Victor sent a notice to the Army Department and the fortress in his capacity as Marquis, informing them that another Barbarian force had appeared. He gave them an estimate of its strength: according to the Guard Corps' mounted scouts, the Barbarian Cavalry facing him numbered around three to four thousand.
Victor then suspended contact for the time being. The Barbarians were about to attack, and though he would not take part in the fighting himself, he would remain with the troops.
He would not interfere with their command. He would place complete trust in his Guard Corps and let them know he stood with them. They would win.
At the fortress, the officers learned that another Barbarian Cavalry force had crossed the Border Defense Line and appeared to be attacking a camp in the rear.
By then, the duty officer knew this was important military intelligence. He had no idea where the camp had come from or who was there.
But the dispatch bore Marquis's signature, and he realized the situation might be urgent. Without hesitation, he sent someone to wake Regimental Commander James.
When James was woken, he assumed the Barbarians had launched an attack and was in no hurry to get up and dress. But the moment he heard the news, he bolted upright. He rushed to the command room without even finishing dressing.
Once there, he seized the duty officer by the shoulders and shouted, "What happened?
How did the Barbarians find the Temporary Camp?
How many Barbarians are attacking it?
What's happening there now...?"
The duty officer was stunned by the barrage of questions. He could not answer a single one. He could only open and close his mouth helplessly.
He now understood that something serious had happened. He did not know why James was so