City of Desire: Chapter 1019 Arrived III (Patreon)

Proofread by Thomas F

Taren Zanav

I caught myself biting my fingernails and forced my hand away.

I only did that when I was extremely nervous—and right now, I had every reason to be.

My eyes remained glued to the projection of the region's map, particularly the single dot that had been creeping across it at a snail's pace for the past few days.

It’s truly not a snail's pace; her army is moving at great speed, faster than I thought.

She must have incredible army skills.

Still, it’s a snail's pace to me, and I wish she could move even faster. So I could comprehend her destination.

“My lord, the carts have reached Bilgas,” informed Eglin. “Good, load them up with people and stuff quickly and bring them back.”

I am doing everything I can to make Bilgas as defensive as possible, but I am also shifting people and goods.

Bilgas matters, but Port Midlet is vital. If Bilgas must fall, it should cost us as little as possible. Those were my sister’s words, and I hated them because they were true.

Still, I have to be fast and decisive. Delaying things will only harm me, something which I do not want.

“Is there any response from Viremont?” I asked without turning my eyes away from the map. I will ally with him and even fight against Silver, but the bastard was asking too much.

He not only wants my army but also wants Port Midlet.

Never!

Port Midlet is mine, and I will never let it go.

It is the city that will help me grow powerful. If I accept his offer and move to Bilgas, I will be nothing but his pawn, which he could crush at any time.

Even my sister didn’t agree with it.

She says that if he doesn’t accept, I should ally with Silver against Viremont.

Never! I roared in my mind.

I hate the bastard and his whores with every fiber of my being. His legacy was a constant reminder of my humiliation—and of the prosperity he had built, a prosperity whose very birth had only been made possible by me.

At gatherings, I could hear their conversations. Some bastards had even openly thanked me for my “contribution” to the birth of the Velvet Garden.

I had become a joke.

Even thinking about it filled me with such fury that I wanted to tear everything down around me.

I took a deep breath and calmed down, focusing on the map, where she had reached the important point; the point we had been waiting for.

They were as close to Bilgas as they would get; every step from here would carry them farther away.

“Scouts report?” I asked, unable to contain the nervousness I was feeling in my heart. “They are continuing to move ahead, without any change or pause.”

Hearing that, relief wanted to flood in my heart, but I didn’t let it. She could still turn.

I do not fear her as much as Viremont; I do Viremont. If she came, I would ride to Bilgas to fight her, which my sister vehemently opposes, but I don’t want to lose Bilgas.

Minutes passed, and it turned into an hour, but the dot kept moving without change in direction.

“She is not coming towards us.” Stated Eglin, with a clear relief in his voice. “That’s not completely certain yet.” Despite those words, I let the relief seep in.

“If not us, that leaves her only one option.”

…

Marquise Grimvale

“She is going to target Almin,” said Imerla, my general, as Arenthal moved further and further from Bilgas.

“That’s quite a risk she is taking. Viremont indicated he wanted Almin,” Talmire laughed, but there was no mirth in his eyes; they were completely serious.

“Well, the bastard has said he wants the entire region,” snorted Dasir.

“It is a risk indeed, but we shouldn’t be surprised; that’s how she operates,” Imerla replied.

“Still, given the army and powerhouses he is bringing. I think she is biting more than she can chew,” I let them discuss, while I watch the figure moving across the map and take reports from the scouts.

“That idiot, Summerfield, is still holding on to it; he should take out his people, army, and everything valuable out of that city as soon as possible.”

“Did he expect he could fight her? Or does he think she will buy the territory from him?” asked Dasir, looking at Deerpond angrily.

We advised him, but the man isn’t listening. We didn’t want him too weak; it would affect things.

“He is thinking she will not attack him and go directly for Silver,” replied Talmire, and the entire room burst out laughing.

Even I was barely able to stop myself from laughing.

She is going to attack Almin; there is no question about it. I might not be sure about her strategy afterward, but I am damn sure there is a strategy and a pretty good one.

Arenthal is an exceptionally intelligent woman, with extensive experience in every form of warfare.

She takes enormous risks, but never recklessly. Behind even her most audacious gambles lies a clear purpose and careful reasoning.

“Dasir, call him once more,” I ordered.

I don’t want him to fall just yet. If he did not make the right decision, then not just Almin. He might also lose Deerpond; that is something I do not want.

If he sensed it was easily taken, Viremont might make a move toward it, and I will have to interfere.

I don’t want that.

I don’t want Deerpond in Viremont's hands, or my forces occupied with him. I have only one target, the Greltheaven Dominion.

Yes, I want it whole. Silver has massive potential, and I want to destroy it in one fell swoop, and this is the biggest chance to do that.

If he survives it, he will come out even stronger. Most importantly, such a chance will not come again, as things will become messier and more dangerous.

This might be a storm, but there is a bloody cataclysm behind it. If I get that dominion, I might face and realize the dream that every head of my house had since its inception.

I was thinking when the door of the war room burst open, and my son strode in with a big smile on his face.

“They agreed,” he stated, and the cheer rang out through the whole room.

I also felt as if a heavy weight was lifted from my shoulders.

It was a massive risk, but it paid off. I had sent him to the Fortress on the other side to gain agreement that they would not attack us for a period of a few weeks.

I will be cautious and will not leave the fortress unprotected, but the agreement will help tremendously.

I know in the past Silver had an agreement with them, but now even they are realizing how big of a threat he has become, and they do not like that.

They too want the region; it used to be theirs until a few years ago and still control part of it.

It’s not like they prefer me; no, they prefer conflict, and I do not doubt that if they see a good chance. They wouldn't hesitate to break an agreement and attack the fortress.

“General, what is the progress of our men?” I asked, looking at the figure near the barony.

“They will reach the barony by evening, my lord,” she replied.

I am sending more forces and powerhouses to the baronies. Last time, I had failed to conquer the whole of it, but this time, I will succeed.

“Any response from Silver?” I asked.

“All quiet.”

It made me somber. Usually, even at the slightest movement, Silver’s people would call mine, but this time, there was not even a single word.

Though that doesn’t mean he is quiet. He is moving forces; he took a lot out of the baronies, but reinforced them with the forces from the Bram Fortress.

There, Blackwell had reinforced it with his forces, lessening the pressure on Silver.

Still, it’s clear he's stretched thin, and this will be a mistake that will take him down. Now, I hope, before he goes down, he weakens Viremont enough.

That man is going to be a huge challenge. Though he does not worry me as much as the undead.

They have been silent far too long.

…

Remus Silver

“Of course, I will inform Lord Silver of the offer, Lord Darius,” said Argys, then cut the call before turning to me.

“A Quarter,” he stated and laughed.

It had been a few days since he had made the offer to sell Almin to me. He had made that offer to everyone else except me before finally making it to me.

I laughed when he did.

I wouldn't say I don't have any interest in it, but right now it’s a hot potato; I’d rather not touch it. Even when he reduced the price to a quarter.

“The carts and carriages have left the city,” informed Zela.

Ah, he finally made the decision. He should have done that over a week ago. Hell, he should abandon the city. If there had been someone else, they might have even burned it down.

Unfortunately, the man has become overly greedy and indecisive. He is going to pay the price for that.

“Do you think Grimvale will send more reinforcements to the baronies, my lord?” asked Argis. The ten thousand men reached the barony an hour ago; it is his third reinforcement in the past ten days.

“Of course.”

It’s not me who is saying it, but Stone and others.

Grimvale was determined to conquer all of Nakar. Unfortunately for him, he would not succeed. Just like Arenthal and Viremont, he would gain nothing by attacking me, other than the greatest regret of their lives.

Soon, it was eight, and I left my office, making my way toward the war room—a conference room dedicated solely to matters of war.

This was the third war meeting of the day.

There would be many more before this storm finally passed.