Knights and Magic Wand
Chapter 550 - 550 263 Commander_2

550: Chapter 263 Commander_2 550: Chapter 263 Commander_2 When the army had fully assembled, Count Eriv spurred his horse toward Leon.

This time, he would not abandon his territory but risk personally leading the troops to Sobonitz, while the forces supporting the Baldim battlefield would be commanded by Balfe.

In a steady voice, the count advised, “Leon, I know your integrity.

On this mission, you won’t turn a blind eye to the suffering of the people.

However, in times of crisis, the survival of oneself and the security of the territory are paramount.

If necessary, whether it’s retreating or leading the Kantadar people into our territory, both are reasonable options.

This journey to provide support does not demand reckless sacrifice.

Remember, you always have the Thorny Flower family as your backing and escape route.

In the worst-case scenario, Glade County will take in armies and populations with nowhere else to go.

As for the forces under your command, Balfe will not interfere excessively, but you must also avoid rash heroics.”

“I will remember your counsel.”

Leon did not argue but suddenly noticed Balfe’s side.

The count’s second son, named David, was gazing at him with eyes full of admiration and eager enthusiasm, as if longing to approach and speak.

To this young knight, who was clearly older than him but treated him with extraordinary respect and fervor, Leon responded with a smile.

Count Eriv noticed this interaction.

He chuckled and explained to Leon, “David esteems your reputation and martial valor.

He is eager to prove himself in this battle against the Undead Calamity.

Having chosen this path, he must confront danger like every knight.

On the battlefield, if required, use him freely.

Do not hesitate just because he is my son.”

“I believe that Sir David’s bravery will surely earn him his own military merit,” Leon nodded.

With the army fully prepared, the four-way alliance led by Thorny Flower Knights, Avalon Knights, Holy Lake Knights, and Ranger Knights stepped out of Glade County.

In the distance, the envoy team from Baldim County had already been anxiously waiting.

…

The mere five days of waiting for reinforcements in Baldim County felt incredibly long.

Within Count Lunaf’s fortress.

The meeting hall was unusually quiet, as though even the air had frozen in place.

The once heated debates in the hall had been replaced with grim despair.

The oppressive atmosphere weighed heavily, suffocating every young lord who had inherited leadership of their families.

United in the face of the nearly invincible Undead Calamity, the fear and sense of defeat now left indelible marks on their hearts.

The Eastern lords present had struggled to rally over ten thousand soldiers capable of battle.

The young leaders had once, fueled by passion and courage, achieved a morale-boosting victory in their initial engagement, sacrificing lives to destroy tens of thousands of undead.

But in the face of the overwhelming, unending Undead Corpse Sea, their courage and resolve gradually eroded.

The fires of Carestone Town… the fall of Helsburg…

The blood-soaked battle of Itherlin Valley… the collapse of Kilmerton Pass…

One defensive line after another crumbled like dominoes, one territory after another lost to its lords.

The ever-expanding netherworld area, bolstered by the relentless Undead Army, remained immune to the consequences of failures.

Meanwhile, for the living armies, every defeat inflicted profound blows to their reality and psyche.

The Eastern Alliance retreated repeatedly under the flood of undead, tens of thousands of displaced refugees swarming towards the rear, further destabilizing an already fragile order.

The armies of the nobles, retreating all the way to the upper reaches of the North Shore, had left all the lands on the South Bank in total ruin.

The shadow of defeat hung heavy over everyone’s hearts.

Morale had sunk to an absolute low, desertion was rampant, and even the harshest punishments—floggings and executions—could not prevent soldiers, consumed by fear, from mentally collapsing and trying to escape this nightmare.

Within the hall, the silence and despondency spread like a plague, devouring the wills of the young nobles.

Count Lunaf gritted his teeth and looked at his allies, sensing their growing inclination toward retreat.

His initial ambitions of leadership among the nobles had almost faded; now he felt only the crushing weight of an unprecedented responsibility pressing down on him.

At that moment.

A guard hurriedly entered the hall and approached Count Lunaf, whispering a few words in his ear.

A flicker of light crossed the count’s face as he abruptly stood up.

“Everyone!”

Count Lunaf’s voice echoed through the hall, shattering the silence: “The reinforcements from the Thorny Flower family have finally arrived!

The Orland people have brought…

The Orland people have brought ten thousand elite troops!”

“…Ten thousand?”

The news detonated in the hall like a thunderclap.

Nobody had expected Lunaf to actually secure reinforcements of such magnitude.

The room buzzed with murmurs, disbelief washing over their faces.

This seemed like a glimmer of hope in the abyss of despair.

Even if faint, it rekindled a shred of optimism among them.

Close to the Lord’s Throne, Yevan stared at Lunaf in astonishment.

He heard clearly and knew the truth: Baron Leon and Baron Balfe, along with the militia providing logistical support, amounted to no more than four thousand troops in total.

Where did ten thousand elite soldiers come from?

Old Ron caught sight of Yevan’s slightly parted lips and hurriedly stepped up to restrain his straightforward lord.

“My lord, do not unsettle the army’s spirit…”

Under Ron’s barely audible advice, Yevan shut his mouth and looked around at the lords in the hall, observing their seemingly reignited determination.

He finally understood.

The fragile alliance of nobles was on the brink of collapse.

At such a moment, stabilizing internal morale was imperative.

Even if it meant using lies…

Count Lunaf dismissed the futile military conference, instructing his allies to return to their camps and announce the arrival of reinforcements to steady their troops.

He immediately took Yevan along, accompanied by Guard Knights, riding swiftly out of the city to meet the reinforcements.

Though he had exaggerated the scale of the Thorny Flower Earl’s reinforcements by more than double to bolster morale, when Lunaf saw the marching column emerging on the horizon of the outskirts, stretching endlessly into the distance, he couldn’t help feeling a surge of genuine elation.

The once-mighty family that had ruled most of Baldim County now clung to their last sliver of territory behind the fortress on the North Shore.

To retreat any further would mean the complete downfall of their family’s influence.