Chapter 42
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Chapter 42: The Expedition
"？？？"
Three giant question marks floated above Leo’s forehead.
No way, I just got ready to sneak into your Order Sect… and you plan to take me to the battlefield?
At this moment, Leo felt a sense of surreal absurdity.
The White Cavalry Army, who shared the same feeling, had just received the order.
"My lady saintess… our White Cavalry Army has always focused on hunting heretics since its establishment, and we have always reported directly to the Pontiff. We have never been on the front line. Is it appropriate for us to go now?"
Viscount Vela knelt on one knee and asked the saintess.
Several leaders of the White Cavalry Army also spoke up:
"Fighting against outsiders has always been the job of the Black Cavalry. We have never been on the front line, and we won’t cooperate with those ordinary soldiers. What use would we be there?"
"Moreover, the losses on the front line are very large. With one aid mission, many of us might never return. Is this the situation the church wants to see?"
"Saintess, this matter may not be appropriate."
"There is nothing inappropriate," the saintess said coldly, glancing at her. "Not just you, the entire White Cavalry Army will head to Winter Fortress and follow the orders of Marquis Logan. This is a command given personally by the Pontiff."
"The Pontiff’s command…" Upon hearing this, Vela and the leaders of the White Cavalry Army behind her fell silent.
For them, who grew up without parents and were raised by the Order Sect, the king of the northern region was never the Duke of Tersk, but that reclusive Pontiff.
In the hearts of these believers, the Pontiff was like a father and a god.
If this is the Pontiff’s command, then they have no complaints.
However, Leo sensed something unusual in the saintess’s words.
Earlier, he learned from Luna’s memories, which were consumed by Skuld,
The time when the church and the nobles completely trusted each other was probably hundreds of years ago.
Nowadays, although the nobles of the North and the church still maintain a clever balance, they are certainly not as close as to share the same pants.
In this situation, how could the Pontiff be willing to give his army to Marquis Logan—the first heir of the Teresque territory—for him to fight against the enemies?
He is not afraid…
Has this White Cavalry Army been wiped out on the battlefield?
Thinking of this, Leo stared blankly and murmured, "Why are we going to Winter Fortress… what are we actually doing…"
Miss Skuld heard his murmur and turned to whisper, "It should be for fighting, after all, it’s the front line."
"Fighting?" Leo’s expression became even more serious, "That might be the best choice…"
"Huh? What did you say?" Skuld did not understand what her master meant.
"…" After a moment of silence, Leo sighed and said, "Think carefully about why we are going to Winter Fortress instead of Mary Ann’s Great Wall… and why the Pontiff is willing to lend his strongest soldiers to the Duke…"
Miss Skuld fell silent, looking at Leo, deep in thought about the meaning behind his words.
"We have less than five hundred riders here, and with the attendants, we are only a thousand people. With such a small number, why do we need to go to Winter Fortress for supplies? Moreover, when has it ever been that the high-ranking believers of the Order had to gather supplies and equipment themselves?"
"Wouldn’t it be better to go directly to the Great Wall?"
Listening to Leo’s words, Skuld’s eyes flickered, and she finally understood, "So the situation at the Great Wall must be very serious, right?"
"No…" Leo said with a cold expression, slowly and stiffly shaking his head. "I actually think… Mary Ann’s Great Wall has already fallen… Marquis Logan has retreated all the way to Winter Fortress."
"Mary Ann’s Great Wall has fallen…" Skuld repeated this sentence. If she hadn’t taken the form of Lucy at that moment, she probably would have shown her surprise.
There was nothing that could be done; this Great Wall, built over 900 years ago, had always been a testament to the miracles of the Order.
Over these 900 years, humans and the dark creatures from beyond had fought countless battles, but the creatures had never truly breached the Great Wall.
The darkest defeat of humanity is just losing three watchtowers and five control zones beyond the giant wall.
Not to mention that for decades, the Duke of Tersk has been invincible in the northern lands, completely suppressing those foreign tribes.
The most recent expedition was eight years ago.
That time, the Black Cavalry chased nearly a thousand miles outside Mary Ann’s Great Wall, sweeping away the succubus and night demon forces along the way. The succubi circulating within the Dawn Empire now were captured during that time and became the nobles’ playthings.
If she had a guide and understood the terrain and power distribution in the dark lands, she firmly believed the Duke of Tersk would have continued north, expanding the territory of the Dawn Empire.
In this situation, as a being with Lucy’s memories, Skuld could not believe that the wall representing order, dawn, the king of the north, and humanity’s invincibility could be breached.
The White Cavalry Army shared the same thoughts.
They complained about packing their bags but felt no sense of urgency, thinking this mission was just the Pontiff’s whim to show off his skills.
Everyone was caught up in the illusion of the invincibility of the northern overlord, the Duke of Tersk.
But Leo did not have this filter.
So, he could see more clearly.
The war broke out suddenly; at least, before the saintess planned and started this operation using herself as bait, the war had not begun.
The saintess designed the hunt for the Joyful Church for this war.
This means that the scheduled time for war might be half a month after dealing with these unbelievers, or perhaps six months after that.
But it could never happen during the mission.
So, something must have happened that forced the war to start early.
So, what happened?
Furthermore, Leo was very clear that the White Cavalry Army he was in was truly a cavalry.
But their destination was Winter Fortress, a strong castle…
Even if the world was different, Leo couldn’t understand what kind of foolish commander would think to use cavalry to defend a city.
So, if we calculate like this…
There were only two possibilities left as they headed to Winter Fortress.
The first possibility is that Marquis Logan wants to gather all his forces to fight the enemy who broke through the giant walls in the plains below Winter Fortress… Hmm, it sounds just like Leo’s idea of a medieval noble’s tactics.
The second possibility is…
Leo sighed, pinching his forehead.
The second possibility is that Marquis Logan probably doesn’t have many soldiers left.
They might even be surrounded inside Winter Fortress.
Their purpose for this journey may not be to kill enemies, but to rescue the first heir of the Telske territory.
Just as Leo continued to think, Saintess Fleur softly asked the lady beside her, "Captain Vela, do you have any other questions?"