Chapter 404: The Strange Count Akakarat (2)

Chapter 404 -276: The Strange Count Akakarat (2)

The Emperor could have simply sent them to the grasslands to be enfeoffed, creating countless minor nobles and turning the grasslands into a heap of loose sand.

A great noble would act like the eye of a storm, drawing in the minor nobles around them, but a swath of minor nobles could only ever be a heap of loose sand.

At that point, the Emperor’s power would return to its zenith. His Control Power over the grasslands, and indeed the entire empire, would reach its peak, and no one would be able to shake his rule.

The negative effects of the previous western rebellion, the war in the Northern Lands, and the Alien Race invasion in the southern deserts would all be minimized.

In that case, everyone would be happy. The music would play on, the dancing would continue, and Caladia would still be Caladia, filled with revelry night after night.

The nobles would put away their inappropriate ambitions and submit once more. The merchants would abandon any thoughts of investing in chaos and continue to slowly accumulate their strength.

The empire’s order would be reshaped, and all power would return to the Emperor’s hands.

However, if Henry’s current operation succeeded—if he truly led the grassland nobles to seize control of the entire region—then the situation would be entirely different!

The Emperor would be forced to retract his tendrils. Seeing the Emperor’s weakness, nobles everywhere would raise the curtain on an era of great chaos.

Great chaos meant death, displacement, and homelessness. Countless people would lose everything in the fires of war.

But at the same time, great chaos also represented an opportunity to rise.

Nobles whose growth had been suppressed, the scions who craved power and land, and commoners attempting to rise up—all would throw themselves into this tidal wave.

Merchants might find new trade routes and opportunities amidst the chaos, while ambitious military officers would also seek their own stage in these turbulent times.

Nobles plotted countermeasures in secret chambers, merchants exchanged the latest news in theaters, and the commoners and self-employed farmers simply prayed that they could continue to live in peace.

Henry’s army marched north as if through unmanned lands, their pace growing faster and faster.

Initially, they had advanced with great caution, worried about potential ambushes, sabotaged roads, or even harassment from small enemy detachments.

However, none of the anticipated obstacles materialized. The roads were clear and unobstructed all the way. The crops in the fields were untouched. They could even occasionally see wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys of a few farmhouses, as if the shadow of war had never fallen upon this land.

This left Henry, his Attendants, his officers, and the other nobles feeling bewildered.

‘What in the world is going on? Has Count Akakarat already given up the fight?’

This was very strange. Count Akakarat might seem weak, but he was not one to give in so easily. He had to be plotting something.

However, when they arrived within range of Akakarat City, the sight before them left them even more dumbfounded.

The walls of Akakarat City were tall and sturdy. Banners fluttered atop them, with the Count’s family flag hung high. The soldiers stood in formation, the defenses on high alert.

The city gates were shut tight. A fully armed archer stood every few paces along the wall, and behind the crenellations, spearmen could be seen patrolling back and forth.

On the open ground outside the city, rows upon rows of anti-cavalry obstacles and pit traps were neatly arranged, clearly prepared to stop an enemy Cavalry charge if the gates were breached.

“What in the world is going on?” Henry muttered to himself, looking at the city before him, which seemed to be bracing for a major assault.

‘Did Count Akakarat get his brains kicked in by a donkey? Any sane person would have done everything possible to impede my army’s advance.’

‘Even just sending out small squads of Cavalry to harass us, or digging a few pits in the road every so often, could have delayed our journey by several days, wasted a significant amount of food, and worn down our fighting spirit.’

Claude was also confused. He said to Henry, “Perhaps he’s just putting on an act, trying to make us think he’s certain of victory and intimidate us?”

Henry shook his head. “No, I feel like something’s fishy here. If he really wanted to stall for time, why were there no obstacles on our way here? And if he wanted a direct confrontation, why isn’t he taking the initiative to attack?”

Henry ordered the entire army to halt and make camp. He sat in his tent, mulling over Count Akakarat’s intentions.

He gathered with Boman and the others to discuss the various possibilities.

Some speculated that Count Akakarat might have reached some sort of agreement with the Emperor. Others believed he was waiting for reinforcements. Still others thought he might be using this method to probe Henry’s true strength.

Yet, no matter what they guessed, they couldn’t determine Count Akakarat’s true intentions.

Henry knew this world had hidden depths and wasn’t as simple as it appeared on the surface. He wouldn’t even be too shocked if a few people who could use Magic suddenly flew over.

‘Could it be that Count Akakarat really has some power he’s holding in reserve, waiting for me to walk right into his trap?’

Night fell. The bonfires outside the tents blazed, illuminating the entire camp.

Henry stood at the entrance to his tent, gazing at the brightly lit Akakarat City in the distance, his heart filled with doubt.

‘It doesn’t make sense. If Count Akakarat really had that kind of power, he would have taught me a lesson long ago. Why wait until now? To put it more bluntly, if he really had that ability, he would have already united all the nobles of the grasslands himself.’

He didn’t know what Count Akakarat was thinking, but in any case, he planned to launch a swift attack, regardless of the casualties.

Henry summoned Boman and several other nobles to his tent. With a serious expression, he said, “Gentlemen, I have already decided on a plan of attack. We cannot hesitate here. We must act as quickly as possible to disrupt whatever Count Akakarat has planned.”

Fass frowned, saying with some concern, “Henry, the defenses of Akakarat City are so formidable, far stronger than Odoche’s. If we attack rashly, I’m afraid we’ll suffer heavy losses.”

Henry smiled faintly, a sharp glint in his eyes. “I know your concerns. The tasks of scaling the walls and ramming the gates—I’ll leave those to your men. As soon as you establish a foothold on the walls or break through the gates, my soldiers will immediately charge in to kill the enemy.”

Boman and the others looked at each other, a little baffled. They had assumed Henry wanted to use their men as cannon fodder so he could monopolize the glory, but he had just said it so bluntly…

Henry quickly sensed their thoughts. He smiled faintly and continued, “I know what you’re thinking. I won’t let your soldiers die in vain.

“The division of spoils won’t just be based on the number of enemies killed and tactical objectives achieved. The number of casualties will also be factored into the standard. What do you think?”

Hearing this, looks of pleasant surprise appeared on their faces.

Edmund was the first to react. “Lord Count,” he said, “with an arrangement like that, we naturally have no objections. But are you really sure that casualty numbers can be included in the standard for dividing the spoils?”

Henry nodded and said seriously, “Of course. I won’t have you shed blood for nothing. In this major operation, we are a single entity. Only by working together can we achieve final victory.”

The men glanced at each other, unable to hide the smiles on their faces. As for the dangerous work, they could just make the serfs do it. Their professional soldiers could hang back and watch the show, then make a token charge to scale the walls when the time was right. In any case, it would be Henry’s army that did the finishing blow.

Hearing this, the last shred of doubt in their hearts vanished. Boman said excitedly, “Henry, we’ll go and prepare at once. We certainly won’t disappoint you!”

Henry waved his hand, dismissing them. After they had left, he stood alone at the entrance of his tent, gazing at the brightly lit Akakarat City in the distance.

‘No matter the outcome of this war, I will not allow my own army to suffer significant losses. My soldiers are the only real soldiers, the only ones I can trust.’

‘Money, in theory, is useless to me now. Using money to get other people’s armies to fight for me? Worth it!’