Difficult Defense

They had arrived in haste, and the force had not brought many siege devices with them. Only three long ladders were being carried by the soldiers.

But Baron Lobean did not care that they lacked siege equipment. He knew there were only a dozen or so guards inside the castle, and no more than a few of them had received proper training. Even with the walls' protection, they could never withstand an attack by three hundred men.

Moreover, he had planted a spy inside the castle. The gate portcullis would be opened shortly, so he was determined to seize Morland Castle!

"Prepare to defend the castle! No one is allowed to flee! If anyone dares run, I'll stuff your intestines into your mouth before you can take a step!" Logan shouted, threatening the guards.

He held a longsword and wore a half-length chainmail shirt, standing ready for battle. The hero unit Reiner had exchanged from the system was utterly loyal to him. Even if he died in battle, he would protect his master's territory.

The guards on the walls nervously watched the enemy troops below, who were eyeing the castle like tigers stalking their prey. They were terrified by the sheer number of enemy soldiers.

The atmosphere gradually grew tense. News that enemy forces had appeared beneath the castle spread through the entire place as if it had grown wings.

The news hung over the castle like a nightmare. Although Lady Moreland had kept the situation under control, everyone still remained uneasy.

The Baron was leading troops outside, yet someone had chosen this moment to attack the castle. It was a devastating blow to the morale of everyone inside.

Dim firelight flickered along the battlements, illuminating the guards' tense and terrified faces and making them look even more flustered.

Although they were afraid, they knew that if the castle fell, they would have no chance of survival either. On the other hand, if they relied on the castle to repel the enemy attack, they might still have a way to live.

At the same time, the retainer Baron was galloping at full speed on horseback. He had already been traveling for over an hour and was not far from where Reiner was stationed.

After all, Morland Castle was only a small barony, and it took very little time to cross the entire territory.

His breathing was ragged, and the galloping horse had jolted his backside until it hurt, but he paid it no mind. The light from the campfires had already appeared before him.

He did not know whether the fires ahead belonged to friend or foe, or whether the Baron had defeated the Krad People. But he knew this was the entire territory's last chance at survival.

If the Krad People were stationed there, then everything would be over. He shook his head, casting those thoughts from his mind, and urged his horse to go even faster.

"Stop! Rein in your horse! Otherwise, you and your horse will become corpses together!" Several guards outside the makeshift camp raised their spears and longswords and shouted at Baron as he rushed toward them.

"I'm a retainer of the Moreland Family! I have urgent business and must see the Baron immediately!" Baron gradually slowed his horse, then pulled a small flag bearing the Moreland Family crest from his robe and waved it as he spoke.

The guards saw the small flag in his hand by the firelight. Daring not to delay, they immediately let him into the camp.

Two guards followed beside Baron and escorted him all the way to Reiner's tent.

At that moment, Reiner was in high spirits, taking small sips of malt liquor. He had completed his mission and received rewards and reputation. On top of that, a large amount of Merit Points had been added to his account. How could that not make him happy?

"Something wrong?" Reiner was displeased that his leisure time had been interrupted. As someone who enjoyed a comfortable life, he disliked being disturbed.

"It's like this, Baron. He claims to be Baron, a retainer and messenger from Morland Castle. He has a letter from Mr. Logan and wishes to see you!" the two guards explained.

"Baron?" Reiner thought for a moment before saying, "Let him in."

He knew this Baron. Morland Castle was a military castle, and there were not many people inside. Reiner had seen practically everyone there, and he still remembered Baron fairly well. After all, there were not many retainers in the castle.

"Urgent business?" Reiner was somewhat curious. What urgent matter could have occurred in his territory?

After entering, Baron anxiously said to Reiner, "Baron, the castle is about to come under attack." As he spoke, he pulled the letter, already warmed against his body, from his robe.

When Reiner heard that the matter concerned the castle, his heart tightened. As a noble, the castle could be said to be everything to him. Without his territory, his title as a baron would be worthless. He absolutely could not bear becoming someone else's courtier or steward.

In his eyes, in this era, if he could not be a lord—the kind of man who could lie drunk against a beauty's lap while wielding power over the world—then life was utterly meaningless.

Ultimately, he was merely a lucky man who had happened to become a lord. His knowledge and ideas might be several centuries ahead of the age, but his actual abilities still remained at the level of an ordinary person.

He took a deep breath, accepted the letter, checked that the sealing wax was intact, then opened the envelope and began reading its contents.

**Ding! Quest issued! Defend your territory!**

**As a lord, losing your territory is the same as losing your life. You must not let anyone else take your territory!**

**Quest reward: Pave the territory's roads with stone, upgrade the castle once, 300 Merit Points**

**Failure penalty: Lose the territory**

"Damn it!" Reiner gritted his teeth. He ignored the quest issued by the system, never expecting someone to attack Morland Castle while he was away leading troops in battle.

He knew Baron Lobean of Goer Castle. Goer Castle lay directly south of Morland Castle. Since Reiner had held the Krad People at the northern border, Goer Castle had benefited as well. Yet Lobean had actually taken advantage of this opportunity to attack him.

"Baron, the situation is extremely urgent. We don't know when they'll reach the castle. Please return as soon as possible to protect your subjects!" Baron said anxiously.

"Sir Cord!" Reiner called loudly. "Gather our army at once! We must return to the castle immediately!"

"What happened, Baron?" Sir Cord asked in confusion. He did not know why the Baron had suddenly ordered them to return to the castle on this victorious night.

It was nighttime, after all, and the soldiers who had fought all day had finally gotten a chance to rest. Now they were being dragged from their sleep again. It made no sense.

"The castle is under attack! We must hurry back and defend it. Gather the army immediately—we have to return at once!" Reiner said solemnly.

"What!" Sir Cord was also shocked when he heard the news. She did not even ask why or who was attacking before immediately saying, "Yes, Baron. I'll gather the army at once!"

It was already deep into the night. The exhausted soldiers were sleeping soundly, their snores filling the entire camp, when the urgent blare of a horn shattered their pleasant dreams.

Through their bleary eyes, they saw that the sky outside was still dark. They could not help cursing the accursed horn blower, but they still had to unwillingly get out of bed, put on their heavy cotton clothes, and line up in front of the tents.

Anyone who failed to appear in the assembly formation within five minutes of the brass horn sounding would receive thirty lashes. No one wanted to suffer such a punishment.