"The army has been assembled and all the sergeants are on standby. What are you waiting for, His Majesty the Emperor?"
"The enemy is weak and we are strong. As long as we cross that swamp, the imperial army will go straight to the heart of Sylvania, drive out the vampires, and restore Sylvania. Our victory is right around the corner!"
"We promised Rhodes that we would advance and retreat together with Kislev. Your Majesty, as the empire is the most powerful civilized country on the entire continent, we cannot break our promise!"
Elector Alberich cried out.
However, the senior officials of the empire sitting in front of him still looked aloof and unmoved.
Emperor Louis Bode sat at the end of the long table, looking at Alberich with a gloomy face. From time to time, he fumbled with the gold ring he wore on his left hand with his right hand.
After a long silence, he slowly stood up from his seat.
"We promised Rhodes to advance and retreat together with Kislev, but have they advanced?"
"Kislev's army is still confronting the vampire castle on the other side of the canyon in the fortress. Have they sent out troops?"
The emperor's question left Alberich speechless.
As the elector of the Stirland, Alberich was very eager to win this war and permanently eradicate the hidden danger of vampires. However, every time he mobilized was rejected by the emperor and a group of high-ranking imperial officials. The Great Lecturer was especially
Here, Tiras Gorman, the principal of the Imperial Academy of Magic, and the other electors all acted as if the matter had nothing to do with them.
Alberich also knew the plan of this group of people. No one wanted to sacrifice their own troops in this war, they all wanted to wait for others to go first. So even though they had been assembled, most of the supplies and food had reached their destination.
But the frontline troops remained stationary in the border areas.
Alberich hated this and gritted his teeth, but there was nothing he could do.
It is impossible for the Stiir Territory to take the lead in a cross-border attack. There are only a few troops in the entire Stiir Territory. Once they enter the territory of the undead, they will inevitably be surrounded and strangled.
Alberich can't guarantee when the empire's grandsons will support him. He may wait until more than half of his troops are dead or wounded before entering the battlefield and reaping the benefits. It is impossible for Alberich to place a bet on the imperial coalition.
side.
Although he could also see that the local lords in several electors, such as the Avi, Mut and Ostermark territories, wanted to attack. But everyone was watching the other's eyes.
The jungle was quiet, and the border castle was also quiet in silence and watching. The noisy scene of the past few days had been slowly replaced by daily trivial matters.
Businessmen who sensed business opportunities continued to flock from all over the mainland and opened temporary brothels, temporary casinos and bars outside the city where the army gathered... Although the imperial officers strictly ordered their soldiers to go to those places, many
Sometimes, even they themselves cannot resist the temptation.
Waiting is suffocating and makes people slowly become restless.
For some people...Alberich stood on the castle tower and looked at the forest in the distance, which was shrouded in fog and dark clouds, as if a ghost was about to swallow up all outsiders who dared to trespass in the forest...
…
Dark jungle.
"Strong man, are you okay?"
The rich voice of the dwarf sounded from behind.
Selta wiped the sweat from her neck and looked back. The dwarf was slowly walking towards her, carrying armor that was heavier than her own weight.
To be precise, crawl over.
Fallen trees and rugged terrain are nightmares for dwarves. Sometimes they have to use their hands and feet to cross obstacles. But even so, a few dwarf warriors still have more physical fitness than most human soldiers.
Celta waved to his companion, indicating that he could do it. He had been working with this Iron Breaker for a long time. In the past, they always carried out special tasks together as a group. This time, it was rare for him to be with Rhodes.
action.
After looking at Rhodes in front of the team... Celta couldn't help but sigh, how could she end up with such a crazy lord? Going through the dark forest with no way to go, this is where no one has walked for hundreds of years.
passing forest.
There is not even a dirt path in the vast dense forest. If you want to walk in it, you can only move forward by splitting branches and shrubs with your bare hands. But this is what Rhodes ordered...
Although there is only a small force and it is not easy to be discovered, various monsters in the forest may attack humans even if the vampires are not aware of it.
At that time, let alone a surprise attack on the enemy's rear, it is still unknown whether he can make it out alive.
But who let them deal with such a crazy lord?
Weird screams echoed in the forest, and broken sunlight fell from above. Rhodes walked in front, glancing into the depths of the forest from time to time.
The Book of Beasts trembled uneasily on his waist, and the white bear Ursok also let out warning growls from time to time. But none of this could stop Rhodes from his previous steps.
Now that you have made a decision, execute it and firmly believe in your own judgment. Rhodes encouraged himself.
The most dangerous place is the safest place. Just because no one has thought of this road, it is the safest.
There was a slight tremor in the grass, and the elf Aliria leaned out from the bushes. She had already gone ahead half a day to explore the path ahead.
The dense forest here is too dense and difficult for the soldiers of Kislev to march. But for the wood elf wanderers who have been hunting in the forest for many years, it is simply a piece of cake. The forest of Athel Loren
It's much denser than here.
"We were wrong, Rod."
The elves brought bad news.
Although Rhodes was mentally prepared, he still couldn't help but feel a little irritable when he heard the news. No one wanted to stay in this dark place for one more day.
"There are at least three days of journey ahead before you can get out of the forest."
Aliria whispered.
Rhodes noticed that she said "you". Indeed, for the Wanderer, it might take half a day to jump out of the forest, but a large number of human soldiers cannot. They can only walk on their feet, not on the branches like monkeys.
Jump continuously.
"Three days. It's such a long time."
Rhodes wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Looking at the endless dark forest, they fell into deep thought. In the past, they had taken unconventional paths through swamps and forests. But the northern forest was completely different from here. In Kislev, further north of Kislev,
The forest is covered with snow all year round. Although it is cold there, the air is still fresh. At least most of the time, you can see clearly ahead. As long as there is enough food, every northern man can walk out of the forest.
But the forests in the south are different. Here, it is humid and hot, and the forest is often shrouded in mist. The screams of monsters at night also keep people awake at night. The difference in climate makes these warriors from the north feel very uncomfortable.
After taking a look at the exhausted bodies and expressions of the soldiers behind him, Rhodes knew that three days was the limit of this team. If it took longer, the soldiers might start to have mental problems.