Chapter 78 - Securing the Rear

After receiving the documents from Dante, Sir Beaumont swiftly departed the duchy's premises, equipped with nothing more than his trusty steed and his essential belongings stored securely within a storage ring.

As the sun ascended in the sky, Sir Beaumont arrived at the grand Imperial Castle. He wasted no time and promptly delivered Dante's letter to the Emperor, leading to a brief discussion between the two. Shortly thereafter, Sir Beaumont rendezvoused with the two legates who had been awaiting his arrival on the regimental grounds just outside the castle, seeking a deeper understanding of the current situation.

"Sir Beaumont, it is an honor to finally meet the White Tiger of the North," Titus Maximus, the legate of the 2nd Legion and a seasoned warrior at the peak of his prowess, greeted Beaumont, extending his right hand for a handshake.

"The pleasure is mine, Sir Titus. To think that I would have the privilege of meeting a veteran such as yourself," Beaumont replied, reciprocating the handshake with respect.

"Hahaha, let us proceed. Sir Theon is eagerly anticipating our arrival, along with his centurions," Titus chuckled, leading the way through the regimental grounds, where groups of legionaries were engaged in various training exercises.

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"We meet again, Sir Theon Valerianus," Sir Beaumont greeted, extending his hand to shake the weathered hand of the buff old man with a long white beard, exuding a palpable veteran aura. The indigo core warrior status further solidified Theon's seasoned reputation.

"It's a pleasure to see you as well, Sir Beaumont. Before we depart, I would appreciate a concise summary of the situation," Sir Theon requested, leading Beaumont toward a table adorned with a rough map of the northern territories. Wooden figurines representing various locations and troops adorned the map's surface.

"Certainly. The sooner we leave, the better," Beaumont replied, casting his gaze upon the map and delving into the information he had received from the Grand Duke.

Fifteen minutes later, the map was covered with a multitude of tiny, chess-like wooden pieces, strategically positioned to represent the deployment of troops as informed by the Duke. These wooden sculptures also highlighted Dante's assumptions regarding the movement of barbarian armies and potential points of skirmishes.

"You were wise to arrive early. Given the size of this barbarian rear division, the remaining northern troops would have struggled to handle them. If you had come any later, our journey with two legions would have made it impossible to arrive on time. Even now, assuming the barbarians are aided by beasts, we may lose several cities by the time we reach them," Sir Theon commented with a grave expression before leaning in to whisper something into one of his centurions' ears.

"Sir Theon is absolutely correct. We must depart swiftly. We can strategize while we march. Flavius, have you alerted the troops to prepare for the march?" Sir Titus inquired, turning to the centurion at his side.

"Yes, sir. The troops are ready to march at a moment's notice," Flavius confirmed with a nod.

After a confirming nod from Sir Titus, Sir Beaumont spoke up. "Very well, then let us depart. Sir Theon, I assure you that our armies are ready as well." He nodded in agreement with Flavius' words and directed his gaze toward Sir Theon.

"Let us be on our way. My troops are always prepared to march at a moment's notice. Being the 1st Imperial Legion, we must remain ever-vigilant," Sir Theon declared, departing from the tent with a rare smile gracing his face.

In less than an hour, the legions had assembled outside the imposing walls of the Imperial Castle, ready to embark on their northern march. With Sir Beaumont, Sir Theon, and Sir Titus leading the charge, the 50,000-strong army comprised archers, light and heavy cavalry, and the renowned infantry—a formidable killing machine that had secured countless victories for the empire.

"Let the march begin," Sir Beaumont commanded. The legion's flag bearers echoed his words, their horns resounding through the air, signaling the commencement of the journey north.

Nearly twenty days passed before the army reached the northern border of the Grand Duchy. By then, two fortress cities, Bamburgh and Selenium, had fallen to the barbarian forces. The invaders now set their sights on Ayr, a town merely two fortresses away from Icewind Bastion. If captured, it would spell dire straits for the main army, surrounded on both sides.

Following a five-day siege of Bamburgh, the 2nd Legion took charge of occupying the fortress at Selenium, while the 1st Legion, accompanied by Sir Beaumont, engaged the barbarian rear army. Their mission was to provide support to the main army further north.

The campaign grew increasingly gruesome as the legions confronted the barbarians. The sight that greeted them in the aftermath of the barbarian occupation of Bamburgh unleashed a fury within the legionaries that could only be quenched with bloodshed. The city lay in ruins, reduced to nothing but its fortified walls. Farms had been pillaged, women violated, and abused to the point where many chose death over the barbarians' touch. Those who remained suffered brutal deaths during the siege and its aftermath. Selenium offered a slightly less harrowing scene, being a simple fortress city with a modest garrison and its families.

Days flew by swiftly, and three days prior to the decisive battle between the Duke's main army and the barbarian chieftain, the 1st Legion made contact with the barbarian rear army. In the presence of the experienced soldiers of the 1st Legion and two indigo-grade mana core experts, the barbarian forces crumbled. Their generals paled in comparison to Sir Theon, who boasted numerous successful campaigns against the Western Kingdoms, and their soldiers lacked the organization to withstand the full might of a legion honed through relentless drilling. By the battle's end, not a single barbarian remained standing, and the white snow of the North turned crimson with their blood.

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After a thorough hour and a half of explanations, Sir Beaumont concluded his succinct account of the rear defense. He glanced at the time and acknowledged the limitations. "Your Highness, I assume you are already familiar with the remainder of the situation. While I have omitted many details about the battles and the march, time constraints prevent me from delving into them now… Sir Oberon is already waiting for you over there," Sir Beaumont said, pointing towards Oberon, who leaned against a pillar outside the training hall, his expression laced with dissatisfaction.

John cursed under his breath, realizing his forgotten obligation to meet with Oberon—a slip-up he regretted. "Shit. I apologize, but I wish to discuss this further with you later and learn more about the details," he said, hastily making his way out of the training hall to greet Oberon, who had slipped his mind completely the day before.

"Good morning, Sir. It's a relief to see you in good health," John awkwardly greeted Oberon, coughing intermittently and averting his gaze from Oberon's irritated expression.

A faint, humorless laugh escaped Oberon's lips. "Oh, so you do remember me. I thought you had already forgotten your teacher… It seems like you spent too much time with the dwarves to bother reading the history and etiquette books I gave you," Oberon said, the laugh devoid of amusement.

"Hahaha, not at all, Sir. I assure you I read all of them. It's just that the contents seem to have slipped from my mind due to exhaustion from the journey," John explained, forcing a nervous chuckle, though he ceased when he noticed Oberon's unamused countenance.

"In that case, it would be acceptable for me to test your knowledge of the book contents, wouldn't it?" Oberon asked, a wicked smile forming on his face.

"Yes, of—wait, what?" John shook his head in disbelief, a frown etching across his face.

"A test, to determine whether you truly read the books or not," Oberon clarified, leaving John with no choice but to agree. He had dug his own grave, for he hadn't even remembered to bring the books, let alone read them. Oberon had been well aware that John had neglected his reading assignment, and this test would serve as his punishment.