Replenishing the Losses

Victor sat at the desk in Stone Castle's study in Golden Sunflower Territory, Boler County. He rubbed his head with one hand and held down the battle report that had just reached him with the other.

Once the Southern Marching Legion had secured enough supplies, Victor had wanted to hurry north with his troops to provide support. Instead of going to Sunset City, he had taken a detour west along a tributary of the Green Water River, then used the Eastern Region's canals to reach a tributary of the Blackwater River.

He planned to take the fleet straight up that tributary into Raine County, seize Blackwater City in one stroke, and cut off the most important relay point on one of the duchy army's two supply lines.

The route happened to pass through Boler County. Victor planned to draw troops from the county to replace some of the Southern Marching Legion's losses, so he left the fleet ahead of the others with the Guard Cavalry and returned to Golden Sunflower Territory.

As soon as he arrived, Victor checked on the territory's troops, then summoned Santos, who had been recovering from his wounds there while overseeing its defense.

Though Santos had spent this time recuperating, he had still done his job well. He had arranged Golden Sunflower Territory's defenses with care.

Rebellious nobles had appeared in several other counties of the Eastern Region, and the allies Victor had left behind had sent troops to put them down.

As soon as Santos learned of the rebellions, he took the initiative and sent troops to occupy strategic positions around Golden Sunflower Territory, keeping any unrest that might arise outside its borders.

He also wrote to several allied noble families in Boler County. Together, they formed a force to maintain order and stationed it