Chapter 178 Marching To The Port Town Caushilbo

The execution of Dunston's lord took place immediately in the evening, watched by thousands of townspeople. His body was left stiff and cold on the stage and would only be taken down the next morning. In a way, this will serve as a warning for them.

After her soldiers fully secured the town of Dunston, Sarika wasted no time in planning her next move. As a commander and an heir of Klover, she understood that time was of the essence for her. She needed to take advantage of her recent success to further solidify her advantages and accomplish her goals.

Sarika assembled her strategists and officers in her command tent. Looking at the detailed map spread out on the table, it was clear to her that capturing the nearby port town would be a crucial move, as it would provide her army with a strategic stronghold and a vital sea supply line for her further campaigns.

As for now, nothing happen despite the distance between Eikadir and Duston stretching for about 80 kilometres. However, once the news of her invasion becomes well-known, this land supply line would be her apparent weakness.

"Vanessa, tell me what you got?"

The agent stood up as Sarika called her name. She then began reading intelligence reports she had gathered, "The port town of Caushilbo was once a residence of Count Caushilbo and his family. Located along the coast, the town was known for its well-fortified walls and formidable garrison, unlike Dunston. It was the most prosperous location in the region and gathered significant annual tax revenue thanks to its port. Philip Tickner, the Bagayarosian prime minister, was now granted control over the town by the king."

"Looks like this prime minister is a decent lord." Sakira creased her eyebrows, troubled by this fact. Inwardly, she was hoping for an incompetent lord to rule that place. It'll make her job of capturing the town faster.

The young lieutenant general knew that seizing the town would not be an easy task in the first place since it was home to an upper-rank noble, the count. Nevertheless, she was determined to prove herself by showcasing her skills, experience, and strength to those bastards in the north.

As if knowing what was on her mind, Vanessa revealed another piece of information. "Ma'am, although the town was under the prime minister's management, the reality is the town was ruled by his representative."

Sarika perked up her ears, "Is that so? Well, that makes sense. A prime minister needs to be close to the king. Do his representative have any military experience?"

"No," Vanessa gives a concise answer. "He never participates or receives any military education. His expertise lies in management affairs. That's the reason why the prime minister dares to appoint him as his representative."

Sarika heaved a sigh of relief, "That's good to hear. Perhaps I can force him to surrender. Even so, we still need to construct an assault plan."

After spending hours planning, Sarika gave out her orders, "We'll march to Caushilbo tomorrow morning when the first light hits Gaia. Go and take a rest, I don't want to be late."

....

2nd March 303 Paign Era.

At dawn, her soldiers swiftly organized themselves, packed their supplies, and readied their weapons for the upcoming campaign. Only half of the 50,000 soldiers were brought in this operation. The rest are to stay here, cooking plan for the next target.

"Nolan, I'll leave the Dunston in your care," said Sarika after mounting her horse.

"Rest assured, Ma'am. With 25,000 troops, I don't think anybody would mess around. Also, I pray for your victory."

Sarika simply nods before leading her troops from the front, riding at the head of the column with her banner of half blue and half white proudly fluttering high. It's the flag of Barlia. Lower horizontal blue represents the sea while the top white symbolizes snow.

ραпdα nᴏνa| сom The march was effortless, as they had to traverse through flat terrain. Moreover, they arrive fairly quickly due to the distance between Caushilbo and Dunston only 20 kilometres apart.

As they approached Caushilbo, Sarika let her soldiers get some rest first before building an encampment. She was ahead of schedule, so there was no need to rush.

In the meantime, scouts were sent to assess the current defence situation of the town.

Approximately half an hour later, they reported back with valuable information about the layout of the town, its fortifications, and the strength of its garrison. It matches the intelligence reported by Vanessa. It's not that Sarika doesn't believe her, but it's safer to cross-check and verify.

Utilizing her knowledge of military tactics and her army's strengths. She divided her forces into multiple units, each with a specific objective, and coordinated their movements meticulously.

Without any warning, the siege of Caushilbo began. Sarika's army surrounds the town. They established supply lines and secured their positions, preparing for a prolonged siege if necessary.

To make the conquest end quicker, Sarika employed a multi-pronged approach, combining both military force and diplomacy. She sent messengers to the representative in the town, offering him a chance to surrender peacefully and avoid bloodshed.

....

Inside the Caushilbo's mansion, a letter from the Sarika crumpled in his hand. Without beating around the bush, the contents of the letter urged him to surrender and wave a white flag in exchange for the safety of himself and his family.

Contrary to Sarika's expectations, his face twisted in furious wrath. His generally calm demeanour was now disfigured by clenched teeth, wrinkled brows, and indignantly narrowed eyes.

"What insolence is this?" He roared. A resounding yell of rage echoed. "How dare they show up at my door and demand submission?" He was visibly furious as he strode back and forth in his study, his face turning red with rage and his chest heaving with each breath.

He slammed his hand on the table, "Can somebody tell me how they arrive here unnoticed? Do you know what that means? Dunston has fallen! What's the point of hiring all of you if every single of you isn't aware of the current situation?"

His voice was filled with contempt as he insult his subordinates. Truthfully, one day isn't enough to notice a small ripple wave caused by Barlia's invasion. A sudden decrease in visitors to the port town wasn't a strange phenomenon. It does happen once in a while. Nobody would guess this time, it was because of Barlia.

Facing the wrath of the representative, they can all keep their mouth shut, except for his advisor who cautiously asked, "My lord, should we surrender?"

"Surrender? That's the first thing that comes to your mind?!"

His adviser, hesitantly said, "B-But, they had 25,000 men blocking all the land route. While we can send a messenger via the sea, it'll take a long time to get reinforcement. We won't be able to hold on for that long."

Philip's representative whirled around and cast a furious glance at his advisor. "We're not surrendering! The consequences of doing so would be far worse than you could imagine."