A few of them chatted idly for a while before quickly dispersing, each going about their own business.
Anser had originally wanted to recruit Makaria, but seeing her money-grubbing attitude, he simply dropped the idea.
The Flamerule Mercenary Company was composed mainly of tieflings and was quite cohesive. Recruiting Makaria alone was unlikely, but with his and the union's financial resources, they also could not afford to maintain an entire mercenary company.
'Still no money.'
At that moment, Kaleno suddenly hurried over, his face dark. "The Amn army has broken camp."
Anser frowned, got up, went upstairs to the corridor window, and took out the "far-reaching vision" to observe the situation.
The Amn forces were still ten kilometers away, just beginning their march, heading straight toward Durlag.
"Still not giving up! Notify Giant Tail—have him lead a team to guard the south gate."
"Alright." Kaleno turned and left.
Anser did not dare to be careless. The Amn people must have come prepared—who knew what underhanded tricks they might have.
The Amn army numbered roughly over two thousand, mainly infantry, with only a hundred-man cavalry unit. Behind them followed over a hundred large carts filled with supplies, escorted by several hundred auxiliaries.
From a distance, it was a vast, surging mass, banners fluttering like a gray-black tide rushing toward Durlag, carrying a certain oppressive force.
Their movements were completely undisguised and quickly spread throughout Durlag and its surroundings.
Refugees and commoners outside the city rushed inside one after another to avoid being captured as slaves by the Amn people—something far from uncommon.
The Durlag guard assembled, gradually sealed the four gates, and entered military control. The main force gathered at the south gate, already prepared for battle.
Within the city, residents discussed the situation in hushed tones. The newly arrived refugees were uneasy and fearful, while the locals and adventurers carried on eating and drinking as usual, only sparing part of their attention for the unfolding battle.
There was no helping it—the new president's record was simply too brilliant.
The thousand-strong Amn force, the black dragon, the Mind Flayer, foreign nobles, the werewolf plague—he had dealt with them all, as if there were nothing he could not handle.
By comparison, an army of over two thousand did not seem like much.
Just past noon, the Amn army was about to reach the city walls—but then they feinted and turned northeast.
Judging by the direction, they were clearly heading toward Fort Jacqueline.
Fort Jacqueline was located three to four kilometers east of Durlag, atop a small hill with beautiful scenery. The surrounding orchards and farms were all private property of the Jacqueline family, with no outsiders.
Marching in that direction could hardly be a coincidence.
At the union's headquarters, Anser lowered his telescope, his expression dark.
'I'd like to see whether you really have the strength—or you're just here to be a nuisance!'
After giving Kaleno a few instructions, he cast Fly, shot straight into the sky, and then sped toward Fort Jacqueline.
The guards at Fort Jacqueline also noticed the situation, sounded the alarm, shut the gates, and entered a state of combat readiness.
By the time Anser arrived, Iris was already hovering above the castle, gazing into the distance at the imposing Amn army.
"They're coming for us." Anser stopped beside her and handed her the "far-reaching vision."
Iris took the telescope, set it before her eyes, and chuckled lightly. "Since I can remember, it seems no one has ever dared to besiege Fort Jacqueline. It actually feels rather novel."
"The Amn people are looking down on the two of us." Anser laughed.
If the Weave had not been disrupted, and if Stoll had not died, the Amn people would never have dared to do this.
A level 16 high-tier Sorcerer and a level 17 peak Fighter could easily crush two to three thousand ordinary soldiers. Especially a level 17 Fighter—called the peak of mortals, a quasi-legendary professional—charging into battle with their body alone, beyond the reach of ordinary people.
When the cost and reward were not proportional, the calculating Amn people would not act foolishly.
"Give me some more time, and I'll make them regret it." Iris raised her brows, her tone sharp.
For a Sorcerer to regain spellcasting through Magic Power, they had to start from the beginning, step by step. She had fewer than ten spells she could currently use proficiently; her casting ability was far inferior to before.
The Weave had been extremely convenient, greatly reducing the difficulty of casting. Without relying on it, the difficulty increased by more than fivefold—mastering it became extremely challenging.
"When the time comes, take me with you." Anser sat down on the flying carpet beside her. "How many soldiers does the castle have? What about its defenses?"
"One hundred guards. The knight order and auxiliaries each have over seventy. The walls are high and thick, but there is no magical protection—only detection and warning arrays," Iris said softly.
"A nine-to-one force ratio… the risk is still quite high?" Anser idly played with her hair, somewhat puzzled.
A direct assault on a castle carried an enormous cost. If casualties were too heavy, Fort Jacqueline and Durlag joining forces could wipe them out completely.
"Don't underestimate them. The Amn people are especially good at dealing with spellcasters, and they've recruited many well-known high-level professionals," Iris warned.
"Don't worry—I'm not done living yet."
As they spoke, the Amn army had already reached the foot of the hill. But instead of ascending, they split into six groups, encircled the hill, and set up camp on the spot, clearly intending to besiege and starve the enemy.
The hill where Fort Jacqueline stood was not large—elliptical in shape, less than three hundred meters high, and very gentle in slope. With over two thousand troops, it could be completely sealed off, cutting off all entry and exit.
Anser and Iris exchanged a glance, both puzzled.
"A siege? The castle's reserves are sufficient to last for months," Iris frowned slightly.
"I alone could cut off their supplies," Anser said with a laugh, unable to understand what the Amn people were planning.
Both he and Iris could fly, and they had an extraplanar space—logistics were no concern.
On the contrary, the Amn army, with its large numbers and long supply lines, could not sustain itself for long. If they relied on manpower transport, they would inevitably face aerial interception from the two of them.
From his observation, the Amn army had brought only a few light, small-caliber cannons—not enough to breach Fort Jacqueline's gates.
"There must be a trick." Iris raised the flying carpet higher, observing the enemy carefully from above with the "far-reaching vision."
Of course Anser knew that. The Amn people were not fools.
With their numerical advantage, neither Durlag nor Fort Jacqueline would engage them in open battle.
But a siege could only confine the two of them within the castle. To kill them, the enemy would either have to break the walls or lure them out.
"Come to think of it, there are many ways to breach a fortress—poison, spells, explosives… and some kind of alchemical weapon." As Anser spoke, he suddenly recalled the artificer organization that closely cooperated with the Kingdom of Amn.
"You… keep that mouth of yours shut." Iris said irritably.
Hearing him say that, she inexplicably felt uneasy, as if her castle were already on the verge of collapse.
"Haha, the Amn people shouldn't be as smart as me—after all, I'm the one who keeps winning." Anser joked. "But we can't just sit here and wait for them to act—that's too passive. We might as well strike first and catch them off guard."
"How?" Iris flipped her hand and took out that antimagic arrow. "They're definitely prepared. If we're careless and fall into their camp, the two of us are probably finished—and the Jacqueline family ends here."
"Fly higher and drop stones." Anser looked completely serious.
"…Hm?" Iris's watery eyes widened in surprise. She had expected some clever strategy—she did not expect something so "simple."
"Just throwing stones. A standard method." Anser smiled faintly.
Throwing stones had been a common tactic throughout history—defending cities with falling rocks, attacking with catapults, rolling boulders in mountain warfare, using slings in hunting. Large creatures often relied on throwing techniques as well.
Were javelins and throwing axes not also evolved from stone-throwing?
For other spellcasters, carrying heavy stones into the sky and dropping them—missing, then going back to fetch more—was exhausting and inefficient.
But Anser had an extraplanar space and an Avaricious Dragonhide Pouch. Throwing stones was effortless.
'And I can add a little extra to them…'
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