I Reincarnated As the Third Son of a Count’s Family, Only To Find a Series of Funerals

7 – Defense of Silverwood Baron (1)

Before the Westbernnom attack began, Patricia and I met to discuss our defense strategy.

“Baron. How about giving up the outer walls of the barony?”

“The outer walls?”

Patricia said with a serious expression.

The barony now has two walls.

The first is the inner city. It’s where I live. The inner city has a stone wall, so it’s almost impossible to attack unless there’s a major epidemic or starvation, as it’s well-equipped with defense facilities.

The second is the outer wall that surrounds the barony. Unlike the inner city, the outer wall is made of wooden panels, unfortunately. Silverwood itself has hardly seen a battlefield, and unlike Westbern, we can’t afford a stone wall to cover the vast land.

Patricia suggested giving up the vast and easily breachable outer wall.

“If we had a similar number of troops as the enemy, we could defend the outer wall to some extent, but in the current situation, defending the outer wall could result in unnecessary casualties.”

“But if we give up the outer wall without a fight, all the houses inside the wall will be pillaged by the enemy, and we will be trapped inside the inner city.”

But I found it hard to agree with Patricia’s opinion outright. While the inner city is good for defense, if we give up the outer wall, it would immobilize us completely.

If we can defend the outer wall, we can send secret messages for help during the dawn or late at night when the enemy is less attentive, but if we are stuck inside the inner city, that would be impossible. It’s as if the inner city itself becomes a prison.

Furthermore, if we were to besiege ourselves inside the inner city, it would expose us to numerous vulnerabilities to the enemy.

The pillaging of houses is a given. Although people have taken refuge inside the city, their homes are left vulnerable. Especially since the enemy forces are made up of Kamus, who are known to pillage and massacre without hesitation.

Even if the residents can protect themselves inside the city, their properties left behind would be pillaged more efficiently than a dog eating from a bowl. As a Baron, it is my duty to protect the citizens’ property as much as possible.

Of course, as Patricia said, I already know that it is impossible to continuously defend the outer wall against the enemy. But I think that at least making an effort to defend, rather than giving up immediately, would make a huge difference in boosting the morale of the soldiers in this battle.

“Right now, giving up the outer wall doesn’t seem like a good idea. Especially considering the nature of those barbarians, if we don’t fight within the inner city, they will see us as cowards and become more aggressive.”

“But Baron, as the leader of the mercenaries, I have a duty to prevent my subordinates from dying in a meaningless battle.”

“I’m not ordering you to defend the outer wall and just die. Especially since you are the only elite force we have, am I a fool to let you all die? We should hold out as long as possible, and if it seems impossible, we will retreat to the inner city.”

Although Patricia didn’t seem fully persuaded, she eventually agreed.

“Ah… I guess there’s no other option. If it becomes really dangerous, we’ll retreat to the inner city.”

“Of course. It’s a promise.”

**

The mercenaries were stationed on the walls, and rocks were piled up to prevent the enemies from invading the walls using ladders. Women were also pouring boiling water into various iron pots.

Don’t they usually pour oil instead of water in a siege? Rather than spending money on that, just buy an extra f*cking spear… Whether it’s oil or water, if it’s boiled and poured on people, it’s going to be a pain in the ass, so it doesn’t matter.

“Baron, the enemy’s siege weapons they’re preparing seem to be at an alarming level.”

The quartermaster next to me said as he looked at the siege weapons being constructed in the enemy’s camp.

“From ladders and catapults… Are they really barbarians? They were able to make them so quickly without any engineers, like us.”

“People attacking without siege weapons seem to have no intention of storming the gate.”

It seemed that they were attacking us with catapults and planning to launch a direct attack over the city wall using the ladders. Did they think it was feasible because our wooden city wall wasn’t that high?

“Prepare firmly for the catapult attack! Those without helmets should at least wear a pot on their heads!”

As I was giving orders left and right, a chilling sound was heard.

Plop! Thud!

“Oh… Bow your head!”

Whizz!

Along with the sound of the wooden city wall breaking, the stones struck the wall!

“aaah!!!”

“Defenders!!!”

“Mom!”

The conscripted soldiers, who had no combat experience, were not able to regain their senses amidst the loud sound of the catapult.

As if to not give us time to regroup, the enemy immediately unleashed a shower of arrows.

“Fire back! Archers!!!”

We also shot arrows at the enemy, but due to the significant difference in firepower, it seemed like we were barely making a dent compared to the enemy.

Nonetheless, the enemy suffered relatively more casualties from the arrows than we did behind the city wall.

“Lord Barone! We can withstand the catapult attack better than expected!”

Amidst the chaos, Patricia rushed to me and shouted. It didn’t feel as destructive as I had thought it would be. There weren’t many stones fired from the catapult hitting the wall.

While there were casualties from being hit by the fragments of shattered stones, fortunately, no one had died yet.

“It seems that the enemies hastily made the catapults. And their method of catapulting is also outdated. If it was a proper trebuchet, this wooden city wall would have collapsed at the first strike.”

Mentor Gerard, who was assisting me, spoke. As an experienced wandering knight who had been through numerous battles, he provided me with information regarding the level of the enemy catapult.

“It’s somewhat fortunate. How much longer can we hold on?”

“The enemies currently have only 4 catapults, so if their power and accuracy are at this level, we should be able to withstand it for today.”

“The ladders are coming!!!”

As Mentor and I were having a conversation, a soldier from the Red Rose Mercenaries shouted.

Indeed, seeing the reduced frequency of the catapult attack, it seemed that they were all advancing together this time. They probably didn’t want to accidentally kill their own troops climbing the city wall with the inaccurate catapults.

“Bring the stones and pots of boiling water!”

“Raise your spears! Don’t let the ladders down at all!!!”

“They’re coming!!!!”

Clunk!

“$@&%!%#!@%$#%@!!!!!@&$@#!!!”

“&*!$$^$!$@#$#%!”

The ladder descended from the battlement, and the Kamusians charged at us shouting something in their language!

“Those bastards, stab them!!!!”

“[aaahh!!! Damn it, my eye!!!]”

“You must have had a hard journey, have a sip of hot tea!!”

Sizzle-!

“[Gyaaahhh!!!! It’s hot!!!!]”

“[Oh great earth spirits! Save me!!!]”

The Kamusians, scalded by boiling water, danced wildly among themselves and then fell beneath the ladder.

“Destroy the ladder! Don’t let them climb up anymore!”

“Return the stones they threw, you bastards!”

Crack!

“[Ah!!!]”

“The ladder collapsed!!!”

One side of the wooden ladder, crafted by the Crimson Rose mercenaries, collapsed after being struck by a huge stone thrown by the Silverwood mercenaries, causing the enemy troops on the wall to tumble down below.

Watching this unfold, the Kamusian mercenary captain, Karoi, sighed and spoke.

“The resistance of the Silverwood folks is stronger than I thought. There are hardly any proper soldiers among them… As expected, a siege is no easy task.”

“Captain, if we continue like this, we’ll suffer too many casualties.”

Karoi hesitated for a moment, then gestured to the soldiers behind him. They draped fabric over pottery and lit fires, loading slingshots.

“It’s expensive, so we tried to save as much as we could. But we have no choice. Fire!”

Whoosh-!

“They’re firing slingshots again! Get your heads down!!!”

Crimson Rose mercenary captain, Satriasha, shouted a warning to the soldiers. However, this time what flew from the slingshot wasn’t a stone.

Clang!

“Damn it, it’s oil! Extinguish the fire!”

“The battlement is catching fire!”

Oil in the burning pottery launched by the slingshot was setting the wooden battlement ablaze!

“My lord!!!!”

Satricia screamed at me as if pleading. It meant it was too difficult to endure any longer. The enemies had already climbed the fortress walls too much. The fortress could not hold on for much longer.

Finally, I gave the order to retreat inside the fortress. In the current situation, there was nothing left but suicidal acts if we continued to resist.

“All soldiers, retreat inside the fortress!”

“Retreat!!”

Seeing us descending from the walls and retreating inside, Karoy rejoiced and ordered his subordinates:

“Now is the time! Silverwood scoundrels are fleeing inside the fortress! Send out all the ladder carts without exception! We must kill as many of them as possible before they enter the fortress!”

“Yes!”

Just when the Kamusin warriors were coming over the walls like a pack of wild dogs, a person appeared to block their way.

It was Gerard Gyeong. He was buying time for Edric and the Red Rose mercenaries to escape safely into the fortress.

“You will regret stepping on this wall today.”

As the Kamusin warriors faltered under Gerard’s momentum, he swung his long sword and kicked with force.

In an instant, Gerard closed the gap between him and the Kamusin warriors. He swung his sword with lightning speed.

“[Crack!!]”

“[Aargh!!]”

The two Kamusin warriors in front of Gerard couldn’t withstand his sword strikes that rained down like lightning and eventually fell, gushing blood.

“Stop him!!”

“Attack together!! Even the strongest person can’t fight alone… Argh!”

Gerard moved his feet so quickly that it was hard to follow with the eyes. And wielding his iron-like sword, he unleashed tremendous force, taking the lives of each one of them. The Kamusin warriors tried to block Gerard by all means, but Gerard didn’t give them a chance to counterattack.

“He’s… a monster!”

“Save me!!!”

The Kamusin warriors couldn’t fend off Gerard’s swordsmanship. They were too scared to dare climb up the fortress walls.

Then suddenly, a chilling sound tore through the air, accompanied by an arrow flying towards Gerard.

Thud!

“Urgh…! These bastards…!!”

“Now is the time! Attack!”

“Kill him!!!”

Thanks to his armor, the arrow didn’t pierce through, but Gerard, who took a significant impact from it, lost his balance. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Kamusin warriors swung their sharp, serrated blades towards Gerard.

‘Is this how it ends…? I haven’t been able to make Edric a great knight as Count Leon requested…’

Gerard cast a final glance at the fortress. It seemed that most of the troops had entered inside.

‘Nevertheless, it’s fortunate that we managed to buy time until Edric and the soldiers could retreat inside the fortress. Count’s fortress is sturdy enough, so we can hold on until Duke Lurein arrives to help.’

Gerald Kyeong anticipated his own fate. As a knight, Gerald Kyeong had never done anything to be ashamed of Esther, the Goddess of Radiance. He closed his eyes and waited for the angel to call him and take him up to the heavens.

However, even as one second, two seconds passed, Gerald Kyeong felt no change. It was at that moment when he felt something strange and opened his eyes.

“[Wheeze… sob…]”

He saw Camusin, with blood boiling from his mouth, impaled by a sword through his chest.

Someone pulled out the sword lodged in Camusin’s chest and sneered at Gerald Kyeong.

“Well, isn’t giving up too quick, Gerald Kyeong?”

“Robert Kyeong!”

“The Viscount asked me to save Gerald Kyeong at all costs. Even though I haven’t learned anything yet, he told me to take all the money and leave first, and if you die before him, he will definitely accuse Gerald Kyeong of fraud in the afterlife.”

Hearing Edric’s words, Gerald Kyeong chuckled and stood up.

“The Viscount is right. If I die like this, Esther of Radiance might also accuse me of fraud and imprison me in purgatory.”

The two knights faced each other, their swords raised. The Camusin soldiers, sensing the tension, took slow steps backward.

“Then, let’s go!”

“Don’t get in the way!”

The two knights leaped forward like lions but they didn’t slaughter all the enemies.

They pretended to fight, then jumped off the wall and raced at full speed towards Nae-seong. The Camusin soldiers, who had been stunned for a moment, regained their senses a little later.

“[Chase those damn bastards! Don’t let them escape to Nae-seong!]”

“[Yes!!]”

The Camusins ran after Gerald Kyeong and Robert Kyeong with all their might to capture them.

“[Don’t run away, you cowards!!!]”

“[Are you knights running away from your duty!!]”

“Oh no, they are chasing us.”

“We must be prepared to be greeted by the Viscount soon if we go a bit further.”

Indeed, Edric and the mercenaries were standing in front of the gate of Nae-seong.

“Master!! Sijangjang!!! Come in quickly!!!!”

“We’re closing the gate!!!”

The master and sijangjang were running at full speed, and behind them, the Camusin soldiers were right on their heels. This was dangerous.

“Eilen, bring that cauldron in front of you!”

“Yes, Viscount.”

Edric, holding the cauldron filled with water handed by Eilen, tightly gripped the handles of the cauldron.

Do you remember? The master’s words, “You have strength like a merchant, but you can’t control it.”

Yes. I am incredibly powerful.

I shouted at my master and the head of the warrior monks.

“Master, Head Monk. Get down!!!”

“”..!!””

When my master and the head of the warrior monks saw me holding a cauldron, a momentary look of confusion appeared in their eyes, but they immediately did as I said and got down.

I grabbed the cauldron, turned around for a moment, and with all my remaining strength, I swung my body! And finally, when the cauldron turned one full circle and faced forward, I let go of it.

Whoosh-!

“[You bastard, I finally caught you… aaargh!!!!!]”

Crash-!

With a sound that struck like a solid piece of iron hitting flesh, something that I had never heard or felt before, the violent force hit the head monk and sent him flying far away…

As people around us looked on in shock, I shouted at my master and the head of the warrior monks.

“We don’t have time to hesitate! Come in quickly!!!”

**

The gates of the inner castle closed, and silence fell within the castle for a moment.

I approached my master and spoke.

“Master, I’m relieved that you’re alive.”

“It’s all thanks to Lord Bak-Jang. If it weren’t for Robert Kyeong sent by Lord Bak-Jang, I would have been dead without any chance to resist.”

“hahahaha, you’re too kind. It was actually because Gerard Kyeong attracted the enemies’ attention and fought them off alone that we were able to retreat to the inner castle without major losses.”

My master, Robert Kyeong, and I exchanged smiles and praised each other. In the midst of that, Satricia intervened and asked, “Lord Bak-Jang! What on earth did you eat to have such incredible strength?!” The members of the Red Rose Mercenary Corps also started chattering one by one.

“I’ve never seen a person so strong in my life,” or “The woman he marries must be pitiful. No, maybe she’s lucky?” They laughed and talked.

Eirendo took advantage of that atmosphere and told a story about when he was young, how he used his enormous strength to break dishes, chairs, and door handles until his father gave him a beating, which made everyone laugh even louder.

But then, little by little, people’s mouths closed. Silence once again settled inside the castle.

And then, everyone had the same thought.

“Now what?”

Surrounded from all sides. Limited food supply. Uncertain if reinforcements will arrive.

The hellish siege battle had truly begun.