Northern Principality's Dirty Trick

The Onyx Principality also began dispatching large numbers of light cavalry scouts.

Some of these scouts came from the king's direct legions, while others were sent by the six great earls.

By Nalant's estimate, the Onyx Principality had sent out nearly five hundred light cavalry scouts in total, roaming in groups ranging from a dozen to several dozen men.

As the fighting between the scouts on the battlefield ahead began, Nalant finally witnessed the first casualties of this autumn campaign when those scouts returned.

Though the losses were not great, every sortie left some scouts wounded or missing.

"Looks like the Northern Principality's scouts are rather difficult to handle this year!"

Nalant had by now returned to the rear of the column, traveling alongside Boris and the others.

It was not because he had lost Bernard's favor, but because Bernard and the other earls had gone to travel alongside the king.

A minor noble like Nalant naturally did not have the qualifications to head to the front.

"Boris, why do you say that?" Nalant asked.

"Nalant, you haven't taken part in an autumn campaign before, so you don't know. In past years, although Northern Principality scouts also appeared in the Buffer Zone outside Fire Dragon Castle Fortress, they basically never fought our scouts head-on!"

"They mainly kept watch. When scouts from both sides met, at most they would shoot a few arrows at each other from horseback, then withdraw!"

"But among the scouts who just returned, aside from the few with arrow wounds, many bore cuts from blades and swords. That shows both sides engaged in close combat."

"And our scouts seem to have suffered more casualties this year. At the beginning in previous years, each scout squad would only occasionally lose one or two men, but every wave of