Preparation

"Two thousand cavalry—not all shock cavalry. Half of them are mounted infantry. They're highly mobile, but somewhat weaker in close combat. Those two thousand slaves are clearly laborers brought in to reinforce Tyrol's fortifications," Richter analyzed at the time.

"Harald's intelligence was clearly outdated. He still thought we had enough time to let him calmly increase his forces and reinforce the fortress. He never expected our blades to already be at Tyrol's throat."

Karl agreed. Those two thousand slaves could practically be ignored in a field battle, and they wouldn't play a decisive role in the siege battle that was about to begin.

The only thing he was still uncertain about was the exact location and movements of those two thousand Sauron cavalrymen.

Therefore, he had already ordered Lyon, Thorsten, and the newly joined Sir Kylan to send all the light cavalry under their command out, expand the scope of their reconnaissance, and make absolutely sure they found the enemy cavalry's main force.

Time passed amid marching and waiting. At five in the afternoon, the sun had already begun to sink, and the sky was taking on the colors of dusk.

Just then, a fast horse came racing from the direction of the front line. The mounted scout was dusty from the road, his face flushed from urgency and tension.

He rushed up to Karl, reined in his warhorse, and reported urgently between gasps, "My lord! A large Sauron cavalry force has been spotted ahead! They're rapidly approaching our army's southern flank from the northwest! They're entirely cavalry, and they're moving extremely fast!"

"Our scout brothers tried to get closer for reconnaissance, but the enemy's vigilance was too strict, so they couldn't approach. They could only observe from a distance. Our rough estimate is at least a thousand men! They're