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Until just moments ago, he had been contemplating how to form the battle formation and make his move.

If the enemy’s supply unit had been annihilated, more options would be available.

However, he needed to properly confirm what had happened first.

“Explain in detail what happened.”

The other retainers could only watch silently, staring at Ghislain, who was drenched in blood.

Ghislain took a moment to glance around the hall before calmly reporting the situation.

“…So, we ambushed the enemy troops, annihilated them, and burned all their supplies. It’s a bit of a shame, but it was too difficult to bring them back. Oh, and here is the head of the supply unit’s commander, Baron Favreau. Does anyone recognize him?”

Homerne opened the box and carefully examined the head inside. He stammered as he spoke.

“Yes, that’s right. It’s Digald’s Baron Favreau. I’ve seen him a few times before.”

The retainers all let out gasps of astonishment. Only Randolph stood there, blinking, unsure of how to react.

He had intended to lash out at Ghislain as soon as they met, but the atmosphere didn’t allow for it.

Having spent his entire life on the battlefield, Randolph instinctively understood.

‘This isn’t the playful Young Lord I know. He’s exuding the aura of a human butcher. How did he become like this…?’

He couldn’t make any sense of it.

The idea that the Young Lord, who had only ever stayed within the estate and never experienced war, could appear like this.

Zwalter was surprised, albeit for different reasons than Randolph.

“An ambush… How could you act so recklessly?”

Though he scolded, his voice carried more astonishment than anger.

An ambush could inflict significant damage on the enemy if successful.

However, if it failed, it could lead to complete annihilation—a double-edged sword.

For that reason, it was a tactic employed only after careful consideration of numerous conditions, like weather, location, terrain, timing, and the disposition of the enemy commander.

Yet Ghislain had taken the troops out to attempt an ambush without even seeking the lord’s permission.

It was the kind of thing a madman might do, but Ghislain had led the troops without hesitation, and he had even succeeded.

“We don’t have many options left to us anyway.”

Ghislain replied flatly. Zwalter let out a frustrated shout.

“Even so, shouldn’t you have consulted with us first? You should’ve prepared and organized a proper force before setting out! If you’d failed, you and the mercenaries would all be dead! Don’t you understand that we can’t afford to lose even a handful of troops right now?”

“If that had happened, we might have failed.”

“What?”

“We’re already in a situation where a traitor has emerged and handed Digald the justification for war. How can we be sure there aren’t more traitors among us?”

“You scoundrel, what are you saying right now!”

Unable to contain his anger, Zwalter stood up from his seat.

The retainers and knights remaining in Ferdium were those prepared to risk their lives in battle.

Suggesting that there might be a traitor among them was a dangerous statement.

How could they willingly risk their lives if their loyalty was questioned?

Yet Ghislain responded with a blank expression.

“Can you really guarantee that there’s no such person beside you, Father?”

“W-What?”

“I trust no one. The only person I trust is myself.”

Seeing his son, covered in blood and speaking with such conviction, left Zwalter momentarily speechless.

The other retainers couldn’t argue either.

After all, it was true that a traitor had been discovered among them.

Right now, the Young Lord looked like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

Overwhelmed by the tense atmosphere, no one dared to speak.

Ghislain scanned them all with a cold gaze before speaking again.

“We’ll defend the castle from here. From now on, no one is allowed to leave the fortress. If you try, you’ll face my blade.”

Randolph’s face twisted at the harsh and unilateral declaration, and he stood up.

Just as he opened his mouth to shout, Zwalter raised a hand to stop him.

“Very well. Since the ambush succeeded, I’ll let it pass. But then, why are you suggesting a siege?”

“The enemy has a large force. Even for this small territorial battle, they’ve had to bring along a separate supply unit. But with that supply unit destroyed, they won’t be able to sustain their troops for long.”

“…….”

“In the meantime, you should send another request for reinforcements to Count Rogues. Once the reinforcements arrive, we can open the gates and launch a joint attack.”

“What if the reinforcements are delayed, or don’t come at all?”

“Even if reinforcements don’t arrive, the enemy can’t hold out longer than we can. While they retreat and prepare to attack again, we’ll have time to figure something out.”

The enemy’s main force must have brought some supplies, but they’d only last a few days at best given the size of the army.

The real concern was whether Ferdium could hold out during that time.

With the enemy bringing siege weapons, it wouldn’t be easy to hold out in Ferdium Castle, which wasn’t a fortress.

“We need to endure for at least a week.”

“We have no choice but to do our best. It gives us a higher chance of victory than a short skirmish would.”

“Mm….”

Ghislain’s reasoning made sense.

If they tried to decide things in an open battle and lost, it would all be over. But if they could hold out with the walls on their side, the odds of victory would increase.

A defending side was at a disadvantage in a prolonged siege because they would be cut off from supplies. But now, the attacking side was facing its own supply issues.

After a moment’s consideration, Zwalter turned to look at Randolph.

“What do you think?”

“Ahem, I’m not sure,” Randolph replied, clearly irritated by Ghislain’s unilateral attitude, despite the soundness of his proposal.

On the other hand, Homerne, who had been advocating for a defensive stance from the start, was quick to agree with Ghislain’s suggestion.

“This time, I think the Young Lord is right. We should request reinforcements from Rogues again and hold our ground.”

The other retainers also responded positively.

“Both sides are cut off from supplies.”

“They can’t possibly prepare enough provisions to sustain six thousand men right away. Holding out gives us an advantage.”

“The Young Lord has accomplished something significant. This is an opportunity!”

With a higher chance of survival, there was no reason to oppose Ghislain’s plan.

While the Young Lord had always been a thorn in their side, his reckless actions had, for once, turned out beneficial.

Homerne, Albert, and the other retainers smiled approvingly at Ghislain.

However, Randolph continued to look at Ghislain with suspicion.

“He’s certainly achieved something… but he’s too dangerous. At this rate, he might just become a killer.”

Having spent his life on the battlefield, Randolph sensed something unsettling in the Young Lord’s demeanor.

As Zwalter considered the retainers’ opinions, Ghislain spoke again.

“There’s another option.”

“What would that be?”

“Abandoning the people and retreating to the Northern Fortress right now.”

“You fool! Do you realize what you’re saying as a noble?”

Zwalter jabbed a finger at Ghislain, shouting in anger.

The retainers also scowled, looking at him with disdain.

“If the castle falls, the people will live as slaves and then perish! Do you not understand that?”

Even if they managed to defend the Northern Fortress, if the people of the territory were crushed, it might take decades to restore Ferdium’s stability.

But Ghislain met the Count’s gaze with cold eyes.

“Still, you know as well as I do that our chances of survival are higher if we take that route, Father.”

“…….”

Zwalter glared at Ghislain, silent.

It was Homerne who finally broke the tense silence.

“Enough! Stop it, please! We don’t have time to quarrel amongst ourselves. My Lord, though the Young Lord’s tone was harsh, his points are not entirely wrong. You must make a decision now!”

Zwalter turned his head away from Ghislain, closing his eyes as if he couldn’t bear to look at him.

He didn’t like the current situation, but Homerne was right; a swift decision was necessary.

‘The odds are slim… but it’s better than nothing.’

Abandoning the people and fleeing had never been part of the plan. He’d only hesitated because the odds of victory seemed small.

But now that Ghislain had presented a path to survival, the answer was practically decided.

Taking a deep breath, Zwalter spoke.

“Fine, we’ll stand and fight from the castle. Prepare to reorganize and deploy our forces. Also, review the route to send a message to Count Rogues.”

The retainers all bowed their heads in acknowledgment of the lord’s command.

With a glimmer of hope, they now needed to do everything they could to defend the castle.

At that moment, Randolph stepped forward and spoke.

“Wait! Are you going to leave the mercenaries the Young Lord gathered as they are? Why not incorporate them into the territory’s forces?”

Everyone’s eyes turned back to Ghislain.

Zwalter spoke coldly.

“You have no intention of complying, do you?”

“I’ll act separately.”

“Is it impossible for you to listen, even once?”

“I apologize.”

Ghislain firmly declined.

Randolph frowned. He wanted to forcibly take control of the mercenaries, but with the Young Lord taking the initiative and earning merit, he’d lost any justification for doing so.

Suppressing his anger, Zwalter spoke.

“You will still need to follow the operational commands.”

“Understood. However…”

“What is it?”

“Let me take charge of the castle gate.”

“The castle gate?”

“Yes.”

Zwalter narrowed his eyes, leaning back in his chair.

‘Is he trying to preserve his own forces? What is he planning?’

At the onset of a siege, the walls are usually the most dangerous area.

There’s the constant risk of being hit by catapults, and they have to fend off soldiers pouring out from siege towers that attach to the walls.

But once the gate is breached, it becomes the fiercest battleground.

“Why? Don’t tell me you’re avoiding the walls because you’re afraid?”

“I plan to wait near the gate and provide reinforcements wherever the situation turns dire.”

“Reinforcements, you say…”

“Since we’re dealing with mercenaries, they lack proper training. This way, I can cover any weaknesses that emerge.”

It was a reasonable explanation, so despite his unease, Zwalter accepted it.

Ghislain was unlikely to follow orders obediently anyway.

“Very well. But know this—after the war is over, you’ll be held accountable for acting independently.”

“Do as you see fit.”

Ghislain turned on his heel, as if he had concluded his business.

Albert hurriedly grabbed his arm.

“Wait! Where did you relocate the new runestones?”

“I already used them all.”

“What? You used that many already? Where on earth did you use them?”

“I used them where they were needed. Don’t worry about it.”

Without further explanation, Ghislain strode out of the hall.

‘The preparations are almost complete now.’

One by one, the pieces were falling into place as he had planned.

But he hadn’t been entirely forthcoming about everything.

‘Count Rogues won’t be able to send reinforcements.’

Although other territories had responded, even if just to decline, all communication with Rogues’ estate had ceased.

It meant that every route to that estate had already been cut off.

‘As I expected from him.’

Seeing soldiers bearing the insignia of Digald had confirmed his suspicions.

Only two major lords in the North could provide such a substantial force.

One was Count Raypold. And the other…

‘The Supreme Commander of the Northern Army, Duke Harold Desmond.’

Later on, the Kingdom of Ritania would restructure its military in response to the continental turmoil that swept the land.

The northern lords would all become vassals of Harold, and Harold Desmond would be granted a new title as Duke.

‘So, you were the one in charge of the North all along.’

Ghislain had encountered Harold in his previous life.

Though inflexible, Harold had a good grasp of strategy and was quite capable in combat.

After suffering defeat at Ghislain’s hands, Amelia had gathered her remaining forces to wage guerrilla warfare, but Harold was the type who preferred direct, brute-force confrontations.

‘With him involved, holding out will likely be difficult.’

Count Ferdium and his retainers had chosen to fight, relying solely on the hope Ghislain had offered.

But Ghislain himself didn’t believe that holding the castle was truly feasible.

Desmond would have considered siege warfare from the start, which was why he sent such a massive force equipped with siege weapons.

‘This is the best option.’

Ghislain was confident he could face the enemy head-on without faltering.

If he launched a surprise attack with the six mages, they could inflict considerable damage.

The enemy was unaware that there were mages stationed here.

If he led a charge to strike the enemy’s flank, he could potentially collapse their formation.

With a well-coordinated plan and synergy among his forces, he had a decent chance of winning even in open battle.

‘But having a mere chance isn’t enough.’

Engaging directly would inevitably result in significant losses for his side.

If they lost, it would be over, and even if they won, it wouldn’t truly be a victory.

A pyrrhic victory would leave them too weakened to withstand a second assault.

Ghislain wasn’t interested in a hollow victory.

‘I need to make an example.’

He needed to make it absolutely clear to the enemy. They had to understand that touching Ferdium meant death.

Up until now, every move Ghislain made had been for this single purpose.

For this one decisive move.