Chapter 164 : Siege of Mediolanum (2)

Initially, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Shatien wondered if his master had finally gone senile.

Consider ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the situation.

Out ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍of nowhere, he told Shatien not to attack because the enemies would collapse on their own.

'Did ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he receive some kind of revelation?'

Shatien ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had the very irreverent thought that perhaps the miracle had been bestowed upon his master instead of himself.

That ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was how absurd it felt.

"You pathetic bastard. I can see exactly what you are thinking."

Joachim clicked his tongue.

"A-Ahem. No, it is not like that."

"Liar. From the look on your face, you were clearly thinking I had gone senile."

"Oh, come on, surely not. I just wondered if you had received a revelation."

"...That is a truly astounding imagination. Being praised so much as a knight of miracles seems to have turned your brain inside out."

"......"

Regardless of Shatien's reaction, Joachim continued speaking.

"The one who is impatient is the enemy anyway. Winning after fighting is third-rate, winning and then fighting is second-rate, and winning without fighting at all is first-rate. Even if you cannot be first-rate, is this not a situation where you can be second-rate?"

"Hmm..."

Certainly.

Just as his master said, there was no need to act in a hurry right now.

Since a siege favored the defender, attempting one clumsily would result in massive losses.

The situation was absolutely favorable for him, and as time passed, the one at a disadvantage was Mediolanum.

The satellite cities in the hinterland were already falling under attack, and the nearby villages had surrendered to the Church led by Shatien.

It was effectively a dilemma of being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"Given the nature of the city, the internal factions will likely split, right?"

"Yes. Exactly. For now, they will watch the mood because of the knights sent by the Emperor, but what if the situation worsens?"

"If the situation worsens..."

At those words, a good idea flashed through Shatien's mind.

"Indeed! I see. Master."

"Hmm?"

"As expected, only you can enlighten me. Haha."

"......"

For a moment, Joachim wondered if this bastard had gone crazy.

Of course, what the master thought did not matter.

Shatien intended to immediately execute the plan that had come to his mind.

It was the very method used when the anti-Imperial alliance had captured Mediolanum in the past.

"We shall block the river by any means. We must strip the people of Mediolanum of even a single shred of hope."

"But we have no ships to fight with right now? Furthermore, the water is deeper and wider than expected, making it difficult to control the river."

"Is there not a fleet of the city that is helping us? Request their help. Tell them that in return, I will grant them lease rights to the ports of the satellite cities."

The river surrounding Mediolanum was deep and wide enough for coastal ships to enter.

In the past, had the coastal cities of the peninsula that seized naval power not led fleets upriver and captured Mediolanum?

Furthermore, the conditions were better this time than they were back then.

"We need your help. Depending on the merit you show, future punishments or rewards will be mitigated."

"W-We will gladly help. Commander! Just give the order."

The reason a maritime fleet hesitated to go up a river was because they did not know the waterway.

How deep the riverbed was, or which direction to take to avoid getting stuck on sandbars.

Since a single mistake could lead to mass casualties, navigating an unfamiliar waterway was on a different level of difficulty compared to land movement.

But what if there was a guide to show the way?

"Haha. Indeed, the Commander-in-Chief knows his business. I shall help! I was already very displeased to see their ships constantly coming and going, so this is perfect!"

There was no reason to refuse.

From that day on, the fleet of the Free City Alliance, which had been waiting on the coast, began to head north along the river.

-Blaaaaze!

"It is an attack!"

"It is the fleet of the cursed Republic! Turn the ships! Protect the ships. If we lose these, we are finished!"

The nightmare of Mediolanum had begun.

* * *

"Four ships supplying goods from the outside have been burned!"

"With the ships we have left, we cannot break their blockade. Chairman! We need a solution quickly."

The Council chamber once again became a noisy marketplace.

While the loss of external villages was common enough to be overlooked, the blocking of the port that connected to the outside was on a different level.

The city was already blockaded on all sides by the enemy army.

And now the river, the only passage to the outside world, was blocked?

'It is over!'

It meant they were effectively in a state of being completely isolated and without help.

Of course, the city walls were very strong and high, and there were still plenty of supplies inside the city.

If they controlled it with a rationing system from now on, they could hold out for more than a year.

However, the anxiety of being politically isolated without anyone to help made it impossible for the city's council members to make normal judgments.

'Dammit!'

Because of that, the Doge of Mediolanum cursed under his breath.

How could the situation become so twisted?

He had never imagined that the Commander-in-Chief named Shatien would use such insidious and dirty tricks.

He thought that as a young and vigorous mercenary-turned-knight, Shatien would be drunk on his own reputation and just stir up all the cities here and there...

However, hiding his inner thoughts as much as possible, the Doge looked at the Council chairmen and shouted.

"Silence! The war is not over yet. The walls are strong and there are plenty of supplies. Furthermore, will not the massive support from the Emperor of the Holy Empire arrive!"

"Support from the Emperor of the Holy Empire?"

"Is the Emperor's army not currently blocked by the forces led by Count Shatin in the south of the Empire?"

"Furthermore, the Republic, an ally of the Church, is thoroughly blocking the north of the peninsula, so how on earth are they supposed to help us!"

"Our alliance is firm! And did they not actually dispatch a court mage and knights!"

Then the council members sneered in unison.

"Ha! You mean that grand court mage?"

"And the knights?"

It was insulting, but unlike usual, no loud shouts erupted.

There was a reason for that.

"Where on earth are those men right now?"

"Are they still unable to recover from the wounds of battle and are secluded in their rooms? Hmm?"

"Doge! Let us at least see the face of the court mage quickly. Do not just look at the situation by yourself and cover for them!"

It was because there was no one from the Empire present in the assembly hall.

It had been a while.

Since the people from the Empire had appeared in the assembly hall.

'Dammit.'

In fact, the Doge of Mediolanum was also angry about that part and visited several times to see the court mage Libetraum, but all he got in return was a cold refusal of entry.

Furthermore.

"Dammit! Just how long are you going to hide your face! I must see you right now."

"Are you insulting the court mage who represents His Majesty the Emperor right now? Doge?"

"......"

In this way, whenever he tried to squeeze in and see a face, the imperial knights blocked him while mentioning the Emperor.

It was truly enough to make the Doge go mad.

The person who should be calming the anxiety of the council members and giving them a firm answer that support from the Emperor was certain was acting like that, so there was simply no solution.

'Fucking hell...'

Therefore, the Doge of Mediolanum had no choice but to curse like a street thug once again.

"The court mage will come out soon. So wait. Councilors! I repeat, our walls are strong and the Emperor's support is firm. If we hold out, it will be over. Do you think the Church can maintain such an army for more than a year? Besides, it will be winter soon!"

"Hmm..."

"Well, that is true."

Only then did the anger of the council members subside a bit.

Winter was certainly a difficult time for battle.

When winter came, the blockade would loosen, and supply lines would be connected to the outside once again.

While they were trying to suppress the dissatisfaction of the Council with such thoughts.

-Whirrrrrrr—!

"?"

Suddenly, a heavy sound of tearing through the air was heard from somewhere.

A sound of tearing air, or rather, crushing air.

And soon they were able to identify the nature of that sound.

-Boom!

-Rumble!

"W-What the!"

"What is happening!!"

"D-Doge! The bastards have built catapults!"

Indeed, catapults.

No, they were incredibly massive trebuchets.

* * *

"Hahahaha. What do you think?"

"Ho! Indeed. It is amazing. What incredible power."

"Don't just stand there. Use one more shot. These bastards will like it too."

"Hmm, really? Fine."

Shatien nodded.

Then, the sound of gears turning was heard once more, followed by a monstrous sound of tearing through the air.

-Whirrrrrrr—!

-Crash!

Trebuchets.

It was the majesty of mechanical catapults, the essence of advanced mechanical engineering.

These catapults, which exquisitely utilized mechanical devices and the power of gravity, were continuously firing massive stones at the walls.

Although their accuracy was not great and they often overshot the walls, it was actually better.

By indiscriminately bombarding the interior of the city, it added to the terror instead.

"Hmmmm. But how on earth did you know such engineers?"

Shatien turned and asked.

Originally, the trebuchet was a high-level technology handed down from the era of the ancient empire.

It was an incredible engineering feat that not just anyone could build, but Voltion had brought such engineers.

"Hahaha. I used a bit of influence... Well, no, there is a dwarf mercenary company I know, and we happened to make a connection."

Voltion, who was about to brag, caught the mood and carefully refined his words before continuing.

"Oho..."

It was nothing short of surprising.

To think he had interacted with those reclusive dwarves.

No, actually, what was even more surprising was that the dwarves were actually under the Emperor of the Holy Empire.

The land where the dwarves lived was the direct territory of the Emperor.

And yet, they were helping the Church, which was on the opposite side of the Emperor, and Shatien?

'There is something to this.'

They must want something.

'Come to think of it, the dwarves did rebel against the Emperor much later in the past.'

Perhaps it was a request to support their independence?

Of course, this was still just a guess.

"Once the castle falls, I will surely mention your merit to the Church. If things go well, perhaps a fief will be granted to you."

"T-Thank you! Sir Shatien!"

Voltion spoke while choking up. A fief! From a knight who only received an investiture, he could now act grandly as a noble with a fief attached.

Shatien comforted the sobbing Voltion and prepared to move on to the next step.

Since he had shown them a perfect blockade and that even the walls were not safe...

'Now is the time to shake the interior completely.'

He was designing the situation his master spoke of. Winning before the fight.

He intended to secretly send letters to the people in the castle.

Letters telling them to surrender.

Of course, he would not send them to just one person.

To the Doge of Mediolanum.

To the anti-Imperial faction.

And even to the knights sent by the Emperor.

He intended to turn the city of Mediolanum into a complete mess.

He would pray that they would run wild while suspecting each other.

"......"

"......"

And hearing this story, Joachim and Mage Agpiel could not help but fall silent for a moment.

"I have raised a madman."

"Hahaha... Your disciple is quite the fox. A fox."