Ironvine Territory (Eighty-three)

After Ursus split his forces, the army continued forward, drawing ever closer to that battle flag.

Ursus recalled his original battle plan. Although the cavalry had been wiped out by the Southern Marching Legion's vanguard, the Fourth Legion and the Coalition of Nobles under his command still held the advantage in numbers.

After breaching Ironwire City's outer walls, they had driven Count Lloyd and his troops into the inner city. Though his forces retained some strength, the inner city was only suited to holding out, and it had just one gate. Establishing a camp near that gate was enough to keep Count Lloyd's troops contained.

Ursus's army could be said to have secured an unbeatable position. His original plan had been to exploit the Southern Marching Legion's eagerness to relieve Ironwire City, arranging the outer camps into two mutually supporting wings and deliberately leaving a broad stretch of ground open between them. He would rely on the inner camp's thick walls to withstand their attack.

Once the Southern Marching Legion had exhausted itself and formed a large salient in the central area, Ursus would personally lead his elite troops, concentrate his main strength, and fight a battle of annihilation.

But Victor's all-or-nothing nighttime infiltration and assault had made Ursus's troops the ones caught by surprise. Even with their numerical advantage, how could they assemble at such short notice?

Large numbers of troops had been routed in their sleep. The camps meant to support one another had also fallen in a single assault, leaving the original plan utterly unrealized.

As commander of the left wing, Regimental Commander Rick should have had access to at least five noble houses' private armies in addition to his own Second Regiment. He should have commanded eleven battalion battle flags, with a total strength exceeding ten