Chapter 111 Iosif greets his majesty

Chapter 111 Iosif greets his majesty

The gates of Eisenburg opened before Iosif and his troops, allowing them to step forward. They were welcomed by a laid-back but confident man with shoulder-length black hair that gently swayed with the wind as the shadows of the castle rose behind him. He was wearing a long black coat adorned with small golden chains, and a simple silver sword hung from his waist, partly covered by the coat. Yet, what caught everyone's attention were those striking grey eyes, which seemed to be hiding a light shade of purple that flickered like a living entity.

Iosif's eyes lingered on the figure for a moment before he sank to his knees, and the hundreds of soldiers behind him followed suit - "Iosif greets your majesty!" - he shouted, his hands pounding his chest, causing the sound to reverberate through the walls.

"Hmm, looks like these past years have been tough on you" - Henry remarked sympathetically, looking at the disheveled beard of the man.

The general was someone who took great pride in his appearance, the job sure wasn't easy for him to be this messy.

"It wasn't too difficult, your majesty." – Iosif hastily responded, bowing his head, and fixing his gaze on the pavement beneath him, made from wood chips and rocks, now lightly covered by the falling snow. N/nêw n0vel chap/ers are published o/n n0v/e/(lb)i(n.)co/m

He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with the king; his voice seemed gentle and oddly close, like a bosom friend. This image sharply contrasted with the training madman who drove him and the others to the edge every day, forcing them to scrawl and listen until their ears and hands bled. It was strange, but he didn't dare to raise his voice to ask.

Henry approached the general and lightly tapped him twice on the shoulder, saying - "You did a great job, General. Later, I'll need a report on my desk, but right now, there are more pressing matters."

The general's eyes flickered with annoyance as he inwardly grumbled - "There it is, the madman. I've just returned, and he's already on about the report. Damn!"

As he walked, the General couldn't resist occasionally glancing to the sides. His steps nearly halted when he spotted a crude yet flashy sign that read 'Blue Snow Tavern'. It was one of the four renowned taverns in the capital, it was famous for a specific drink made from Moonberry, a fruit grown near the Torch Trees, absorbing their gentle light to produce a beautiful blue fruit.

Iosif found himself salivating with desire. It had been a whole year since he last tasted the sweet but robust flavor of the Moonberry drink.

"I will ask someone to fetch some for you, don't worry" - Henry's voice reassured him, allowing Iosif to resume his steps.

-x-

Inside a room of the Royal Castle, a map of the capital and its surroundings sprawled across the floor.

"Luther and Olaro will handle Aritreia's army. However, I still don't understand why we don't launch a preemptive attack on Luak's forces before they reach us. According to your teachings, it's not wise to be under siege" - Iosif questioned, happily munching on a large piece of meat and washing it down with huge gulps of a blue liquid, the Moonberry drink. His eyes were fixed on the map, wood pieces strategically placed to identify the enemy's positions.

"We do have the power to overwhelm them with our current strength" - Henry confidently responded, crossing his arms with a thoughtful expression - "However, based on my predictions, we would lose about a fourth of our army. I don't want to dwindle the numbers of our troops. We raised them for the last three years. There are smarter ways to win this war without incurring in such great losses."

Henry then gestured towards Orsus, the Barbarian Village inside the Outer Layer of the Frozen Forest - "I need you to stay within the walls and protect the capital while I lead a group of barbarians to attack them here. We'll force them to fight on multiple fronts, and since they lack advanced warfare tactics, it should be much easier to win this war."

Luther nodded his head, understanding the plan.