Chapter 129: The Knights Order Sortie (Bonus Chapter)

For the sake of prudence, Major Green felt it necessary to seek instructions from the Colonial Governor, Sir John Norfolk, and the Garrison Commander, General Charles Gates. Captain Daniel, however, opposed this on the spot, arguing that time was of the essence.

"From the barracks to Leiden Port, it takes at least a week of hard riding, and a fortnight for a round trip. If we wait for authorization from the Governor and the Commander, I fear the town of Dulin will have been reduced to ruins and its people slaughtered. Are we to stand idly by and watch this tragedy unfold?"

Major Green, well-acquainted with his hot-headed friend, did not argue with Daniel, but instead raised his second concern.

"According to the intelligence provided in Mr. Jason Tyndall’s letter, the enemies at Dulin are not just lizardfolk; the goblin tribes of the Screaming Forest will also participate in this war. This means we must contend with a coalition of two major tribes, the 'Cold-Bloods' and the 'Screaming' ones. Conservatively, the enemy force will be no less than a thousand strong. We have only three hundred cavalrymen, most of whom have served for less than two years—they are novices lacking practical combat experience. Frankly, even if we deploy our entire force, it would be difficult to counter such a formidable coalition. Would a rash attack not be tantamount to suicide?"

Major Nathaniel Green’s calm and composed analysis plunged the dining hall into silence. In such a somber atmosphere, no one had the appetite to eat.

Major George Vasa sat with his usual stern expression, making his true thoughts inscrutable. Young Captain Daniel’s face flushed red, and he stood up excitedly, wanting to argue with Green, but a stern look from Major Vasa forced him to sit back down, his mouth clamped shut in sullen silence.

Tom and the Tyndall brothers exchanged glances, unable to hide their disappointment. Roger cleared his throat, hoping to use his acclaimed eloquence to persuade Vasa and Green to authorize the expedition. However, the atmosphere was so heavy that Roger’s mind went blank; he opened his mouth, but for a moment, he did not know where to begin.

Joann had anticipated this situation, and the charcoal pencil he carried came in handy. Using a pristine napkin as parchment, he quickly listed two points of rebuttal to Major Green’s concerns and silently pushed the napkin toward Roger.

Roger scanned the text on the napkin, feeling his confidence return. With his mind and tongue restored to vigor, he stood up, bowed slightly to the three officers, and requested permission from Major Vasa to speak.

Major Vasa nodded, signaling him to speak his mind.

Roger reconfirmed the debate points on the napkin and looked confidently at Nathaniel Green.

"Major Green mentioned that unauthorized deployment violates military discipline, which is true. However, allow me to remind you, honorable sirs—failing to save those in peril also violates the code of knighthood, the faith of a paladin, and, more importantly, the vow you took upon joining the service: to defend your homeland and your compatriots to the death! Is military discipline more important than these? Or does the desire to avoid offending superiors mean a soldier can betray their principles, faith, and duty, ignoring suffering compatriots and effectively becoming an accomplice to bandits?"

Roger’s series of questions caused Major Green’s expression to change, though he held back a retort. Daniel could not help but applaud, until a stern look from Major Vasa forced him into silence.

"Well said, Mr. Tyndall, please continue," George Vasa said calmly.

"As for Major Green’s second concern, the town of Dulin has already made preparations. We possess no fewer than two hundred well-trained and well-equipped militiamen, and in times of necessity, we can conscript over three hundred able-bodied townsfolk with prior military experience! In fact, before we left to deliver the letter, our town had already successfully repelled the first wave of the Cold-Blood tribe’s offensive. This proves that Dulin is no 'soft target' to be bullied, and that we are not cowards waiting for others to rescue us!"

Roger steadied his emotions and continued: "Furthermore, we have sent a request for aid to the Algonquin tribe, with whom Dulin has always maintained friendly relations. Barring any mishaps, the Asa hunters from the Algonquin Valley are already on their way to Dulin. If you sirs move quickly to rescue the town, the knights can coordinate with the Asa warriors and our militia to strike the enemy from three sides and crush them in one blow!"

"The Asa people will join the war as well..." Major Green mused, adjusting his glasses. He offered Roger a frank smile: "Young man, you have a silver tongue; you have succeeded in persuading me."

Roger scratched his head, embarrassed. "This is all thanks to Joann’s promptings; I am merely a 'mouthpiece'."

Major Green gazed deeply at Joann, seemingly pondering why the one-eyed young mage, who clearly understood how to persuade others, chose to express his insights through someone else’s mouth rather than speaking for himself.

Joann lowered his head to avoid the Major’s gaze, feigning indifference.

Since both Daniel and Green agreed to rescue Dulin, George Vasa hesitated no longer. He immediately ordered the orderly to sound the assembly call. Within half an hour, three hundred fully armed imperial cavalrymen were lined up in the square.

George Vasa mounted his tall white horse, nicknamed "Nelson," with Green and Daniel flanking him, and led the cavalry unit out into the morning light.

Joann, Wes, Tom, and the Tyndall brothers also mounted their horses to join the knights. Gray and Jamie did not need horses, sprinting closely behind Joann.

The knights departed on the morning of March 25, 1620, galloping north along the Dulin River valley. They were extra cautious when passing the outskirts of the Screaming Forest, and at night, the campsite was surrounded by sentries to guard against goblin raids. Perhaps because the defenses were too tight, the goblin bandits lurking in the dense woods were the sort to bully the weak and fear the strong; knowing they could gain no advantage, they kept their distance.

The march was free of harassment. After the night’s rest, they continued on their way. By four o’clock the next afternoon, the knights had cleared the dense forest, and the advance scout team was less than fifty miles from Dulin. The terrain ahead was favorable, following a broad, flat riverbank. In two hours at most, the main force would reach the town.

The closer he got to home, the more anxious Joann felt, worrying that the reinforcements might arrive too late and his hometown might already be in ruins. As he wavered in his thoughts, a hoarse bird cry sounded in the air. Looking up, he saw a raven flying toward them. The bird circled a few times, as if recognizing Joann, then tucked its wings and dove straight toward him.