Manifestation, Siege

At the crack of dawn, the villagers of Tewain Village were already sweeping outside the north gate. Old Hoyd and his son were among them, working with uncharacteristic vigor this time.

Although Tewain Village now had more outside troops, there were no more instances of civilian harassment. The grain that had been forcibly taken wasn't returned, but at least no more women were violated.

Furthermore, Baron's nephew, Sir Davis Tervalin, had led them, the villagers, in repairing the watchtower. If pirates were to attack again, the old and young of the village would have a place to hide.

They didn't understand Sir's plans for training knights, but they, the peasants, understood that the village roads had been repaired by them. The fruits from the orchard halfway up the mountain, which were difficult to transport down each year along the rugged path behind the mountain, had now been flattened by horses.

In just a few days, these good deeds had been done for them unintentionally, one after another.

Not to mention that on the day Sir arrived, he had saved his wife and daughter. Just his actions over the past few days were enough to make Young Hoyd grateful from the bottom of his heart.

Today, the army was departing. These villagers felt both grateful and fortunate. To be honest, it was the first time these lords and nobles had made these villagers feel that having them around was actually quite good.

"Hurry up and finish the work. The army will depart when it's light."

"The army is almost assembled. Will the supply of food and provisions be able to keep up?"

In the siege encampment outside Tervain Village, the overall commander of the Swedish forces, the Count's younger cousin, Viscount Green Kabor Tervain, peered out through a gap in the tent.

He held a hand warmer, breathing into it in the morning mist.

His question was naturally answered by a fair-skinned man who was putting on his uniform and tidying the bed. He draped a large, floor-length fur cloak over the Viscount.

"It's cold, don't let the wind catch you. The supply lines will definitely be secured. We can travel on the mudflats by land and up the river's tributaries by water."

The Viscount handed the hand warmer to the fair-skinned man, his smile looking indulgently heroic. He flicked the fur cloak, pulling the man close, and clasped his hands together. Only two heads, nestled close, were visible from under the cloak.

The Viscount's short beard grazed and tickled the man's neck. The man seemed to shy away coyly, yet his feigned resistance couldn't escape his embrace.

"Stop messing around, you'll prick me."

"With you as my quartermaster, I've never had any worries. Those fools in the Tervalin family are chasing the bait I've given them, and that bait is truly enticing!

By the time they bite the bait, I'll have already raided their nest. Don't move, why are you in such a hurry to get dressed..."

The Viscount was eager and very interested. He had the quartermaster wrap himself in the fur cloak. At the half-open tent entrance, within the cloak, he struggled to pull down the loosened white shirt. In the mist, using the opening of the tent, he watched his army and got busy again.

"It's damp and uncomfortable. After sleeping all night, I feel like I've almost choked myself to death."

It was strange. Tewain Village, only two or three days' journey away, didn't have fog. Even though it was near water and humid, he hadn't really seen the morning mist that Tervain Village, located in an arid climate, experienced.

"You slept all night, but Young Master and I ran around all night. You were just sleeping soundly."

William often retorted at Adamson. He was too envious of children like Adamson who grew up embraced by family affection, so he was the best at teasing him, but he also genuinely cared about him.

"You went to contact those nobles last night. Why didn't you call me?"

"What would I call you for? To go and scare them with those two big clumps of black hair in your nostrils? You're the tallest, why don't you consider how those of us who are shorter than you feel disgusted when we see you? How will you find a wife like this?"

"I'm wearing this T-shaped bull-horn helmet, and only this much is showing. Who can see my nostrils?"

William could always drive the honest boy Adamson to the point of silence. "Taking you out makes our Young Master look bad. You'll wear a helmet when you sleep with your wife in the future, be careful you don't poke her to death with a horn."

"I..."

"Enough!"

Ergons, who was sitting on a chair with his head tilted back, removed the hot compress from his face and threw it to Little Flax, who was trying to stifle his laughter while watching the two bicker. (One of the three soldiers picked up at the city gate. I've given too many names, so I'll just call him Little Flax.)

"Get ready. Looking at the dynamics of the Swedish County's siege camp today, they are preparing to attack."

As Ergons Tervalin moved, his knights also stood up. As they walked out of the barracks, the troops of the other four fief-holding knights surrounding them immediately mobilized.

Of the seventeen court knights guarding the Baron's tent, eleven abandoned their posts and joined his ranks.

Before they had even gathered at the north gate, the situation in the entire watchtower camp had become clearly divided.

With such a large commotion, the two fief-holders adjacent to the Baron and the Baron himself also came out.

Seeing this, the two fief-holders broke out in a cold sweat.

Their gazes darted back and forth between the Baron and the Knight. Honestly, they were truly afraid that a fight would break out right now.

The Baron, however, smiled. "David, my nephew, you are indeed impatient. I thought I said we would depart after breakfast."

Ergons, without much of a smile, had his subordinate hand him a cage containing two wild birds.

"These are carrier pigeons raised by my nephew. I received a report last night that Tervain Village was surrounded, and the letter said there were several hundred people."

He then produced a piece of paper.

The Baron looked at the two wild birds, which had clearly been caught not long ago and were still squawking in fright, and was somewhat at a loss for words.

He even wanted to say directly that the succession of the Baron wasn't that simple; killing him wouldn't allow you, his fake nephew, to inherit it directly.

"It takes two and a half to three days to get from here to Tervain Village. If you say you received this letter with no other issues, is there enough time?"

"There's enough time!"

Standing among the crowd, Priest Ramses Bolton, who considered himself inconspicuous, stepped forward and said with great confidence.

"The Holy Light has given me guidance, and Sir Davis Tervalin is a pure believer of the Holy Light, so the Holy Light is willing to bestow one act of mercy!"

The Baron tried his best to look at the priest without appearing to regard him as an idiot. The knights and soldiers, on the other hand, tried their best not to burst into laughter.

What had they just heard?

The Holy Light manifesting, bestowing a divine miracle, that could move them to Tervain Village, a journey of two and a half to nearly three days, all at once?

"What a joke?"

"I'm not joking. All you need to do is genuinely agree to join Sir Dai Weisi Tervalin's team to save the village."

These were the words of the Priest, but also what Ergons had discovered after running around all night.

He hadn't been idle last night, contacting people. He had tried to get those who had previously shown him kindness to verbally promise to help him.

Then, similar to a prompt in a game asking if you want to help a certain noble in battle, a message appeared, asking if he wanted to accept their help.

So, in reality, apart from the Baron and the two nobles on his side, everyone else had already been pulled into his team.

The Baron nodded, also wanting to see how this farce would play out.

Meanwhile, the villagers, led by Village Chief Servant Housen, had gathered to see them off, vaguely understanding what was about to happen.

Everyone was discussing it, but these ordinary villagers were, in their simplicity, more inclined to believe.

The System itself even showed a hint of joy and anticipation.

"Hurry up and teleport back! As long as you truly display a divine miracle in front of them, the faith of this village will be secured."

Seeing how things had developed, the Baron nodded. "I naturally agree to join my nephew's team to save the village."

The other two Knights naturally followed the Baron's lead and verbally agreed.

However, a verbal agreement was enough, and the team could depart.

But Ergons didn't act immediately. On the surface, he was packing everyone's belongings, using the last moments.

In reality, he was waiting. Waiting for the System to give him another prompt. The County of Tervain troops, who had already entered the siege camp, began their attack.

After a night's work, the siege ladders were ready. The Swedish Viscount watched as infantry, behind shield carts, pushed siege ladder carts towards the outer wall of the manor.

He was actually just waiting for the troops sent by various minor nobles or self-funded forces to gather. In reality, many of the troops he brought were from armed merchant caravans.

They could provide supplies, assist in the siege, and also revitalize the spoils of war economy after the city was captured.

These merchant caravans were the best companions for pirates. Whether it was raiding ashore or fighting at sea, the people of the County of Tervain were accustomed to these comrades who fought for money.

Or rather, they all fought for money.

Old Adam, along with the remaining 12 Knights, and two sergeants leading a group of light infantry, crouched behind the crenellations, watching.

No one was truly nervous, because they all knew that the young master would eventually descend from the heavens like a divine soldier and enter the battlefield from the enemy's rear.

This was something they had agreed upon before he left. They believed in the Holy Light just as they believed that the young master, the Divine Favor, would not abandon them.

"When the siege engines get closer, pour fire oil on them."

Old Adam, having experienced countless battles, understood how to arrange this matter.

The city gate had long been blocked with sand and earth. The enemy's only option was to attack the walls.

Seeing that all the infantry below were pushing shield carts, they didn't give them any chance to shoot. Thus, they didn't waste any crossbow bolts, just waiting for their siege ladder vehicles to arrive for the fierce battle to capture the city.

The Swedish Viscount's side had no feigned attack prepared either. In his opinion, this small manor, how high were its walls?

If it weren't for waiting for the troops to gather, he would have taken it in one go the day before.

"All of you, put in some effort! We'll be feasting in this village this afternoon. Taste the fresh food first. Once we break Tevalinburg, I'll let you all run rampant and kill for three days without sheathing your swords."

The heavy siege ladder vehicles, their massive wheels grinding on the relatively flat ground with a rumbling sound, finally arrived.

The giant ladder rotated and slammed heavily onto the crenellations. Soldiers hidden within the siege ladder vehicle's cargo box began to rush upwards with all their might.

"Throw fire oil!"

With Old Adam's shout, the siege battle officially began.

Fire oil pots were hurled fiercely at the ladders. Amidst the crackling sounds, the fire oil pots shattered, and the oil flowed down the ladders. Much of it also splashed onto the attacking soldiers.

Old Adam personally fired a flaming arrow with a heavy siege crossbow. When the burning arrowhead touched the wood planks doused in fire oil, with a whoosh, a line of fire burned down.

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