“Hurry, run!”

In Mill Village, twenty li from Tie Mu City, the village’s constable shouted instructions to a group of young villagers.

“Formations! Stand at attention.”

“Count off!”

“One, two, three…”

“Constable, Mill Village’s guard is made up of fifty-six men. All are present and accounted for. Please give your orders.”

In the public square of Mill Village, a group of peasant soldiers gathered, each bearing an ironwood spear. Some carried hunting bows as well, and their attire varied widely. Some wore only flaxen clothes, while others donned leather armor and helmets; a few even had iron plates strapped to their leather gear.

Though their equipment was diverse, their formation was neat, and though they were anxious, their spirits were high. They possessed a fervor that most other territories’ farmers lacked.

“Turn right.”

“Maintain your formations. Run to Tie Mu City.”

The villagers quickly departed, leaving only a trail of fading figures for the elderly, women, and children lining the road.

This scene played out in dozens of villages under Hunter’s jurisdiction.

Contrary to the sluggish mobilization of Willem’s territory, Hunter’s mobilization was swift and efficient.

At Richard’s suggestion, ironwood became the center point from which training spread to dozens of surrounding villages. During the nonharvest months, civilians underwent basic combat drills every month, and a comprehensive system of wartime mobilization was established.

Now, the war machine Richard had spent years building prepared to bare its fangs for the first time.

Several days later, all the militia and peasant soldiers of the Wood Iron Territory had assembled in Tie Mu City. The equipment of the city’s militia was noticeably better than that of the peasant soldiers from the villages.

Most of Tie Mu City’s militiamen wore leather armor, and some even donned old and broken suits of iron armor. Aside from their ironwood spears, which were issued by the territory, all other equipment was supplied by the soldiers themselves, though the Hunter family never bothered to inquire about it.

In order to protect their lives, these militiamen equipped themselves as best they could, but even the appearance of such rare equipment as iron armor indicated that, under Richard’s administration, a portion of the population had become quite wealthy.

Within the Wooden Iron Castle, the heads of the Hunter family and the captains of the Ironwood City Guard were meeting in the Boule Chamber to discuss an important postwar military operation.

On this rare occasion, Richard sat in the seat of authority, issuing orders. Viscount Souter sat beside him, awaiting his instructions.

“Second Uncle, Third Uncle, lead the cavalry to protect our flanks and prevent the Willem family’s cavalry from attacking our sides.”

“Yes, sir.”

“My father and I will lead the personal guard.”

The knights were naturally concentrated into one powerful force to crush their enemies, rather than divided to be defeated piecemeal.

“Understood.”

Richard used the System’s soldiers as his personal guard, their unwavering loyalty and fearless determination making them the best guardsmen possible.

“Kocha, you lead the newly recruited City Guards and some of the militia to defend Tie Mu City and maintain order.”

Tie Mu City’s City Guards originally consisted of three hundred soldiers, all of whom had received long-term training. Richard planned to use these newly recruited 200 soldiers to defend Tie Mu City against any surprises. After all, it would be unwise to leave the city completely unguarded.

Integrating untrained recruits into the army could lower the overall combat effectiveness of the troops, so Richard decided against it.

“I want to go fight alongside you.”

Kocha was the son of Richard’s second uncle, and he was a few years older than Richard. He had recently been promoted to the rank of quasi-knight.

Kocha admired Richard, his younger cousin, greatly and had never questioned any of Richard’s decisions. However, this time, he was too excited to pass up the opportunity for battle. Richard, on the other hand, wanted him to stay behind and protect the city, leaving him conflicted.

“Your cousin is right, protecting the women and children inside the city is just as important.”

“Yes, sir.”

There was no arguing with such direct dismissal. After settling a few more matters, Richard dismissed everyone else but Kocha.

“Is there any dissatisfaction with my orders?”

“No, not at all.”

This was true; at most, Kocha would complain a little. While he might feel slightly unhappy, it wasn’t enough to warrant dissatisfaction with Richard.

Richard nodded, not pressing the issue. “I trust my cousin more than so many others.”

The Hunter family was small, and there were even fewer members who could fight. As someone both competent and trustworthy, Richard had plans for Kojah beyond the battlefield.

“If we do not succeed, Kojah, you must protect the women and children within the fortress and retreat to the ironwood forest with them, where Eko has stored enough supplies for you to survive.”

Richard’s caution was evident even in his preparations. Though he was confident in their ability to win this war, he had carefully planned for the worst-case scenario.

Richard was a man who preferred to plan for everything, believing that every situation should be under his control. No matter what unexpected events occurred, he needed to be able to respond calmly, without losing control.

“Yes, my lord.”

Though Kojah wanted to fight on the front lines, Richard’s instructions were clear, and he understood the importance of his own mission.

After everyone had dispersed, Richard walked alone to the top of Wooden Iron Castle’s tallest tower. From there, he could see the entirety of Tie Mu City: the neat houses, the wide streets, the carriages and pedestrians coming and going, and the soldiers gathered at the training grounds.

Beyond these, he could see the endless ironwood forest and fields stretching to the horizon.

His hair whipping about his head from the high-altitude winds, Richard gazed at all that lay before him, feeling an immense sense of pride swell within his heart.

From this day forth, the continent’s political climate would begin its first turbulent shift.

Inside Greatstone Castle, Viscount Willem’s room was illuminated by candlelight. The news of the great army gathering at Tie Mu City had long since been reported by his spies. The Hunter family’s rapid movements unsettled him.

Of the farmers and quasi-knights under his command, only four thousand had assembled so far; at least another thousand remained unaccounted for.

Viscount Willem governed his people and commanded the battlefield with equal ease; he was no ill-informed noble. Naturally, he understood the implications of such a swift mobilization.

An indescribable premonition haunted his thoughts, but the arrow had left the bow, leaving him no choice but to fire. Unless he was willing to become a vassal of the Hunter family, this battle could not be avoided.

With a heavy exhale, Viscount Willem extinguished the candles in his room and lay down in his bed, forcing himself to sleep.

Under the cover of night, both territories stirred restlessly in the darkness.