As several northern lords said, the night Rhodes arrived at the camp, Commander-in-Chief Cohen called him to his tent.
The soft moonlight shrouded the camp, allowing Rhodes to clearly see where the commander-in-chief worked.
This is a gorgeous tent. The white curtains are covered with various animal skins. The white cloth on the outside is embroidered with a standing white bear, which is the protector of Kislev. In the tent, various of Commander Cohen’s
Office supplies are all available, including desks and chairs, quill pens, parchment, marching maps, bows and arrows, wine... There is even a small bed. Rhodes estimates that the bald man will ask a few military prostitutes to come to the big tent in his spare time.
Warm your bed inside.
"Lord of Blackhammer Castle?"
In the tent, Commander-in-Chief Cohen sat on a big bearskin chair and asked with disdain.
Standing next to him were two equally well-dressed people. They looked like nobles, but they didn't look like people from the North, but more like people from the empire... because their attire was quite luxurious in the empire. But maybe it was the capital of Kisri.
Since the arrival of stable days, the wind of enjoyment has also spread to the southern border of Kislev. Half of the buildings in the capital city of Kislev already have the architectural style of the empire. Naturally, people’s clothing also has more or less
Perhaps it was influenced by the empire next door.
"Yes, Your Majesty the Duke."
Standing in the middle of the big tent, Rhodes answered humbly.
"Ice Queen Catalina's order is to arrive here before the 25th of this month, but you delayed it for a whole week. Give me a reason? Otherwise, I will report this matter to the Queen. How will you be punished?
very clear."
General Cohen said arrogantly. He does have the capital to be arrogant, not only because he is the commander-in-chief of this legion, commanding various lords and their armies on behalf of the Queen, but also because he is considered a duke in Kislev.
Although Kislev is large, there are actually not many people with the status of duke. According to the levels of knight-baron-count-marquis-duke, the proud general Cohen in front of him is three times higher than Rhodes.
level. In addition, Blackhammer Castle is located on the edge of the desolate northern border, with barren land and extremely small castle scale, so it is even less valued. Perhaps for the largest lord in the northern border, Earl Hillel, this Duke of Cohen will also
Give him some face, but to Rhodes, he seems to be arrogant.
"The beastmen have invaded my territory, and I must stay and defend my castle..."
Rhodes answered calmly.
"Beast men? Fifty or a hundred? You have to tell clearly whether they are beasts or beast men."
Cohen asked with a sarcastic tone.
"Beast men, horned beasts, great horned beasts, bull guards, harpies, more than a thousand in number, my lord the Duke."
As soon as Rhodes finished speaking, Cohen and the two young nobles beside him immediately burst into laughter. Their expressions were extremely exaggerated, as if they were mocking the person who reported the report as a mentally disturbed person.
"More than a thousand people? Or a big horned beast and a minotaur? Do you think I'm an idiot? Rhodes, I have learned about your castle. It was just an old castle left over a hundred years ago. It was more than a hundred years old.
It has not even been expanded much, and the urban population is only a few hundred people, which is still a floating population. With such a small castle, you can block a beastman battle group of more than a thousand people?"
As Cohen spoke, the two young nobles held their stomachs and laughed happily.
"For the sake of the gods, stop bragging about yourself, Rhodes. If there really was a beastman warband of a thousand men, you would have become a pile of bones and buried under your beloved castle. Instead of your head and feet.
Appear here in its entirety.”
Cohen said with a smile. His eyes almost narrowed into a line. He glanced at Rhodes from the corner of his eyes, and the original serious atmosphere suddenly became cheerful. But Rhodes didn't think so. These ignorant nobles, they don't understand at all.
Knowing that the real danger is approaching. In the great invasion of Chaos two hundred years ago, the entire Kingdom of Kislev lost an entire generation. A generation spent in darkness, the number of men dropped to freezing point, and widows swarmed in droves.
Appeared. Even after the Imperial General Magnus united all forces to defeat the Chaos Legion and drove them out of Kislev, evil beasts were still rampant in the polluted land. Humans turned into beastmen, and beasts turned into beastmen.
It is not uncommon for some places to be completely abandoned and become dead places that have never been completely restored. However, humans are a race that heals scars easily and forgets pain. In less than two hundred years, many historical stories have turned into legends...
"Can I go out?"
The man in front of him, Rhodes, never wanted to see him again, he asked. But Cohen obviously hadn't finished speaking yet.
"No. I have a task to assign to you."
Cohen continued. He elegantly picked up an ice cube and threw it into the wine. Then he lay on the big bearskin chair and shook the wine glass.
"I am listening."
Rhodes responded impatiently.
"Two days later, I will lead this army to the towns around Erengrad to plunder food. You will serve as the garrison and stay in this camp to guard it. And, continue to besiege Erengrad to ensure that there are no convoys.
Enter the city through the east gate."
"How many people will stay? My manpower alone is not enough to besiege Erengrad."
Rhodes asked.
"Of course, you can't rely on your people alone. Those barbarians don't even understand military orders. They only drink and beat their own people. How did you choose? Selected a bunch of Norscans as mercenaries? Yours
Is the territory so poor that it cannot even afford to hire regular soldiers? I will not expect these barbarians to guard the camp for me, and there will be four hundred soldiers staying to guard the camp with you."
Cohen shook his glass and returned.
"Seven hundred soldiers are still too few..."
"Too few? That's a question of your ability. If you're not qualified, then I can only use you as a logistics force."
Cohen quipped again.
Rhodes had no choice but to accept the mission. He knew that this was the commander's punishment for being late...but he had to accept it. If he really became a logistics army, not only would he not be able to hold his own in the legion, but the logistics army would also be at risk.
Transporting food in the wild was actually a very risky thing for the medieval world. Moreover, now in the north, most of the food consumed will be domestic food. Blackhammer Castle does not have much food in stock and cannot withstand such consumption.
So, I had no choice but to agree.
As for whether Erengrad's rebels would take advantage of the situation after the large forces withdrew, Rhodes was not sure.
However, based on the population of Erengrad, the original defenders of this city were only a few thousand at most. As long as they did not all mobilize to attack themselves, it would not be a big problem. And it is impossible for them to really mobilize all to attack themselves.
There must always be manpower left to maintain city security and defend the city walls, Rhodes thought...