The Exiled Lord: My Maid is a Battle Goddess

Chapter 343: Conspiracy

"Not bad. Bull Territory’s elites are truly professional. Old Baron Bull left his rebellious son quite a solid foundation."

Phield showed no sign of panic. Taking measured steps, he roughly gauged the distance while gazing at the scattered enemy figures in the distance.

"Heh. Let the signal fires burn. I’d like to see just how many troops you can summon. Better yet, bring the entire Border Fortress garrison."

"Whoosh, whoosh."

An eleven-man cavalry scouting unit continued probing forward.

The moment they entered bow range, the riders loosed a volley of arrows.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A chorus of metallic impacts immediately rang out.

Horse bows against heavy armor were little more than scratching an itch. There was nothing to worry about.

"The enemy consists entirely of heavily armored infantry. Well equipped. Likely a vanguard infantry regiment. Approximately eight hundred troops. Report to the lord immediately."

Three scouts instantly wheeled their horses around and rode back.

"Listen up. Move into the forest and await further orders."

With a wave of his hand, Phield sent the soldiers into the woods.

"Rosalia, eliminate every enemy outside the city."

Phield snapped his fingers casually.

"Feel free to use Divine Skills. Put plenty of pressure on them."

"Perfect. That’s my specialty."

Rosalia performed an elegant bow and slowly drew the Greatsword of Gluttony from behind her back.

The remaining scouts attempted to move closer for reconnaissance.

A razor sharp sword aura suddenly tore through the air.

"Divine Skill, Endless Severance!"

Layer upon layer of tidal-wave-like sword energy swept across the battlefield.

The cavalry scouts were instantly swallowed by the attack.

They didn’t even have time to react before they were shredded into a rain of blood.

Dragging her massive sword behind her, Rosalia cut down every living thing she saw.

Scouting soldiers.

Farmers who hadn’t managed to flee.

None were spared.

Had the ballistae atop the city walls not begun firing, Rosalia might have slaughtered her way straight into the city.

"By the Goddess... what just happened?"

The soldiers on Bull Fort’s walls stared at the severed limbs and mangled corpses below, utterly stunned.

The baron’s steward had gone pale from witnessing the terrifying Divine Skill.

His lips trembled as he muttered,

"It’s over. It’s over. The Imperial Army has come to reclaim the city. I told my lord not to rebel. Now we’re finished. They have a Divine Chosen, and we don’t."

"Steward, please return inside."

The knight commanding the wall maintained a grim expression.

"The walls are high. We can hold for a long time."

"Then hurry and inform Lord Richard. The Imperial Army is besieging the city."

The knight shook his head.

"We can’t contact the lord."

"Then summon every nearby force! The city contains the lord’s wealth and foundation. If something happens, none of us can bear the responsibility."

The steward pounded the wall furiously.

"Easy now, soldiers on the wall. I’d like to say a few words."

Phield raised both hands before casually lowering them again.

With the ease of someone taking a leisurely stroll, he slowly walked beneath Bull Fort’s walls.

Sweeping his gaze across the defenses, he could clearly see that the garrison was nowhere near as disciplined as it had been during his first visit, back when he had been penniless and desperate to borrow passage.

After Richard’s rebellion, he had slaughtered many of the knights and soldiers who remained loyal to his father.

He had also transferred troops to the Shadow World Sect and led the elites himself against Nightfall Domain.

How many defenders could possibly remain in Bull Fort?

A thousand?

Eight hundred?

Phield smiled faintly and nodded toward the steward.

"Do you remember me, Steward?"

"Phield?"

The steward’s eyes widened in disbelief.

The baron who had once arrived looking miserable and desperate, mocked as the most cowardly noble in the region, had returned with an army and a Divine Chosen to attack Bull Fort.

"Wait. Why are you here?"

"Because of Her Majesty’s orders, of course."

Phield spread his hands.

"Did you think siding with the Shadow World Sect would come without consequences?"

Without the slightest hesitation, he fabricated a story.

"The main army under my command is still on the march. I merely brought the vanguard infantry to greet you. Of course, I’m willing to give you a chance."

"It’s not too late to surrender."

His voice gradually became colder.

"But if I take this city by force, I won’t be extending noble courtesy to animals."

By the end, murderous intent dripped from every word.

"I’ll leave no survivors. You understand what I mean, don’t you? Not even a single dog will remain alive."

A stir immediately spread across the walls.

Phield caught it instantly.

Many of these soldiers had joined the rebellion only because they had no choice.

"We will never surrender, Baron Phield. Reinforcements from nearby territories will arrive soon."

"Very well."

Phield shrugged.

"Then you’ve already been sentenced to death."

"Now hurry and bring Richard out. Gather his army at once. I’ll meet him on this field and settle everything in a decisive battle."

With Rosalia providing cover, Phield turned and walked away.

"Send for reinforcements immediately!"

The steward’s face was red with panic.

"Bring every available soldier. Otherwise, we won’t need the lord to punish us. They’ll hang us themselves."

The knight answered absentmindedly.

"We’ve already informed the Border Fortress. They will send troops."

The steward sighed heavily.

"Who would’ve thought? The cowardly Phield from back then has become so domineering. Not only is he leading Imperial troops, he even commands a Divine Chosen."

It felt like a dream.

Deep down, he thought:

Those in power always wear masks.

Just as I never imagined Richard would murder his own parents.

"Alright. The performance is over."

The moment Bull Fort disappeared from view, Phield immediately turned to Rosalia.

"Let’s intercept the fortress reinforcements. Surround the stronghold and destroy the relief forces."

"Huh?"

Rosalia nearly fainted.

"I don’t get it. Aren’t we supposed to capture Bull Fort?"

"Of course not. At least not yet."

Phield shook his head.

"A town-sized city is meaningless. The real objective is the Border Fortress."

"I only brought the army here to apply pressure and lure out the fortress garrison."

Taking Rosalia’s hand, Phield grinned.

"Stop asking questions. Let’s move."

Leaving a dozen men behind in the forest to wave banners and create the illusion of a larger force, Phield led the rest of the army toward the Border Fortress.

About halfway there, they encountered a thousand-man army flying Bull Territory’s banner.

They had answered Bull Fort’s call for aid.

"Finally got them out of that turtle shell."

Phield burst into laughter.

"They’re so easy to fool. Kill every last one of them."

"I don’t really understand your plan." fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

Rosalia shook her head.

"But all I need to do is carry it out, right? Corrupted creatures don’t rely on brains anyway."

Casting aside her doubts, she drew her sword and charged.

In an instant, countless streaks of sword light filled the sky and swept toward the enemy like a raging storm.

At the same time, the newly recruited human legion roared and surged forward.

Unlike corrupted creatures, humans possessed emotions.

And because they knew fear, they could break.

The moment contact was made, the Border Fortress troops were struck by two gigantic waves of sword energy.

More than a hundred elite soldiers were annihilated instantly.

The survivors froze in shock.

Before they could react, Rosalia and the charging soldiers crashed into them like a breached floodgate, overwhelming everything in their path.