile. “No. You’re staying with me, fighting to the death for our lord. We’ll hold them here.”

The knights chuckled, their comments laced with sarcasm.

“Oh, he’s such a hardliner.”

“Loyalty and all that. So old-fashioned.”

“Must have been a reliable contractor back in his mercenary days. Quite the loyal soul.”

“Well, I’d rather flee and live peacefully elsewhere.”

Watching them jest, Gillian chuckled as well. Despite their jibes, none of them would actually flee. They were more than mere subordinates; they were comrades who had grown alongside Ghislain.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of drums reverberated as the enemy began to move.

Thud. Thud. Thud...

The trebuchets fired first—twelve in total. The knights and soldiers looked with some dismay at the siege engines surrounding the fortress.

Gillian raised his hand and ordered, “Prepare for battle. Spread out and get ready to defend against the trebuchets.”

As soon as he spoke, massive stones began to rain down.

Boom! Boom! Crash!

The stones hammered the fortress walls, shattering supplies and buildings inside. The soldiers had no choice but to dodge, narrowly evading the onslaught of stones.

Pieces of rock splintered off as the weaker sections of the walls started to crumble. But the fortifications, which had been heavily reinforced, held for now.

Harold, observing from the siege line, noted, “Looks like they’ve made some decent money. They’ve reinforced the fortress and even outfitted their soldiers in that armor. Quite a few of them, too.”

To the eye, the entire enemy force appeared to be clad in knightly armor, though Harold didn’t believe they were actual knights. The numbers didn’t add up.

Noticing the ones clad in different armor, Harold suddenly recalled something he’d nearly forgotten.

“Is that the Black Unit that made waves during the Ferdium campaign? Their numbers seem to have doubled.”

He remembered reports of about 50, but now he saw nearly 100. While they couldn’t use mana, their skills were formidable, and it appeared the revenue generated had gone into expanding the Black Unit.

“Let’s hold off on the trebuchet attacks for now. Archers and mages, get ready.”

A white-bearded elder stepped forward from behind Harold. This was Willow, Desmond’s personal mage, a powerful wizard of the sixth circle.

“What are your orders?” Willow asked.

“We’ll eventually bring the siege towers to the walls. Until then, target a wide area and advance cautiously, keeping an eye out for traps.”

“Understood.”

Willow waved his hand, summoning about twenty mages to follow him. Due to the distance, they needed to get closer to cast effective spells.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The drums sounded again, and Desmond’s heavy infantry advanced, protecting the mages and archers.

As they moved forward, the mages swept their magical energies over the ground, searching for hidden traps. Having been caught by such traps once before, they advanced with caution.

“No traps so far. Increase the pace,” Willow ordered, and Desmond’s forces picked up speed.

Gillian, estimating the distance as the enemy drew closer, shouted, “Fire!”

A barrage of thousands of arrows darkened the sky, descending upon the advancing enemy.

All Fenris soldiers were trained to handle various weapons, and every soldier here could shoot a bow to some degree.

The heavy infantry scrambled to raise their large shields, startled by the sudden hail of arrows, briefly halting their advance.

Harold, caught off guard, murmured, “Hmm? Are they all archers?”

No matter how elite a force was, training them in multiple weapons was unheard of; the time and expense required would be astronomical. Most lords specialized their troops for a reason.

“Well, that works. They’ll be weaker in close combat, so get those siege towers moving. Continue the trebuchet attack, and keep pressing them relentlessly.”

Eight massive siege towers started moving toward the fortress, with mages sheltered by heavy infantry launching attacks.

Boom!

Among the ranks, enormous fireballs began to fly toward the fortress. These spells, precise compared to the trebuchet volleys, aimed directly at the cluster of Fenris soldiers.

“Fall back!” shouted the knights of Fenris, brandishing large galvanium shields as they moved forward.

The soldiers under each knight's command either took cover behind them or withdrew entirely.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

“Ugh!”

With each impact, the knights felt the shock reverberate through their bodies, pushing them back, but they held their ground, reinforcing their shields with mana.

The barrage didn’t end there. The archers advancing with the heavy infantry unleashed volleys of arrows, while the trebuchets resumed their attacks.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

“Take cover! Spread out! Raise shields overhead!”

“Damn it! Can we really hold this?”

The knights were nearly overwhelmed, fending off a relentless storm of attacks without any reprieve. They were formidable in their own right, but against Desmond’s forces, they struggled.

Though the disparity in numbers was clear, it wasn’t merely about quantity. Desmond’s army coordinated with precision, leaving the fortress soldiers barely any room to breathe.

At least the galvanium shields provided some solace, allowing them to deflect the arrows.

Meanwhile, a massive surge of magical energy gathered overhead, signaling a high-circle spell. Recognizing the threat, the knights looked up, muttering curses.

“Damn... is our lord really planning to fight these monsters?”

“They’re on a whole different level from anyone we’ve faced.”

Their complaints didn’t last. Mana gathered across the sky, and Willow, having completed his casting, calmly raised his hand.

“Fire Rain.”

Hundreds of massive fireballs appeared in the sky above the fortress, cascading down in a relentless barrage.

The knights, terrified, shouted, “Everyone, gather!”

They could shield themselves from frontal attacks, but there was no way to block attacks from above entirely. Even with galvanium shields, the soldiers wouldn’t withstand such high-circle magic.

The knights infused their armor with mana.

A brilliant light emanated from the black armor, creating a translucent barrier.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Fireballs struck from all directions, shattering stone floors and scorching everything in their

path with devastating force.

But the knights, shielded by their barriers, emerged unscathed.

Around them, the fireballs dissipated before they could hit their marks, stopped by the barriers.

Though parts of the walls and towers lay in ruin, the knights and soldiers stood intact. Watching this, Willow muttered, “Dispel? Could they have a sixth-circle mage?”

He sensed his magic being dispersed by an opposing force, suggesting a mage of equal power. But something felt off. If they had a sixth-circle mage, they’d have dispelled his magic before he even cast it. The scattered mana felt weaker in comparison to his own.

“Are they using rune stones to create magic circles? They must have more money than sense. Where did they find a sixth-circle mage to create these?”

Clicking his tongue, Willow prepared another spell. If they were using magical tools, he’d just keep attacking until the tools shattered under the strain.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

However, before he could release another spell, the siege towers advanced, and he reluctantly pulled back, irritated at his lack of progress.

Harold observed the scene indifferently.

He could continue the ranged attacks, wearing down the Fenris forces over days. But that wasn’t an option.

‘The kingdom’s forces must be on the move.’

With the 2nd Legion wiped out, Marquis Branford would likely dispatch reinforcements.

Moreover, Ghislain was nowhere to be found.

‘I can’t let him use this time for who knows what.’

The Royalists’ pressure and Ghislain’s unpredictable maneuvers left him with no time to waste. He needed to seize Fenris with overwhelming force as swiftly as possible to secure his plans.

In other words, just like Ghislain, Harold was pressed for time.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

He poured his entire force into a single, decisive assault, intending to capture the fortress by day’s end.

Watching the siege towers approach, the knights of Fenris gasped for breath. They’d already expended nearly half their mana to activate their armor’s abilities and withstand the magic onslaught.

“Ha... why are we so exhausted before we’ve even engaged?”

They laughed bitterly, knowing that the fight ahead would only grow harder. Still, without the armor crafted by dwarves and mages, they’d have sustained heavy casualties.

Thud. Thud. Thud!

The siege towers loomed closer. Desmond’s archers continued their bombardment, with more firing down from the siege towers toward the walls.

Lucas, who had been holding up his shield, shouted, “Instructor! What’s the plan? There are so many siege towers—it’s overwhelming!”

“Hold steady. Letting them get close is actually better for us.”

There was no end in sight to the long-range assault. If they remained passive, they’d be worn out and defeated.

But Gillian understood that Desmond’s forces were also in a rush. The Fenris soldiers waited, gathering their breath as the siege towers approached.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

One by one, the siege towers bridged the gap to the walls. Soldiers swarmed out from the siege towers like ants.

With a steely gaze, Gillian watched them approach and gave the order.

“Prepare yourselves.”

Click! Click! Click!

The knights and soldiers lowered their visors, sealing themselves in their armor. They had left their faceplates open for better visibility, but now it was time for full protection.

Noticing that Fenris forces weren’t even retaliating with arrows, Desmond’s troops moved even more boldly, pouring into the siege towers.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The drawbridges of the siege towers locked onto the walls. The Fenris forces watched as Desmond’s soldiers crowded onto the towers, ready to charge.

A bright glow emanated once more from the seams of the Fenris knights’ armor. A murderous glint filled their eyes as they glared at their foes.

Gillian discarded his shield and drew two massive axes, his voice low and filled with deadly intent.

“Good. Let’s fight for real.”