203: The upcoming clash

"Alright, your curiosity has been satisfied. Everyone head back now. I have some private matters to discuss with Raine!"

Karl issued an order for Horn and the others to leave.

Horn glanced at Raine, then rose to salute Karl before departing.

The others followed suit, leaving the Red River Territory camp.

Once everyone had left, Karl continued speaking.

"Is Alistair doing well with you?"

Raine thought to himself that it was as expected; the only private matter he could discuss with Karl was Alistair.

"Alistair is doing very well. She quite likes the Red River Territory."

"I thought so. After all, in the last letter she wrote to me, she praised you and the Red River Territory quite a bit."

Hearing Karl say this, Raine felt a bit awkward. He hadn't said goodbye to Alistair before leaving this time, and Alistair hadn't mentioned bringing anything for her father or written a letter. Raine only now realized that coming empty-handed was probably not ideal.

"Hahahaha!"

"Relax, kid!"

Seeing Raine's discomfort, Karl laughed and told him to relax. His tone was not that of a superior to a subordinate, but rather more like an elder to a junior in his own family.

"Alistair's judgment is much better than this old man's!"

"The Red River Territory has developed rapidly under your leadership. Although surrounded by powerful enemies, I believe those enemies won't be a problem given your abilities. The future Red River Territory will surely prosper quickly."

Karl showered Raine with praise, then suddenly changed the subject, saying:

"However, some of your actions are not quite appropriate. You should know what I'm talking about. A while ago, a squad of Ordinance Knights heading north was intercepted by me."

"You must understand one thing, Raine. Although this is the North, and although you are in a remote area of the Northern border, you still belong to the Kingdom. The Kingdom has its rules."

"Even I do not dare to lightly disobey the orders of the Golden Royal Family, let alone you?"

"What you've done isn't a major issue, but not following the Royal Family's rules is very troublesome. Fortunately, the Red River Territory is remote and overlooked, so no one is bothering you for now."

"But remember, I can help you once, but I can't help you for a lifetime. If the Royal Family's Ordinance Knights truly discover your actions in the future, you'll be in big trouble."

"Do you understand!"

Raine did not argue and nodded obediently.

"Thank you for your help, Your Highness. I understand what I must do in the future!"

Karl looked at the obedient and submissive Raine and nodded with satisfaction.

"Very good. It wasn't in vain for me to tell you all this."

"Tomorrow morning, you will set out ahead of us and lead the warriors of the Red River Territory to Thorn Castle to support Earl Zaradok."

"Your subordinates are elite cavalry and are fast. This task isn't difficult; once completed, I'll credit you for the achievement!"

"Yes, Your Highness. I certainly won't let you down."

Afterward, Karl chatted with Raine for a few more moments before leaving the Red River Territory camp.

Watching Karl's departing figure, Raine pondered the deeper meaning behind the Grand Duke's visit. This Grand Duke coming here specifically surely had some hidden intention.

"What exactly is this Grand Duke up to?"

The night passed quickly. Early the next morning, Raine followed orders and set out ahead of the rest to support Thorn Castle.

Earl Porcupine's Thorn Castle was now completely surrounded by the Stag Territory allied forces, with an army of one hundred thousand encircling the castle.

"Thorn, where is our Grand Duke of the Raging Bear now?"

Heisenberg had formed an adventure party while traveling abroad. During his decades of wandering, this party had always accompanied him, and its members were his most trusted companions.

Now that Heisenberg had become the Grand Duke of Stag, he had brought all his former adventuring partners back to the Stag Territory and entrusted them with important responsibilities.

Thorn was one of them.

As the former Rogue of the team, Thorn played the roles of assassin, thief, and scout.

Heisenberg let Thorn play to his strengths, appointing him as the commander of the Rangers and forming a Ranger unit to gather intelligence for him. The Rangers played the same role as the former Rogues.

"The Rage Bear Territory's main army is on its way and will arrive here in about three days."

"Three more days to arrive. It seems our Grand Duke of the Raging Bear is truly getting old; he's moving too slowly."

"Their speed is indeed not fast, but a cavalry unit acting as a vanguard is rapidly approaching and should arrive this afternoon."

"This cavalry unit is very strong, including two hundred Magic Wolf Knights. Every Magic Wolf Knight is at the Bronze Rank, and their commander is a Gold Knight."

"Based on the unit's banners and noble crests, the one leading them is from the Wild Wolf Family of the Rage Bear Territory. Judging by his strength, it can be confirmed as Viscount Raine Derrick of the Red River Territory."

Thorn recounted all the gathered intelligence in detail, focusing particularly on the unit led by Raine, who had set out ahead of the rest.

Thorn and his Rangers had already made arrangements in advance, monitoring every move of the Rage Bear Territory army clearly.

"Raine Derrick?"

"I haven't heard of such a person in the Rage Bear Territory."

Heisenberg recalled the information in his mind regarding key figures in the Rage Bear Territory but found no information about Raine Derrick.

"According to information sent back by our people in the Rage Bear Territory and news leaked by their nobles, this Raine Derrick is a newcomer who has risen only in the last year."

"The Derrick Family was once merely a Baron family in the Rage Bear Territory with negligible strength, but this Raine has extreme talent and very good luck. Recently, his strength has also broken through to the Gold Rank."

"A newly risen figure, interesting!"

Heisenberg thought for a moment and said, "Is that old fellow Torrens leading people to pillage in the west?"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"That old thing. I said before setting out not to act without orders, yet he hasn't listened to my commands at all. It's time to teach him a lesson."

"Inform all the nobles that the Rage Bear allied forces will arrive in three days. Do not mention the news about Viscount Raine and his Magic Wolf Knights. Also, pull back our people and stop them from going out; wait for the upcoming battle."

"Do not bother with those units that have scattered to pillage!"

"Let those disobedient old fellows go first to test the mettle of this Rage Bear Territory newcomer."

"I understand, Your Highness!"

Heisenberg originally intended to use this war to establish his prestige; weakening the disobedient old fellows was just a convenient side benefit. It would be best if it worked, but it didn't matter if it didn't.

"The key still lies in the battle with that raging bear. Only by suppressing that bear can I make those old fellows shut their mouths completely!"

A fire called ambition burned in Heisenberg's eyes. Breaking through to Legendary and inheriting the title of Grand Duke was not his end goal; he had even greater aspirations to achieve.

Under Heisenberg's orders, the stag allied forces showed a phenomenon of polarization: part of the army began to pull back, while another part scattered to head toward the surrounding towns.

The nobles of the Stag Territory showed no mercy toward the people of the Rage Bear Territory. Nearby towns in the Rage Bear Territory were pillaged by the army, and then the towns were set ablaze.

Looking at the billowing smoke rising in the distance, Zaradok and the other Rage Bear Territory nobles holding out for reinforcements inside Thorn Castle were all red-eyed with rage.

These destroyed towns were their territories. How could they not be furious when their homes were being ruined?

"When the Grand Duke arrives, I'm going to chop those stag bastards into pieces!"