Volume 1 Chapter 66 Is Parisess Sinking？
"Pulling water from the Nuse River"
"Are you sane?"
Eleonora's words made Orlando frown hard, but she kept pushing her point.
"The attack weapons are weak. We can't break the castle walls. The front is a kill zone. Our soldiers get wiped out too fast."
"But it takes time, you know?"
"We already took a big city. Even if we can't take Parisess, if they ask for peace, we get an edge. Taking it is just a bonus. It's a good deal."
"...Marshal Eleonora, we don't know how long the country's money will last."
"We pay with what we got from captured lands. And if we open the Imperial Palace's treasury, it's a one-shot home run, Your Highness."
"Sometimes, the Marshal talks nonsense..."
Orlando quietly agreed with Prince Arlecchino's weak murmur.
"Even with deserters, about seven thousand soldiers remain. No cheap tricks will work. It'd be different if the Suno people helped, but..."
At this moment, Ashreach's share will drop, so a solo attack is best if possible, but it's tough.
The plan: use nature to fill the gap. Block the Nuse River, which runs through Parisess, then release the water all at once. The rush will clear a blocked street inside the city.
That's the plan, but...
"As I said, it will take time. We'll seize lumber from nearby sawmills. The iron grille blocking the waterway will be opened."
Soldiers basically can't swim. Their gear is heavy, and they're not taught to swim to prevent escapes.
So in sea battles or river crossings, many drown. Cheap soldiers die that easy, by just water.
* * *
"Just give up already, will you?"
"Ashreach is constructing something on the Nuse River?"
"A water attack…?"
"That's bad. If the Nuse breaks, the flood will hit the city. Leaving it like that in this season means disease will spread fast."
The commanders of Loriengita's army said this, watching bitterly as the Ashreach army boasted doing their work.
Lately, something felt off in the battles. Why was the great nation of Loriengita struggling? Rumors said the northern sea barbarians' invasion was punishment from the gods for the emperor's lost virtue.
"I will stop it."
"Lord Georges, can you?"
"Even if they have three times our number, just infantry, heavy cavalry can crush them."
Loriengita's heavy cavalry were veterans, trained since youth, picked for big horses.
"Will you do it?"
"I will."
Georges said strongly, and Guillaume patted his shoulder.
"I trust the fate of great Loriengita to you."
After preparations, Georges and a thousand heavy cavalry slipped out of the castle gate at night, moving to the outskirts.
They waited for Ashreach's construction to start in the morning.
Night attack would be too hard on horses, and it's better to hit while they're busy building.
"Is this breakfast?"
Watching the Ashreach camp rise with smoke at sunrise, Georges chewed dried meat and drank from a leather flask.
He told his men no fires to keep hidden.
"As soon as they start working, we charge."
His sharp eyes narrowed, staring at the distant main camp.
Less than two hours left till Loriengita's final push in the Tyria Reorganization War — Georges's last battle.
"Advance slowly from both banks. Hurry won't earn you a copper."
* * *
The work to build a dam on the Nuse River and store water started after breakfast.
Materials were ready. Experienced builders led, soldiers followed orders.
Some were on lookout, others rested but stayed alert.
Then a message came from the cavalry to main camp.
"Emergency! Heavily armed cavalry approaching!"
"Well, we can't just sit and watch."
Eleonora drew Tottnok sword and shouted loud.
"Form a circle! Spearmen, prepare for cavalry!"
Soldiers quickly formed a tight circle, spears angled down and tips digging in.
The rest is just luck and guts. Heavy cavalry charges scare everyone—they want to drop weapons and run.
But not losing the will to fight shows trust in the leader's past wins.
Orders from a commander who never lost lessen the fear.
"Charge, charge!"
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