As the only viscount noble in Iron Mountain County, and a loyal supporter of Northwind Province Count Winter Governor, Viscount Walter owns a huge territory in Iron Mountain County.
These territories are different from Baron Freeman. He occupies almost half of the plains of Iron Mountain County, which is land suitable for farming.
Not only that, those Iron Ore around Viscount Walter's Domain soil also belong to the viscount.
Within the scope of Iron Mountain County, the difference in territory from south to north is only Baron Malik, Baron Freeman, and further north is the territory of Viscount Walter. The territories of the three nobles stand at intervals in a long straight line.
No one expected that after occupying the territory of Baron Malik, the army of Viscount Hogg intuitively crossed the territory of Baron Freeman to attack Viscount Walter.
But this is the best command. Baron Freeman's territory is located on hills. The hilltops make Viscount Hogg's army unable to withstand such physical exertion. Moreover, this place is easy to defend and difficult to attack. It can be seen that the ancestors of the Baron Freeman family are still very discerning.
But...
"How did he get there?"
Ryan asked, although there are larger wastelands outside the territory and around the roads, Ryan does not believe that in this era, ordinary armies can march in the barren mountains and wild mountains. Wild beasts and insects alone can annihilate those armies.
He came from the North with his army, while Viscount Hogg's army came from the south to the north. The two sides did not encounter each other on the only road.
Hearing Ryan's words, Baron Freeman was also full of shock and disbelief, but soon, cold sweat broke out on his face.
"It's... it's a mine!"
Viscount Walter's territory has the best land of Iron Mountain County. The large plains can be cultivated into enviable farmland. On all sides of the plains, there are surrounding mountains, among which there are a large number of Iron Ore.
"Before the Empire occupied Northwind Province, there were many nobles here. They mined Iron Ore as their only source of income and traded with the Empire. When the Empire occupied this place, After the territory of Viscount Walter was divided into Iron Mountain County, a large amount of Iron Ore was mined for trade with the empire South and sent to Count Winter Territory."
"This resulted in some mines in South in Viscount Walter's Domain being connected together."
"These mines can be opened, and it is possible to penetrate a mountain peak."
"And Viscount Hogg defeated the army at the Baron Malik castle defense line before. The most critical reason was that there was a Archmage who mastered Earth Magic beside him."
"He used the earth wall to raise from the ground to isolate the troops on both sides of the defense line. By the time our Mage Corps shattered the earth wall, the cavalry of Viscount Hogg had already rushed in front of us."
Ryan After listening, I felt speechless.
But at the same time, we must be vigilant and must not forget that extraordinary power exists in this world.
"So, it was that Archmage who opened up the already connected mines and allowed Viscount Hogg's army to cross the mountain and appear behind us right under our noses?"
Ryan is helpless. He just came here from the territory of Viscount Walter, and now he has to go back.
"Viscount Walter's territory should be able to hold on, right?"
Viscount Walter Standing on his castle now, he is like an ant on a hot pot.
Iron Mountain County, because of the large number of peaks and hills, there is no decent city. Even the only earth city is not here, but at the far west of Iron Mountain County, close to The place Thundercloud County is, after all, geographically speaking, Iron Mountain County is also at the easternmost point of Northwind Province. Beyond it is the uninhabited mountains. To the west, it is closer to the center of the province.
Viscount Walter, who owns this good land, of course cannot give up here, so he has always stayed in his own territory.
At this moment, when he looked at the swarming army outside, he couldn't help but suffocate, and the color drained from his face.
"How could they appear here?"
For Viscount Walter, he is not so panicked, because the nobles in the south are the natural defense line of his territory.
But he never understood that Viscount Hogg's army would surround his castle today.
However, someone also reminded him of the truth. The mine in the south should have been opened, and Viscount Hogg found a road that could cross the avenue and Baron Freeman's territory.
"Has Knight Luke come back? How long will it take for Baron of the Frozen Earth's army to come back to support us?"
Viscount Walter lost his previous calmness at this moment, because he knew very well that there were not many troops in his castle.
Two hundred soldiers are his only military means. A few demons Mages and a dozen Silver Knight are one of the few high-end combat forces. This should not be normal for a Viscount Iron Mountain County whose wealth exceeds Zero Crossing Prefecture, but this is all Viscount Walter has under his hands.
At the same time, his castle was not built in a place that was easy to defend and difficult to attack, but in the center of this plain. Whenever he got up in the morning, Viscount Walter could see the prosperous fertile fields and golden wheat outside from his castle, and his heart was filled with a great sense of accomplishment.
But now it's hard to give Viscount Walter a sense of security in such terrain.
He had summoned all the slaves and civilians from the outside villages to the castle and placed them on the edge of the castle ready to resist attacking enemies.
However, Viscount Hogg did not attack immediately. Instead, he dug holes and established a defense line on the southern road. He was defending Ryan's army that had returned from the south led by Baron Freeman.
"As long as we occupy the territory of Viscount Walter, the reinforcements of Zero Crossing Prefecture will be flanked by us. Even if we do nothing, we will starve to death."
Viscount Hogg looked back at the only road between the two peaks, and then sent people to Viscount Walter's castle.
Viscount Walter is Winter Count Family's loyal support, but it does not mean absolute. The interests of nobles come first. Viscount Walter may not be unable to become Count Weiss's friend.
The answer was of course no. It was impossible for Viscount Walter to abandon his family's honor and covenant and surrender so easily. So, on this sunny day, Viscount Hogg's army launched an attack.
On the land between the plowed fields, the army was like a long march of ants rushing towards the castle ahead. Even in the war, these soldiers did not have the courage to destroy the wheat that was supposed to be harvested here.
After all, they were also serfs, soldiers composed of farmers.
"Viscount Walter's castle has no army at all. Today we will capture his territory!"
Viscount Hogg rode a war horse and roared at the rear of the battlefield, while the soldiers in front of him could only grit their teeth and keep charging forward.
It was of course impossible to capture a castle in one day, but under the crazy attack of thousands of soldiers, the soldiers in the castle who had been converted from serfs or mining slaves were exhausted.
Their physical condition was too poor, and after a life-and-death crisis, they were very hungry and infinitely exhausted.
As a last resort, Viscount Walter could only take out a large amount of food to supplement the physical and mental exertion of these people. This also resulted in these people sleeping harder than anyone else that night.