He had plenty of time to arrange personnel and produce more siege equipment.

Even construct a Weng City.

Led by Colin, the carpenter apprentices made siege equipment; Avery led the construction workers to build Weng City.

Two-pronged approach!

Watching the gradually dimming sky.

Lynn, accompanied by Red, headed toward the direction of the castle.

Returning to the castle, after dinner.

Lynn leaned back on the armchair by the fireplace.

Compared to the lord's throne in the reception hall above, he preferred sitting by the fireplace to warm himself.

From the wooden coffee table beside, he picked up the stone grinder and continued grinding herbs.

[Medical Experience +1]

[Medical Experience +1]

…

Under the cover of night.

In the vast city territory.

Atop buildings several stories high, a blanket of white covered the rooftops.

Despite it being night, the city streets still showed figures moving, carriages driving past.

Either traveling merchants, city residents, or hired soldiers and wandering poets...

The glow from candles or oil lamps seeped through wooden windows, illuminating the trampled, muddy snow.

Despite evening temperatures dropping to minus two degrees.

It couldn't deter their busy pace.

All to ensure their families had food to keep hunger at bay.

In contrast to the hurried city residents, Marquis Ducas's castle was far more calm and leisurely.

Patrolling soldiers in plate armor walked through the castle, safeguarding its interior.

Male servants and maids bent their waists carefully, not daring to glance around as they walked with heads lowered in corridors.

Going to their respective master's rooms to prepare for their masters' bedtime.

On the second floor of the main castle area, in a quiet and spacious bedroom.

Several oil lamps flickered, shedding light.

Perhaps because of insufficient lamp oil, the entire bedroom remained unlit.

Especially along the corners, darkness prevailed...

Wisps of smoke gently wafted out of the censer, filling the room.

Inside the fireplace.

A cluster of glowing red embers continued to emit heat.

Warming the entire bedroom thoroughly.

On the walnut-made large bed, a bloated figure lay sprawled.

Hoo~ Hoo~

One breath after another emerged from the figure's mouth.

Sporadically, each breath accompanied by uncomfortable groans.

After several rhythmic knocks.

The tightly closed double wooden doors pushed open, the territory physician walked in with a wooden medical box and approached the walnut bed.

Doctor Hewitt looked at the bed, where Donovan Ducas lay resting with closed eyes.

He softly called, "Sir, it's time to change your medicine..."

Donovan, with closed eyes, suddenly awakened, alertly scanning his surroundings.

But upon seeing the familiar Hewitt beside him and the room's familiar environment.

Donovan's expression relaxed slightly, "Oh, it's you, Hewitt."

"Time to change my medicine again? Have I grown forgetful?"

"I remember you changed it for me not long ago, was it only a few days before?"

Hewitt bowed and replied, "Yes, sir, it's been a week since the last change."

Donovan sighed, "The passage of time... is truly swift."

In his words.

Donovan turned his body slightly, exposing his back to Hewitt.

Instantly, a familiar and decayed smell reached Hewitt's nose and mouth.

With a furrowed brow, Hewitt slowly lifted Donovan's garment from his back.

It was still a nauseating sight of mangled flesh...

Without uttering a word, he opened the medical box beside him and began changing Donovan's bandages.

Donovan's voice, filled with nostalgia, broke the silence.

"Hewitt, I just had a nap and dreamt of the first campaign following Charlemagne into battle."

"Facing the Elfini Empire's fifty thousand troops with just twenty thousand soldiers!"

"That battle was truly... blood flowed like rivers, earth turned to darkness!"

"Corpses piled high covered the ground, making it hard to find a firm foothold."

"Charlemagne VI and I stood atop the corpse hills, entrusting our backs to each other."

"We slew troop after troop of charging Elfini soldiers!"

"Even the edge of the two-handed knight's sword became blunt!"

Hewitt's expression remained calm as he responded, "Sir, I have heard of that battle - The Blood Red Battle!"

"The Karedi Empire and Elfini Empire engaged in battle on the southern Fox Plain, with combined troops of over seventy thousand."

"This battle lasted for over half a month!"

"The combined casualties reached fifty thousand."

"The spilled blood turned the yellow earth of Fox Plain into red."

"From then on, Fox Plain was renamed Blood Red Plain!"

"Also from that time, the Karedi Empire completely captured Titan Pass, keeping the Elfini Empire troops blocked outside the Titan Mountain Range."

"Utterly shattering the Elfini Empire's centuries-long ambitions to occupy the Karedi Empire!"

These words were sentiments Donovan often expressed in his solitude, with Hewitt hearing them so often he remembered.

Listening to Hewitt's detailed account, Donovan's voice was filled with emotion.

"Yes, then the Ducas Clan was like a blazing lion, never shying away from any challenge!"

"But now..."

At this point.

Donovan's tone shifted, turning from excitement to a touch of melancholy.

He continued, facing away from Hewitt, asking, "How long has it been since Lawrence took 3500 soldiers of the Ducas Clan and left?"

Hewitt pondered for a few seconds before responding, "Sir, it's been over half a month!"

Donovan fell into silence.

After a while.

Donovan sighed, "Hewitt, I feel... the Ducas Clan's path is reaching its end..."

Hewitt said nothing, quietly applying herbal medicine to Donovan.

Donovan's voice continued, "The imperial succession struggle means endless remains of the fallen."

"It requires countless followers to battle, to slaughter, to courageously sacrifice their blood."

"Mark chose to stand with Mitchell, who's already powerful... it's indeed a good choice."

"But he's a bit too hasty."

"Wanting too much to display his capabilities and gain others' recognition often comes at a great cost..."

"The Ducas Clan might very well be the first sacrifice in the imperial power struggle!"

Donovan spoke and fell silent.

It was then Hewitt finally spoke, "Sir, since you passed the title to Marquis Mark, surely his capabilities and prowess have your endorsement."

Uh... uh-uh... uh-uh-uh...

Eerie laughter erupted from Donovan's mouth.

With each burst of laughter, his body shuddered again and again.

"Endorsement?"

After a few seconds, Donovan's laughter ceased.

"Did I have a choice?"

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