Three weeks after Lady Isabelle left my fiefdom and returned to Princess's side,
She provided me with a lot of useful information, which broadened my vision and fueled my ambition like oil poured straight into a combustion chamber, that's go *Boom*.
-----
I, Victor, Baron of Vindia, and now the Supreme Commander of my 'Grand Army', am currently standing atop the hill near my city that overlooks the once-empty field below, observing the scene from above like a bird of prey, under the edge of twilight.
That once-empty field is now a ginormous, heavily modified version of a Roman Castra camp layout, which stretches so far that it looks more like a small town than a temporary military camp.
The layout of the camp was meticulously planned and organized to suit the two factors I decided to focus on for this specific conflict, which are 'Speed' and 'Adaptability'. So it has been designed to be especially easy to pack up and move in an organized manner, and it can be edited at any time to suit the situation on the field.
"Beautiful, isn't it, darling?" Arina asked me with her usual cheerful yet gentle voice as she strolled her way up to stand beside me. Her glittering emerald green eyes, which sat behind her glasses, glanced down upon the marching camp below, while her ginger-colored hair, now somewhat longer and more flowy, moved in the windy hill air.
She's now wearing a long dark pine-green tunic edged with golden thread and an oversized papakha hat intricately made with many opulent decorations. On her hip also rests a finely made leather scabbard for her equally ornate Shashka saber.
"Of course, Arina, all thanks to you." I answered with a smile.
For the past three weeks, she has contributed so much for my army. That includes weapons, steeds, and most importantly, ten thousand men that she both recruited and conscripted into the army.
Eight thousand strong infantry of Euraskan blood now supplement my army in numbers. Their discipline and training may vary a lot, but their one and biggest advantage is that they are fanatically loyal to her, so they are reliable to guard my flanks.
Another two thousand cavalry were brought alongside them. One thousand five hundred were light cavalry armed with short lances and bows, while another five hundred were heavily armed cavalry of knights and hussars.
"How sweet, that's why I like you, darling." she said, extending her arms as she tried to hug me.
In that moment, another voice rang out from behind me. It was a voice so loud and fierce that it made my body shudder for a bit.
"What are you two doing? Shouldn't both of you be in the war room?" Elena, whose status was now elevated to Marshal of the Cavalry, asked with a frustrated and tired tone.
She's still wearing the same old crimson plate armor, but now with the addition of a small shield on top of the shoulder with my family crest painted on it. Her cloak was also changed to a white half cloak edged with scarlet-red thread, with a picture of a growling red lion and the Roman numeral number one woven onto it. Her fair face, ruby-like eyes, and flowing scarlet-red hair are as beautiful as always.
For the past three weeks, she brought me twenty companies of highly organized veteran mercenaries of many types. She guaranteed that she only selected those with good track records and trustworthy enough to be professional both on and off the battlefield. Their number is around two thousand strong, not so great in terms of number, but their quality makes them worthwhile.
"Know your place, commoner! Nobles are flirting!" Arina turned toward her and answered with a cold voice and irritated tone.
"Commoner? You mean Marshal, you little...!" Elena immediately raised her voice and walked up to us, her teeth grinding in anger.
And as they were about to fight each other again, another voice called out.
"Be professional here, you two! The war is about to break out, leave those insignificant things for later!" Valeria spoke with a voice and tone that resembled a mom scolding her kids.
Her half-face ivory mask glowed under the twilight. Her golden amber eyes were fiercer than normal, as well as her blonde hair, which had now been rearranged into a crown braid with a low bun that had been tidied up for ease of movement. Her usual clothes were now replaced with a long black trench coat with golden thread edging, worn along with a long glossy black leather cloak.
More than half of this campaign is funded by her, which gives her a lot of influence over the decision-making process. Fortunately, she doesn't seem interested in any kind of field tactics at all, as she volunteered to be my Logistic Overseer for this campaign. She provided me with a gargantuan amount of pack animals, supply wagons, and war material, so she wants to oversee them herself to guarantee their effectiveness.
"But this critter is insulting me!" Elena responded.
"Then just ignore it. Easy, right?" Valeria continued.
Arina meanwhile rudely stuck out her small tongue toward Elena like some kind of brat, prompting me to gesture my hand like a blade and strike it gently onto her forehead.
"Ouch!" Arina dramatically exclaimed in response as I began to speak once more.
"Right, let's go to the war room," I spoke in a gentle yet commanding tone.
-----
Under the roof of the massive pavilion tent brought to me by Valeria and funded using the Princess's personal coffer.
Valeria, Elena, Arina, Myself and our respective subordinates are all collectively staring at a map placed atop a foldable metallic table like some kind of obsessive grand strategy gamers.
The map is that of the Kingdom of Hyfelt. It is the kingdom whose land we are currently standing on. Flanked on the west by the Great White Mountain Range and on the east by the Great Azure Sea, the kingdom is fed by three great rivers that run across it like arteries of trade and spreading streams, rivulets, and brooks like the capillaries of agriculture.
It was separated into three regions which are, Nordenland, the frosted land of tundra and boreal plains, Middenland, the vibrant green landscape of plains and temperate forests abundant with resources and also the location of the kingdom's capital, and lastly Suddenland, the swampy, semi-jungle quagmire of a land that borders two unfriendly foreign neighbors.
"We'll march south to converge with the Princess's forces at the rendezvous point first, then charge east straight to seize the throne for her..." I stop talking and glance around the room with a cunning smile on my face, "That was the old plan, after I received some useful information from a certain someone, we might have to change things a bit... are you people willing to follow me through the hardship that's lies ahead?"
Valeria, Elena, and Arina immediately nod in response, causing their respective subordinates to contagiously nod alongside them in a chain reaction.
"Great! Now let's talk about our new plan," I continue as I point my finger down at Middenland's many segmented territories belonging to numerous feudal lords, "First, we must find a big enough foe to slaughter as a sacrificial lamb to show those lords who's boss, then we bring those who fold to our side."
"So we won't be converge with Princess's forces first, why?" Arina asked.
"Yes, because if we do so, it will no longer be our first victory, but the Princess's instead." I answered.
She nods in understanding.
"What foe do we seek to attack first, then?" Elena asked.
"According to my informant, this guy must go first." I answer as I point my finger down onto the map. It is a territory of vast, plentiful land filled with rivers and hills covered in verdant greenery. On one of its many holdings lies a small village named Riverside.
"This is Marquis Scrofa le Massif's territory. He will be our sacrificial lamb, since he was hated by the commoners, yet he holds one of the strongest military forces in Middenland as a marquis. He also leans toward the prince." I explained.
"So our aim is to make him surrender or something?" Valeria asked.
"When I said slaughter, I meant it. My intention is to murder him in one fell swoop!" I answered.
"But isn't your goal to make them side with you? Letting him surrender might be a better incentive, is it not?" she asks again in a confused tone.
I stay silent and stare at Valeria's confused face for a while before answering her.
"I just don't like the guy. We can spare others like his underlings." I answered.
Valeria smiles at my answer. "Personal vendetta, huh? I like that side of you," she says.
"Anyway... let's talk about our battle plan instead... John, your turn!" I quickly pass the explanation duty to John.
John pulls out a detailed terrain map of Marquis Scrofa's territory and unfolds it on the table over the map of the kingdom. He then places finely carved wooden models of infantry, artillery, and cavalry onto the table and begins his lengthy explanation about my carefully planned battle plan that was focusing on the "Shock and Awe" effect, which is the first step in my long grand strategic plan called: "Fall Herrscher"
And thus we spend all night discussing plan after plan after plan...