380: 38, Bertelli Fortress Falls _3 380: 38, Bertelli Fortress Falls _3 Regrettably, these resources were in such short supply.
In the whole of Bertelli Fortress, only six Magic Crystal Cannons were fitted.
Even with the Magic Crossbows combined, they made up less than a hundred.
The limited numbers paired with the steep prices made it so that the defenders had to use them sparingly.
In most situations, they simply couldn’t afford to use it; once they did, it usually signaled impending danger.
Observing the enemies relentlessly mounting the city walls and the gradually compromised defenses, Count Lanton, realizing the gravity of the situation, hurriedly ordered:
“Retreat to the inner city!”
As the sound of the retreat horn rang out, the retreat of the defenders further stirred up the frenzy of the Orc Army.
Bloodthirsty orc soldiers surged into the city, embarking on a massacre.
The effects of low troop quality showed in this moment: there was no orderly retreat as initially planned, and it ended in a large-scale stampede born out of urgency to escape.
“All men retreat in an orderly manner.
Any person causing disruption will be killed on the spot.
The supervisory team is in charge of supervision!”
This order from Count Lanton was obviously too late.
As soon as the defenders fell into chaos, the Orc Army pounced.
The battle became more heated, and the initial outer-city defense war extended into the inner city.
To avoid this chaos affecting the inner city defenses, Count Lanton reluctantly chose to abandon the outer city to safeguard the inner defenses.
“Close the city gates, blockade all entrances and exits!”
Alongside this order, countless guards who didn’t retreat in time were forever trapped in the outer city.
For a moment, curses resounded through the skies.
All of this didn’t shake Count Lanton’s determination.
Seeing countless soldiers fall, he felt like his heart was bleeding, but in that moment, he still chose rationality.
The bloody battle went on.
Alongside the fall of the outer city were nearby defense works connected to the Bertelli Fortress.
Cries of war and tears continuously assaulted Count Lanton’s nerves.
Seeing the fallen flags of his clan, he realized that the era of the Leibron Family was drawing to an end.
He should be comforting and boosting the morale of his men, but at this moment, he didn’t have the energy.
Like everyone else, thoughts of despair welled in his heart, finding it hard to believe that the inner city could withstand the Orc attack.
Returning to the City Lord’s Mansion, he looked around wistfully one last time before instructing his eldest son, “Bertelli City, is no longer defensible.
After night falls, you take your younger siblings and leave through the secret passage.
Bring along the Dark Guards trained by our family.
As for our clan’s heritage, you take as much as you can.
Don’t go to Dapes.
Our family’s hundred years of establishment fell so quickly, The Moxi Duchy probably won’t last much either.
The age of turmoil is coming, this is just the beginning.
With the strong Orc Army’s arrival, all northern countries this time will likely have difficulty escaping this disaster.
The future of the Leibron Family is now on your shoulders.
Remember, no matter what, the heritage of our family must not be ended!”
After saying this, Count Lanton seemed darker, more despondent.
He’d originally thought to lead his family through this dark time, not expecting that the Leibron Family would be ousted so soon.
“Father, please come with us!
Without you, we won’t be able to bear the burden of the Leibron Family.”
The eldest son’s pleading didn’t shake Count Lanton’s resolve.
He looked kindly upon his son, then shook his head:
“You all can leave, but I cannot.
Nobility isn’t only about glory; it is also responsibility and obligation.
As a Landlord, I must live and die with my land.
If I leave at this crucial moment, you know very well what that implies.
That’s enough.
You are no longer a child and must learn to face all this on your own.
I couldn’t make the Leibron Family more glorious during my reign, but I also couldn’t bring shame to our ancestors.
After such a long-winded war, many nobles have died in combat.
If others can die for their clans, I am no exception.
It’s about time.
You should start preparing.
From this point forward, without me beside you, you will need to rely on yourselves.
There are many outside who covet the heritage of the Leibron Family.
Even some old friends might not be reliable in current times.
Once you’ve left here, you must be cautious and prudent in your actions.
Don’t be impatient for success.
In a chaotic world, there are never shortages of opportunities.”
No one wishes to die, and Count Lanton is no exception.
But he has no choice.
The obligation bound by “Duty to Guard the Land” forced him to stay behind.
Especially in times of battling against different races, if he dared to run away, he should be prepared to be hunted by the Human Alliance!
“Father, take care!”