Now that he had made up his mind, the first question he faced was whether to go to the capital himself.
This marked the First Army of Border Town's first campaign far from the western frontier. Unlike their two previous defensive campaigns, they would inevitably face challenges in unfamiliar terrain. Without a predetermined battlefield, their actual combat capability remained uncertain—a fact they could hardly ignore. Though Roland's military expertise was limited, his grasp of firearms was undoubtedly at the forefront of its era.
However, once we leave Border Town, the Western Frontier becomes a lawless territory. If word reaches the Long Song Fortress, those powerful families might stir up trouble. Should anyone reveal this to Tifei Ke, both the frontlines and rear areas would suffer. While a few witches might not mind Tifei Ke, it would be strange if he didn't mobilize troops to besiege the area upon learning of our presence near the capital. Even if he pardons us and orders his men to march north toward the Western Frontier, we'd still be in a desperate situation.
In general, a fire in the backyard is far more serious than a defeat on the front line.
In the end, Roland decided to stay in Border Town.
After all, the First Army's primary mission was to protect the Witch, followed by guiding the refugees onto the ships in batches, rather than engaging in direct combat with Tifeck's Royal Capital Patrol or the Church Inquisition Army. If the rescue operations were executed properly and no unforeseen incidents occurred, they would likely not fire a single shot.
Of course, he must develop a rescue plan for this as well as possible.
At noon that day, Roland summoned Carter, Iron Axe, Brian, and the Witch Alliance members.
The landscape near the Royal Capital remained only a vague memory in the Fourth Prince's childhood, though it didn't matter. He had Soroya sketch a rough map at the reception table and began issuing orders to Iron Axe and Brian.
"The central square represents the royal capital, and this blue line symbolizes the canal," Roland mused. "Your mission is twofold: first, protect the Witch to heal the refugees and bring them back to Border Town; second, halt the plague's spread within the Royal Capital. Let me begin by revealing that this outbreak is most likely the Church's doing." "What...?" Brian's eyes widened in disbelief, while Carter frowned. Iron Axe's expression remained unchanged—this Mo'jin shaman, who worshipped the Three Gods of Nature, showed no reverence for the Church or its claim to the One True God. Roland found this attitude deeply comforting.
"After the Church annexed the Kingdom of Eternal Winter, they launched an attack on Wolfheart. If Wolfheart is destroyed, I believe Dawn and Graycastle will inevitably become their next targets. In fact, the very King's Order itself is questionable," Prince explained succinctly about the Church's simultaneous provision of pills to Tefiko, Giasia, and himself. "This alone shows they're not supporting any heir, but encouraging us to kill each other. Those who ingest the pills won't become battle-hardened soldiers—they'll collapse and die after the drug wears off. The same applies to this plague. Just as the evil epidemic began spreading in the capital, the Church claimed to have the antidote. Ironically, they've been delaying its distribution to the citizens." "Only the light that penetrates hell is the most dazzling," Iron Axe remarked.
"That's exactly how it works. To play the role of a savior, you must step in during the people's darkest hour. The more striking the contrast, the deeper the Church's impact. As for the innocent who perish along the way, they're merely victims of insufficient devotion," Roland declared. "So beyond rescuing the refugees from the eastern border, we must also thwart the Church's schemes." "What should we do?" Brian drew a deep breath.
"Conceal yourselves thoroughly and execute the mission without the enemy's awareness," Roland instructed, pointing to a vast open area south of the canal's outer docks. "This is prime farmland, ideal for ambush. Find high ground here to establish a lookout that commands the docks. The support troops should disguise themselves as merchant caravan mercenaries to ferry the rescued refugees onto the ships. I'll contact merchant Margery to assemble more sailboats—more than just two fleets for the transport." Whether it's the Long Song Fortress or the Graycastle King, the capital's patrol forces rarely extend beyond their walls. Their surveillance range depends entirely on the city walls' height—the farther you can see from the ramparts, the wider the watch area becomes. The southern docks, now beyond the enemy's radar, make this location ideal for deploying troops without alerting the capital guards.
"How should those patients be treated?" asked Iron Axe.
"The primary solution is the replicants created by Lily," Roland outlined the girl's extraordinary ability. "She doesn't need to enter the refugee camp to heal them—any microorganism can become a replicant. In other words, you simply need to continuously collect river water, purify it, and feed it to the patients." "So... that's it?" He paused, stunned.
"There are two crucial points," Prince pointed with two fingers. "First, ensure every boarding crew member drinks purified water. Second, never use boiled drinking water to produce purified water—indeed, the dirtier the better. More microbes mean more replicators. You might not understand, but just follow my instructions." "Do the patients in the Royal Capital do the same?" "More or less, but we can't deliver medicine ourselves—it'd be too conspicuous. Let Tasa handle this," Roland said. "As long as the payment is settled, the Black Street rats are quite efficient." "Your Highness, rats aren't reliable. If there's profit to be made, they might stab their employers in the back at any moment," Carter objected.
"So the second mission is to prevent, not enforce," Prince stood up. "The First Army must immediately protect the Witch's evacuation upon detecting any anomaly. Successfully repatriating the refugees would be a victory—save as many as the capital's citizens can. Moreover, thwarting the Church's scheme isn't just about using evolution water. If the truth isn't as they claim—that' only the Holy Elixir can combat the plague '—their deception will fail." "Finally, I announce the chosen candidates for the capital expedition," he declared loudly. "Iron Axe!" "Yes!" "You lead 240 musketeers to protect the Witch, secure the canal docks, and eliminate potential threats. Ensure both the Witch and the Eastern Realm's people return safely." "Understood, Your Highness!" Iron Axe saluted with a standing salute.
"Brian!" "Yes!" The young Knight stood tall and proud.
"You command sixty soldiers disguised as mercenary caravan members, tasked with delivering medicine, escorting refugees, and maintaining boarding order." "Your Highness, I shall obey your command!" "Next is Witch. Those accompanying the ship to the capital include Lily, Nightingale, Echo, Lightning, and Wendy." Roland's voice softened. "I'll explain your mission later. Your priority is self-protection and safe return." "Rest assured, Your Highness," Nightingale patted her chest. "I'm here." Roland nodded. "The final and most crucial point—once the troops arrive in the capital, they may stay for no more than three days. After that, regardless of circumstances, they must return to Border Town." He emphasized each word. "If the Church plans to cripple Graycastle's resistance, they won't limit their plague to the capital. The Western Frontier is likely their next target. So you must not linger beyond three days, understand?" "Yes, Your Highness!" Iron Axe and Brian responded in unison.
"Very well, then proceed with this plan." "Wait... Your Highness, what about me?" Carter raised his hand.
"Just lead the remaining First Army troops to protect my Border Town," Roland said, patting him on the shoulder.