The Count's Final Support

Just as Carnford was busy with the autumn harvest and fortification, a familiar convoy of transport vehicles once again slowly drove along the mountain road into Carnford's outer outpost.

Upon receiving the report, Karl immediately put aside his work and went to greet him personally.

He knew in his heart that as the signs of the Sauron raiding south became more and more obvious, this was likely to be the last and most important supply of aid from Fran City before winter.

The team leader who came was still that familiar transport team captain.

Upon seeing Karl, he first gave a perfunctory salute, then said with a solemn expression, "Lord Karl, the last batch of winter supplies has arrived, ordered by the Count."

"The Count has asked me to inform you that the large-scale movement of the Sauron has been confirmed, and the road to Fran City may be cut off at any time. This... will be the last supply run of the year, so please make sure you are fully prepared."

Upon hearing this, Karl nodded solemnly. "I understand. Thank you, Count. You've all worked hard. Please convey to the Count that Carnford is prepared to hold out and will not let him down."

After finishing his official duties, the transport team leader's expression suddenly became somewhat mysterious. He leaned closer to Karl and lowered his voice, saying, "Sir, in addition to the regular supplies, the Count has prepared a 'special' gift for you. Please come with me."

Karl's heart skipped a beat, and he followed the captain to the very back of the transport team.

There, a four-wheeled carriage, completely covered with a thick canvas, looked exceptionally heavy.

The captain looked around warily, then carefully lifted a corner of the canvas.

At just one glance, Karl gasped in shock!

Beneath the canvas was a well-preserved, long-barreled bronze cannon, gleaming with a cold, hard metallic luster!

The robust cannon barrel, the sturdy gun carriage, and the round cast iron shells neatly packaged in wooden crates piled up beside it all indicate that this is a deadly weapon capable of changing the course of the battlefield!

"This... this is?" Karl's voice trembled slightly with excitement.

The captain quickly covered the canvas again, a proud smile on his face, and explained in a low voice, "His Count is well aware of the immense defensive pressure on Carnford, and has specially allocated this Minerva Cannon and its twenty rounds of ammunition, manufactured by the Fran City Armory, to you!"

"Furthermore, this shipment contains no food; it's loaded entirely with top-quality Black Powder, a full three thousand catties! The Count says he hopes this cannon and this gunpowder will be able to help Carnford repel the invading enemy at a crucial moment!"

"Minerva" was the kingdom's army's nickname for cannons. The "Minerva" cannon was Six-pound Cannon. Similarly, there were three-pound cannons called "Mars" and Nine-pound Cannon "Elephant".

Karl's heart pounded, and he clenched his fists to suppress his overwhelming joy.

He solemnly said to the captain, "Please be sure to convey my sincerest gratitude to His Excellency the Count! This gift is so timely and so precious! It's not just a weapon, but also the Count's greatest trust and support for us!"

He knew that in this era, the value and strategic significance of a well-performing Cannon piece and its ammunition even exceeded that of a hundred-man cavalry unit!

Just then, a hand gently patted Karl's shoulder.

Karl instinctively turned around and saw a pretty face with a warm smile. A few strands of brilliant blonde hair slipped out from under the hood.

"Charlotte!" Karl was both surprised and delighted. He had been completely focused on the Cannon and hadn't noticed that the Count's daughter was hiding in the ranks. "What are you doing here?"

Charlotte winked her bright blue eyes mischievously and chuckled, "How could Father entrust the escort of such important Cannon to just the transport team? So, he sent me to escort it myself! But..."

Her tone lowered slightly. "This may indeed be the last time, Karl. Once the road is completely blocked, the connection between Fran City and Carnford will likely be severed for a long time."

Before she could finish speaking, another steady voice rang out from the side. "It's not just Charlotte, Lord Karl."

Karl looked in the direction of the sound and saw a tall, thin middle-aged man with sharp, eagle-like eyes and a long sword at his waist slowly walking out from behind the carriage.

His face bore the marks of hardship, yet he possessed an extraordinary air about him.

Karl was taken aback when he saw the man, but immediately recognized him. A look of genuine respect instantly appeared on his face, and he bowed slightly, saying, "Master Andrei! You've come too!"

The newcomer was none other than the renowned Battle Master and Charlotte's swordsmanship instructor, Andre Stein, who had guided Charlotte to successfully break through to the Second-Order Knight in Fran City.

He was also the only veteran to successfully break out and survive the fall of Old Carnford Fortress.

Master Andrei smiled with a hint of emotion, "It seems you still remember me, Lord Karl. Now, you are a household name in the kingdom, the ' Light of the Northern Border ' and the 'Hero Against the Barbarians'."

He waved the crumpled copy of the Kingdom Gazette in his hand, his tone laced with a hint of teasing, yet also with genuine admiration.

Karl quickly and modestly shook his head. "Master, you are joking. Those are just exaggerated claims by the scholars in the Royal Capital. Carnford was able to hold out because the entire territory was united, the soldiers fought bravely, and, more importantly, the Count provided full support."

Andre's expression turned serious. His gaze swept over the bustling scene around him and the nascent city walls in the distance. He said in a low voice, "Carnford has achieved such a great victory, capturing Invag and severely damaging the Sparrow Corps... Next time, Harald's revenge will be unprecedentedly fierce."

"This place will become the eye of the storm. Now that I know this, I can no longer stand idly by. I failed to protect it back then, but this time... I've returned. I will use my sword and my life to assist you in protecting this place! We will never let the tragedy of the past repeat itself!"

His words were filled with an undeniable determination.

A warm feeling welled up in Karl's heart, and he solemnly said, "With your help, Master, Carnford is undoubtedly like a tiger with wings! Welcome back!"

"The incident happened suddenly, Sauron were besieging us so tightly that we couldn't get the message out. Otherwise, we would have asked you for help immediately. If you had been there, we might have achieved even greater results."

Andre waved his hand. "Let's not dwell on the past. Now, I'm here."

His gaze returned to the distant fortifications. "Let's go, take me to see the current defensive setup. I need to familiarize myself with the situation as soon as possible."

Seeing the somewhat heavy atmosphere, Charlotte smiled and interrupted, "Alright, alright, Professor Andre, you've just arrived and must be tired from your journey. Let Karl arrange for you to rest and have a cup of hot tea. There's plenty of time to look at and discuss those military and defense matters."

Andre shook his head, his gaze sharp. "Time waits for no one, Charlotte. The Sauron won't wait for us to prepare tea and refreshments before they come. Lord Karl, if it's convenient, take me to see the city walls and various defensive strongholds now. The sooner we're familiar with them, the sooner we can put them to use."

Karl was deeply impressed by the old warrior's decisive style and immediately nodded. "Of course! Master, please come with me! Charlotte, why don't you come along too?"

"Yes!" Charlotte nodded vigorously and naturally followed Karl's side.

So Karl temporarily put aside other matters and personally led Master Andrei and Charlotte toward the bustling construction site and the core area of the castle's defenses.