Chapter 274: The Wolf Duke (2) Tricking The Duke
Lyan, Borton, and their group reached the Crown Prince’s camp, nestled at the edge of Duke Ravindor’s territory. The camp was a hive of activity, soldiers moving with the purpose but a lingering sense of tension hanging in the air. Lyan immediately noticed the somber expressions on the faces of the Crown Prince Erich, Royal Knight Captain Julius, Vilgira the personal guard, and Arnold the army commander. They greeted Lyan and Borton with heavy hearts, their weariness evident.
"Lyan, Borton, it’s good to see you," Crown Prince Erich said, though his tone lacked its usual vigor.
"What happened?" Borton asked, frowning.
"We’ve been under constant attack by black-cloaked men," Julius explained. "The Duke’s specialized unit, the Crows. They strike swiftly and disappear into the shadows before we can mount a proper defense."
"Guerrilla tactics," Lyan muttered. "Effective in wearing down morale and supplies."
"Indeed," Arnold agreed, his face grim. "We can’t keep this up. We need a countermeasure."
They gathered in the command tent, a large map of the region spread out before them.
"Gentlemen, we’re having an issue. The Duke resorted to using his highly-skilled [Crows] unit that we don’t exactly know their numbers, their individual strength, and what they actually are. But what we know is that they are attacking our supply lines, hitting us with guerilla attacks, and making the army’s morale down as we need to have our guards up all the time," The crown prince begins. "I guess this is what the army that attempted to siege Arkansas felt when he was facing Lyan," Erich shrugged.
"Any suggestions, gentlemen?" (Julius)
The discussion began with Lyan proposing a straightforward plan. "We need to draw them out, force them into a confrontation where their hit-and-run tactics won’t work."
Arnold nodded, his eyes narrowing as he examined the map. "True, but how do we ensure they take the bait?"