Chapter 107: art 2)

  Matthew, t of Nort, spoke up loudly, "How will yahe order of attack?"

  At this, everyoheir breath—this was the question that all the gathered nobles had been waiting to ask.

  After all, in the feudal system of the North, their armies were their foundations; no one wao expend their forces for victory without personal gain. Many nobles were participating under some degree of pulsion, though the La family had offered bes they couldn’t refuse.

  Robert pressed his gloved hands down slightly, saying calmly,

  "Everyone, hold your horses. I’m not about to send your troops to die for nothing."

  "The Duke has raised an 'Hion' of ten thousand scripted peasants. These brave souls will serve as the vanguard, testing the strength of these dragon ckeys."

  The nobles, reassured, finally rexed—so there was a line of on fodder.

  However, Andre frowned, voig his obje, "How we let oners serve as on fodder? This goes against the spirit of knightly bravery and mercy."

  "Hahahaha!"

  The nobles ughed again, the atmosphere light. This "Little Lion" was endearingly er all, they were Northern nobles; who would themselves with these so-called "grey cattle"?

  Seeing Andre’s ear expression, Robert stifled his ughter, expining,

  "They volunteered as valiant warriors. Should they fall in battle, the duchy will generously peheir families."

  "Though whether they have families, or if the pensation will reach them, well…" he added silently to himself.

  Before the war, these "Hion" members were mere peasants, untrained for bat.

  Equipped with poor ons and virtually no armor, they were here to feed horses, carry supplies, and absorb the initial blows for the elite troops.

  They were typically tenant farmers or serfs uhe local gentry, with no personal freedom or cim to any spoils.

  This was the type of people.

  Treated as expendable by the Northern nobility.

  Andre, feeling the mog gazes around him, lowered his head, saying nothing.

  Robert poio the map, tinuing his tactical outline.

  The La family’s personal army of ht thousand, the "Eagle’s Cw," would take the tral position, advang after the peasant militia scouted the enemy’s strength.

  The Bosk family’s "Lio Legion" of three thousand would form the right fnk, while the Nort family’s five thousand troops would secure the left fnk, proteg the sides onside Storm Highnds.

  The smaller private armies of the lesser otaling about four thousand, would be scattered among the allied forces, theoretically following ands, though Robert had little faith in coordinating them. They were intermixed mainly to prevent them from fighting each other before the battle began.

  Meanwhile, the three hundred Northwind Eagle Guards would patrol the skies, overseeing the battlefield and striking key points from above. Though, for reasons unknown, the sixth Northwind Eagle Guard, sent out to scout, hadn’t returned yet, much to Robert’s frustration.

  A baron from the La Duchy asked timidly, "My lord, what about the dragon?"

  "I hear it’s a fearsome creature."

  His territory y close to Storm Highnds, and he frequently heard terrifying stories of the "Flying Fme Dragon" from the North.

  In the songs and tales, this red dragon was described as Tiamat’s favored child, an infernal embodiment of the fmes, an unstoppable force that threatehe North.

  Robert scoffed.

  "Ha, the so-called 'Flying Fme Dragon'?"

  "Don’t be deceived by the foolish songs of bards. her the Northwind Eagle Guards’ reports nor my own divination spells support that. It’s merely a young red dragon with a slightly unusual breath, if not smaller."

  The mage "Gray Eagle," present ient, spoke in a raspy voice.

  "This is Lord Shroud, the duchy’s chief mage, whose mastery of spells, I believe, is unmatched here."

  Robert tinued, "Ihose tales are likely spread by the dragon itself to is reputation."

  "Gentlemen, follow me."

  As if words alone weren’t enough, Robert strode outside, followed closely by the nobles.

  They arrived at the supply area.

  Everyone’s gaze was immediately drawn to an enormous object, draped in heavy cloth, t over two men high. It required a dozen horses and hundreds of peasants to transport, and there were three of these behemoths in total.

  They’d noticed it before, curiosity piqued.

  "Gentlemen, behold—"

  At Robert’s signal, two guards stepped forward to pull off the heavy c.

  Revealed was a massive, cumbersome meical on crafted frh bck wood and dark-gray metal. The bulky base, heavily reinforced with iron, sat on a set e wheels for slow movement.

  Atop was a ical bolt case ed in riveted iron pting, with a long, curved crossbow arm fixed to each side.

  A gigantic arrow, as thick as an arm and over two meters long, y atop the mae, its iron tip glinting ominously, stained with what seemed to be old blood.

  It was a fearsome dragon-sying ballista!

  "Ahhh—"

  The croed, awestruck by the monstrous siege on.

  Robert, clearly pleased by their reas, expined with pride, "This is a Dragon Syer Ballista. Its arrowhead is infused with dragon’s blood, capable of pierg through dragon scales with ease."

  "One hundred and forty years ago, General Turner La used it to kill the a white dragon that terrorized the North—the Gcier Wing."

  He raised a finger, emphasizing,

  "With just one shot, he pierced the heart of that wretched dragon."

  "And back then, General Turner only had a single Dragon Syer Ballista."

  "Now, the La Duchy has spent tens of thousands of gold s to acquire these three, requiring hundreds of horses and thousands of men to transport them here. I hope this demonstrates our efforts and my fidence."

  "If that dragon dares show itself, these three ballistae will bring it down."

  Robert’s tone exuded certainty.

  "Flying Fme Dragon?"

  "Ha, I’ll make it the Falling Fme Dragon."

  FAL