The Crisis of the Iron Islands
Richter left, leaving Karl alone in the document room.
He raised his hand to wipe the thin layer of sweat from his forehead, his body went limp, and he slumped heavily into the oak chair behind him.
The chair back creaked with a dull groan, as if it could no longer bear the weight.
The sunlight outside the window gradually slanted westward, and the golden-red afterglow shone through the window frame, falling on the unfolded parchment scroll and on Karl's slightly tired face.
He let out a long sigh of relief, his nerves, which had been tense for many days, finally relaxing.
With the internal spies eliminated and those lurking eyes in the shadows completely eradicated, Carnford finally has no more worries.
Although the newly formed Intelligence Bureau is understaffed, with only about thirty people at most, each of them is a top-notch individual, either a seasoned scout or a meticulous clerk, and they have played a significant role in eliminating internal traitors.
If this trend continues, even if the Sauron try to plant spies in Carnford again, the Intelligence Bureau will be able to detect and eliminate them in time, without having to worry about being stabbed in the back without being able to catch them.
The development of the territory has finally gotten on track. Three months ago, the post-war Carnford regular army numbered only a few hundred, and their weapons and equipment were of varying quality, with many soldiers still carrying rusty iron swords.
But now, with ample provisions in the territory and a batch of strong young men selected from the refugees to join the army, the number of regular soldiers is about to break through the five thousand mark.
Five thousand rigorously trained soldiers, with ample provisions, armor, and weapons, make this force something any enemy would think twice about.
Not to mention the muskets and Cannon being manufactured day and night in the workshops of the territory; when those dark muzzles fired, even the bravest soldiers would tremble.
Karl leaned back in his chair, thinking viciously to himself that if the Sauron ever tried to launch a full-scale attack on Carnford again, even if they weren't afraid of Earl Rochefort's reinforcements, they would have to think twice about whether they could withstand the bombardment of five thousand elite soldiers and dozens of Cannon.
Edgar's caravan project is also progressing well, and he has even borrowed the royal flag from the Princess.
Caravans flying the royal flag were exempt from all taxes when traveling within the borders, which saved them a considerable amount of money.
The first batch of goods has been loaded onto trucks and set off. They are all specialties of the Northern Territory: thick animal furs, minerals, and round pearls dredged from the Northern Sea.
These things are not uncommon in the Northern Territory, but once they reach the interior, those pampered noblemen would probably be eager to pay for them.
Karl still held great hope for this. If the caravan could open up sales channels, Carnford's economy would be able to reach new heights, and then there would be no more worries about food, supplies, and weapons.
However, there's always a weight on my mind that I can't shake off.
Karl's gaze gradually darkened, and his fingers unconsciously tapped on the table.
He couldn't understand what the Sauron were doing.
Last winter, they broke through the border defenses and committed arson, murder, looting, and pillaging within the pass, plundering countless gold, silver, and other treasures and supplies. Even worse, they also abducted tens of thousands of Broomflower people.
Among those people were farmers, craftsmen, and many strong young men. If they fell into the hands of the Sauron, most of them would be enslaved and forced to do the hardest and most tiring work.
This was a tremendous boost to the manpower of the Sauron.
Karl understood very well what manpower meant. With enough manpower, the Sauron ' logistical capabilities would be greatly improved. They would no longer have to fight only raiding wars to sustain their war effort, as before. They would even be able to launch a real siege, capture a city, and use it as a springboard for their offensive to consolidate their power.
So who will be their next target?
Karl frowned and began to calculate in his mind.
Is it his own Carnford? Unlikely.
Just six months ago, the Sauron launched a full-scale siege of Carnford for a whole month, but suffered heavy losses and failed to even breach the city gates, leaving behind thousands of corpses.
Even with Harald's authority, it was impossible for him to incite those arrogant military nobles to launch another attack on Carnford, that nightmarish land, in a short period of time.
Those nobles all valued their lives and were unwilling to make any more unnecessary sacrifices.
"Is that Fran City? "Karl shook his head.
Fran City is located behind Carnford. If Carnford doesn't fall, the Sauron won't be able to cross the river to attack Fran City.
Not to mention that Fran City itself is well-fortified, with city walls dozens of meters high and a moat outside the city. The city also has an elite garrison of forty to fifty thousand men. Taking it down will not be an easy task.
Thinking further, could it be Eagle's Nest Fortress?
Earl Eisenberg was a coward, a fact known to everyone in the Northern Territory. Whenever the Sauron invaded, his first thought was to close the city gates and hide in the fortress, too afraid to come out.
But Eagle's Nest Fortress was, after all, his old stronghold, where ample provisions and tens of thousands of troops were stored.
If the Sauron really dared to attack Eagle's Nest Fortress, even if Earl Eisenberg were cowardly, he would fight back desperately. After all, even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone a Count who commands a large army.
If the Sauron choose Eagle's Nest Fortress, they will definitely pay a heavy price; they shouldn't be that foolish.
Besides these places, who else is in the Northern Territory?
Karl's brow furrowed even more. He stood up, walked to the wall, and his gaze fell on the huge map of the Northern Territory.
The map was made of tanned cowhide, with different colors marking the boundaries of various territories, as well as mountains, rivers, cities, and fortresses.
His gaze began in Carnford, slowly sweeping over Fran City, Eagle's Nest Fortress, and finally settling on the Northern Sea coastal region.
There was a blue sea painted there, with a few small islands scattered on the surface. The islands were marked with pale yellow paint to indicate that they were not occupied.
Karl's gaze lingered on the small islands, and he murmured to himself, "The Iron Islands..."
A glint flashed in Karl's eyes. How could he have forgotten about the Iron Islands?
The Iron Islands are located deep in the Northern Sea and consist of seven islands. The land on the islands is barren and produces little food. After the fall of the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory's troops who were unable to evacuate or were unwilling to evacuate occupied the Iron Islands and put up a final resistance.
The Sauron lacked warships and a navy, making it difficult for them to land, so their presence had to be tolerated for the time being.
Karl now knows that they helped him a great deal last winter. When the Sauron came out in full force, they took advantage of the Sauron's weakened rear and sent troops ashore by boat to capture several coastal strongholds, forcing the Sauron to return to their aid as soon as possible. In a way, they contributed to the rescue of Carnford.
Having learned their lesson, the Sauron will certainly not allow the remnants of the Iron Islands to continue their sabotage behind their backs this time. If they do not continue to raid and plunder this year, then eradicating the Iron Islands will be a certainty.
Karl's heart skipped a beat. He reached out and gently placed his fingertips on the Iron Islands on the map, his expression turning serious.
It seems he needs to send someone to the Iron Islands to gather information as soon as possible. If the Sauron really conquer the Iron Islands easily, it will definitely not be a good thing for Carnford. The existing kingdoms in the Northern Territory are already few in number, and they need to stick together for survival. Not to mention that they have helped him before, so he should think of a way to help them now.