Chapter 338: Attack

Carlos descended slowly, touching down near the newly discovered wharf.

Compared to the Knight Vali’s wharf seen earlier, the one before them was small and crude, barely large enough to berth a single vessel of some twenty or thirty meters.

Not far from the pier stood a rudimentary wooden shed, inside of which could be seen stacked timbers of roughly uniform length.

“Ordinarily, goods from Torrent Island are shipped to Vali’s port before being laden for transport. The timber here…”

Piecing this together with the Knight Vali’s earlier remark that “of late, the White Flower Society’s timber has grown increasingly difficult to press for,” Ronin surmised that the White Flower Society had built this wharf in secret, securing their own channel of external communication to smuggle timber.

In this manner, sustained by the provisions brought by smuggling vessels and the potatoes they cultivated, they no longer relied on Vali for survival rations, effectively slipping their leash and establishing independence.

Little did they know that word of Torrent Island’s affairs had reached the higher authorities so swiftly, and that His Majesty the King had personally dispatched men to resolve the matter.

Having investigated the wharf, Ronin took to the skies once more aboard Carlos, continuing his reconnaissance of the White Flower Society’s settlement.

Perhaps because the ancestors of the White Flower Society had been convicts held in close confinement, or perhaps due to the necessity of collective labor, the dwellings here were relatively clustered.

Though signs of logging became more apparent the further north they flew, the deforested areas occupied but a small patch compared to the vast woodlands covering Torrent Island.

This island still possessed abundant reserves of oak.

His scrutiny of the White Flower Society complete, Ronin flew a circuit over the residential quarters of the Lahn Society.

By comparison, the Lahn Society proved somewhat more “honest,” showing no signs of potato consumption nor any traces of timber smuggling.

Their bargaining with Vali was likely born out of a desire to eat a little more and demand a bit extra.

With all this investigated, Ronin returned once more to the port.

During Ronin’s survey, the trio of Luqi, Mixi, and Vali had already set about arranging the offensive and defensive duties for the morrow.

Relying on the advantage of the port’s defensive walls, even should the Lahn Society attempt to seize the harbor, the defense led by Knight Rhys meant the risk remained minimal.

Early the following morning, a company of nearly a hundred men assembled outside the port.

“If I had possessed such numbers, I would have apprehended those troublemakers of the White Flower Society long ago!”

Beholding so large a force, Vali was momentarily filled with supreme confidence.

In the past, taking thirty men with him had been his absolute limit; under such circumstances, facing a numerous adversary, he had never dared to venture deep.

Now, not only were his own ranks swelled, but there were even several Silver Knights and royal griffins; any single one of them would be nearly impossible for the opposition to contend with.

Ronin spoke with a smile: “For this operation, we target only the leaders of the White Flower Society. As for the others, so long as they offer no resistance, we need not raise our swords against them.”

Vali nodded. “I understand. After all, someone must still fell the oak trees hereafter. To kill one more is to lose a laborer, and the kingdom would lose a length of timber.”

Ronin could not help but silently commend the man.

It seemed that after many years of governance, Knight Vali had well learned how to extract labor.

Perhaps compared to the White Flower Society and the Lahn Society, the descendants of convicts under Vali’s direct administration endured a harsher existence.

After all, the timber deficits left by the White Flower Society would ultimately have to be made up by someone.

The Lahn Society, possessing a degree of autonomy, could still haggle, whereas those directly controlled by Vali could only endure and toil without complaint.

Lacking warhorses, everyone save Mixi proceeded on foot across the terrain.

Fortunately, though the path wound through the hills, years of transporting timber had trodden out a wide road, rendering the march reasonably convenient.

Thus did the company advance openly and grandly toward the territory of the White Flower Society.

As they passed beneath a particular hillside, Mixi, from her vantage in the sky, spotted a figure atop the ridge fleeing swiftly inward, evidently a scout posted there by the White Flower Society.

With the speed of a griffin, it would be no difficult feat for her to hunt the man down, should she wish it.

Yet according to Ronin’s design, even if the enemy kept watch, let the scout return with the tidings, so that the adversary might gather all their rebels together, sparing him the trouble of subsequent interrogations and screenings.

Before long, within the mountain stronghold of the White Flower Society.

“My Lord, Knight Vali approaches with his men!”

The sentry brought back the intelligence. “They come in greater numbers this time, by my reckoning a hundred or more.”

Seated above at that moment were two men. The broad-shouldered, tiger-backed figure with a scar across his face was Marcelo, leader of the White Flower Society, while a bearded man sat at his flank.

The two exchanged glances, and Marcelo chuckled. “Vali has actually deployed the better part of the port’s garrison at a single stroke. It seems our neighbor is truly desperate.”

He had received no intelligence from the port, remained unaware that four ships had arrived at Torrent Island the previous day.

Hence, he believed Vali had brought all available guards.

The bearded man smiled. “He must fear that failing repeatedly to deliver sufficient cargo will invite the displeasure of the authorities.”

Marcelo nodded in agreement.

“Vali has guarded this godforsaken place for seven or eight years; he needs only endure two more to complete his tenure and depart Torrent Island. If he fails to deliver enough timber in these final two years and angers the nobles above, all his hardships over these years will have been for naught.”

Stationed on Torrent Island, Vali’s status was akin to the warden of an open-air prison. Completing a ten-year watch would earn him sufficient merit and reward; an exceptional performance might even see him made a baron.

“We cannot push him too hard either. If he proves too unyielding this time, we shall concede and ship some timber to him.”

Marcelo nodded; a Knight Vali who was not overly formidable suited their interests well.

“Come, summon everyone. We shall go and meet them.”

The mobilization of the White Flower Society was swift. Two knights bellowed from a high vantage, and a chaotic crowd quickly converged.

Most wore coarse hempen garments, ragged and torn, and held not proper weapons, but the billhooks and axes used for felling trees. Only the twenty-odd men at the front, clad either in iron armor or leather jerkins, looked the part.

These twenty-odd men were those Marcelo had recently equipped using the arms provided by Clifford.

“Our core fighting strength is still somewhat lacking,” Marcelo could not help but worry. “If we clash head-on, I wonder if we can match Vali’s knight squad.”

“Rest assured, they cannot defeat us.”

The bearded Clifford spoke with absolute certainty: “I alone can tear his squad of knights to pieces.”

Hearing this, Marcelo’s anxiety was assuaged.

“Indeed, Vali is but a Bronze Knight. He can lord it over us, but before a Gold Knight like you, he has no choice but to fall to his knees and beg for mercy.”

The two forces advanced toward each other, soon meeting within a small valley.

Yet when they drew near and beheld the newcomers, both Marcelo and the Gold Knight Clifford stood utterly dumbfounded.

The opposing ranks were tall and imposing, each and every one clad in uniform armor of a quality visibly superior to their own.

“No, this is wrong!”

Panic seized Marcelo. “This is not Vali’s squad of knights!”

“What is the meaning of this?” Clifford asked in astonishment.

On the other side, Ronin drew the Flame Current Sword, the wrathful fire upon it sweeping outward. “Attack!”