Seeing that the besieging troops had already begun building siege ladders, Li Ang hurriedly sought out Oden. "My Lord, are you planning to storm the city?"
"Of course. I have to give His Majesty the King an explanation... Besides, I do not intend to have the King's central army reinforce Alma's side—I think you understand what I mean."
Oden spoke very plainly. Clearly, he had no intention of hiding anything from his ally.
"So... this battle is His Majesty the King's plan to weaken Duke Alma?"
Recalling the warning Oden's retainer had given him earlier, Li Ang keenly grasped the key point.
Oden smiled. "Cunning brat... Since you understand His Majesty's intentions, you should understand why I need to attack with all my strength."
Of course he understood. Oden was providing King Ulrich with an excuse—if Sava Fortress looked likely to fall, or if they achieved any results here, the King would bring the central army over as reinforcements.
That way, no matter how fiercely Alma's side fought, King Ulrich could avoid sending aid.
And Calundru Castle, which Alma "had to capture," was a famous fortress throughout the continent. Its lord was General Clerion, a renowned Bacchus Empire commander who had survived countless battles and was extremely difficult to handle.
This was the feast the King had prepared for Alma.
Once Alma took control of Long River Town, his power had practically doubled. Holding two of the kingdom's four great counties, his ambitions were obvious.
King Ulrich apparently recognized this enormous threat, but Long River Town nominally belonged to "Madam Bella and the child in her belly," so the King could not strip a legitimate ducal heir of his rights...
Thus, Ulrich could only find a way to weaken Alma's forces.
It was all for the sake of balance.
Whether