Click!

The carriage stopped, and I got out of it, before walking toward the city hall.

I looked around me and saw the people going on their ways, completely unaware of the danger, they were about to face.

They will be informed of the undead soon enough. Let’s hope, things work smoothly than the last time. They should. We had time to lay a complete protocol and put capable people in control.

“The horde had come out of Panar,” informed Zela.

I didn’t even stop hearing the news; I had been expecting it.

They are clearly going to attack the Port Midlet again, and they have enough undead to launch an attack on us. It would be a waste of opportunity if they didn’t attack us.

The question is, who else they are going to attack?

They have spotted the ships at the coast of Ashton Harbor and Port Midlet, but not Gailhorn. I can’t think of any other reason. That is the cost of a merchant state of Belnin.

The merchant state possesses one of the most powerful navies of the continent and they guard their territories zealously.

Click!

Soon, I reached the conference room seven, and several people were already sitting there.

“Lord Silver,” they greeted. I nodded and sat down, “Let’s wait for everyone before we start,” I said, and nobody said anything.

Everyone either becomes quiet or begins to contact their sources.

The people came in pretty quickly, and soon, the whole conference was filled. Everyone who needed to be here has arrived.

“The undead are coming,” I said to the entire conference room, which had turned somber. For several seconds, nobody spoke, before Stone opened his mouth.

“The information merchant state had provided us, states that the horde is consisting of two hundred and fifty thousand undead, with six Lv. 30+ powerhouses,” he said and looked across the table.

“There are going to be obviously more. The last time, there were ten Lv. 30+ powerhouses. So, we should expect more than that,” he added.

“Who is leading the horde?” asked Valentina. It is important to know the commander. As every commander has style. Knowing it, we could strategies better.

“They were not able to find that out yet. Of the six names we got, five we have information on, and they don’t have any experience in leading the horde,” he replied.

“Have we got any information on the type of horde it is? Any special units?” asked Captain Garzong.

His rank isn’t high enough to participate in the meeting, but he is acting representative of the orcs, like the other four, and like the other four, he is also a Lv. 30 powerhouse.

“No, as far as the information provided to us; it is a normal horde,” he replied, making many people feel relieved.

The horde is already bigger, bigger than what we had faced last time.

The horde last time, was made of a hundred and fifty thousand undead. After it merged with the second horde, their numbers swelled to one hundred and eighty thousand before the establishment blasted it to pieces.

The battle will be even more dangerous than last time. The horde is bigger and there will be more powerhouses.

And unlike last time, the undead will be more prepared. They will also have information on us, like we have on them.

Most importantly, they won’t make the same mistakes, they did last time.

They absolutely wouldn’t go closer to the establishment, which I could blast again, and seeing new ones being built with magical material; the blast would be even stronger.

“Are we ready to deal with them? I mean, our army?” asked Robin, and every eye became focused on stone.

“Twenty-two thousand isn’t far from enough to deal with a horde of two hundred and fifty thousand, but we might be able to,” he replied. Many looked at him with questions, but he didn’t elaborate.

The plan will be discussed in the strategy meeting. This isn’t a strategy meeting.

“What about the city guards and new trainees we have recruited in the past two weeks? Will be going to use them?” asked the Shaman Trik.

“Unless we really have no choice, we will not,” he replied.

The relief flooded into the faces of many Orcs. Most of the newly recruited people in these past two weeks are orcs. They are young and untrained; sending them to battle without training would be a suicide.

We have an army of twenty-two thousand people, with mercenaries and volunteers. We will be able to take it to twenty-five thousand.

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It is still not enough to deal with the horde, ten times its size, but I have to believe in Stone. He clearly has the plan.

The meeting ended half an hour later, till only Stone, Colonel Cardin, Shaman Trik, and Lt. Col Azalea had remained.

“Can we really do it?” I asked. I had remained quiet in the meeting; only asking a few questions. “There is a good chance we will,” he replied, after a moment of silence.

“Good, plan it and if you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask,” I said and walked out of the conference room.

He needs to plan a battle, while I need to manage the city.

“The citizens being informed about the dangers and all the guilds and offices started following the protocol,” Ina informed, me as I stepped into my office.

“Is there any crowd at the gates?” I asked. “Yes, but small, and most of those people are from the merchant state,” she replied.

“Ask the guards to follow the protocol without listening to the threats,” I said.

Last time, I had let the people leave. This time, I will not.

Anything could happen on the route; I am not going to take the risk. Even merchant states in their official capacity had asked me to keep their citizen in the city, in a safe place.

They were lucky, that undead did nothing last time, but they might do something, this time.

I doubt it, it might happen. Though, I would have used this excuse, if their cities, hadn't asked me to do it.

I need them in the city. Feel the danger and our eventual survival. It will give them more confidence in the city and they will become messengers of what happened, propagating what they had experienced.

I know, I am playing with their safety, but I need to do this for the city and its people.

Everyone would be safe in the city. The only thing, I have to do is to win against the undead. If I did not, then my citizens would die, and even the lives of lives of my siblings and loved ones would be in danger.

“A big horde of about half a million undead, had left the Ashton Harbor; it is moving east,” informed Zela, and again I am not surprised.

“So, the Deerpond,” I said.

It could move to other cities or separate into small hordes, but unlikely. Stone had said they would attack the Deerpond this time and they are attacking. The size of the horde, they are attacking isn’t small either.

The Deerpond had increased the size of its army by recruiting. They also have the powerhouses from Dustorn Fortress.

However, the biggest increase, the city’s army got from the twenty-thousand experienced men came from the house of Summerfield. The viscount has his territory on the mainland, and he brought the men from there.

Viscount Summerfield is taking an enormous risk, or I, rather say, betting big on the Deerpond.

To most, it may seem surprising, but intelligent people could already see the reason. His territory is at the edge of the empire and with the speed at, which our enemies are moving; they will probably conquer it.

Currently, the legions are doing good, but without constant support from the empire. They wouldn’t be able to last long.

From what I am hearing, there is barely any support from princesses. The emperor seemed to have predicted it and had made preparations.

Still, it is not enough. Those preparations won’t be able to support them for long if our enemies keep attacking like they are right now.

To say straight up. It is a clusterfuck in the empire and every day; it is getting worse.

What I am saying is that Viscount Summerfield has an enormous army now of about seventy thousand men. It is big and with powerhouses from the fortress; it is a powerful army.

Even for a horde of half a million undead, it wouldn’t be easy to conquer the Deerpond.

It made me happy, even though the bastard was eyeing me like a big fat piece of meat. However, it will be quite long before he will take any action toward me.

“They are here,” informed Ina, bringing me out of my thoughts.

Click!

I nodded and walked out of the office and for a minute later, entered the conference room, filled with the people.

They are merchant, officials, and everyone that is important.

I spent fifteen minutes at the conference, mostly calming them and giving them confidence in our victory.

Last time, I had spent a lot more time on them.

Well, last time, I needed them to open their pockets and warehouses. This time, I don’t. I had filled the strategic warehouses. We have potions, rations, and other things that we will need for the battle.

We will only be in trouble if the undead were to siege the city. We wouldn’t let that happen.

We need to be finished with the battle as soon as possible. Which is a monumental challenge, seeing the size of a horde this time. Unlike last time, those bastards aren’t going to deliver themselves to the legacy.

It was two hours later; I stepped out of the city hall and what I saw couldn’t help, but break my heart.

The city is empty, aside from the city guards patrolling the streets. There is no one in there.

I sat in the carriage and a few minutes later, I saw a large number of people moving under the guidance of the city guards. This time, it is a lot more orderly than the last time.

Soon, the carriage reached the establishment. There are thousands of people, most of them from the merchant state.

Currently, tents are being laid out, and mages are creating temporary fortifications around the camp. There are a lot of mages, but they are not going to participate in the battle.

It would have helped us a lot if they had.

Click!

“My lord,” said Miss Ulaxasys and others as I stepped out.

“Everyone, I apologize for this inconvenience. I promise you, it will be over, before you will realize,” I said, to the crowd of people gathered around me.

“My apologies, Lady Blackwell. For these circumstances,” I apologized as I got away from the worried crowd.

Her son had contacted me. Asking me to protect her. My sources said that he had come to the Nakar Baronies. He wouldn’t come; the merchant state wouldn’t let him come.

They do want to draw themselves into the battles and also Ignatius is quite important to them due to that artifact.

“You don’t have to apologize, Lord Silver. I knew the risk, when I had decided to take the job,” replied the woman.

I could see the worry and fear in the elf's eyes, but there was also understanding.

“I promise you, my lady. That I will try my all to protect you and everyone,” I said, and the woman smiled.

I talked to her for a few minutes before walking into the newly constructed first floor of the tower. Earlier, there was a building material all over, but now, in the center, there is a tent.

“Brother,” said a soft voice, before she hugged my leg.

It surprised me, and I froze for a moment.

In over two weeks, she had never called me brother or hugged me. Even the nanny seemed surprised by it.

I crouched down and looked at the child. She is scared; it is clear in her eyes, but she is not letting it overwhelm her.

“Don’t be scared. Nothing is going to happen.” I said to the little girl, who nodded, before hugging me again. This time, a proper hug.

This time, I hugged her back. I still have complicated emotions about her, but I care for her deeply and protect her with everything I have.

“Listen to Miss Bell and your nanny,” I said to the little girl and the boy.

Carla isn’t with them. I would have liked her with them, but she is needed elsewhere. Thankfully, there is Bell, with her aura and with her in the establishment. There are very few threats that will be able to harm them.

“I will listen,” said the little girl.

I patted her head lovingly before getting up and turning to Bell.

“Take care of them,” I said to them. “Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to them,” she promised.

I nodded at her and the nanny, before walking out of the tower. The next time I will come here; I will either be a victor or a prisoner.