Send Some Gifts

"Everything is peaceful in the north. A fire broke out last night in the 'Pine Grove' residential area when people were keeping warm by the fire. Fortunately, it was extinguished within an hour before it could spread. The fleet is loading through the night and will soon set sail."

Inside a wooden blockhouse in the forest, a young knight of the Sverier Kingdom was reporting the situation in the north to the main force under Kaustov in the south.

He spoke evenly, doing his best to be clear.

The person on the other end received the message, then repeated it back.

But behind him, a knight of the Osmagar Empire pressed a cold sword against his neck. The blade rested against his skin; the slightest movement would be enough for it to slice through his throat without mercy.

A nation without mastery of core technology was constrained at every turn. The Sverier Kingdom's few Ship Radios had weak signals and severely limited range, while the vital telegraph relay station had been located with ease by a team of experts sent by the Duchy of Weissen.

After successfully escorting the reinforcements, Mary hurried north and decisively seized the key telegraph relay hub connecting communications between the north and south.

In the vast allied encampment outside the fortress of Red Waterwheel Village, candles blazed inside a deerskin tent, and the aroma of wine and meat filled the air. Kaustov looked relaxed as he said to Snellman and Casimir, who shared his table, "The fleet carrying our provisions should arrive here in two or three days at most."

Casimir smiled at this and chimed in, "Our troops heading south encountered some resistance along the way, but it seemed more like the enemy was covering the withdrawal of their own forces. Our vanguard decisively