The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 235: We’ll Strike First (2)

Zwalter wore a dazed expression for a moment before asking,
“You’re saying we should strike first?”

“Yes. We can’t just keep taking hits like this forever, can we?”

“I understand how you feel. We feel the same way. But realistically, it’s impossible. The land is vast, and there are too many tribes. With our current strength, it’s not something we can manage.”

“So, you’re saying we should just wait again?”

“That’s the best course of action. The six tribes that were stationed nearby have already been eliminated. Without them, things will improve significantly.”

I understood what Zwalter meant.

However, I had no intention of doing that.

The nearby tribes were gone? And what of it? Eventually, others would take their place, causing havoc and tormenting us here all over again.

I couldn’t let that happen. This time, we needed to secure the rear properly.

“I’m not saying we should completely exterminate them. There are too many of them, scattered everywhere. We don’t have the resources to hunt them all down. Instead, I want to give them a scare so severe they won’t dare to come near this place for a while.”

“Is there really a need to go that far? If we’re not careful, the savages might retaliate and unite again. That would put us in even greater danger.”

It wouldn’t be hard to wipe out the smaller tribes one by one. But if the savages united, like this time, it would lead to a much greater ordeal.

Given Ferdium’s limited forces, avoiding a large-scale gathering of savages was the prudent choice.

Zwalter tried to calm me with a concerned tone, but I shook my head.

“The food shortage is just as severe for the savages. There’s no guarantee they’ll stay quiet even if we do nothing. If we leave things as they are, some of them will band together and invade again.”

“Ugh…”

Zwalter let out a heavy sigh, unable to refute my point.

The savages would continue their raids in small groups to survive.

If those raids were repeatedly blocked, they might band together again to launch a large-scale attack.

The fortress wouldn’t fall, of that much I was confident. The real problem lay in the aftermath. If the frontlines were breached, as they were this time, the savages would rampage unchecked within the kingdom.

Other territories that suffered losses would undoubtedly hold Ferdium accountable.

Sigh, it’s always the same dilemma, I thought.

It was too much for one estate to handle alone. This was especially true for a poor and resource-scarce estate like Ferdium.

If only the kingdom would help. But they were all too busy hoarding power and fighting among themselves.

“Ugh…”

Zwalter fell deep into thought.

Ferdium’s strategy had always been the same: block the routes and defend.

Not because it was the most efficient method, but because going on the offensive wasn’t an option.

And now, his son was suddenly proposing a preemptive strike, leaving Zwalter torn.

“Ghislain has a point, but is it really wise to go on the offensive?”

Having never attempted such a thing before, uncertainty came first. It clashed entirely with Zwalter’s personality, which prioritized stability and maintenance.

While Zwalter hesitated, I explained my principle to him.

“Father, as a knight, you must know this well. In battle, which is more advantageous—striking first or getting struck first?”

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“Well… Striking first is more advantageous, of course.”

Zwalter refrained from using crude expressions like “hit first, win first,” as Claude might. He was a dignified noble of the north, after all.

But I discarded any notion of dignity and bluntly spoke the truth.

“But we’ve always been on the receiving end. And because of that, we’ve grown poorer with each passing day.”

Zwalter flared up at my words. How dare I say we just stood there and took it!

“Hey! We’ve counterattacked and successfully defended every time! Sure, there were times when we missed a few who slipped through the frontlines, but… that’s because, as you know, it’s impossible to maintain such an extensive front…”

I ignored his excuses. What mattered was that we were always the ones to be struck first.

“I understand the reasons. I really do. But the fact remains that they keep targeting us because we never retaliate. I can’t just stand by and watch anymore. We won’t endure it. We’re going.”

“…”

Zwalter pondered, wondering who on earth his son had inherited such a fiery temper from.

“It must be from his mother. There’s no way it’s from me. I’m not this relentless.”

Before Zwalter could respond, another staunch advocate of caution, Claude, interjected.

“I’m against this.”

“And why are you against it?”

“Oh, come on! We just got some horses! Why go looking for another fight? Are you so starved for excitement? We’re already living a pretty dynamic life as it is!”

“So, you’re suggesting we just leave things as they are?”

“Form a large settlement near the fortress and gather people there. Sure, we couldn’t do it before because we couldn’t feed them, but now we have surplus food. It’s doable.”

While I understood Ghislain’s argument, Claude agreed with Zwalter’s stance that there was no need to provoke another fight.

The nearby savages had been dealt with, so there wouldn’t be any immediate tribal attacks. Even if other tribes united to strike back, there would be plenty of time to prepare before they arrived.

Why fight when the problem could be solved without bloodshed?

Randolph, who had been quietly listening, chimed in.

“I think that might be the better course of action. There’s no guarantee the savages will unite again. And even if they do, they’ll probably spend time fighting among themselves, giving us enough time to build a new village.”

The other retainers of Ferdium nodded in agreement. They weren’t afraid of a fight, but they had no desire to pick one unnecessarily.

The exhaustion they had felt from years of fighting the savages was immense.

I stroked my chin, glancing around at everyone.

“Hmm…”

Seeing my contemplative expression, Claude seized the moment and pressed his argument further.

“How about it? My idea’s pretty solid, right? We’ve secured over 2,000 horses, we can protect people safely—it won’t be perfect, but it’ll be a lot better than now.”

“I really just don’t want to get dragged into another war,” Claude thought, keeping his true feelings to himself.

I nodded in response to his argument.

“No.”

“Why does this guy never listen to anyone?” Claude thought to himself, before timidly asking,

“…Why not?”

“Because we need to make sure they don’t even dare think about coming back. Now that we’ve come this far, we need to do it properly. Besides, 2,000 horses aren’t enough.”

I had no intention of letting things end like this. If that had been my plan, I wouldn’t have come here at all.

“I need to achieve the results I want within three months.”

Once Baron Valois’ civil war began, Amelia wouldn’t have time to focus on this region. But that didn’t mean I could leave it unattended for long.

Who knows what schemes Harold or the Ducal families might hatch in the meantime?

Though I had turned the tables on their assassination attempts, Desmond’s territory was vast and capable of recovering quickly. Dragging this out for more than three months would only cause unnecessary complications.

“To focus on the civil war ahead, I need to leave this region stable. I need them to tremble in fear at the mere mention of our name.”

Only by securing the rear could Ferdium’s forces operate freely when needed. I couldn’t allow the savages to exploit any gap left behind.

Hearing my resolute decision, Zwalter posed a rhetorical question, already knowing the answer.

“Even if I oppose it, you’re going to act on your own, aren’t you?”

“Of course. But if you help, things will go much more smoothly. We need cavalry and Ferdium’s knights for this.”

It was true that Fenris Knights were less skilled in mounted combat compared to the savages. But Ferdium’s knights and cavalry were on par with, if not superior to, the savages in horsemanship.

Their experience didn’t come from just defending the fortress; they had also engaged in pursuit battles against the savages.

With a deep sigh, Zwalter made up his mind.

“Fine. This time, we’ll strike first.”

He knew his son wouldn’t listen anyway, so it was better to improve their chances of success.

The ones most elated by the decision were the knights and soldiers of Ferdium.

“Finally, we’re going to crush those bastards!”

“Haha! It’s about time! I was sick to death of always defending and chasing them!”

“This time, we’ll teach them a proper lesson!”

They were so excited that they couldn’t sit still.

Ferdium had never launched a preemptive strike before, always opting to conserve their limited forces.

After all, unless they completely annihilated the enemy, a few victories wouldn’t change the larger picture.

But now, with Ghislain bringing 400 knights, they had enough manpower to wipe out several smaller tribes entirely.

The thought of asking if they could seize the opportunity to help wipe out the savages had been tempting for a while, but now that Ghislain himself was proposing it, excitement spread among the ranks.

“With the Young Lord leading us, nothing can stand in our way!”

“Of course! He’s the one who created that insane mana cultivation technique!”

“This time, let’s follow his lead properly!”

Everyone knew how instrumental Ghislain had been in the defense of Ferdium. His achievements were not mere luck, as proven by his capture of Cabaldi.

And once again, in this battle, he had demonstrated extraordinary skill. No one doubted Ghislain’s expertise in warfare anymore.

They also recognized the effectiveness of the Fenris Knights. The detested mana cultivation technique had clearly been mastered by them.

With their sheer numbers alone, their charge could overwhelm most enemies.

The combined forces of the Fenris and Ferdium knights quickly prepared for departure. There wasn’t much to ready; with the fortress as their base, they were ready to move out.

Zwalter emerged in full armor, exuding authority. Ghislain addressed him,

“I’ll take the troops and handle this.”

“What? Why? I’m ready to go!”

“Someone needs to stay and guard this place. Isn’t that right? Another tribe could make a move while we’re away.”

“Ugh…”

Zwalter glared at Ghislain. He knew full well that his son was using this as an excuse to command the operation himself. A sense of exclusion washed over him.

“Ah, my dear, why did you have to leave so soon…”

If his wife were still here, they could have waited together, finding solace in each other’s company.

“Fine, do as you please. You’ve never listened to me anyway.”

Zwalter grudgingly gave his approval. Someone had to remain behind, just in case.

Ghislain was now the supreme commander. As Ferdium’s heir and of higher rank than Randolph, the captain of the knights, he held the authority.

As soon as he mounted his horse, Ghislain raised his hand and shouted,

“Let’s move! Follow me swiftly!”

The force of 400 Fenris Knights, 20 Ferdium Knights, and 200 cavalrymen set off toward the nearest savage stronghold.

The savages, known for relocating their bases with the changing seasons or shifting circumstances, had to be dealt with swiftly before they could disappear again.

The thunder of over 600 horses galloping shook the ground and sent clouds of dust billowing into the air.

At that moment, the savages at their target were enjoying a tranquil afternoon.

“Ah! I feel like going on a raid!”

“I heard some of the others banded together recently to attack those pushover guys.”

“Should we have joined in?”

“Pfft! As if they’d let us in. We’re not exactly on good terms with them. They’ll probably hog all the spoils for themselves.”

“Still, we’re low on food. We either raid another group or find another way into Ritania.”

As they idly chatted, the tribe’s war chief bellowed,

“It’s time for the hunt! Gather up!”

Not all their sustenance came from raiding. The savages also hunted monsters and beasts in the nearby forests and mountains.

However, prey was limited, and they often ended up fighting other tribes over hunting grounds.

Only large tribes near the Forest of Beasts had the freedom to hunt without interference. Smaller tribes risked their lives sneaking into the forest, avoiding detection by the warriors of larger tribes.

The Forest of Beasts was vast, spanning Ferdium and even parts of the northern lands. Once inside, as long as they weren’t caught, hunting was relatively easy.

“What’s that over there?”

“Who are those guys coming this way?”

“Enemies! Prepare for battle!”

The savages, who had been getting ready to hunt, were startled to see an army charging toward them.

At first, they thought it was another tribe attacking, but they quickly realized it wasn’t. The entire force wore gleaming armor and carried lances.

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

The ground trembled with the sound of the approaching cavalry. A savage warrior, recognizing who they were, shouted in shock,

“It’s the fortress people! Why are they here? Why now?”

The so-called pushovers were charging at them with terrifying momentum.

Completely unprepared for such an event, the savages panicked and scattered. They had never imagined that their enemies, who had always stayed on the defensive, would launch an attack.

As the chaotic scene unfolded before him, Ghislain’s lips curled into a cold, ruthless smile.

He had long decided never to be treated as a pushover again. In fact, that decision had been made ages ago.

He had simply been too pressed for time to act on it—until now.

It was time to exact retribution for all the plundering and suffering they had inflicted.

Raising his lance at an angle, Ghislain roared,

“Crush them all!”