Reinforcements
As expected, the King's decree disappeared without a trace after it reached Eagle's Nest Fortress.
Earl Eisenberg dismissed the decree with the excuse that "the fortress is also understaffed and we need to be on guard against a counterattack by the remnants of the Sauron army to ensure the safety of the northern gate of the Royal Capital."
Friedrich was extremely anxious and wrote to the emperor repeatedly, even going so far as to kneel outside the palace to plead for help, explaining the dire situation in Carnford and Eisenberg's excuses.
Heinrich XI was finally enraged by Eisenberg's repeated double-dealing!
Even if he was the queen's father and his own father-in-law, such blatant defiance of the imperial decree—where did he place the dignity of the royal authority?
Even Queen Katerina, who was usually gentle and unwilling to interfere in politics, could no longer bear to see her husband troubled by this matter and Friedrich so worried about his brother's miserable state.
She personally rode in a carriage, escorted by a troop of Court Guards, and left Prye City for Eagle's Eagle's Nest Fortress, where she was born and raised, to persuade her father.
No one knows what the Queen and Earl Eisenberg discussed deep within the fortress.
But a few days later, news finally came from Eagle's Nest Fortress.
Earl Eisenberg, mindful of the Emperor's wishes and considering the greater good, decided to dispatch a force of ten thousand men, led by his trusted Sir Valerius, to the north to relieve Carnford!
When the news arrived, Friedrich was overjoyed!
Although 10,000 troops are still a drop in the ocean compared to Sauron army, it is at least a powerful gesture and a sign of support!
He immediately bid farewell to the King and rushed to Eagle's Nest Fortress to meet up with reinforcements and head north together.
Eagle's Nest Fortress, Governor's Office's Hall.
Earl Eisenberg sat languidly in a high-backed chair covered with bearskin, slowly wiping his ornately decorated sword with a velvet cloth.
Seeing Friedrich arrive, travel-worn and weary, a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Oh? Isn't this our brave and fearless Sir Friedrich, who spoke so eloquently before His Majesty? What, instead of enjoying His Majesty's reward in the Royal Capital, you've come to my remote fortress?" Eisenberg's voice was full of mockery.
Friedrich suppressed his disgust and anger, gave a standard knightly salute, and said as calmly as possible, "Count lord, I have come to join Sir Valerius's reinforcements to march north and relieve Carnford. The situation is urgent, and I would like to ask when the troops can depart?"
"Depart? What's the rush?" Eisenberg set down his sword, picked up a silver cup from the table, took a sip of wine, and said leisurely, "Mobilizing an army of ten thousand is no trivial matter. Supplies, provisions, weapons, and equipment—each of these requires time to prepare."
"Valerius is making preparations in earnest. Surely the soldiers need to be well-fed and watered before they can go to war? Are you going to act like some people who, based on a little bit of meager merit in defending the city, dare to spout nonsense in front of His Majesty and criticize their colleagues?"
These veiled insults made Friedrich's face turn extremely ugly, but knowing he needed their help at this moment, he could only swallow his anger and say, "Count lord, Carnford is in imminent danger. Every moment of delay increases the risk of the city falling! I urge you to consider the bigger picture!"
"The bigger picture? Hmph!" Eisenberg scoffed. "It's precisely because I prioritize the bigger picture that I'm being so cautious! If we rashly send out troops and fall into the Sauron ' ambush, suffering heavy losses, who will be responsible? You? Alright, you can leave now. Valerius will inform you of the specific departure time."
Friedrich knew that further argument was futile, so he angrily left the hall.
As a result, this preparation took a full three days!
Friedrich was like an ant on a hot plate, seeing every day that the soldiers in the fortress seemed not to be busy, while Sir Valerius always had various excuses to delay.
Today the weather is bad, tomorrow some military equipment needs maintenance, and the day after tomorrow we're waiting for another important supply shipment...
It wasn't until the morning of the fourth day that this force, which claimed to number ten thousand but probably only had eight thousand in actual numbers, and consisted mostly of second-line reinforcements, finally slowly emerged from the heavy gates of Eagle's Nest Fortress.
However, the slow pace of the march almost drove Friedrich to despair!
The troops marched less than twenty miles each day, setting up camp early, cooking their meals, as if they were going on a picnic rather than a war.
Friedrich repeatedly approached Sir Valerius of the army, urging him anxiously to hurry up.
"Sir Valerius! We must hurry! Carnford cannot afford to wait!"
"Sir Friedrich, what's your hurry?" Valerius was a slightly plump, ruddy-faced general who always put on a mature and composed demeanor. "War is a matter of great importance to the state. How can we act rashly? Our army has marched a long way. If we don't take care of our horses and stamina, we'll be exhausted before we even reach the battlefield. How can we fight the enemy then? A steady and methodical approach is the best strategy."
No matter how much Friedrich explained the advantages and disadvantages, Valerius always brushed him off with a set of high-sounding official rhetoric, and the marching speed remained outrageously slow.
Friedrich finally understood that this was all Eisenberg's conspiracy!
Under pressure from the Queen and the King, he had no choice but to send troops, but he used this passive-aggressive approach to prevent reinforcements from reaching Carnford in time!
He wanted to watch Carnford fall and Karl die in battle! This would eliminate a potential political rival, prevent his own troops from suffering losses, and give him an explanation to the King.
It's not that I didn't want to help, but the journey was too long, and by the time I arrived, the city had already fallen!
Despair and anger burned in Friedrich's heart.
Looking at the sluggish and demoralized "reinforcements" before him, he knew that relying on them was impossible.
He approached Valerius again, making a final effort. "Sir! Since the army is moving slowly, please allow me to lead a small force of elite cavalry ahead! Even if it's only a few hundred riders, I will get to Carnford as quickly as possible! Every man counts!"
Valerius refused with a forced smile, "Sir Friedrich, I understand your feelings, but going deep into enemy territory alone is too dangerous. If anything happens to you, how can I explain it to the Count and His Majesty? It is safest to travel with the main army."
Even the last hope was dashed.
Friedrich sat on his horse, gazing north toward Carnford, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.
He felt an unprecedented sense of powerlessness and desolation.
He possessed boundless passion and exceptional martial arts skills, yet he was constrained by bureaucratic inefficiency and intrigue, forced to watch helplessly as his younger brother struggled desperately in dire straits...
He raised his head, letting the cold wind whip his dust-covered face, and silently cried out in his heart:
"Karl... my dear brother... you must hold on! Brother... brother is coming to save you! No matter what... wait for me!"