Dragon Knight Chronicles ~ From a mere mercenary, rise to success through tactics! A small harem with the princess and the lord's daughter!? I'll also develop my territory! ~ - Chapter 103

Chapter 103   Battle in the Canyon

Due to the rising tide, Duke Chad’s forces were unable to lay a hand on Hardy Castle, leaving the Duke in a state of frustration.

“Duke, there’s urgent news! Our rear supply convoy has been attacked.”

“What did you say?”

Duke Chad’s forces were well-acquainted with the routes in the area and had been changing them regularly to deliver supplies to the front lines.

“…Was it the Kingdom’s army that attacked?”

“Well, it appears… it was bandits.”

“What? Are you sure about that?”

The Duke found the report hard to believe. The supply convoy had been guarded by fifty regular soldiers.

Moreover, the supply unit itself consisted of regular troops. There was no way they could have been overwhelmed by mere bandits.

“Yes, they seem to be the bandits that frequent this area. Their attire and weapons were unmistakably those of the Westbury Bandit Clan.”

The Westbury Bandit Clan was a well-known group that had long claimed the territory north of Julius Castle in the northern part of the Sork region. Their current leader was a one-eyed female chieftain named Lindsay Westbury.

“Why would they interfere with us? Aren’t they known for calling themselves righteous thieves?”

“Y-yes, that’s true, but…”

The soldier making the report hesitated. The Westbury Bandit Clan was known for targeting lords who imposed heavy taxes, making them more of an enemy to the Owen Kingdom.

So why were they now acting in a way that benefited the Kingdom’s army? Duke Chad couldn’t fathom the reason.

“Fine. Increase the escort for the supply convoys to a hundred men. That should solve the problem!”

“Yes, sir.”

The Duke reasoned that, according to reports, the Westbury Bandit Clan numbered at most around a hundred. He believed that regular soldiers would easily prevail if their numbers were equal.

◇◇◇◇◇

That night—

A messenger burst into the tent where the Duke was sleeping.

“Your Grace! The supply convoy has been attacked by bandits again!”

“Again?!”

Duke Chad’s stronghold, Ferguson, wasn’t far from this area, so he hadn’t anticipated such persistent attacks on his supply lines.

As a result, they had stored very little food at the front lines. Even a brief disruption in supplies meant they would quickly run out of arrows and the soldiers would starve.

“The nearby Kingdom’s forces have definitely withdrawn, correct?”

“Yes, we have confirmed that General Alcock’s troops have returned to the capital!”

There were no Kingdom forces left in the area, confirming that the attackers were indeed bandits.

“Fetch Earl Pan!”

“At once!”

Duke Chad took his seat, still in his nightclothes. A short while later, the armed Earl Pan entered the tent.

“Your Grace, what is the matter?”

“Earl, you’ve heard the rumors about the bandits attacking our supply lines, haven’t you?”

“Yes, they’re most insolent.”

“I want you to eliminate them. We can’t do anything about the castle while the tide is high.”

Earl Pan was in charge of the Hardy Castle siege, a highly coveted and prestigious frontline command position.

On the other hand, guarding the supply convoy was a behind-the-scenes task, not a job for a noble of the Earl’s stature.

“I understand.”

Despite his initial hesitation due to these circumstances, Earl Pan accepted the order and set out with 500 soldiers to deal with the bandits in the rear.

◇◇◇◇◇

Late at night—

The moon was hidden behind thick clouds.

“Everyone, hurry up!”

Earl Pan’s troops were moving swiftly to capture the bandits. Several soldiers carried torches, brightly illuminating their surroundings as they marched.

As they progressed through a narrow gorge, a large boulder suddenly fell and blocked the already narrow path.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s a rockfall. Please wait until we remove it.”

Hearing the report, Earl Pan grew frustrated. He feared that if he didn’t return quickly, other nobles might claim the glory of capturing the famous Hardy Castle.

At that moment, Earl Pan was far from calm.

To secure the passage, Earl Pan’s troops came to a complete halt. Soldiers rested and watered their horses.

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

The dull sound of slicing air.

Earl Pan, mounted on his horse, felt a sharp, burning pain in his right shoulder.

Looking at his shoulder, he saw an arrow embedded there. Moreover, the arrow was black-painted, clearly designed for night attacks.

“…This is bad. Everyone! Ambush! Retreat!”

As Earl Pan gave the command, rocks and arrows began raining down from the cliffs above. In the narrow gorge, the only escape was back, but they couldn’t retreat due to the obstruction caused by their own forces.

Earl Pan’s soldiers, unable to flee, fell one after another to the arrows.

“Raise your shields! Stay calm!”

Junior commanders tried to calm the soldiers, but in the darkness, they couldn’t even determine which direction to face their shields. The knights’ horses reared up, throwing off their riders and causing chaos.

…If things continued like this, they would be annihilated. There was no choice.

Earl Pan urged his trusty steed with a firm whip. The horse kicked away soldiers and galloped as commanded by its master.

“Damn it! Remember this!”

Earl Pan made a swift decision, abandoning his subordinate soldiers and escaping the gorge. Only a few followed him.

In a near-total disaster, he returned to the position where Duke Chad was waiting.

◇◇◇◇◇

“I’m terribly sorry.”

“Ugh.”

Earl Pan reported the failure of the operation to Duke Chad. However, the earl continued speaking.

“…But, Duke, what if we resupply by ship?”

The Duke’s army had mobilized three medium-sized ships for the siege of the castle. With the high tide now, Earl Pan suggested using the ships to transport supplies.

“Yes, indeed! As expected of you, Earl Pan. The enemy is just bandits. They can’t reach the sea!”

It seemed Duke Chad had forgotten the recent defeat. Seeing this, Earl Pan breathed a sigh of relief.

In any case, the resupply operation was assigned to the three ships.

…However, afterward.

“Damn it! Is that what it is!?”

Earl Pan turned toward the sea, feeling frustrated.