On the eastern side of Iowa City's walls, fifty meters beyond the thick fog, the Gallop Knight Order, the Hunter Cavalry returning to rest, and the Dragon Knights waiting to provide support had formed three lines of defense.
They were ready for the gates to open at any moment so they could charge into the valley and pursue the fleeing Beastmen—or for the walls to be breached, making them part of the defense.
In front of them stood an empty Black-Scaled Horse. With Landen absent, it was Blaze, the commander of the entire Knight Order. Beside Blaze lay a Magic Pattern Tiger, so large that even lying down she stood taller than the knights on horseback.
"Commander Blaze? Surely Lord Landen isn't the only one on the walls right now?" Petreus, now a Great Knight, walked slowly over to Blaze and asked cautiously.
"It's not just him. Gleia, Wendy, and Black Rabbit are up there too!" Blaze replied nonchalantly.
Iowa City's walls had two levels. Only those few were on the first level.
The other infantry, the Imperial Elves, and the High-Ranks from the Imperial Capital were positioned on either side of the second level, or in the valleys on both sides. Their main task was to operate the hundreds of Giant Crossbows and prevent the Beastmen from launching a surprise attack on either flank.
"Defending the pass alone?" Petreus nodded, not daring to say anything more.
"Aren't we all behind him? How could you call that defending it alone?" Blaze's tone gave nothing away.
"Those Royal Court bastards!"
At the sound of Landen's curses, Petreus Lanyuan exchanged a glance with Bit White-Owl beside him and ordered the knights to get ready.
A few minutes later, however, as a clattering noise approached, he saw a large group of unarmed Human