Under the cover of night, Duke Otto quietly approached the woods with his soldiers and horses. Although there had been advance reconnaissance, as the troops marched, Duke Otto once doubted the credibility of the intelligence - how could this dense woodland
It's not like a place where catapults can be built.
But the previous scouts were Duke Otto's cronies, and there was no way they could lie. Suspicious, Duke Otto groped for some distance in the woods. He found that there were pirates standing guard ahead, which somewhat dissuaded him.
Some doubts. After quickly and quietly getting rid of the few sentries, they moved forward for a while, and sure enough, several unfinished catapults appeared in front.
Although the catapults have been discovered, Duke Otto is still puzzled - even if they are built, those catapults cannot be pushed out of the woods? But after seeing the felled trees around him, Duke Otto took a shot
I thought about it and figured it out - but the construction process of the trebuchet requires a lot of wood. As the construction progress advances, a road will be cut in the forest. At that time, the trebuchet will naturally be able to go smoothly.
The ground is pushed out.
There are many defenders near the construction site.
"Just being clever."
Duke Otto spat on the ground. Although this method is secretive, it has a fatal weakness: hiding the catapult in the forest, Otto does not even need to lead an attack, he only needs to set a fire in the woods.
The half-built catapults will all be burned down.
Duke Otto waved back, signaling the soldiers behind him to get ready.
--"ignition!"
Duke Otto was stunned, because the words he just said did not come from his mouth. The surrounding woods shook for a moment, and Duke Otto was startled, pulled out his sword, and shouted: "There is an ambush! Get out!"
It was too late, the dark forest suddenly burst into flames, and people from the Pirate Kingdom appeared in front, behind, left, right, and in all directions.
"Otto, you finally got out of the car formation."
A voice sounded behind Duke Otto. Otto turned around suddenly and saw Ella Cornelius Scipio walking out surrounded by a group of pirates.
Duke Otto's legs weakened and he knelt on the ground.
"I know there may be an ambush." He whispered.
But he had no choice but to launch a night attack. If he waited for the catapult to be completed, he would have no chance at all. Ayla grasped the weakness of his cart formation. From the moment Ayla set up camp on the battlefield, he
The defeat is already doomed.
"I lost, King of Sweden, I am no match for you."
He threw the sword to the ground and took off his helmet.
"So, King of Sweden, what do you want? Ransom? Or my territory? If you are willing, I can also be loyal to you and help you attack the Alemannic Federation."
Asking for ransom means that he can make a comeback; by occupying the territory, he can unite other nobles to put pressure on the Earl of Île-de-France and gain benefits from it; and becoming a vassal of the King of Sweden can inspire the Alemannic Federation to attack the pirate kingdom.
Hostile.
Although he lost the war, he already occupied a favorable position politically from the moment Aila launched his attack.
Unexpectedly, Ella replied: "You shouldn't ask me this kind of thing. I'm just a mercenary hired to fight."
Duke Otto’s voice suddenly became louder: “Mercenaries??!
!”
Ella turned back and motioned for the mayor of Hamburg to come forward: "Mayor, what is your purpose of attacking Angria this time?"
The mayor of Hamburg avoided Duke Otto's gaze, took out his handkerchief and wiped his sweat, and said: "Yes...it was because Otto led troops into Hamburg without permission in order to destroy Hamburg's neutral city status, so we
Decided to fight back."
"Great Mayor! It's obviously you who attacked Angria!"
"Nonsense! We only dispatched a thousand men from beginning to end this time. A thousand men attacked Anglia with 10,000 people. You don't believe it yourself!"
"Great Mayor! You...I...you-!"
Otto jumped up and rushed forward to punch the mayor of Hamburg, but he was quickly intercepted by the pirates next to Ella. The pirates grabbed his head and pressed him hard.
On the ground, a pirate raised his ax.
"I surrender! I surrender!"
Prince Otto shouted from the ground.
"King of Sweden, I said something wrong before. You will become a very great king! I can give up all the ownership and inheritance rights of the land and become your knight!"
Ella looked at the mayor of Hamburg: "Mayor, what do you think of what he said?"
"Great Mayor! I give you all my property! Many of them are outside the Duchy of Anglia. Even if you occupy all of Anglia, you won't be able to get them! Give them all to you! Give them all to you.
You! Please, spare me!"
The mayor of Hamburg didn't even dare to raise his head: "King of Sweden...it's up to you to decide."
"How can that work? I'm just a paid mercenary."
"Then... King of Sweden, let you decide for me, right?"
"Since the mayor said so..."
Ella stepped forward and walked around Duke Otto a few times.
"Otto, to be honest, I personally have no reason to kill you. Although the things you did are completely crimes, you are a member of the Alemannic Federation and I have no right to judge you."
Otto seemed to have grasped a life-saving straw and kept saying: "Many, thank you..."
"——But, I also have no power to forgive you."
Ella asked the soldiers to pull Duke Otto up from the ground. At that moment, Duke Otto saw Ella's expression - there was neither pity nor anger, not even the joy of victory.
At this moment, she didn't want to show mercy or take revenge. She just made a ruling like a judge:
"Whether he is handed over to the citizens of the Duchy of Anglia, life or death, is up to them."
"You just want me to die!" Otto struggled hard, "I don't understand! We have no grievances, right? My blaming the Abrahamic Orthodox Church has nothing to do with you! My occupation of those lands has nothing to do with you.
It doesn’t matter! Those untouchables who died have nothing to do with you! Why on earth do you want to help them? Why don’t you let me go!”
"Occupying land and killing people has nothing to do with me?"
"Of course it doesn't matter! You are the lord of the Pirate Kingdom, but this is the Alemannic Federation!"
"Otto, have you ever heard the rumors? My full name is Ella Cornelius Scipio, and I am the legal claimant to the throne of the Seven Hills Empire. And in books from the East, I read
There is a very interesting saying - "
"So what? So what!
!
!”
"Shut your mouth first!"
Ella took out a sword from the pirate beside her and stuffed it into Duke Otto's throat, forcing him to stop his meaningless shouting.
"Remember this sentence for me: All the land in the world is the land of the king; the shores of the earth are all the ministers of the king!"
