Chapter 33: Ambush and the Start of the Siege

At that moment, Merchant Marnid had not only completed the task given to him but had exceeded expectations. Eagerly awaiting Draxel’s return to share the excellent news, his eyes lit up as he saw Draxel approaching on horseback. He ran out to greet him enthusiastically.

“Welcome back, my lord! Our grape seeds sold better than expected, bringing in 2200 Denars.”

“Excellent work, Marnid. Your outstanding trading skills must have played a key role in achieving such results.”

[Your rapport with Merchant Marnid has increased by 5, reaching a total of 55.]

[Comment: When did you become such a smooth-talker? Your ability to compliment is impressive.]

Marnid, visibly touched by Draxel’s words, felt a deep sense of fulfillment, akin to a worthy steed having found its master.

“And the other half? How’s that progressing?”

“The other half has just been planted. It’ll take a while before we see growth and start reaping profits.”

“Great, Marnid. Keep monitoring that. I’m off to see Safiya.”

“Understood, my lord,” Marnid responded with a respectful nod.

Draxel soon arrived at Safiya’s door. Opening it quietly, he found Safiya and young dragon Lein deep in slumber. He tiptoed to the bedside, sitting down and admiring Safiya’s serene beauty, thinking to himself, ‘She truly is a sleeping beauty.’

Yet, despite his utmost care, he accidentally woke Safiya. As an exceptional archer, she was acutely attuned to even the slightest disturbance.

“Count, you’re back~ Did everything go smoothly on your trip?”

“My princess, everything went smoothly. See, I’m completely intact.”

“Sure, you do look like you’re in good shape, though a bit simple-minded,” Safiya teased.

“Have you been picking up habits from young dragon Lein? Ah, you really learn the bad things quickly.”

“Roar? What does that have to do with me? Isn’t teasing you a daily routine?”

“Keep talking, and I might just roast you like a quail.”

“Roar. You’re so cruel. But look, I’m much stronger than a quail now, thanks to Safiya’s care.”

Indeed, Draxel hadn’t really looked closely at Lein recently. Now, he realized the dragon had grown significantly. What used to be smaller than a quail was now almost the size of an adult pigeon.

“Growth is expected, otherwise, all that milk would have been wasted.”

“Roar! Mind your words! I am a dragon, a noble breed! You, mere mortal…”

“Hmm, I wonder what noble pigeon soup tastes like…”

“Roar. It might not be very tasty; better not to try it.”

Safiya had lost interest in their one-person-one-dragon conversation, recognizing it as their usual nonsensical banter.

“By the way, Safiya, I borrowed 77 soldiers from Ronnie, including the strong Xiao Nan and Xiao Jia.”

“Really? That’s great. Ronnie is truly impressive…” Safiya’s response was muted, not as enthusiastic as one might expect for such heartening news.

Safiya started feeling a bit insecure. When she and Profit Empress Ronnie had teamed up against bandits, she had noticed Ronnie’s intelligence, bravery, and leadership. Now, learning about Ronnie’s immense wealth and the size of her army, which seemed powerful enough to challenge nations and dominate regions, intensified her feelings. She couldn’t help but wonder if the Count would fare better with Ronnie by his side, making her feel somewhat like a burden in comparison.

Draxel noticed the subtle melancholy and loneliness in Safiya’s eyes and asked, “Are you feeling alright? You seem off.”

“No, I’m just still a bit sleepy. Let me rest for a while longer, can you step out, Count?”

“Maybe it’s Lein, moving around in his sleep and disturbing you. Should I take him outside so you can sleep alone?”

“No, it’s fine. He’s good company. You go ahead.”

“Roar. Even I can tell why mom is upset. How can you, a foolish man, not see it? I’m baffled.”

“Okay… you rest up, then.” Draxel was momentarily at a loss, not understanding where he had gone wrong.

Considering the situation, questioning Lein excessively seemed out of place. Deciding it was best to leave and perhaps inquire another time, he left. Exhausted from traveling back and forth between Uxkhal and Profit Empress Ronnie’s tavern, Draxel quickly fell into a deep sleep in his room…

Suddenly, a loud explosion jolted him awake.

A Swadian new soldier guarding the back gate, his face covered in grime, rushed in and reported, “Honorable Count Draxel, the Khergit Khanate’s enemy forces have attacked! They’ve launched a night raid on our main gate!”

“Damn it, why didn’t you wake me up sooner,” Draxel swiftly got up, armored himself, grabbed his Germanic war sword, and charged out of the lord’s hall.

At that moment, the town was ablaze, filled with fire and smoke. Numerous fireballs, launched by enemy trebuchets, landed in the streets and market, igniting fierce fires.

Fortunately, the enemy hadn’t breached the gates or walls yet. The townspeople remained calm, sheltering in their homes with their windows tightly shut.

A Swadian new recruit, following close behind Draxel, reported, “The enemy, led by Noyan Tulu, numbers 125. They also have two trebuchets, formidable siege weapons.”

As Draxel advanced, he asked, “What’s the current casualty count on both sides?”

“We’ve had no casualties yet. Awang, commanding the old soldiers, has taken down over twenty of the enemy from the walls. Xiao Jia is defending the city gate with the remaining veterans. Xiao Nan is leading the cavalry to ambush the enemy from behind,” the recruit replied.

Draxel was quite satisfied with their tactics. 

“Who came up with such a brilliant plan? It’s genius!”

“That was Xiao Nan’s doing,” the recruit answered. “Before he left, Profit Empress Ronnie gave him a sachet with instructions to open it when encountering the enemy. It seems she orchestrated this.”

That made sense to Draxel. Ronnie was a rare talent, renowned for her clever strategies, as he had heard from the story of their encounter with bandits.

“Excellent. Go help Xiao Jia defend the gate. I’m going to assist Xiao Nan with the ambush,” Draxel instructed.

“As you command, my lord,” the recruit replied.

Draxel mounted his robust horse and raced towards the back gate, joining Xiao Nan’s unit just in time.

Seeing Draxel, Xiao Nan quickly dismounted and knelt. “Forgive me for taking command without consulting you, my lord. The situation was urgent, and we had to act immediately.”